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Eau de MacGowan posted:Paulie definitely cared, he just had a hard time expressing it.  "It's not a real general, from history - it's you!" Mahoning posted:Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't the woman who played Ginny not really an actress and went on an audition on a whim or something? I thought I recall reading that. Yep, it was an open casting call in the Tri-state area. She got talked into going to support a friend and figured as long as she was there, she might as well read for the part as well.
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Apr 11, 2019 20:01
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JethroMcB posted:Yep, it was an open casting call in the Tri-state area. She got talked into going to support a friend and figured as long as she was there, she might as well read for the part as well. Just looked her up and I really shouldn't have: "She married Luke Quinn, Jr., in 2005, and they lived in Bordentown, New Jersey. He died in March 2010. They had no children. She died seven months after her husband, from liver cancer, on October 27, 2010, aged 46."
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Apr 11, 2019 20:06
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The write-ups have been fantastic. Thank you so much. I haven't been watching along because I did a rewatch about 18 months ago, but I will fire up certain scenes on HBONow or Youtube when interesting bits in the write-ups compel me. The Sopranos really is the show that keeps on giving. I rewatched the scene when Christopher and his car unknowingly save Tony from the two hitmen. Unsure if it was deliberate, but I had a good laugh when one hitman reminds the other that, "remember, they don't want nothing above the neck." Of course that's the only place they actually hit Tony, the one bullet that grazed his ear. Seems like the typical Sopranos black humor. I also wanted to mention who Livia is named after: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Livia quote:Nancy Marchand portrayed Tony Soprano’s mother, named Livia, in the first and second seasons (1999-2000) of the HBO series The Sopranos. Like her namesake, Livia Soprano influences the family’s affairs through schemes and intrigues, which culminate in her plot to have Tony killed. Marchand died shortly after the conclusion of the second season, and her character’s death was written into the third season’s plotline. Marchand won a Golden Globe Award (2000) and a Screen Actor’s Guild award (2001) for her work on the series.
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Apr 11, 2019 23:15
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I have been re-watching for most of the write-ups thus far, which are outstanding, and have allowed me to see nuances and details that I missed the first many goes-round. ruddiger posted:I love Ginny and Johnny Sack's relationship in this show.  His love for her is not in question, unlike many husbands and their wives on this showYour Gay Uncle posted:It's called a " great room", but I don't see what's so great about it. We got a fuckin' living room right over there.
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Apr 12, 2019 00:23
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Johnny Sack is my favorite character because of the lengths he’d go to for his wife . Plus the great lines with Carmine . And the clothes . Butchie next because he had the super power of seeing his enemies from all sides . “We don’t want your fuckin’ drills”
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Apr 12, 2019 00:35
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Wasn't Livia based on David Chase's mother?
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Apr 12, 2019 00:37
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COMPAGNIE TOMMY posted:
Yeah, them and Bobby and his first wife and then it gets kinda spotty.
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Apr 12, 2019 01:49
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uh what about the pure love of vito and Johnny cakes excuse me Fuckin slander ya ask me
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Apr 12, 2019 02:17
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They don't harp on it, but they do mention a few times that John doesn't cheat on Ginny. They don't make fun of him for it like they do Bobby, but talk about how they feel like he looks down on them for cheating.
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Apr 12, 2019 02:41
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he does and should . “Is that all you guys talk about is cooz...?”
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Apr 12, 2019 02:45
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ProperCoochie posted:I also wanted to mention who Livia is named after: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Livia Like the character from the show, the real-life Livia is really one of the most utterly fascinating people in history, it's well worth reading up on her. Perhaps one of my favorite things is that after Augustus died, people thought this would finally be an end to her influence/prestige beyond shunting her away to be a new Mother Gracchi or something, but then the Senate read his will and found out he basically cemented her position/power as a permanent fixture in Roman society for the rest of her life. Her relationship with Tiberius mirrors the show's with Tony quite nicely.
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Apr 12, 2019 02:47
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Solice Kirsk posted:They don't harp on it, but they do mention a few times that John doesn't cheat on Ginny. They don't make fun of him for it like they do Bobby, but talk about how they feel like he looks down on them for cheating. You have to wonder what happened to people who made fun of Ginny before what we saw. Probably wasn't very nice.
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Apr 12, 2019 02:55
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he knew people made fun of her behind his back but without proof he can’t do anything . If he had walked in 5 seconds earlier when they were all going around making Ginny jokes it would have been very bad . Also lol the irony, Tony is fat as gently caress and so are tons of dudes on the show
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Apr 12, 2019 03:07
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It’s also very likely that all the poo poo that people accused Livia of doing was most likely bullshit because plotting women was a beloved trope and historians were more fiction writers than anything.
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Apr 12, 2019 03:16
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Solice Kirsk posted:They don't harp on it, but they do mention a few times that John doesn't cheat on Ginny. They don't make fun of him for it like they do Bobby, but talk about how they feel like he looks down on them for cheating. Who does he think he is, Sir Walter Raleigh?
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Apr 12, 2019 03:46
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Pulcinella di Bund posted:Also lol the irony, Tony is fat as gently caress and so are tons of dudes on the show Bobby mumbling something like,"Look who's talking, you fat gently caress" after Tony has left following a bunch of fat jokes at Bobby's expense always cracks me up. CharlestheHammer posted:It’s also very likely that all the poo poo that people accused Livia of doing was most likely bullshit because plotting women was a beloved trope and historians were more fiction writers than anything. True. That said, I wouldn't trade Siân Phillips' Livia in I, Claudius for anything.
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Apr 12, 2019 06:55
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Pulcinella di Bund posted:he knew people made fun of her behind his back but without proof he can’t do anything . If he had walked in 5 seconds earlier when they were all going around making Ginny jokes it would have been very bad . Ginny’s so fat, when she goes camping, the bears hide THEIR food.
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Apr 12, 2019 10:58
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Solice Kirsk posted:Wasn't Livia based on ftfy
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Apr 12, 2019 13:26
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Jerusalem posted:Bobby mumbling something like,"Look who's talking, you fat gently caress" after Tony has left following a bunch of fat jokes at Bobby's expense always cracks me up. You Sopranos, you go too fah’
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Apr 12, 2019 14:09
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Jerusalem posted:Bobby mumbling something like,"Look who's talking, you fat gently caress" after Tony has left following a bunch of fat jokes at Bobby's expense always cracks me up. I mean she was powerful but unlike this Livia she was her sons biggest proponent. Granted she may be the only reason he became emperor despite not wanting it. She was also the only person who kept his prefect in check. Considering how hosed up he was that’s a good thing
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Apr 12, 2019 15:02
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ruddiger posted:The end of that scene is so loving touching, I love Ginny and Johnny Sack's relationship in this show. When I was rewatching the show last year with my roommate, I was dreading the season where Johnny dies because I somehow got it in my head that Ginny got murdered shortly after, to the point that I could visualize a scene of Ginny getting chased through her house by her killer, I was so relieved when that never ended up happening. You may be thinking of the scene where Lorraine Calluzzo gets killed, she is leaving the shower and gets chased around the house by one of Phil's guys (Joey Peeps I think). Here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEOPEThHb8A
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Apr 12, 2019 19:18
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Ginny’s so fat... her blood type is ragout!
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Apr 12, 2019 19:26
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When Ginny Sack hauls rear end, she's gotta make two trips!
Dawgstar fucked around with this message at 03:13 on Apr 13, 2019 |
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Apr 12, 2019 21:09
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Ooooh! John!
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Apr 12, 2019 21:56
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Ginny Sack's so fat, two guys could gently caress her at the same time and STILL never meet.
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Apr 12, 2019 22:12
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COMPAGNIE TOMMY posted:Ginny Sack's so fat, two guys could gently caress her at the same time and STILL never meet. Whats everybody laughing about?
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Apr 12, 2019 22:15
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What’s next ?! He gets tah gently caress her for a million ?!
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Apr 12, 2019 22:23
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He wants to gently caress her?
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Apr 12, 2019 23:36
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What did I say ?! NO. APOLOGIES
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Apr 13, 2019 01:21
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I have to support Junior - the mole thing isn't even an actual joke. Which... I guess is the point? I'm kinda lost on that one.
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Apr 13, 2019 07:12
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Do you mean Junior or Carmine ? It’s an off colored remark .
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Apr 13, 2019 14:54
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https://twitter.com/Adequate_Scott/status/1116895254416961536?s=19
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Apr 13, 2019 17:33
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 i'll build a ramp up to your rear end. . . drive a Lionel up in there.
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Apr 13, 2019 21:02
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Gandolfini really developed Tony's speech a lot in that first season. By the end of it Tony speaks much more nasally and his diction has become so much poorer - the TH sounds have mostly disappeared and I don't know has become I nuddo. One of the things that really stood out for me in the pilot was how differently he spoke in it.
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Apr 13, 2019 22:01
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Pulcinella di Bund posted:Do you mean Junior or Carmine ? It’s an off colored remark .
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Apr 13, 2019 23:57
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I saw Eagleheart before I finished the Sopranos and their homage completely flew past me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mU5IMSOzbeg Also, weird to think that these people were seemingly unfazed by the literal gangland execution that they witnessed seconds earlier. "Two gunshots just a few yards away from me? Better keep loading these groceries. A man's head getting crushed, though, that would be wild."
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Apr 14, 2019 01:01
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lol that neither him or Carmine got the joke JethroMcB posted:I saw Eagleheart before I finished the Sopranos and their homage completely flew past me. Say bye bye ! Bye bye grandpa !
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Apr 14, 2019 01:39
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Reminds me of when Furio first came over and was talking adorably to the babies  Then minutes later you see him going into a brothel and beating the poo poo out of a woman and blowing a guy's knees off.
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Apr 14, 2019 14:56
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Season 2, Episode 1 - Guy Walks into a Psychiatrist's Office...Dr. Melfi posted:How many more people have to die for your personal growth? The highly anticipated Season 2 of The Sopranos had everybody on tenterhooks as it made a triumphant return a little under a year after the end of season 1. One threat to Tony had been settled with Uncle Junior's arrest, but his mother had not only survived but escaped his grasp by faking a stroke and taking the opportunity to openly laugh in his face as he finally confronted her. So how would they kick things off in the second season? Well in the most appropriate way of course: a boring stockbroker exam in an almost entirely empty, windowless, drab office! The bored examiner goes through his rote script to the assembled wannabe stockbrokers as they sit in front of clunky old (then modern) CRT monitors with yellow legal pads at their side. He calls out the names of those sitting the exam to check they are present, and Christopher Moltisanti is one of those who answers the call: except Christopher Moltisanti is Asian! As Frank Sinatra's "A Very Good Year" plays, we are treated to a montage which catches us up on everybody. Livia lies alone in a hospital bed; the usual associates hang out in the backroom of the Bada Bing, including Raymond Curto who is the last of the season 1 capos still free/alive; the FBI remove Junior's picture from their chart but quite notably list Tony as Street Boss as opposed to Boss; Carmela continues cooking as the best way she knows to show love; Junior settles in to prison life; Melfi's practice runs out of a motel room; Silvio buys new shoes; AJ (who has had a growth spurt) meticulously manages his hair; Livia undergoes physical therapy; Paulie bangs a stripper on the pool table in the Bada Bing backroom; Christopher (not Asian) snorts coke while watching mob movies for inspiration for his script; Tony takes Meadow on a disastrous driving lesson; a frazzled Carmela cooks; Tony bangs Irina and then comes home and guiltily changes out of his clothes, not fooling Carmela when she wakes as he comes to bed, both of them having an awkward moment looking directly into each other's eyes; and finally Tony awakens and stumbles down the driveway to collect his paper... and sees a car obviously waiting. As the occupant steps out, Tony begins to rush away in fright until a familiar voice gets his attention: it's Big Pussy Bonpensiero, he's alive and he's back. Pussy enters the house awkwardly after infuriating Tony by demanding his word no harm will come to him. Tony, fuming, cracks jokes about how good he's looking for a ghost, in no mood for Pussy's hurt feelings since he still has no idea where the gently caress he has been. Pussy complains that he's been living in a nightmare, and accuses Tony of thinking he is stupid for not realizing that he knew that they suspected he was a rat. He's outraged, offended, most of all because Tony showed up to his house in the middle of the day to tell him he was his friend, which is when he REALLY knew he was in trouble. Tony, still furious himself, tries to calm him down as the sound of the rest of the family moving around upstairs leaves him concerned they'll overhear. He motions Pussy to come down into the garage, and once they're down there now he is the one yelling at Pussy, demanding the explanation he still hasn't gotten: where the gently caress has Pussy been? Pussy rants about how his bad back should have been no reason to think he had turned, Tony following him around the room bellowing back that he's the Boss, he doesn't give explanations, he gets them. Why should he trust him?   Pussy, his anger covering up what is clearly fear, finally gives him his answer. His slipped disc had him on hooked on Percocets, and when his doctor prescribed a clinic in Puerto Rico he jumped at the chance to get away given Tony's attitude towards him. There he met a female acupuncturist, one who helped him with his pain and which eventually lead to a relationship. That was partly why he didn't say anything to Angie about where he was, on top of the fear of Tony and the others finding out and coming for him. But it's all on record at the clinic, he even tells Tony to look it up if he wants. Carmela calls out from upstairs, wanting to know who Tony is talking to, slamming the door when he answers. The question now is if Pussy ran like that, then why is he back now? The reason is simple enough: money. He still has the financial issues he had before he left, his kid has college tuition that needs to be paid and he has no source of income. He wants his action back, which Tony can't believe: just like that he thinks he can come back and act like nothing has changed? Pussy's answer feels honest, his life and his future are in Tony's hand, but he's willingly returned to put them there. After a brief hesitation, Tony tells him to come over and he embraces him roughly. As he does, he pats him down, insulting Pussy further who grabs his crotch and asks if he wants to check that too. Tony forces him into another tight embrace, then takes him firmly by either side of the face and makes certain he can see how deadly serious he is: he can never pull any poo poo like this again. Just like that, Pussy's back. They return upstairs where a wary Carmela watches from the kitchen as Tony and Pussy drink coffee and talk business like nothing has happened. They discuss Junior's indictment, he's facing 12 RICO predicates, and now one of his old underlings - Philly Parisi - is running Junior's old crew. The man himself cheerfully leaves his home, only pausing to shake his head at his wife demanding he pick up pastries on the way home. He's heading to the airport to pick up another member of Junior's crew: Gigi Cestone, who is just returning from a brief hiatus in Boston to see family (and avoid the law). Except Gigi's already back in New Jersey, and is dropped off at the airport by Paulie who passes him a little suitcase to help with the act. When Philly picks him up, Gigi acts like he has only just arrived, and they drive together discussing recent events. Philly is charming, happy and all too eager to talk about anything and everything. Gigi asks what happened with Tony and his mother, and Philly gossips about how Tony tried to suffocate Livia, and even worse he's also been seeing a lady psychiatrist! Whirling a finger next to his head to indicate Tony's crazy, he says THIS is who leads them now? He pulls up outside what he's been told is Gigi's place, where Gigi promptly shoots the "big mouth gently caress" in the face, hurting his own ears before getting out (with Paulie's bag) and jumping into another waiting car. So much for the reign of Philly Parisi. What a shame, Dan Grimaldi seemed like a pretty good actor, but I guess we'll never see him again!   That evening, Tony gets a call at a payphone from Silvio, who simply says,"It's done" and hangs up. Shortly after, Melfi is saying goodbye to a patient (played by frequent series director Terence Winter) at her temporary motel office. After he goes, she receives a phonecall to her room and is horrified to hear Tony's voice. He tells her she is now safe to return to her old office, and she demands to know if he is following her? Is he looking at her right now? He doesn't answer, just hangs up, leaving her a paranoid mess. The next day, a small brokerage has numerous stockbrokers working their phones, all heavily pushing a stock called Webistics, one that could triple your money in a year! A bored Christopher Moltisanti sleeps in his own standalone office, woken by a kiss on a cheek by Adriana. He is supposedly the Securities and Exchange Commission Compliance officer, having "passed" his stockbroker's exam as seen at the start of the episode. Adriana reminds him he is the boss here and, as such, is free to decide to head down to the Shore with her rather than sit around being bored. He agrees, telling Matthew Bevilaqua to keep an eye on things while he is gone. Bevilaqua, a young member of his crew eager to please, agrees. He and his partner-in-crime Sean Gismonte prove they're enthusiastic if not particularly bright, spilling hot coffee on a stockbroker and beating the poo poo out of him when they overhear him telling a potential client to go with different stocks than Webistics. The poor guy doesn't understand why they're pushing such an obviously terrible stock, proving that he isn't particularly bright himself as it apparently hasn't quite hit him yet that his firm isn't strictly legit. When the actual office manager tries to get them to stop, warning he knows who really runs this operation and he'll call them, they pull a letter opener on him and tell him to get back to his office. Hesh brings Neil Mink to see Tony at the backroom of the Bada Bing. Mink is Tony's attorney, and like Melvoin for Junior he is fully aware of the nature of Tony's work and and enthusiastic supporter of helping him get away with it. After thanking Tony for a tip of Webistics (he sold Disney stock to buy some!) he gives the latest news. Junior is pushing to be released on medical terms ahead of his trial, and Tony has no problem with that happening. Mink and Hesh warn that the FBI might be willing to let Junior out simply to tempt Tony out into the open, and Mink stresses the need to increase his cover now that he's known to be the guy in charge (even if the FBI simply think of him as the Street Boss at the moment). A phone-call interrupts, Carmela is calling to let Tony that his sister Janice has shown up. It's an incredibly lowkey debut for what will become a major character in the show's ongoing run, we don't even see her arriving, just her already there in the house checking on her laundry. Until now we've only heard her mentioned, and seen as a child in a single flashback episode. Tony knows that she's probably here for money, but agrees she can stay and even suggests they get his other sister Barbara to bring her husband and kids down to visit for a family reunion. Obviously Livia will not be invited, but other than being resigned to Janice probably trying to bilk him out of a few grand, he seems otherwise unperturbed by the return of his big sister. In fact, despite his complaints about having to run things bunker style, Tony seems to be about as happy and carefree as he's ever been. It's hard to blame him, Junior is in jail, Livia is out of his life, Philly Parisi is dead which will have sent a message to anybody who wants to talk poo poo about him... and best of all, even Pussy is back. That night they all celebrate, as Silvio arrives in the back office to gleefully greet his old friend and make fun of him for not losing weight in Puerto Rico. Tony, Gigi, Paulie and Raymond are all there too, the guys who (seemingly) made it through season 1 unscathed, laughing and joking together just like old times. Paulie even did all of Pussy's collections while he was gone, something Pussy seems genuinely thankful for, though all of them can't help but agree that "some" of the money might have gotten "lost" along the way. To cement that things are back to normal, Pussy has Silvio do his Al Pacino impression, and they roar with laughter as he throws out line after line from the Godfather films. Things are good.   But as Tony prepares to save a cheerful goodbye, Silvio regretfully has to give him the one bit of bad news. That brokerage manager made good on his promise and called in, and Silvio reports that "Chip and Dale" put one of the stockbrokers into the emergency room. Raymond is disgusted with these kids, but Tony knows the blame belongs to Christopher for not managing them correctly. Even now his good mood doesn't seem to be dented, just telling Silvio to have Christopher call him immediately. But as he leaves, he casts a significant look Paulie's way. Paulie follows him out into the main bar, telling Tony that he's looked into Pussy's story and it all seems to add up. Tony quietly nods and Paulie leaves, but clear of everybody now he can't help but look concerned. Lingering doubts remain about Pussy even now, the natural result of that bunker mentality he mentioned. The next day, Janice sits beside Meadow and AJ at the kitchen counter, eating breakfast served by Carmela. Tony comes down the stairs as Janice is "casually" mentioning her ergonomic pillow was stolen, and he mentally files that one away as he greets her. They hug and he looks her over, it's been some years since he last saw her and he says she looks like a teenager, a pointed reference to the clothes she is wearing. She certainly does look like an overgrown teen, but she has all the problems of an adult: she's in therapy, paid for by the State for what appears to be the latest in a long series of worker's comp cases. Tony goes to give Carmela a kiss as he explains to Janice that he got in very late which is why they didn't see each other, but the way Carmela recoils from this affectionate gesture makes it clear she has her own ideas where he has been: putting his clothes in the washing machine after banging Irina the other day didn't hide anything from her. Janice steps outside for a cigarette and Tony joins her, where after a few niceties and attempts to catch up that only show how long they've been out of contact, the topic inevitably turns to their mother. Tony's far-too-quick,"She's dead to me" says it all about how much she still weighs on his mind, but Janice has a point to make. Though she respects and appreciates all that Tony did, the fact remains that Livia is still alive and eventually she'll have to leave the hospital, and what happens then? Tony, who claimed Livia was dead to him, reveals that he's anything but detached from her. He's investigated, he's spoken with doctors, he's gotten as much info about her as he can. Not to understand or help her, but to confirm and reinforce his own spite. Her so-called stroke was "conversion reaction", her repressed rage manifested as physical. But Janice has been speaking to doctors too, and none of this is news to her. The symptoms were the same as a stroke, it doesn't matter what the cause was, the result was the same. Bitter, Tony snaps back that she's just hiding out from him at the hospital, but Janice has no idea what has caused this split between them in the first place. Nobody will tell her, including Livia herself: whenever she asks, Livia just "cries" and won't say anything. Tony can only laugh at the thought of Livia pulling the same emotional blackmail on Janice she used to pull on him. But he's not so blinded by rage towards Livia that he can't see Janice's angle, as for the first time she casually mentions money. She wants a couple hundred bucks to fix up Livia's car so she can go to and from the hospital, sweetening it by saying that once Livia is good enough to leave, she'll take her back to live with her in Seattle: he's taken the brunt for 20 years, now it is her turn to do her part as the oldest child. Having thrown that in, she then "casually" mentions maybe living at Livia's house for a little while first, and looks unsettled when Tony says he has just put the house on the market (we are left to assume that the earlier Escrow from season 1 fell through). But Tony is handing over cash now so she quickly forgets about that, but as he hands it over he makes his condition clear: Livia is not to be mentioned in the house again. She agrees, and they embrace before she leaves. Tony stares down at the cleaner in the pool, his good mood apparently undented. Apparently.   At the Bada Bing, Christopher is having a drink when he spots Tony and approaches to get him a drink too. Instead Tony, still smiling broadly, grabs him roughly by the mouth. Christopher pulls clear, bewildered, and still with that same forced cheer Tony points out that two guys under his control beat up a broker which caused two others to quit. Beyond that, the idiots stole a Porsche from the parking lot. Christopher promises to call and give them a dressing down, but - big fake grin still plastered on his face - Tony tells him he will go in person to address this. He reminds him he is meant to be in place as the SEC Compliance Officer, and he wants to see him exercising impulse control. Chastened, Christopher apologizes and Tony leaves with that same disturbing grin still on his face. It's gone when he is forced to visit Livia's house along with Carmela. They've been called in by the Real Estate Agent to showcase a recent bout of vandalism. High School kids held a party there, doing all manner of damage that is going to prevent her from showing the place. She takes a call and Tony wanders about fuming, as much as he might intellectually be able to say his mother is dead to him, it is another thing emotionally to deal with your mother's home being abused in this way. He threatens to find the kids who did this and show what a real badass looks like. Carmela smoothly undercuts his rage, telling him to stop acting childishly since Barbara and her kids have agreed to visit and she doesn't want him in a mood. She reminds him the party was his idea, plus he told her he was happy Janice was home, AND her parents are going to come too so obviously she wants everything to be perfect. Tony is stunned, her parents are coming? Sneering, he asks if they're willing to show up again now that the "dragon lady" is gone, and Carmela reminds him of the horrible way she treated them over the years. Tony glares, and then his face falls as he realizes he is falling into old habits. In as close to an apology as he is going to get, he says he isn't defending Livia. Carmela warns him not to mope through the reunion, confusing him as he points out what a great mood he's been in recently. She scoffs at that idea, she can see through the forced cheer and the big grins hiding barely repressed rage. She warns that he has been self medicating and reminds him how long it has been since they had sex. She thinks he needs to return to therapy, but he shuts that idea down immediately. At the brokerage, Christopher is all charm with the manager as he lays out how Bevilaqua and Gismonte are rookies still getting used to the stress of working at a brokerage. The two in question fume as they watch Christopher and the manager shake hands. He leaves and Christopher calls them both in, sitting them down and staring awkwardly at them as they wait expectantly for word from on high. He asks them to "refresh his memory" on Webistics, and here we see that Bevilaqua at least took his stockbroker training seriously. He lays out the numbers, all of it going over Christopher's head, but he does have a point to make in spite not really understanding what the hell they're doing. Simply put, they're bleeding their clients, and the smart play is to take your time and squeeze somebody dry right away. Instead you let things go at a pace the client is comfortable with, so you can bleed them for weeks on end. Bevilaqua finally seems to grasp what Christopher is saying: they don't want somebody getting upset and running to the SEC. Christopher, who knows less than even these two idiots, knows enough to let them think he knows everything. He encourages them to come to their own conclusions, making it feel to them like he has slowly not only smartening them up but also allowing them to work it out at their own pace. It's smart work from a dumb guy, and ironically he's doing to them exactly what they're doing to their clients: conning them into thinking something (or somebody, in this case) is better than it actually is. When Bevilaqua - the clear "brains" of the duo - asks when the stock is being dumped, Christopher replies they'll know when they need to know, probably because he doesn't know either. As they leave, he subtly reinforces his power by making them take back the coffee they brought him for being cold, and warns them not to steal any more porsches unless they are two towns over... and if he gets a taste. It's always quite remarkable to see people with little formal education attempt to dress themselves up as what they think a smart, successful person would be like. Bevilaqua's actor in particular has it down pat as a guy doing his best to appear a nuanced, educated guy with a clear head. Christopher meanwhile, never had any desire to be anything other than a mobster, and this whole thing is extremely alien to him. So seeing the two of them being "smart" at each other is quite a treat.   Gismonte is also there, being very handsome. Janice, unable to help herself from being the cool Aunt, brings Meadow with her to see Livia. Like Janice, Meadow has no idea what exactly happened between her father and her Grandmother and can't understand why Carmela won't tell her. After Janice leaves them alone, Meadow attempts to feed Livia who refuses to eat, moaning that she should just let her die and claiming "I saw a light". Enjoying having an audience and somebody to work on, Livia only looks concerned when Meadow mentions Tony, but she relaxes when Meadow says he won't say anything about her. Leaning in conspiratorially she whispers that at night the nurses hit the patients. Meadow is at least aware enough not to pay this any heed, but when she sighs that she wishes everybody could get along, Livia sees exactly the way to drive a wedge in. While accusing Tony of blaming her for everything, she still makes a point of telling Meadow to listen to Tony and do as he says, because he is her father. The unspoken meaning is that respect and love is necessary towards your parent, which simultaneously undercuts Tony because he is not treating her that way. Meadow hugs Livia and promises she won't let her leave Livia abandoned like this, nobody can stop her from visiting (remember that next episode!). Livia motions with another stage whisper to the nearby drawer and tells Meadow to take something out: it is her own grandmother's ring. "It's so you won't forget me!" sobs Livia, completely dry-eyed, and a wholly hooked Meadow hugs her again. Meanwhile Tony is driving through the streets part various relics of industrial decay, rocking out to Smoke on the Water when the CD skips. Annoyed, he taps at the player, getting more and more irritated as the music repeats over and over again. Quickly this escalates to full blown rage as he slams at the player, completely overreacting as his barely suppressed rage gets given an avenue for escape. As he smashes at the player with his fist, he feels his vision begin to blur, and the rage becomes panic as he recognizes the tell-tale sign of an anxiety attack. He has presence enough of mind to slow the car as it weaves off the road, hitting the bollard in front of an electrical transformer with enough force to deploy the airbag but not enough to do any real damage. To his credit, Tony understands what this means and what action must be taken. He returns to therapy, where he shamefacedly admits he lied to his family about being broadsided. But the location seems different, and when he mentions the falling out with his mother it is as if he is laying out entirely new information. We quickly see why, he's seeing an entirely new therapist, already lying to them as he downplays the severity of the break with his mother as "an unfortunate situation with a lot of screaming, profanity". When he mentions his recently returned sister has kicked up a lot of old feelings, the doctor agrees that childhood cues often kick in with a visiting sibling. Like he did with Melfi, Tony has a too-practiced answer for the business he is in ("Commercial and non-putrescible waste"), but this doctor makes the decision that she probably should have made at the start of season 1. He tells Mr "Spears" that he watches the news (and saw Analyze This!), he knows exactly who he is and he can't deal with the ramifications of taking him on as a client. Obviously the meeting was arranged over the phone or else he never would have let him in, and with smooth ease he insists he isn't taking on new patients.  Janice arrives at the house in Livia's repaired car in time for the BBQ, screeching with delight (much to AJ's disgust) as Barbara arrives and the two sisters embrace. Her husband Tom and two children are in tow, they live in Brewster, New York and are as completely divorced from the Soprano life as it is possible for them to be. Tony steps inside and both sisters rush to hug him, Carmela beaming at the sight of an actual happy family reunion for once: because Livia is nowhere to be seen. Her own parents are there too, the mother (Mary) a character in her own right though of course nothing in comparison to Livia. She's disturbed by Janice going by the name Parvati, and when she spots Carmela's father - Hugh - quietly trying to slip out of the kitchen to join the fun outside she snaps at him to go to the market of a can of pears. Obviously long suffering, he asks if she wants the Dole and she just glares and says she won't even answer that. The poor bastard. Carmela mentions a new store, pointing out things have changed since they were last there. That was due to Livia of course, and Carmela points out that them staying away was exactly what Livia had wanted. Mary reminds her of what Livia DIRECTLY said to her on her wedding day to Tony, that it was a mistake and he would tire of her quickly. Carmela doesn't reply, but that old wound is obviously still plenty hurting, especially given Tony's frequent infidelities. Tony has invited friends to the party too, Silvio and Pussy are there as Tony works the grill, grinning with what seems to be genuine pleasure at seeing his sisters sitting together. The differences between Barbara and Janice couldn't be plainer, not just physically but emotionally. Barbara is, for want of a better word, normal. She is content. Janice on the other hand is constantly looking for something more, some angle to play. Everything she does is designed with an ulterior motive, and it's ironic that they agree Tony looks like their father standing at the grill, because Janice is clearly her mother's daughter. Barbara popped in to see Livia before they arrived, and she was the one who called Janice to let her know about Livia's condition... but she doesn't disagree with Tony's rejection of Livia in the slightest. The alarm bells are ringing in her head when Janice brings up the fact Tony is selling Livia's house, and as gently as she can she warns her not to make this into a thing. Janice can't let it go though, still affecting a bemused indifference as she comments that Tony really doesn't need the 180k he's asking for the place. There's real disgust on Janice's face that she does a good job of hiding but Janice probably wouldn't have noticed anyway, and she warns Janice again to just let Tony deal with this. When Janice comments on the lack of a will, Barbara can't help but start to get (quietly) fired up and begins listing all the things that Tony has paid on Livia's behalf for YEARS. Luckily Paulie chooses that moment to show up, and Janice's shock at seeing he's still alive is enough to break the tension and get them laughing.   Shortly after, Janice says her goodbyes to a disappointed Carmela. She's not staying for the desert, she's heading out to a friend's gallery in Chelsea where she is hoping to get them to finance a video she wants to make. Notably, she's getting a lift in a friend's van, meaning Livia's car is left behind. When Tony brings out the garbage as it begins to get darker, he notices an odd post sticking out of the car and goes to take a look: it's the real estate sign from Livia's house. Tony's temper, already frayed, is set to explode as he paces about inside the house venting to Carmela. Still hiding behind his fake cheer, he laughs at the notion that Janice ever intended to take Livia back to Seattle. No, she came for the house and for the car, she was preparing a con the whole time. Carmela, who has no illusions about Janice, still tries to make peace, offering explanations that he doesn't want to hear. He punches a wall and that's enough for Carmela, who quickly closes the door so nobody outside can hear and then lays into Tony herself. She tells him to look at how angry he is, reminding him that he supposedly doesn't give a poo poo about the house so what does he care if Janice wants it? Tony doesn't want to hear logic though, he wants to be angry. All the little things Janice has been saying he's been filing away in his mind, preparing for the other shoe to drop. Now he lists them: the ergonomic pillow, she'll want them to replace that. The video her friends are going to finance? No, she'll want them to do it. Carmela cuts him off, telling him to go back to therapy, but he rejects that out of hand, clearly having not told her about his already failed attempt to return. He insists he isn't overreacting, so she does the thing she knows how to do best: be a mother. She shuts him up, basically ordering him to outside, join the party and actually have some pleasure. He's startled, but the urge to do as he is told by a mother figure is already compelling him to move. Unable to help himself, he turns back to continue raging and she shuts him down again with another command, shoving him out the door like a grumpy toddler. He stalks through the backyard, spotting Pussy working the grill surrounded by his friends. Desperate for something to take his rage out on, he rips into Pussy for taking his spot, calling him a loving moron. The two stare into each other, Tony basically begging him to get upset so he'll have something to take his anger out on. Instead, Pussy suddenly darts his eyes to the side and gasps about his wife being over there, then corrects himself: it's the neighbors dog! There is a moment of silence as everybody waits to see what the reaction will be, and the utter absurdity and his own foolishness hit Tony like a ton of bricks. He can't help but laugh, and just like that the tension is gone. Pussy goes back to grilling, Silvio regales Paulie and Hesh with tales of a first class flight, and Tony stares happily at his friends as they joke around about all manner of nonsense and contemplate finding a way to scam frequent flier miles. But as they laugh and joke, Tony can't help but notice Pussy nervously eying him up. Pussy's eyes grow wide in fear for a moment, just the briefest moment, but Tony sees it before suddenly Pussy is back to normal and grilling.  Christopher and Adriana are having an extremely awkward date out a bar, Adriana not interested in anything Christopher has to say. It isn't helped by the fact that Bevilaqua and Gismonte are also there, unable to stop talking about how cool it must be to hang out with Tony Soprano. They insist they'd be happy to do anything for "Mr. T" and ask Christopher if he ever talks about them, which gets the incredulous answer of,"No." Christopher really only wants to talk to Adriana though, demanding to know what she is in such a bad mood. She yells that he almost killed her by leaving the gas burner on, if she'd lit a cigarette she would have been blown to kingdom come. She complains he should use a lighter to cook his poo poo like everybody else, and laughs at the idea that Bevilaqua and Gismonte shouldn't know he shoots up, since they'll still kiss his rear end even if he is a junkie. He immediately backhands her across the face for this and she slaps him right back. They scuffle as he demands she sit down, but she shoves past him and storms out. He yells after her that she's both a loving whore AND she should go home and get his dinner ready. Once she's gone, he lights up a cigarette and sits seething, his lackeys having to just sit awkwardly there with him. The next day, Melfi is eating breakfast at a diner when suddenly Tony Soprano sits down in the booth across from her and grabs her wrists, warning her not to scream. It's about as terrifying as you might imagine it to be, despite his efforts to be charming/friendly. He even jokes about the cutlery as he moves it out of the way, referencing the scissors she hid up her sleeve at their last meeting. His attempts to make small-talk fall flat, and when he dismissively says she has her office back and no harm was done, she is furious at his blase attitude. She has a suicidal patient who killed herself when she couldn't reach Melfi, and she lays the blame for that squarely at Tony's feet. He at least looks upset, if only because Melfi isn't following the script in his head, but he recalculates and finds a new tack. If joking and small-talk won't do the trick, he'll play the pity card by saying he doesn't deserve her help, appealing to her desire to be helpful. She's a psychiatrist though, she knows these tricks, and she cuts through the bullshit with a simple,"gently caress you!" - so now he shifts to his family, saying they need him and his recent anxiety attack that sent him off road made him realize he needs to be back in therapy. But she remains a brick wall, and though he hasn't mentioned his other failed attempt to get back into therapy, he acts like he is making a big gesture by letting her off the hook and instead asking for a recommendation. She won't give that either, asking how many more people need to die for his personal growth? He swears to Jesus Christ that nobody got killed because of her, a lie that means nothing to her whether she believes it or not, because she is not going to regress and allow him back. She tells him to get out of her life, her voice dripping with disgust, and finally he walks away, leaving her a shaken mess but relieved that she's done the right thing at last.   At a complete loss what to do, Tony returns home. In most series, the start of the second season would usually allow a quick return to the status quo after the big finale of the previous season. But here Tony and Livia remain estranged, the return of Pussy hasn't had the desired effect that Tony thought it would, and his therapy sessions with Dr. Melfi are no more. Tony, who kept trying to convince himself he was in a good mood and things were going great, is completely lost, and what happens next is both oddly endearing and somewhat depressing. Carmela is cleaning up the house and surprised to see him home so early. Like a lost puppy, he follows her around, taking food when she offers it, asking her to sit near him as he eats. She goes through the mail while he sits and eats and keeps looking at her for something, some missing ingredient of maternal affection/acceptance.  In short, Tony Soprano misses his mother. Season 2: Guy Walks into a Psychiatrist's Office... | Do Not Resuscitate | Toodle-loving-Oo | Commendatori | Big Girls Don't Cry | The Happy Wanderer | D-Girl | Full Leather Jacket | From Where to Eternity | Bust Out | House Arrest | The Knight in White Satin Armor | Funhouse Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3 | Season 4 | Season 5 | Season 6.1 | Season 6.2 Jerusalem fucked around with this message at 13:31 on Apr 23, 2020 |
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Apr 14, 2019 15:09
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Fun recap as always. It'll be prophetic that one of Sil's Godfather quotes was "our true enemy has yet to reveal himself."
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Apr 14, 2019 18:44
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