'Boardwalk Empire' gives Mr. Pink some glory

Finally. Finally! Steve Buscemi gets a leading role.

One of the best character actors around, the Brooklyn-born Buscemi plays Nucky Thompson in HBO's new epic series "Boardwalk Empire."

For the next few months, we'll get to see Buscemi as the treasurer of Atlantic City in all his corruptness. He's part politican, part gangster.

More important, he's not in a supporting role this time. No more Mr. Pink, the squirrely gangster amid tough-guy gangsters Mr. White (Harvey Keitel) and Mr. Black (Michael Madsen) in "Reservoir Dogs." No more Tony Blundetto, the short-arc "Sopranos" crook who met his demise on a porch with Tony Soprano behind the trigger.

There are countless other supporting -- and memorable -- characters played by Buscemi. This time, he's the main man. That's reason enough to watch "Boardwalk Empire" on HBO this Sunday.