A couple of three things...
To quote the eminently quotable, and not-dead-yet Phil Leotardo (not Leonardo, because of the idiots at Ellis Island), a "couple of three things" about last night's episode of the Sopranos. Overall, I thought it was good, but not nearly as powerful as it could have been. If you're still reading here and haven't watched the show yet, you're an idiot. Stop reading.
But with the death of Bobby and near-death of Sil, I'd have thought Chase and Co. could have packed a couple of painful punches to the gut. Bobby's death scene was intentionally foreshadowed with the cell phone ringing in the car, so it made the train store scene difficult to watch...but it was more Scorcese-esque than a bonafide Sopranos scene. I loved the part with the train and the people covering their eyes.
Sil's (near) death was as sudden as Christopher's, but not all that surprising since they already took Bobby out. I'm torn here, because aren't I supposed to be more upset and shaken by the death of two major characters? Christopher's death was really shocking, but not so here. Anyone else feel the same?
Melfi's scenes were bizarelly shot, and I think really distracted from the overall episode. The zoom-in on the psych study was very weird and unnecessarily over-the-top, and the dinner scene with Dr. Kupferberg (?) was cartoonish. Kornheiser's "Colors of Benneton" reference was perfect for the scene, and neither Melfi or Kupferberg were in character. Besides, who goes to a social dinner with their shrink? That's just awkward.
The one thing I did like about Melfi's farewell to Tony was the reverse-godfather sequence with the doors shutting. Unlike Kay having the "Godfather" world shut down to her, in last night's ep, Tony has his enabler shut down to him. Or am I stretching here.
Other thoughts:
- Tony draining the pool was a clear signal that bad stuff was about to go down. Throughout the show, the pool has been the symbol of rebirth/life in the Soprano household. The series started there with the ducks, the Soprano marriage was rekindled in the pool, and AJ's life was saved by Tony during the ill-fated pool suicide attempt.
- That scene with Tony finally giving it to AJ was brutal. I'll say it again: Iler has been brilliant this season in showing AJ's patheticity (made up word, but I like it).
- Great to see Artie Bucco show up again, although I dunno if he'll return for the final ep. His "constitutional law" line was typical Artie: feigning interest while looking like a tool.
- The Mangini cameo was classy. I doubt that the NFL or the Jets approved that appearance.
Labels: HBO, Kornheiser, sopranos
posted by Wolly and the Teev @ 11:50 AM
3 comments
3 Comments:
I don't understand why you think Bobby and Sil being killed weren't powerful scenes. Of course Tony putting down Chris was surprising, which is what made it so powerful. You would have to be clairvoyant to have called it. But with Bobby and Sil, Phil told us that that's who they were going to hit. Any scene after that with them in it was a potential hit (both ways).
I liked the juxtaposition of the two scenes. With Bobby's death being foreshadowed by the missed cell phone call, you just had to know what was coming and made you settle in for the end result. The way it was shot with the train was uncomfortable, you're right. And that's what made it powerful. Not a punch to the gut, wolly? With Sil the scene wasn't long and drawn out as with Bobby. And that's the way it should be. Sil isn't much of a sentimental guy and how they were portrayed being (almost) killed is reflection of their characters. Gunned down in a shoot out with half naked stripper and bouncers watching outside the Bing? Perfect. And the scene was quick. I thought it powerful enough.
Can I say something else? If I was told by my boss that he and I and all of my coworkers had targets on our backs and that an attack could come at anytime (or no time) I would make sure to have a piece in my hand at all times. Not thrown in a bag filled with cash and checks in the back of the car. That was seriously poor form and frankly, I expected a little more.
Coop, I think we agree more than you realize. Bobby's was clearly foreshadowed, yes, and the filming of his death was Hitchcockian in its execution (pun intended.) Not every death has to be powerful, and neither Bobby's or Sil's were to me. I was struck by that difference of almost apathy toward both of the shootings in Sunday's ep, as opposed to the total shock and disbelief of Chris' death a few weeks ago.
You are right that both shooting scenes fit their characters, with Bobby in a hobby store with children because he always acts like a child, and Sil outside the Bing. What I don't understand is why you take exception to them not being emotionally powerful. I don't necessarily believe they should have packed that punch...the emptiness says just as much.
As to Sil's incompetence, that's been an ongoing theme this season with Jersey's relative bumbling business and New York's heartless efficency. Sil has been the only one, for the entire show other than Furio, who was dependable to get the job done as prescribed by the boss. Everyone else is laughably bad at their job, either because of temperment or incompetence. With Sil's final moments on the show, he finally succumbs to the family curse of being unprepared.
I've always found it very comforting on being able to count on Sil. He's a rock, you know? Like you said, dependable, trustworthy, a worker. These are things the other characters have lacked and it's what made him special on the show. I think it would have been much more satisfying to see him take these qualities with him to the grave, not fail in the moment in which it counted most.
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