The Good Listener

Lore & Background

In New York, Nucky meets retired Torrio, suspecting Lansky in an assassination attempt in Cuba. Torrio arranges a meeting with Salvatore Maranzano, who says Nucky is not a problem. Luciano denies involvement. Lansky conspires with Luciano, Bugsy Siegel, and Tonino to take over Maranzano's empire. Nucky tries to partner with a company but is rejected due to his criminal past, though Joe Kennedy shows interest. In Brooklyn, Willie, a law graduate, is initially rejected for a prosecutor position due to his relation to Nucky but convinces the Attorney to give him a chance. Nucky meets Tonino, who confirms Luciano and Lansky's involvement in the attempt and offers to work for Nucky. Tonino later finds a boardwalk caricature of Billie Kent and sees Arquimedes staring. Lansky is alerted to a murder and finds Tonino dead with a knife in the back and a postcard reading "Greetings from Havana."

Reader's Guide

"The Good Listener" received extremely positive reviews from critics, with Rotten Tomatoes reporting a 100% approval rating based on 12 reviews. The site's consensus stated that the episode "aptly picks up the pace after the gradual setup" of the premiere, "purposefully advancing what is becoming an exciting arc for the final season." Critics praised the performances and more focused narrative. Matt Fowler of IGN gave it an 8.8 out of 10, noting it "started to sew together a lot of the vague elements from the season premiere." Alan Sepinwall of HitFix commented on how the show's main character had become a minor supporting player in the big action. Genevieve Valentine of The A.V. Club gave an "A–" grade, writing that it "uses characters running out of options" and "works to spin the threads that connect people." The episode was seen by an estimated 1.81 million household viewers, a 24% decrease from the previous episode's 2.37 million.

Did You Know?

• It was the 50th overall episode of Boardwalk Empire.
• The episode features a flashback to 1897 showing the death of Nucky's sister Susan.
• Government agent Frank J. Wilson does not appear in this episode; the investigation of Capone for tax evasion is not a plot point in 'The Good Listener'.