It's hard to imagine a more suitable setting than Atlantic City to depict one of America's most tumultuous periods: the prohibition years. This world, shaped in the shadow of casinos, brothels and wooden walkways along the coast, reveals how hypocritical moral laws can be, how power can corrupt, and where human ambition can extend. Steve Buscemi delivers one of the most mature performances of his career as Enoch "Nucky" Thompson, the central character of the series. This character, who is both a politician and the master of the criminal underworld, is not someone who can be easily liked or hated by the audience. That's exactly why you get glued to the screen. Thompson, brought to life by Buscemi's pale, sharp facial expression, is the kind of figure who embodies the profound contradiction within power. The pen of Terence Winter, who is the signature behind The Sopranos, and the cinematic understanding of Martin Scorsese, who directed the pilot episode, take the series far beyond an ordinary period production. Although the costumes, sets and atmosphere are designed to make you feel the spirit of the twenties almost physically, the main point is never to present a nostalgic show. On the contrary, an extremely harsh mirror is held up to the viewer regarding today. This series is almost a lesson for those who want to see how law makers break the law, the rot inside the system and how it shapes the lives of ordinary people. Side characters such as Prohibition agent Nelson Van Alden, played by Michael Shannon, also create powerful layers that feed into the main story; no one is just good or bad in this world. Over the course of five seasons, we witness not only the rise and fall of an era, but also of a soul. It would not be enough to describe in words what a dark world is hidden behind the glittering facade of Atlantic City. It has to be seen.