Sopranos 5/20

Has anyone mentioned recently about how great the acting in this series is?

Other than Paulie, all of these actors are just letting it all hang out. To have Tony, Carm and Meadow all nailing the wheeling AJ away scene at the same time into an extended hug is a director's dream. Notice in other shows how emotional scenes have actors in close ups because they have to splice the retakes together. This show is just going over the top.

Forget the curb, AJ struggling in the pool is far tougher to watch. I do not know anyone in my family who has committed suicide or even tried (that I know of) but I think that scene will touch a lot of people in many ways.

 

I watched the east coast feed here in L.A.

Utterly sensational ep. The shotmaking was fantastic.

It was like a perfectly-executed blend between the cerebral new-school Sopranos and the early thuglike days.

Might be a top-10 ep in my book.

 

Very deeply penetrating scene.

 

Good call on the pool scene, devil.

That was tough to watch.

 

Have they ever had Meadow's new man on before? Was wondering if he's potentially another Jackie Jr.

 

The pool/womb imagery comes full circle, a beautiful payoff in Melfi's office.

Edie Falco just nails Carmela's complete ability to ignore reality. Do you have any idea what it's like to live with someone who complains all the time? Yeah, Carm, we think he does. Tony's "poor you" was priceless as well.

The third instance this season of the Macbeth homage of things "sticking" to Tony -- first the monopoly house, then Chris's actual blood, now the bloody tooth.

Patsy's kid is dating the daugher of the guy who murdered his uncle -- how will that play out?

The stuff with Eliot and sociopaths using therapy to hone their skills rang very, very true.

 

Another tremendous episode. I never thought this show would bring me anywhere near tears, but the scene with AJ and Tony right after Tony pulled him out was as close as I've gotten. Tony tried to be the tough "What is wrong with you" dad and then he broke down to "Come on baby, it's going to be OK." Gandolfini is incredible. I should completely hate his character but I just can't.

Also, am I the only one that thinks Iler has improved as an actor? I know some of that is just getting older, but it seems like he can at least be on the screen for chunks of time without me wanting to tie a brick to my shoe, put a bag on my head and jump in the pool.

 

I've mostly enjoyed episodes that a lot of people didn't like.

But I didn't really get this one. Maybe it's just too much A.J. He pulled it off reasonably well the previous two weeks, but until the suicide scene, I just wasn't buying him tonight.

Gave Gandolfini some great material to work with, though.

Meadow can't act. And she's done something else to her face. The sneaking around with Patrick Parisi was a waste of time. I get how it fits into the plot, but it just seems too convenient to me that of all the guys she could be dating, he's it.

A nitpick, but Carmela's hair went from longer to shorter to longer again a few times. They must have gone back and reshot some things.

 

holy crap! you're right.
that bastard

 

I thought it was great to see Tony jump in the pool - just like any parent. I sort of wondered if he was going to try and fish AJ out.

Tony also had the great line in Dr. Melfi's office about AJ might have set the rope too long because he's an idiot. "Historically that's been the case."

 

The funny thing is the character Gregory Anotonacci (now, Butchie) played in the two Rockford episodes in 1978-79, Eugene Conigliaro, was a 20ish lower-level wannabe Mafia button man, a real dimwit who spent most of his time trying to suck up to guys he thought he could help him to "make it" in the New Jersey mob.

It's no stretch at all to think of the guy 30 years later, now becoming a sidekick/flunky/right hand man for a NY boss like Philly. It's basically the same exact character.

 

I was weirdly distracted by Dr. Eliot's big water bottle while he talked to Melfi....what was that about?