****Sopranos Season 5 Season Guide (Spoilers) (1 Viewer)

[Patrick Sun]

Tony B basically turned back to his dark side after making at go at an honest life, but for all his troubles (skinned up shin, a Korean boss he didn't respect, busting a nut to pass a masseuse exam, renovating an office space, girlfriend nagging, etc) he didn't feel as good as having a taste of his old life back (money, booze, gambling, womanizing). Did TonyS set up TonyB with the convenient money dump, I also can't put it past him to provide the breadcrumbs back into the fold, and to get TonyB to earn for him.

I have to wonder if a butt/boob double was used for Carmela. I think so.

Wasn't it nice to see AJ show some stones for change?

Wasn't it nice to see Meadow do laundry? (Okay, being facetious).

 

[Roberto Carlo]

Me too. Carmela is a victim but not an innocent. Her primary -- in fact, only -- beef with Tony revolves around his infidelity and his neglect of her. IOW, she's pretty indifferent as to how he treats other people as long as she's taken care of.

She had me fooled when she said that, in the eyes of the church, she was still married. I thought, "good for you." But then not only does come back and jump Bob but starts talking about what he should say to potential college admissions officers about AJ's ADHD. That's when I realized, as Bob seemed to, that she was using him.

 

[CharlesD]

I thought it was another great episode, with several laugh out loud jokes ("I thought he was gay, he reminds me of you Father", "Remember Pearl harbor!") I think Dave Scarpa nailed Tony B's growing frustration with his situation that leads to him lashing out at Kim. The reality of actually working for a living contrasted to the easy money of the mob lifestyle plus the pressure the girlfriend & Mr. Kim were putting on him along with the stress of starting the new business just made him snap.

I also liked how Kim put in a few good jabs and parries unlike most Sopranos beating victims... maybe thats (along with the gun in the drawer) a sign he won't be a push over when it comes tot he consquences of the beating and (presumably) the business partnership going bad.

I also loved how the camera panned down on Kim's daughter butt as she walked out... definately that was showing what the guys were seeing... too funny!

 

[JonZ]

Tino, I happen to really like season 4 and didnt care for last nights episode.

 

[Marty M]

There were some abrupt conclusions of several stoylines, but I figure even a "bad" Sopranos episode is better than most dramas on network TV.

 

[Quentin]

VERY strong episode. Great character development, and I LOVED the juxtapositon between Tony B and Carm. Both leading "false lives", trying to be something they are not. Very subtle, well written stuff.

Tony B was bound to bust. He was trying WAY too hard to be something he wasn't, yet (as many have pointed out) still hanging with everyone. A mobster's road to the American dream is not paved with hard work and subservience to legit business owners. Tony B wants the easy road, with cash and power and respect. He's a Soprano!

Carm is the same way. She married Tony because she LIKES the money and the power. I think after her attempt at a relationship with an intellectual who "makes her feel special" failed, she will work on getting back together with Tony. Catholic guilt combined with a certain acceptance of who she is will end up with Tony back in the house.

Great stuff...best season since #1.

 

[John_Lee]

Though it was an obvious visual gag, I loved the execution of Carm holding up the various demure blouses, then cutting to her walking into the principal's office with a blouse cut to her navel.

 

[Michael Reuben]

Why do you think so?

M.

 

[Parris]

I dont know why so many hated this episode as it was great in having the seeds planted for TonyB and Carmela coming back into the family fold. They both tried to start new lives but once you are in the family you can never leave and they both found out the hard way. I tried explaining to my wife that Carmela knew deep down that Tony would never let her have a relationship with another man and even if he did the fact that she was once Tony's wife will give her a reputation that she could never live down. Notice how Jackie's wife is still single?? No man outside of the family would dare take on the wife of a mob boss. You will now start to see Carmela be nice to Tony and actually tolerate his presence at the house. Next week the seeds will be planted for the NY vs New Jersey mob

 

[Paul_Stachniak]

^ I think the problem with this episode, and most of us seem on the same page here, is that it was really slow and didn't really lead up to anything. After all this crap with Adriana, Christopher, Johnny Sac, Uncle Junior and Tony - we get a day in the life of Tony B. Little disappointed, and frankly only expanding on the character not the story arc. This was my biggest problem with Season 4; and while I didn't see the preview for next week, I can only hope things get back on track.

 

[Brent M]

Paul,

You're exactly right. This was one of those episodes where NOTHING really happened and that's the same problem that plagued season 4. Too much focus on meaningless characters(like the school counselor last night) and not enough on the characters that make the show great(Tony, Christopher, Uncle Junior, Paulie, Johnny Sac, etc). I'm not one of those people who has to see someone whacked every episode to be satisfied, but I would like the show to focus on the characters that make it interesting. The school counselor may be the single most annoying character ever introduced on the show(with the exception of Janice and Melfi's shrink of course). Speaking of Melfi's shrink, it was that nimrod who directed last night's show so it's clear who is at fault for the lame episode. Damn you, Peter Bogdonavich!

 

[Todd Terwilliger]

Not a bad episode but at this point, the less AJ the better and, I must confess, I was Carmella'd out by this one. There's just so many things I want to see that spending so much time on her was a bit of a let down.

 

[Doug R]

To say nothing happened would be a bit of a stretch. They had to have an episode where Tony B got reeled back in. People keep saying it was "abrupt" but how abrupt would it have been if it wasn't done in a full episode?

After last week's amazing ep, this one is naturally not going to shine as brightly. But Sopranos is about the long haul, you have to have set up episodes. Would Ralphie's death been as awesome without the Pie O My set up episodes?

 

[todd stone]

Terrible episode, they should have titled it "all roads lead to nowhere" as half of these episodes just lead to boring and stale plotlines.


AJ... Get rid of him already, terrible actor and does not fit in any storyline.


"Remember Pearl Harbor" saved this show last night.

 

[Wayne Bundrick]

 

[Erik.Ha]

I would have prefered to have the "transformation" last over several episodes... it would have seemed more real. The fact is, at the beginning of the episode, it was VERY clear Tony B was OUT, and he WASNT going back. Whatever happened last week, his life had turned the corner... He had a new LEGITIMATE business partner. He studied for and PASSED his exam. He had a space for his shop. He had an EXTRA 12k to sink INTO the shop (sure he pissed it away, but he didnt need it anyway) (p.s. Loosing 12k in a card game wouldn't cause ME to yearn to live that life...) This change seemed to last until the last 10 minutes of the show... Then BOOM. One call from his girlfriend and hes Babe Ruth with a 2x4...

 

[JakeR]

I noticed the grenade missing as well. I thought the first shot of it was just to reinforce the stark contrast between Tony's "business" worries and his personal, plush surroundings. Its absence leads to something...or not. You never know with this show.

Re: Tony B's "abrupt" descent into gruesome violence. Clearly, the guy has a fuse. He also seems rational. but that rationality goes out the window after a few days of little sleep and nothing but work. How many times have you snapped at a family member for an innocuous offense just because you were slightly overtired? It was an appropriate reaction considering the character. I enjoy the fact that Chase doesn't let us forget who these people are.

I am morbidly looking forward to the day when Tony discovers Carmela's affair, even though the hypocrisy will be running rampant. I think this might take the place of a violent conclusion to the Furio situation. Carmela seemed eager to tell Tony all the details.

Lesson learned: if you must mess around with a mobster's wife, you better not piss her off.

 

[Parris]

Ask yourself this would you rather have the Tony B and Carmela stories drag out over 3 or 4 episodes or would you rather have that time used towards the the brewing war with the NY mob and the FBI sub plots??

Yes the stories were rushed but quite frankly they rank low on things I want to see played out. So wrapping them up at the half way point of the season works for me

 

[Scott Dautel]

Wayne .... that's a wild prediction. I can see a dramatic conclusion coming to AJ's aimless life, but not before mid-S6.

For everyone a bit let down this week (myself included) ... we can look forward to next week ... another Buscemi directed ep where apparently Tony and NY Mob hit a crossroad. I know I'm counting the days ....

From TV guide, Sunday, April 18:

 

[Paul_Stachniak]

All of the Tony B and Carmela stuff could have been accomplished in one episode, just as a B-plot. None of it was interesting enough to warrant a full episode revolving around them. And frankly it has taken so long for this FBI/NY family stuff to go anywhere, I would rather something happen finally now, then later in the small tibits we have gotten for the past three years.