The Sopranos - Family Values

Junior's Review

Junior's Review
(Episode 68 - MAYHAM)

What a great episode! The third episode of season six called Mayham showed the Sopranos at its best. It showed all the elements I love the show for. The portrait of characters in the mob with a superb sense for details and comedy. The everlasting struggle` for cash and power in the organisation. The emotional dynamics in Tony´s own family. The self ironie about art and creating art. And the adressing of fundamental questions about human existence with an astoushing knowledge about religion, philosophy and psychology.

Best news is that Tony awakes from his coma at the end of the episode. Picking up the established purgatory environment from episode 2 Tony almost goes to the other side as Paulies talks to him in the hospital.(By the way, I wonder what this might foreshadow for Paulie?)Tony meets Tony Blundetto and refuses to give him his suitcase. The suitcase is Tony´s life and Tony wont give it away. He hears the voice of a little girl telling him that she loves him and Maedow (she is hot with a capital h) save Tonys life, as announced in the first minutes of season six. Phantastic work by the writers staff. The most important person for Tony is Maedow and there is nothing better in his life. She is the only thing he can really be proud of. The only thing what makes him wish to live longer. I am sure he will remember that. And this fact should have a huge impact on him. It hurt to see Tony damaged and being unable to communicate. But certainly he will recover soon.

The mob needs him baldy. Without their boss Sil had to step up. But he is not up to the task. He is insecure. Sil rather wants to reed the papers on the toilet than making decisions. For the first time , if I am right, we see his house. His wife dreams about Sil becoming the boss. But Sil is not only insecure, he also suffers from asthma and ends up in the hospital. Now with Tony and Sil out of the game who is going to be the acting boss? Only now a power vacuum is in place.

Paulie was and remains a cheap fuck. Money is everything for him and he hates to give Carme Tonys share from a big score. Carme notices that. Might not be so good for Paulie when Tony hears about it. Vito is far more upset with Tony getting healthy. He was ready to make a move but Phil didn´t back him up. I expect him to do something stupid. Let´s face it. To touch Finn in this way is just dumb. For his dumbness I don´t like Vitos character very much and I hope he will be whacked soon.

I liked Edie Falco`s performance very much. It wasn´t as obvious as in the last episode and in my eyes therefor stronger. She has a new sense of clearity about herself and Tony. She loves the money, the bling-bling, the cars and I think she is more afraid of loosing the nice things than her husband. She loves him because of it. We know about the new Porsche and we know how shocked she was when she saw Big Pussy´s wife.

Chris is back in the movie biz. Good news for us. I loved this in the previous seasons and again it is just so funny and cleverly written. Chris starts a movie project described as "Godfather meets Saw". What a great line. I bet you could sell such a pitch in Tinseltown. Chris gets his old writer buddy to work and now the poor screenwriter has to take notes from Sil and the other guys who are interesting in financing the movie. Chris has learned one lesson. To be a writer is very difficult and can be depressing, but to be the person who pays the writer is much easier and there is so much more to earn as a producer. He is so convined of the success that he assures Tony he keeps a major investor spot open for him. It would be great to see Chris sending the writer to so-called development hell. From the quality of the writing shown I don´t doubt it a sec.

The one and only thing missing in this great episode was Junior.

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