Posted on 06/10/2007 10:07:51 AM PDT by COUNTrecount
In the beginning, there sat Tony Soprano in Dr. Jennifer Melfi's waiting room, quizzically staring at the sculpture of a nude female.
Seconds later, the psychiatrist opened the door to her office, and so began one of the most compelling conversations and resonant series in TV history.
In the wake of last week's penultimate episode of The Sopranos, which featured Dr. Melfi angrily ending her doctor-patient relationship with Tony, the symmetry of those two office images eight years apart frames the series. There's Dr. Melfi striking the exact same pose in the doorway to her inner sanctum - inviting him in and offering hope of a cure at the start of the 1999 pilot, and then casting him out last Sunday, any chance of salvation lost.
Great television series, like works of art in any medium, are distinguished by such continuity of vision and narrative. Themes are sounded and then amplified consistently throughout.
In the best works, the themes address and echo moods and feelings pulsing through the veins of the larger culture. No TV series has so eloquently spoken to and for its era as has the one that ends tonight after six seasons on HBO.
"PILOT" - SEASON 1
Was Tony (James Gandolfini) ever happier than in that first backyard scene, happily splashing after a family of ducks swimming in his pool? The panic attack that sends the mobster into therapy occurs when the ducks take flight from his pool and life.
Thus is the grand overture of angst first sounded. The theme is extended later when Tony recounts a dream to Dr. Melfi (Lorraine Bracco) in which part of his anatomy falls off and is carried away by a sea gull.
That's separation and loss linked to middle-aged masculinity.
(Excerpt) Read more at baltimoresun.com ...
I am not a prude and I do consider myself “hip”, but I never really got “The Sopranos”. I really don’t get “Entourage”.
My guess is the AJ is going to end up whacking Tony and it will be reveled that Tony whacked his father to become a made man.
The circle is complete. Good ole Italian patricide.
A great addictive series. I’ve probably only seen about 5 episodes though. I liked the recent one where he snuffs the coke-head driver who crashed. Poor Tony couldn’t tell anyone.
Entourage is not a pimple on the ass of the Soprano’s.
My point was that I rarely get caught up in the hype.
And the list this guy has as his ten best is pretty accurate.
I loved “Pine Barrens”.
One of the funniest episodes.
What do you think about my prediction???
“My guess is the AJ is going to end up whacking Tony and it will be reveled that Tony whacked his father to become a made man.”
My guess is that AJ gets into the family biz by whacking Phil Leotardo.
For once in your life, be a real man, Tony Soprano: eat your gun.
LOL!!!
You should have added ice crystals to the condiments!
I was just making a statement. Not directed at you in any way.
He missed the episode with the Soprano style intervention for Chris. IMHO-second only to the Pine Barrens episode.
Good list, though there are a couple of my favorites left off.
I’m not sure, but I think this one was called “Anger Management”. Janice enrols in an anger management class and gushes to Tony about how much it has changed her outlook on life, etc. Tony tells her that’s great, I’m really happy for you, etc. But later with Tony having dinner at Janice’s and egging her on and on until she explodes. He leaves and the episode ends with Tony walking down the stree with a satified smile while the Kinks “I’m Not Like Everybody Else” play into the credits.
The one where Tony whacks his cousin Tony.
The one where Big Pussy gets whacked.
The one where Junior shoots Tony.
Nah, they'll go out like seinfeld...with a whimper. The final episode will be a flashback episode. All surviving members of the Sorpanos cast will sit around tony's dining room table and recall scenes from past episodes.
Tony: "Hey, Janice remember the time you whacked Richie Aprile?" - Cut to that particular scene.
Cut back to Tony's dining room.
Tony: "Hey, Sil. Remember the time you whacked Adrianna?"
Fuiro: "Hey Boss, remember the time I was about to throw you into the propellers of that plane so that I could have your wife all to myself, but thought better of it?"
Artie: "Hey Tony. Remember the time you blew up my restaurant because you thought you were helping me?"
Paulie: "T. Remember the time I stabbed you in the back by leaking Family info to Johnny Sack??"
And so on and so forth :-)
Me too, except David Chase probably figured everyone's thinking that, so he'll come up with a different ending.
...and it will be revealed that Tony whacked his father to become a made man.
That would be closure! Maybe that's why his panic attacks kept getting worse.
A few favorite moments: Richie Aprile gets his due. Janice playing her mind games (I know someone JUST like her). Johnny Sack's constant love for his obese wife.
Some general things about the show that I like: Tony can control the NJ mob, but can't control his own family. His life is mostly bored suburban living. The women characters are as well-drawn as the men.
As far as "Entourage" goes, its getting boring and repetitive. I only watch it for the Ari Gold character.
The Soapranos is the only show I regularly watch on the idiot box.
Paulie Walnuts will be outed as a collaborator of the NY family and will fight mano a mano with Tony.
I don't know if I'm a prude or hip, but I don't care.
I do know that I am proud of the long list of shows that I have either never watched, or watched a single episode:
Roseanne.
Any show with Ellen Degenerate.
All comedies based on Teen or subteen tastes .
All series that glorify organized crime or corrupt cops.
So-called "reality" shows.
American Idol or its clones.
The Jerry Springer Show or its clones.
All so-called "professional" sports.
Did I miss anything?
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