Spencer: One thing I'm loving this season is how the writers have taken the usual Sopranos "short story" approach and melded it with a sense of forward movement in the show. In the past, the show has embraced the "one-off" episodes to attack different topics - the rape in "Employee of the Month", Italian/Native American heritage in "Christopher", etc. and while those episodes are often good (or great in the case of "Employee" and "Pine Barrens"), they've always felt isolated from the central narrative.
This season has been full of similarly themed departures from what people expect from the show, with "Home Movies" being the obvious example, but last week's Johnny Sack (sp?) story line, this week's Junior story-line, and even Tony's trip with Paulie being other good examples. Yet even as these stories have played out in a bubble, like Sopranos side-trips of old, I think they have done a better job of integrating with our understanding of these characters, and even coming close to actual plot developments. I don't think we learned a lot about Syl or Artie from their participation in "Christopher", but "Home Movies" and this week's Tony/Paulie story lines did enhance our understanding of these characters, and further, actually seemed to imply future consequences. To me, this is the Sopranos perhaps what it should have been doing all along; it gets to examine its "topics/themes" - this week we'll call it mentor relationships gone bad - with all the symbolism and story parallels the show usually enjoys, while actually fitting in with the show's story A development. This is something that "The Wire" has done for years - with Simon's show largely a novel while Chase's has always seemed more like short stories. This year (thus far), for the first time, "The Sopranos" feels to me more like a novel.
I mentioned to you previously that I thought the show really been repeating itself, and I found this episode to be no exception. Once again, we have a road trip as a means of exploring a relationship with Tony, something that we've seen from Season 1's "College" to just last year's "The Ride". That little device is getting a bit tired. Similarly, the NY power struggle is about as dull a mob plot line as we've seen so far and I'm inclined to think that the writers agree with me, given how little screen time they've devoted to it; it seems to exist in the show purely as an excuse for violence and to provide the threat of violence against our main characters as the show comes to an end.
This show also highlighted something that has often bothered me about "The Sopranos", which is a frequent use of what I call the "When I was a kid" device. It's that feeling you get in a movie when two characters are talking, and one starts "when I was a kid" or "I had this dream", and you sort of start to fumble around in your seat for a bit as you prepare yourself for the soliloquy that will undoubtedly reveal a side of this character we've never seen before. I've always found these types of speeches largely self-indulgent and lazy, and fall into the classic "show don't tell" problem, in which we learn about character (or develop symbolism) through someone essentially telling us, rather than the show/movie showing us.
The Sopranos has often used the device for those purposes exactly, and I actually almost applauded when Tony says "Remember when is the lowest form of conversation". I agree - it's also one of the lowest forms of storytelling.
Kate: Much like a teacher grading a paper, you remembered to start off with the positive- very nice. Just a question: are you going to compare The Sopranos to The Wire in every post? (A little trash talk to start this off…)
After Sunday night at 9 (some of us watch live Mr. Wong) my first reaction was disappointment- and although it has grown on me a little with time- I still feel like it was a step down from the previous two episodes of this season. It too reminded me a lot of the “The Ride” from season 6A but more because of all this false build up (and I think had a very similar tag line about how “SOME SECRETS CAN’T STAY BURIED!” on the promo), that (so far) hasn’t gone anywhere. I didn’t believe Paulie was going to be killed on that boat- despite the shot of the hammer (hatchet?), the bloody knife, and the ridiculous flashback to Big Pusssy getting shot and rolled off into the deep blue sea (which was completely unnecessary and below the writers usual respect for the audience’s intelligence)- why now? I know Paulie is a blabber mouth and represents Tony’s third choice of ‘how’s this thing (of ours) going to end’? (Jail, Death, or alone, ludicrous and old time mobster like Paulie*) But still- if Paulie was going to be killed I think it would have been 4th season when he was ratting to Johnny Sack.
I strongly disagree with your dig about how “remember when” (which was a great line by the way- biting and classic) is how the Sopranos is telling their stories. The past is vital to the Mafia’s way of living and surviving in this modern world. Without tales of soldiers and the good old times (of Johnny Boy and Paulie for example) to keep these men going, what would (which makes you wonder why Tony now despises these tales so? Does he not want ‘to go on” anymore)? Also- to go back to a thing you said to me earlier- isn’t the whole idea of the Mafia something of the past? Can it really effectively exist any longer?
I understand what you’re saying about squirming in your seat when those monologues come up, but I’m pretty confident that The Sopranos is aware of it’s repetition.
But just when you thought I was going to be all kissing up to the Sopranos I have to mention, what I like to call the “Please Kill Junior” storyline. I have the same problem with this storyline as I do with Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers- why make a story that ends the same as it starts? (and btw this isn’t an invitation to discuss LOTR…but maybe someday) We haven’t spent much time (or any? Forgive me I can’t remember) with Junior this season but the last we saw of him he was an old formally strong man, who was pretty pathetically losing his mind. Why did we need a storyline getting us to that exact same point? Perhaps it was like a “The Awakenings” or “Flowers for Algernon” deal where we were supposed to hope that Junior would escape with Uncle Pat and beat up professors on a regular basis again. Sadly, the Junior we know at the end of this episode is old, sad, and sitting alone in a wheelchair with a cat- which is exactly how I was picturing him while Bobby was beating up Tony and Phil was pontificating about his lame name change in his shrine-to-his-brother bar.
I thought Ken Leung was fantastic and the scene where Junior brings him the Hootie and the Blowfish cds heartbreaking (and kind of made me want to listen to Hootie and the Blowfish). I’m not mentioning the fact the Ken Leung beats the old codger up because I saw that coming from the first round of poker. A story line so transparent (Junior let’s young men who look up to him (a la T Soprano) down…like all parental figures on this show) is also beneath the writers.
I never thought I really cared about the short story verses the novel way of story telling in the Sopranos but now that is coming to end, I realize I long for a big sweeping finish. All of these side plots are starting to drive me a little bit batty even though I pride myself with Sopranos Patience. I want Chase to give me the big bang and I know deep in my heart he is going to give me a whimper.
*Thought- perhaps by displaying the ugly underbelly of being old and a mobster (Paulie and Junior’s storyline) Chase is saying that some fates are worse than death? That getting old, losing your dignity, while living this life is the real punishment for the sins of the Mafia.
Spencer: There will likely be numerous references to the Wire, often in paragraphs where I am citing perceived Sopranos weaknesses :)
I'm trying to stay away from "next on" previews for exactly the reason you cite; the promo monkeys at these networks do everything they can to make each episode seem like the most action packed, sex-crazed episode in Sopranos history which always sets your expectations on an inappropriate level. I too found Paulie's potential whacking on the boat a little silly, although I'd disagree with you that the writers have that much respect for the viewer's intelligence - I think we've had Melfi spoon feeding us our interpretations of the writer's points and symbolism for years - but we can discuss that another time.
I like your idea of Chase's moral punishment being the grow old and die without dignity, although the depiction of old age across the Sopranos has been so negative that I'm not sure Chase thinks that outcome is specific to mobsters. While you could argue that Paulie's mother is still connected with the mob, her friend Cookie isn't (as I recall her son is a school principal), and she's just as conniving and evil minded as the rest of the Sopranos characters.
The super-depressing depiction of ageing in the Sopranos leads into another point - how depressing the Sopranos is in general. There's a great article in "Reading the Sopranos" about the opening credit sequence and how it sets the stage for a Hobbseian Lord of the Flies style ruthless climb to the American trash heap - and that's really the feeling I get from the Sopranos these days. Matt over at The House Next Door has made the nice point about how every Sopranos character is almost entirely self serving, but beyond that, this season has also emphasized how hollow the relationships between these essentially evil characters are. We saw how fickle Tony was with Bobby in "Home Movies", how little Tony was affected by Johnny's death in "Stage 5", and now we see how fragile Tony's relationship with Paulie is. It has reminded me of the Feech story line in emphasizing how Tony's friends are his employees - these really are sad, sad characters acting in terrible ways - only the humor saves the show from being almost unbearable to watch.
You ask "why make a story that ends the way it starts?" As I mentioned a few weeks, ago, I think that's exactly the problem with the Sopranos. Carm moves out in Season 4, and then moves in Season 5. Tony gets shot, has life changing dream (or whatever), goes back to his old ways. I think many of us do hope for a big bang finish but I am very much expecting a whimper, with much the same as it was in Season 1, Episode 1.
It's a good point about the past being vital to the mafia's way of living - one could argue that they're effectively living in the past - but there's a difference between the past informing the present and having the present be all about remembering the past. Granted, that's more or less what the episode was about, but that doesn't make for any more compelling viewing. I may or may not prefer the "When I was a kid" scene over the flashback strategy (which they've also often gone for) but neither make for exciting storytelling.
Kate: Oh please- your Wire elitism exhausts me. ;-)
Not that you would know (wink) but next week’s episode didn’t have a ‘next on.’ That makes me much more excited than the loud banging music set to every scene where people are in ‘motion’ or speaking in loud voices.
I agree with you that Melfi’s become a little bit useless in last few seasons but I feel conflicted about you saying that she is example of writers not having respect for the audience’s intelligence. A part of me thinks that with the unexpected death of Livia made Melfi’s role in the show became more difficult to write for and discussions and storylines about the PAST more necessary. The Sopranos started off as a show about a mob boss who has panic attacks (because of his mother) and has to see a shrink (displaying great weakness in a powerful man, a dichotomy that is fascinating to watch) , and then became something totally different (the dichotomy in all characters? In everyone?). Should they have written Melfi out? Possibly, but I still enjoy their scenes and don’t necessarily feel talked down to.
Cookie was a bad gal (and if memory serves, she is not the mother of the principal, that was the other lady in their Green Grove crew) but I think that most characters in the Sopranos are pretty bad people- and not just elderly (for example, Carm’s father is a very capable and fairly well behaved senior.) However, I don’t think it’s the awfulness/crotchety part of being old that were pointed out in this episode but rather the powerlessness. Junior, once a powerful man, is now pathetic and alone stroking a cat. Paulie once a (handsome!) powerful man, is now pathetic and alone and giggling (which Tony apparently has great distain for- remember when he was so pissed that his son was giggling in his underwear while chatting on the internet?) at late night television.
Tony is not the same after the shooting; Carmella is not the same post moving out (and then returning); their relationship is not the same after the moving out or the shooting. However, you have a point- I do think their relationship is reverting back to the way it was in first season. Carmella helping Tony pack to ‘go on the lam’ is very reminiscent of Carmella holding the duffle bag for Tony to hide the guns in when the indictments (sp?) were being handed down in season one. Tony’s “Carm, your not just in my life, you are my life’ has also returned. I think that after the shooting Tony really did realize that Carmella is exactly what she said in Whitecaps- the only one who really knows him. In season 2-5 that might have disgusted him, but with all the decent amongst the ranks nowadays, I think he finds it comforting and (reverting back to your Feech reference) the only person (besides his children) who really loves him.
Yes, just like in season one, episode one, Tony is reverting (I like to think of it as full circle, rather than repetitive) back to what he said to Melfi- I can’t remember the line but it has something to with joining something just as it is upon its demise. I think that in seasons 2-5 he was so pumped up by a false sense of power and success that he chose to forget this (perhaps that’s why the ‘remember when’ bothers him so? Who wants to remember the past when the past proves exactly how someone like Tony is going to end up) but now it’s becoming evident that ‘everything comes to an end.’
I usually don’t find the Sopranos that depressing (what kind of person does that make me?) (Don’t answer that) but this episode wrecked me. I read somewhere (Slate.com I think…) that this is the first episode where the Sopranos really felt like it was over- I would have to agree.
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