ou’ve really got to hand it to HBO. Since debuting in the 70s, the cable network has done everything they can to reinvent television. First they brought uncut violent movies and porn into the homes of America (thank god!). Then they started to create television programming for adults that had no limits and refused to pander to the lowest common demoninator. The unflinching realism and naughty language of The Larry Sanders Show changed TV comedy forever, while Curb Your Enthusiasm finally gave Larry David a place to let his imagination flow uncensored. Shows like The Sopranos, Deadwood, and The Wire proved that TV drama didn’t need to be the bastard son of cinema, it could be something even more compelling than was being shown on the big screen. Hell, they even gave Bill Maher a new home after he famously became the first person fired for 9/11. The network’s slogan is “It’s not TV, it’s HBO” and it has to be one of the only network slogan on TV that’s actually a accurate representation of the channel rather than a shrewd marketing gimmick.

Yep, HBO truly is an amazing network that has permanently changed television, yet somehow they always find a way to surprise audiences. Just when you think they’ve reached their artistic zenith they’ll do something crazy like fund Gus Van Sant’s experimental Elephant or bring Ricky Gervais to North American audiences. Now the channel has gone and something else groundbreaking. They’ve hired the most talented and beloved filmmaker in the world and given him free rain over a television series. They’ve hired Martin Scorsese to direct a pilot.

That’s right, the man he gave the world Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas and other masterpieces will get a chance to strut his stuff one night a week on HBO. The Italian stallion of filmmakers has signed on to direct a pilot for a new drama series entitled Boardwalk Empire. Written by Terrence Winter (who penned 25 episodes of The Sopranos), the proposed show is based on Nelson Johnson’s book Empire about the 1920s origins of Atlantic City. The show will follow Nucky Johnson a cunning businessmen who kicks off the city’s bootlegging at the start of Prohibition as well as Jimmy Darmody a smart and violent WW1 veteran trying to climb the ranks of Nucky’s operation. In other words, it will be the perfect vehicle for Scorsese to unleash his imagination on television.

Casting for the series has already begun and the names are damn impressive. Steve Buscemi will star as the bootlegging entrepreneur and I can’t think of a more perfect person to headline this sort of show. Buscemi has consistently been one of the most underrated actors of his generation turning in such brilliant and diverse performances as his scene stealing work in Fargo and Ghost World. He’s also worked quite successfully with Scorsese before, appearing as a performance artist in the director’s amazing short film in 1989’s New York Stories. Michael Pitt will take on the role of rising gangster Nucky which is yet another inspired choice. Pitt is one of the most interesting and exciting actors of his generation who has been doing brilliant character work in American indies such as Larry Clark’s Bully and Gus Van Sant’s Kurt Cobain experiment Last Days. The final cast member to be announced so far is Kelly McDonald, the wonderful Scottish actress who debuted as Diane in Trainspotting and has been turning in excellent supporting roles in films like No Country For Old Men ever since.

Shooting has yet to begin on the project, but given the incredible talent involved it is impossible to imagine that this show will be anything but amazing. With Scorsese behind the camera, killer source material, a brilliant TV writer cranking out the scripts, and a talented cast, it’s hard to imagine how this show could possibly fail. HBO has been the home for groundbreaking television for years and if they start giving filmmakers like Scorsese carte blanche to create shows, the prestige of the network is only going to expand. Get ready for Boardwalk Empire to kick your TV’s ass next fall.