Television The Sopranos

Solius

¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Staff
Joined
Dec 31, 2007
Messages
86,542
That old man in the stairs still bothers the feck out of me. Was it a ghost? It wasn't any of the guests that's for sure.
It’s just a random guy coming back from the toilet or something but he u-turns when he sees what’s going on. Definitely meant to be in the show though.
 

2cents

Historiographer, and obtainer of rare antiquities
Scout
Joined
Mar 19, 2008
Messages
16,282
Watched Cold Cuts from near the end of season 5 last night, it might be Tony at his most evil. He makes Chris cry, beats the shit out of Georgie for the last time, and in the final scene completely breaks Janice with the immortal line “sacre bleu, where is me mama!”


(Edit):

this fecking look:

 

Amar__

Geriatric lover and empath
Joined
Sep 2, 2010
Messages
24,119
Location
Sarajevo
Supports
MK Dons
I still have this theory of my own that Christopher was the rat.
 

VeevaVee

The worst "V"
Scout
Joined
Jan 3, 2009
Messages
46,262
Location
Manchester
Finally watched this. Someone should have told the writers to put a fecking story in s1 and s6. Can't believe it took til episode 20 out of 21 to even start anything that is remotely related to the finale story. Both the first and the last seasons are genuinely just random things happening that barely tie in to the next episode. However, I enjoyed a lot about it and will look back on it fondly for its charm without ignoring that there's also plenty to be critical about, including that frankly shite last series and ending. Yeah I know the ending is better once you realise all the foreshadowing guff but it feels very wet at the time of watching, and especially as that was the most tension they'd managed to create throughout the whole thing.

Two shining stars from it though being Chris and Paulie characters. Also shoutout to Artie. They built up main characters very well. But the smallest characters would seemingly come and go without any introduction (said 'who the feck is this guy?' multiple times).

Some great comical moments throughout, which are probably what makes the show.
 
Last edited:

Solius

¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Staff
Joined
Dec 31, 2007
Messages
86,542
I forgot how bad the episode is with his dad’s mistress. She’s so weird and annoying and yet it doesn’t really lead anywhere. Even Tony looks sick of her in that cringeworthy scene where she’s singing. Bizarre episode.
 

Twins

"Everybody loves a golden shower"
Joined
Mar 19, 2015
Messages
5,685
I forgot how bad the episode is with his dad’s mistress. She’s so weird and annoying and yet it doesn’t really lead anywhere. Even Tony looks sick of her in that cringeworthy scene where she’s singing. Bizarre episode.
I really like the ending of that one where he bigs her up in front of ... I forget, Silvio? Like he can't accept that his dad would fall for such a weak person.
 

Solius

¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Staff
Joined
Dec 31, 2007
Messages
86,542
Reached the episode with this scene last night :lol: such a jarring transition.

 

Zen

Full Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2008
Messages
14,525
I forgot how bad the episode is with his dad’s mistress. She’s so weird and annoying and yet it doesn’t really lead anywhere. Even Tony looks sick of her in that cringeworthy scene where she’s singing. Bizarre episode.
A absolute skippable. I don't even watch it anymore, utterly pointless. Could be the worst of my skippables too, being A Hit is a Hit, D-Girl, Christopher and that. There's bizarre shit in 6a+b that I don't particularly like - but the episode itself feels necassary to ongoing flow of the story, mostly the parts with Vitos kid/Chase trying his best to make us hate Tony towards the end. Those 4 I just mentioned don't seem to add anything.
 

2cents

Historiographer, and obtainer of rare antiquities
Scout
Joined
Mar 19, 2008
Messages
16,282
I think it’s a fairly important episode for understanding Tony’s latent hatred for his father, which only manifests in very subtle ways throughout the series. The execution of it is another matter, it certainly feels a bit out of place in the middle of Season 5.
 

njred

HALA MADRID!
Joined
Nov 3, 2001
Messages
7,240
Supports
Liverpool
Remember the genius of Chase regarding the Sopranos was the story was different every week. Unlike media today which one epidode flows into the next the Sopranos was an hour long mob movie every week which had seperate story lines with a background story throughout. I don’t think it will ever be replicated. Even Game of Thrones flowed with the storyline as if it was a streaming show and you could add Breaking Bad in that genre as well. The Sopranos however was just a different animal by itself.
 

Zen

Full Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2008
Messages
14,525
Remember the genius of Chase regarding the Sopranos was the story was different every week. Unlike media today which one epidode flows into the next the Sopranos was an hour long mob movie every week which had seperate story lines with a background story throughout. I don’t think it will ever be replicated. Even Game of Thrones flowed with the storyline as if it was a streaming show and you could add Breaking Bad in that genre as well. The Sopranos however was just a different animal by itself.
Err... is this a wind up? :lol:
 

Solius

¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Staff
Joined
Dec 31, 2007
Messages
86,542
One season left of the rewatch :(

Adriana is such a sad character really. So naive but in an endearing way. Her death was done well and surprising for my gf who was watching for the first time and had just literally commented about how she was one of her favourite characters :lol:
 

2cents

Historiographer, and obtainer of rare antiquities
Scout
Joined
Mar 19, 2008
Messages
16,282
One season left of the rewatch :(

Adriana is such a sad character really. So naive but in an endearing way. Her death was done well and surprising for my gf who was watching for the first time and had just literally commented about how she was one of her favourite characters :lol:
That final run of five episodes at the end of season 5, starting with Unidentified Black Males, is just incredible TV.
 

2cents

Historiographer, and obtainer of rare antiquities
Scout
Joined
Mar 19, 2008
Messages
16,282
“So, who the feck are you, Ralph Bunche over here?”

 

Solius

¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Staff
Joined
Dec 31, 2007
Messages
86,542
Just watched the Ben Kingsley episode. The bad ones are really bad. Almost fever dream like :lol:
 

Gazza

Full Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2000
Messages
32,644
Location
'tis a silly place
Just watched the Ben Kingsley episode. The bad ones are really bad. Almost fever dream like :lol:
From what I've heard they wanted to surmise Ben's interest first and then tailor the script to his specifities but Ben said no, thus the episode isn't as carefully written as some of the other projects under the Sopranos' subspecies.
 

Solius

¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Staff
Joined
Dec 31, 2007
Messages
86,542
From what I've heard they wanted to surmise Ben's interest first and then tailor the script to his specifities but Ben said no, thus the episode isn't as carefully written as some of the other projects under the Sopranos' subspecies.
:lol:
 

Solius

¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Staff
Joined
Dec 31, 2007
Messages
86,542
We’re 3 episodes from finishing now.

I forgot how sudden the Chris death episode was. He’s barely in the season and then suddenly an episode starts with them driving and then the crash. Feel like with hindsight and shows being more perfected these days they could’ve built up to it more. Then it gets a bit weird after that with the whole Vegas thing. Lots of odd episodes in the final season.
 

Solius

¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Staff
Joined
Dec 31, 2007
Messages
86,542
Finished the rewatch. Still love the ending. So many things happening all around and then the bell ringing, the look up and the cut to black. Iconic. What a show.
 

Ayoba

Poster of Noncense.
Joined
Feb 2, 2021
Messages
8,524
Watching a show called the white lotus, Micheal Imperioli is in in and they're shooting in Italy. Brings back memories of when Chris, Pauli and Tony are in Italy.

"Commendatori"

"2 definite agendas I got, hit the topless beaches and see that fecking crater".
 

Parma Dewol

Full Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2013
Messages
1,591
Suffering from Covid yesterday I wanted something good to watch for an hour or so. Picked a random episode, Amour Fou.

Tony’s line “we had a good mo-fo, or what the f…” is a classic. Didn’t have the energy to laugh but made me smile.
 

3KDré

Full Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2015
Messages
6,602
Currently rewatching this. I watched it when I was much younger first time round so I never truly appreciated it. Watching it the second time I realised I never picked up on the humour of the show. That and the selection of music


Sensational.
 

Jam

Full Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2014
Messages
1,157
Remember the genius of Chase regarding the Sopranos was the story was different every week. Unlike media today which one epidode flows into the next the Sopranos was an hour long mob movie every week which had seperate story lines with a background story throughout. I don’t think it will ever be replicated. Even Game of Thrones flowed with the storyline as if it was a streaming show and you could add Breaking Bad in that genre as well. The Sopranos however was just a different animal by itself.
Joke post?

Sopranos basically revolutionised television narrative scope. Arguably the best show ever at holding plots simultaneously within episodes, across episodes, across seasons, and across the whole season and interweaving them.

We’re 3 episodes from finishing now.

I forgot how sudden the Chris death episode was. He’s barely in the season and then suddenly an episode starts with them driving and then the crash. Feel like with hindsight and shows being more perfected these days they could’ve built up to it more. Then it gets a bit weird after that with the whole Vegas thing. Lots of odd episodes in the final season.
To me that’s the beauty of Christopher’s death, how unannounced it was. And it’s quite frank about the world they’re a part of - after 6 seasons of development, him being the golden child, he fecks up this one evening and his “father figure” offs him.

I HATE in a show or film when in a season, or an episode, you can call they’re going to die because it’s telegraphed so obviously.

Christopher’s death works for shock value on first watch, and narratively makes sense, but it works on a rewatch too because you watch his development knowing fine well after everything it’s ended in an instance because Tony finally gives up on him and sees him as a weak link.

Christopher’s death works on every level for me. For his own story, for Tony’s development, and for the final run of episodes.
 

Solius

¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Staff
Joined
Dec 31, 2007
Messages
86,542
Joke post?

Sopranos basically revolutionised television narrative scope. Arguably the best show ever at holding plots simultaneously within episodes, across episodes, across seasons, and across the whole season and interweaving them.



To me that’s the beauty of Christopher’s death, how unannounced it was. And it’s quite frank about the world they’re a part of - after 6 seasons of development, him being the golden child, he fecks up this one evening and his “father figure” offs him.

I HATE in a show or film when in a season, or an episode, you can call they’re going to die because it’s telegraphed so obviously.

Christopher’s death works for shock value on first watch, and narratively makes sense, but it works on a rewatch too because you watch his development knowing fine well after everything it’s ended in an instance because Tony finally gives up on him and sees him as a weak link.

Christopher’s death works on every level for me. For his own story, for Tony’s development, and for the final run of episodes.
Oh I agree. Certain deaths work better than the telegraphed ones that spend the episode full of tropes that make it obvious, but I thought there could’ve been a little more groundwork laid in the episode. You’re barely past the opening credits and not even sure why they’re at some random deal. It’s not bad by any means though.
 

njred

HALA MADRID!
Joined
Nov 3, 2001
Messages
7,240
Supports
Liverpool
Joke post?
Joke post. I’m explaining why it’s the best show of all time. Unlike any other series the Sopranos was like watching a different movie every week because it wasn’t a run on story like streaming shows of today. That’s the genius of Chase.
 

Iker Quesadillas

Full Member
Joined
Mar 12, 2021
Messages
4,005
Supports
Real Madrid
We’re 3 episodes from finishing now.

I forgot how sudden the Chris death episode was. He’s barely in the season and then suddenly an episode starts with them driving and then the crash. Feel like with hindsight and shows being more perfected these days they could’ve built up to it more. Then it gets a bit weird after that with the whole Vegas thing. Lots of odd episodes in the final season.
Isn't the episode before his death mostly about him? When he kills the writer?
 

2cents

Historiographer, and obtainer of rare antiquities
Scout
Joined
Mar 19, 2008
Messages
16,282
Wonder how much more Furio could have demanded without resorting to violence or getting in trouble with Tony

 

2cents

Historiographer, and obtainer of rare antiquities
Scout
Joined
Mar 19, 2008
Messages
16,282
As I get older I appreciate the family dynamics a lot more, they really nailed Meadow and AJ as two products of that environment growing up in the broader context of early 2000s America. Little scenes like this are so well done:


(edit): also "these indigenous types..." :lol:
 

Parma Dewol

Full Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2013
Messages
1,591
Watching this again and it’s just so, so good. Seeing some of the lesser characters differently this time, had a lot of sympathy for Pussy, and poor Rosalie has a tough time of it too.

Soundtrack is just brilliant. Finished Cold Cuts and The Kinks tune at the end is an absolute belter.

 
Last edited:

The Cat

Will drink milk from your hands
Joined
May 18, 2017
Messages
12,341
Location
Feet up at home.
Watching this again and it’s just so, so good. Seeing some of the lesser characters differently this time, had a lot of sympathy for Pussy, and poor Rosalie has a tough time of it too.

Soundtrack is just brilliant. Finished Cold Cuts and The Kinks tune at the end is an absolute belter.

Never listened to Don't Stop Believing the same after watching the end.
 

Tarrou

Full Member
Joined
May 13, 2013
Messages
25,635
Location
Sydney
A chinaman goes to the eye doctor and says, "Doctor, I can't see!" The doctor runs some tests and says "I've figured out the problem. You have a cataract". The chinaman says to the doctor "No, i have a rincoln continental"