Michael Shannon's intense portrayal of the frightening, puritanical Prohibition agent Nelson Van Alden on 'Boardwalk Empire' reached a dramatic apex in Sunday night's 'Age of Reason' episode. Thrust into a state of anguish and guilt over an agent he thinks has been burned to pay for his sins, Van Alden watches his web of lies unravel as his wife discovers the twisted game of house he's been playing with Lucy.

We talked to Michael Shannon about the difficulty of playing such a deathly serious character and discussed whether the jig is up for Van Alden in Atlantic City. Shannon revealed that his biggest challenge as Val Alden wasn't whipping himself or drowning Agent Sebso but downing a shot of whiskey. The Academy Award-nominated actor also divulged his personal beverage of choice (yes, it contains alcohol) and shared the key to ID'ing Van Alden as the father of Lucy's baby. Read on for the full interview!

A baptism is a religious ceremony that invokes death, life, and rebirth. But there are different kinds of baptism. There's baptism by water, by fire ... or by blood. On the new 'Boardwalk Empire' (Sun., 9PM ET on HBO), all three take place -- at the same time.

Straight-arrow Federal agent Nelson Van Alden (Michael Shannon) is after Atlantic City treasurer and bootlegging-mastermind Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi). Van Alden is all about rules -- and religion.

At the same time, he's morally compromised. He's sexually obsessed with Margaret Schroeder (Kelly Macdonald), Nucky's mistress. In the past, Van Alden's guilt-ridden thoughts have resolved themselves in various odd ways ... including whipping himself as punishment for his "sinful" longings. On tonight's episode, things get even more violent.

It's got 1920s classic cars, men with big guns and a nattily-dressed, slightly-mustachioed Steve Buscemi brandishing a cigarette. It's looks just like a scene right out of a gangster movie.

And then you see that it's HBO's just-released trailer for its upcoming new series 'Boardwalk Empire.' Produced by Emmy-winning 'Sopranos' writer Terence Winter AND Martin Scorsese, you know that this show is not just going to be gangster: It's going to be all-out, balls-to-the-wall, bloody gangsta.

Watch the video after the jump.