Four shrinks on the season finale of The Sopranos.

Dear Phil, Peggy, and Joel,

On Sunday morning I opened the New York Times to an intelligent but critical article on The Sopranos by Terry Teachout. He argued that despite the oohs and aahs of the critics, the show did not deserve the designation of "a classic." I disagree. As I watched the end of last night's episode with a profound sense of sadness that I would not see my "friends" again until next season, I was reminded of John Huston's masterful rendering of Joyce's The Dead. Junior's singing, while less than spectacular, nevertheless brought tears to the eyes of his audience as they contemplated the passing of Jackie and many like him before. A throwaway line in the dialogue between Carmela and a friend indicated that the name of the song was "Ungrateful Heart." How appropriate, as Tony chases his daughter out in the street only to be told to get lost. Tony's grief at his daughter's spite resonates with King Lear's--"sharper than the serpent's tooth is the ungrateful child." As Junior sings, Artie looks longingly at Adriana, knowing that he can never have her, in the same way that Chekhov's characters resign themselves to a life of quiet desperation. The classical themes are there in spades and transport this phenomenal series beyond anything that has appeared on television.

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The therapy has never been better, and we end the season with the sense that Tony is settling down to work on himself. He even cries as he poignantly asks, "How are we gonna save this kid?" It is in his relationship with A.J. that his tragic dimension is most apparent. He has buried his best friend's son, and he is desperate to keep A.J. from turning out like Jackie. Jennifer says to him, "When you blame your genes, you blame yourself." Tony has recognized the transgenerational pattern of this epic, and he now senses that he is at fault, not simply the strands of DNA detected in A.J.'s urine. Even as A.J. complies with Tony's wishes by donning his military-school uniform, Tony mocks him by calling him "Sgt. Bilko." Meanwhile, Carmela expresses concern that the military school will teach him to be a killer, totally missing the irony of her fear. The Soprano family aspires to transcend their roots while being hopelessly shackled to them.

Glen

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