Boardwalk Empire Wanted to Kill Its Fan-Favorite Character in the Very First Season

Boardwalk Empire is one of the most important shows of the first half of the 2010s, unfairly forgotten by both critics and viewers by the end of the decade.

It would be hard to call Boardwalk Empire underrated; it was once adored and appreciated. Big studios just don't do shows like this anymore: historical dramas are now relegated to the miniseries format.

In an era of fantasy and endless nostalgia for the eighties and nineties, the multi-season historical drama looks like both a unique achievement and an echo of the past.

Boardwalk Empire Had the Perfect Cast And Crew

Boardwalk Empire in the early 2010s could only be released on HBO. Only the network that changed everyone's attitude toward television in the 2000s could invite the most important director of our time and so many talented actors for its new project.

The executive producer of Boardwalk Empire was Martin Scorsese himself. He did not limit himself to executive functions, but also directed the first episode.

Another important name in the series is Steve Buscemi, for whom the role of Nucky Thompson was perhaps the most important and difficult of his career.

This is generally one of the main benefits of Boardwalk Empire – no matter where you point your finger, you will find a talented actor or actress: Michael Pitt, Kelly Macdonald, Michael Shannon, Charlie Cox, and others. Even by today's standards, a show with a cast like this looks like an impressive feat by the casting director.

Richard Harrow Made Millions of Fans Fall in Love With Him

But without a doubt, the most beloved character by fans was not Steve Buscemi's Nucky or Michael Shannon's Nelson, but Jack Huston's Richard Harrow.

“He's my favorite character out of any show. He was extremely well written, and they never overused him, which made nearly every appearance high impact,” Reddit user pnthollow wrote.

Harrow Was Supposed to Be Killed Off Much Earlier

Rest in peace, Richard Harrow, was all fans had to say after watching the Season 4 finale. But Harrow's run could have been even shorter – Huston's character was supposed to last no more than three episodes in the series and then be killed off.

But the actor's portrayal of his character captivated the showrunners and they decided to extend his arc. And for that, we have to thank the Boardwalk Empire showrunners – they created one of the best characters on television.

Why Did Richard Harrow Die in Season 4?

Harrow was a humble war veteran, a friend of Jimmy Darmody, and a quiet killing machine with an indescribable sadness in his one remaining eye. Half a step away from quiet family happiness, Richard agreed to a fateful deal with Nucky – to kill Narcisse.

Earlier in the season, however, we were shown that Richard is no longer the cold-blooded killer – he could not even shoot a dog dying of old age. His hand trembled – a bullet meant for Narcisse accidentally kills Chalky White's daughter.

After such an attempt, it was immediately clear that Richard was destined to die. But it is very touching that at the end of the journey Richard finally found his true face. Albeit after death.

In the Boardwalk Empire universe, every character pays for their actions. Richard had to pay a high price for his old sins, but for more drama, he was killed just as he found the family he had dreamed of for so long.