Boardwalk Empire

It's good to see creative types apparently finally embracing the potential of TV as a medium. It allows for a relaxed, novelistic style of storytelling, with digressions and character explorations simply unattainable in a two-hour film. Of course, the drawback is that staff turnover and simple laws of diminishing returns can throw even great productions off-track. This is where HBO flaunts its built-in advantage: as a subscription-based channel, its shows don't face the same episode-to-episode pressures as those dependent on in-show advertising. It has taken advantage of this to push the envelope artistically, and channels like AMC are beginning to follow suit (no coincidence that Mad Men and Boardwalk Empire both share Sopranos bloodlines). Hopefully it's a trend that will continue to grow.

Slate: HBO's Boardwalk Empire is a wantonly snazzy ride through Prohibition.