I’m sure there are betting lines out there for all this, but I’ve only got about 30 minutes until the first episode of this final season kicks off. One name I feel has a grave-bound destiny by the hands of that Chucky-looking, short maniac in the NY crew, and it’s Benny. Prior to landing this role, the actor was Doogie Houser’s neighbor and a member of Sgt. Bilko’s platoon, but his first significant contribution to the Sopranos storyline was in becoming the unlucky “somebody down there”, a makeshift amplifier and speakers carrying the tune of virtuoso Phil Leotardo’s lead pipe arrangement, a piece he chose not to title, but simply dedicate to Tony Blundetto.
Payback for Benny came when he was given the assignment of rigging up one of Leotardo’s joints with explosives, then setting them off remotely (IED anyone?) as Phil and the bimbo he was with were walking across the street towards it. The tit-for-tat scenario isn’t really important besides the fact that another one of Phil’s guys had been down to Jersey and never made it back on account of his smart mouth. Consensus being that Tony’s crew is still one up on NY. That’s supposed to be all straightened out now, but Phil’s a rage-driven, vindictive killer who’s liable to switch moods quicker than Frank Rizzo on a Wild Turkey bender. Taking out Chris Moltisanti is what he wants to do, but that’s over-the-top even for him I’d imagine. I mention Chris only because it was the first name that came to mind when I started thinking on this earlier today.
Running out of time here, I had some other thoughts about this season that are escaping me at the moment. One had to do with my being certain that the feds had Adriana’s phone tapped, meaning they know Tony was the one who told her a lie to trick her into getting in the car with Silvio…remember he told her that Chris had tried to kill himself and Silvio was coming by to take her to the hospital? He was on an outside line, but his voice would have been clear as day. So what keeps the feds from leaking that tape to someone that can get it to her mother, eventually word getting back to Carmella. However it all falls into place, I’m looking at Chase’s portrayal of Johnny Sack in the can, and can’t help but figure Tony is headed right there as well.
These stories, in real life, don’t end with the boss escaping murder or jail too often. Those at the top get shit on and tossed out like garbage. The next day, whatever vermin is left on the street simply go about feeding like nothing ever happened. Tony has known this since he first got into it as a kid, and his panic attacks are a direct result of knowing all too well how the story must end.
After watching the first episode tonight, I can see right off that I’m wrong about Phil and Benny. Seems that Phil is doing the smart thing and backing off. The rest of what I wrote may be right on the nose though…the Adriana thing is happening, I can sense it based on the previews to upcoming episodes, Carmela is telling Chris she’s disappointed in him.
I know there are fans of the show that dislike episodes like the one tonight (and I’m not looking to spoil anything), but I like them the most. Tonight’s was a masterpiece.
Entourage was great also. I’m hoping Van Helsing sees this and chimes in. Peace – DI
The highlight of this episode for me was Tony placing the drowned child story in the back of Janice’s head, man she flipped out over nothing when her kid was wading in the lake.
Now I think a possible season subject could stem from Bobby talking about DNA evidence with Tony, then goes and whacks that guy and gets his shirt ripped off which may have Tony’s blood on it from the night before as well as the possible hollowed point bullet that stills in the washing machine. Plus Bobby just drops the gun, come on now. But like any Sopranos scene it could be nothing such as doing business with Arabs or shooting a Russian in the woods.
With only 8 episodes left I don’t see the FBI ever getting the RICO case in court. Christopher is going to get whacked by someone in Phil’s crew and
people are going to start dying. TAKE THIS TO THE BANK- The show ends Scarface style with Tony taking out the feds with his new b-day gift AR-15 when they try to serve him.
You’re right…that was the best part, as Carmela was onto the goal from the moment Tony started talking, and they volleyed it back and forth brilliantly…I don’t know why, but the first thing I said the entire episode was “she’s got a fucking nanny!” – the woman had her back turned to the camera and I noticed it right off.
I really hate Janice. The murder was very sloppy…I haven’t had the chance to look at it on demand yet, but I’m assuming that Bobby was wearing gloves. The pause before he delivered the head shot was a case of seconds seeming like hours.
Remember that the guy who hung himself to start off the last season dropped the gun at the scene as well.
If you’re right about how Tony goes out, it would be incredible…they had a grenade in the house earlier in the series!
SPOILER ALERT:SR!! Don’t get too wrapped up in the “teasers” for next week; they always turn out to be red herrings(Season 5’s last episode tease showed what looked to be Christopher taking a beating from Phil–It turned out to be Benny) Yet, anything is possible.
Leaving the gun behind after murders is Standard OP and homage to GF1 -Michael C. and then Clemenza: “Leave the gun, take the Canoli”.
Bobby was wearing gloves.
Did you catch the frittata=eggs prelude to a death reference? What is it with the eggs and death?
Also, the dude Bobby whacked maybe, possibly (probably not, but…) he was the son of Janice. In Season 2 we learn that Janice has a Son (Harpo-HAL Tony also baited Janice about it in Season 5 “Cold Cuts” episode, Maybe?. Harpo-Hal was taken away from Janice by the Father, Eugene. They settled in Canada-French Canada, I think. The hit was in Quebec-or at least we are led to believe it was in a French speaking area of Canada.
hey, i did not know that there was a series 7. do you mean series 6 part 2? if not when did it air? thanks