The Boardwalk Empire pilot, directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Terence Winter, sets the stage on the eve of Prohibition in 1920 Atlantic City, introducing Nucky Thompson's corrupt political machine and the brutal reality of the bootlegging business. The episode highlights a violent hijacking by Jimmy Darmody and a young Al Capone, while establishing complex character dynamics with Margaret Schroeder and Arnold Rothstein. For a detailed recap, visit Fandom .