Sopranos - Article page 18

[ilovejerry]

I understand what the filmmaker/writer went for but I think fans of the show wanted some closure, Saying that if the shield pulls that to end there season next year, I would be very very upset.

 

[Goldenrichards83]

Weeds, Dexter and the Tudors are great shows to make up for any Sopranp withdrawals. I really have gotten into the Tudors beacuse if you know the history, you can't wait to see how it unfolds. Henry VIII is known for cutting most of his wifes heads off but there was so much more I didn't know just by watching the shows.

My favorite show was dexter because it was so ingenius. The medical examiner is a serial killer that only kills other killers. I love it.

Back to the Sopranos, I agree with BrianPaint and theebs but I just thought focusing on AJ on the last show ever did the show a terrible injustice.

 

[junk]

I actually liked the ending. Lots of theories floating around out there about what it meant. It probably end up being the decision of the viewer, but I like two scenarios:

1. He got shot and the fade to back was the end of Tony Soprano.
2. It was literal. Their lives just continue and the series ended with that particular scene.

BTW, that last scene was terrific. They really built up the suspense and the characters in the diner were very interesting. Did anyone think that when Tony first walked in, it looked like he was looking at himself already sitting down?

Entourage fires up again next week (June 17).

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

I actually liked the ending. Lots of theories floating around out there about what it meant. It probably end up being the decision of the viewer, but I like two scenarios:

1. He got shot and the fade to back was the end of Tony Soprano.
2. It was literal. Their lives just continue and the series ended with that particular scene.

BTW, that last scene was terrific. They really built up the suspense and the characters in the diner were very interesting. Did anyone think that when Tony first walked in, it looked like he was looking at himself already sitting down?

Entourage fires up again next week (June 17).

Yes I thought it was him sitting down there as well but may have to catch it again.

 

[Goldenrichards83]

Very good point about him seeing himself before he sat down. I wonder what Chase was trying to convey with that?

I actually liked the ending. Lots of theories floating around out there about what it meant. It probably end up being the decision of the viewer, but I like two scenarios:

1. He got shot and the fade to back was the end of Tony Soprano.
2. It was literal. Their lives just continue and the series ended with that particular scene.

BTW, that last scene was terrific. They really built up the suspense and the characters in the diner were very interesting. Did anyone think that when Tony first walked in, it looked like he was looking at himself already sitting down?

Entourage fires up again next week (June 17).

 

[Yeagermeister]

Very good point about him seeing himself before he sat down. I wonder what Chase was trying to convey with that?

Que the Dallas dream/shower scene

 

[Danny White]

Same here...to add to the other post. It is possible they were using him to hit a younger audience or maybe even hit a nerve with some parents that have similar kids since the whole emo kids scene is big now.

Of course another thing about the series ender is Chase is known for not tying up loose ends throughout the series.

In the episode the Pine barrens where the Russian gets away we had to wait two seasons later for them to even mention that thing and even then it was only a sentence about it.

That type of thing seemed to happen a great deal in the series where they had a story but never really followed up on it.

I remember after season one, where Big Puzzy just disappeared, Chase said that he was just going to leave that as a loose end, but he got so much heat over it, he decided to pick up that story line and then end it at the end of season 2.

Can you imagine if they'd have left the Big Puzzy story line completely unresolved????

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

I remember after season one, where Big Puzzy just disappeared, Chase said that he was just going to leave that as a loose end, but he got so much heat over it, he decided to pick up that story line and then end it at the end of season 2.

Can you imagine if they'd have left the Big Puzzy story line completely unresolved????

Yes I don't know if he just wants to leave things out there to appear "hip" or "cutting edge". I don't know if he did it in the past because he just forgot or wanted to move on to other things.

However no matter in the past because they always had a chance to tie up loose ends later if need be. This one was the last one so I take it he just wanted to leave it up to the viewer to decide.

One other point I heard that probably has some credence.

If he had it so Tony turned a rat he would have been blasted.
If he had it so Tony lived some would blast him.
If he had it so Tony was killed some would blast him for it.

So he just decided if I am going to get blasted I will do it in an unexpected way and leave it to the viewer's imagination AND leave it open for any possible future situations.

 

[DallasCowpoke]

I thought the implication was clear. Tony IS DEAD and WAS CLIPPED by someone. We the audience have always seen the episodes from Tony's point of view, and the blackened silence is what Tony sees and hears when he finally gets clipped.

Remember the conversation with Bobby at the lake? "I wonder if you hear the one that gets you" - the final episode answers that question. That is why they flashed back to it at the end of last weeks episode. He never heard the one that killed him.

Curious why so many times in the show, it was made obvious to us that the characters were also hearing the music we were hearing. With soundtracks, sometimes it is just for our benefit and other times, we are merely listening in to what the characters are listening to. Chase made a point 4 times to show us that the characters were listening to the songs playing. Paulie in the airport scene turning up the oldies, Tony's fat driver blaring the hard rock and then it cuts out when he opens the door, AJ's stereo melting while Bob Dylan fades out from the heat, and then Tony picking the Journey song from the jukebox. Was this to tell us that the song ending in the final scene was ending abruptly from the perspective of Tony? Was he trying to differentiate and tell us that the songs tonight are playing for the characters, not just a track overlay like a movie score. So that when the song went silent, it was going silent for Tony?

Also, everything in that diner scene was from Tony's perspective. Watch him enter and look at the empty booth, then he looks at it again, and he's already sitting there. Did he watch himself come in the door as he did all the other characters in that scene? Was this to show us that everything from the songs, and the views of the door were from Tony's perspective? Meaning when things went dark and silent, they went that way for Tony?

Oh well, either way, great ending to a great series. I'll miss it.

 

[Yeagermeister]

I thought the implication was clear. Tony IS DEAD and WAS CLIPPED by someone. We the audience have always seen the episodes from Tony's point of view, and the blackened silence is what Tony sees and hears when he finally gets clipped.

Remember the conversation with Bobby at the lake? "I wonder if you hear the one that gets you" - the final episode answers that question. That is why they flashed back to it at the end of last weeks episode. He never heard the one that killed him.

Curious why so many times in the show, it was made obvious to us that the characters were also hearing the music we were hearing. With soundtracks, sometimes it is just for our benefit and other times, we are merely listening in to what the characters are listening to. Chase made a point 4 times to show us that the characters were listening to the songs playing. Paulie in the airport scene turning up the oldies, Tony's fat driver blaring the hard rock and then it cuts out when he opens the door, AJ's stereo melting while Bob Dylan fades out from the heat, and then Tony picking the Journey song from the jukebox. Was this to tell us that the song ending in the final scene was ending abruptly from the perspective of Tony? Was he trying to differentiate and tell us that the songs tonight are playing for the characters, not just a track overlay like a movie score. So that when the song went silent, it was going silent for Tony?

Also, everything in that diner scene was from Tony's perspective. Watch him enter and look at the empty booth, then he looks at it again, and he's already sitting there. Did he watch himself come in the door as he did all the other characters in that scene? Was this to show us that everything from the songs, and the views of the door were from Tony's perspective? Meaning when things went dark and silent, they went that way for Tony?

Oh well, either way, great ending to a great series. I'll miss it.

I could live with that

 

[AbeBeta]

Also, everything in that diner scene was from Tony's perspective. Watch him enter and look at the empty booth, then he looks at it again, and he's already sitting there. Did he watch himself come in the door as he did all the other characters in that scene? Was this to show us that everything from the songs, and the views of the door were from Tony's perspective? Meaning when things went dark and silent, they went that way for Tony?

Me, I disagree. But I like your interpretation nonetheless.

First, it wasn't all from Tony's perspective. A big part of that scene was the tension build-up from the shots back and forth to Meadow parking her car -- pretty much everyone was expecting (hoping?) she's get killed at that point.

Second, to me that scene was all about the mundane. Meadow can't parallel park. Them eating at one of those crap 50's diners. Just like regular people.

Third, the parts of that scene that were from Tony's perspective gave us a glimpse of who Tony really is. In the previous episode, Phil says that Tony runs a glorified crew. Now Tony is out eating with regular people. That's not the sort of thing you expect from a high powered mob boss. We finally get the real picture, not Tony's version so much as the reality. To me, that is a nod to Goodfellas - "I'm an average nobody... get to live the rest of my life like a schnook. "

Fourth, the tension in that scene spoke to the fear that Tony lives with. He's constantly afraid of being whacked -- now especially since he's in charge of a house of cards without strong captains to rely on. We see now that Tony lives in fear. It is the source of his depression and anxiety.

Fifth, the fade to black is nothing more than an abrupt ending. In a show packed with symbolism we have to remember that sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

 

[Yeagermeister]

Me, I disagree. But I like your interpretation nonetheless.

First, it wasn't all from Tony's perspective. A big part of that scene was the tension build-up from the shots back and forth to Meadow parking her car -- pretty much everyone was expecting (hoping?) she's get killed at that point.

Second, to me that scene was all about the mundane. Meadow can't parallel park. Them eating at one of those crap 50's diners. Just like regular people.

Third, the parts of that scene that were from Tony's perspective gave us a glimpse of who Tony really is. In the previous episode, Phil says that Tony runs a glorified crew. Now Tony is out eating with regular people. That's not the sort of thing you expect from a high powered mob boss. We finally get the real picture, not Tony's version so much as the reality. To me, that is a nod to Goodfellas - "I'm an average nobody... get to live the rest of my life like a schnook. "

Fourth, the tension in that scene spoke to the fear that Tony lives with. He's constantly afraid of being whacked -- now especially since he's in charge of a house of cards without strong captains to rely on. We see now that Tony lives in fear. It is the source of his depression and anxiety.

Fifth, the fade to black is nothing more than an abrupt ending. In a show packed with symbolism we have to remember that sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

I was thinking Meadow would blow her tire and make Tony or who ever the guy at the counter was start shooting.

 

[Kendo]

I was thinking that the whole cafe was going to explode and Meadow would avoid it because she could not park her car. Either that or she was going to walk in on them getting shot. That scene seemed like it lasted five minutes, and I was squirming on the couch the whole time wondering when it would happen.

Didn't like the ending at first (I felt like I was cheated) but the more I think about it and read people's reactions I think that it was brilliant. Had it been my show I think I would have done the same for multiple reasons.

-Not wanting to fit with the typical mob movie stereotype which I think is one reason the show was so popular to begin with
-Leaving the future of the show up in the air. Possible movie?
-Supposedly recorded up to five different endings to keep real ending unknown to the cast, which could boost sales for the dvd/blue-ray release.
-Leaving the viewers to decide for themselves what happened
-Controversy sells

I read somewhere that many of the guys in the cafe were people that had beef with Tony at some point in time during the shows tenure, and the black guys at the counter had actually attempted to take out Tony and just missed. (Season 2 maybe) I was a casual fan, but I think that would make it an even better ending if true.

 

[Danny White]

I thought the implication was clear. Tony IS DEAD and WAS CLIPPED by someone. We the audience have always seen the episodes from Tony's point of view, and the blackened silence is what Tony sees and hears when he finally gets clipped.

Remember the conversation with Bobby at the lake? "I wonder if you hear the one that gets you" - the final episode answers that question. That is why they flashed back to it at the end of last weeks episode. He never heard the one that killed him.

Curious why so many times in the show, it was made obvious to us that the characters were also hearing the music we were hearing. With soundtracks, sometimes it is just for our benefit and other times, we are merely listening in to what the characters are listening to. Chase made a point 4 times to show us that the characters were listening to the songs playing. Paulie in the airport scene turning up the oldies, Tony's fat driver blaring the hard rock and then it cuts out when he opens the door, AJ's stereo melting while Bob Dylan fades out from the heat, and then Tony picking the Journey song from the jukebox. Was this to tell us that the song ending in the final scene was ending abruptly from the perspective of Tony? Was he trying to differentiate and tell us that the songs tonight are playing for the characters, not just a track overlay like a movie score. So that when the song went silent, it was going silent for Tony?

Also, everything in that diner scene was from Tony's perspective. Watch him enter and look at the empty booth, then he looks at it again, and he's already sitting there. Did he watch himself come in the door as he did all the other characters in that scene? Was this to show us that everything from the songs, and the views of the door were from Tony's perspective? Meaning when things went dark and silent, they went that way for Tony?

Oh well, either way, great ending to a great series. I'll miss it.

I'd like to think this is true... and if we're really supposed to come up with our own ending, this is the one I side with.

But I have one big problem with it, and that is that the whole thrust of the episode was Tony eliminating the threat to himself. He takes out Phil and negoiates peace with Butch (who never wanted to go to war in the first place).

So at the end, what motivation does anyone have to kill Tony? Any answer you could give to this question would have to be total out-of-the-blue speculation, because at this point the plot has given us no real mortal enemy to be a threat to Tony.

To have Phil (or phil's orders) kill him is one thing, but to have him killed for no explained reason is a big let-down. David Chase may not have to show us the actual shot being fired (although that would have been nice)... but he at least owes us an explanation of WHY Tony's being killed. And, if that is the explanation for the ending, then we are being sorely let down in that regard.

In the end, the thing that disappoints me about the finale is that it was lazy writing. Chase decided that anything he wrote would be insufficient and incomplete, so he left it vague because he wasn't up to the challenge.

I guess the end was better than a half-arsed, incomplete ending, but was worse than a well-written ending that resolved some things and answered some of the excellent questions that were raised by this series.

 

[Cochese]

I dont know why I even bother to watch finale episodes any more. Seinfeld, X-Files, Soprano's...all a complete waste of time and I would think more highly of the shows if I had just skipped the last episode.

 

[theebs]

I was thinking that the whole cafe was going to explode and Meadow would avoid it because she could not park her car. Either that or she was going to walk in on them getting shot. That scene seemed like it lasted five minutes, and I was squirming on the couch the whole time wondering when it would happen.

Didn't like the ending at first (I felt like I was cheated) but the more I think about it and read people's reactions I think that it was brilliant. Had it been my show I think I would have done the same for multiple reasons.

-Not wanting to fit with the typical mob movie stereotype which I think is one reason the show was so popular to begin with
-Leaving the future of the show up in the air. Possible movie?
-Supposedly recorded up to five different endings to keep real ending unknown to the cast, which could boost sales for the dvd/blue-ray release.
-Leaving the viewers to decide for themselves what happened
-Controversy sells

I read somewhere that many of the guys in the cafe were people that had beef with Tony at some point in time during the shows tenure, and the black guys at the counter had actually attempted to take out Tony and just missed. (Season 2 maybe) I was a casual fan, but I think that would make it an even better ending if true.

acutally none of that last paragraph is true, all the writers bloggers whatever shot that down today, go to nj.com or chase lounge, it is just internet crapola.

That scene can be interpreted so many ways, I happen to think its just ho hum life goes on. But as many have said here for Tony and his family doom is always right around the corner, tony will have constant paranoia forever.

My head hurts from reading about this show today, I have watched it twice and read every article I could. David Chase has split everyone right down the middle on whether he is dead or alive, whether the ending sucked or was great and whether or not he is brilliant or a completely lazy hack looking to make money, which would defy everything about that last episode he was trying to portray, made in america, greed, materialism, selfishness etc.....aj's little speech was strong in my viewpoint to what that episode and what the sopranos are about.

I loved it, I dont think he got whacked like I said, I think it was just life goes on and with the cut to black, its life without us. The story ends somewhere int he middle right where it began.

 

[EMMITTnROY]

I haven't posted on here in quite awhile.. But I just had to weigh in on my all-time favorite TV show and it's brilliant finale.. Here are my thoughts:

Me and everyone else that I was watching it with was the same way at first- we all thought that the cable went out and we just sat there in silence. And we just kinda sat there that way for until the credits started rolling and we were like, “Huh??” But after settling down and talking about it, this is how I interpreted it:

We the audience feel Tony's tension of having to look over his shoulder for the rest of his life.. We have been watching him live his life for the past 9 years, but for the last five minutes of the show, we actually lived his life.. We were shown everything from his view point.. And it was the most intense five or ten minutes of TV that I’ve ever watched.. Every single person that he saw was someone that I thought might potentially kill him.. There is a great, great build-up and... cut to black. But Tony goes on feeling this way for the rest of his life.. He didn't die, he didn't go to jail, he didn't enter witness protection- I think they stayed away from those three things cause that’s what everyone was expecting.. No, he goes on living, he has made peace with his living family members, he had his rival killed, and his kids' futures are finally headed in a good direction.. The final scene was really pretty normal on the surface, yet because he is Tony Soprano, every single move and every single moment was intense.. And that is how we leave him- surrounded by his family and at peace with things more now than ever - yet knowing that any moment could be his last.. That's the life he lives..

 

[jem88]

I actually liked the ending.

We all expected Tony to get hit and you could see that he was expecting it as well. He'd won the battle but would spend the rest of his life -- however, long that would be -- in fear.

There are tons of cliched ways to end mob stories. Chase found a different angle. Good for him. I hate seeing to same crap recycled over and over again.

As usual, I agree with you. I thought it was a great ending, a perfect sendoff for the best show ever. The ending reminded me of a great movie I saw a few years back called 'Limbo', by John Sayles and starring David Strathairn. I won't give anything away, but if you haven't seen that movie, see it and you'll see what I mean. It worked beautifully in the movie and likewise in The Sopranos finale.

We're too accustomed to cliched endings: either Tony goes down in flames or takes out Phil at the end and triumphantly claims the New York throne. However, life rarely works that way and I always felt that David Chase aimed to make this show as true to life as possible, especially so this year when he made Tony more monstrous and difficult to sympathize (and empathize) with. After all, if you knew someone like Tony in real life, would you want to be around the guy?

That last scene reestablished a certain degree of empathy with Tony (albeit from a different angle), ratcheting up the suspence and giving some insight into the fear and paranoia that must necessarily consume one who lives that kind of life.

I will deeply miss this show.

 

[AbeBeta]

As usual, I agree with you. I thought it was a great ending, a perfect sendoff for the best show ever. The ending reminded me of a great movie I saw a few years back called 'Limbo', by John Sayles and starring David Strathairn.

Scary -- just watched Sayles' Lonestar this weekend myself! Haven't seen Limbo but I'm a huge fan of his -- have to get that one this week

 

[jem88]

Scary -- just watched Sayles' Lonestar this weekend myself! Haven't seen Limbo but I'm a huge fan of his -- have to get that one this week

I saw Lonestar a few months back. Very good movie. That and Limbo are the only Sayles films I've seen. I'll definately have to check out some of his other films.