Anyone else pick this up -
last week Tony was referring to AJ when he came down the steps singing "Comfortably Numb"
In the car with Christopher, guess what was on - Comfortably numb - actually 2 different versions it seemed like - the original and then a live version.
Knowing Chase and Sopranos history I could see the finale being titled "Comfortably Numb" where Tony just keeps on keepin' on.

Talk about ghosts from the past - great having Juliana Marguiles show up at the wake and tell Carmella she used to buy her meat at Satrialle's. Nice for Carmella to notice she was a very "beautiful looking woman."

Paulie still showing it's all about Paulie - holding a grudge against Christopher that people were at his wake instead of his mother's. He also has a great habit of inserting himself into the conversation anytime someone is in the hospital or recovering - he reminded everyone in Tony's room that he almost died due to Christopher's lead foot.

Tony revealing to Melfi (in a dream) that he had killed friends - Big P - and family - Tony Blundetto, and was relieved to see Christopher go. Tony thought (like most of us watching) that Christopher was one phone call away from throwing Tony and the whole crew into the clink.

Great episode - I think Phil gets his next week.

Greatest episode of the season, and no one is talking about it.

^
i think some of us are still in shock.

^
Exactly. I'm actually going to rewatch it.

My first thoughts when Tony did it to Christopher was more out of sympathy for him, he didn't expect him to live and was putting him out of his misery.

My least favorite part of the whole show has been the drugs, specifically with Christopher. I'm not saying it should not be a part of the story, just always makes me uncomfortable.

I am up in the air about what AJ is going to do. He currently sees things that make him sick, but that could easily change the more he is around it.

Sil really has had a small part in this 6b series. He seems to be the only one Tony trusts, but has not been more than a minor character.

I don't think the show is going to have a Godfather like ending, rather it will be Tony lonely in some way.

Last night's episode was somewhat off-balance, and that the first half was rather brilliant. But, despite the abrupt mid-episode shift, I think Tony's Vegas trips (which reminded me quite a bit of the peyote scenes from The Doors) were in keeping with the change-and-rediscovery storyline the writers have set out for him after last season's shooting. "I always wanted to try that," he says of the drug, and he does.

People have been complaining of odd changes in Tony's character (the discovery of the gambling problem, etc.), but since his extended hallucination in the wake of the shooting, he's changed. Right now, though, even he isn't sure what, exactly, he's changed into, and that uncertainty is resulting in erratic, experimental behavior like we saw last night.

as far as Christopher's exit....Chase has always been huge on foreshadowing. sometimes we cant recognize it...but in Chris' case we really shoulda seen it coming first with the bird dying at his 'getting made' ceremony a few years ago, and then tony's constant fear that Chris would flip if put in a drug pinch.

three other things....Chase might be trying to put Tony in a light that as the series ends finally makes him completely unlikeable. for most of us, we see Tony and have some sympathy for him and we often root for him especially in his conflicts with NY and such. television ratings show that people dont watch shows with unlikeable characters so he always had to keep Tony likeable at least a little bit. now the show is ending, and maybe he doesnt need to and can show the real and true Tony Soprano. i'm not saying this is true, but its something to think about maybe.

secondly...put yourself in Tony's shoes. obvously none of us know what its like to be head of a crime family and its hard to imagine....but if you were in Tony's place last night after the wreck..what would you do?? if you look at all this like a business (which mobsters do), then NOT KILLING Christopher woulda been careless on Tony's part. from Tony's perspective, Chris was abot to flip. even from the viewers perspective he was possibly on his way to flipping. Tony couldnt chance it. i hated Tony last night for doing what he did, but now....i understand it. it had to be done.

third....who exactly now is 2nd in command in the DeMiteo Crime Family? i mean it was up in the air before, but there really is no clear #2 if Tony goes away or gets whacked. I mean Sil is obviously his most trusted advisor and confidant...but consiglieres are usually not the next in line as they are kept in their strength position of consigliere. so if its not Sil..who is it?? crazy Paulie Walnuts?? year right. Bobby? I dont think he has it in him. (but then again, if we are to believe Chase loves the foreshadowing...maybe the incident at the Lake is the foreshadowing for Bobby taking over). I guess that really does leave us with Sil. i'm hoping that issue is addressed in the last couple of episodes.

Meadow

I'm telling you.

Meadow

stupid

Orlando,
In Meadow's statement, she mentioned that the airbag caused injury because Chris was not wearing a seat belt. The airbag crushed his chest/broke ribs.

Nothing will come back to Tony.

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who exactly now is 2nd in command in the DeMiteo Crime Family?

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I think it has been Bobby every since the first episode of 6b. Bobby and Tony (with Sil)having been discussing some multi-million dollar pursuit than Chris never knew anything about. The audience is even kept in the dark about it.

The only other family members consistently shown every episode are Carlo, Patsy, and Benny. Carlo is not a below average earner and the other two are not boss material. Sil had his moment in episode 2 of 6A and could not handle the pressure.

Christopher was nowhere near #2 all season. He was always a liability to fall off the wagon and had seemed disinterested in daily matters (at least to the rest of the crew). In prior years he seemed to have a drive to rise through the ranks and we had seen zero evidence of that in recent times.

Vegas seemed to be somewhat symbolic of hell. He did a very despicable act and proceeded to travel to a very hot place full of temptation. The bright light in the bathroom seemed reminiscent of "the light" a person might see when dying. They also focused on the happy devil image on the slot machine. The "blinking sun" at the end also seemed to reference back to the light beacon in "Koin the Club" and "Mayham", which he saw when in his comatose dream (or purgatory depending on how you looked at it).

quote:

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Orlando,
In Meadow's statement, she mentioned that the airbag caused injury because Chris was not wearing a seat belt. The airbag crushed his chest/broke ribs.

Nothing will come back to Tony.

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yeah, thats what I'm saying....i dont think the airbag went off. maybe i'll have to rewatch.

just rewatched, airbags went off. You can see it deflated and how else did Tony get the burns on his face??

[This message has been edited by Rudyjax (edited 5/14/2007 8:17p).]

Anyone notice what Carmello was looking at online when Tony called? Property in Florida.

Yeah, I saw that. Would like to see her sell him out, but I think it will be a pretty mellow ending, at least vs what people are thinking it will be.

quote:

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Chase might be trying to put Tony in a light that as the series ends finally makes him completely unlikeable. for most of us, we see Tony and have some sympathy for him and we often root for him especially in his conflicts with NY and such. television ratings show that people dont watch shows with unlikeable characters so he always had to keep Tony likeable at least a little bit. now the show is ending, and maybe he doesnt need to and can show the real and true Tony Soprano. i'm not saying this is true, but its something to think about maybe.

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I thought about this point and I think you are absolutely right. By showing a despicable, unlikeable Tony we are losing any sort of sympathy for him as each week progresses. By the end, we may feel justified if Tony does meet unfortunate fate (though I still think it will not end with a bang).

Each week has chipped away at Tony's armor of likability.
- "Soprano Home Movies" we watched as he forced Bobby to murder somebody for the first time
- "Remember When" we saw Tony tease and almost murder Paulie, a character the audience likes.
- "Chasing It", we see Tony get buried with gambling debts, which shows great hypocrisy. He treated Hesh, another likable character, like dirt.
- "Walk Like a Man", He gets AJ involved in the "other family" (something he previously wanted AJ to stay away from) and he ostracized Chris from the family, inadvertently forcing Chris into substance abuse again.

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and almost murder Paulie, a character the audience likes

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Woooooah....not so fast.

Paulie is the most annoying character ever.

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The bright light in the bathroom seemed reminiscent of "the light" a person might see when dying.

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LOL Some of you are looking far too deep into this.

It was the f'in peyote man!

He was stoned...EMACULATE!

I don't think that the series will end with Tony becoming "completely unlikeable" as some are saying. David Chase has said in recent interviews that he did NOT want to end the show by sending a message that 'crime doesn't pay'. Too simplistic.

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obvously none of us know what its like to be head of a crime family and its hard to imagine....

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Speak for yourself.

http://mattzollerseitz.blogspot.com/2007/05/sopranos-mondays-season-six-ep-18-heidi.html

This article has a pretty interesting perspective on the episode and the series as a whole.

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The most significant scene in the entire run of The Sopranos occurred in last night's episode, "Kennedy and Heidi." It wasn't the bloody car wreck or its disturbing aftermath. It wasn't Tony's trip (in any sense of the word "trip" ). It wasn't either of Tony's two therapy scenes, and it wasn't any of the scenes of mourning (or not mourning). It wasn't even a scene really. It was a five-second cutaway to the two title characters, Heidi and Kennedy -- the teenage girls in the car Chris Moltisanti swerved to avoid.

"Maybe we should go back, Heidi," says Kennedy.
Heidi's reply: "Kennedy, I'm on my learner's permit after dark."

That cutaway to the girls in the car made Chase's central, recurring point more bluntly than six season's worth of beatdowns, strangulations and shootings, because the girls seemed so "ordinary" -- just a couple of students driving on the highway late at night, maybe thinking that when they got back home they might sneak a couple of glasses of wine and watch some TV (Six Feet Under, maybe). The difference between Heidi and Kennedy and Tony and Christopher is one of degree, not kind. The young women had a chance to do the right thing but didn't. The exact reason for their decision not to help -- by driving back to the scene or calling the cops -- doesn't matter in the end. What's important -- for Chase's purposes -- is that they were presented with a moral test and they not only failed it, they didn't seem terribly aware that it was a test. Tony Soprano and Christopher Moltisanti have failed too many moral tests to count.

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[This message has been edited by 20ag07 (edited 5/15/2007 12:52p).]

Best recap there is:http://blog.nj.com/alltv/2007/05/sopranos_rewind_kennedy_and_he.html

people read way too much into every little detail. discussing the Pompei slot machine (final days), or staying at Caesar's Palace (fall of the roman empire). PUH LEASE!

Not everything is a freakin' metaphor.

Sometimes a banana is just a banana.

thats what I'm sayin!

Yeah but this is a show that is known for it's metaphors and symbolism. David Chase and Co. tend to be pretty deliberate in what ends up on camera. Rarely is something shown by accident.

I will agree sometimes it may go overboard trying to analyze everything but that's part of the fun with Sopranos. It is a show that challenges viewers and that's part of the reason it is so great. Maybe we just need a good dream sequence to satisfy everybody looking too in depthly.

anyone who thinks the heidi and kennedy 5-second cutaway was the most significant of the series must be taking stronger peyote buttons than tony

[This message has been edited by golferag2003 (edited 5/16/2007 9:23a).]

Huge difference between "best" and "most significant".

How's this for symbolism -
When Christopher's wife, Kelly gets the call, the TV is showing Paul Shaffer during one of his uncontrollable laughs - AHHHAAAHAAAAAAA! He is shown right over her shoulder. It could've been on just to show what time it was, but after seeing the credits, Chase & Co. got permission from The Late Show, I believe it was to show what Tony felt - laughing at Christopher's widow now that he was dead.

And oh by the way, Christopher (Michael Imperioli) is on Dave tonight!

i was wondering who heide and kennedy were.

i think chase loves anything kennedy. remember the episode with JR. and Dr. Kennedy?? that was hilarious.

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people read way too much into every little detail. discussing the Pompei slot machine (final days), or staying at Caesar's Palace (fall of the roman empire). PUH LEASE!

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I agree - the Hedi and Kennedy thing was nothing more than a convenient way to make sure there were no civilians hanging around the scene of the wreck/crime.

I imagine David Chase reading all of these analyses/metaphors on the internet after one of his shows and thinking "wow, I'm more of a genius than I thought! Paul Schaefer laughing in the background as a metaphor for Tony? Umm, sure! That's what I meant to do!".

Do you think anything will come of this terrorist exploit or is Tony just giving the feds the run around?? Do you think Tony could possibly get wacked by the terrorist per say??

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And oh by the way, Christopher (Michael Imperioli) is on Dave tonight!

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Anybody have a link to that? I get a server error on Dave's website.

here are some Soprano Tribute YOUTUBES.

starting with one themed by "Pax Soprano" which is my absolute favorite episode cause the ending is just so badas*. (where junior is being honored as new boss and the FBI agents are posing as waiters taking pictures)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzLXvGXm6GQ

a Soprano recap:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tz_Ees_-kE4&mode=related&search=

a MadTV Spoof:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Fg0Q3L6knc&mode=related&search=

Looks to be a good one this week...

Falco, Bracco, Iler and Sigler are all submitting the next episode as their Emmy tape. We should get some pretty heavy stuff from Carmella and Melfi this week, which is good because both have been marginalized this season. Also we may see Meadow for more than 2 lines this week if she's submitting it, and AJ must have a pretty heavy part too if he is submitting this instead of his big showcase from 2 weeks ago.