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The Sopranos; All Seasons Discussion
Topic Started: Jul 21 2013, 10:44 PM (2,278 Views)
bilki
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Episode 2.13-Funhouse

Good episode. I didn't like it nearly as much as S1's finale, though. Maybe because I was somewhat disappointed by the season as a whole. I know I definitely wanted more Livia than I got.

Pleased me to see Tony and Livia interacting again, even though he still hates her and really wants nothing to do with her.

Funny scene with Tony giving the mink coat to Carmela. For all that she judges him, it didn't seem to matter much when he's presenting her with a pricey gift.

I liked Big Pussy. He grew on me this season. I appreciated how he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. But I wasn't disappointed that it was time for him to go. Felt like there was nowhere else to go with his story. My perception is that it was a much bigger deal during the original airing. Was it that much of a shock, though?

-----

Today was the last day for S2 on HBO OnDemand. I did skip 2 episodes, so that I'd be able to watch the last 2 on the television. I may go back and watch them on HBO GO but I doubt it will be anytime soon. Ready to get into S3. Hoping I enjoy it more than S2.

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Dax
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Pussy's death was not shocking, no, and there wasn't any other way it could have gone, so... But it was very well-played, and you can see how hard it is on all four guys...

Carmela's hypocrisy is an ongoing thing, sure. But they vary the theme really well later on...

Oh, watch your 2 leftovers before moving on to 3... Livia might be in them... 2.10 is good with the David Scatino stuff, and you should see the drunk Melfi stuff in 2.11...

How'd you like Richie's abrupt end in 2.12? I love Tony's line to Janice... "All in all, I'd say this was a pretty good visit."

Season 3. Joe Pantoliano joins as Ralphie Cifaretto (but he's not introduced, really, he gets one of those he's-been-there-but-we-just-haven't-seen-him-before write-ins). Super-slimy. Perhaps the lowest-of-the-low of these guys...

And Annabella Sciorra has a terrific, crazy role...
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Dax
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3.1 - Music... the Peter Gunn/Every Breath You Take mash-up is memorable and very cool...

3.4 - One that is talked about a lot.

3.5 - Outstanding guest spot by Burt Young (Paulie from Rocky).

3.11 - 'Pine Barrens'. A favorite of many. Definitely a high point of the show's comedy. First episode directed by future cast member Steve Buscemi...
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bilki
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I had mixed feelings about the end of Richie. So glad to see him go. He wasn't that great of a villain. But something about Janice killing him right after he popped her in the mouth felt like it came out of nowhere. So she's a cold-blooded murderer? OK. I just didn't see her in that light. My friend says it's not the end of the issue, so maybe it will make more sense to me down the road. Tony's "good visit" comment did make me chuckle.

Looks like I should at least watch 2.11.

I've seen plenty of mentions of Ralphie, 3.4 and "Pine Barrens."

Episode 3.1-Mr Ruggiero's Neighborhood

Fun one. Enjoyed the stuff with the FBI trying to get into the house, the maid and her husband, the water heater blowing, Patsy Parise showing up with a gun (then pissing in the pool), and the tennis instructor taking a liking to Adriana. The FBI guy drooling over Adriana was funny, too.

Cool to see Robert Bogue and Saundra Santiago in the same episode. Those weren't the best days of GL but it still gives me a smile inside.

I thought for sure Tony was going to notice the table with the light was moved, especially with both Tony and Carmela down there at the same time. Nope!
Edited by bilki, Aug 27 2013, 12:54 AM.
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Dax
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Forgot about Bogue. Is he the tennis instructor?

I did love the FBI perspective story.

Hm. I didn't take Janice shooting Richie as 'cold-blooded murder', really. Just, you know, STRONGLY not-going-to-take-that-abuse-shit. Maybe a little impulsive.
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bilki
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Yes, Bogue was Carmela's tennis instructor.

Episode 3.2-Proshai, Livushka

Yeah, Livia's last scene with Tony was pretty wonky. She still made me laugh, though. And while she was a miserable human being, she was definitely my favorite character. Sad to see her go.

So Livia saved stuff from Tony's childhood, two things from Barbara's and nothing from Janice's. I really wished they had delved a little deeper into the Janice/Livia relationship during S2. It seemed like they were going to early in the season.

Really hope Svetlana doesn't give Janice that record collection.

Pretty funny at the end there when Carmela and her father speak up about how rotten Livia was.

OK, I met Ralphie.

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Krystal
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I liked Santiago on Sopranos yet hated her on GL.

Marchand rocked.
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Dax
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I liked Santiago on Sopranos (and Miami Vice) and I think she has a cool voice. But she was my least favorite actress to EVER appear on GL. The character was disastrously written, but I also thought her performance was terrible. Even thinking of it in a campy, 60s Batman TV show kind of way... just nothing redeemable about any of it.

Speaking of terrible Santoses, Jordi Vilasuso (he was Tony) has been recurring on The Glades this summer (he wasn't terrible). I would not have recognized him, but I caught his name in the credits...

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Krystal
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There were so many really bad roles on GL toward the end but without profound thought I would have to agree with you on Carmen. It's like she tried to give the woman some kind of affectation or something that wa sooooo annoying.

We could probably have a good time trying to think of the worst characters and actors on GL now.
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KMInfinity
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Yeah I would vote for the Santos storyline as one of the worst ever, and Carmen as one of the worst characters.

Ever.
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bilki
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So there are other people reading this thread, lol! Wondered if it was really just me and Dax.

I'm fine with being the only one to say there were times when I liked Carmen Santos, and would even go as far to say that I enjoyed many of her batshit-crazy-mother antics. Kinda loved how she couldn't help but hate Mee-chelle. I'd agree Santiago played her way too cartoon-y and the character never belonged on GL.

Episode 3.3-Fortunate Son

Christopher becomes a part of the "family." While I'm not much of a fan of Christopher, I did appreciate the grass-isn't-actually-greener element to this story. So much like real life.

Happy that Meadow still isn't talking to Tony after his racist comments to her friend, though I doubt it will make much of an impact on his behavior.

Janice vs. Svetlana is fun. Hope Svetlana really makes Janice regret stealing her leg. Have a feeling this won't have a happy ending.

Intrigued by what they're doing with Jackie Jr, being that he's a pain in the ass but the son of a man loved by Tony.
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Dax
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Janice vs. Svetlana was very funny.

Yeah, the 'Jackie Jr. problem' is a good one...
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bilki
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Episode 3.4-Employee of the Month

Good one.

Dr Melfi is raped. Of course, I was rooting for her to tell Tony what really happened (not a car accident) and the name of her assailant. She didn't, which was interesting surprise.

Funny stuff with the Russians coming to get the leg. Glad Svetlana got it back. Janice now claims she's found God, lol.

Johnny Sack and his wife Ginny have moved to NJ.

That thing Ralphie wears on his head is ridiculous.


Episode 3.5-Another Toothpick

Another good one.

I enjoyed the story of Bobby Baccalieri's father coming out of retirement to take out the hit on Mustang Sally. Appreciated how he explained that it was first time he felt on purpose since he retired. Bloody scene when the hit didn't go quite as planned. Had to chuckle when he pulled a cigarette, after, and started smoking.

Junior has cancer, and he's upset because these things happen in threes and he doesn't know if Bobby's father died from the car accident, or the cancer. Still makes me chuckle.

Artie is in love with Adriana. Soooooo, of course, he has to take her to her retirement/going away dinner and make a fool of himself.

Meadow takes the lamp with the bug in it. That's over already?
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Dax
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Yeah, Melfi not taking that option... and sure, we ALL kinda want her to... interesting.

>> That thing Ralphie wears on his head is ridiculous.

Hairpiece, or... like, some kind of hat thing?

>> Artie is in love with Adriana. Soooooo, of course, he has to take her to her retirement/going away dinner and make a fool of himself.

Painful. I like Artie a lot, feel for his pains...

>> Meadow takes the lamp with the bug in it. That's over already?

I think so. All that work to get it inside, and... poof.
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bilki
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Episode 3.6-University

WOW at Ralphie killing Tracee with his bare hands. Brutal scene. Very satisfying when Tony punches him, even though it was against the rules.


Episode 3.7-Second Opinion

While I'm not a fan of Christopher, Paulie did come off as an asshole making Chris strip down to see if he was wearing a wire, then sniffing Adriana's panties when he went barging into their apartment.

Great scene when Carmela went to see the psychiatrist who told her she needs to leave Tony. I'm guessing this is the beginning of the end for them.


Episode 3.8-He Is Risen

Funny to watch Johnny Sack trying to negotiate a truce between Tony and Ralphie by lying to both.

Gigi dies. Ralphie finally makes capo but Tony still won't share a drink with him.

Tony meets Gloria, the Mercedes saleswoman.

Meadow and Jackie Jr are almost-sorta-kinda dating.
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Dax
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Bilki... Okay, so you've gotta talk about 3.11 (Pine Barrens), one of their funniest and most popular hours...

4.3 (Christopher) is widely considered one of their worst hours (addressing all of the Italian-American outrage)...

4.9 - Ralphie's exit was a big deal, of course. I loved the 'point of no return' in that fight. And for what he did to pregnant-with-his-child Tracee (which Tony is thinking about, surely), it's, you know, okay. He's absolutely deserving of whatever horrible thing could possibly happen to him.

But I don't think Ralphie killed the horse. I know Tony was suspicious, with the sudden need for the insurance money, but...

It's one of those things that Chase wouldn't ever comment about. Script-writers of that episode, Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess - they don't say anything to either support or crush my pet theory on their commentary track. But Joey Pants played the scene as if he was innocent (of that particular crime) and... I really BELIEVE Ralph when he insists he didn't do it.

I've always thought Paulie killed Pie-O-My. Not out of disloyalty to Tony, but stemming from his hatred for Ralph. The guys didn't know the extent to which Tony took over the horse's ownership... everybody thought that it was Ralph's horse. Paulie and Ralph were in conflict a lot.

And you'll see Paulie kinda obsess over this painting of 'The Captain' on a horse... it's very strange, and kinda left for us to interpret for ourselves.
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Gatekeeper
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Great job Dax putting this all together. Thank you!

Oh and I do like the Opening theme song. I thought it fit well with the intro and the music always made me laugh. :D
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bilki
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I must say that the opening song has grown on me. I used to FF through it but now I'll let it play, and sometimes find myself bobbing my head back and forth to it.

Episode 3.11-Pine Barrens

Yes, I can see why this one is on the "Best Of" lists I've looked at. Lots of comedy here. The whole episode dealing with material I cared about.

A good laugh with the "He was an interior decorator!", "His house looked like shit" exchange. Paulie and Christopher were so funny out there. I love how these "tough guys" were reduced to sniveling crybabies in less than 24 hours.

Very cool that wiki has a section about the Russian guy. I, too, wondered what happened to him. If he'd show up again. I hoped he would show up because I thought Paulie deserved it after being such an asshole at the guy's apartment. But, I'd forgotten about him as I got into S4. As a viewer, I wanted to know what happened but I can see why Chase was frustrated by people having to know.

Meadow and Jackie Jr breaking up was amusing. The scene where see catches him leaving the apartment with the "other woman" still makes me chuckle.

Loved Gloria throwing the steak at Tony!


I'll be back for more.....
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Krystal
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It's been awhile but I still recall Tony's relationship with his mother. God she was brilliant in the role. Loved the Russia epi as well. Also the guns hidden everywhere..
Enjoyed the show a lot especially the earlier seasons. Hated the ending though so very much.
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Dax
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Pine Barrens... when it's only been an hour or so, but Paulie's panicked about starving to death and sucking on ketchup packets...

Yeah, I was curious about the dangling loose end of 'What happened to the Russian?', too - but definitely not AS bothered by it as so many were... it did really bug Chase a lot after awhile, all the attention paid to it... I get his 'a lot of these are standalone stories' mentality, but there IS an ongoing soap narrative, too, of course, and that DID seem to be one of those things that would (have to) resurface, but...

Hm. I don't remember Meadow and Jackie Jr.'s break-up scene right now...

Didn't you love that slow dawning on Tony (with Melfi's assistance) that Gloria was basically Livia, and he was now dating his mother? That was hysterical...
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Krystal
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I remember hating the woman who played the neighbor who had been Carmen on GL. But she was way worse on GL.
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bilki
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Krystal
Oct 12 2013, 02:14 PM
It's been awhile but I still recall Tony's relationship with his mother. God she was brilliant in the role.
Nancy Marchand was great. I still miss Livia but I enjoyed season 3 enough that I was distracted from wishing she was still there.

Episode 3.12-Amour Fou

Another good one.

Quote:
 
Didn't you love that slow dawning on Tony (with Melfi's assistance) that Gloria was basically Livia, and he was now dating his mother? That was hysterical...

Melfi points it out to him in "Pine Barrens" and he kinda shrugs it off. Then, in this episode Gloria spits the "Poor You!" at him and you can see the full realization come over him. It's oddly funny that the scene culminates in him throwing her to the floor and attempting to strangle her. Wasn't Livia smiling after he tried to smother her with the pillow? Gloria was yelling for him to kill her.

Poor, stupid Jackie Jr decides to ambush and rob the card game. This is the first time I felt some kind of sympathy/empathy for Ralphie when he's put in the position of having to take care of Jackie Jr while he's in a relationship with Rosalie.

Patsy Parisi threatens Gloria and tells her to never make contact with Tony or his family. Since she was basically on some kind of suicide mission, I thought this would inspire her to do something she shouldn't. In hindsight, I'm slightly disappointed this was the last we see of her in person.
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Dax
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Yeah, I kinda wish Gloria's story had gone a little longer... (but I expect they might have carried through on that threat if she HAD contacted Tony again, so...)
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bilki
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Episode 4.3-Christopher

I can see why this would be considered one of the worst. I was bored with all of the Columbus Day Parade nonsense. But, I like Bobby Baccalieri, so I was sad for him when his wife died. And, Janice's break up with Ralphie (by pushing him down the stairs) was pretty funny.


Episode 4.9-Whoever Did This

I knew Ralphie was going to die in this one but didn't know how it was going to happen. I figured things weren't going to go well when Tony headed over there, then the fight breaks out and before you know it Tony is strangling him on the floor. Definitely an OMG! moment. I think I sat there in shock for several minutes following.

Initially, I figured it was Ralph who had the horse killed. Tony had just told him he was seeing Valentina, so I figured it was Ralphie's way of getting back at Tony....not to mention the insurance money. But on the re-watch, I had your theory in mind, Dax, and there is definitely a feeling of Ralphie being honest when he says he didn't do it. Tony becomes convinced as Ralph goes on about it only being a horse.

And then we have Paulie. That phone call Ralphie made to Paulie's mother was hilarious! But, when Tony told him he couldn't do anything to Ralphie, Paulie didn't have a look of a man who was going to follow orders. So, now I'm leaning towards your theory of Paulie being the one who had the stable set on fire.

Loved Janice and Svetlana coming face to face again, with Svetlana being rude to her as Janice tries to be gracious. Then, Janice is seen crying over it a few minutes later.

Funny stuff with Uncle Junior pretending to have dementia.
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Dax
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>> But, I like Bobby Baccalieri, so I was sad for him when his wife died.

Oh, that was heartbreaking... (It's his story in 4.11 - don't know if you've seen it yet - that I kinda recreated recently...)

>> And, Janice's break up with Ralphie (by pushing him down the stairs) was pretty funny.

Yes.

Tony/Ralph fight was awesome and looked REALLY painful...

>> That phone call Ralphie made to Paulie's mother was hilarious!

Yes. I kinda forgot about that...

>> So, now I'm leaning towards your theory of Paulie being the one who had the stable set on fire.

There's no proof, but it always made sense to me, and people I share it with do tend to agree it's very possible... (I've never seen anybody ask Chase, but don't think he'd say anything if anyone did... most fans are just really hung up on either Pine Barrens and the missing Russian, or the last scene of the finale... but 'Paulie killed the horse' is my 'outrigger canoe'/Lost equivalent... I don't think I've ever written Sepinwall with my 'Paulie killed the horse' thing, but I probably should...)

Can't remember - why were Janice and Svetlana together again?
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bilki
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Dax
Oct 13 2013, 09:21 PM
Can't remember - why were Janice and Svetlana together again?
Svetlana knows the nurse who takes care of Uncle Junior. She brings her over to Junior's and Janice answers the door to let them in.

And speaking of Sepinwall, this is the first episode I've been able to find a review of by him. It was nice to read his thoughts on the episode and on the season up to that point. His next review is of Whitecaps, which I'm really looking forward to. The trouble brewing between Tony and Carmella has been one of my favorite aspects of this season.
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Dax
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Yeah, it'd be nice if he did 'Rewinds' for the earlier seasons 'someday'...

Have you gotten his book yet? (I mean, don't read the Sopranos section until after you've finished the series, but...) It's really good (but I only skimmed the chapters on the two shows I haven't yet seen, BSG and FNL).

Best Tony/Carmela fight scene ever is in that episode...
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bilki
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Haven't read Sepinwall's book but I'm intrigued by it.

Episode 4.10-The Strong, Silent Type

Some rumblings of Tony being the one who 'took care of' Ralph. I wasn't expecting that.

I almost feel bad to admit this but I laughed when Christopher sat on Cozette and didn't even realize it. And while I've never had a pet of my own, I can see how some thought the whole thing was rather horrible.

Very funny scene with Christopher's intervention. Of course, that wasn't going to go well. The woman at the rehab center was reading A Course in Miracles, which is a book with which I'm quite familiar. A little surprised to see it here.

I liked Svetlana talking to Tony about how Americans expect nothing bad to happen to them, while those from other countries expect something bad and aren't disappointed. Was hoping they wouldn't 'go there' but they ended up having sex on Junior's couch.

Carmella and Furio pining for each other, which I enjoy.
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Dax
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Yeah, for sure, it's tragic... but it was very funny when Christopher killed Ade's dog. It did PLAY as comedy...

Very funny intervention, yes. I remember that well.

I liked Carmela/Furio, too.
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bilki
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Episode 4.13-Whitecaps

WOW! Big episode! I feel a little numb now, lol.

So many mixed feelings about the Tony/Carmella fights. Until this season, I saw Carmella as some kind of bourgeois housewife who squeals when her husband brings her a new coat or a giant piece of jewelry. Her quiet romance with Furio humanized her in a good way for me. I was sad for her when he left town without a word. But even though I care for her in a way I didn't, I don't feel much sympathy for her in this situation. She's been a willing participant for so many years. Maybe Irina's call was just the straw that broke the camel's back, especially with Carmella still being pained by the loss of Furio. I empathized most with the kids. Almost felt like my own parents were splitting up. Great performance by both Falco and Gandolfini.

Really enjoyed the scene with Tony and Svetlana. Wiki reports this is the last we see of Svetlana and Irina, which disappoints me.

Interesting development with Tony backing out of the hit on Carmine. Johnny Sack wasn't happy at all.

Funny stuff with Tony's guys blasting Dean Martin from The Stugots at the Sapinsly's house.


Any general thoughts about season 5, Dax? The list I've been referring to throughout my viewing of the series lists it at the bottom. Says it could be accused of wheel-spinning.
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