All is well with “The Sopranos”
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Apr 09, 2007 
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Other than sports and movies, television has become kind of useless in my opinion.
I have no interest in reality shows or the “American Idol” kind of shows. I get my news on-line and I’d rather watch consecutive episodes of a show like “24″ on DVD than make time to watch it every week.
The best comedy on TV remains “Seinfeld” in syndication. It’s not even close. That’s sad.
However, HBO on Sunday nights is an exception now that “The Sopranos” and “Entourage” are back.
“Sopranos” was terrific last night. I figured for sure Bobby Bacala was dead. It will be fascinating to see how David Chase ties all the loose ends up. Uncle Junior, Johnny Sack, A.J., Christopher, etc. So many ways to go. As always, we need more Meadow.
Does Tony live? I think he lives if only because they’ll leave the door open for a movie. Plus what TV show ever killed off the main character? If Hawkeye Pierce survived Korea, Tony survives New Jersey.
I just hope somebody plugs Janice.
what the hell does the sopranos have to do with the yankees?
best part of last night was who won first prize in the beauty contest.
Not a big fan of the Soprano’s. 24 is another story.
Seinfeld is and will always be the best comedy on TV until it is taken off. It will then forever remain the best comedy ever. I haven’t seen anything funnier than Seinfeld. Though King of Queens comes occasionally close, their cast is nowhere near the Seinfeld crew.
It helps that George works for the Yankees
I agree about the sad state of affairs in TV. There really is nothing on that I “make an appointment” to watch. We’ve been watching MASH reruns from 9 to 10 p.m.
Unfortunately Seinfeld doesn’t do anything for me, though, either. But maybe that’s because in my view it’s been over-syndicated — I mean, it’s ALWAYS on. So I have my favorite episodes, but then there are those episodes that drive me nuts. Same thing happened to me with “I Love Lucy.” When you start asking the logic questions, where the answer is — “but then you wouldn’t have a story,” it’s the end of enjoyment.
I liked the Sopranos last night. I know it’s considered a set-up episode, but I love those, and I really enjoyed how the entire situation with Bobby B unfolded. Of course, you knew a weekend with Janice was never gonna end up good. I am particularly fascinated with Carmela’s character, though. For me, I saw her as a sympathetic character in the beginning. As the stories have unfolded though, I see she is truly not much different from Tony. So I think it will be particularly interesting to see where she ends up in the end. She’s become my least favorite character, one of the most hypocritical in a show full of hypocrites.
i think that janice is the probably the most annoying human being i have ever seen, when she is on the screen i immediatley get annoyed, she gotta go.
Curb Your Enthusiasm and The Office are in Seinfeld’s league. No point in debating which is best, although Seinfeld will probably rule all for rewatchability.
Sopranos was brilliant. I agree that Tony won’t die, if only because that would be too obvious an ending.
I don’t like Janice, either, but I think they need her to goad Tony. She seems to be a catalyst to get Tony’s worst inclinations into action. Plus, they need her if they intend to keep bringing up their past (i.e. Mother issues).
Glad the hotel came off the side of Tony’s head. I’m with you Pete.
I’ll plug Janice. She has got to be one of the most annoying TV characters of all time.
The dynamic between Tony and Janice,with Bobby B. in the middle, will be the thread that runs through the rest of the series.Janice and Bobby are starting to realize that they are dangerously and perhaps fatally mismatched and will be pitted against each other by Tony.
Prediction:Tony masterminds Johnny Sac’s demise,via a prison shank job,Bobby B., increasingly threatened by Tony and Janice’s backstabbing,will rat Tony out to Phil Leotardo,who will whack Tony in the series finale,while Tony is riding in Johnny Sac’s funeral procession.
I loathe Janice too. Which I suppose could mean she’s good at her part, because she brings out real tangible feelings of annoyance in me. Everything she does is so transparent and her intentions are so obvious – but everyone in the show seems oblivious to it and are easily manipulated by her.
Dallas killed off it’s main character
Sopranos was unbelievable the first season, great the second season and descended into pandering to the fan mail for More, More, More after that and I quit. Mebbe it recovered later but without Pussy. How can you possibly kill off a character named Big Pussy, Uncle Pussy, Santa Pussy!?! I feel like George Carlin asking that.
Tom and Jerry still the best show of all time
chase has always said it won’t be a “happy ending” for the sopranos. i think tony lives, but i’m not sure carmela and a.j. do. great episode last night, though. i thought bobbyh was dead, too, but it looks like he’ll get his eventually.
anaconda,
what’s my “excuse” for ripping the yankees? at 2-3, the starters have compiled a 9.98 ERA and the team has committed seven errors. i don’t need an excuse. the facts more than speak for themselves. funny marriage/divorce line, though.
Agreed in full. Actually, for lack of anything to watch, I do MSNBC for news/debates shows, and have become a junkie. Politics in this country has been reduced to one giant politically correct show. There is very little connect between what politicians say (meet G. Bush, the King) and what is really happening or going to happen.
I recommend Chris Mathews and ‘Hardball’ for anyone that needs some real political debate.
The reality based shows SUCK. They dominate and have debased TV. They have ruined it. We have all been reduced to voyeurs. And now we have ‘Internet Preditors’. It’s sick.
However, ’24′ still rocks. Moves like no other show… ever.
Speaking of ’24′, it’s on tonight… and so are the Yankees.
I’M CONFLICTED!!!!!!!!!
What about South Park and The Office?
oldyanksfan-
it’s yankees all the way, no contest.
With the exception of Doc Melfi and Artie’s wife, every Sopranos character must die! Please Mr. Chase write a most painful death scene for that “f–g loose cannon” Christopher Moltisanti
Don’t watch “The Sopranos” much but I caught it last night. I liked the episode quite a bit — there were some particularly hilarious moments, and I like that a mafia kingpin spends his getaway at a lakehouse the same way everyone else does (getting drunk and playing Monopoly).
A few years ago TV was on a roll and it far outperformed movies. Now it’s all sort of faded away. The only thing on regular TV I watch is “Lost.” The best show on television, bar none, is “The Wire.” “The Wire” has amazing writing and acting, and it is by FAR the most realistic show I’ve ever seen in showing the details of the drug problem in America, the streets the drugs are sold on, and how the cops on those streets try to deal with it. Too bad this upcoming season will be its last.
I always thought Paulie Walnuts was a bigger loose cannon than Christopher.
Boy, you nailed it on the head with Janice, Peter. I like how Chaseand Buscemi made Bobby look like a young Tony at the end of the episode. Hugging his kid, looking off into the sunset on the lake…
Aside from some terrific banter last night – the Free Parking debate and karaoke were priceless – I thought it was a forgettable episode. But, this is the 2nd glowing review I’ve read from a blogger today so I suppose I’m in the minority.
Bobby Bacala got his punishment when Tony sent him to do his first hit. Life changing event, reminding him who was boss.
Please don’t regurgitate the ridiculous line that there’s nothing good on TV! My God, why not write a story saying “The Yankees Have a Big Payroll”?
There is a ton of quality television out there:
24
Sopranos
Heroes (brilliant)
The Office
The Daily Show
The Colbert Report
Lost (yes, it’s back to a much higher quality)
Battlestar Gallactica (most underrated)
30 Rock (has more legit laughs than any show on TV after the office)
Grey’s Anataomy
That’s leaving off Desperate Housewives (which I’ve never seen but everyone says is good), the Law and Orders which are still good, the CSI’s, the Showtime Shows (Weeds, the Tudors), Extras, and more.
That’s a LOT of quality drama and comedy out there. Saying otherwise is knee-jerk. Don’t follow the herd.
Jack
AJ’s new girlfriend is a total fox.
HBO: Entourage
Showtime: Weeds
Cable: The Office, My Name is Earl, 30 Rock. If you stay up late, Conan O’Brien.
That said I don’t watch much TV, either.
The Wire is one of the greatest shows ever.
Jack, I haven’t seen all the shows you’ve listed, but the ones I’ve seen are pretty good — just nothing I would “rush home to,” or make an appointment to see.
I can remember when SNL first started, a bunch of us would be out, but would make sure we got to someone’s house to watch it together. It’s been a while since there was one of those for me that lasted beyond the first half of the second season.
Maybe part of the problem is that there is so much pre-empting and time-slot manipulation and sweeps junk — those two- and three- part shows guaranteed to empty a box of Kleenex.
This is somewhat related to the topic, but did anyone watch the national geographic special on the mafia? They had interviews with the real life Donnie Brasco, and Henry Hill from Goodfella’s. Interesting stuff.
If you want to see a quality show, turn on “Friday Night Lights” on Weds at 8pm (or at least record it since it will overlap Yankee baseball). It shows the pressure of Texas football in a small town along with the relationships of residents in same small town.
The acting, especially Connie Britton is outstanding.
This week is the season finale – I am really hoping this critically acclaimed show is renewed. All the previous episodes can be watched at http://www.nbc.com
From Maureen Ryan, “The Watcher – A Chicago Tribue Web log”
“Far from the bright lights of Hollywood, in vibrant yet laid-back Austin, the actors, writers and directors of the show have created one of the most realistic, subtle, enthralling dramas on any screen, large or small. And they’ve done it on this first-year show by breaking many of the rules of television.”
“Indeed, a visit to the set of “Friday Night Lights,â€? which touches on the fortunes of the Dillon High School Panthers football team but is much more about the lives of the residents of the town, demonstrates that the show’s creative process is like nothing else on television.”
“There are no fancy lighting setups. Actors are not only allowed but encouraged to improvise their lines. Every single scene is shot in real locations, unlike most TV series, which use prefabricated sets. And with inspiration from what director of photography David Boyd calls “gonzo documentary guysâ€? such as D.A. Pennebaker and David and Albert Maysles, three cameras simultaneously record the action, capturing nuances and moments that many other shows ignore in their forced march to the next plot point.”
“But over the past six months, as it has unfurled surprising, deeply human stories about an injured quarterback suing his coach; a high school boy’s attempt to care for his sick grandmother; and one couple’s attempt to raise a spirited, smart daughter while dealing with the pressures of modern life, “Friday Night Lightsâ€? has quickly become appointment television for a growing number of critics and fans.”
http://featuresblogs.chicagotr.....tiona.html
Laurie, I’ve been hearing good things about this show only lately. I didn’t even know it was on until about a month ago! Thanks for the heads-up on how to watch previous episodes. (I did catch one re-run, and it looked pretty good, so it’s worth a shot.)
For those who have never seen an episode of The Wire, but have heard that it is amazing, go out and rent it and see it. It truly is the best show in television, there is no comparing it to Sopranos, Entourage, ANYTHING. I wasn’t that thrilled about it at first glance, but give it a chance. I have never met anyone who has watched the first two episodes of Season One and wasn’t hooked immediately.
No way Chase kills off Tony. Hes the kinda guy who has to endure pain and everything around him. The tragic hero. Like Michael in the Godfather. He pays for his sins by having to live with the guilt.
No one has mentioned *The Shield*, arguably the best show on TV right now.
The stuff on TV is garbage. What I find funny is people use Greys Anatomy as a example of whats good on TV. LOL.
When Tony said they were going golfing, and Bobby seemed a bit confused, followed by Tony driving them off into the woods on what seemed like a very unexpected turn, I figured Bobby was dead for sure.
And then he’s the one doing the shooting. Great little twist.
After everything about connecting Tony’s gun to him, though, I’m not so sure it was a good idea for Bobby to just drop his like that.
“I just hope somebody plugs Janice.”
a-reallybadwords-men
I thought there was a really great sub-text in last night’s episode. It seemed like everyone – including Janice and Carmella – were expecting Tony to kill Bobby. They kept checking their watches and they were a little too happy to see them if they had just gone to “play golf”. I thought that was an inspired bit of stage craft.
Also, I liked how it was juxtaposed with Carmella saying “Tony is not a vindictive man.” I really like how the show gets into the deeper parts of the human mind. These characters – especially the wives – are in such deep denial about who these men really are. They are vicious and brutal killers and they are justifying their lives that come directly at the expense of others. No other show really gets that deep.
Also, with “The Wire” (which is my absolute favorite show on TV); easily the best character on that show is the city of Baltimore. If you have not seen it, run do not walk to check it out. The writing and story telling is awe inspiring.
Sopranos + The Shield + The Wire = 3 best shows on television
And while i’m a Seinfeld fan, the Simpsons is still the best comedy ever created.
julianna margulies also needs to join big pussy, richie and ralphie.
where is gloria when you need her!!!
this new Goumada is fugly
Sopranos was awesome last night. Great way to start…well, the end.
30 Rock, The Office, My Name Is Earl, OLD episodes of Scrubs, Seinfeld, South Park, Sopranos, and every Yankee game are the only reasons to watch TV IMO.
Curb Your Enthusiasm is also a great show. It’s supposed to be back for a new season in September.
How can anybody who has watched The Sopranos for a while think Tony would kill Bobby last night. Chase always has a set-up with no payoff and this was just another example. Now, if Tony had actually killed Bobby, it would have been a total shock since it goes against Chase’s pattern.
IMO, the series reached it’s peak with the 2nd to last episode of Season 2, when Janice shot Richie.
Being from NJ – Sopranos is still #1 in my book… I think the show changed a bit when Nancy Marchand (Livia) died – that was Chase’s whole dynamic – the mother-son relationship.
The Sopranos is still the best show on TV.
The Wire is A MUST WATCH. I bought season one on DVD in December – you have to give it three episodes… by the start of the third episode – you are hooked and can truly appreciate the show’s genius and multiple layers. Stringer Bell is one of the best characters in recent television history. The Wire has a small cult following but I haven’t heard one negative from people who have seen it.
My List:
Sopranos
Entourage
The Wire
Rome (great show, budget costs limited it to just two seasons… by them on DVD… unbelievable)
South Park (gets better and better)
The Office (The BBC version is out on DVD – the one they aired in England, I heard it’s hysterical – only 2 seasons though… 12 episodes + a “movie” which is supposed to be off the wall)
I used to like the Simpsons and Family Guy but both have jumped the shark. The Simpsons has sucked for almost 7-8 years now… Family Guy is brutal nowadays.
24 – Haven’t seen an episode… is it worth getting into it 5 seasons in? I feel I need to watch it from the beginning.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer – also a very underrated show… I know – I probably lost all credibility with that… but I got hooked on the 7AM reruns on FX… don’t ask. SMG is hot… and the plot-line is surprisingly addictive.
GO BUY THE WIRE… YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT!
I actually agree with ‘Trout. He used to pull the trigger (no pun intended) on that sort of thing, now nothing ever happens. Everyone’s saying Tony won’t die because that’s too predictable. Everyone would be shocked if, say Carmella or AJ or Christopher or Bacala or whomever took Tony out. Maybe that’s exactly why it should happen.
Pete I dont know if you have ever mentioned if you have seen The Wire, but if you haven’t give it a chance. I promise that it won’t disappoint.
if any of you haven’t seen The Office yet, give it a shot (7:30pm on Thursday nights). It’s the funniest show on television that’s airing new episodes.
South Park is a great show. I think it rivals Senfield in the laughs department.
I agree with the posts above. The American version of The Office is reaching legendary status
Big fan of The Shield. Best acting and story lines on television.
The way Tony eats and drinks I’m predicting a heart attack on his way to pick up the star ledger at the end of his driveway.
just realized most of my favorite shows start with ‘s’
simpson’s (agreed Wes)
scrubs (old ones)
seinfeld
sopranos
south park
should probably start watching the shield based on this list.
oh, and ‘sports’