Boardwalk Empire’s showrunner, Terence Winter revealed that they decided to end the show after five seasons because Nucky Thompon’s story was reaching a conclusion.
Boardwalk Empire is an American period crime drama television series, broadcast on the premium cable channel, HBO. It is set in Atlantic City during the Prohibition era of the 1920s.
The show focuses on Enoch “Nucky” Thompson, played by Steve Buscemi. Nucky is a political figure who rises to fame. Nucky interacts with historical characters in both his political and personal life, while trying to control the city.
The final season of the show jumps forward seven years, when the Prohibition era is nearing its end in 1931.
Creator and showrunner, Terence Winter explained in an interview with Hitfix that he created the time leap because it seemed appropriate to close the show at the end of the era, just as it began with the start of the law.
It was revealed at the end of the final season that Nucky’s need for power led to his downfall. In the last effort to keep his job as sheriff, Nucky handed the 12-year-old Gillian, played by Gretchen Mol, to the Commodore.
However, little did he know that this would lead to Tommy, played by Brady and Connor Noon, killing him.
Decades of manipulation and greed caused Nucky to be shot by the third generation member of a family he had betrayed in the city that he once controlled.
Steve admitted that although the show’s ending came as a shock, he was happy with the way everything ended.
Winter also later revealed that the show was Nucky Thompson’s story, and they realized that his story was heading towards a conclusion.
Winter and the show’s executive producer, Howard Korder decided that the show must reach an end point.
They decided that the fifth season of Boardwalk Empire would be the last.
Season four of the show featured Nucky as a supporting character, while the final season focused on Nucky and his past, so that viewers and cast members could fully understand the character’s backstory.