Boardwalk Empire premiered its big fifth and final season on Sunday night, focusing heavily on the contrasting lives of Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi) and the incarcerated Chalky White (Michael K Williams).

Nucky Looking 'Inward' For Final Season Of 'Boardwalk Empire'

After jumping seven years ahead from the end of Season 4, the series is now rooted in the Great Depression, with prohibition just about ready to end. Arnold Rothstein (Michael Stuhlbarg) is dead. Margaret Schroeder (Kelly Macdonald) is newly unemployed. Both Lucky Luciano (Vincent Piazza) and Meyer Lansky (Antol Yusef) are rising to power. A lot has changed, and there is more still to come.

One of the most notable changes this season is the heavy use of flashbacks, which was prominent even in Sunday night's premiere. Nucky spent a great deal of time looking back as he recalled his childhood as the son of an impoverished fisherman.

Steve Buscemi's 'Beautiful' 'Boardwalk Empire' Farewell

Episode 1 was entitled Golden Days for Boys and Girls. Next week's second episode is called The Good Listener and promised more flashbacks, violence and character reveals.

"I have been one of the most successful bootleggers in the country," declares Nucky as he listed his qualifications to be in the liquor business during Sunday night's preview for Episode 2.

Some familiar characters are also set to appear next week, including Al Capone (Stephen Graham), who argues in the preview over being owed money. The clip also offers a glimpse of Gillian Darmody (Gretchen Mol), suggesting that her new whereabouts will be revealed.

Boardwalk Empire continues on HBO with its fifth and final season Sunday, September 14 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

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