The long-awaited new episode of The Sopranos wasn't worth the wait.

A story focused on a guy we don't know or care about trying to get out of the mob? The only question was how he would die. I thought he was going to shoot himself, so props to the writers for hanging him instead. Nice long shot of the swinging body, I'll admit.

As for the shocking development of Uncle Junior shooting Tony, I have to say I did not turn on the TV and immediately say, tonight Junior is going to shoot Tony. But it didn't take long. As soon as Tony walked into the house and Junior was scared and addled, I thought, huh, I bet June shoots him. And then when Junior yelled downstairs to demand who was there, I thought, just shoot him already.

And here's the thing: unless the creative folks break every rule known to TV drama, Tony ain't dying any time soon. He's the star of the show, it's the first show of the season.

There is every reason to expect this season to improve after a weak opener. I hope it does.

Comments

[David Boyd]

You're crazy. This show is more subtle than just blowing you away on night one. They'll let it build. Two folks we didn't expect talking to the feds justifying Tony's paranoia and setting up later moves. Evil Carm showing off that Porsche to Ginny Sack who won't answer the phone due to bill collectors. Disappointed Carm when her friend had a new Corvette to compare to the Porsche. Hesh and his son-in-law getting wore out. The Johnny Sack/Phil dynamic and wondering how long before Johnny gets out or power goes to Phil's head.

It's all good. This show has always brought in minor characters. They were leading you to believe the guy would go after Tony, not hang himself. And I didn't see Junior shooting Tony before it happened. Junior was talking out of his mind the whole show.

[Doug H]

Uh...David? It's just a TV show.

Man, you are into it, aren't you?

[Ed Cone]

I'm crazy, because I criticized an episode of a series? Sorry. I like The Sopranos, I thought last night was pretty weak.

[David Boyd]

Best show on TV, AB. That being said, there are weak episodes - one being the show Tony spends with his dead dad's mistress. Made even weaker in that it left compelling story lines hanging after they had been building and building.

There are other episodes with previously unknown characters that are incredible - the Russian for example.

So anyway, I look at episodes like last night as part of the whole. There was a ton of foreshadowing and some threads will be left hanging, but this is The Sopranos MO. You can't cut off Richie's head every episode, the tension needs ramping up. Even still Tony got shot in the gut by his uncle. Plenty of action there, especially if you're kind of dense like me and didn't see it coming.

[Ed Cone]

Right, there are weak episodes. Last night was one of them. It stood out for being a weak episode that kicked off a long-awaited new season.

[Danny Wright]

Deadwood NEVER has weak episodes. Nor the Wire. Nor Carnivale, bless its twisted soul.

[David Boyd]

Your argument seems to be that it was weak because of one story arc of a previously unknown guy trying to get out of the business. They've always brought in new characters. It keeps the show fresh. Plus, they keep you hanging because you don't know if that was the end of that part of the story or maybe the son or wife play an important role later on.

In addition, you were able to foresee June shooting Tony? I wasn't. Surprised the hell out of me. Perhaps you think it weak because you are so prescient.

I have no doubt Tony lives. But, this could change everything. There's going to be resolution at the end of twenty episodes and it's going to involve a great change in Tony or an attempted and failed change. Either way, the shooting was the set up. And I like the set ups. I get tired of getting beat over the head with explosion after explosion or of never ending, never progressing shows. The Sopranos has hit the right mix. We went several episodes last year with Adrianna struggling with what to do with the Feds until the pay off which made it that much more disturbing and thrilling. If they didn't invest the time and had just killed her off right away, it wouldn't have been as sweet. Same thing with Big Pussy from a few years ago.

So all that being said, yeah if you look at it as a one-off, it's not a top-ten episode (although I swear Tony getting shot is a big deal and I don't see how you easily dismiss it), but if you look at it as part of the whole, it was a mighty fine show.

[Connie Mack Jr]

This year it is nothing but eating and eating and more eating...and than some more excessive eating...... I toss my cookies 3 times at the end .....Tony is going to open a weight reduction center at Bing and Banga Jenny Craig club. and corner the fat market.....you watch!!!!!!!!,,,those subline mental hints with him on the scales...

[chip]

David- I agree w/Mr. Ed. It was boring and predictable....and it has run out of irony.

[David Boyd]

Alright, I'm done. You guys go watch Desperate Housewives if you want. I'll be relishing the final season.

[Ed Cone]

DB, what if the final season isn't very good?

It's possible, you know. As my post said, there's every reason to expect the season to improve after the weak opener, but what if it really is played out?

Will you stick your fingers in your ears and yell "It's great" in a proclamation of fanboy defiance?

I'm sure there are people who insist that the second Matrix movie wasn't bad, and the third one wasn't terrible, just because they loved the brilliant first one so much.

[David Boyd]

You're right about The Matrix. What a let down.

If The Sopranos final season isn't very good, I'll say so. There have been times during the run that they've struggled - the talking fish comes to mind. But there's absolutely no reason to think after Sunday's debut that they're tapped. It wasn't predictable at all (to me anyway, I suppose if I knew Tony would get shot before watching, I'd have figured Junior did it going into the final scene, but I didn't and it was a surprise), the actors aren't mailing it in, there are multiple interesting story lines going forward and the writing was sharp.

As a practical matter this season is like watching a twenty hour movie. You know there'll be a climax, but you've got to progress slowly with lots of detours. Kind of like, ahem,...Anyway, it was a good episode. Perhaps it's a testament to the show and the expectations it generates that the lead character can get shot in the first episode of the final season and you're less than impressed.

[Ed Cone]

See, I liked the talking fish...

[David Wharton]

Hmmm...I don't get HBO, so started renting the Sopranos on Netflix. Soon lost interest, as it seemed pretty derivative. All the threadbare tropes, both comic and dramatic, had been worn out in the Godfather (I & II), Goodfellas, Donnie Brascoe, Analyze This, etc.

Sorry DB, the whole thing is weak.

[Ed Cone]

Here I must strongly disagree, Professor. As a classical scholar, DW, you know that there are timeless stories that blossom in the retelling, thanks to strong characters and (in drama) great acting. I think this series qualifies.

I approached it, also on DVD, with the same doubts you bring up, and an allergy to the hype as well. But DB's long-movie analogy is true -- you spend a lot of time with these folks and it's quite involving. It's deep, even.

I think the shrink-heavy first season was in some ways not the best, although the characters were strong.

And I find the Jersey-Italian milieu and patois to be convincing and entertaining, but then that could be because I'm married into a (law-abiding) Jersey-Italian family.

[David Boyd]

Rome will be back soon.

[David Wharton]

Well, on your recommendation, Ed, I'll give the second season a try. I did find the sessions with the shrink in the first season a little tiresome.

[David Boyd]

The original hook for the show was the sessions with the shrink. Thankfully that faded. It's only one of many story lines now. The second season is when things really picked up with the entry of Richie.

Part of the problem with telling folks how great this show is, is the expectations it creates. It's a bit unfair. To get the full effect, you have to be invested and it's a little harder to get invested when you're waiting to get blown away.

Regarding the references to other mob movies, they've been playing off this for a while. Christopher wants to sell his story to Hollywood, Carmela's movie group sets out to watch the hundred greatest movies and wince when they get to The Godfather and on and on. However, they've found their own place. Part of what's great about the show is regular, contemporary, suburban life and all its worries and troubles intertwined with episodes of brutality. You got that with Goodfellas a little bit, but the conflict was too much and everything fell apart quickly when we got to that stage. With The Sopranos, the tension is always there. These folks want acceptance and normal lives, but at the same time they're resigned to what they do and where they come from and it's that constant tension that sets up the powerful scenes.

But, I don't want to oversell it or anything.

[David Boyd]

Here's a thought about what Tony's shooting is going to set up. There is no doubt Tony will not die. However, what if he's incapacitated for a number of weeks? The power vacuum will be strong. Phil and Johnny will be emboldened, Carmela will be scared to death, Tony's soldiers will be jockeying and realigning, Meadow might get involved in the business and then Tony comes back into the mess. This show is always best when there's much uncertainty and Tony being near death for a while would push things to the limit.