该剧根据作家Nelson Johnson的同名畅销小说改编。 1920年,联邦政府颁布禁酒令后,公开售卖酒类商品成为一种违法行为。在新泽西州的西南部的大西洋城没有任何法律。贯穿全城的道路的两侧,布满了各式旅馆、夜总会、娱乐中心、赌场、妓院、剧院,其规模堪与纽约的百老汇相提并论。Nucky(史蒂夫·布西密 Steve Buscemi 饰)是这里的老大。除了保护伞大西洋城警长Elias(谢伊·惠格姆 Shea Whigham 饰),一大帮靠黑帮势力发家的老板,还有一群宣誓效忠于他的打手。Nucky小心地谋划着自己在私酒生意链条上的位置,与各种黑帮组织为争夺黑市控制权展开了你死我活的斗争。Set in the Prohibition era of the 1920s Boardwalk Empire is the story of Enoch "Nucky" Thompson, the treasurer of Atlantic County, Atlantic City, New Jersey. Due to his relationships with mobsters as well as political contacts, the Federal Government start to take an interest in him. His lavish lifestyle seems at odds with his position, and as well as his connections, there is prolific bootlegging in the area.