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haljordan posted:Also, I remember thinking in the episode where Tony & Paulie meet with those Armenian(?) guys to set up the power tool operation why Tony would offer him a truck load of pool toys and poo poo. I was like "What the hell kind of money maker is that?" Then I realized, when you're stealing everything to begin with, you can sell it at any kind of discount and its still pure profit. They touched on this in Season 2 with the Scatino bust out. Richie was talking about the coolers and how easy they were to sell because your average person really had no idea how much they sell for and would be more apt to just buy one off the street on a whim. This also goes along with the theory that that mob doesn't want to attract any attention. If they stand out on the corner selling gold watches, someone is going to get suspicious. No one thinks twice if someone is selling coolers. This is also why the garbage business was good to them. The only thing people worry about with garbage is getting it to the curb before 7am. The cops and feds will always look at something larger, sexier if you will, so that they can look good to their bosses.
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Aug 17, 2012 17:49
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Bonzo posted:They touched on this in Season 2 with the Scatino bust out. Richie was talking about the coolers and how easy they were to sell because your average person really had no idea how much they sell for and would be more apt to just buy one off the street on a whim. Yeah I mean which kind of crime ring would operate longer: one that knocked over high-end jewelry stores or one that worked behind the scenes, taxing businesses like garbage collection (who take it as a cost of doing business and know to keep their mouths shut)?
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Aug 17, 2012 17:52
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haljordan posted:Yeah but I think unless you're one of the top guys in the organization, you're kicking up a huge majority of the money. The lower level guys do it Henry Hill style (as mentioned above) and just go out and rob when they need money. Sure, but Tony is a top guy, I guess he's only kicking up to the head of the NY families. Carmine/Johnny Sack/Leotardo, whoever else is running it. They're all cheap as hell, especially Paulie - he's even shown cutting out coupons in the episode where they robbed the Dominicans and got a boatload of cash, even after splitting with Vito and kicking up to Carmela.
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Aug 17, 2012 18:11
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Can someone speculate exactly how the Mob is using garbage as a profit earner?
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Aug 17, 2012 18:27
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Dead Snoopy posted:Can someone speculate exactly how the Mob is using garbage as a profit earner? I always thought it was just a protection racket.
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Aug 17, 2012 18:30
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Dead Snoopy posted:Can someone speculate exactly how the Mob is using garbage as a profit earner? They go to the waste haulers and say "Give us x amount of dollars a month to run your trucks on 'our streets' or we will set your trucks on fire and/or kick the poo poo out of you." In slightly different terms, of course. Or, in the words of Ralphie, you wanna question a New Jersey business practice that goes back 70 years?! haljordan fucked around with this message at 18:34 on Aug 17, 2012 |
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Aug 17, 2012 18:31
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I notice the younger guys are too good to use it as a cover job, especially after the cush way they hang out at construction job sites.
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Aug 17, 2012 18:56
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THey also use them as no show jobs.
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Aug 17, 2012 18:59
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It's garbage. Not exactly the type of business just anyone is going to go into because it's very blue collar. It's also very easy to extort someone over because, as you saw in the episode where they dump a week's worth of poo poo onto a restaurant parking lot, no one wants to keep it around. Plus you can use it for other things. Jr. had a coke ring going with drivers selling along the routes. I'm sure you could use those trucks to also smuggle a number of things. You can control unions and get bribes from city officials on a number of things. Then there is the legit stuff like fees for dumping different kinds of waste in the name of being "environmentally friendly" and tax breaks.
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Aug 17, 2012 19:00
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Bonzo posted:It's garbage. Not exactly the type of business just anyone is going to go into because it's very blue collar. It's also very easy to extort someone over because, as you saw in the episode where they dump a week's worth of poo poo onto a restaurant parking lot, no one wants to keep it around. Jr. and Richie running coke on the garbage routes led to one of my favorite "Tony going Alpha Dog on someone" moments of the whole series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81eO_-axzDI "I loving hate the way you make me loving ride you." To me, that's more violent than Tony just beating the poo poo out of him with a bat. haljordan fucked around with this message at 19:45 on Aug 17, 2012 |
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Aug 17, 2012 19:40
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Carthag posted:Sure, but Tony is a top guy, I guess he's only kicking up to the head of the NY families. Carmine/Johnny Sack/Leotardo, whoever else is running it. Tony doesn't kick up at all, since the Di Medea family (I think that's the name of the family, as Jackie Sr. was himself an "acting" boss for a guy understood to be permanently out of the picture) is independent from the NY families. However, it's a smaller operation than the NY families, hence it's deprecating reputation as a "glorified crew.
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Aug 17, 2012 19:57
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The Warszawa posted:Tony doesn't kick up at all, since the Di Medea family (I think that's the name of the family, as Jackie Sr. was himself an "acting" boss for a guy understood to be permanently out of the picture) is independent from the NY families. However, it's a smaller operation than the NY families, hence it's deprecating reputation as a "glorified crew. I think he does kick up some since they are sort of under their protection and share some common intrests.
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Aug 17, 2012 20:04
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It was originally the DiMeo family yeah, although I think they did "officially" change the name later on, I'm not entirely sure how that works. Tony didn't kick up exactly, but they did share some things, that was where the beef about the housing development came from, because Tony was using their shared appraiser to make money just for himself (and Ralph I guess) without kicking any up to Carmine.
kippa fucked around with this message at 20:09 on Aug 17, 2012 |
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Aug 17, 2012 20:07
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I think that as long as Tony allows the NY crew to use some of his resources he gets a pass. Other than that the crew could just step in and take over Jersey any time they wanted.
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Aug 17, 2012 20:25
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Bonzo posted:I think that as long as Tony allows the NY crew to use some of his resources he gets a pass. Other than that the crew could just step in and take over Jersey any time they wanted. Like when he and Phil had the vitamins. "Truckload of Centrums? That's a fuckin' score!"
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Aug 17, 2012 20:30
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Carthag posted:Sure, but Tony is a top guy, I guess he's only kicking up to the head of the NY families. Carmine/Johnny Sack/Leotardo, whoever else is running it. I thought they were more like partners, I don't think Tony was ever shown kicking up to anybody. haljordan posted:Jr. and Richie running coke on the garbage routes led to one of my favorite "Tony going Alpha Dog on someone" moments of the whole series: These moments are the best in the series. Tony Soprano is just such a monster and really, anyone can just beat up someone, that doesn't make him scary. Moments like these show how he can keep all these violent murderers in line - he's worse then any of them.
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Aug 17, 2012 20:43
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DarkCrawler posted:I thought they were more like partners, I don't think Tony was ever shown kicking up to anybody. He may not have been kicking up but they had rank. This is evident by the way Johnny Sack reacted to the "100lb mole" joke.
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Aug 17, 2012 20:48
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DarkCrawler posted:I thought they were more like partners, I don't think Tony was ever shown kicking up to anybody. Plus that scene features the greatest song in the history of music: Boston's "More Than A Feeling"!
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Aug 17, 2012 20:50
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Yeah Tony doesn't kick up the way his captains do to him, but he essentially kicks up respect and partnership in several of his business deals. Basically making sure New York profits just enough from his family's existence that it's not worth the trouble to decapitate and absorb New Jersey. I can't believe how badly Phil's crew botched their takedown of the Sopranos in the penultimate episode. How the hell does "We're gonna whack Tony" bounce from Phil to the informant to the FBI to Agent Harris to Tony before they actually put a bullet in him? Tender Bender fucked around with this message at 21:38 on Aug 17, 2012 |
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Aug 17, 2012 21:35
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Tender Bender posted:Yeah Tony doesn't kick up the way his captains do to him, but he essentially kicks up respect and partnership in several of his business deals. Basically making sure New York profits just enough from his family's existence that it's not worth the trouble to decapitate and absorb New Jersey. As a mastermind of all things Mafia-related, I think Phil's crew hosed up by going after Tony's crew first. He obviously knew they were coming after him when he went right into hiding. So, even before the FBI confirmed it, it was the expected move.
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Aug 17, 2012 21:43
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haljordan posted:As a mastermind of all things Mafia-related, I think Phil's crew hosed up by going after Tony's crew first. He obviously knew they were coming after him when he went right into hiding. So, even before the FBI confirmed it, it was the expected move. Which "he" are you talking about going into hiding? Tony hears from Agent Harris that the wheels are in motion, makes the botched hit with the guys from Italy (Phil apparently having already gone into hiding), then Bobby and Sil are hit, then Tony goes into hiding. Not to get all Tactical Realism but Tony had time to fly guys in from Italy(!) to try to hit Phil first, before any action was taken by New York. They do say that they thought Tony would be with Sil at the bing, but still, you gotta make sure you get Tony first. New York didn't deserve to win.
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Aug 17, 2012 21:54
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Tender Bender posted:Which "he" are you talking about going into hiding? Phil goes into hiding ASAP. Tony hears from Agent Harris that the wheels are in motion, makes the botched hit with the guys from Italy, then Bobby and Sil are hit, then Tony goes into hiding. Ahh I had the timeline screwed up, you're right. Its strange, because every other murder in the series was carried out with such precision (well, almost every other one). Usually, its "Hey, we gotta go to this guy's house!" or "Hey, help me move some poo poo out of the garage" and whammo.
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Aug 17, 2012 21:56
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By the end of the series there are quite a bit of loose lips around. I would not doubt that quite a few low end guys were wired or other wise informants and knew the hits where coming. Plus you had all the anti terrorist poo poo going on so I don't doubt that you had wire taps and such in place since a lot of the lower ranks of the mob will deal in weapons.
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Aug 17, 2012 21:59
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DarkCrawler posted:I thought they were more like partners, I don't think Tony was ever shown kicking up to anybody. And his anger just radiates out from him so effectively, I can feel myself gritting my teeth as he starts laying into Richie. Goddamn I miss this show.
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Aug 21, 2012 21:12
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I would love if HBO did a Sopranos prequel series. Seeing Uncle Jun, Jonny Boy, Bobby's dad, and others doing mob stuff in the 50s and 60s would be awesome. Or you could even have it based in the 80s and see the start of Tony's rise up the ranks, his year in college, starting a relationship with Carm, running around with Tony B...it's pretty endless with the amount of back story they've already placed in the show.
Bonzo fucked around with this message at 21:33 on Aug 21, 2012 |
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Aug 21, 2012 21:24
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Bonzo posted:I would love if HBO did a Sopranos prequel series. Seeing Uncle Jun, Jonny Boy, Bobby's dad, and others doing mob stuff in the 50s and 60s would be awesome. Or you could even have it based in the 80s and see the start of Tony's rise up the ranks, his year in college, starting a relationship with Carm, running around with Tony B...it's pretty endless with the amount of back story they've already placed in the show.
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Aug 22, 2012 10:42
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You guys excited about this? http://www.indiewire.com/article/television/the-cast-of-the-sopranos-will-reunite-for-a-nickelodeon-tv-movie http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2312862/
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Sep 4, 2012 20:22
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Bobby writing a kids book doesn't surprise me in the least
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Sep 4, 2012 23:13
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Here's a fun skit with Bobby, if you haven't seen it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yENmufztolo
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Sep 5, 2012 03:24
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Looking forward to this one, starring James Gandolfini and some other guy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDyaNnrgdp4
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Nov 2, 2012 05:54
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Here's a random thing I've been thinking about lately, do you reckon the cop Tony had Chris kill actually killed Chris' dad? I always took it at face value before, but he did genuinely seem to have no idea what Chris was on about when he confronted him about it before he killed him and surely if Dickie had been such a mentor/big brother figure to Tony he'd have wanted to avenge him a long time ago? I know at the time Tony was trying to make sure Chris was totally loyal to him, so could it just have been a random cop Tony wanted rid of, and a ploy to try and strengthen their bond? That seems like a massive dick move, even by Tonys standards, but I wouldn't put it past him either.
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Nov 10, 2012 22:10
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On the speculation of whether or not Tony dies in the last episode, I have always thought a very significant clue lies in the scene in which Tony is negotiating with the New York people in that freezing warehouse. There's this mechanical noise throughout the scene, and then there's an abrupt cut and the sound cuts out when Tony asks for a hefty tax from New York. Previously in the show, people have been known to get murdered when someone doesn't want to pay for something and I think that tax sealed it for Tony. The gruesome way Phil died would also give New York a reason to get rid of him.
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Nov 10, 2012 22:43
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kippa posted:Here's a random thing I've been thinking about lately, do you reckon the cop Tony had Chris kill actually killed Chris' dad? Hell, even Chris asks this question. He tells the guy (and I'm paraphrasing) "I don't even know if you really killed my dad but it doesn't matter because Tony wants you dead." I'm going to say it's a good bet that guy didn't really kill Dickie.
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Nov 10, 2012 23:12
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Joe Don Baker posted:
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Nov 10, 2012 23:23
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kenny powerzzz posted:And then Chris talks himself into being sure of it later in the series. Even looks at the act with gratitude towards Tony for it. Yeah he kinda told Adrianna about it, no specifics but "something that was ruining my life and he made it right". I probably should have realised before that he wasn't the guy, but that seems like a gigantic dick move for someone Tony claims to love.
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Nov 11, 2012 00:05
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Doesn't seem that it fits in with the Sopranos storytelling, to be so cryptic and ambiguous, excluding the end scene of course. I think Tony was telling the truth, for once.
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Nov 11, 2012 01:13
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kippa posted:Here's a random thing I've been thinking about lately, do you reckon the cop Tony had Chris kill actually killed Chris' dad? Chris drops his father's name without context and the cop's face reacts with total panic, so if he didn't do it he at least was lying about knowing nothing of the hit. Plus his last words are something like I'M SORRY. I realise there is a chance he was trying to appease Chris without having done the deed himself, but personally I think the guy was guilty. Although, as commented in and on the episode, it hardly matters.
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Nov 11, 2012 03:03
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Yeah I'm pretty sure that Chris really did kill the guy who killed his father. For me, the best part of that episode is actually the scene with Tony and Bobby in the diner. Bobby orders this giant steak and Tony orders some mozzarella and tomato slices. The look of longing he gives to Bobby's steak always cracks me up.
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Nov 11, 2012 17:35
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That's the Nostradamus/Quasimodo, hunchback/halfback of Notre Dame conversation isn't it?
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Nov 11, 2012 20:42
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A Violence Gang posted:That's the Nostradamus/Quasimodo, hunchback/halfback of Notre Dame conversation isn't it? Yep. Great scene. And I forgot how hungry the Sopranos always made me. I remember someone posting a recipe for amazing ziti (Ishamael?) and I spent $30 bucks on the ingredients and ended up making it. It was phenomenal.
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Nov 11, 2012 21:12
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