The bad news is Van Alden’s back. The good news is that he’s miserable, no matter what he’s doing, whether it’s delivering flowers or fisticuffs on behalf of O’Bannion. O’Bannion has grander plans for Van Alden, at least, and he sends the guy to Cicero ostensibly as muscle for Capone’s efforts to rig the election. But, also, to keep an eye on Al and make sure Al’s going to stay right where he is. Except that Al’s not stupid, and…well, okay, he is stupid, but not that stupid. Stone-face Van Alden continues to be unhappy, but whaddaya gonna do when your wife is spending money on a davenport when you already have a perfectly good chair?

Jeffrey Wright shows up as Dr. Valentin Narcisse, who happens to be a couple of levels above the murdered Dickie Pastor. He's got the newly widowed Alma with him, playing the role of traumatized rape victim. Nucky and Chalky know it’s bullshit, but Nucky decides Narcisse will get a 10 per cent stake in the Onyx Club. “It’s better off settled,” he tells Chalky, who wants a more permanent solution to the trouble, especially given the disdain he gets from Narcisse, all imperiousness and Bible verses. Unsurprisingly, Narcisse has no use for Alma once he got what he wanted, and sneers at her congress with Dunn Purnsley. “A thing mixed is a thing weakened,” he tells her, right before she’s literally dragged through the mud.

Another layer to Agent Knox this week! He’s an undercover agent working for acting director Hoover, J. Edgar, and not even Gaston Means is aware of it (or if he is, he doesn’t let Nucky know).

Eddie Kessler tenders his resignation, which Nucky decides to stave off -- not with his initial offer of money -- which Nucky confuses with respect, but with a promotion. And Richard Harrow is so tired of killing that he pardons a man he’s got a contract on. He can’t bring himself to kill the dying family dog, either, although that’s because he played with it as a pup. But Harrow’s real trouble is that his sister has no one else and a baby on the way, and owes money on the not-exactly-raking-it-in family farm.

And still no Margaret!

Daniel is a writer in Newfoundland with a wife and a daughter. He loves Jeffrey Wright and all, but haven’t we seen this sort of character a hundred times before? Follow him on Twitter (@DanMacEachern) or email him at danieljdaniel@gmail.com.