Oh, Tony
Years and years shackled to that blonde beast...and this is how you use your newfound freedom? Living in your mother's house, moping around, fretting about the wife? You've got a wad of bills in your bathrobe and an aura about you that, for some reason, those Jersey sluts just can't get enough of. Get out! Live a little! Buy another horse or something.
Anything that will get me interested in your series again.
Ironically, Tony has very little to do with what is currently interesting about The Sopranos. Tony Soprano, that is. The other Tony, Mr. Blundetto, brought to us by the very capable hands of Steve Buscemi, is causing a world of trouble by getting involved in the New York family war between Carmine, Junior and Johnny Sac, and it's finally kickstarted this show again.
Number 6: The SopranosShowrunner David Chase would probably have me drawn and quartered for that last paragraph, citing it as proof that I'm one of the unwashed masses who judge his show as little more than a televised shooting gallery: who gets it this week? Blood! Blood! We want more blood! Chase's frustration is somewhat understandable, since coming off of the fourth season finale, "Whitecaps," where nothing was capped save the marriage of Tony and Carmela, there were cries for his head after he led viewers on a long-awaited thirteen episode odyssey only to give his audience a completely different conclusion than they expected. "I warned you," Chase ranted, reminding people that he promised to devote the season to the "other" family of Tony's, specifically the wife and . Still, the Disciples of Comic Book Guy shouted for his head.
Chase, who always comes off as having a rather high opinion of himself, has not taken the opportunity to mend fences during this fifth season (even if he isn't really responsible for the structures breaking in the first place, it is his property. Gotta keep the cattle in) After a slow season premiere that placed Tony firmly in the grips of depression - or at least the viewers, if not our "hero" - it was down from there, as Chase set in motion his story arc that will, hopefully, conclude several weeks from now in a hail of gunfire and blood and guts and people from New York discovering the wonders of the afterlife. But more on that in a minute.
The introduction of Tony Blundetto as this year's infusion of new blood was interesting, but his underlying tension with Christopher overshadowed the growing conflict between Chrissy and Paulie that was explored last season and in this year's premiere. Meanwhile, Carmela proved herself once again to be The Paradox: simultaneously the most interesting and most boring character on television. When fretting over her family, particularly Tony, Carmela is a treat to watch, but I'll be damned if I care about her sleeping with AJ's counselor. Meanwhile, Junior's a crazy old kook; we get it. Janice is nuts; this we knew (though her crack about her involvement in the civil rights movement was priceless) Even Christopher's attack on Tony when he thought Adriana and the boss were getting extra close was only mildly interesting, the highlight of a season that has made me wish Drea de Matteo was already working with Matt LeBlanc rather than Michael Imperioli.
Meanwhile, Chase has seemingly gone out of his way to piss people off. While it was a treat to see Tim Daly pop up, having him hock an Emmy Award - for $15, no less - was amusing for all of ten seconds and a pathetic insult to the Academy (as this comment comes from someone who insults the Academy on a daily basis, you can see just how low Chase sunk here) Ex-girlfriends of Tony's father? Eh. Tony's hot for Melfi? Get some taste, Soprano. Then there was "The Test Dream," last week's episode that, I swear, Chase devised to test his audience and find the "real" Sopranos fans. Me? I really liked it. The dream was interesting, the Annette Bening cameo was tremendous, and seeing all the long-dead cast members back was a hoot. But Chase still wasted one of his thirteen episodes on very little plot development; he better pack the last two episodes full of action leading up to the VIOLENCE!
So back to the violence. I'm a depraved monster waiting for blood and guts, right? No, I just want a conclusion. A logical, fulfilling, "hey, I'm glad I waited two weeks for the last episode and watched the twelve before it" conclusion. Given the escalation of the war between the two New York sides and Jersey's involvement, a sit down is NOT a proper conclusion (nor do I expect it) I never have watched The Sopranos for the bloodshed; two of the series' best episodes were "College," where the key scenes were Meadow and Tony talking in the car on the way to visit universities, and the much-maligned "Christopher," featuring the series' best line, spoken by Silvio, about how this battle will be won in the "public relations arena. The best scenes from this year so far were not the assassinations by New York or Tony B. but the birthday party for Carmela's father featuring Tony S. truly in his social element for the first time in ages. Throughout the season Chase has drawn us slowly to a confrontation between the Tonys (with Christopher perhaps involved) and the two halves of New York, and he can resolve that, possibly, without death and destruction. If he does, and it's a believable (within the restraints of the series, that is) end that doesn't leave us with too many questions or unfulfilled desires, then good for him. I just don't see it happening. This time someone - perhaps a LOT of someones - is going to die, and then we only have to wait another eighteen months for the final ten episodes. David Chase, ever the cock tease.