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Vigilante justice is just accepting the fact you don’t really care about justice and are more interested causing pain. Which as an impulse makes sense but not exactly as understandable as a long term position. Which is what I think the show is going for. Melfi has impulse control, tony doesn’t. CharlestheHammer fucked around with this message at 23:03 on May 30, 2019 |
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May 30, 2019 22:59
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Fragmented posted:Jerusalem are you a writer for your day job? I have watched this series like 5 times and not only do you catch subtle things i missed you articulate the subtle things i caught better than i ever could. I've been slow rolling a new rewatch to match your recaps. I'll often fire up a random ep but this has me watching from the beginning- and seeing things I didn't see before in the acting and direction, and it's awesome. I think this is how people generally feel while rewatching The Wire (I've only seen it the once) Fragmented posted:
 in real time, being young and stupid I was all awww man  when she said no but I get it now.fake edit: ^ Theresa May (lol) is right
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May 30, 2019 23:40
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quote:They work through the symbols: the vending machine was her guilt for putting herself in harm's way, they can both agree on that. Um...how? Help me out here.
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May 31, 2019 00:51
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crazy eyes mustafa posted:“Least favorite sopranos episode” is an interesting thought experiment. While this one was uncomfortable to watch it was viscerally engaging- totally compelling TV. "Christopher." Hands down.
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May 31, 2019 01:32
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Solice Kirsk posted:"Christopher." Hands down. Yeah this is the right answer. I just rewatched it and it doesn’t hold up well. And even then, it has Chrissy asking “He was gay, Gary Cooper”.
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May 31, 2019 03:01
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That's got the whole thing with Silvio getting mad about Native American's protesting Christopher Columbus day, right?
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May 31, 2019 03:34
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Is that the episode where Furio calls Columbus a filthy Genoian?
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May 31, 2019 03:39
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Melfi making the conscious decision to say no is really just a stunning moment, and I think outside of anything else it's a beautiful way for her as an intelligent, capable woman to regain a sense of control and power over her own life after the trauma of the rape. Like others mentioned, it's a really hard episode to rewatch so I tend to not think about it when bringing up my favorite episodes of the show, but every time I do rewatch it I'm struck again by what an incredible episode it is. If Bracco had lost the Emmy to anybody other than Edie Falco I'd have been so mad, but Falco's win goes to show just how high the quality of the performances across the board really is for this show.BiggerBoat posted:Um...how? Help me out here. It's irrational guilt, she knows she isn't to blame but she's also aware enough to know that part of her (and part of Richard too) blames herself for being in a situation where Rossi could get at her. Elliot doesn't placate her by trying to assure her that the very real guilt she feels is irrational, she's fully aware it is (shown by her earlier accusation at Richard) but her (and his) interest is in figuring out what her subconscious is telling her in the dream. Even if he can't help being a bit of a goober excitedly bringing up that story he saw about a guy getting crushed by a vending machine.  COMPAGNIE TOMMY posted:I think this is how people generally feel while rewatching The Wire (I've only seen it the once) I must have rewatched the whole series close to 8-9 times now and I'm STILL seeing things/connections/ideas I didn't grasp before, it's a beautifully dense show. Jerusalem fucked around with this message at 05:31 on May 31, 2019 |
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May 31, 2019 05:14
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No Wave posted:But the wise TV IV viewer only ever tut tuts and shakes their finger at the screen when fictional crime man does a naughty thing. The point isn't moral superiority on part of the viewer though. Contrast this with a show like Oz from roughly the same period; you the viewer are often invited to root for disgusting and or violent behaviour, but these are (except Beecher, sort of) all already men who know and live the brutally violent life of crime. Here we have the ostensibly 'normal'/everyday person character of Melfi interacting with a guy whose life routinely involves murder and corpse disposal, she knows that, she knows she could herself become somewhat entangled in that world by having Tony do... What it is he would do to her rapist, and she deliberately and knowingly chooses not to. Both things, that she makes that choice and that she still has the agency to do so separates this from 'legitimate' murder porn shows, and that is definitely the intent of the writing here. It underlines the depravity of Tony and his world. e: Also thanks again Jerusalem, these are amazing
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May 31, 2019 05:24
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Jerusalem posted:
I just couldn't figure out the symbolic significance of the vending machine itself. TBH, I still can't. EDIT: Thanks, Jerusalem vvv BiggerBoat fucked around with this message at 14:11 on May 31, 2019 |
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May 31, 2019 12:31
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BiggerBoat posted:I just couldn't figure out the symbolic significance of the vending machine itself. TBH, I still can't. She was getting a drink from the shop when she spotted Rossi's picture, so soft drinks and the danger he represents get conflated in her mind. In the dream she chooses to put her hand into the machine which causes her to be trapped and unable to escape, which she sees as symbolic of the guilt she can't help but feel trying to second-guess ways she might have avoided what happened. That's how I read the dream anyway. I thought the pasta as coins was a little much but I can't deny I've had dreams where weird poo poo like that is just kind of par for the course in the moment.
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May 31, 2019 12:47
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I put the "gets herself stuck=guilt" together, but never thought/realized the soda connection. You're really good at this.
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May 31, 2019 15:04
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I didnt like the melfi rape. It's this incredibly horrible thing done to one of the main characters in the most savage way possible for this tiny piece of characterization that has very little importance to the series. Wont be a popular opinion.
No Wave fucked around with this message at 17:57 on May 31, 2019 |
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May 31, 2019 17:50
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No Wave posted:I didnt like the melfi rape. It's this incredibly horrible thing done to one of the main characters in the most savage way possible for this tiny piece of characterization that has vety little importance to the series. Wont be a popular opinion. You would be hard pressed to find a more definitive moment in the Melfi/Tony relationship dynamic then her saying "No" after everything we saw in the episode. Since S1 she danced around whether or not she was seeing him for the right reasons, was fascinated by him etc. and finally after all that, her drinking, her therapy, she finally makes clear her ethical stance.
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May 31, 2019 17:56
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No Wave posted:I didnt like the melfi rape. It's this incredibly horrible thing done to one of the main characters in the most savage way possible for this tiny piece of characterization that has vety little importance to the series. Wont be a popular opinion. While true at least it was used for development of Melfis character and was disconnected from any change whatsoever with Tony.
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May 31, 2019 17:56
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pentyne posted:You would be hard pressed to find a more definitive moment in the Melfi/Tony relationship dynamic then her saying "No" after everything we saw in the episode. It's hard for me to evaluate now that I've finished the show because in retrospect the therapy all seems like a big waste of time.
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May 31, 2019 18:12
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No Wave posted:It's hard for me to evaluate now that I've finished the show because in retrospect the therapy all seems like a big waste of time. This episode aside, I think the therapy is important for giving the viewer that window into Tony's thought processes and the way he sees the world. Not that he's always honest with Melfi about that stuff but we certainly get much more of a genuine look into his psyche during those scenes than whatever bullshit he spins when he interacts with literally anyone else on the show. And when he does try to spin some bullshit with Melfi, more often than not she confronts him about it(another thing that never happens to him in his regular life) and then we get to see his reaction to that too.
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May 31, 2019 18:59
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I wonder if the rape was part of the original plan for season 3. Mustang Sally obviously wasn’t- its interesting to think that the entire season would have been different if Nancy Marchand had not died but I wonder what from the original storyboards we ended up with. There isn’t the same forward driving momentum like in 4, there are all these not quite bottle episodes that together are very cohesive but you can see how the singular overarching narrative is missing. They did a hell of a job recovering though.
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May 31, 2019 20:34
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No Wave posted:I didnt like the melfi rape. It's this incredibly horrible thing done to one of the main characters in the most savage way possible for this tiny piece of characterization that has very little importance to the series. Wont be a popular opinion. That's basically every depiction of rape in media. I agree with you and I even liked the scene of her saying No. As good as that moment is, its just cheap to use rape as a way to up the stakes instantly for a bit of characterization.
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May 31, 2019 20:49
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It's effective for giving the audience a chance to empathize if she had decided to loose Tony on him. If it was something less then the mental struggle for both her and us wouldn't really be there, and if it were more then she would be dead.
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May 31, 2019 21:13
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First of all, "Christopher" is a great episode and one of the funniest ones in the series. Tony: "What ever happened to Gary Cooper?" Silvio: (shrugs)".....he died." Second, I think that rape as a motivation is always a tough needle to thread, and it almost always fails. I hate sexual violence as a plot point in almost every other thing I have seen, but this worked for me for a couple reasons. I think that because of the way the attack is framed, it places you in the position of helplessness that Melfi feels, and when the police investigation falls apart, the despair is palpable. Then, when she realizes that she has the attack dog on her side (in the person of Tony), you feel the allure of that lawless power in a very visceral and immediate way. So that when she has to decide whether or not to compromise her ethics to take control back over her life, you are right there with her. When she decides against it, its a character moment that is hard to equal. And since you went on that ride with her, from powerlessness -->allure of power --> taking a stand, you feel it profoundly. Now, we can have a bigger discussion as to whether there was any need for anything that happened in the series, since there was not really an overarching "plot" per se. I always assumed that the story would end with the end of his therapy, since that seemed to be the driving "point" of the show. When the show continued past the end of therapy I realized that Chase probably didn't see it as one long story, and instead saw it as a series of vignettes about this interesting character of Tony Soprano. Which is fine, but I think it's a bit less satisfying than seeing a story where all the parts contribute to an ending that completes the arcs before it.
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May 31, 2019 21:32
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The only episode I remember disliking on my original viewing of the show was Luxury Lounge. It felt like some final season wheel-spinning, and got a little too cute for its own good with the celeb cameos. (Also...it's a Matt Weiner-penned episode that sends the characters to California and has them get caught up in all kinds of 'Wow, LA sure is different than NY!' stuff, and those tended to be lesser Mad Men episodes for me as well.)Ishamael posted:Now, we can have a bigger discussion as to whether there was any need for anything that happened in the series, since there was not really an overarching "plot" per se. I always assumed that the story would end with the end of his therapy, since that seemed to be the driving "point" of the show. When the show continued past the end of therapy I realized that Chase probably didn't see it as one long story, and instead saw it as a series of vignettes about this interesting character of Tony Soprano. Which is fine, but I think it's a bit less satisfying than seeing a story where all the parts contribute to an ending that completes the arcs before it. Given that Chase's original conceit started with a story about a mobster dealing with his mother, I think if there was any concept of an overarching plot for the series it fell away with Marchand's death. Like crazy eyes mustafa said a few posts up, Season 3 is kind of a lumpy, fragmented thing where a few plot threads are introduced that carry forward into the future, some arcs are introduced and done in the span of two or three episodes, and the "tragedy" of Jackie Jr. is the only real throughline I can think of that's introduced and resolved over the course of the season (And even that's heavily backloaded.) Also, Tony's therapy did end in the penultimate episode - but Melfi's revelation and reasoning for finally cutting Tony out of her life is very rushed.
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May 31, 2019 22:09
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No Wave posted:I wasnt exactly blown away by Melfi not using Tony to kill someone (I never expected her to), and I dont think it says much about what is fun about their relationship (is Tony getting validation he shouldnt be getting from Melfi, how does having Tony as a client make Melfi feel special, what even is Melfi's role as a therapist supposed to be when her client is this guy). I think her "NO" declaration was a defining moment for the character. That even though she was drinking, having second thoughts, angry, thirsty for revenge, second guessing her own motivations and poo poo, she drew the line. Having Tony as a client was a superficial thrill but also a challenge, and that was her motivation, IMO. "If I can fix HIM, I can fix anyone and, therefore, a great doctor." "Everyone is deserving of healthcare", etc. I honestly think the "buzz" of treating a mobster was secondary to the idea of her rising to the challenge of her profession. And, yes, the therapy WAS a waste of time because Tony wasn't committed to telling the truth, being open and also because the nature of his work flies directly in the face of what it means to be mentally healthy and prevents him from being honest in the first place. He didn't visit Melfi to "get better". He went to her to (only) fix his panic attacks because it was loving up his job. I mean, yeah, if you're takeaway was "man, all that therapy sure was a big waste" then you definitely got the point and, at the end, Melfi shut the door in his face. Given the way the way the final episode ended, it was arguably the point of the whole series.
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May 31, 2019 22:53
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JethroMcB posted:The only episode I remember disliking on my original viewing of the show was Luxury Lounge. It felt like some final season wheel-spinning, and got a little too cute for its own good with the celeb cameos. "I decided to quit therapy... and this time, I'm never going back!"  I like Luxury Lounge. Cleaver, and everything leading up to it is great. "gently caress Ben Kingsley. Danny Baldwin took him to fuckin' acting school." As for wheel-spinning, that's probably accurate- but I could spend a million "nothing" episodes in the Sopranos universe. The characters are so richly developed and are written to behave like actual people, which is satisfying. And this is to say nothing of the tremendous acting everyone does (Gabriella van Zandt is probably my pick for least talented actor/actress on the series, and even then I struggle to think of anyone else- I will say I do like that Sil's wife in the show is his irl wife). I could watch them all like an ant farm. Any episode featuring Artie is great just because of how schmucky he is.
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May 31, 2019 22:57
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BiggerBoat posted:I mean, yeah, if you're takeaway was "man, all that therapy sure was a big waste" then you definitely got the point and, at the end, Melfi shut the door in his face. Given the way the way the final episode ended, it was arguably the point of the whole series. To paraphrase the Godfather quote, it was the business he'd chosen.
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Jun 1, 2019 00:55
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The worst episode is in season 5 with his dads old mistress. It has some decent B plots and character stuff at the end but it just drags every time that lady has a scene.
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Jun 1, 2019 01:15
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Ishamael posted:Second, I think that rape as a motivation is always a tough needle to thread, and it almost always fails. I hate sexual violence as a plot point in almost every other thing I have seen, but this worked for me for a couple reasons. I think that because of the way the attack is framed, it places you in the position of helplessness that Melfi feels, and when the police investigation falls apart, the despair is palpable. Then, when she realizes that she has the attack dog on her side (in the person of Tony), you feel the allure of that lawless power in a very visceral and immediate way. So that when she has to decide whether or not to compromise her ethics to take control back over her life, you are right there with her. When she decides against it, its a character moment that is hard to equal. And since you went on that ride with her, from powerlessness -->allure of power --> taking a stand, you feel it profoundly. I absolutely agree. Rape in media is extremely rarely used effectively, and even with as strong as the writing and performances in this episode are I still think there were other ways they could have done the same character beats/resolution with Melfi without resorting to what is often a crutch or feels exploitative. But this is the angle they went with, and they did an incredible job with it that made it a standout episode in a show that has more than a few of them. I still think it's an episode I'll try not to watch if I can though, it's a tough thing to get through knowing the scene is coming.
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Jun 1, 2019 02:07
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If you have 3,500 "boxes of ziti" lying around, the Sopranos homestead can be yours.
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Jun 1, 2019 02:22
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JethroMcB posted:If you have 3,500 "boxes of ziti" lying around, the Sopranos homestead can be yours. Pfft, bet you couldn't even fit a horse in there. No thank you.
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Jun 1, 2019 02:43
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I think my favorite moment is taking Big Pussy out on the boat. Its such a slow buildup where Tony is pretty sure he's flipped for like, awhile, but he kinda puts it off and tries to double and triple check, and he's having those weird dreams and you know its coming but not exactly when And then they take him out on the boat and you're like oh poo poo this is it, and Pussy doesn't realize it until he does and you feel so much pity for his character. Also the whole thing with Pussy thinking he could be an FBI agent was pretty well done.
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Jun 1, 2019 18:43
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I’m still very behind in this thread because I’m reading Jerusalem’s recaps along with my rewatch (loving these by the way man, great work!!) as well as The Sopranos Sessions, but I had to pop in to say I just got to 205 and “What are you doing? You’re dropping your fuckin oranges” is one of the funniest lines this show ever did
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Jun 1, 2019 23:19
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Escobarbarian posted:I’m still very behind in this thread because I’m reading Jerusalem’s recaps along with my rewatch (loving these by the way man, great work!!) as well as The Sopranos Sessions, but I had to pop in to say I just got to 205 and “What are you doing? You’re dropping your fuckin oranges” is one of the funniest lines this show ever did That's not even the funniest line about oranges. "I like the one that says some pulp"
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Jun 2, 2019 04:53
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Escobarbarian posted:I’m still very behind in this thread because I’m reading Jerusalem’s recaps along with my rewatch (loving these by the way man, great work!!) as well as The Sopranos Sessions, but I had to pop in to say I just got to 205 and “What are you doing? You’re dropping your fuckin oranges” is one of the funniest lines this show ever did Is the book any good? I've heard mixed reviews
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Jun 2, 2019 23:19
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I just got to the Test Dream, and I think this may be my least favorite episode. They took the “dreams are so weird and random. Gotta find the hidden meaning, man!” poo poo way too far. A full 20 minute sequence of nonsense. Although the part with Horseface from The Wire is pretty good.
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Jun 3, 2019 01:11
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Season 3, Episode 5 - Another ToothpickBobby Baccalieri Sr. posted:The cure is worse than the loving illness! Tony sits uncomfortably in therapy, not due to Dr. Melfi's recent breakdown into sobbing but because of an alien presence: his wife Carmela. They sit in an awkward silence, the usual one-on-one back and forth that Tony and Melfi have developed isn't possible with this "stranger" here. While they have spoken on the phone before and extremely briefly been eye-to-eye at the tail end of season one, this is the first time that the two major women in Tony's life (now that Livia is dead) have been together in one space. They're pleasant to each other, polite, but there is an understandable stress. Carmela asks after Melfi's health following her accident, Melfi asks how Tony's panic attacks make Carmela feels. She admits that among other things she feels frustration, not at her own inability to help but at Melfi's. Tony, frustrated, complains that Melfi has helped but Carmela won't let social niceties get in the way: after all, for her Melfi is an employee and as we've seen she has no problem with critiquing employees on their shortcomings. Tony has been attending therapy for three years and still has regular panic attacks. Melfi accepts this without taking it personally, asking about Tony's recent breakthrough, and he reminds Carmela about the capicola and Livia's reaction to free meat. Carmela seems unimpressed with this "breakthrough" (hell, she could have told Melfi that Livia was the root cause of Tony's problems) and becomes upset when Melfi asks if she can think of anything SHE might be doing that could trigger Tony's attacks. When Tony agrees that maybe it is something Carmela does that can set him off, she becomes convinced that they've called her in to double-team her, accusing Melfi of looking to blame her because she can't get anything from Tony. Lashing out, she blames Tony's infidelities for the guilt that is causing his panic attacks and both desperately look to Melfi for support when he complains that he broke it off with "that Russian person" months ago. Tony goes into a sulk, refusing to talk any further as Carmela harangues him, likening him to somebody who smokes his whole life and then blames the tobacco companies for their cancer. Melfi, who has seen this type of thing scores of times before in couples therapy, notes that both of them are angry, and a grumpy Tony breaks his silence to sarcastically remark she must have been the top of her class.   Out of therapy, Tony gets out his frustration by zooming down the road, weaving in and out of traffic while Carmela quietly weeps, despondent that after 19 years of marriage they have to pay somebody to help them communicate. She complains that she was made to feel like the new kid at school, with Melfi taking Tony's side at every turn. Tony thinks she is being ridiculous, but they have bigger issues on their mind when a police siren sounds behind them and they have to pull over to the side of the road. Tony, of course, bitches that this is a speed trap, completely ignoring the fact you can't get caught in a speed trap if you... uhh... don't speed. The officer, a heavyset black guy named Leon Wilmore who looks roughly Tony's age, ignores Tony's forced cheer and asks for his license, registration and insurance card. He isn't impressed when Tony "accidentally" flashes his Benevolent Policeman's Association membership card at him, even less impressed when Tony suggests he enjoy a nice dinner out with his wife on Tony's dime, asking if he trying to offer him a bribe. Tony, getting increasingly upset with this rear end in a top hat for not playing ball and instead attempting to do his actual legitimate and completely reasonable job, decides to play the big man and asks him "just out of curiosity" what happens if he doesn't do what the cop asks him. Officer Wilmore, completely unfazed, simply lifts his radio up and requests backup, freaking out Tony while a mortified Carmela silently begs him to stop acting like a loving rear end in a top hat. Tony shuts down his engine and the Wilmore cancels the backup, telling Tony to wait in the car while he goes to check his license. Now that they're alone, Carmela is now fully on Tony's side, complaining that she can't understand why they'd waste time pulling them over instead of being out arresting dope dealers. Putting aside the fact a lot of these dope dealers work FOR Tony, the complete hypocrisy of these assholes is almost unbelievable. Tony was not only speeding, he was driving recklessly to the point Carmela himself was complaining about it. Wilmore has been nothing but professional and his actions have shown remarkable restraint in spite of Tony explicitly trying to bribe him and implicitly threatening him. But in both Tony and Carmela's mind, the guy is a giant rear end in a top hat unfairly picking on them, a couple of upstanding "regular" citizens who somehow should be immune from the law. Tony can't believe it when he sees the "smoke" is writing him up, bitching about the "affirmative action cocksucker" just to throw a little casual racism into the mix as well. Meanwhile, Bryan Spatafore (Vito's brother, who helped install the ramp at Beansie's house) and a crewmember are on a lunch run. Bryan stays by the car, claiming he saw a meter maid and wants to avoid a ticket (I wonder if he would equally bitch like Tony if given a completely legitimate ticket). Left alone, he stands around as in the background a couple argue vocally inside their car - a 1989 Mustang convertible - about the girlfriend's alleged infidelity. They're a familiar type, he - Salvatore Intile, known as Mustang Sally - finally pushes her - Tina Francesco - too far and in a fury she storms out of the car and, spotting Bryan, asks if he can give her a lift to the shore, promising it is only a two minute drive away. Mustang Sally, with the unhealthy look of a junkie who hasn't quite burned out yet, demands that Tina get back in the car and she tells him to eat poo poo before going back to begging Bryan to give her a lift. Sally, furious, heads back to his car as Bryan actually encourages her to either go back to him or to use a car service just down the road. He turns to point, just in time to see a livid Sally swinging a golf-club and smashing him directly in the forehead with it. Tina is, well not so much horrified as pissed, what the gently caress does he think he is doing? He shoves her aside to beat on Bryan's now prone body with the golf club, screaming at her to get back in the car which she finally does. The crewmember who went in to pick up the lunch order comes out in time to see Mustang Sally spit on Bryan's body and them strut back to his car and peel out, leaving Bryan lying in a pool of blood, unresponsive.  Tony quickly makes his way to the hospital where Bryan lies in his hotel bed in a coma. Vito is there of course, joined by Gigi, Ralphie and Eugene from the Aprile Crew. Jackie Jr is there, upset when Tony questions why since Bryan is, after all, his cousin. Paulie has come with Tony, bringing a Whitman Samplers chocolate box with him so he at least has something to offer at this time, awkwardly placing it on the bed between Bryan's legs. Vito thanks Tony for coming but reveals his own fears, that Bryan is going to end up a vegetable. Ralphie, clearly bored, jokes that it isn't like Bryan was all that smart to begin with and complains at their dirty looks that he's just trying to ease the tension with some levity. Putting that aside, Vito makes his desire for vengeance on Mustang Sally clear, a desire they all agree with... including Jackie Jr, who is promptly kicked out to "get some coffee". As they start to discuss their strategy, Ralphie can't help but crack another joke, enraging Gigi who just gets angrier when Ralphie just laughs off his warning to keep his mouth shut. Tony brings them all back into line, the important thing now is dealing with Mustang Sally: did Bryan have any history with him? Owe him money perhaps? Vito assures him there is no connection, and Ralphie reminds them that last year in the Meadowlands, Sally tossed a hot dog vendor off the second mezzanine for putting too many onions on his dog: he's a whackjob. That makes Tony's course of action clear, and he gives Gigi the nod to bring Sally "under control", Gigi agreeing he will do do with "extreme prejudice". Tony and Paulie leave, and the Aprile Crew stand at the foot of Bryan's bed, Vito opening the Whitman's Sampler for them to all eat while they brood. With one visit to a hospital for a potentially braindead man, life doesn't get much rosier for Tony. He attends the funeral of Carmela's Uncle Febby Viola, overseen by Father Intintola. Junior Soprano also attends, the family connection close enough to warrant an exemption to his house arrest. He's joined not just by Bobby Baccalieri by Bobby's own father, a somewhat legendary killer and former soldier in Junior's crew until his "retirement" in 1993, played by Burt Young. Tony is pleased to see him, a big smile on his face that he quickly drops when he realizes how inappropriate it is for a funeral. As the coffin is loaded into the hearse, Father Intintola says a hello to Carmela and Mary, the latter responding by demanding Hugh come over so he can offer an envelope of cash for the poorbox: it is VERY important to Carmela's mother that she be seen to be doing the right and Catholic thing. Carmela is polite but cold towards Father Intintola, who looks a little lost before heading away ("See you, father" grunts Tony, all too aware of the attraction once shared between the priest and Tony's wife). Tony hugs Bobby Sr tight, it seems he had no idea that he was coming up from Miami where he retired, and Bobby Jr explains he wanted it to be a surprise. The real surprise though is Bobby Sr's coughing, he keeps hacking away into a handkerchief, a rasping, throaty cough that he doesn't seem able to shake. Tony takes Bobby Sr aside as Janice and Junior discuss Febby's physical state before he died (cancer), wanting to bring up a sensitive subject: Mustang Sally. Sally is Bobby Sr's godson, but he assures Tony this is in name only, he only stood up as a favor to Sally's father and has no time for him otherwise. He assures Tony he can do whatever it is he feels necessary to deal with the situation. Tony is relieved, it isn't like he wasn't going to do it anyway, but now he's gone through the necessary procedures and met no objection. Bobby Sr thanks him for looking out for Bobby Jr, and Tony assures him that has been no imposition, he has been of enormous help with Uncle Junior. That makes Bobby Sr laugh, claiming that Junior needs no help and has everybody fooled with his medical keeping him out of jail. He rasps with laughter at a confused Junior, who can only mumble,"Yeah, that's right..." when Bobby Sr compliments him on being such a cagey gently caress. Once Bobby Sr has headed to the car though, Tony stops Junior to ask what the deal with the coughing is. He's horrified to discover Sr has lung cancer, the result of smoking cigarettes since he was "in short pants" (unlike Carmela's theoretical, I don't think Bobby Sr blames the tobacco companies), and Junior is disgusted when Janice quietly notes that Bobby Sr is becoming "another toothpick." He storms off in a fury, surprising Tony and leaving Janice looking surprisingly shaken.   At Vesuvio's, a couple who have just celebrated their 42nd Wedding Anniversary wave a happy goodbye as Adriana escorts them to the door. Wearing a rather stunning if gauche dress with a tiger face pattern, she locks the door and joins a thrilled Artie at the bar when he has just added up the receipts for the evening and shows off the total to a wowed Adriana: they have made a LOT of money tonight. He has a bottle of Barolo he wants to open to celebrate, but she begs off, admitting that as much as she loves working there and what a great boss he is... Christopher doesn't want her working there anymore. She asks him not to be mad and, clearly upset, he laughs and insists he's nothing but happy for her... at which point she sheepishly admits that she... uhh... kinda meant to hand in her notice two weeks ago but couldn't get up the courage, is it okay if TONIGHT is her last night? Momentarily wide-eyed by this incredibly unprofessional behavior, he again laughs it off and says of course that is fine, he'll get Charmaine to cover for her until they can find somebody new. Delighted, she says she has to check her make-up before Christopher picks her up and heads to the bathroom. Artie is left behind, the tally that brought him so much pleasure only a couple minutes earlier now somehow leaving him feeling completely inadequate. Another day, Bobby plays checkers with a distracted Junior, who doesn't even take advantage of Bobby deliberately setting himself up to be beaten. Bobby admits he doesn't feel like playing either, putting the board away and explaining he's worried about his father. Junior assumes he is concerned about the cancer, but Bobby reveals it is something else worrying him: Tony has asked Bobby Sr - who has readily agreed - to be the one to do the hit on Mustang Sally. Junior doesn't see the issue, waving off Bobby's concerns that his father is retired ("What is this, the Navy?"), but Bobby breaks down weeping as he tells him that his father - a proud man - was so weak he needed help getting off the toilet while over at Bobby's house for dinner the other night. Junior doesn't want to hear that, complaining it is making HIM depressed, but it does make his reconsider Tony's decision: maybe it is too much for Bobby Sr to handle? He again waves off Bobby's suggestion that he'll do the hit in place of his father if it'll help Tony to change his mind, saying this isn't something Tony needs to decide since after all Junior is still the Boss of the Family and what he says, goes. What he says, doesn't go. At a meeting with Tony at Melvoin's law office, Junior pushes for Bobby Sr to be taken off the hit in spite of Sr's own willingness to do it but Tony will hear none of it. The idea was actually Gigi's, and Tony doesn't want to second-guess a guy he just put in charge of a crew, especially now a crew with Ralphie Cifaretto on it who is looking for every opportunity to undermine Gigi. Junior accuses Tony of being on a power trip but Tony has his reasons beyond not wanting to cut off Gigi's balls. Mustang Sally has been MIA since finding out whose brains he bashed in, but two days ago he reached out to Bobby Sr hoping to get help. Bobby Sr can get close to him without arousing suspicion and then kill him, any other scheme they have has less of a chance of succeeding. In many ways this scene is the opposite of the one from The Pilot, as now it is Junior begging Tony to assassinate a troublemaker in some OTHER way than his chosen method, because of the impact it will have on somebody close to him. Just like in that first episode, the plea falls on deaf ears, as Tony walks out of the meeting with no intention of changing his mind.   At Vesuvio's, a visibly drunk Artie makes everybody uncomfortable when he comes out as the restaurant is closing down to "joke" about with Tony and Christopher, who are finishing up their dinner. He gives Christopher a bizarre shoulder rub as a confused Tony looks on, then draws up a cheer and pours himself a glass of wine. Tony is delighted and amused by Artie's drunken display, laughing that he's supposed to use the wine to cook, not drink! Christopher understands that Artie is upset that Adriana quit, but he hasn't quite grasped yet just how upset he is. Artie laments that she was the best hostess he ever had, calling Christopher a piece of poo poo for stealing her away and then ruffling his hair. Christopher is becoming less understanding and more pissed by the second, glowering as even Tony's smile starts to fade at Artie's display. When Artie "jokes" he should get a food taster to avoid being poisoned next time he eats here, Christopher has had enough and lunges at him with a fork, threatening to stab his eye out. Tony hauls them apart and demands Christopher wait outside, and the moment he and Artie are alone he slaps him and slams him against the wall, demanding to know what the gently caress he is thinking screwing with Christopher like that? Artie, tears in his eyes, proclaims his love for Adriana, causing Tony to laugh at first before realizing oh holy gently caress he's serious.... then it is nothing but disbelieving pity and concern, patting the side of his face and warning him to never say something that stupid again. After all, he's married! Artie, wallowing in self pity, declares that his wife is a oval office and he wants a woman like Ade, wondering how things might be different if he still had all his hair. Oh Artie. Tony, not entirely unkindly, points out that the age difference means Adriana would never be interested no matter how much hair he had. He implores Artie to drink some coffee, then go home and get some sleep, telling him he wants to see him tomorrow to discuss a potential business opportunity in Newark. Artie staggers back into the kitchen and Tony takes a moment to breath, grunting,"Jesus-loving-Christ" before heading out to find Christopher. Another day, at Ronald Zellman's office for the 41st Legislative District, the Assemblyman takes a call from "Mr. Spears", who is of course Tony. He's called to complain about recieving his speeding ticket, since Zellman had assured him he would take care of it... and Officer Leon Wilmore. Zellman promises him he can throw away the ticket and not worry about paying it, and shifts the conversation to the far happier topic of the Esplanade Development and all the money they're set to make from that. Tony isn't interested in that right now though, just complaining that he doesn't want to have to go to his guy at the DMV to squash this (or, you know... maybe pay it?) and hanging up. Bobby sets the plates for dinner at Junior's house, telling Junior that his father will be here soon but stopped at a bakery to get a shortcut. Junior is impressed, Bobby Sr never arrives anywhere empty-handed. But he has bad news, as to save face he declares that HE made the decision that Bobby Sr would be the chosen assassin for Mustang Sally after all... why, he didn't even go to Tony to discuss it at all! Bobby is mortified, but Junior insists: this is a matter of duty and they all chose this life knowing what they were getting into. Bobby Sr arrives, rasping for breath and coughing after having to take even the small set of stairs leading up to Junior's front door. Now Junior's mindset changes, as he almost frantically asks surprisingly informed questions about Bobby Sr's treatment, asking about chemo and oxygen therapy, insisting he call John Kennedy at St. Barnabas Hospital, who he claims is the best. Bobby Sr, sucking on an inhaler after coughing up blood from the nodules in his throat, reveals that he isn't doing chemo, claiming that the cure is worse than the illness. Junior forgets all about his earlier claims that this was his decision, shouting that Tony can't have Bobby Sr clip somebody in his current condition, it's unacceptable. Bobby Sr just smiles in spite of the hacking though and explains that he WANTS to do it: after eight years of sitting on his rear end, it feels good to be useful again. Junior asks what happens if things don't go his way, Mustang Sally might be lean but he's strong and no pushover. Bobby Sr doesn't mind that though, if that's what happens then so be it, after all... he's dead anyway. Bobby can't take it anymore, tears in his eyes as he rushes out of the room to hear his father talk like that.   At Vesuvio's before opening, Artie tries to sell Charmaine on the the business opportunity Tony offered him. He wants to produce a dressing and sell it under the name Satriale's, producing it out of a factory on the new Esplanade urban renewal product. She's not interested with his facts about Paul Newman's success, her focus correctly on the fact that it would involve being in business with Tony Soprano. She easily punctures his arguments: why call it Satriale's? He claims it is because that has brand recognition, but she points out that Vesuvio's is a multi-generational restaurant and also has name value. He claims that research says brand names beginning with a V remind people of vaginas and are put off by that (!), an idea she finds laughable. Artie with his Associate's in Business points out that you need to take risks to grow, and they need to grow as a business, but Charmaine notes that going into business with a mobster isn't a risk, it's crazy. He notes that the city is offering tax breaks for reopening factories on the Esplanade, and that argument at least she doesn't have an answer for. But she has the trump card, one he can't argue against, no matter how he tries to pretty it up, they'd simply be a front for the mob, allowing them to launder money and linking them inextricably to crime. Grabbing him by the sides of the face in a similar fashion to how Tony did during his drunken outburst, Charmaine asks when he is ever going to learn, and tells him to be happy in his own self. Remember, he thinks Charmaine is a oval office, and a large part of that is because she tells him the things he needs to hear and doesn't let him run wild doing unbelievably stupid things At a different restaurant, Tony has dinner with Johnny Sack, Gigi, Paulie and Ralphie. Ralphie is the lowest man on the totem pole, present purely based on the strength of his earning power, and he's dominating the conversation as he raves about the quality of his DVD copy of Gladiator, a movie he has become obsessed with. Johnny is intrigued by the fact that Old man Bacala is making a comeback, asking Tony to tell him more. Tony simply stares, obviously considering this an overstepping of Johnny's boundaries as a "guest" in New Jersey. Paulie is quick to insist he didn't say anything, and Johnny explains that it was Junior who asked him to ask about it, which just irritates Tony even more. Ralphie can't help but take the opportunity, agreeing it seems a little extreme before sarcastically looking at Gigi and saying that "my man Gigootz" knows what he is doing. Gigi warns him he doesn't need Ralphie's approval, which again completely fails to cow Ralphie who clearly doesn't take him seriously, chuckling to his "Cappy" that he never said he did. Tony, seething, lays it out about as plainly as is possible: Gigi's the Captain. Gigi gave the order. Tony okayed it. That's the end of it. Johnny is quick to assure Tony that obviously it is his call to make, a comment that again can't help but remind him of the way Johnny - at Tony's instruction - handled Junior back in season one. It looks like everybody has got the message though and they are prepared to go back to enjoying their meal... until Ralphie starts laughing and asks what an old man is gonna do, gum Mustang Sally to death? Tony can't believe he's still loving talking about this after what he just said, and Ralphie actually for once drops his smile, but more because he seems upset that Tony didn't get the joke. Instead, Ralphie says they should send HIM to get Sally, promising he'll take him apart at the joints... while he's still conscious. Tony doesn't respond and Gigi just stares, both enraged at Ralphie for not knowing his place. To be fair though, as much of an rear end in a top hat as Ralphie is, it is difficult not to think it would make more sense for him to do the job over Old Man Bacala.   At Fountains of Wayne's end of season sale, Tony walks through the outdoor lot past water fixtures, looking for a pipe to replace one for his birdbath. He misses one salesman, but as he looks about for another he's surprised to see... Office Leon Wilmore? Dressed as sales staff, he's just finished helping another customer as Tony approaches with a grin, asking if he's on stakeout? Leon, in no mood, asks what he wants and Tony shows him his pipe, asking if Leon needs to check the birdbath is up to code before he'll sell. Tony. was. speeding. Leon takes the pipe and goes to check their inventory on the computer, while Tony continues to try making jokes, asking if he's going to write up a nude statue for indecent exposure. Leon, unamused, tells him he no longer has a ticketbook since Tony's friend the Assemblyman had him transferred to the Property Room, meaning he lost the right to overtime and now needs to work this second job to make ends meet. As Tony considers this, somewhat surprised to learn the punishment for the officer DOING HIS loving JOB was so severe, Leon's manager pops by and tells him to take his break at 2. Tony's concerns, of course, are based on how things affect HIM and he doesn't like the idea that he is getting the blame for Leon being screwed over so badly. So he explains that he didn't tell Zellman to do any of that (Zellman's relationship with Tony is apparently a completely open secret), and Leon just stares a hole through him and sarcastically notes how "kind" that is of Tony before informing him they're out of stock on the piping he is after. Tony returns home, working out in the garden when Carmela calls him in to take a phone-call. He's a little put out to learn she's going out and will be back "when I'm done", in spite of the fact that he constantly goes out without explanation and returns whenever he feels like it. It's Zellman on the phone, answering his page, and Tony says he wanted to talk about the cop, did Zellman really get him busted off the street? Zellman is surprised, isn't that what Tony wanted? Tony admits that it was kind of what he wanted, but he didn't expect it to be that harsh. Zellman assures him though, he spoke to his Unit Commander and nobody likes him, he's depressed and has mental problems. That, of course, only makes Tony think of himself, the only filter through which he's able to feel any sympathy for anybody outside of his direct family and friends. Meanwhile Bobby Sr is back at work, driving to where Mustang Sally has told him he is in hiding, a surprisingly upmarket suburban home in Staten Island with a tastefully decorated interior. Sally and his friend Carlos are watching Sally Jessy Raphael inside, while Bobby Sr is depressed to see he'll have to head up some stairs to get inside the house. He knocks at the door and Sally lets him in, hugging his "Uncle Bobby" who is pissed to see MORE stairs leading up to the lounge. He sucks on his inhaler again, noticing that Carlos is smoking and advising him to give them up now while he is still young. Carlos, face to face with the end result of a lifetime of smoking, shrugs that you have to die of something, but Sally shows uncharacteristic empathy by telling him to go outside and keep the smoke out of his "Uncle's" face. Left alone, Sally explains that Carlos is loving the lady who owns the house, which explains how he's been able to keep off the mob's radar. He invites Bobby Sr to sit at the kitchen table, where he tells Sally that he's incredibly lucky that he called him when he did, because the intention was absolutely to kill him for what he did to Bryan, but he was able to talk them out of it. Sally is hugely relieved, even cracking a joke about yelling FORE! the next time he attacks somebody with a golf club, but to his credit immediately apologizes when he sees the look on Bobby Sr's face. Bobby Sr for his part plays it perfectly, he doesn't act like Sally's friend or pretend he's disinterested in Bryan's situation. He's stern, warns Sally how stupid what he did was, reminds him of the potential consequences and criticizes him for doing this all over some "puttana". All of it feels very real, and so when Bobby Sr tells a relieved Sally to get him some water to help with his cough, he doesn't suspect a thing as he turns his back and walks to the sink. Quietly, Old Man Bacala takes out his gun and approaches Sally from behind, agreeing that it might be a good idea to go visit Bryan in the hospital. Sally considers this, maybe he should send some flowers instead? As he considers, Bobby Sr gets close, gun drawn, leaving no room for error as he prepares to fire... and Carlos walks into the room and blurts out,"WHAT THE gently caress!?!", causing Sally to turn and the bullet to blast off the lobe of one ear before Bobby Sr turns and shoots Carlos in the chest. Sally, injured but very much alive, smashes into Bobby Sr and knocks him back onto the table, struggling to hold him down and get at his own gun, the blood on his hand from where he grabbed his ear loving with his grip. Wheezing and rasping, Bobby Sr still has his gun and is able to grab a thick handful of Sally's greasy hair and turn his head as he forces his arm up and fires, blowing Sally's brains out and completing his "mission". Lying on the table, struggling for breath, Old Man Bacala rolls Sally's body off of him and shoots it again just to be certain, then turns the gun on Carlos, his adrenaline pumping and a smile over his bloody face as he asks if Carlos has any more smart remarks about having to die sometime. Carlos, grabbing a chair for a shield, tearfully begs "Mr. Bacala" not to shoot him again, and Bobby Sr gleefully shoots him and adds a second corpse to his prodigious tally. Raspily laughing, he collapses into the seat and grabs Carlos' cigarettes, lighting one up and with tremendous pleasure sucking the smoke deep into his lungs. He can't stop coughing, but the familiar pleasure is there as well and he waves his arms in satisfaction. It may not have been the cleanest job, in fact it was a giant mess, but he succeeded in doing exactly what he was tasked to do: kill Mustang Sally. Getting clear of the bloody mess of the house, he is still bloody himself as he drives down the highway listening to music on the radio and smoking, feeling more alive than he has in years as police cars drive by in the other direction, summoned by the sound of gunshots. His coughing causes him to give up the cigarette, tossing it out the window and grabbing at his pocket for his inhaler. But it slips from his bloody hand, and as he tries to grab at it, weaving through the lanes, his coughing becomes more extreme, his attempts at breathing more labored. He collapses onto the steering wheel, his car smashing into a pole for a billboard which crashes down in front of the car. Cars come to a stop and drivers get out to stare in horror at the crash, no idea that the bloody mess inside is a murderer who just killed two men because he was feeling old and useless.   On a tangent, Burt Young was sensational in this episode. A devastated Bobby sits on Junior's couch, in shock after having driven to Staten Island to identify the body. Junior himself is shocked, more because Bobby Sr died not in the course of killing Sally but in an accident after having successfully pulled off the assassination. Bobby and Junior talk past each other, Bobby trying to get the image of his father's corpse out of his head, Junior ranting about Tony for "forcing" Bobby Sr to do the hit. Junior seems singularly obsessed with Bobby Sr's cause of death: was it the accident or was it the cancer that killed him? How advanced was the metastasis? Bobby, sobbing, collects himself enough to ask Junior with all due respect what difference the details make and why does he care so much? Catching himself, Junior agrees that it doesn't matter, finally offering some sympathies Bobby's way - his father was a good man and a good friend. Bobby accepts that gracefully, but seconds later Junior flies into a rage, screaming obscenities and smashing lamps and tearing paintings off the wall. Bobby is shocked, and Junior suddenly comes to his senses and rushes out of the room, leaving a confused Bobby behind. At Vesuvio's, Artie fumes as he watches a dressed down Charmaine doing paperwork and seemingly not responding to a couple of departing customers when they say goodnight. She heads to the bar to grab a drink as Artie approaches to complain about her not doing a good hostessing job, especially upset that she's wearing glasses tonight. She comments he's had a hair on his rear end all week, causing one of the guys sitting at the bar to laugh appreciatively, and Artie follows her back to the hostess lectern to continue to harangue her. Amused, she asks if he's still upset about her not letting him go into business with Tony, and she's surprised when he slaps the counter and warns her she doesn't tell him to do anything... and he IS going into business with Tony! Not sure how to take this proclamation, she warns him not to choose Tony over her, and he mocks her, asking what she is going to do, divorce him? "Is that what you want?" she asks, clearly upset, and when he pretends to be unconcerned she starts to fall apart, barely holding herself together as she tells him the marriage is over. Now he's startled, but again his pride forces him to push on and he grunts that it's about loving time. Anguished, she tells him she isn't joking and that there is no way he is getting the kids, and storms off. Artie is left behind, still pretending indifference, but aware that the entire restaurant is looking at him and he's just made a colossal loving mistake in his attempt to be a big man.  Junior meets Tony at his doctor's office, joined by AJ. Tony has brought a bag of the sweetcorn from his garden, he seemingly considers this more of a social visit than anything "work" related. Junior makes it clear though this is something else, asking AJ politely if he could please wait outside. Once AJ is gone, Tony moves to the scale and complains he doesn't want to hear any bitching about Old Man Bacala, but what Junior says next gets his full attention. Junior Soprano has cancer. He was finding blood in his stool and had his first test just before Livia's funeral, and suddenly all his odd behavior and weird fixations of the last few episodes gain a new context. It's in his stomach, and Tony can only stare before pulling him tight for a hug. All thoughts of leadership coups, of undermining, of Old Man Bacala, even of the attempted assassination, they're all gone. Tony is simply a guy concerned for his beloved Uncle, wanting to know how bad it is, worried about the fact he's soon to go in for surgery. Junior warns him this must stay between the two of them, and Tony quickly agrees before assuring him they'll get the best help money can buy. Junior is amused by that: Jackie Aprile died of cancer; Febby died of cancer; Old Man Bacala had it... but Tony thinks they can get Junior help? These things come in threes, for the superstitious Junior there is no getting around that "fact". But that line gets Tony's mind moving again, as he slowly comes to a realization: Junior didn't want Bobby Sr doing the hit because he wanted to be sure he died of cancer and took Junior's "place" in the rule of three. Junior doesn't disagree and Tony is disgusted, but Junior doesn't seem put out by this judgement, just reminding him again not to tell anybody about this: if people know he's sick they'll treat him differently, like a non-entity. Tony agrees again, he'll keep it just between the two of them. So of course the very first thing he does is call Janice and tell her! They sit on the couch, wine drunk as they consider the deaths of those around them: it wasn't that long ago that Johnny Boy died of emphysema, Livia died recently and now Uncle Junior has cancer. "Another toothpick," Janice unconsciously remarks again, irritating Tony who can't believe she'd say that about their uncle. She's surprised herself, explaining that it's a line she picked up from Livia, who used to always say that about the sick. Tony belatedly remembers, it was something he hadn't thought about, and that dredges up another old memory for Janice: she said it about her own brother Mickey when he got sick and died of liver cancer. Tony chuckles over the memory of what he can consider an eccentricity now his mother is dead, and they discuss their feelings on the way the "old-timers" suppressed their emotions in the face of horrors. Janice believes it is about the illusion of control, saying horrible poo poo in a rough time to show God that they don't feel alarmed or untethered in the chaos of the world. Tony agrees, it's like they're trying to ward off evil, and Janice reminds her that this is why Livia hated compliments, both giving or recieving. They sit in silence for a moment, but then Janice begins talking about her relationship with God and Tony's interest disappears: he was enjoying this time with Janice but it's over now if she wants to go on about her latest fad. He sits up and takes a deep breath, trying to center himself to get up in spite of the wine's effects. But he's slowed down when Janice suddenly asks him whatever happened to Pussy, and after a pause he offers her "witness protection" as an answer, something he must know she'll understand the double-meaning of since that is where everybody believes Richie Aprile to be. It seems she understands all too well, as she asks Tony if he'd like to pray with her. That is enough for Tony, and he carefully walks away as steadily as he can.   On another day, Meadow heads down into the basement with her laundry, having made one of her frequent visits home. Singing The Corrs as she loads the washing machine, all overheard by the lamp on the nearby bench transmitting to the FBI in their surveillance van. Inside that van, they listen bored to a conversation between Carmela and Meadow about her bike being stolen two weeks earlier from on Campus. Tony arrives on the scene, overhearing what is said and outraged to learn the bike was stolen and demanding to know if she locked it up. Meadow, still angry with Tony over Noah, grunts that they used boltcutters, and is resigned to Tony's reaction when Carmela says one of the college kids saw a black guy from the neighborhood stealing it. Tony is thrilled, a black kid? He believes this is total exoneration of the way he treated Noah, unable to let it go despite Carmela's warnings, saying it isn't his fault you're twice as likely to be robbed by "a black". Meadow is livid, his language alone is incredibly racist but his use of stats is also woefully out of place, as she notes crime is an economic issue and not a racist one. As they argue back and forth, the FBI agents listen in complete confusion... why the gently caress is this conversation happening in the basement? Which is when they realize it isn't, the lamp is off the mains power and on the battery backup... the lamp has been moved! The Sopranos, as we've seen all along through the scene, are in the kitchen. Tony roars at her that she needs to stay with her own people and she's heard enough, grabbing her things to go. Carmela notices she has the lamp from the basement and asks where she is taking it, and Meadow complains the one in her dorm gives her a headache so she is taking this one. With that she storms out the door and takes the FBI's extremely carefully placed, expensive microphone out of the building and voids the sneak and peek warrant they're unlikely to be able to get repeated - all the events of Mr. Ruggerio's Neighborhood have effectively been negated, the best they managed was Tony and Chris having a minor argument of "Little Lord Fuckpants". As they groan in their van, Tony is in the kitchen realizing as always too late that he took things too far. Not wanting to admit his mistake, he snaps at Carmela that now SHE will have something to talk poo poo about HIM in their next therapy session. Carmela has no interest in a further argument though and just walks out. That evening, Artie Buco takes Adriana La Cerva out to dinner as a proper goodbye to her, and she is blissfully unaware of any ulterior motive as she thrills to the nice restaurant and the bottle of wine he has ordered. They sip their wine and she notices he has an earring in his left ear, and he happily tells her he's had it for years but just doesn't wear it all the time. Oh Artie... please Artie no don't do this Artie. He asks her if she knows about the little run-in he had with Chris, and she waves that off as him just being jealous. Artie can't imagine why, they're just friends after all (Artie please no) and then reaches out and holds her hands (oh noooo) after she tells him she didn't tell Chris she was having dinner with him. He tells her how much he'll miss her, and she agrees she'll miss him... and Charmaine and the busboys, while gently extracting her hands from his for another sip of wine. He tells her that he and Charmaine are taking a break for awhile, assuring her it's for the best before bragging he is going to go into business with Tony... the sauce will be Satriale's but he's thinking of changing it to Vesuvio's. She's impressed, offering heartfelt congratulations, and rolls her eyes with amusement when he says there'll always be a spot on the staff for her if she decides not to get married. He asks if she is really sure she wants to get married (Artiieeeeeee) and when she says she is, he reaches out and takes her by the hands again. Now her slipping her hands out of his can't be seen as anything but a rejection, and nervously she asks where the lady's room is. He directs her, then sits at the table, a sad middle-aged bald man with an earring who just broke up with his "oval office" of a wife in some pathetic and doomed attempt to get with a woman half his age who has zero interest in him. I've rewatched this show multiple times and every single time I get to this scene I hope and pray that somehow Artie will somehow not make a complete fool of himself. Oh Artie.  A more successful dinner is going on between Tony, Johnny Sack and Ronald Zellman as they discuss the huge potential of the Esplanade renewal over cigars. Tony lays out his plan for divvying up the treasure, they'll use Tony's plumbing and electrical unions, while Johnny Sack gets all the steel and brickwork. Johnny is open, but wants to have a conversation about one particular union - Local 187 - later. Zellman tells them to come take a look at the scale model, which even has little model people, and Johnny laughs, asking if there are little model hookers giving little blowjobs too. They all laugh, and why not, there are millions to be made. Johnny excuses himself to use the bathroom, and Zellman takes the opportunity to update Tony about Leon Wilmore. He's bitched about the loss of his overtime and a black officer's squad is looking into his case. Zellman can use his influence to get it squashed, and Tony figures gently caress him, he got what he deserved for daring to do his job and then not showing gratitude to Tony for not SPECIFICALLY asking for his career to be ruined in the exact way it was. FBI Agent Harris makes the long walk to Cubitoso's office to inform him that the Tony Soprano wiretap has been.... neutralized. Cubitoso asks what that means, and that is going to be a hell of a conversation. At home, for once Junior seems content as he brings a hot drink and a grilled cheese to his favorite chair and settles down with a blanket on his lap to watch The Devil at 4 O'Clock. Except, this really isn't an appropriate way to be acting, as Bobby arrives in a suit wondering why he isn't wearing one himself... it's time to go to Bobby Sr's funeral! Junior, struggling to look around Bobby to see the movie, insists he can't go in spite of getting permission, saying he's not up to it. Bobby can't understand, this feels like a personal insult, he's here with his family waiting in the car to attend the funeral of his father and Junior just... isn't going? Junior, agitated at missing the movie, finally snaps that he can't go because he's sick, and then with practiced perfection he weaponizes his condition, having learned from the doctor's visit with Tony how effective those three little words are: I have cancer. Tony was upset, but Bobby is in despair, first his father and now this? What the gently caress is happening? He trudges out of the house to his car, while inside Junior is alone at last and settles in again to eat his grilled cheese and enjoy his Frank Sinatra movie. Tony returns to Fountains of Wayne, where he has picked out a large and expensive water feature for purchase. Leon tells him including tax and delivery it comes to $897.23, and Tony says he just wants to make sure it arrives in one piece and offers four $100 bills as a "tip". Leon, no fool, stares with cold contempt at the money and Tony's expectant face, then turns and walks away. Tony is left standing next to the garish and expensive fountain he just bought, having spent close to $1000 and having offered $400 more only to be left no closer to forcing Leon Wilmore to do his bidding or see him as anything other than somebody with no respect for the law. It would have cost him less to just pay the speeding ticket, and it could have all been avoided by simply not speeding at all. Carmela was right, even if she was wrong to blame Melfi, it's been three years and Tony is still his own worst enemy.   Season 3: Mr. Ruggerio's Neighborhood | Proshai, Livushka | Fortunate Son | Employee of the Month | Another Toothpick | University | Second Opinion | He Is Risen | The Telltale Moozadell | ...To Save Us All from Satan's Power | Pine Barrens | Amour Fou | Army of One Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3 | Season 4 | Season 5 | Season 6.1 | Season 6.2 Jerusalem fucked around with this message at 07:41 on Dec 12, 2019 |
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Jun 3, 2019 15:06
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Burt Young did knock it out of the park. Bobby Sr. was probably quite the terror in his day and it's always fascinating to me that he wound up producing Bobby Jr.
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Jun 3, 2019 15:14
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Jackie Aprile Jr and AJ are pretty good examples of how easily the sons of "tough guys" or respected leaders can turn out pretty far from their fathers. Jackie Jr had some potential as a low level guy probably but he was completely lacking in whatever smarts or strategic mindset that worked so well for his dad. AJ was just like his dad but was brought up in luxury and was soft, he didn't have the experiences (and, to be fair, the size) that Tony had to toughen him up. Bobby Sr was a "terminator" so everybody was probably terrified of him, so Bobby probably largely got left alone or handled with kid gloves by everybody around him, and that would have only increased once he hit puberty and became a giant. Also we shouldn't forget that while he's largely used for comedy purposes and treated as a bit of a clown, he's shown to have talent as a hunter/tracker and the few times we see him out and about on actual mob business he can be extremely intimidating: the way he calmly tells that guy on the jury about exactly how he would shoot him...........self would be pretty terrifying. He kicks Tony's rear end in a fight too, he could have been an absolute monster but you can tell it's really not who he is as a person. He's only in the mob because he was basically born into it and didn't really grasp he had other choices.
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Jun 3, 2019 15:26
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Jerusalem posted:Season 3, Episode 5 - Another Toothpick He really was, he comes in and immediately feels like an established person in the world of the show, and he sells the many facets of Bobby Sr.'s personality perfectly. And maddon', that cough is rough. Of course this is still his best performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZW0k735_9o
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Jun 3, 2019 15:41
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Jackie Jr just had no idea how things actually worked. His dad was away so he didnt actually live around the mob and he's suddenly trying to make moves in a world that he has no understanding of at all. He tries to imitate Tony's card game thing with no understanding of how times were different and no experience doing anything rough so ofc things go horribly wrong. Bobby didnt have a scrap of ambition or competitiveness in his body so he's smart enough to know what's going on usually, he just feels like someone watching it. (I always found bobby hilarious, what a great character)
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Jun 3, 2019 16:26
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Jerusalem posted:Bobby Sr was a "terminator" so everybody was probably terrified of him, so Bobby probably largely got left alone or handled with kid gloves by everybody around him, and that would have only increased once he hit puberty and became a giant. Also we shouldn't forget that while he's largely used for comedy purposes and treated as a bit of a clown, he's shown to have talent as a hunter/tracker and the few times we see him out and about on actual mob business he can be extremely intimidating: the way he calmly tells that guy on the jury about exactly how he would shoot him...........self would be pretty terrifying. He kicks Tony's rear end in a fight too, he could have been an absolute monster but you can tell it's really not who he is as a person. He's only in the mob because he was basically born into it and didn't really grasp he had other choices. They make the comment at one point (when Janice is trying to sell Junior on something about Bobby) that Bobby used to be a head waiter. I wonder what pushed him out of the straight job.
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Jun 3, 2019 17:20
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