Boardwalk Empire has had varied success with fans over the course of its five-season run, though even with the ups and downs, critics continue to stand by the series as it moves forward with its final episodes on HBO.

Nucky Searching For Redemption On 'Boardwalk Empire'

"We're not the new kids anymore," creator and writer Terrence Winter told Variety in an interview released on Tuesday. "The more time passes, the more new shows get introduced and steal your thunder. People's focus shifts to that."

For Winter, deciding when Boardwalk Empire needed to end was a logical decision, if not necessarily an easy one. Having jumped ahead seven years from the end of Season 4, the final eight-episode arc of the series will center around the repeal of prohibition during the 1930s.

Trouble Stirs In Final Episodes Of 'Boardwalk Empire'

"In my very early conversations with Terry Winter, we discussed the idea that first and foremost this was Nucky's story, so the end point would be dictated by what was happening with him," explained producer and pilot director Martin Scorsese. "Because the Prohibition years specifically provide the backdrop to that story, tying the repeal in to the conclusion was almost a fait accompli."

While production may have wrapped for the series, it's certainly left a lasting impression on those involved. "Little old Italian ladies walk up to me and go 'Chalky!'" declared actor Michael K. Williams, who claims the series exposed him to "a whole different audience."

Unlike some popular programs, which get pushed out or end years after the creator has quit the project, Boardwalk Empire has retained a certain sense of integrity.

"The most important thing is that the creators feel they got to end the story in a way they felt was appropriate," declared HBO's Michael Lombardo. "It started with Terry, it ends with Terry."

Boardwalk Empire continues on HBO with its fifth and final season Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

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