Last year, each new episode of The Sopranos was analyzed by a group of shrinks; this year, each week two mob experts will discuss the lives and squabbles of America's favorite gangsters. Today our experts are joined by Gerald Shargel, an attorney who has represented many high-profile clients, including John Gotti.
Jeff, Jerry S.:
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StumbleUponHmm. With all the assorted health issues raised in last night's episode, it's too bad we didn't invite Dr. Phil (or some other so-called medical expert) to join our discussion and help us iron them all out.
I'm going to jump in and give my 2 cents about Jerry S.'s observation that real mob bosses don't see shrinks. If they don't, at least some of the present-day specimens should! No less than Frank Costello, the so-called prime minister of organized crime circa 1950, visited a psychiatrist regularly for a couple of years. And say what you will about Costello, when he was lucky enough to survive a gunshot wound in the head by Vincent Gigante in 1957, he was smart enough to step down and retire.
On the issue of mob shrinks, I was a bit disappointed last night by some of Dr. Mefli's banter—er, analysis—with (and of) Tony. She was so proud of Tony's "progress." I guess she was working from the assumption that even a duplicitous mobster tries to be honest during therapy. Ha.
If there's one thing about Tony Soprano that's consistent, week after week, it's his utter disregard for the truth. (Al Franken could have been writing about him in Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them.) How many times did he lie in this week's episode? Off the top of my head, he lied to Meadow, Carmela, Dr. Melfi, Adriana, Chris, as well as his entire crew of so-called wiseguys. He lied about the skin cancer on his head and in his pants.
One of his best lies was to Carmela; he said he's never even thought about bedding Adriana. Could Camela have possibly thought Tony was telling the truth about not wanting to get into Adriana's pants? (By the way, do either of you think Adriana should wear even skimpier outfits, that maybe her current "attire" leaves too much to the imagination?) Or was Carmela looking for an excuse to get Tony back into her big empty house?
The pizza-box scene between Carmela and Tony was one of my favorites. Not only was it intense, but it was hysterically funny when Tony came back into the house and scooped the pizza up off the floor.
Oh, and we know Tony's motivation for making a move on Adriana. (Chris' observation that he would fuck a catcher's mitt was right on.) But what's her deal? Was she just caught up in the moment (and the coke)? Is she somewhat attracted to what one FBI agent referred to as the Barney Ruggle character, or was she willing to go along with it to please her FBI handlers? It could be all of the above. Plus, could she really say no to Tony, the father figure she so desperately seems to need? Maybe Tony could lose one of Dr. Melfi's business card in her office so the poor thing can get her head screwed on straight.
Adriana has to be the most naive character on the show. Sure, she's dumb, but her naivete has no limits, whether she's dealing with the girls in Carmela's movie club, FBI agent what's-her-name, or Tony Soprano. Jerry S. had a nice point about the stupid lie she told when Tony asked her about the foxy undercover FBI agent she brought to his house.
The writers seem to be setting up the eventual departure of both Christopher and Adriana into the federal Witness Protection Program. Chris, with his drug and alcohol dependency, has always been a loose cannon and an excellent candidate to turn on Tony, but now that he has a reason to rage at Tony, maybe both will join Team America.
Jerry, Thanks for joining us today. I'll see you in court.
Jerry
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