Sopranos help.

[notorious]

***Spoilers***

***Spoilers***


***Spoilers***

***Spoilers***





I just finished watching the series from episode 1 to the horrible finale and I have some stupid questions:

1. Who was the young kid who whacked Phil? He shows up the final season with no explanation.


2. Who in the hell was the girl at Vegas?




The answers are probably simple, and I could rewatch the final season, but quite frankly it sucked elephant balls. Everyone was completely out of character and the story lines were terrible. It seemed like they used a comletely different producer, director, and crew.


Thanks.

[Jenson71]

I've seen it, but put "spoilers" at top now.

[Jenson71]

I think the guy who shoots Phil is just some lower-ranking soldier who carries out those jobs. And the girl in Vegas was someone Christopher used to be with.

[Huffmeister]

Speaking of Sopranos season one... it's really interesting to go back and watch the first few episodes. The tone was completely different at the beginning. It's almost like they were trying to go with a 'dark comedy' angle rather than a serious drama.

[notorious]

Originally Posted by Jenson71

I think the guy who shoots Phil is just some lower-ranking soldier who carries out those jobs. And the girl in Vegas was someone Christopher used to be with.

OK, so they just made them up for some key scenes.


I thought I might have missed something.


Thank you.

[notorious]

Originally Posted by Huffmeister

Speaking of Sopranos season one... it's really interesting to go back and watch the first few episodes. The tone was completely different at the beginning. It's almost like they were trying to go with a 'dark comedy' angle rather than a serious drama.

That is what makes the final season strange.


They build the story so that we like the characters during the first 5 seasons, and suddenly in the final season they take all the comedy out and leave us with an almost hatred for what characters are left.


To go from sick humor to nothing but darkness and depression really turned me off.

[vailpass]

Wait til you get to the part where they have to whack Christopher's fiance. That's some good shit right there.
Oh and keep an eye on the ducks.
And don't get too attached to Big Pussy.

[Jenson71]

Spoilers


Adriana's death, and that powerless desperation she showed right before, is something that still resonates with me a couple of years after seeing it. That was tremendously sad.

[Otter]

Originally Posted by vailpass

Wait til you get to the part where they have to whack Christopher's fiance. That's some good shit right there.
Oh and keep an eye on the ducks.
And don't get too attached to Big Pussy.

By the time Tony makes it to Vegas Pussy's probably been eaten and pooped out by crabs.

Wasn't that the episode (Tony in Vegas) where it ended with him throwing up while doing peyote in the desert? (double rainbows!!!) Like Jenson mentioned I think that's the extent of it's contribution to the plot.

David Chase did that all the time in this show. He would bring along someone or something that seemed significant and was going to evolve as part of the plot but it never went anywhere. Remember the Russian that Chris and Paulie took into the woods to whack, climbed a tree and got away? Perfect example.

At the risk of opening up a can of worms, what's your interpretation of what happened at the ending?

I think the episode "Members Only" is a pretty much foretelling in what happens in the final episode. May want to go back and watch that one if still in doubt.

Great show (the best IMHO) that suffered because HBO decided to milk it for about two seasons too long.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by Otter

By the time Tony makes it to Vegas Pussy's probably been eaten and pooped out by crabs.

Wasn't that the episode (Tony in Vegas) where it ended with him throwing up while doing peyote in the desert? (double rainbows!!!) Like Jenson mentioned I think that's the extent of it's contribution to the plot.

David Chase did that all the time in this show. He would bring along someone or something that seemed significant and was going to evolve as part of the plot but it never went anywhere. Remember the Russian that Chris and Paulie took into the woods to whack, climbed a tree and got away? Perfect example.

At the risk of opening up a can of worms, what's your interpretation of what happened at the ending?

I think the episode "Members Only" is a pretty much foretelling in what happens in the final episode. May want to go back and watch that one if still in doubt.

Great show (the best IMHO) that suffered because HBO decided to milk it for about two seasons too long.

You are correct, I saw "season 1" in the OP and didn't go much further. My bad.

As to the ending, IMHO in a story as great as the Sopranos that went for as long as it did there isn't a single ending that will satisfy everyone so they left it open ended. A Steven King move.
I'd need to go back and watch it again but IIRC it seemed to me that Tony got whacked. Or did he?

[ReynardMuldrake]

Originally Posted by vailpass

You are correct, I saw "season 1" in the OP and didn't go much further. My bad.

As to the ending, IMHO in a story as great as the Sopranos that went for as long as it did there isn't a single ending that will satisfy everyone so they left it open ended. A Steven King move.
I'd need to go back and watch it again but IIRC it seemed to me that Tony got whacked. Or did he?

They made it pretty clear that Tony got whacked. The long moment of silence at the end gives it away.

[Otter]

Originally Posted by vailpass

You are correct, I saw "season 1" in the OP and didn't go much further. My bad.

As to the ending, IMHO in a story as great as the Sopranos that went for as long as it did there isn't a single ending that will satisfy everyone so they left it open ended. A Steven King move.
I'd need to go back and watch it again but IIRC it seemed to me that Tony got whacked. Or did he?

While it's never been 100% acknowledged or refuted by Chase most fans thought Tony got whacked by the mysterious guy in the members only jacket in the in the finale. If you have the means and are curious enough go back and watch "Members Only" (1st episode of final season) then while it's fresh in your mind watch "Made in America" (series finale) and it's pretty telling what happens.

The conversation between Tony and Bobby on what it's like to be whacked. "I bet you don't even feel it and everything goes black" (paraphrasing) and a couple other things topped off with the guy lurking around wearing a members only jacket (in 2007 no less) is pretty telling followed by the dead silence at the end.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by Otter

While it's never been 100% acknowledged or refuted by Chase most fans thought Tony got whacked by the mysterious guy in the members only jacket in the in the finale. If you have the means and are curious enough go back and watch "Members Only" (1st episode of final season) then while it's fresh in your mind watch "Made in America" (series finale) and it's pretty telling what happens.

The conversation between Tony and Bobby on what it's like to be whacked. "I bet you don't even feel it and everything goes black" (paraphrasing) and a couple other things topped off with the guy lurking around wearing a members only jacket (in 2007 no less) is pretty telling followed by the dead silence at the end.

Thanks for the refresher Otter, now I remember the talk about the Members Only.

I have the series on DVD but have never watched it; was waiting for enough time to pass after the original series ended. Maybe it's been long enough and now is a good time to re-watch from the start since there is a lull in my HBO/Showtime programming. I'll watch ep. 1 and the final episode as you suggest.

[DeezNutz]

Disagree about the final episode.

The cycle is continuing, as the Journey song that plays in the background suggests. Tony is still trying to keep the family together, while dealing with the distinct possibility of jail time and numerous outside threats.

[Great Expectations]

There was so much homage paid to Coppola/The Godfather trilogy to be fairly certain Tony is dead.