The Sopranos

It's confusing but I think there are two or three more episodes.

Hey, you bloodthirsy people , we can't have a whacking every time! They were picking up a lot of loose plot lines and I did like Tony's dream sequences -- very Ingmar Bergman. How long do you think he can stay away from the shrink? (Tony, not Ingmar). I think they've lit a fuse that is going to explode in the final two episodes.

I thought the episode of Ralphie's whacking was the best one in a long line of excellent episodes.

I was fascinated by the classical literary allusions; specifically, the picture of Tony carrying the tarpaulin and chains (to dispose of Ralphie's corpse) reminded me of Marley's Ghost in "A Chritstmas Carol". Carrying his earthly sins.

And when the bowling ball went thump, thump, thump down the stairs I instantly thought of Poe's "Telltale Heart".

In a USAToday online chat Joey Pants said that his contract with David Chase was for two years, thus Ralph was expendable.

I think Tony's in trouble from several angles: Chris has a secret, Paulie is disgruntled, New York (Carmine and Johnny Sac) are aggravated, Silvio isn't happy, Ralphie's crew suspects, Patsy has always been resentful, Furio could have to kill the man to have his wife, etc., etc. A couple of these elements could combine for a conspiracy to hit the boss.

But nothing like that would happen before next season, the last season.

Welcome PDiddie!

You got it! They are setting it up for some real fireworks. I did laugh at the disposing of Ralphy sequence -- not just allusions to literature but an homage to horror films. Like they were packing Ralphy away to perhaps reassemble him later into a Mafia Frankenstein monster.

I know, it would be easy to make a monster out of a monster.

I don't need blood and guts to be happy, but usually they're funny as hell with their one liners. I just need a little something to keep me interested.

So, how 'bout Paulie and the old woman? Now that there's a curveball, kiddies. Not the sharpest tool in the shed, old Paulie. He may be too funny to die right now...

Paulie IS too lovable (?!) a character to get killed off just yet.

Tony seems oblivious to the strife all around him.

Johnny Sac seems to be playing everybody: Paulie, Carmine, Tony.

There was nearly no mention or reference to the vanished Ralph Cifaretto--interesting how they get quickly over things like missing persons in Mobland.

And Meadow suspects her mom's having an affair that she isn't having (but wishes that she was).

I'd like to know what is up with Adriana and the Feds.

I had a feel about what exactly took place with Furio (the bit with the helicopter blades and Tony gave it away). Speaking of something hitting the fan, next week is the last show of the season and that fuse is getting shorter and shorter. It could upstage an attack on Iraq! Johnny Sac -- I wouldn't trust him (honor among thieves, yea, right!) If the Adriana and the Feds storyline is on hold until next season, it wouldn't surprise me -- with Christopher in rehab, she's not much use to them. Anyway, I'm going to be on the proverbial pins and needles until Sunday!

(Paulie is real lovable? What's your definition of lovable? Slimeball with charm?)

In Paulie's case he's funny because he's such a stooge.

I mean, how do you think Tony's going to react when he pays Paulie a visit and sees that doctored version of himself as Napoleon above Paulie's fireplace? How stupid do you have to be to do something like that?

And remember the episode a season or two back with the clairvoyant? Paulie promptly goes to his priest and threatens to cut off his contributions to the parish if he can't get God to start running interference between him and the ghosts of the thugs he's killed. Hilarious.

You just gotta love someone that stupid....right?

I was pretty sure what you meant -- he really made me laugh when he was sitting in the chair studying the painting and I mentioned before about just what the hell he thinks he's going to do if Tony happens by. They all have their own turn at comic relief -- Tony when he got up with the terrible hangover (and after nearly being offed by some helicopter blades), stumbles into the kitchen where Carmela serves him coffee which he looks at in disgust and retires back to the bedroom.

Everyone ready for the 75 min. season finale? Any guesses?
Will Tony get shot? Will Uncle Junior go to prison? Who will get whacked?

It's official -- next season (March 2003) is the last.

GW: What have you heard regarding the feature film that was supposed to come out in conjunction with the last season?

Is it still on?

From what I've heard on the grapevine is that the film is slated for 2004. However, there's been conflicting rumours and I think they are trying to keep a lid on it.

Here's a pretty good take from HBO's cousin CNN about tonight's finale:

http://www.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/12/06/sproject.ca02.sopranos.finale/index.html

*Whew* that was draining...

Unfortunately I kept flashing back to the disintegration of my own parents' marriage during Tony and Carmela's argument.

That was a bit too emotionally confronting. Especially watching Meadow and AJ having their own upset about it.

"Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?"

The season finale left me panting for more. I did not see the separation coming. I figured Carmela would put up with anything. Very intense.

And of course Dean Martin blasting the smart-ass lawyer. You can always count on them coming up with fodder for a good laugh.

Oh, I wish the season could continue!

I loved the parallel that was drawn between Tony's family (Carmela & the kids) and Tony's family (the mob family). In both cases, he said that he wanted to do what was right.

I was glad that the show touched briefly on many of the little sub-plots that had been left dangling.

Because Meadow was living at home again, and everyone was wearing shorts, I sensed that it was summertime. A few episodes ago, Meadow was living in an apartment and leaving on a ski trip.

The end of the show, when Tony left, reminded me of an old Ibsen play "A Dolls House", which ends with "the door slam heard around the world".

I will be anxiously awaiting the next season!

The acting made that one of the most excruciatingly uncomfortable human confrontations I've seen on TV in years -- and when Carmela decided to verbally stab Tony back with her fantasy about Furio, what was she thinking? Is she that so unaware of the mentality to whack someone like Furio (who barely backed away from killing Tony in the last episode) for what he could perceive as a pass. Somehow Tony has some inscrutable saving graces, like I don't think he would kill Furio for that. But then I never thought Carmela would do what she did -- then again, when it's done in your own house, that, I guess, draws the line. The other confrontation that was dynamite this season was on "Six Feet Under." Anyone who watches that show will know what I mean because there were three of them in a row!

I'm late getting to this thread. Would you believe some idiot just started a simular thread in film?
...While many people seemed disapointed in the season, calling it boring. I looked it as peope evolving. A good example was the way Tony handled the lawyer that wanted to keep his 200G deposit. A couple of years ago he might have been whacked, or injured. I loved that line, " You must think I'm a thug". I was just as riveted as ever this season, I love the subleties. Does anyone besides me think that the person most loyal to Tony is the Steven Van Zandt character? I also think the nurse could be a real friend.