TV wisegay ('Sopranos' fella hits the other way)

NY Daily News ^ | May 3, 2004 | MICHELE McPHEE

[Mr. Buzzcut]

I always liked the scenes at the end of "CHiPs" where they'd freeze on Ponch and his big, whiter than white teeth. :)

[NutCrackerBoy]

To be exact, it was a slow-mo, freeze, then a sideways wipe to the next scene. Reminded me of the way they would end a scene on "Emergency" when Nurse Dixie McCall would get off a supposedly witty zinger at Randolph Mantooth’s expense.

I didn't see Emergency that I recall, but, yes, it recalls the corny TV editing like on Love, American Style or Charlie's Angels to be a sort of laugh track for a zinger.

Very bizarre but obviously intentional.

Tarantino-esque, like his corny titles in Kill Bill -------- California Mountain Snake over a freeze of Daryl Hannah.

Perhaps they meant to highlight it as a very important and life-changing event for Carmella.

It was a sort of light moment that Carmella would goose him that way, but also a defining moment for her that she is past the insecure stage of being on the rebound. She will no longer fall for the tricks that weak men play.

[LanPB01]

That "slow-mo and freeze" didn't belong in the episode. Another thing I noticed that seemed different from all other episodes (but I may be mistaken) - the end credits rolled while Tony was still walking away from Janice's house. Haven't all other episodes ended with a black screen behind the credits? Maybe the director of last night's episode wanted to try some new things.

[NutCrackerBoy]

The end credits rolled while Tony was still walking away from Janice's house.

You're right. But that really worked. Tony was very satisfied with himself (just as much as when he toasted to a job well done with Tony B. and Christopher). He has that set to his shoulders while his figure gradually shrinks into the distance as the credits roll.

Maybe the director of last night's episode wanted to try some new things.

Maybe they don't want to identify as high-brow or arty, but would prefer to have the trappings of a plain old TV show.

[Conservomax]

Very Scorcese-esque. Yes, I don't think it fit well with the show. It was a stylized technique that was never used before. It took away from the usual realism of the show.

[dead]

I loved the final scene, where the credits rolled as Tony walked away into the distance.

I think it was a direct homage to the closing credits of Silence of the Lambs, where Hannibal Lecter does exactly the same thing.

Very foreboding symbolism too, if that's what the director was going for. Like Lecter, evil Tony is out of the box, turning his repressed anger outward, destroying everybody around him and feeling very very good about it.

[NutCrackerBoy]

Evil Tony is out of the box, turning his repressed anger outward, destroying everybody around him and feeling very very good about it.

I guess Dr. Melfi cured T. She told him Depression is Rage turned inward, and tried to see if he would consider Anger Management therapy. Tony has a better idea: much stronger endorphins to be had by directing the Rage outward.

[dead]

I think that was exactly the point. First Christopher gets verbally abused, then that sap in the Bing gets beaten (yet again), then Janet gets the business.

There won't be many panic attacks in the coming episodes, which is great news.

[NutCrackerBoy]

There won't be many panic attacks in the coming episodes, which is great news.

You were right, no panic attacks. Like clockwork, we get the dream sequences - Coach Molinaro saying "You're not prepared". It would be too pat for the dreams to pay-off only that Tony Blundetto got to go. Or that talkin' Adrianna La Cerva got to go the way of Big Pussy Bonpensiero. Or even that Carmella got to go.

What will the dreams tell Tony?