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The Sopranos Season Six

Yancy Street Gang Mar 13 2006 09:58 AM

WARNING: SPOILERS LIKELY THROUGHOUT THIS THREAD! DON'T READ FURTHER UNLESS YOU'RE CAUGHT UP ON YOUR SOPRANOS EPISODES! It was fun seeing the Sopranos crowd again. Heck of an ending, too. I think Tony will probably reconsider his position on putting Uncle Junior into a nursing home. (And he'd better find one with metal detectors.)

metirish Mar 13 2006 10:00 AM

Yeah it was pretty good, Tony will be guilt ridden over his guy hanging himself, or he should be at least.

Willets Point Mar 13 2006 10:37 AM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Mar 13 2006 10:47 AM

WARNING: SPOILER BELOW

metirish Mar 13 2006 10:40 AM

I see a red x.

Johnny Dickshot Mar 13 2006 10:44 AM

Cool little story about the $2 Million Man, but it began and ended pretty quick -- help me out here, was he also singing to the feds? And who was the canary who collapsed dead in the FBI car? Was that Patsy? It's been awhile. Nice to see Meadow in her undies. I'm not exactly frightened for Tony's life here, so the ending was intriguing only to the extent of its possibilities: How do they deal with this? Who's in charge while he recovers? etc etc Couldn't help but notice they didn't include next week's highlights -- so as not to give anything away, I guess? My speculation: Formerly Fat Gay Guy will discover his new confidence to be his undoing. He will become a lot more interesting this year.

metirish Mar 13 2006 10:55 AM

I think the guy that's running the NY crew for Johnny Sachs might see Tony being laid up as an opportunity to settle some scores.

Yancy Street Gang Mar 13 2006 11:08 AM

I noticed that about the coming attractions, too. Leaves open the possibility of Tony dying, but I agree, I don't see it happening. He did manage to successfully dial 9-1-1, and that means that somebody is going to show up. It would likely be the police instead of an ambulance, but the cops would call the medical guys. I thought that was Patsy who died in the car, but at the funeral they were calling him Ray. I remember that they were twins. Maybe Patsy was the one who died a few seasons ago, and Ray was the twin? My impression was that the guy who wanted to retire wasn't singing to the feds yet, but was being courted, a process that we saw with more detail with Adrianna. Some good lines in the show. I liked when Bobby apologized to Tony for being late, and mentioned the difficulty of dealing with strollers, car seats, and the like. "You remember how it is, Tony." I could relate, because I do. But Tony's reply, "I didn't do any of that shit!" was great. He's obviously not an "Alan Alda" type of dad. (Remember when some men were labled "Alan Alda types"? That was a while back.)

Methead Mar 13 2006 11:19 AM

"they were calling him Ray" Ray Curto... and yes, he was a snitch for a while. I'm pretty sure he was one of the NY guys. He gave them a tape just before he croaked... you wonder how useful that will be. "the guy who wanted to retire wasn't singing to the feds yet" Oh, I think he was. He knew it was the feds when he got the call on his cel phone to go meet them. I believe they were dangling Florida in front of him as an incentive to get information. Once Curto died, the Florida Guy became a lot more important to the feds, hence their refusal to send him down there. Great episode!

Elster88 Mar 14 2006 09:28 AM

metirish wrote: Yeah it was pretty good, Tony will be guilt ridden over his guy hanging himself, or he should be at least. I doubt it. The scene last season where his most recent cumare threatened to kill herself showed that Tony is over caring if some loser decides to end it.

Farmer Ted Mar 14 2006 05:02 PM Christopher

Christopher had some of the best lines Is that a Catheter? Isn't it a coincidence that Lou Gehrig died of Lou Gehrig's disease. (at the wake) This place is morbid. (justifying his sponsor at the wake) Yeah, but he's great at forging documents. Plus the one about the FBO agent getting his asshole eaten away by the virus.

soupcan Mar 14 2006 05:08 PM

The Lou Gehrig joke is old. The better way to tell it (in my opinion) is a la Denis Leary: 'Lou Gehrig. Died of Lou Gehrig's desease. How does he not see that coming?'

Centerfield Mar 14 2006 05:36 PM

I love the conversation between Tony and Christopher that went along the lines of: (regarding Phil) Tony: He's doing a good job in Johnny's absence. I'm impressed. Chris: He tried to have me killed. Tony: What's in the past is in the past.

Johnny Dickshot Mar 20 2006 07:25 AM

OK, so Tony dreams ... what it'd been like had he gone straight? Whether the convention he can't get into is something else? The helicopter is obviously hospital lights and the fire in the distance the monitors and stuff. But, not really sure about the buddist slap, the identity loss and whatever else might have been thrown in there. Your interpretations? Lots of fertalizer tossed on the ground for future eps: Vito is rocketing up the charts in the race to be "first guy whacked" -- his weight loss brings him overconfidence and you know the gay stuff is coming out. ... Christopher and terrorist angle ... A power struggle with Sil on top? Great scene between Rose Aprile and Carmela. AJ is probably dumb enough to try and follow through with his revenge plans, but also too dumb to pull it off, I think.

Yancy Street Gang Mar 20 2006 09:09 AM

I like how even Tony's manner of speaking was different in this alternate life of his. Did anybody recognize the voice of his wife on the phone? I was thinking it might have been Gloria, the Mercedes saleswoman.

Methead Mar 20 2006 09:12 AM

Last night's episode was unbelievable. First thing I said to myself about ten minutes into it was "purgatory." Tony's dreams don't always make complete sense... but one thing I picked up on was his phone calls to "home" as a metaphor for his tenuous connection to life. Throughout the episode he's always checking in with the wife (I'm here), but at the end, he contemplates a call, dials a couple digits, and decides against it. In a sense, it's a better cliffhanger than last week's ending was.

Methead Mar 20 2006 09:14 AM

"voice of his wife on the phone" It's weird, but it actually sounded like Adrianna to me.

Yancy Street Gang Mar 20 2006 09:26 AM

He gets diagnosed with Altzheimer's, which he calls a death sentence, while in the real world it's Uncle Junior's Altzheimer's which may end up killing him. I'm not sure what to make of the monk thing, except that it's interesting that he's falsely accused of wrongdoing. Does Tony see himself as a guy who gets a bum rap, or does he figure that even if he led a straight life he'd still somehow end up with a bad reputation?

Methead Mar 20 2006 09:33 AM

Yeah, but the Alzheimer's diagnosis might cause his coma character to become depressed and lose hope. Which is why I loved the ending... is he giving up?

Elster88 Mar 20 2006 09:36 AM

Yancy Street Gang wrote: I like how even Tony's manner of speaking was different in this alternate life of his. Did anybody recognize the voice of his wife on the phone? I was thinking it might have been Gloria, the Mercedes saleswoman. I thought so too. It didn't sound like Adrianna at all.

Methead Mar 20 2006 10:13 AM

[url=http://www.nj.com/search/index.ssf?/base/columns-0/1142836402123280.xml?starledger?colsep&coll=1]Nice article here...[/url]

Elster88 Mar 20 2006 10:18 AM

Interesting. But the idea that he's in purgatory rings false. He's not dead. But as a metaphor it's interesting. In the end, it really is a dream sequence. And I'd much rather have "real-life" stories than extended dream sequences. Artsy-fartsy.

Vic Sage Mar 20 2006 10:21 AM

I loved the way that, when he looked up at the light, you could actually see what appeared to be either a doctor's pen light or the overhead fixture in the surgery room. And those distant flairs outside his hotel room... haunting. And i thought he called her "Carm" on the phone. The voice was a little huskier, but it certainly could have been Carmela's, in the same way Tony's voice was just a little different. Gandolfini's modulated vocal inflection was subtle but allowed you to think about this man in a different light... a brilliant piece of acting, i thought. Is it a coma-dream? Pergatory? why are these mutually exclusive, especially in light of Carmela's deluded shpiel about Tony not going to Hell? What could be more Hellish than being stuck in costa mesa with somebody else's identity, unable to pick up the girl at the bar, getting slapped by Buddist monks, falling down stairs and finding out you have Altzheimers? what greater indignity for a powerful man than to be stuck helpless, stripped of his identity, unable to defend himself against the MEEKEST of men, facing an undignified end? "I'm lost", he said. I think we're going to see more of Tony's hellish parallel life/coma dream/purgatory next episode.

Elster88 Mar 20 2006 10:25 AM

The Star-Ledger Article wrote: Boy, Janice's gift for making every moment of every day be all about her survives even her brother's shooting, huh? She shows up at the hospital, pretending she's there to help comfort Carmela, then immediately spazzes out so she's the center of attention. I caught this too. I hate Janice. At least as much as possible to hate a character from a show. It's gotten so when the actress (Turturro?) shows up in other movies I immediately dislike her. I guess that means she's a good actress, no? Since I have such a strong opinion about her character?

Elster88 Mar 20 2006 10:26 AM

]what greater indignity for a powerful man than to be stuck helpless, stripped of his identity, unable to defend himself against the MEEKEST of men, facing an undignified end? Nice. I didn't catch that hidden meaning of the slap.

Yancy Street Gang Mar 20 2006 10:28 AM

Good stuff, Methead. Here it is, for posterity's sake: ] Tony checks into the Hotel California Monday, March 20, 2006 BY ALAN SEPINWALL WARNING: This column contains major plot spoilers for last night's "Sopranos" episode. If you're waiting until later in the week to watch, read on at extreme peril. IT'S NOT a dream. It's Purgatory. When I had my annual summit with "Sopranos" creator David Chase a few weeks ago, I complimented him on having the onions to put a major dream sequence like this so early in the season, considering how many fans complain about the dreams. "I, frankly, would not call those (episode two scenes) dreams," he said, which sent me scurrying back to watch my DVD over and over again, until (with some help from my wife) I got it. Here Tony's stuck in Orange County, quite possibly the most personality-free corner of the world, with no way to leave (a k a Purgatory). On one end of town is a shining beacon (Heaven), on the other, a raging forest fire (Hell). Over and over, he stops to assess the worth of his own life, asking, "Who am I? Where am I going?" Then he steals the identity (sin) of Kevin Finnerty -- a heating salesman who lives in one of the hottest states of the union (Arizona) -- checks into another hotel, and falls down a red staircase, at which point he learns he has Alzheimer's (eternal damnation). And while Carmela's busy in the real world telling him he's not going to Hell, Tony's in Purgatory debating whether to tell his wife this is exactly the fate he has in store. It may be hair-splitting to call this something other than a dream, but Tony's misadventures in Costa Mesa were much more linear and coherent than his regular dreams have ever been. There were important details scribbled in the margins (the bartender joking, "Around here, it's dead," or the "Are sin, disease and death real?" commercial on the TV), but there was an actual story here instead of Tony bouncing from one surreal tableau to another. Still, Chase followed last week's watercooler cliffhanger with an 11-minute opening sequence set in a world that's not our own, with a Tony who wasn't quite right (it's startling to hear James Gandolfini's natural speaking voice), and only one split-second nod to the shooting (the brief flash of the doctor shining a light in Tony's eye mixed in with the chopper spotlight). For years, most of "Sopranos" fandom has been divided into two intersecting sets: those who watch for the whacking and crude humor, and those who watch for the psychiatry and art-house storytelling. By putting the shooting right next to Tony's afterlife business trip, Chase is pushing his chips to the center of the table and telling the audience they had better go all in -- murder and therapy, flatulence jokes and metaphysics -- if they intend to stay at the table for this final season. So will Tony ever get to check out of this hotel, and, if so, where will he end up? Again, I can't say, but if this season is going to be about a moral accounting for all of Tony's sins, then there's no better place to start. Back in the physical world, give Edie Falco the Emmy right now. Just give it to her. Seriously. Do not pass Go, do not collect other nominations, just ship the statuette to her apartment today. There is no way any other actress on television is going to have two better scenes this year than Carmela's hallway breakdown and her monologue to Tony, scored perfectly to Tom Petty's "American Girl." And is there an Emmy category for Best Silent Hug? Because Michael Imperioli was pretty great when he put his arm around Carmela in the hallway. I know scenes where characters sob or give long speeches are stock award-show bait, but these performances went so far past showing off that I actually had to look away a few times out of a feeling I was spying on a private moment between real people. Some other random notes: The song played at the end was Moby's "When It's Cold I'd Like To Die," with vocals by Mimi Goese. The voice of Purgatory Tony's wife wasn't played by Annabella Sciorra, or any other actress who's been on the show before; she's just a generic non-Carmela female voice. Boy, Janice's gift for making every moment of every day be all about her survives even her brother's shooting, huh? She shows up at the hospital, pretending she's there to help comfort Carmela, then immediately spazzes out so she's the center of attention. If I didn't know Janice so well from the last four seasons, I might have found her freak-out genuine, but this is Livia Soprano's daughter, people. And speaking of which... Did you catch AJ throwing Livia's "Poor you!" at Meadow during their hybrid car argument? That's at least three other characters who've now used the old bat's pet insult (Tony and Gloria were the others), and it shows just how rotten and contagious the Soprano genes are. Meanwhile, you have AJ trying to have his Michael Corleone moment with his plan to murder Junior, but the kid's still too dumb and weak to even pass for Fredo. Loved that he chose to waste all the good will from Carmela by telling her he flunked out of school. (If those other two scenes don't get Falco a drama actress Emmy, maybe she can win the comedy award for her delivery of "With your father in a coma!" The overall mood was grim, but Vito had the line of the night, if not the season, when he speculated about Eugene's suicide, "Maybe he was a homo, felt there was no one he could talk to about it. That happens, too." Oh, Vito, project much? In the days after the premiere, many people floated the theory that it was really the finale and the rest of the series would be flashbacks leading up to Tony's shooting. Obviously, that's not the way things are going, and it wouldn't have worked, since not enough of interest had happened to the characters since we saw them last. Yes, Janice and Bacala have spawned, and AJ's hair is longer, but it's not like we came back from hiatus with Silvio missing and Chris wearing an eyepatch. The premiere established that Tony's life had been profitable but uneventful since his jog through the woods. Now, is Agent Harris really that in love with Satriale's veal parm, or he is baiting a hook to turn Christopher into a cooperator? Nothing on this show is a coincidence, and a few scenes after Harris mentioned Matush, the terrorist-supporting drug dealer, we saw a couple of Middle Eastern men chatting up Chrissie at the Bing. Hmm...

Johnny Dickshot Mar 20 2006 11:03 AM

I know a guy called Kevin Finnerty by the way. He's got to be freaked out by this.

Elster88 Mar 20 2006 11:16 AM

Vic Sage wrote: And i thought he called her "Carm" on the phone. The voice was a little huskier, but it certainly could have been Carmela's, in the same way Tony's voice was just a little different. I didn't really think it was Carmela at all. And after hearing the kids' voices, which sounded much younger than AJ and Meadow, my guess is that it's a completely different family.

soupcan Mar 20 2006 12:05 PM

Johnny Dickshot wrote: I know a guy called Kevin Finnerty by the way. He's got to be freaked out by this. Adding to the purgatory slant - remember the guy's comment at the bar -'Kev-infinity'?

abogdan Mar 20 2006 12:23 PM

Didn't they have a purgatory discussion on the Sopranos a few seasons ago? IIRC, Paulie and Christopher were talking about that's where mobsters end up going. Maybe the episode when they're chasing the Russian guy through the woods.

Elster88 Mar 20 2006 12:27 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Mar 20 2006 03:28 PM

Not the one in the woods. It was before that. When Christopher was shot he had an experience where he went to what he thought was hell. Paulie told him it was purgatory in part to ease his own mind.

Vic Sage Mar 20 2006 03:21 PM

]I didn't really think it was Carmela at all. And after hearing the kids' voices, which sounded much younger than AJ and Meadow, my guess is that it's a completely different family. on further reflection, i think you're quite right.

Elster88 Mar 23 2006 12:19 PM

[url=http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=paolantonio/060321]Sal Paolantonio hates the Sopranos[/url] Why The Sopranos is Garbage By Sal Paolantonio ESPN A couple of years ago, a producer from a radio station here in Philadelphia called my house at a ridiculously early hour of the morning to tell me that a talk show host wanted to interview me about my appearance on "The Sopranos." I thought it was my brother playing a practical joke on me. But this was no joke. Yes, I had been on the show -- I was on TV in Tony's living room during one episode, reporting on the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXXV, while Tony was having an argument with his son. "The Sopranos" offers a skewed view of what Italian-Americans are really like.I didn't have to stand in one of those long lines in North Jersey. I didn't have to endure a tedious casting call. And here I was, given a bit part on one of the most popular shows in the history of television. And I was outraged. Over the next two days, my phone never stopped ringing. Radio stations, friends, relatives all called, looking for a reaction, a story, anything that could connect them to "The Sopranos." Once I told them that I had nothing to do with my appearance on "The Sopranos," that it happened against my will, and that I thought the show was the worst kind of harmful stereotyping of Italian-Americans imaginable, the interviews quickly turned sour, then became a shrill and often pointless debate. "The Sopranos" has been on the air now for seven years. Two Sundays ago, all over the New York metropolitan area, bars and restaurants emptied early -- people were trying to beat the traffic to get home in time to watch the opening episode of the new season. On his Monday morning radio program, Don Imus said, "It's like the Super Bowl." The reaction I always get is: "How could you not watch 'The Sopranos'? You have a vowel on the end of your name. You live in New Jersey. These are your people." No, they're not. And this is precisely the problem that the show has caused for many, many Italian-Americans. For seven years now on television, which night in and night out provides the unavoidably relentless reflection of our behavior and values, "The Sopranos" has given the country a horribly skewed version of what Italian-Americans look and act like in modern America. Let me give you one tiny, but potent, example. In several of the clips of the show I have seen, Tony's son routinely curses out his father -- and his mother, in front of his father. I have spent countless hours in dozens upon dozens of Italian-American households, including my own. I find it hard to believe that behavior would be tolerated in any Italian family, be it working class, super-rich, or anywhere in between. Ever. I know the argument. It's just a TV show. As former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani recently told the New York Times: "You could spend your whole life wanting to be insulted." I'm not insulted by "The Sopranos." I just want people to know that this show is not universally embraced, as some in the mainstream media would suggest. And, lost in the all the media slobbering over "The Sopranos," the show is losing some of its audience. The season opener was down nearly a quarter from last season's finale -- from 12.1 million viewers to 9.5 million. Often, critics praise the show for being well made. Well, Leni Riefenstahl's movies for Hitler were well made. So was "The Birth of a Nation." "The Sopranos" is just another form of propaganda -- which can be defined as anything that confirms what we already think we know. It does not challenge us. And in that way, it is not art. It is comfort food for the brain, feeding a century-old stereotype of a great people. Art is the act of taking the impossible and transforming it into something we all care about. "The Sopranos" is just garbage. It appeals to the worst in all of us -- whether you are Italian-American or not. And we should not care about that. David Chase, the creator of the show, has provided us with cartoon characters who steal, cheat, murder and treat each other like crap. The show is about sex, profanity, gambling and violence -- and you don't have to get up from your couch. Oh man, start printing the money. (See the No. 1 thing the Internet is used for: porn.) David Chase, the man behind "The Sopranos."Here's the kicker: Chase should know better. His original name is DeCesare. That means that somewhere down the line, his surname was Anglicized -- perhaps because he was being victimized by the kind of stereotyping that he now exploits. And the mainstream media should know better, too. For weeks prior to this season's opening episode, the giddiness over the arrival of the final season was nauseating. The praise for the show almost universally ignores the harm it has done. Just imagine this for a moment: HBO, or any other television network, decides to put a series on the air that depicts Latino-Americans -- the nation's fastest-growing minority group -- as uneducated drug dealers whose lives revolve around gang warfare, a seven-year run of bad behavior that reinforces America's fears about the influx of illegal immigrants into the country. A show like that would be, and should be, excoriated. And it probably would never make it out of the pilot stage, no less have a run of seven years of great reviews. How about, for example, a TV series about athletes who engage in all kinds of illicit behavior, including adultery and illegal drugs? Wait a second. There was a show like that: "Playmakers." Critics loved it. It had a solid following on ESPN. When the show was on the air, I remember having a long discussion with Tampa Bay Bucs linebacker Derrick Brooks, who found "Playmakers" to be an offensive and outrageous depiction of who he is. Brooks is a philanthropist. Every year, he takes disadvantaged children on a trip abroad. He is overwhelmingly generous with his time and money. Brooks was one of a number of players who complained to NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue, who put pressure on then-Disney chairman Michael Eisner to pull the show. Few doubt that that pressure helped end the show's short run. Of course, no one is going to watch a show about NFL players taking kids on a safari. And unlike many groups who claim to speak for Italian-Americans, I've never thought that "The Sopranos" should be pulled off the air. And unlike many Italian-American critics of the show, I'm not going to rattle off a bunch of numbers trying to convince you that the mob is a minuscule percentage of the Italian-American community. To justify our objection to the show, it doesn't matter how many of us are doctors and lawyers and judges and teachers and sportscasters. But just remember this when you tune in on Sunday nights: "The Sopranos" is not who we are.

Elster88 Mar 23 2006 12:22 PM

I diasgree with a lot of what he writes, and some of the things he says about the show are flat-out wrong, but here is his best point: ]Just imagine this for a moment: HBO, or any other television network, decides to put a series on the air that depicts Latino-Americans -- the nation's fastest-growing minority group -- as uneducated drug dealers whose lives revolve around gang warfare, a seven-year run of bad behavior that reinforces America's fears about the influx of illegal immigrants into the country. A show like that would be, and should be, excoriated. And it probably would never make it out of the pilot stage, no less have a run of seven years of great reviews. BTW, I love the Sopranos. And I am Italian. So do many of my relatives, including those who were born in Italy.

Elster88 Mar 23 2006 12:33 PM

OTOH, the movie Traffic did get made.

Centerfield Mar 23 2006 01:07 PM

Elster88 wrote: I caught this too. I hate Janice. At least as much as possible to hate a character from a show. It's gotten so when the actress (Turturro?) shows up in other movies I immediately dislike her. I guess that means she's a good actress, no? Since I have such a strong opinion about her character? I know exactly what you mean. She was in that awful shark movie with Samuel L. Jackson. The minute I saw her I was hoping she would get eaten. It took me about a half hour before my mind registered that it was not the same character. And then I felt bad when she died.

Elster88 Mar 24 2006 02:43 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Mar 24 2006 02:53 PM

[url=http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/65858.htm]HBO isn't telling who the voice is on the phone.[/url] WARNING WARNING WARNING THEY DO TELL YOU WHO THE VOICE IS NOT. SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER

Yancy Street Gang Mar 24 2006 02:51 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Mar 24 2006 02:56 PM

POTENTIAL SPOILER ]Viewer guesses have centered on at least four possibilities - Charmaine Bucco (Kathrine Narducci), who once admitted to Carmela that she and Tony slept together before he and Carmela were married; the late Adrianna La Cerva (Drea de Matteo); Tony's late girlfriend, Gloria Trillo (Annabella Sciorra); and even Carmela, with Falco disguising her voice. Yesterday, however, HBO confirmed it was none of the above, but declined to reveal the identity of the woman on the phone, saying she was not famous enough to be familiar to "Sopranos" viewers or Post readers. "They cast an actress to do the voice on the phone," said a spokeswoman. "I have been asked by [the producers] not to divulge the name." If she's a "nobody" then why the secret? Something's fishy.

Elster88 Mar 24 2006 02:53 PM

You should put spoiler space in there Yancy. I was upset when I read the article...I didn't want any clues to future events.

Vic Sage Mar 24 2006 04:39 PM Edited 2 time(s), most recently on Mar 24 2006 04:48 PM

Mr Paolantonio makes the same assumptions people often make who "walk around looking to be insulted". SOPRANOS isn't about Italian-Americans. Its about the mafia, and their families. It is no more intended to reflect general Italian-American life than a show about the Latin Kings would reflect hispanic life. He doesn't like stereotyping? fine, but just because something's a stereotype doesn't mean its not true. Or is Paleontonio asserting that there ISN'T an Italian mafia? That was a popular position amongst Italian-American civil leaders in the 50s and 60s, but history has made that notion quaint. Or is he saying, yes there's a mafia, but they don't behave this way? First, one would have to wonder how he'd know how they'd behave, and also why he feels compelled to jump to the defense of mobsters, so they don't get their feelings hurt. Having grown up in coney island myself, and having gone to HS in Bensonhurst, i knew my fair share of goodfellas and nothing in the SOPRANOS suggests to me a startling lack of verisimilitude. They wouldn't swear in front of their fathers? Maybe in an earlier generation, but some of the kids i grew up with did. It seems generational, not cultural, to me. And isn't making some broad generalization about what Italian kids would or would not do in front of their fathers just another stereotype anyway? SOPRANOS is not art because he finds it insulting? thats a new criteria for art that would make Giuliani proud. The former mayor said the same thing when he tried to shut down the Brooklyn Museum for hosting an exhibition he didn't like. The show tries to depict the humanity within a group of people who generally behave inhumanely. That group isn't "Italians"... its criminals who happen to be Italian, and about how their criminal culture interacts with their ethnic culture. It COULD be about a hispanic mob, or Russian, or Columbian, or chinese gangs, or the old Jewish mob on the lower east side. But its not. Its about the Italian mob, and their lives in NJ. He must think that such depictions tar ALL Italians, but that is a confusion in the mind of a weak-minded viewer, not in the work itself. The show shouldn't be damned for what dimwits might take away from it. I have an idea for Mr Paolantonio ... he should just fuhgedaboudit

Edgy DC Mar 24 2006 04:46 PM

Word just came over the wire that my collegue Amy just delivered a healthy baby girl. They named her Emily Meadow. "Meadow"? "Well, you see, there's this show..."

Yancy Street Gang Mar 24 2006 04:48 PM

As an "Italian American" who really doesn't think of himself as an "Italian American" there have been a couple of things about the Sopranos that have irked me, but they've been few and far between. There was one scene a few years ago when Tony encountered a young police officer and found out that he had an Italian last name, so he started speaking to him in Italian. The young cop was able to respond in kind. In another episode, they showed Dr. Melfi at home with her family, including her young son, and when they ate they all said "Salud!" The majority of people in the U.S. with Italian last names are several generations removed from Italy. We don't speak Italian, we don't pepper our speech with Italian phrases. Weeks and months at a time go by without our even thinking of Italy. We're Americans with a vowel at the end of our name. Other than as mobsters, most Italian-Americans on TV are portrayed as amiable dumb guys. Think Joey Tribbiani. Or any character played by Tony Danza. That irks me too, a little bit, when I think about it, which I rarely do. The guy who wrote that column is taking things way too seriously. Don't watch the show if you don't want to, but if you don't watch it you're no judge of whether or not it's art. It's a much smarter show than he gives it credit for. And it's smarter than he is.

Yancy Street Gang Mar 27 2006 10:05 AM

I loved the scene last night when Paulie visited Tony in the hospital room. I laughed out loud (I'm sorry, I mean I LOLed) at Tony's reaction from within his coma, how Paulie's voice was an annoying drone coming from the next room. Chrissy's movie idea sounds like a horrendous flop. The guy being forced to write the script (I can't remember if he's Tim Daly or Steven Weber; I never watched Wings) ought to be worried. I have a feeling he's going to be a fall guy. At the end of the Kevin Finnerty segment, when Tony was contemplating going through the illuminated doorway, I was hoping to see Livia Soprano beckoning to him. That would have been a funny motivation for him to decide to live a while longer.

soupcan Mar 27 2006 10:15 AM

I assuumed that the woman he sort of saw in the doorway before she turned away WAS Livia. And that was why he kept saying he was scared and not sure if he wanted to go.

Johnny Dickshot Mar 27 2006 10:17 AM

Two episodes in, I get the feeling that Vito isn't just going to get whacked, but tortured first, then whacked. The scene where the investors critique the movie outline was hilarious. The guy who suggested that if he was hacked up, but all his parts were on the same route, he could reassemble at the dump.

Elster88 Mar 27 2006 11:06 AM

Yancy Street Gang wrote: I loved the scene last night when Paulie visited Tony in the hospital room. I laughed out loud (I'm sorry, I mean I LOLed) at Tony's reaction from within his coma, how Paulie's voice was an annoying drone coming from the next room. This cracked me up too.

HahnSolo Mar 27 2006 02:09 PM

Paulie was great last night. How about him grabbing a million in cash then sitting at home cutting coupons. Or describing the wrinkles on his upper arms.

PatchyFogg Mar 27 2006 03:25 PM

Yancy Street Gang wrote: Or any character played by Tony Danza. That character would also be named "Tony."

Centerfield Mar 28 2006 10:15 AM

I guess after an episode like last week's, they wanted to lighten things up. This episode was funny. I thought Paulie was great throughout this whole episode...I love how he is so involved in what he is saying he doesn't even notice Tony's heart rate increasing. Chris's transformation in the van from mobster to aspiring filmmaker pitching his idea is fantastic. And Tim Daly's character yelling at his classmates afterwards as classic. I know the actor supposedly went on Celebrity Fit Club, but am I the only one that sees no difference between fat Vito and "skinny" Vito?

Yancy Street Gang Mar 28 2006 10:30 AM

Calling Vito "skinny" is a bit of a stretch. No matter how much weight he may have lost, he's still at least fifty pounds overweight.

Johnny Dickshot Mar 28 2006 10:35 AM

It seemed like in the first episode he was "skinnier" than the second... this could be they were shot out of sequence. So what's next for Tony? This episode seemed to say his "real" family was the only one who really stuck by him: Carm knows that by now, and has now owned up to the effect of the Mob on her kids. I think the theme this season might be about "getting out" as illustrated by the hanging guy in the first ep...

TheOldMole Mar 28 2006 07:47 PM

Silvio and Mrs. Sil (Lady MacBeth) emerged as characters to watch.

TheOldMole Mar 28 2006 07:50 PM

] Other than as mobsters, most Italian-Americans on TV are portrayed as amiable dumb guys. How about Columbo? He only seemed dumb. Ann Romano? And the Dean Stockwell character on Quantum Leap, who was an Italian-American holograph.

Yancy Street Gang Apr 02 2006 10:20 PM

So, tonight we learned that Tony and Paulie attended this game. How do you like that? I was at that game, too, and I had field level seats, front row, in short right field. I wonder where Tony and Paulie sat? It was a kick hearing both Mookie Wilson and The Flintstones get a mention in the same episode of The Sopranos.

Johnny Dickshot Apr 02 2006 10:30 PM

Tony's a Met-lovin Big Shot. There was that scene a few years ago when he talked biz with Johnny Sack at the Shea parking lot. Did they have to pay you think? When Paulie first arrived at the monestary I was like, "She's not gonna confess she's his real mother here... Only a shit show would stoop to that plotpoint...." Of course the next 40 minutes sold it. Look out for Paulie. I also thought the Bobby Bacala offering to put a bullet in the rapper was a bit of a stretch for him, but I guess his talking-to from Tony convinced him he needed to earn something more. Can't see them extending that point but to make things tricky for Bobby down the road.

Elster88 Apr 03 2006 01:13 AM

Horribly disappointed in Episode 4. I don't give a crap about Paulie's real mother, the priest who showed up and spouted gibberish, or Tony's newly-muted buddy and his theory on life. At least the teaser looked good for next week.

apmorris Apr 03 2006 03:38 AM

"so you've been to the bing." at least tonites was better than the last two. the paulie thread could get him in deep and bobby isnt long for this world. Johnny Dickshot wrote: Did they have to pay you think? Tony and people his age (mine) from that area are ALL Mets fans.

Rotblatt Apr 03 2006 07:29 AM

Christopher is fucking hilarious. "Do you realize how insignificant that means we are?" Christopher (shrugs): "I don't feel that way." Genius.

TheOldMole Apr 03 2006 09:07 AM

Elster, I couldn't disagree more. I thought last night's episode was amazing -- the level of originality and the amount of substance they can bring to the writing, after all these years. The fundamentalist preacher and the scientist. Paulie going behind Tony's back and kneecapping the kid who has a mother who loves him. So much going on...I kept finding myself thinking, "I wish I'd written this."

Methead Apr 03 2006 09:18 AM

It's becoming clearer to me that it's all about family betrayal and the inevitable breakdown of established systems. You're starting to see ugly truths emerge about people's blood relatives... but also the breakdown of order in the "family", with people making up their own rules as they see fit. Does Johnny Sack even know Tony was shot and in a coma? I don't remember if Phil ever mentioned that. Seems like Phil is allowing a lot of misunderstandings to fester.

Yancy Street Gang Apr 10 2006 11:19 AM

So, where's Vito? Suicide? Nice ending to the show. I always enjoy watching people vomit on television.

Elster88 Apr 10 2006 11:21 AM

Tony may have, for the moment at least, convinced the boys of his strength. I wonder if that big dude will be a regular character from here on out.

Vic Sage Apr 10 2006 11:31 AM

This is why Tony is da bomb. He scans the room, like a pure predator. He must re-establish dominance. Who should he attack? Who is big enough for me to make a point by kicking the shit out of him? But maybe not so tough that i couldn't handle him at this moment? And who is not connected enough to cause me problems down the road? He picks the muscle-headed new guy... his driver. He actually likes the kid, but thats not the point. the kid has a temper. tony knows that if he provokes him, the kid won't exercise good judgment and back down. And the kid doesn't matter to his organization. And maybe the kid is a pretty boy, but isn't really all that tough, unlike the other guys in the room, who are all street-tough killers. So tony acts "as if"... as if he were still as powerful as he needs them all to think him to be. Then, he pukes blood in private. That's Tony, in a nutshell.

Johnny Dickshot Apr 10 2006 11:53 AM

Yes, that was an excellent finish to that show. I'm a little confused tho as to why Melfi would have recommended anything like that, knowing what she knows about how he'd interpret the advise. Gotta like how the papers referred to Junior as DON SQUIRREL-LEONE. Intrigued by the Christapha and the Arab guys angle. 'Weakness' was a theme -- interesting how Phil was so quick to condemn Johnny Sack for crying -- imagine what happens when he learns his sister is married to a fag.

Yancy Street Gang Apr 10 2006 12:06 PM

Vito looked very happenin' in his Village People police uniform, didn't he?

HahnSolo Apr 10 2006 12:16 PM

Somebody has to make a sitcom starring the Johnny Sac family. I loved his line in the prison cell: "Patent leather?" "Haven't you read one issue of GQ in the last three years?"

soupcan Apr 10 2006 12:24 PM

Great episode, the whole wedding had me cracking up. I was dying with Vito in the Freddy Mercury outfit. "It's a joke!"

Rotblatt Apr 10 2006 12:54 PM

Christopher remains my favorite character with the whole "It's just like in the movies" bit, where he refers to the Godfather "can ask for anything from the father of the bride on her wedding day" thing but completely fucks it up. Hilarious.

Elster88 Apr 14 2006 08:59 AM

[url]http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=whitlock/060413[/url] By Jason Whitlock Special to Page 2 As much as I love Larry Brown, the best basketball coach ever to grace this planet, I'm well aware there's a good reason he's won just one NBA title and one NCAA championship in more than three decades of coaching. L.B. is too smart for his own good. He sees things and explains things that his players flat out can't see or comprehend, at least not quickly. And by the time his players have caught on, it's oftentimes too late. They're mentally fatigued, disinterested and downright frustrated. Brown reminds me of David Chase, the creator of "The Sopranos." Has Tony lost his street creds like Isiah Thomas? Two years ago, near the conclusion of Season 5 of "The Sopranos," I called for Chase's dismissal from my then-favorite TV show. I'd had it. Chase's dream sequences had annoyed me for the last time. I was ready to move on. Tony Soprano needed a new coach. Paulie Walnuts deserved a simpler game plan. HBO, not surprisingly, was committed to Chase. He'd made the owners of "The Sopranos" too much money. He'd qualified for too many playoffs, sold too much merchandise and been just as much the face of the franchise as James Gandolfini for HBO to abruptly cut him loose. Nope. Rather than show Chase the door, HBO lavished its famous coach with a contract extension and a two-year vacation. The network assumed that the show's hiatus would expose Chase's critics to the inferior competition, and we would have no choice but to recommit to Chase's complex strategies and unorthodox methods. The network took one final step to ensure our loyalty. It demanded that David Simon, creator of "The Wire," execute Stringer Bell, the lone rival to Tony Soprano. With Bell dead, Avon headed to the pen on a parole violation and the Barksdale crime family in ruins, HBO figured our longing for Tony and his crew would intensify. HBO was right. By the start of Season 6 in March, my stance had softened. I was willing to do whatever it takes to enjoy "The Sopranos," including waste midweek hours interpreting Tony's dreams and Chase's hidden symbolism. I began this season with high hopes. Five episodes in, I'm disappointed. And I'm disappointed for a whole new set of reasons. In the past, Chase confused me with his dreams, bored me with his symbolism and frustrated me with his penchant for failing to follow numerous story lines to their conclusions. My problems with Chase now are much deeper. I now understand Chase. I recognize his brilliance. I can follow what he's doing. The problem now is I don't want to think this hard to enjoy a television show. I have to think on my job. I have to think to keep up with the games women play. I have to think to pay my bills. The average guy considers himself a success if he can keep a job, keep his lights on and keep one woman happy for more than three months. Doing the work necessary to keep up with "The Sopranos" isn't real high on a normal man's priority list. Here's when I knew Chase was in trouble: After Episode 2, the episode when Tony was in a coma and trapped in purgatory as Kevin Finnerty, I found an explanation/review of the episode online and e-mailed it to Dennis Evans, a 38-year-old sports anchor in Florida, Jeffri Chadiha, a 34-year-old writer for Sports Illustrated, and Kirk May, my 52-year-old lawyer, just so we could talk about the show. All four of us are college educated and relatively smart. None of us could ever remember needing to do homework to enjoy a television show. Again, David Chase is brilliant. No one is denying that. And he's actually doing something important with this TV show. He's completely stripping the Italian mafia and organized crime of its myth of elegance, honor, class, family values, intelligence and machismo. Some critics of the show wrongly think it's a celebration or glorification of the mafia lifestyle. No. This is not "The Godfather" or "Goodfellas" or "Casino" or "A Bronx Tale." It's not even "Scarface." This is a bunch of low-life clowns risking everything primarily because they're too stupid to do anything else. The mob must hate David Chase. He's putting a giant clown suit on Don Corleone. Chase is deftly showing how mob life destroys families, and he is meticulously exposing every character as either an imbecile or a coward -- or both. • To prove to the idiots in his crew that he was still tough and worthy of respect, Tony risked death by picking a fight with the youngest, strongest member of his crew. • Vito Spatafore, ashamed of his homosexuality, is somewhere in a hotel room contemplating suicide and/or the murder of everyone who knows he's gay. • A couple of weeks of filling in for Tony as acting boss set off anxiety and asthma attacks in Silvio Dante so bad that he had to be hospitalized. • Unable to escape the mob and the FBI and incapable of being a good husband or father, Gene Pontercorvo chose to hang himself. • Paulie Walnuts is so incredibly stupid, insecure and violent that you're left wondering if he's really human. • Johnny Sac, the devoted family man, has caused his wife and two daughters to develop eating disorders, and has to attend his oldest daughter's wedding with U.S. Marshals as escorts. • Christopher Moltisanti, a drug addict, had to set up his fiancee to be murdered. I could go on and on. I'm really halfway jealous. There needs to be a black gangsta/drug dealer equivalent to "The Sopranos" -- an answer to "New Jack City," "Get Rich or Die Tryin'," "Menace II Society," etc. But you know what? The truth about criminals doesn't sell as well as fiction. We're so conditioned to seeing mob bosses glorified and celebrated on the big screen and small screen that we don't enjoy seeing them portrayed accurately. The popular sentiment among my friends who watch "The Sopranos" -- even the women -- is: "Man, I can't wait 'til Tony gets back to being Tony and starts whacking people. I'm sick of Tony being in a coma and being weak. They need to get back to the mob stuff." I complained to a friend Sunday that watching "The Sopranos" now is like watching Shaquille O'Neal argue with his wife about taking out the trash or picking up the kids after school. I know it goes on, but I just want to see Shaq dunk on people. David Chase has either forgotten why we watch "The Sopranos" or he doesn't care why we watch. It's probably the latter. He wants us to watch the show "the right way." I guess I'm Stephon Marbury, because I'd rather watch my way.

Johnny Dickshot Apr 16 2006 11:14 PM

Really liked toinite's episode, in the way it turned me sympathetic to Vito who as we know is an evil scumbag. That and very funny throughout. The scene I found difficult was the argument between Finn and Meadow: They've obviously set Meadow up with a classic Sporano conflict, but alll the same I would have guessed she would have been mortified had she known Finn was brought in to rat on Vito, and sympathetic to his POV.

metirish Apr 16 2006 11:24 PM

As I said in the TV thread, tonights show was my fave this season, liked what they are doing with Vito, does he come back to the crew?....should be interesting.

Johnny Dickshot Apr 16 2006 11:30 PM

The thing is, even if Tony can convince his guys to be accepting (a stretch) there will be Phil Leotardo to deal with. I think Vito understands this better than anyone, and he won't dare return. Phil is the only one who asked where he might be.

Elster88 Apr 17 2006 10:04 AM

Johnny Dickshot wrote: The scene I found difficult was the argument between Finn and Meadow: They've obviously set Meadow up with a classic Sporano conflict, but alll the same I would have guessed she would have been mortified had she known Finn was brought in to rat on Vito, and sympathetic to his POV. I like what they're doing with Meadow's character. Around Jackie Jr.'s funeral her mom yelled at her for "looking for Italians to blame". Since then, Meadow has been spouting the company line (at least to outsiders) about not stereotyping Italians to be mobsters. Now that Finn is showing her the reality of her "family" again, her storyline might get interesting.

Yancy Street Gang Apr 18 2006 10:10 AM

Tony's conversation with Melfi was hilarious. "Senator Sanitorium says if this keeps up we'll be fucking dogs."

Centerfield Apr 18 2006 01:08 PM

I loved this part: (someone): You know, he did lose all that weight.... Paulie: AIDS?!?! I thought it was a great episode. How can you not feel for Vito at this point? It will be really interesting to see how this plays out. I loved the scene where Finn is brought in to tell his story. "Pitcher not catcher?" I'm interested to see how the assassins from Italy will work out. Something tells me that is about to go terribly wrong.

Elster88 Apr 20 2006 09:14 AM

I thought of something flipping in and out of the replay yesterday. Silvio must really want Vito dead. He's making an appeal to the one part of Tony's life that you do NOT fuck with...his wallet. Pointing out that letting Vito live could affect Tony financially is probably the best argument to make to the pre-gunshot-wound Tony. Since the pre-gunshot-wound Tony is the only Tony that Silvio knows, and Silvio's character is pretty intelligent...

HahnSolo Apr 20 2006 11:01 AM

]The thing is, even if Tony can convince his guys to be accepting (a stretch) there will be Phil Leotardo to deal with. More Phil, please. Love that character.

Johnny Dickshot Apr 20 2006 11:12 AM

Yup. He's great. Go home and get yuh fuckin shinebox. Whoops. Well, Billy Bats was great too.

Johnny Dickshot Apr 23 2006 11:18 PM

An episode about losing focus and then regaining it. Didn't do a whole lot to advance the big stories this week, except for the murder (to be dealt with later I suppose) and more signs that Phil Leotardo is the one with the most in for Vito. But how could you not love Christopher getting sober and refocused by stealing from Lauren Bacall while Artie opens his grandfather's cookbook instead of going to the table and making his joke? Great stories. Explosive "coming attractions" -- looks like Tony will have to turn his attention on focusing his own family.

Yancy Street Gang Apr 24 2006 09:18 AM

It was a good episode. I liked how Chrissy thought he was being friendly to Ben Kingsley ("I even sent him a muffin basket") but had no idea that he was actually intimidating the guy. I also enjoyed the lameness of Artie's patter; the line about the highchair. I wondered about what lines they rejected as either being too lame, or not lame enough.

Vic Sage Apr 24 2006 02:15 PM

the episode was middling. Nothing really advanced the plot, and nothing particularly interesting happened, but a good character development episode. As for me, I preferred the episodes about purgatory. But I loved seeing Kingsley get weirded out and Lauren Bacall getting mugged for the gift basket. And who gets wacked... Artie or Benny?

Johnny Dickshot Apr 24 2006 02:30 PM

Vic Sage wrote: And who gets wacked... Artie or Benny? I think that's over. Wasn't it the point?

soupcan Apr 24 2006 02:50 PM

Johnny Dickshot wrote: I think that's over. Wasn't it the point? No way that's over. It planted a seed for something. Who knew Doogie Howser's best friend would grow up to be such an asshole?

Johnny Dickshot Apr 24 2006 03:11 PM

No, it's over. Artie was all messed up because he had lost his way. He didn't go to Benny's house to start a fistfight just because of the credit scam -- what he was really upset about was that people weren't coming to his place to eat. By the end of the episode he had reconnected with what made his place special -- the grandfather he quoted at least twice throughout the episode. He also got assurances from Tony that he'd eat there till he fell off the chair. Benny already got his revenge, and was already reprimanded by Tony for interfering. Only if he's a complete idiot does he continue it, which is a possibility I suppose but won't be a major plot point.

Vic Sage Apr 24 2006 03:14 PM

i think Benny gets whacked before the season is over.

Yancy Street Gang Apr 24 2006 03:24 PM

If he's foolish enough to steal money from Tony's childhood friend, chances are he'll do something else foolish. He better not read any continued stories.

Johnny Dickshot Apr 24 2006 03:24 PM

Well sure, but the beef with Artie won't be the reason.

Centerfield Apr 25 2006 12:58 PM

I was bored this episode. I feel like it was the same old story they did with Artie a few seasons back when he had his fire and borrowed money from Tony. Wasn't there a hot hostess in that one too? Or am I making that up? The Ben Kingsley-Christopher dynamic was campy. Let's pair the proper British actor with the mob guy from Jersey. That whole story line didn't do much for me. It was almost as bad as the movie they were pitching. Phil's impromptu blasting of Vito was funny though.

Yancy Street Gang Apr 25 2006 01:09 PM

Centerfield wrote: I was bored this episode. I feel like it was the same old story they did with Artie a few seasons back when he had his fire and borrowed money from Tony. Wasn't there a hot hostess in that one too? Or am I making that up? If I remember right, in that episode Adrianna was working at the restaurant, and Artie was indeed lusting after her.

Sandgnat Apr 25 2006 02:29 PM

They never actually showed Benny give Artie the money that Tony told Benny to give to him to go towards his tab. The credit card scam that Tony didn't know about, Artie's hand in the sauce, and if he didn't give Artie that money = cement boots.

Centerfield May 01 2006 11:29 AM

I liked yesterday's episode. I really like what they are doing with Tony's character. His speech outside the police station to AJ was fantastic. They are really taking some risks with him this season and Gandolfini seems to be rising to the occasion. AJ is a moron. I love it. "I'll probably have to do something". Interesting story line with Vito. I know they were hinting at going there from the beginning but I didn't think they'd flesh it out like that. I love the fact that he got a bike. Too funny.

Elster88 May 01 2006 11:45 AM

Centerfield wrote: AJ is a moron. I don't know about that. He was trying to get laid.

Johnny Dickshot May 01 2006 11:55 AM

A.J. may indeed be an moron but I think his confusion and actions are perfectly understandable given the messages he gets and receives. Enjoyed the “malling of America” undercurrent: Note the differences in interactions between staff & patrons at Gay Johnnycakes and Blockbuster. Intrigued by the Bobby v Paulie preview.

Rotblatt May 01 2006 12:03 PM

The Godfather thing cracked me up. Fucking hilarious. "AJ, it's a movie." So will Tony start showing AJ the ropes in the hopes it will help him grow up? Will AJ start seeing Dr. Melfi to help with his panic attacks? Will Julianna Margolis become a semi-regular character?

Elster88 May 01 2006 12:44 PM

Johnny Dickshot wrote: Enjoyed the “malling of America” undercurrent: Note the differences in interactions between staff & patrons at Gay Johnnycakes and Blockbuster. Also the eggs place vs Blockbuster.

Vic Sage May 01 2006 01:43 PM

This was a much better episode than last week. "whats happening to our neighborhood?" That whole storyline was great, reflecting on societal changes that affect us all -- even hard-working shakedown artists trying to put their kids thru college. and the "Vito in gay wonderland" thread is fascinating, too. These goodfellas don't even realize there is a whole world beyond their narrow borders, echoing the other "starbucks" storyline. The Tony-AJ scene in the parking lot was great. Tony is both glad and embarrassed that his son is a "decent guy", and Gandolfini is able to capture that ambivalence. But i'm really hoping somebody kills the kid so i don't have to see him or hear him ever again. Its not that i dislike the idea or writing of the character, or even the performance... its just that being in the presence of such a completely stupid, annoying teenager is so painfully real that i can't stand to watch it anymore. Tony's guilt in the Marguilies storyline also give Gandolfini some great moments. Watching her hands unbutton the shirt that his loving wife had just buttoned for him was too much for him. Of course, now he BLAMES her for making him feel too guilty to cheat on her. Ahhh, what a tangled web he weaves...

TheOldMole May 01 2006 02:09 PM

Vic -- I know what you're saying...but the miracle is, they actually are turning A.J. into a compelling character. For me, this season keeps getting better and better. They keep opening up new dimensions of characters we weren't expecting. At some point they're going to have to bring all this together like the final volume of Proust.

Elster88 May 01 2006 02:30 PM

I have never seen two people spell Mar-guh-lees the same way. I have no idea how to spell it either.

HahnSolo May 01 2006 03:12 PM

Poor Patsy Parisi. How's his boy going to get a good education if he can't shake down Starbucks? You just know that Vito's wife is going to mention the name of the guy on the cell phone to someone, and they'll be on Vito's trail in no time.

Yancy Street Gang May 01 2006 03:15 PM

Did you get the impression that the entire fire department in that New Hampshire town was gay? They can make a spinoff series about that group called Brokeback Ladder.

TheOldMole May 01 2006 05:11 PM

I know nobody on The Sopranos ever has a happy ending, but I'm rooting for Vito to have a happy ending.

Elster88 May 01 2006 05:31 PM

BTW, using someone else's cell phone is such a dumbass move that it's insulting. Everybody in the world knows how to block caller ID. Note: This is under the assumption that the guy who he stole the cell from lives in the area.

Elster88 May 02 2006 09:14 AM

[url=http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/67857.htm]Artie arrested for cocaine possession and drunken driving.[/url] ]He plays a chef on "The Sopranos," but John Ventimiglia cooked himself a recipe for disaster when he was busted for drunken driving and cocaine possession yesterday about a block away from his Brooklyn home. ]Lillo Brancato Jr., who played Matt Bevilaqua, was charged with murder after he and an accomplice gunned down a cop after he interrupted them robbing a home for drugs. Tony Sirico, who plays Paulie Walnuts, was arrested 28 times before becoming an actor. Robert Iler, who plays Anthony Soprano Jr., pleaded guilty to misdemeanor larceny in April 2002 after cops arrested him and three other teens for stealing $40 from two victims on a Manhattan street. Vincent Pastore, who played Sal "Big Pussy" Bompensiero in the show, pleaded guilty to punching his former girlfriend last April and was sentenced to 70 hours of community service. Robert Iler's is the best. How much money does he make on that show? And he stole $40 to split with two buddies.

Johnny Dickshot May 02 2006 09:18 AM

Artie = Met-lovin Big Shot. Sat in the same section during a Met playoff game back in '00. Went behind the stands for a smoke between every inning.

Elster88 May 02 2006 09:24 AM

[url=http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/67869.htm]TONY'S 'MUSCLE' ARRESTED IN QUEENS BREAK-IN[/url] ]The actor who plays Tony Soprano's new bodyguard ended up in jail over the weekend, charged with flexing his giant muscles a little too aggressively off-screen. Louis Gross - who appears as Perry Annunziata, a k a Muscles Marinara, on the mob drama - was busted Sunday for allegedly bashing in the front door of a home in St. Albans, Queens, and walking off with $2,700 in property. Muscles Marinara. I love it.

Elster88 May 08 2006 09:10 AM

I liked the scene with Tony and Christopher in the basement discussing Adrianna. Christopher's bonding scene with the mutt cracked me up. If Janice was removed from the show immediately it wouldn't be too soon.

Yancy Street Gang May 08 2006 10:14 AM

I'd hate to have Janice in my life, but as a TV character I don't mind her at all. She's an awful person, to be sure, but I enjoy watching her antics. Last night's episode was so-so. Major plot developments in Chrissy's impending fatherhood and marriage and relapse. Paulie seems to reconcile with the woman formerly known as "Ma." I don't really care about this plot line, though. Maybe this cancer development will lead to something interesting, but maybe not. His acrimony with Bobby Bacala is another new development, but we've seen Paulie (and others) have disputes with other characters and more often than not they don't lead to much of anything. It's hard to believe there are only three episodes left this season. These twelve-week seasons go so quickly, especially in comparison to the 100 or so weeks in between seasons. In other HBO news, the third season of Deadwood is only five weeks away. San Francisco cocksucker!

Elster88 May 08 2006 10:17 AM

I thought it was 13 this year? That's why I don't like this season as a whole. What really happened this year? What were the major plot threads?

Johnny Dickshot May 08 2006 10:32 AM

I kind of like the open-endedness of the Sopranos as a general thing, and while it's frustrating sometimes to anticipate developments sooner than they come, it still pays off. I recall demanding a resolution to the Adriana-FBI thing shortly after the agents first approached her two seasons (4 years!!) ago and one of the cool things about last night's episode is that they're still addressing that in different ways (Chris' marriage/addictions, Carmella's curiousity, and on down the line). 'Storyline' fans got one nugget last night when Phil proposed leaving Johnny Sack out of the loop on the vitamin score. Overall I thought the exploration into Paulie's character last night was not as well-done as the previous week's look into Artie's soul, but a so-so week with the Soprano's beats just about anything else on TV but a Met win.

Centerfield May 08 2006 11:12 AM

It seems like every year they have one of these "setup" type shows near the end of the season. Like you guys said, a couple of nuggets there for us to ponder where they'll go...Paulie's cancer (probably nothing) Phil cutting out Johnny Sac (probably something) and the fact that Tony is bored. They still have to deal with Vito and the hit in Brooklyn too. That being said, I thought this episode blew ass. It was even worse than the Artie episode 2 weeks ago. I can understand why Tony might have been bored...I certainly was.

TheOldMole May 08 2006 11:39 AM

What happens if/when Carmela finds out that Abriana was whacked, on Tony's orders? This is no minor plot wrinkle.

Elster88 May 08 2006 11:46 AM

Was that Episode 9 or 10 yesterday? 13 total or 12 total this season?

Yancy Street Gang May 08 2006 11:49 AM

Yesterday's episode, I'm pretty sure, was episode 9 of 12. A visit to HBO.com would verify if that's correct or not.

Johnny Dickshot May 08 2006 12:00 PM

Pretty sure the previews said there was only 3 left.

metirish May 08 2006 12:01 PM

Yeah only 3 shows left...

metirish May 14 2006 10:01 PM

I loved the exchenge tonight between Tony and the daughter.

Centerfield May 15 2006 06:49 PM

That exchange was great. Overall, I thought this episode was ok. Better than last week's, not quite as good as the week before. The problem is, other than Vito, there are no real compelling story lines going into the final 2 episodes. Meaning, if there is something major that happens before season's end, it will probably be unsatisfying because it hasn't been developed enough. Janice continues to reach new heights. I love the scene where she was walking around the house talking about what she is going to do right in front of Ginny Sac. I have a feeling that somewhere, David Chase is getting a kick out of knowing that a bunch of meatheads got together to watch the Sopranos and then had to squirm through the Vito-Johnnycakes scenes. My wife got a kick out of how that scene went right into a shot of one of Bobby's trains entering a tunnel. Irish is right, the Tony-Meadow scene was priceless. I think out of all the different dynamics in the show, the "Tony as exasperated father" scenes really stand out. "You know who's good to talk to about stuff like dis? Your mudder." Paulie has cancer. I wouldn't have guessed they would go in that direction.

Elster88 May 16 2006 09:41 AM

TheOldMole wrote: I know nobody on The Sopranos ever has a happy ending, but I'm rooting for Vito to have a happy ending. He's had one already. Actually several. ]My wife got a kick out of how that scene went right into a shot of one of Bobby's trains entering a tunnel. HAHAHAHA I missed that. ]I have a feeling that somewhere, David Chase is getting a kick out of knowing that a bunch of meatheads got together to watch the Sopranos and then had to squirm through the Vito-Johnnycakes scenes. Yes because nothing's more fun than making your target audience uncomfortable!

HahnSolo May 16 2006 11:14 AM

When Bobby plays with the trains, is it a prerequisite that he wear the hat? I'm a little disappointed that Johnny Sac went out with such a whimper. I thought he'd be a little more defiant. And what mob boss wouldn't take a case to trial and partake in a little jury intimidation? If I'm on a jury and Phil Leotardo shows up at my door for a little "talk" I know what my verdict is gonna be. Maybe the writers thought they'd been down that road when Junior was on trial. Where is Vito going exactly? Home? That seems odd that he'd go to the trouble of covering his tracks by killing that guy only to just show up back in the old neighborhood.

Elster88 May 16 2006 12:10 PM

He also may have killed him since he was DUI. Not sure. Maybe he hadn't made up his mind what to do yet when he ran into that guy.

Johnny Dickshot May 17 2006 01:41 AM

Vito is returning home to the only life he knows, and as deftly evidenced by his work experiences up there, the only one he can handle. He's going to get himself killed of course. This season's theme was set when Gene hung himself in Ep 1 after Tony remarked, "there's no retiring from this business."

HahnSolo May 17 2006 10:18 AM

Nice to see that you and little Ivan didn't miss The Sopranos this week. That's a good point about Tony's quote from episode 1.

Farmer Ted May 18 2006 02:49 PM

Much laughter after Vito made a mess with the cement mixer after claiming he worked in construction. I fully expected him to try and cut the electric lines with a steak knife. I'll miss Johnny Cakes.

Centerfield May 23 2006 01:04 PM

It's strange that this was the second-to-last episode of the season. Going into the finale, I see no real compelling story lines left...meaning they will probably leave us with some sort of cliff-hanger for next season. Which means, unless they do something amazing with the finale, I will be somewhat disappointed with this season. Sure, there were some really well-done shows early on, and the acting has been better than it ever has been, but there were no really compelling story lines this season. Too bad, there was lots of potential. I guess deep down, we all knew what was in store for Vito the minute he made his decision to come back. And no matter what Tony decided, eventually Phil's guys were going to find him. I really like what they did with this character...first making him shady (in his scenes last season with Finn), then annoyingly confident, then shady again (when Tony was in the hospital), then sympathetic...to the point where you actually feel really bad for him and his family when he gets whacked. The scene where Sil and the cook guy (don't know his name) take down the fat guy was one of my favorites this season. I love it. How they play cards next to his body. And apparently Sil's been watching CSI. "They got DNA now..." Priceless scene when Tony walks in and the cook guy says "Sil hit him first." AJ working construction at 7 a.m. It's about time. I have no idea what the Carmela and Ro in Paris is all about. Or why they keep bringing back Adrianna. Or why Carmela brought up Jackie Jr. If anyone has any theories on that I'd love to hear them.

Vic Sage May 23 2006 01:58 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on May 23 2006 02:21 PM

I found Carmela's Paris sojourn somehow moving. I'm not sure why. My take on it: she was like a blind person suddenly given sight. Being in an ancient city with statues of heroes and saints staring down at her, made her feel (rightfully) insignificant. Suddenly, everything she'd been agonizing over, and everything she'd taken comfort in (her status and power as the Boss's wife) were all virtually meaningless. The omnipresent churches and statuary add to the themes of religious guilt that have always been part of Carmela. Crime and Punishment... the vague sense that somehow her life (as Mrs. Cappo de tutti Cappo) had in some indirect way been morally responsible for the deaths of Adrianna and Jackie Jr (which of course she is, as the nurturing caretaker of a stone cold killer). Roe had a good time, but Carmela had a life-altering experience. That is the storyline im curious about. I agree that the episode (and much of the season) has been disappointing, though i think i'm in the minority in liking the Purgatory storyline.

Johnny Dickshot May 23 2006 02:01 PM

Paris makes Carmela think of people who died, thinking of people who died makes her think of Adrianna, and of her encounter with Adrianna's mother, and therefore of her lingering suspicions of Tony & Chrissy, which will make it home with her.

Vic Sage May 23 2006 02:22 PM

you summarized succinctly what i failed to say, but wanted to, in my windy post.

HahnSolo May 24 2006 10:02 AM

"He was a good man." "Yes, I loved him like a brother ... in-law." Phil cracks me up.

Rotblatt May 24 2006 10:32 AM

Vic Sage wrote: I found Carmela's Paris sojourn somehow moving. I'm not sure why. Because Edie Falco is a fucking genius. Seriously, I love watching her performances. She's so nuanced . . . ]Roe had a good time, but Carmela had a life-altering experience. That is the storyline im curious about. Me too. I really have no idea what's going to happen with her--which I like.

Elster88 May 24 2006 10:38 AM

]then sympathetic...to the point where you actually feel really bad for [Vito] and his family when he gets whacked. Only sympathetic if you ignore minor details like shooting a guy in the back of the head after rear-ending his parked car.

Elster88 Jun 01 2006 03:09 PM

Before I make my WASP, I'll state for the record that I have not read any spoilers, nor do I want to. If you have actual spoiler info...please leave spoiler space. Better yet don't post it at all. Anyway, here it is is: WASP: Adrianna's mom kills Meadow.

Yancy Street Gang Jun 01 2006 03:20 PM

Okay, I got one too: Tony takes a job as a substitute teacher, and hilarity and hijinks ensue.

Elster88 Jun 01 2006 03:21 PM

I wasn't going for Wild-Ass Spinoff Predictions, but whatever. Edit: Well done on the Jon Matlack avatar.

Elster88 Jun 04 2006 11:31 PM

The last eight episodes better be the best ever.

metirish Jun 04 2006 11:34 PM

What happened tonight guys, I missed it.

Elster88 Jun 04 2006 11:51 PM

Absolutely nothing. Literally. They did some potential setup for the last season, but considering how they never really followed through on any of the setups from earlier this season, I'm not hopeful. We found out (and Chris told Tony) that Christopher has been banging Julianna Marguiles on the side. AJ hooked up with a Hispanic girl who is ten years older than him with a son, to Carmella's dismay. A few days or so after Phil Leotardo, Tony and their top guys had a pretty big argument at a sit down, Phil had a heart attack. Tony went to see him in the hospital and they shared a moment....but on the way out the door one of Phil's guys showed that he's pissed. Agent Harris told Tony that someone close to him could be in jeopardy. Carmella wanted to hire Magnum to go find Adrianna, so Tony got her spec house (WTF is a spec house anyway?) approved for development to get her mind off it. And Bobby Bacala returned some money that Junior sent to him "and Karen" as a Christmas gift. Was that boring to read? Believe me, it was ten times as boring to watch.

metirish Jun 04 2006 11:59 PM

Thanks Elster, no need to watch the repeat now.

Elster88 Jun 05 2006 12:11 AM

Well I don't know if I would go that far. There are only 9 episodes left including this one, and no more until January(?). I was unimpressed, probably at least partly because the bar has been set so high. Your mileage may vary.

SteveJRogers Jun 05 2006 08:41 AM

Elster88 wrote: Tony got her spec house (WTF is a spec house anyway?) approved for development to get her mind off it. . A house bought specifically to sell rather than a residential property

Johnny Dickshot Jun 05 2006 09:25 AM

Elster88 wrote: Adrianna's mom kills Meadow. Bzzzz. Try again. I thought this ep had a lotta teases in it: Tony gets warned about a chatter on a hit to "somebody close to you" and they cut to a shot from *outside* the diner where Chrissy is eating. Carm goes through her bizzcards including the P.I., then picks up the phone ... only to call the roofer. Disappointed that the FBI guy/Arab weapons guys plotpoints never advanced but I suppose that's coming at some point? I'm kinda tired of Chrissy relapsing too, tho I'm certain it's real. Loved the bicycle scene with AJ. For a character everyone hates he was in a buttload of great scenes this season and his storyline actually resolved as much as anyone's. No mistake that Phil was crying at the end. I love this show, even when it disappoints me. I'm a mark.

ScarletKnight41 Jun 05 2006 10:10 AM

Potential Spoiler Alert - So they'll dig up Adrianna while building the spec house. I don't watch the show, but even I can figure that one out. End of Potential Spoiler Alert

Elster88 Jun 05 2006 10:39 AM

They didn't bury Adrianna at the site of Carmela's house.

Elster88 Jun 05 2006 10:42 AM

Johnny Dickshot wrote: ="Elster88"]Adrianna's mom kills Meadow. Bzzzz. Try again. For the record, I didn't really think this was going to happen.

Yancy Street Gang Jun 05 2006 10:44 AM

Yancy Street Gang wrote: Okay, I got one too: Tony takes a job as a substitute teacher, and hilarity and hijinks ensue. I thought my prediction was going to be a winner.

Elster88 Jun 05 2006 12:58 PM

A buddy of mine came up with this one....are the two guys who look Middle Eastern possible Feds?

silverdsl Jun 05 2006 01:18 PM

Elster88 wrote: They didn't bury Adrianna at the site of Carmela's house. Now that would have been the kind of plot twist that I would have liked to have seen. That and Christopher being blown to bits at some point before this season ended. I'm not as big of a Sopranos fan as many are, but I have been watching and I have to say that I was very underwhelmed by last night. I would have thought that they would have thrown in some sort of big cliffhanger to ensure that people will tune in all those months from now when it finally returns.

Centerfield Jun 06 2006 01:27 PM

Adrianna was killed upstate, so I don't think that will be a problem. I watched this episode last night...and though I'm still digesting it, I think it was about what I expected. I said earlier in this thread that I thought the shows were really well done...and that there had been some great performances given this season, but that ultimately, the lack of a real compelling storyline would leave me disappointed. I also wondered whether there might be a real cliffhanger ending but that wasn't the case either. I feel like this season, it wasn't so much about telling a story, as it was just giving us a look into their lives. The season started with Tony and the crew talking about how they had been doing relatively well. And at the end, despite everything they went through, doing relatively well was the note they ended on. Lack of cliffhanger notwithstanding, there are lots of things brewing for the last 8 episodes. Obviously the thing with Phil's crew is not over. Paulie has his cancer. And you have to wonder if Chris's relationship with Julianna Marguilies has undermined he and Tony's relationship. We'll have to see. A couple things I liked from last night's episode: 1. Carmela/Adrianna: I believe that when Carmela threw out the PI's card and called her roofer, that was the end of the Adrianna storyline. I thought this was great. All the concern, all the suspicion, all the empathy she felt about Adrianna went out the window the minute her spec house was cleared. Fantastic. 2. AJ: I really liked what they've done with him. The bike scene was great. It's the first time you're actually impressed by something AJ did. I also liked his comeback "I got a job" to Tony. 3. Carmine the Mediator: By far and away the funniest scene of the night. It's almost incomprehensible how dumb he is.

Elster88 Jun 06 2006 02:01 PM

Centerfield wrote: A couple things I liked from last night's episode: 1. Carmela/Adrianna: I believe that when Carmela threw out the PI's card and called her roofer, that was the end of the Adrianna storyline. I thought this was great. All the concern, all the suspicion, all the empathy she felt about Adrianna went out the window the minute her spec house was cleared. Fantastic. 2. AJ: I really liked what they've done with him. The bike scene was great. It's the first time you're actually impressed by something AJ did. I also liked his comeback "I got a job" to Tony. 3. Carmine the Mediator: By far and away the funniest scene of the night. It's almost incomprehensible how dumb he is. I loved #1 and #3 too. I liked #2, but wondered if, IRL, they would've just taken his bike and stayed where they were. Not worth the trouble for them maybe. #1 also shows why Tony is such a dickhead. He wasn't going to bother himself by having Carmela's project interrupt his life, but was perfectly willing to give it back to her to avoid an even bigger nuisance. There might a lesson for Carm in there.

Yancy Street Gang Jun 06 2006 02:11 PM

I also loved the way Carmela, with a flick of her wrist, literally tossed aside her concerns about Adrianna. (So much for, "What if Ade needs our help?") I enjoyed the season. It was a bunch of interesting characters being themselves, and developing a little along the way. (AJ has started to show signs of growing up. Notice how he was with his girlfriend's kid.) I don't care that very few characters got whacked. Looking back though, I think my favorite episode may have been the first one, with Eugene's troubles and the surprise shooting at the end.

Farmer Ted Jun 07 2006 01:37 PM

This season showed weakness in many of the main characters. Maybe as a sign that they're all vulnerable to what may happen in the final season. Tony--on his death bed Junior--advancing alzheimers Carmela--concerned for her future post-Tony Bobby--got his eye shot up Sil--showed he couldn't handle the pressure of interim boss Walnuts--His ma/aunt situtation + cancer Chris--love for the pipe and whatever else John--prison...he cried after getting cuffed at his wdaughter's wedding Artie--he just lost it AJ--teen angst Vito--the whole gay mobster thing Phil--heart attack Perhaps the final season shows them becoming more bitter from these circumstances or if they carry the weakness over. I noticed the crew in the Bing after Tony wanted to celebrate Phil's heart attack. They seemed displeased given Tony's physical state only months before.

Elster88 Jun 07 2006 01:42 PM

Farmer Ted wrote: I noticed the crew in the Bing after Tony wanted to celebrate Phil's heart attack. They seemed displeased given Tony's physical state only months before. That's a good one. I hadn't thought of it that way.