Sopranos Episode Two Discussion ** SPOILERS INSIDE!

[jem88]

I just re-watched "University" and "...Jeannie Cusamano."

Wow! Those were great f-ing episodes. It reminds me of why I liked this show so much in the first place. They really haven't come close to touching that level of emotional-investment in the show this year.

The whole story-line of University is incredible, and the power and emotion of Jeannie Cusamano was amazing. The emotion of the Tony/AJ scene this week was really good, but it was nothing like Tony confronting his mother or Tony and Meadow talking in the car together.

Plus, the whole secondary story-lines (Artie Bucco, Father Phil, etc) were woven in so well into the story as well... much better than this year's Artie story or all the Vito stuff, which seems really patched together and an after-thought from the main story.

I think 'Jeannie Cusamano' might be the best episode ever, of any show. I swear that must have been a double length episode, so much happened in it. The ending at Vesuvio was a perfect come-down after such a powerhouse episode.

I think that the first two seasons of the show were just about flawless. Every season since has been very good, but I've come to expect a mediocre episode every once in awhile (this season we've had a couple- The one where Paulie finds out about his mum and the one where Artie and Benny go at it.)

I agree about characters like Father Phil and Artie: back in the day they were intricate parts of the story line, foils that allowed us to see different facets of Tony and/or Carmela's character (Tony's ability to have a real friendship outside the confines of the mob; Carmela's struggle to balance piety and urge.) Now Artie has pretty much descended into caricature and Father Phil is rarely seen or even mentioned. While I'm at it, I wish Junior had a bigger part as well. He was a classic character in the first several seasons.

 

[TruBlueCowboy]

I can't believe I stayed up for that last one. Boring episode. Worst of the year. I don't agree with folks who say this season isn't as good as past seasons. I think it's one of the best. A lot of movement. Gangsters disappearing left and right as the show comes to an end. Loose ends being tied up. But nothing really happened in that last one. Not even a good rumble between Bobby Bacala and Paulie. Oh well, next week looks like "Vito the Gay Soldato" and "Bobby the Wimp" are getting closer to death. Johnny Sack looks like a goner too, or at least cut out of the loop.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

I thought it was pretty boring too. When the best scene is a guy (Chris) puking his guts out after shooting up, you know it's a boring episode.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

I liked the idea of showing Chris talking to Tony about Ade.

I liked the extra Paulie time as he always makes me laugh.

However I thought when tony and chris were lost and they said oh looky there that it was Vito they found, then I remembered they were in PA.

But overall it was slow and not much meat to it except for the idea that it showed they are starting to get Johnny Sak out of the loop.

Oh and one last thing, the house that Chris bought, was that the same house that Janice and Richie bought a few seasons back?

 

[Yeagermeister]

Oh and one last thing, the house that Chris bought, was that the same house that Janice and Richie bought a few seasons back?

Now that you mention it.....yeah it did look like the same house.

I liked the beginning but the rest of the episode was ok. Janice and her drama queen act gets on my nerves.

 

[TruBlueCowboy]

My favorite scene was stealing the wine from the Vipers and then letting us in on what really happened between Tony and Christopher when they killed his ex.

 

[TruBlueCowboy]

Bah, another boring episode. Nothing worse than the episodes that explore Janet and Tony Soprano's relationship. Gah! And someone please freaking shoot Vito so we don't have to watch him make out with Dan the Biker anymore!

 

[Yeagermeister]

Bah, another boring episode. Nothing worse than the episodes that explore Janet and Tony Soprano's relationship. Gah! And someone please freaking kill shoot Vito so we don't have to watch him make out with Dan the Biker anymore!

I agree about Vito but from the preview it looked that story line will be over soon.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

I saw less homoeroticism on PrideTV up here than I did in tonight's episode. Watching Vito stick his tongue in leatherman's mouth was pretty gross.

Pretty silly to have him kill that innocent guy in Massachussets though.

Will they off Jon Sac in prison?

How will Jeannie find the money to eat, after all she eats more than the posters on this board combined.

 

[jem88]

I saw less homoeroticism on PrideTV up here than I did in tonight's episode. Watching Vito stick his tongue in leatherman's mouth was pretty gross.

Pretty silly to have him kill that innocent guy in Massachussets though.

Will they off Jon Sac in prison?

How will Jeannie find the money to eat, after all she eats more than the posters on this board combined.

The thing is, I don't have a problem with the gay element per se (to wit, I thought Brokeback Mountain was a very good movie.) What I do have a problem with is devoting an inordinate amount of screen time to such a boring and ,before this season at least, marginal character. I swear Vito has gotten as much, if not more, story line as Christopher. I really can't see where David Chase is going with this season. I don't care so much about 'whackings' or any of the violence that some fans crave, but I do care about story development and arcs. This season has been severely lacking in those departments. Let's take a look:

Tony vs. Junior- Hardly been touched at all, save A.J.'s botched murder attempt.

A.J.'s botched murder attempt- Not mentioned once in the last two episodes. In fact, A.J. has been in exactly one scene since.

Tony and Carmella's marriage- Has descended into bourgeous boredom with nary an explanation or analysis as to why this is the case. That fight in the 'White Caps' episode seems like a very, very distant memory. This house project of Carmella's is not exactly gripping drama.

Meadow and her various issues- alluded to briefly in this last episode, but little foreshadowing of this previously and no further elaboration in the most recent episode.

Paulie- Yes he's a bit psycho. That was established long ago. His plot points have been dropped into various episodes and then forgotten soon after; even his cancer announcement was incredibly low-key.

Bobby and Janice- Boring and absolutely zero development since they shared his late wife's last zitti.

Christopher- Well last week it looked like he was slipping back into old habits. Of course it's a forgotten issue this week.

Dr. Melfi- Has become little more than a prop this season. I used to love watching the therapy scenes; you never knew what might happen either during or after those sessions. Now they seem like contractual filler. A real shame; Tony and Melfi's relationship was a crucial element in earlier seasons.

What this season really seems to be lacking (apart from what I've already mentioned) is a Richie Aprile/Ralphie Cipharetto/Tony Blundetto character to pre-occupy Tony. I thought Phil Leotardo might become that, but so far the most we've gotten out of him is that he's lost respect for Johnny Sack and that he wants to kill Vito.

The next two episodes better be crackers or else this goes down as a very disappointing season.

 

[jem88]

It seems like people have given up on this show. I thought this last episode was one of the best. It dragged in parts, but finally some story lines were developed (Vito, A.J., Phil vs. Tony, Carmela's disaffection.) Thoughts?

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

I saw it, thought it was pretty good.

The Paris scenes brought back good memories, almost makes me wish I were going there this summer instead of London and Scotland.

You people have to get to Paris, Louvres, Versailles and Invalides are worth the prices of the flight alone.

Anyway, pretty gruesome way they killed Vito, and then Sil and the other guy killing Phil's guy, nice segway into a mob war.

Seeing Adriana on the bridge in Paris was weird, even if just a mirage.

Tony will end up killing Phil, I can smell it.

AJ will be groomed to take over the construction mob work.

One of the better episodes of the season.

 

[Yeagermeister]

I saw it, thought it was pretty good.

The Paris scenes brought back good memories, almost makes me wish I were going there this summer instead of London and Scotland.

You people have to get to Paris, Louvres, Versailles and Invalides are worth the prices of the flight alone.

Anyway, pretty gruesome way they killed Vito, and then Sil and the other guy killing Phil's guy, nice segway into a mob war.

Seeing Adriana on the bridge in Paris was weird, even if just a mirage.

Tony will end up killing Phil, I can smell it.

AJ will be groomed to take over the construction mob work.

One of the better episodes of the season.

Well at least we don't have to see any more Vito and Johnny scenes

The last episode of the season is usually one of the best. I can see a lot characters not making it in to the final short season.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

At the end of the last episode phil is laying in bed and not moving a muscle but with his eyes open.

For a second I thought they were going to make out like he died right there in bed.

Either way it should be interesting with the hole family going to war thing they are trying to create.

Then again, they have did this type of thing before with tony and johnny sac only to come back the next season and everything work out fine.

 

[Danny White]

The Vito death reminded me of Edward the Second.

Edward II was king of England, and while married with a son, was also carrying on a lavish and extravagant affair with a young man.

Finally, the Queen and a Duke conspire to have him killed. They get these two "hit men" executioners to capture him and then they kill him by inserting a fire-hot poker into his... um... area. They do it in such a way that there is no external sign of damage to him, but from the pained death-look on his face, it was apparent that he befell foul play.

Then they take over the kingdom, yadda yadda yadda.

Anyways, the similarities of the "punishment befitting the crime" between Vito and Edward struck me as interesting.

 

[TruBlueCowboy]

I'm starting to wonder if AJ will be the guy who kills Tony Soprano. If this was the last season, I'd be all over the theory, but since we have at least one more season after this, maybe they're just dragging out the "AJ will be a mafioso" story. All the quotes by Tony Soprano last week about him being a puss, a waste of skin, too lazy, and soft, combined with the escalating confronations between AJ and his parents.... well, I can just see it happening. AJ is definitely a little screwed up in the head, I could easily see the last episode ending with Tony and AJ fighting, Tony being shot from behind, looking up to see who murdered him as he's dying, sees AJ, and the series ends. Would be a 180 from what we all expect.

 

[Yeagermeister]

I'm starting to wonder if AJ will be the guy who kills Tony Soprano. If this was the last season, I'd be all over the theory, but since we have at least one more season after this, maybe they're just dragging out the "AJ will be a mafioso" story. All the quotes by Tony Soprano last week about him being a puss, a waste of skin, too lazy, and soft, combined with the escalating confronations between AJ and his parents.... well, I can just see it happening. AJ is definitely a little screwed up in the head, I could easily see the last episode ending with Tony and AJ fighting, Tony being shot from behind, looking up to see who murdered him as he's dying, sees AJ, and the series ends. Would be a 180 from what we all expect.

That would be a terrible ending

 

[TruBlueCowboy]

That would be a terrible ending

Wouldn't exactly be going out in a blaze of glory, would he?

 

[Danny White]

Unless they plan on doing something lame like a movie after the series is over, then they almost HAVE to kill Tony in the last episode.

 

[Yeagermeister]

Unless they plan on doing something lame like a movie after the series is over, then they almost HAVE to kill Tony in the last episode.

Or send him to jail