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If anyone here hasn't seen Killing Them Softly, definitely check it out ASAP. It's a really good movie, so worth seeing in general, but it's also a great underrated Gandolfini performance that sadly was one of his last. In the movie, he plays an over the hill hitman that is brought into town to do a job for one of the main characters, and.....well it doesn't exactly go as planned.
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Mar 18, 2019 20:20
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JethroMcB posted:I don't know if the whole scene counts, but I think this is my favorite moment: I still remember thinking, "Wow, he didn't even say anything to Johnny." Of course why would he - if Johnny decided to leg it with him then that just means the Feds will run after him harder if they haven't already - but what really got me was all their talk of being friends and such vanishes in the mere instant it takes from Tony to look away and look back.
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Mar 19, 2019 00:02
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That moment of realization from Tony of,"They're here for him" is so great, the mental arithmetic he is doing before cheesing the gently caress out of there is is great.JethroMcB posted:These are fantastic and make me want to start a rewatch that much more. Treat yourself! We all know it is a great show but even after all the times I've seen it I'm still blown away by how enjoyable each individual episode is.
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Mar 19, 2019 00:26
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I have different kinds of favourites but what amazed me about the Sopranos was how awful I felt for finding some parts of it incredibly funny, like when the scene in Curb your Enthusiasm with Larry flouncing around in the bra was on Junior's TV and he thought it was him. Then he thought Geoff from CYE was Bobby.
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Mar 19, 2019 01:38
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I always said that The Sopranos was legit one of the funniest shows ever made. Obviously it's not wall to wall laughs, but the comedy bits work so effectively because the characters are so well-drawn; it's almost like you're sharing an in-joke with them. I mean, anyone could throw a chair at a ghost and it would be amusing, but when Paulie does it it's hilarious because it fits him perfectly.
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Mar 19, 2019 01:54
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crispix posted:I have different kinds of favourites but what amazed me about the Sopranos was how awful I felt for finding some parts of it incredibly funny, like when the scene in Curb your Enthusiasm with Larry flouncing around in the bra was on Junior's TV and he thought it was him. Then he thought Geoff from CYE was Bobby. Yeah, it's actually pretty devastating if you think about what is going on, but,"...what's this? My trial?" always cracks me up. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUdZhMsSZcA
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Mar 19, 2019 02:01
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Basebf555 posted:If anyone here hasn't seen Killing Them Softly, definitely check it out ASAP. It's a really good movie, so worth seeing in general, but it's also a great underrated Gandolfini performance that sadly was one of his last. His performance as Carol in Where The Wild Things are is also completely mind blowing.
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Mar 19, 2019 02:50
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Pretty much this whole scene is great. Paulie being himself, Tony getting more and more flustered, followed immediately by Tony making one of the few actually funny jokes he makes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2LpILuko7w
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Mar 19, 2019 05:02
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Solice Kirsk posted:Pretty much this whole scene is great. Paulie being himself, Tony getting more and more flustered, followed immediately by Tony making one of the few actually funny jokes he makes. That is a great one. Tony getting increasingly irritated at failing to subtly shut Chrissy running off at the mouth is /chef's kiss.
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Mar 19, 2019 13:10
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Christopher was such a loving bimbo.
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Mar 19, 2019 13:18
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crispix posted:Christopher was such a loving bimbo. What do you all think of the episode with Jon Favreau, Janeane Garofalo, and Sandra Bernhard all playing themselves? Was it a little too much or did it feel earned?
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Mar 19, 2019 18:54
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Jose Oquendo posted:What do you all think of the episode with Jon Favreau, Janeane Garofalo, and Sandra Bernhard all playing themselves? Was it a little too much or did it feel earned? I do think it was a little much. I actually love the premise of the episode, and Christopher's arc in the episode....learning that Hollywood can be even more cutthroat than the mafia. But something about shoehorning those 3 celebrities in there feels a bit off, especially watching it now.
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Mar 19, 2019 19:03
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crispix posted:Christopher was such a loving bimbo. None of the mob guys were particularly bright, but Christopher thought the Cuban missile crisis was a movie.
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Mar 19, 2019 19:28
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Solice Kirsk posted:Pretty much this whole scene is great. Paulie being himself, Tony getting more and more flustered, followed immediately by Tony making one of the few actually funny jokes he makes. That poo poo is funny, but goddamn what a brutal scene. Tony even makes poor Patsy kiss the ring later on in the episode and forces him to say "I put my loss behind me" so Tony could fee better about having his twin brother clipped. I like that by the end of the show, Patsy gets a little bit of revenge by reveling in the fact that his son's going to probably marry Meadow.
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Mar 19, 2019 19:57
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ruddiger posted:That poo poo is funny, but goddamn what a brutal scene. Tony even makes poor Patsy kiss the ring later on in the episode and forces him to say "I put my loss behind me" so Tony could fee better about having his twin brother clipped. One thing that stands out here is we're calling him 'poor Patsy' when not a few posts ago we're also talking about how he was threatening a woman on something he absolutely would carry out if she kept bothering Tony. Just a testament to how complete this show's characters still feel.
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Mar 19, 2019 20:42
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in the Fleshy Part of the Thigh, Patsy comes along with Paulie to intimidate Jason Barone- and that's literally all he does. We know what he's capable of, and his silent presence is completely menacing- the poor kid really has no idea who he's dealing with and it's tremendous.
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Mar 19, 2019 22:11
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Jose Oquendo posted:What do you all think of the episode with Jon Favreau, Janeane Garofalo, and Sandra Bernhard all playing themselves? Was it a little too much or did it feel earned? I liked it, but I probably enjoyed the episode where they try to pitch to Ben Kingsley even more 
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Mar 19, 2019 23:23
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By the way, I’ve been seeing promos for it for a month or two, but Dominic Chianese (Junior) is in some new show premiering tonight on NBC. Dude is 88 years old and still workin. Hell yeah man.
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Mar 20, 2019 02:56
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I watched the 20 year reunion interview the cast did and it was just like the show itself: funny, sad, poignant. Highly worth your time if you enjoy the meta of the show.
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Mar 20, 2019 06:02
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Season 1, Episode 4 - MeadowlandsDr. Melfi posted:Sometimes it's important to let them have the illusion of being in control. Tony sits in therapy with Melfi, not speaking, staring her up and down, particularly her legs. She is being oddly flirtatious with him, but his good mood vanishes when he spots Hesh walking (actually, more gliding) past the windows. Panicked when Melfi (who hasn't looked) says "Heshie" is her 3pm appointment, he rushes out to the waiting room where he spots AJ peering at him through a crack in the door, Silvio seated in a chair winking at him as a stripper rides him, Paulie intently reading a Chinese newspaper and Big Pussy keeping a close eye on Paulie. Turning back around, Tony sees Melfi has turned her back to him, and reenters the office to try and talk to her, but is cut off by Jackie who is lying on her table hooked up to machines, muttering about thunderstorms. He twists Melfi around and she is, of course, his mother, which causes him to sit bolt upright in bed at his gumar Irina's apartment. Upset but relieved to have only been dreaming, he tells Irina to go back to sleep and gets up to head home. This is the first of what will be many dream sequences in the show (I don't count the one he recounts to Melfi in The Pilot), and already we're getting a glimpse of how well the show captures dream sequences, so much better than almost every other show that either goes too far or restrains itself too much. The weird gaps in logic that the dreamer understands but also glosses over, the weird collection of familiar faces in unfamiliar roles, the lack of control as events unfold often without any input or control from the dreamer etc. The root cause seems likely enough, Tony is worried about his therapy secret being found out by his Family, while also feeling ongoing guilt about his actual family - the concern of what his son might find out about him, and the uncomfortable mix of sexual attraction and submission (of a sort) to a powerful female figure which manifests in the form of his mother. Tony returns home where he finds AJ up playing video games. He offers a lame excuse about a compactor being down at Barone Sanitation, then settles down beside AJ to play Mario Kart. He's no good at it, and his attempts to bond with his son and find out more about what is going on with him as school hit a brick wall. Things go better when he blocks AJ's view and beats him at the race, and he offers a "lesson" (focus through distractions) then makes it clear he wants him in bed in 10 minutes. The two share a little smile at each other which makes Tony feel happier with himself, he's being a good dad... who just got home from banging the girlfriend he keeps on the side. The next day, Adriana picks up Christopher (in a neckbrace) from the hospital and obviously isn't taking his paranoia seriously when he worries she may have been followed. Christopher still has no idea who it was who set up the fake execution, though he suspects it might have been Tony. He still hasn't even considered the notion that it might have been Junior, the guy whose face he effectively spat in twice in the course of a week recently. He's furious when he hears from Adriana that she heard one of the nurses saying he poo poo himself during the mock execution, and demands she just go get the car so they can go see Brendan and get high. What's waiting for them at Brendan's apartment is not a pleasant sight, his corpse still in the bathtub he was executed in. Even now, though, Christopher still hasn't figured things out. At AJ's school, he and a friend prank call another student's beeper from the school payphone - my God this show really is 20 years old - mocking his mother, which causes a physical confrontation. The other student, Jeremy Piocosta, reminds AJ that he cried on her shoulder when he was homesick at Summer Camp, and they start scuffling with AJ surprisingly holding his own against the much bigger boy. A teacher breaks them up and warns them they need a 5 minute cooldown period, a pretty lax punishment considering AJ at least had his shirt collar all torn up in the "fight".   Tony is heading to his session when he hears a voice right out of his dream, Silvio's. He hides in a nearby office (confusing the poor Doctor inside) as Silvio chats up a nurse and leaves, it seems his dental office is right across the hall from Melfi's office. One inside he tells her he's worried about security, he doesn't know how safe things are. It doesn't matter if she says anything about what he tells her, just the fact he's there is enough to "incriminate" him. She gently puts him down by noting that she thought they'd made progress on his narcissism, and unwittingly quips she'd have to take the 5th if he asked her about her personal life. When he laughs, she breaks out into shocked laughter herself, she hadn't even considered what she was saying. Tony enjoys seeing that side of her though, even if he's still unsure about continuing these sessions. At Meadow's school, Adriana comes to pick her up, saying Christopher asked her. Meadow is confused but assumes it must be something to do with her dad, and laughs it is probably the "Federal Bureau of Annoying Bullshit" showing up with another search warrant. Hunter is more interested in knowing if Brendan got her poem, because apparently she found the creepy dude interesting, but gets no answer. Inside the car, Meadow is shocked when Christopher appears from the backseat, shaking her arm and demanding to know if she told her father about the crystal meth. As Christopher and Meadow yell at each other, Hunter jams her oblivious head in to ask if Brendan asked about her, and Adriana pulls away as they continue yelling until Meadow snaps that Tony has been worried about him. Christopher, realizing Tony probably wouldn't mention looking for him to his daughter if he was behind the mock execution, apologizes and even throws in a completely inappropriate attempt to be a role model when she complains about how much she hates her life. When he suggests he'll buy Meadow a happy meal like when they were kids, Adriana shows open contempt for how bad he is at this and, to be frank, he deserves it. Carmela comes looking for AJ in his room, angry to have found his new shirt torn up and dumped in the trash, even angrier when he grunts that the shirt - a gift from his grandmother - is not even cool anymore. He admits he got into a fight and she is astonished to learn it was with Jeremy Piocosta, who she thought he was friends with. He freaks out when she says she is going to call Mrs. Piocosta, and pleads with her to let him earn the money to replace the shirt by washing her car, which she finally accepts. Meanwhile at Green Grove, something magical happens. Tony comes to visit Livia, and she is of course still upset with him. Which makes her reaction when he offers her a gift so wonderful. He's stopped by a pastry place called Ferrara's and picked her up some macaroons that he knows she enjoys. Watch her face when he mentions the name, the way she lights up. Look at her eyes and hands when he mentions the macaroons, as they involuntarily lift greedily towards the box he is holding. Then watch as she FORCES herself to stop, sneers and grunts that they're too sweet. Then for the REST of the scene, as Tony talks to her about being more active and getting social with the other residents, as she complains about how in the city mothers throw their babies out of the window, as she moans for the Lord to take her now, as he calmly reminds her that she COULD be happy here if she chose to be... those macaroons are never far from her mind. They have an uncomfortable silence and he prepares to leave with them, but she tells him to leave some out for "the lunatics", and just STARES as he shakes a few out and takes the rest away. It's an incredibly beautiful, maddening and wonderful piece of passive-aggressive nonsense as she denies herself of a true pleasure for no other reason than to get back at Tony, and I love it so goddamn much.   Outside, we see Tony was killing two birds with one stone, as he meets with Vin Makazian outside. Makazian, a corrupt detective with serious gambling problems is pissing on the lawn outside as he waits to meet Tony. Tony wants him to do a background check on Dr. Melfi, without touching her or bothering her. Makazian expects to get paid for this, but he's $2000 in the hole on gambling debts so Tony isn't planning on paying him anything, though he admits he might consider laying off the vig (interest) if Makazian does a good job. Hands up who thinks he is going to do a good job! Tony, Silvio, Paulie and Big Pussy go to visit Jackie in hospital, but he's out of it so all they can do is commiserate together on the cruelty of his fate while he lies sleeping fitfully. Christopher shows up, much to Tony's surprise and relief, and the second Christopher tells him that Brendan has been shot through the eye, Tony IMMEDIATELY correctly guesses this is Junior's work. Christopher seems to have figured it out too, as he pulls out a gun and says he's going after Mikey Palmice, who would have done the hit. As Paulie and Pussy argue about the way Moe Greene was killed in The Godfather, Jackie pipes in a few times with drugged rambling about a fish in his pocket and the World Trade Center, so Tony and Christopher head outside. Tony doesn't want Christopher going about Mikey, who is a Made guy, but Christopher wants his revenge. Paulie steps out and says he (a Made guy himself) can handle it, he knows exactly where Mikey lives. Tony considers for a second then insists Paulie keep Christopher there, and stomps off himself breathing heavily through the nose (what will become a familiar sign of his rage), stopping only to grab a stapler gun on the way. Mikey is sitting in a car outside the little restaurant where Junior dines - Sit Tite - waiting to drive him where he needs to go next. He spots Tony pulling up behind him and watches as Tony walks by and picks up a ticket on his windshield, waiting to see how Tony will be breaking his balls today. He gets out to say hello... and Tony punches him in the face, knocking him to the ground where he bashes him several more times before stapling the ticket to Mikey's chest while offering to get the wrinkles out of his suit. He cleans off the stapler gun and dumps it on the ground, leaving a groaning Mikey bleeding on the floor before striding into the tiny corner restaurant. Inside, Junior is cracking racist jokes to his crew when Tony arrives and confronts him, saying he's here out of love and respect but immediately put on the back foot when Junior snaps that Tony knows nothing of respect after abandoning his mother in a rest home. Tony is furious but trying his best to keep his temper (which he why he beat the poo poo out of Mikey, to alleviate some of his anger) as he warns Junior he was out of line and has no right to come after his guys, especially after what they did was made good. Junior responds that Tony is failing to discipline his crew and Junior won't live with being disrespected, and warns him that he answers to bigger people than Tony. Now it is Tony's turn to put Junior on the backfoot when he asks if he wants to haul Jackie off of his deathbed again to settle what should be a minor grievance. Wanting to humiliate and insult Tony without making it look like he is being aggressive, Junior takes great pleasure in informing Tony that Christopher Moltisanti, who is a good earner, will now be working for HIM! Tony is flabbergasted and tells him there is no way that is happening, demanding to know why they can't talk like adults. To Junior, who still sees Tony as "my little nephew", there is nothing more ridiculous than having to treat him like an equal (or worse, a minor superior) and he lays down a chilling warning to his own flesh and blood:  Makazian and his poor, poor partner Lewis follow Melfi and a date(?) as they drive through the city, Makazian clearly drunk enough that even his partner can tell. In Melfi's car, she's telling her date Randall about a recent breakup and commiserating with him that sometimes men get mixed messages from women... but also that men tend to overreact. As their flirting increases, a siren gets their attention and they pull over, confused, assuming they must have been speeding without realizing it. Makazian, a crumpled, sweating, drunken mess, approaches, having told Lewis the car is the same make and model as one spotting leaving a recent triple homicide. He has Randall get out of the car to do a field sobriety test after learning he had a wine at dinner, making him walk the line and demanding he open the trunk. Randall, a lawyer, refuses, so Makazian declares he is resisting arrest and punches him, then kicks him on the ground. Horrified, Melfi gets out of the car as Lewis - pleading with Makazian to stop - turns his attention to her and insists she get back into the car. Makazian claims he thought Randall was going for a weapon, and insists Lewis cuff Randall and take him in for DUI, resisting arrest and assaulting an officer. Melfi approaches Makazian and he leers at her, saying she has prime rib at home and doesn't have to go out for hamburger, apparently having assumed she is one of Tony's girlfriends. The next day Makazian meets with Tony and tells him what he learned, that Melfi works from 8am - 6pm, eats a tuna sub and diet coke for lunch, then goes home and doesn't go out much apart from a few recent dates with a schmuck tax lawyer called Randall. Tony isn't interested in Randall, he wants to know about Melfi, and in particular the disturbing news that Melfi herself sees a psychiatrist called Elliot Kupferburg. Makazian, one of New Jersey's finest, offers to give Tony some snaps he took of Melfi with the blinds up in some "Victoria's Secret" style gear but Tony isn't interested in his sleazy photographs (not any that come from him, anyway) and starts heading away. Makazian asks about betting on another upcoming game and Tony can't hide his disgust for the hungover mess. That said, at least he knows where he stands with this drunk degenerate: he still doesn't know what to make of Melfi, especially the fact she sees a psychiatrist herself. Happier times come soon after, as he and the other DiMeo capos (sans Junior) share a lobster lunch at Silvio's Bada Bing strip club, joking about Tony's assault on Mikey Palmice who'd had it coming for a long time. The other capos are Larry Boy Barese, Jimmy Altieri and Ray Curto, and the reason Junior isn't there is that they've gathered to consider the Junior problem... and more importantly, what to do about the Jackie situation. None of them think even Junior is going to go to war, there hasn't been one since "The Colombo thing", but they acknowledge they need strong leadership at the top to keep things in line. Tony butters up Ray, the oldest of the Capos present, saying that Jackie or old man DiMeo (currently in prison) would want him to take charge. Ray isn't interested though, he's got an 18-year-old with MS to think about, at his age he wants to take on less responsibilities, not more. Besides, Jackie and even DiMeo before him always had Tony on the fast-track for promotion and now shouldn't be any different. Jimmy agrees, shutting down Larry's suggestion of running things like a council, saying the old guys set it up like a paramilitary organization and that's how it works best. Ray lays out the truth, that it's going to be down to Junior and Tony duking it out to see who becomes the new Boss. Tony thinks that Junior's New York backing gives him the edge, but now Larry is the one to correct him: New York wants somebody for the new Century, not the old, and Jimmy agrees, if Tony wants the role, he can have it and New York will back him. Tony says he doesn't want a disturbance... but he sits quietly afterwards considering it.   At school, AJ bumps into Jeremy and they have an awkward conversation that lightens up as they remember blowing up some frogs with some M-80s on 4th of July. AJ wants to get the money to replace his shirt from Jeremy though, and they end up arguing again which breaks into yet another surprisingly even fight, though this time AJ's nose is left bleeding. Other boys haul them apart and they argue over who kicked whose rear end, and decide to settle it in the time-honored way, by meeting after school tomorrow to have a real fight. At a local garden center, Tony is buying an axe and trying to convince the poor minimum wage worker to sell him some DDT when he spots a familiar face. It's Mr. Piocosta, Jeremy's dad, and Tony is pleased to see him and wants to catch up and bond over their sons. Mr. Piocosta, who knows EXACTLY who Tony is, can't take his eyes off the axe that Tony is holding, and timidly asks if AJ has said anything to him as Tony enthusiastically tries to invite him around to grill some hot dogs while the boys hangs out. Finally he all but turns tail and runs away (he jogs instead), sweating and nervous, leaving an utterly confused Tony behind. Tony returns home with the groceries he bought, but as he is putting them away he starts to feel lightheaded, and collapses to the ground momentarily. Carmela hears and rushes down, helping him up and sitting him down at the counter. He says the medication has been helping him as this is his first one in awhile, and was clearly much milder than ones in the past. He's more concerned when Carmela starts questioning what his therapist is doing, refering to him as a man and leaving Tony to once again openly lie by calling Melfi a man himself. Seeing an opening, Carmela can't help but to ask him for more details on the therapy, what do they talk about? Do they talk about the marriage? About personal feelings? Tony complains that all they do is talk, then puts out there that he is thinking about quitting to see how she reacts. He asks her to get his Prozac, remembering he forgot to take one this morning. She attempts to be supportive, telling him that he may be under stress what with Jackie's condition but she's sure that the therapy wouldn't be hurting if it wasn't helping. Irritated, he falls back on the excuse (a pretty good one!) about how the nature of his "work" leaves him exposed, but she won't have any of that. Warning him that leaving therapy would be a step back, she ominously notes that if he leaves, she might have to consider her own situation re: their marriage. The situation having escalated, Tony demands to know if that is a threat.  Tony meets with Melfi and they discuss the panic attack, and he explains he didn't lose consciousness. She says she'll write him a short-term script for Xanax to get over the current stress, and he admits that Uncle Junior has him in a position he doesn't want to be in, forcing him to do something he doesn't want to do. On top of that is his mother (always his mother) who is treating him like an Eskimo who pushed her out to sea. Melfi explains they're both testing him and he correctly points out it is a lot like dealing with little kids. She wants him to read a book (he's aghast), Strategies for Coping with Elder Family, and tells him it wouldn't hurt to let his mother think she's still in charge, that like with children it is sometimes important to let them have the illusion of being in control. It's good advice, and the right advice to give, but Melfi has just arguably for the first time since Tony first came to her created a situation where his therapy is a direct device for being a more effective mobster. It will not be the last. Christopher is doing his collections, stopping to see a black guy called Yo Yo Mendez (he has a Yo Yo and everything!) who sells dope for him. It seems stories about Christopher's "tour of the Meadowlands" has gotten out even this far, including the fact he poo poo his pants during the mock execution. Christopher doesn't want to talk about that, he just wants his cut, and is shocked to learn that Junior Soprano's boys already came around and picked it up, telling him that Christopher was out and it was their corner now. Christopher is even more vexed when Yo Yo explains he didn't beep him because word on the street is that he was out of commission and that's just a fact of business. Christopher says he understands, then kicks Yo Yo in the balls, slaps him around the ears, kicks him while he was down and starts choking him with his Yo Yo cord (that think is so goddamn contrived) while warning him that no matter who comes at him, this is Christopher's corner and he'll take his thumbs if he pays anybody else.... also he didn't poo poo his pants! He takes money from Yo Yo's pocket, his "cut", and heads off. Outside the school, AJ is waiting for the fight, offered useless advice by his buddy as other kids are gathered around excited for some blood. Jeremy shows up looking utterly miserable, meekly reaching into his wallet and pulling out a couple of 20s and timidly offering them. AJ doesn't want to take it, he wants to fight him for it, but Jeremy miserably mumbles he can't and insists he take it. AJ does and Jeremy leaves, with AJ's confusion turning to happiness at the fact the much bigger boy chickened out and was scared of him. "Oh yeah, he's real scared of you  " mocks another kid, Phil Litto, and AJ has no idea what he could possibly mean.  Consider Tony's two "sons" here. Christopher shows up and is disrespected by a guy who clearly thinks he's pathetic and out of the game, not somebody to be feared. So Christopher beats the poo poo out of him, takes the money from him and warns him of worse to come if he crosses him again. Meanwhile, Tony's actual son shows up with no idea of the considerable power and fear his father wields and mistakes the timid handing over of cash by his opponent as a sign of his own strength. Yo Yo groaned that he would kill Christopher but that's empty rhetoric from a guy who will be paying up like clockwork from now on. Jeremy says nothing other than demanding AJ take the cash, obviously having been told by his father not to screw with Tony Soprano's kid even though he could have easily overpowered or beaten him (even if AJ did hold his own in their previous altercations). Both Christopher and AJ's power comes from their connections, but one if aware of them and knows what he must do to hold his own in that power structure, while the other is blissfully unaware and mistakes that power as something intrinsic to himself. It's no wonder the kid ends up such a basketcase, even if Christopher doesn't fare much better. At the Bada Bing, strippers dance as Tony reads the book Melfi suggested and takes his pills. Paulie and Pussy are playing cards, it's a standard and unremarkable day... until Tony overhears something on the news and shouts at them to turn the music off. The strippers came to a standstill and Tony, Silvio, Paulie and Pussy look at at the television as they're informed that Jackie Aprile, acting Boss of the DiMeo Crime family, has died. Tony is in tears, he visited Jackie earlier who had assured him he wasn't going to "go today". The gangsters gather and hug, drinking a toast to Jackie's memory while in a moment of black comedy, one of the strippers stands tearfully on the stage, topless, and weeps that she'll never forget where she was this day. With utterly horrible timing, Christopher shows up to complain about Junior's move on his corner and won't stop rabbiting on as the others silently mouth and motion at him to shut the gently caress up. Christopher won't hear it though, ranting about going to Defcon 4 and reenacting the end segment of Scarface. "Always with the scenarios" sighs Silvio, and then Christopher proclaims that if Tony does nothing, he has to question his leadership. Silvio's wince here is fantastic. Christopher grabs him by the neck and shoves him against the bar, calling him an ungrateful little gently caress and demanding to know where he gets the balls to say that. Christopher apologizes, saying he's just saying what is going on out there, and Tony demands the others keep him in place and goes storming out. Pussy and Silvio think they know what is happening next, with Pussy saying the War of 99 is about to start and Silvio muttering that it's goodbye to Junior, while Paulie warns Christopher to stay exactly where he is when he suggests they go back Tony up. At Sit Tite, Tony arrives and checks his gun is loaded, remembering what Junior told him the last time he was there. The moment has finally arrived, the confrontation between the two Sopranos for control of the DiMeo Crime Family. So he storms in and... puts his hands up and tells Junior he just wants to talk, he came in heavy like Junior said but doesn't want to use it. The rest of Junior's crew make way and Tony settles down at the table across from him to lay it all out: Jackie is dead, the family needs a leader and Tony wants no confusion as to who that will be. Suspicious, Junior sips his drink and offers the briefest of responses, affecting disinterest as Tony talks about how long the Sopranos have been waiting to take the reins. The two stare at each other in silence, and then Tony says the last thing Junior ever expected to hear.   Dominic Chianese is just great in this section. For just a moment Junior can't believe it, his eyes jump up and down from tabletop to Tony, he fights back a smile and he asks the pertinent questions. Is this really Tony's decision? Can he speak for the other Captains? It is and Tony says he can, and Junior finally allows himself to believe it. After decades of waiting, of seeing his younger brother and then his nephew move faster and earlier than him, he has finally achieved his dream of acceptance and respect and power: Junior Soprano is the Boss of the DiMeo Crime Family. They embrace, all their previous animosity forgotten, loving Uncle and Nephew once more. Tony jokes but also compliments by talking about Junior's strength and virility, but as they embrace he pulls his beaming Uncle in tight as the camera draws in close, and whispers in his ear that he cannot be perceived as losing face, so his asking price for his support is Bloomfield and the Paving Union. Junior can understand that, hell he can respect it, and it is a small price to pay for all his dreams coming true, in fact it gives him the chance to appear benevolent. They embrace again, the Soprano Family stronger than ever. That night, AJ visits Meadow in her room to tell her about the weirdness of today's almost fight, trying to figure out what it all means. Meadow, who has the ordinary disdain any sister would have for their little brother, mocks him at first but soon takes pity on him. She attempts to get the not particularly bright boy to connect the dots: how many people working in waste management have homes like theirs? Just their dad and Uncle Jackie, right? And why is he Uncle Jackie if they aren't related? They're members of a different "Family". Loading up an adorably archaic looking website on her computer's CRT monitor, she shows him megamob.com, a website with MEGABYTES OF BAD GUY. Because it's 1999, she prints out pages of the website for him to look at it in his room. He does, before settling down to sleep while unable to take his eyes from the picture of him and Tony taken on a fishing trip. Dr. Melfi goes to Randall's house for their date, being careful to present a little cleavage before he answers the door in jeans and a white shirt. He hasn't answered her calls despite their dinner date, and he admits the phone is off the hook and he feels like he is losing it, he's getting paranoid and thinking people are watching him or that he's being followed, and he's scared to go outside. She suggests he goes to see a friend of hers who specializes in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and when he asks if she can prescribe something she reminds him she's his date, not his doctor. The next day, Tony - in a happy mood following the Junior situation - is chatting about the first dead body he saw at 15-years-old when he notices Melfi is distracted. She apologizes, saying she has been musing on how sheltered her own life is, and the climate of violence and rage in modern America. She brings up her friend being beaten up by a policeman, who was either crazy and drunk. Tony's good mood is gone as he figures out it was Makazian, while she talks about how it has wrecked their relationship. But it returns when she asks if he still has his doubts. Quite the contrary, even if he isn't explicitly thinking it, Tony has already realized even this early in the season just how effective therapy can be at helping him be a more effective mobster.  The funeral of Jackie Aprile is both a cause for sadness and celebration. As Rosalie sits numbly in place, Junior Soprano and his sister-in-law Livia sit in pride of place beside her, Junior basking in his new status as Boss. Tony and the other Capos, along with Hesh and Silvio, discuss his decision. Because, of course, Junior Soprano is NOT the Boss, or at least is Boss in name only. What Tony has done is given him the illusion of control, but he is the true Boss that they will all be working through, especially since Junior never knew how much they were kicking up to Jackie in the first place. The DiMeo house is secure, and now they have a brand-new lightning rod in place to take the hits. They joke together about how Tony not only has the power but also got concessions from Junior for a title he doesn't know is largely ceremonial, but Tony shuts down Jimmy Altieri's snider comments, warning him that he still loves the man. He points out Junior and Livia and notes that they went through World War II - he respects them, but he also believe he knows how to handle them now. As the funeral continues, he and others drop dirt on Jackie's coffin after it has been lowered into the ground. For a moment, Tony lingers as he looks down at the final resting place of one of his closest and most beloved friends, but then moves on. Christopher points out that they're being watched, the FBI are taking photographs and noting down license plate numbers, knowing that the death of Jackie will have brought any number of high ranking mobsters out into the open. As they comment on it, they don't notice who else is watching them. AJ rests against a headstone looking at his father in a new light. Now the people around him, the way they lean in to whisper, his Uncle Junior's smug expression as he is attended to by the mourners (belatedly noticing Rosalie weeping beside him), it all has a fresh context he can only understand through the medium of the mob movies he has seen on television. Meadow casts a knowing look his way, but as he looks at Tony and sees him smile back at him, he's left to ponder how a high ranking member of the Mafia can also be the loving father who takes him fishing and plays (and cheats at) Mario Kart with him.   AJ was late to the party, but he's quickly figuring out that things aren't always what they seem. Season 1: The Pilot | 46 Long | Denial, Anger, Acceptance | Meadowlands | College | Pax Soprana | Down Neck | The Legend of Tennessee Moltisanti | Boca | A Hit Is a Hit | Nobody Knows Anything | Isabella | I Dream of Jeannie Cusamano Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3 | Season 4 | Season 5 | Season 6.1 | Season 6.2 Jerusalem fucked around with this message at 13:19 on Apr 23, 2020 |
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Mar 20, 2019 11:41
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More Goodfellas casting: Tony "Larry Boy Barese" Darrow also played Sonny Bunz in Goodfellas, the club owner who eventually gets busted out. Darrow also got some of that real-life mob action when he and a Gambino soldier were arrested for extortion some years ago. Apparently had no criminal record prior so he was really shooting the works, and only got house arrest. If anybody's super interested, 'the Colombo war' they talk about is covered under the 'Third Family War' entry on the Colombo family's Wikipedia entry. Dawgstar fucked around with this message at 13:32 on Mar 20, 2019 |
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Mar 20, 2019 13:28
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Threw a link into the write-up, thanks!
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Mar 20, 2019 13:36
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Another great write-up. I just went through these episodes myself only a few weeks ago so it's a lot of fun to read detailed commentary on each one while they're so fresh in my mind.
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Mar 20, 2019 15:40
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Jerusalem posted:Season 1, Episode 4 - Meadowlands https://twitter.com/leyawn/status/908178868078628871 
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Mar 20, 2019 15:43
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Dawgstar posted:More Goodfellas casting: Tony "Larry Boy Barese" Darrow also played Sonny Bunz in Goodfellas, the club owner who eventually gets busted out. Darrow also got some of that real-life mob action when he and a Gambino soldier were arrested for extortion some years ago. Apparently had no criminal record prior so he was really shooting the works, and only got house arrest. Also, in case anyone missed it in the news, the boss (acting boss, really, as Peter Gotti is still the boss behind bars) of the Gambino family, Franky Boy Cali, was murdered a week ago. Ironically, because this is 2019, they don't think the murder was mob related, as the alleged killer is a QAnon conspiracy nut. Even the mafia isn't immune from white chuds these days.
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Mar 20, 2019 16:52
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Mahoning posted:Also, in case anyone missed it in the news, the boss (acting boss, really, as Peter Gotti is still the boss behind bars) of the Gambino family, Franky Boy Cali, was murdered a week ago. Holy crap. I read an article on Franky Boy's funeral just now, and a big mob funeral today sounds pretty much like one seen on the show. A lot of unmarked sedans and gentlemen with high-powered cameras several feet away from the proceedings. The killer himself is a true Darwin Award winner. Not only does he kill an acting boss of one of the Five Families, he also makes sure to give the cops the most incriminating evidence right before doing so.
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Mar 20, 2019 17:03
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And AJ hits reset on the console to start a new race. I think that scene was written by somebody who hasn’t seen a video game since the Atari 2600.
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Mar 20, 2019 17:45
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Mahoning posted:Also, in case anyone missed it in the news, the boss (acting boss, really, as Peter Gotti is still the boss behind bars) of the Gambino family, Franky Boy Cali, was murdered a week ago. The 2010s have been such a bizarre loving decade. Kevyn posted:And AJ hits reset on the console to start a new race. I think that scene was written by somebody who hasn’t seen a video game since the Atari 2600. At least it didn't include boops and beeps sound effects like most tv shows would have done.  I didn't specifically mention it in the write-up, but the earlier discussion about dialogue being unconvincing for anything not involving middle-aged men was on display in this episode, most notably with the kids (and Yo Yo somewhat) with lines like,"You fat fartknocker!"
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Mar 20, 2019 22:33
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Jerusalem posted:At least it didn't include boops and beeps sound effects like most tv shows would have done. Or used completely random video game effects. They did however turn off the TV to turn off the game which irritated me even as a kid when I saw it elsewhere. quote:I didn't specifically mention it in the write-up, but the earlier discussion about dialogue being unconvincing for anything not involving middle-aged men was on display in this episode, most notably with the kids (and Yo Yo somewhat) with lines like,"You fat fartknocker!" I wonder if they asked their kids for more appropriate insults and the kids told them that, not willing to admit they actually said things that would have made even hardened mobsters blush.
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Mar 20, 2019 23:48
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Dawgstar posted:More Goodfellas casting: Tony "Larry Boy Barese" Darrow also played Sonny Bunz in Goodfellas, the club owner who eventually gets busted out. Darrow also got some of that real-life mob action when he and a Gambino soldier were arrested for extortion some years ago. Also, pretty sure the actor who played Albert Barese became involved in irl organized crime after his exposure on the Sopranos, capitalizing on it
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Mar 21, 2019 02:22
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COMPAGNIE TOMMY posted:Also, pretty sure the actor who played Albert Barese became involved in irl organized crime after his exposure on the Sopranos, capitalizing on it From an article on Maldone - New York Post posted:A drug charge that could have sent “Sopranos” cast member Richard Maldone to jail for 15 years was thrown out yesterday by a Queens judge on the grounds that District Attorney Richard Brown does not have jurisdiction over the case.
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Mar 21, 2019 02:29
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COMPAGNIE TOMMY posted:Also, pretty sure the actor who played Albert Barese became involved in irl organized crime after his exposure on the Sopranos, capitalizing on it Not only that, the actor who played Albert Barese became involved in irl organized crime after his exposure on the Sopranos, capitalizing on it
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Mar 21, 2019 15:01
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Watched the episode last night where Artie somehow gets it in his head that he has a shot with Adriana and goddamn that stuff is extremely hard to watch. So much cringe.
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Mar 21, 2019 16:30
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Basebf555 posted:Watched the episode last night where Artie somehow gets it in his head that he has a shot with Adriana and goddamn that stuff is extremely hard to watch. So much cringe. Props to John Ventimiglia for doing one of the best mid-life crises I've seen on TV.
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Mar 21, 2019 16:51
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That scene with Tony at the garden center is one of my favourite things. He is just completely oblivious to how intimidating he is.
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Mar 21, 2019 19:02
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Tony sure gets away with hitting a lot of made men.
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Mar 21, 2019 20:55
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banned from Starbucks posted:Tony sure gets away with hitting a lot of made men. Literally the only time it gets referenced is when Ralphie gets a beating. Even when Johnny Sac beats up that guy it doesnt even get a mention.
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Mar 21, 2019 21:40
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Beating up the dude that messed with Meadow is what started the end game war.
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Mar 21, 2019 21:59
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Solice Kirsk posted:Beating up the dude that messed with Meadow is what started the end game war. I love that little dude that is constantly all,"Yeah we're gonna gently caress you up, we're tough guys, we ain't scared of ya!" and pushing Phil to gently caress with Tony... then the moment the war kicks into high gear he basically tells Tony,"So what do we gotta do to stop the war we started?  "
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Mar 21, 2019 22:14
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Can you imagine? you get a facelift and one week later youre in jail?
Harold Stassen fucked around with this message at 20:24 on Mar 24, 2019 |
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Mar 21, 2019 22:38
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