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.

My prediction for the final week? Check later this week for a Tony/Phil analysis...and predictions.

How to Clean (Practically) Anything - Sopranos Thoughts, Vol I

I want to throw these thoughts down now, so I can continue to read Slate's brilliant analysis and skim and get frustrated by inane commentary from the likes of David Poland and Jonah Goldberg. Both need to step out of their usual boundaries and forget making bizarre connections to their day-jobs. Tony and Christopher were like Eisner and Ovitz? Whaaa? A.J. as an Islamic jihadist? Seriously??

Instead of long-form analysis, I think I'm just going to go bullet points from here on out.

• Am I the only one who thought that A.J. was going to die for sure? After last week's offing, I figured that it was only a matter of time before someone else prominent died in the show. The suicide scene was really rough to watch...absolutely brutal.
• On a similar note, Robert Iler has been phenomenal this season. Absolutely brilliant in showing how A.J. has matured...and not matured, in still throwing out random factoids that disturb his world view, just as he always has. If the Emmys meant anything, I would jump on his lobbying campaign in an instant.
• I hope that smarter people than I, (Tim Noah, please?) give me some reasoned an indepth analysis of the significance of The Second Coming. Annie Shuppy, my Sopranos enabler, raises a good point: Will Yeats poems jump up the Amazon charts thanks to A.J.?
• And if Yeats poems don't...will How to Clean Practically Anything make it?
• Carmela Soprano is really losing it. She's turned into Laura Linney's character from the Truman Show, where she turns into total housewife mode and shuts down mentally, hoping to brush the problem under the carpet. From her reaction to the Vegas watch to the scene where she blamed Tony for A.J.'s problems, I can see her cracking under the pressure in the next two episodes.

Speaking of which...

• We are clearly headed for a Phil/Tony showdown to end the show. I am still backing the "Tony is Michael Corleon at the end of Godfather I" scenario, where he has Phil and his crew killed, and Carmine Jr. brings the family under Tony's thumb.
• BUt Tony is also going to have to clear ranks in his own family...and I mean literally. There was some discussion this morning on Tony Kornheiser's show about why Phil was hiding upstairs, and why he suddenly backed out of their meeting. That led me to believe that one of Tony's capos is double-dealing, a la Paulie with Johnny Sack.
• It's not Paulie Walnuts this time...it's Bobby Bacala. With Janice's urging, he's letting Phil in on the scoop. Tony is going to have to kill Bobby...and perhaps Janice...to get them out of the problem. Some of Tony's guys may have to die too...perhaps Paulie or Patsy?
• This is all idle speculation, but you can read more thoughts if you want at another guy who's opinion I really respect: Creed Bratton.