BROKEN HEROES ON A LAST CHANCE POWER DRIVE

Over at the Armed Prophet, I have 1300+ words on Bush's speech tonight, if politics is your thing. But as for things regular people think about, I still have last night's episode of The Sopranos on the brain. Most of my thoughts have already been said by the Television Without Pity message boarders (full link plus deletion of these parenthetical remarks when their mySQL calms down) or Slate's weekly correspondents, but in particular Slate writer (and longtime mob journalist) Jeffrey Goldberg nails the thing that's got me the most:

This is the biggest whacking in five seasons.

Adriana's death was something potentially foreseeable as far back as the finale of Season 3, when the FBI first brought her in. But for her to be killed now, and in this manner, is especially affecting. I'm one of the dumb ones; I didn't really realize what was happening until Silvio turned off onto the dirt path, and even then it didn't really sink in until he got out of the car and Adriana started whimpering and grabbing helplessly at the steering wheel. And then he called her a cunt.

(I should have known when Tony called her from a pay phone. Or when Christopher watched the dismal, normal family get into their station wagon. Or when he left their apartment in the first place.)

Before the show began, I told a friend that if David Chase and the writers knew what was good for the show, they'd whack one person in this ep (yes, I've been reading too much TWOP) and another in the next. Right now odds are nearly even that it's Tony B (Buscemi) who's getting whacked in two weeks (damned Memorial Day) and not Christopher. But both seem almost equally possible.

As powerful as the storyline ending with Adriana's unceremonious murder (by her own uncle, one shouldn't forget), it was further deepened by the extreme cognitive dissonance I felt while watching Tony move back in to the house. While everything outside the house was falling apart -- did I mention the war brewing between the New Jersey Sopranos and the New York crew under the consolidated control of the truly vicious Johnny Sack? -- everything inside the Soprano family home seemed to be returning to normal. Seemed to, of course. Great line Tony had, finally persuading Carmela that he was ready to be true: he didn't really promise no more fooling around with his goomahs; he just told her it wouldn't affect their home life. Good luck.

I know there was a first season episode titled "Pax Soprano," but that title seems more apt to Sunday's episode.

With a shortened season coming up whenever the show returns (my prediction: early 2006), it seems clear now that the entire family -- if Chase knows what's right, both of them -- will explode. What happens exactly is up to David Chase, but last night's developments leave me greatly encouraged.

One possible dissenting note: If it is Buscemi who gets taken out, the season finale will be a letdown compared to Sunday's installment. If it's Christopher -- holy shit.

Oh, I should have mentioned: spoilers above.

P.S. Maybe I should have figured. As somebody at TWOP mentioned, now Drea de Matteo is free to do as many sitcoms as she wants.

P.P.S. Loved: Adriana tells the FBI the drug dealer Matush is a good guy because he's sending money back to a school in Pakistan. They all look at each other uncomfortably, yet say nothing. Plus: This is not the first time Matush has inadvertently got a Soprano killed. Remember what happened with Jackie Jr.'s card game hold-up?

P.P.P.S. "This is fucking weird."

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posted by WWB at 10:35 PM |