The Sopranos: Season 4 Analyzed; Week 4

Glen O. Gabbard, M.D., is a professor of psychiatry at Baylor College of Medicine and author of The Psychology of The Sopranos, inspired by this discussion. Philip A. Ringstrom, Ph.D., Psy.D., is a senior faculty member at the Institute of Contemporary Psychoanalysis in Los Angeles. Joel Whitebook, Ph.D., is on the faculty of the Columbia Center for Psychoanalytic Training and Research. Margaret Crastnopol, Ph.D., is on the faculty of the Northwest Center for Psychoanalysis. All are practicing therapists as well. Daniel Menaker is the author of The Treatment, a novel about therapy, and is executive editor at HarperCollins. Judith Shulevitz writes the "Close Reader" column for the New York Times Book Review. Jodi Kantor is Slate's New York editor.

Who are these people?

Dear all,

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I don't think the coincidences are a sign of weak writing, Peggy. There is a time-honored tradition, going back at least to Shakespeare, of interweaving the lives of the principal characters in drama and fiction. More recently, the films of the American master Robert Altman frequently draw on that tradition. I would also add that in my own life as an analyst and therapist, I am amazed at how I end up running into people that my supervisees and patients tell me about.

Regarding the paramilitary nature of the mob that Phil brings up, I have noticed how often Tony uses military analogies. He tells Dr. Melfi, "We're soldiers." He watches the History Channel and loves World War II documentaries. The fact that Carmine is asked to mediate and ultimately chooses to tax Ralphie rather than whack him for his bad taste in humor reflects a military-type bureaucracy that is in stark contrast to street gangs.

Glen

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