The Sopranos - Family Values

Junior's Review

Junior's Review
(Episode 77 - KAISHA)

The openig of season six was phenomenal. I was deeply impressed by the excellent storytelling that David Chase and his co-workers put up once more on the screen. Some episodes were as brilliant as only "The Sopranos" can get: "Members only", "Mayham", "The Ride" and "Cold Stones". Granted, that every episode is way ahead of everything else on Television, but as every other cultural phenomenon my favourite show of all times will be judged by its own superior quality and not the minor work of others. Too much time was wasted on Vito and Mister Moustache, especially "Live free or die" and "Mo N`Joe" are strong contenders for the worst episodes ever.

"Kaisha" perfectly fits into season six. It had some unforgettable moments like Little Carmine in the role of an incapable arbitrator, Michael Imperioli´s huge performance and Junior´s sadness mixed broken pride, but it lacked many things we are used to and gave us something very, very bad.

Normally, the last episode of a season resolved at least one major storyline with a bang. No major storyline this time. Hence, no resolution with a bang. And perhaps there is no need for a big bang since it´s not really the end of a season. The biggest bang was in the first episode when Junior almost killed Tony. Tony learned that every day is a gift. In the last episode he visits Phil in the hospital and makes clear that there are far more important things than money. Put aside the contradiction in Tony´s behaviour who celebrates Phil´s heart attack only a few scenes before. It´s something we heard before as Tony said in one earlier episode something similar. There´s enough garbage for everyone. So why even put this at the end of the season?

The point is that T. tells Phil about his coma experience. Tony is talking to his enemy about his innermost feelings. The alpha male shows signs of weakness in front of somebody who might want to kill him or somebody close to him. The evolution of Tony´s character is the best part of season six and it mainly works for me. The coma experience did more for Tony than all of the therapy sessions with Melfi. Btw, she played a minor role in the whole season and I miss the intensity in the relationship between Melfi and Tony. The writers need to bring this intensity back - and Junior.

We have to wait how Phil reacts to. Season six was supposed to be about the war between N.Y. and N.J. but it simply didn´t happen. Clearly, the door is still open and it might happen in the final eight bonus episodes. The purpose of the remarkably peaceful ending under the christmas tree might might be to give us the impression of a short moment of happiness, before violence returns into T.´s life. After the ending I´m not too excited about what happens next. No dramatic question leads into the last few episodes. A very strange feeling. But I´ll accept it and hope the ending of the Sopranos reveals why David Chase has choosen it.

I still believe in the writing and the writers, though I´m very critical about some things. The whole Christopha and Julianna subplot is a great idea since it brings Tony and Chris into conflict. But, why in the world was it explained in a flashback? The worst thing screenwriters can do. I can´t remember the Sopranos did it ever before. My speculation is that they came up with it very late in developmentto improve the otherwise lame dramatic arc. To me it even looks like additional shooting. I can see no other explanation why the meeeting at AA wasn´t shown earlier. Julianna being a recovering user? Come on. The basic idea of Chris getting involved with Julianna is great, but the execution is very, very bad. Also, Agent Harris telling Tony about a death thread is not credible - at least for me. A cheap attempt to rise the stakes.

What I also deeply dislike is that people on the show tell us that the mob people are sociopaths. Taking the moral high ground is boring and totally wrong. We know who they are. For no rational reason emphasizing the dislike for its own characters has made season six the worst so far.

I truly wish the final 8 episodes bring us the ending the Sopranos deserve. No matter how it`ll look. I just want it to be constructed and executed in the same spirit as season 1-5.

comments are welcome to: jan@winning.com

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