Timothy Noah chatted with readers about The Sopranos on June 7. Read the transcript here.
Dear Tim,
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StumbleUponYou wrote at the beginning of our exchange four weeks ago that "to tire of The Sopranos is to tire of life." I don't know about you, but I got awfully tired last night, and I don't think I'm tired of life.
What, exactly, was that episode? To me it was disjointed and strained and draggy and discursive and not even funny. It had its moments, of course—and here I acknowledge the fundamental truth of The Sopranos, which is that at its absolute worst it is better than the most stellar episode of Walker, Texas Ranger, and most everything else—but it seemed pointless given that this 86-hour story arc has only five hours to go. Let's start murdering off the cast already, for goodness sake.
Also, and let me get this out of the way, I don't particularly like watching people take shits on shower floors, or anywhere else. I think that bit of business was unnecessary on two levels: One, in its grossness, it overshadowed the rest of the episode, and two, why are we being introduced to an entirely new character and an entirely new subplot this late in the story? I mean, you have a character like Junior, who has been with us from the beginning, who is absolutely central to the story, who is a fully realized character who happens to be obsessed with the same things as the series creator, David Chase (along with most of the rest of us), mainly sickness and death, and you bring him back full-on in last week's episode, to excellent effect, and then you abandon him and instead focus on the screwed-up son of a dead secondary character from last season. And then have him take a shit on the floor.
This is HBO, of course, and HBO is allowed to portray characters taking shits on shower floors, but I think it was Akira Kurosawa who said, "Just because you can show someone taking a shit on the shower floor doesn't mean you have to show someone taking a shit on a shower floor." (It sounds better in Japanese.)
I get the point, by the way, of this new story line: It feeds the tension between Phil Leotardo and Tony, and it might very well be a war between their two families that undoes Tony. (I happen to think that this subplot is a diversion from what will actually happen, but it's an entertaining diversion for Mobophiles such as myself.) But just because I get the point doesn't mean I have to like it.
Man, I sound like I had a glass of vinegar for breakfast today.
There were interesting moments last night, to be sure. We learned that Tony is a supporter of Tommy Thompson for president; we learn that Tony's Jewish adversary, Hesh, has similarly dyspeptic views of Italians, and we see that Carmela is as deeply corrupt in some ways as her husband. But we knew that already, just like we knew everything else.
Correct me if I'm wrong, Don Timothy, but this goes into the basket of least favorite episodes.
Best,
Jeff
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Remarks from the Fray Editor:
As a basic cable slum-dweller, the Fray Editor has been following the discussion of The Sopranos with admiration and envy. The passion, erudition, and insight of the show's fans—Slate's commentators and Fraysters alike—proves the case that this series is not to be missed. Below, Fray poster lucabrasi considers how the 6.5 season story arc has led the show inevitably to the present moment.
May this weekend's finale exceed your wildest expectations. My prediction? Paulie Walnuts in the Bing with a shoe buffer.—G.A.
Remarks from the Fray:
I must salute the excellent close of the mob wars arc that started way back in Season One.
Looking back from today, with Tony's Jersey crime family indeed looking like a "glorified crew" in the eyes of New York, one can see it, almost clearly:
Season One: Tony's issues were of ascension in that smallish Jersey family. Jackie Sr. was dying; Uncle Junior was the designated "front don," and yet bitter enough about Tony's power to use Livia's ambiguous directives to hit Tony. Didn't work. Junior was exiled and took on Federal heat; Tony had the others killed.
Season Two: Richie Aprile gets out of prison. A theme begins: guys out of prison resent Tony, who never served. But Richie, too, is "local Jersey trouble." His escalating conflict with Tony is going to be dealt with rather easily -- Tony wants Richie hit, but Janice delivers a dose of even MORE "local" justice.
Meanwhile, I think NYC underboss Johnny Sack turns up living in Jersey, but promising Tony "I don't want to wet my beak."
The main NYC Don is Carmine Sr, an old school guy. Tony can deal with Carmine Sr, but Sack starts getting that lean and hungry look...
Seasons Three and Four: Other issues are on the table (Jackie Jr., Tony and Carm's marriage), but Tony's adversaries are manageable: made guy Ralphie and the ever-more-ambitious and angry Sack. Ralphie is eliminated, quietly (if NYC ever finds out...). Sack wants Tony to hit Old Man Carmine; Tony pulls out at the last moment. Sack looks to be vengeful.
Season Five: The big trouble all starts here, with the release of the "Class of '84". It's like four Richie Apriles. Tony has a lotta plates to spin: an old-timer named Feech who wants it all, locally, Tony's cousin Tony B, the "Rockford Guy" (Joe Santos) who Tony B idolizes as a father, and a real hothead named Phil Leotardo.
Carmine Sr. croaks. Phil joins with Sack against Little Carmine, Tony B joins with the Rockford Guy and Rusty in backing Little Carmine's play. Tony elects to back off and see how Jersey can benefit from the ensuing bloodshed, of which there is a lot.
During all this, two little matters occur: Seeking owed cash, Tony subjects Phil Leotardo to a body-breaking car crash and beats up Phil at the accident site as a "throw-in." Tony B kills Phil's brother Billy Leotardo.
In retrospect, these last two actions were perhaps...unfortunate.
Sack and Phil kill more guys than Little Carmine's team. Little caves ("It's a stagmire.") Sack ascends to Donhood. Tony can deal with Sack (having killed Tony B as a burnt offering), and Sack will stave off the still vengeful Phil Leotardo.
But right at the end of Season Five, the Feds nab Sack. Go directly to jail.
Season 6A: Sack's in prison, but the putative boss, with Phil fronting him on the outside. Tony's shot for a few episodes. The "gay Vito issue" gives Phil new reason for putting the pressure on Tony's Jersey boys. With Sack losing power by the day, Phil contemplates his rages against Tony: getting beaten up by Tony, paying money to Tony, brother killed by the cousin of Tony, gay Vito protected by Tony. Phil has a heart attack to match Tony's gutshot. Things seem peaceful between these two wounded warriors. But this guy Butch turns up, taunting Tony.
Season 6B. Tony's luck with New York runs out, via a series of crap outs: Sack dies of cancer; Doc kills Gerry; Phil kills Doc.. Phil is "the big boss man," finally, and the worst possible New York Don Tony Soprano could face. Filled with jailhouse vengeance and itching to consolidate power, Phil pushes Tony too far (with the sexual insult of Coco towards Meadow, ultimately). Tony retaliates (curbing); Phil says "there's nothing left to talk about," and here we are.
Now, I' m not sure how much of that was plotted early on by Chase and Company, but looking back on it, you see how this final, fatal gang war was literally years in the making. Tony Soprano fended off Jersey threats (Junior, Richie), kept the peace with Carmine Sr, dangerously dueled with Sack (the longest of Tony's strategic encounters), sat out the gang war to replace Carmine Sr...and ended up on the wrong end of Phil's bloody ascension to the throne of the New York Family.
Where things are now is where they HAVE to be. Inevitability.
--lucabrasi
(To reply, click here.)
(6/9)