Set in Atlantic City during the 1920's, Boardwalk Empire explores the golden era of gangsters in which the likes of Al Capone and Lucky Luciano take on John Q. Law over the Prohibition act. Trailer inside.

Produced by legendary gangster-flick director Martin Scorsese, Soprano's writer Terence Winter, and the Departed star Mark Wahlberg, the twelve-episode season will premiere on HBO on September 19th. A solid cast which includes Steve Buscemi, Kelly MacDonald, Michael Shannon, and Michael Pitt will carry most of the acting weight, all of which are very capable of pulling off this period piece drama. With Guns blazing and old-timey dialogue, the initial inclination of the show appears to be that of a combination of Mad Men decor and Soprano-esque violence. HBO, trying to fill the coveted crime drama spot that was left vacant with the conclusion of the Sopranos, turns to Boardwalk Empire as a promising replacement.