The Sopranos: Camo & Friends [Archive]

TONGO

08-16-16, 09:20 PM

Really if you can point me to a mob drama, or any drama as good as The Sopranos, Im all ears.

Sopranos is in the collection of Greatest Ever series, shared with Game Of Thrones, Breaking Bad, and Walking Dead. Of all the celebrities that died the past 10 years, Gandlfini hit me the hardest. Even more than Robin Williams, Prince, or Seymour Hoffman. By the end of that series regardless of his flaws you loved the guy. That sounds outlandishly bold for a refined viewing forum to say, but I cant figure it any other way.

Confession. When I first saw the previews for The Sopranos I thought "Whose that guy?" and almost wrote it off just based of Gandolfinis appearance. I did the same when Star Trek: Next Generation came around, and saw Patrick Stewart....wondered "What are they thinking?!" Needless to say Picard and Tony couldnt have been played better by anyone else.

AboveTheClouds

08-16-16, 09:49 PM

Any of you 1st Season fans remember this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrpZKci_Ask

Mikey was a prick, that mock execution **** he pulled warranted worse.

Captain Steel

08-16-16, 10:04 PM

Coincidentally, I just recently completed a re-watching of the complete series.

I was one of those people who didn't have HBO when the show first ran, and only heard people talk about it (and it seemed like EVERYBODY talked about it). Then I watched it after the series ended when a friend lent me a DVD set. I currently have HBO and decided to watch it all again with HBO "On-Demand."

Being from NJ, the show has a special appeal to Garden-Staters (familiar references & places on-screen). In addition to the obvious, the series is very much about psychology, and appearances, and masks. I can't help thinking of it as a really dark comedy as opposed to a drama.

BTW, I was a classmate of James Gandolfini - he was a couple years ahead of me at Rutgers. I didn't know him, but we went to the same university at the same time.

Fabulous

08-16-16, 10:12 PM

I really liked that f****** animal Blundetto.

Camo

08-16-16, 10:14 PM

Confession. When I first saw the previews for The Sopranos I thought "Whose that guy?" and almost wrote it off just based of Gandolfinis appearance

Gandolfini always knew the show was going to work but he actually thought that he wouldn't be hired as Tony, so he started handing his card out to everyone there hoping they'd mention him elsewhere, when he was hired he apologized to everyone and years later these cards he gave out were going for thousands of pounds/dollars.

Captain Steel

08-16-16, 10:20 PM

He was in Crimson Tide (1995)! :)

Camo

08-16-16, 10:21 PM

Whether that is true or no high five

Captain Steel

08-16-16, 10:23 PM

Whether that is true or no high five

James Gandolfini - Lt. Bobby Dougherty
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112740/

Fabulous

08-16-16, 10:24 PM

One thing that really bothered me was Gandolfini's heavy breathing. I think it got worse as the series went on.

Captain Steel

08-16-16, 10:28 PM

One thing that really bothered me was Gandolfini's heavy breathing. I think it got worse as the series went on.

Do you think they amplified it at points on purpose?
Because, yeah, sometimes it was distracting, but at the same time it usually meant he was getting frustrated, was on the verge of a panic attack or somebody was about to get hurt.

Also... trivia: Lillo Brancato was also in Crimson Tide with Gandolfini. Later, Tony (Gandolfini) kills Brancato's character on the Sopranos!
(Later still, Brancato ends up in some real life trouble!)

Fabulous

08-16-16, 10:31 PM

Possibly, but it happened quite a lot, and sometimes it wasn't even needed.

Fabulous

08-16-16, 10:32 PM

The Sopranos had one of the best opening credits:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLxSUKA--Dg

Camo

08-16-16, 10:47 PM

Possibly, but it happened quite a lot, and sometimes it wasn't even needed.

What's with you playing word association then not being relavant ever again?

You have a habit of doing nothing other than count to whatever, ?

Fabulous

08-16-16, 10:51 PM

What's with you playing word association then not being relavant ever again?

You have a habit of doing nothing other than count to whatever, ?

???

I haven't posted in Word Association or Count to 1,000,000 in a very long time.

christine

08-17-16, 02:30 AM

Y'know what - I will have nothing said against The Sopranos - weak episodes? Weak series? Episodes that don't go anywhere? None of that matters to me. The investment of time I've put into that series has been so worth it for the entertainment value. The characters are superbly played, and the whole thing is so well crafted. It's one of the few things I've seen where you can be laughing at something funny they've done or said, but in the same scene be then utterly repelled by the violence and craven greed but still be invested in watching. It's characters are given time to be complex, specially Tony. I have to give a mention to the women's clothes in the series too - fabulously naff, and Edie Falco as Carmella is glorious.

And Tatty you forgot Boys from the Blackstuff in your list ;)

Camo

08-17-16, 02:39 AM

he investment of time I've put into that series has been so worth it for the entertainment value.

Couldn't agree more.

The characters are superbly played, and the whole thing is so well crafted. It's one of the few things I've seen where you can be laughing at something funny they've done or said, but in the same scene be then utterly repelled by the violence and craven greed but still be invested in watching. It's characters are given time to be complex, specially Tony.

I watched the football (soccer) coach ep the other day and i think this has one of the absolute best examples of it. When Tony comes home stumbling about because he was drinking ontop of his meds, when he tells Carmela "i didn't hurt nobody" and Meadow hears/sees it, that scene is way more powerful than it has any right being to be honest.

AboveTheClouds

08-17-16, 03:17 AM

I watched the football (soccer) coach ep the other day and i think this has one of the absolute best examples of it. When Tony comes home stumbling about because he was drinking ontop of his meds, when he tells Carmela "i didn't hurt nobody" and Meadow hears/sees it, that scene is way more powerful than it has any right being to be honest.

The whole show is wonderful for this, I always find something to appreciate in each episode, there is so much beauty in it. And sometimes it comes out of the blue and you're sitting there completely stunned by what just happened. Even if you've seen the episode before. This show is such a perfect combination of elements that coalesce into this thing much bigger than the sum of its parts. Never has a show had me cheer so feverishly for the "villain". Even a show that's comparable like Sons of Anarchy can't hold a candle to this show in terms of story, acting, setting and mood.

Camo

08-17-16, 03:27 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRA4z0tv8AY

Camo

08-17-16, 03:37 AM

Anyone who hasn't watched The Sopranos stop reading.

My favourite thing about that is that when we hear about someone abusing children we all want the abuser to suffer but when we call for something like that, well the average person anyway, we are spouting empty words because we realize how disgusting these acts are but there's not much we can do other than report them and hope justice is served. That episode puts us in Tony's skin someone who does actually have the power to do something about it, i think only The Twilight Zone scares me more than The Sopranos about social issues like this.

christine

08-17-16, 04:27 AM

Camo and AboveTheClouds - I'm at work so not not the time to be multi quoting , but just have to say how much I agree with your last couple of comments :)

Tacitus

08-17-16, 04:54 AM

JJ, has famously got me into I, Claudius lately. So yeah, agreed.

Then you'll really need to get into Triangle. Christine probably thinks Boys From The Black Stuff is better but she's silly like that. It's like an advert for milk in comparison.

Seriously. :p

Fabulous

08-17-16, 05:29 AM

A great scene to show to someone who is on the fence about watching the show:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ph5Omj73L58

christine

08-17-16, 05:36 AM

Then you'll really need to get into Triangle. Christine probably thinks Boys From The Black Stuff is better but she's silly like that. It's like an advert for milk in comparison.

Seriously. :p

Jeez I'd forgotten all about Triangle . Thanks for reminding me Tatty :rolleyes:
It didn't even have a decent theme tune to redeem it, unless you count Kate O'Mara as doing that ...

Tacitus

08-17-16, 05:37 AM

I only remember Kate O'Mara. ;)

christine

08-17-16, 06:20 AM

I only remember Kate O'Mara. ;)

unsurprisingly with that bikini :D

the samoan lawyer

08-17-16, 09:31 AM

The Sopranos is my favourite TV series, I cant see that ever changing.

Tugg

08-17-16, 09:46 AM

It certainly is most professional show in a good way.

christine

08-17-16, 10:27 AM

Can we put spoilers in here? I think it's a thread for people who already appreciate the show yes?

Camo

08-17-16, 10:32 AM

Yeah i'd say so, i posted a warning just in case but it's not as if the show is ongoing

Captain Steel

08-17-16, 11:47 AM

How many people in Tony's crew had flipped by the end?

Camo

08-17-16, 12:08 PM

How many people in Tony's crew had flipped by the end?

Just his crew? Think it was just Pussy. If you meant the family then there was Pussy, Jimmy Altieri (well there's still some debate if he actually flipped with some i think it is pretty clear he did though), Carlo, Larry Barese, Eugene, Febby (not actually sure what crew he was in, i always guessed Jackies don't think it was ever made clear though, unless i'm forgetting), the old capo always forget his name, then some people associated with the family like Adriana.

Only Pussy was in his crew though.

Captain Steel

08-17-16, 12:34 PM

Just his crew? Think it was just Pussy. If you meant the family then there was Pussy, Jimmy Altieri (well there's still some debate if he actually flipped with some i think it is pretty clear he did though), Carlo, Larry Barese, Eugene, Febby (not actually sure what crew he was in, i always guessed Jackies don't think it was ever made clear though, unless i'm forgetting), the old capo always forget his name, then some people associated with the family like Adriana.

Only Pussy was in his crew though.

Good list, Camo.

When Tony became boss, all the Capos' crews were under his jurisdiction, so I consider all of those as part of Tony's crew.

I think the "old capo" you're referring to was Raymond - it was confirmed that he flipped since there were scenes of him negotiating with feds (he wanted money from the feds for his son who had some kind of illness.) But then he died before anyone found out about his flip. There were ironic comments made at his funeral about his loyalty & what a stand up guy he was.

I forgot all about Eugene flipping (and I just watched it!) I guess because I'm always left with the image of him hanging in his basement.

Camo

08-17-16, 12:47 PM

Good list, Camo.

When Tony became boss, all the Capos' crews were under his jurisdiction, so I consider all of those as part of Tony's crew.

I think the "old capo" you're referring to was Raymond - it was confirmed that he flipped since there were scenes of him negotiating with feds (he wanted money from the feds for his son who had some kind of illness.) But then he died before anyone found out about his flip. There were ironic comments made at his funeral about his loyalty & what a stand up guy he was.

I forgot all about Eugene flipping (and I just watched it!) I guess because I'm always left with the image of him hanging in his basement.

A crew is a specific thing though, Tony keeps his crew even as boss, Chris, Paulie, Pussy, etc, before it gets split. Just like real life that's where he gets the biggest cut, he gets smaller cuts of the other crews money as boss.

Yeah, Raymond and i know it was confirmed that he flipped. Raymond was what was known as a dry snitch, meaning that he gives up info for money rather than to avoid prison. In real life there was a Capo in the Colombo Family: Greg Scarpa who did the same. The only one that there's still debate over is Jimmy, i think it was pretty clear that he did though.

And yeah Eugene's death is pretty sad actually.

Captain Steel

08-17-16, 12:58 PM

Hate to say this, but I really disliked A.J. in the later years.
I guess we were supposed to.
Whenever they'd begin to focus on his character, I'd just wish they'd get back to the crime stuff.

I remember in the episode where Carmela was having an affair with the school administrator; a teacher referred to A.J. as "Fredo Corleone" - and as time went on, he really did seem to fall into that role... the stupid one.

I totally get that A.J.'s character was developed to play off what Tony thought he should be, but turning out to be the complete opposite (kind of like how Bobby Hill was to Hank on King of the Hill). ;)

TONGO

08-17-16, 01:02 PM

Camo

08-17-16, 01:05 PM

I disliked A.J throughout to be honest, think it was the actor for me. He was the only character i didn't like at all. Other than a few nice bonding moments with him and Tony in the first season and some funny things he said i'd have no problem with him being written out of the show.

Captain Steel

08-17-16, 01:07 PM

Same. A.J. was very annoying in those later seasons. I thought if they did a movie years later they could say A.J. joined the Marines and went thru a complete trasnsformation, if not then :sick:.

Heh! Or they could still go the complete comedy route with A.J. as head of the "family."
A mob family run by a depressed, spoiled, neurotic, whiny, half-suicidal idiot who can't make a decision. Sounds like a Woody Allen script.

Sadly, with Gandolfini's death there wouldn't be much point in a movie or resurrection of the series. I could never figure out how a Sopranos movie would work anyway, although so many people were hoping for one.

MovieMeditation

08-17-16, 01:11 PM

I'm gonna give this series another shot today and this time I'll watch all of season 1 and if I'm still not feeling this show, I'm just gonna have to say it's appearently "not for me"...

Camo

08-17-16, 01:12 PM

There was a suggestion of a prequel movie about Johnny Soprano and Young Junior and Livia. Would've loved that, the flashbacks were great. Also young Feech would be in it probably.

TONGO

08-17-16, 01:25 PM

Also young Feech would be in it probably.

Feech? Im not remembering this character...Google....

http://gottawatchit.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/The-Sopranos-5x04-3.jpg

Ah! Yeah I didnt remember the characters name, he did a great job for them those few episodes.

Fabulous

08-18-16, 02:47 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0I8DzZ9iVw

Camo

08-18-16, 02:51 AM

I loved Richie. Seems to be a pretty unpopular character actually, but i found him hilarious. I liked him more than Ralph even.

Fabulous

08-18-16, 02:58 AM

Would've loved to see Richie and Ralphie interact.

Captain Steel

08-18-16, 03:13 AM

I loved Richie. Seems to be a pretty unpopular character actually, but i found him hilarious. I liked him more than Ralph even.

One of the best lines ever was when Tony told Richie to stop flashing those "Manson Lamps" at him!

I think Manson Lamps has gone down in the lexicon of great Soprano's references!

christine

08-19-16, 09:28 AM

ok, started the grand rewatch again. It always strikes me when watching over how much weight James Gandalfini put on over the years of the series, and also how young AJ and Meadow were when it started.

The first episode is so good at setting up these characters. At the end t's plain what's going on and we also have the measure of the dynamics between the characters - really fine scriptwriting, all that in just an hour, magical!

MovieMeditation

08-19-16, 09:30 AM

I started my third attempt at this series a few days ago and although my rating for the episodes are more or less the same, I'm enjoying the show more as a whole. Hopefully it will continue that way...

Camo

08-19-16, 03:48 PM

Rewatched the first episode after i saw Christine had. Does everybody know that this was filmed about a year before the rest of the series before HBO had even picked it up? I like that they got the major Junior, Livia and Artie wheels turning right away and stuck to it. Shows are changed from pilots all the time and it would've been easy to just have this as the ending of the Junior feud. Chase has said many times that he thought there was a strong chance that the show wouldn't have been picked up so i find it interesting how seemlessly this fits into the rest of the show. It is surprising to me that HBO didn't insist on any changes, at least noticeable ones. Glad they didn't of course.

I love the "nothing, we got coffee" scene. It is very Scorsese-esque and i think one of the first things that fully gripped me with the show as a kid. I always laughed at Tony's "degenerate f*cking gambler" line. That comes up a few times in the show and i always find it funny because Tony also says at one point "gambling is my bread and butter". So without these degenerates he'd be out of a lot of money yet he look down at them like the scum of the earth. In all honesty it is more likely that he uses this to justify his actions to himself that is particularly evident in the episode where he gets Meadow's friends car as payment from his dad. Still i like thinking about it the other way.

Anyway just a few thoughts on the pilot. Will probably post after every 3 episodes or something rather than every one.

christine

08-19-16, 04:56 PM

Yep seamless totally. The only thing that changed was the name of the pork store!
You can see the whole theme now can't you? Things change and Tone is trying to keep a grip but family is out of his control. Christopher is a loose cannon, Livia (God bless her soul, but jeez she reminds me of my late ma in law) is manipulating, Meadow is rebelling, Uncle June is wanting his own sweet way....no wonder Tone is having anxiety attacks

Camo

08-19-16, 05:01 PM

You can see the whole theme now can't you?

This is like the 12th time i've watched the show Christine :p

christine

08-19-16, 05:21 PM

I know me too. I'm just saying it's like overarching, it really strikes you when you've watched it so many times. After a few times you can look beyond the minute details of each storyline . It's a bloody perfect circle :D

Camo

08-19-16, 05:28 PM

Couldn't agree more :D. Think i'm going to watch some more tomorrow.

christine

08-19-16, 05:32 PM

Watching now ;)

christine

08-19-16, 05:53 PM

Camo - the shell suits! :D

Captain Steel

08-19-16, 10:59 PM

Same actors / different roles:

Actor Dan Grimaldi first appeared on the show as Philly Parisi. The actor was brought back to play his own twin brother named "Patsy Parisi." Tony had "Philly" whacked (by Gigi) for joking about how Tony tried to smother his mother with a pillow when she was in the hospital. Deep down Patsy knew Tony had Philly killed (and even seeks vengeance at one point), but by the last season, Patsy is almost about to become fathers-in-law with Tony (since Meadow Soprano & Patsy's son are becoming serious)!

Actor Joseph R. Gannascoli first appears in a brief walk on role as "Gino."
Gino is a customer in a bakery that Christopher decides to rob when he feels he's being passed over in line.
The actor who played Gino resurfaces as "Vito Spatafore" - a main earner from the Richie Aprile / Gigi / Ralph Cifaretto crew. (He's also married to the cousin of New York family member Phil Leotardo.)

I'd love to discuss Vito's story line. It was during a season that some criticized as the show going downhill. Some fans were outraged over the Vito story line. Personally, it was one of my favorite stories from the show. How could anyone not love Johnny Cakes?

TONGO

08-19-16, 11:02 PM

I'd love to discuss Vito's story line. It was during a season that some criticized as the show going downhill. Some fans were outraged over the Vito story line. Personally, it was one of my favorite stories from the show. How could anyone not love Johnny Cakes?

I loved that season!! Funniest of the bunch!!! :rotfl:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaCvFNH28lo

Captain Steel

08-19-16, 11:12 PM

So many memorable moments from that arc!
I loved the ending of one episode when Vito is hiding in New Hampshire. He goes into a pottery store (or is it an antique store?), he picks up an item and says he likes it. The quite obviously gay store proprietor informs him he picked up the most valuable item in the store and then smiles coyly and says... "You're a natural."
(Wish I could find a clip of that line - trying to describe it without hearing / seeing it doesn't do it justice.)

And there was this... :D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPJDwWrWjFA

TONGO

08-19-16, 11:24 PM

The actor that played Vito actually had lost weight, he was much bigger the seasons before...if Im remembering correctly he pitched the idea as a storyline and they ran with it. Too bad it didnt do anything for his career, but he did a great job.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUgHDXOdUos

Captain Steel

08-19-16, 11:33 PM

As someone who does contracted labor for private clients - I remember that scene of Vito trying to work whenever I'm outside working.
I always say to myself (in Vito's voice) "Don't look at your watch, not yet. Save it. Treat yourself." :)

It cracked me up when he finally looks - Vito just couldn't do real work!

christine

08-20-16, 05:25 AM

I loved the Vito storyline too. Looking forward to seeing it again :)

Camo

08-20-16, 05:02 PM

Season 6 Part 1 overall is fantastic. This was the first part of the show i actually started watching as it aired. I would've only been 13 at the time, My mum loved the show and used to always watch it on Channel 4 but i didn't try it until she got herself the first season on dvd. Actually on my mum's birthday around this time i got her the most selfish gift ever: Sopranos Season 2+3 :laugh:. Obviously she loved it because it is also her favourite show but it was clearly because i wanted to watch it :D.

Yeah anyway, Vito's storyline is great. I like how it was set up a lot earlier with the Finn construction scene that he is obviously describing in the video Captain posted. The only thing i wasn't the biggest fan of related to it was the story of Vito's son. I did like them examining a child reacting to something like this but they went a pretty disturbing way, that shower scene may be my least favourite on the show.

Looking forward to watching it again as well.

Camo

08-20-16, 05:44 PM

Just about to watch Episode 2. Where are you Christine, whenever you see this?

Camo

08-20-16, 07:14 PM

Watched the second episode. Lol the origin of Silvio's Godfather III impression. I so love those, especially at the start of Season 2 when Pussy is just out of jail. My favourite is his "Our true enemy is yet to reveal himself" :D Does everybody know that Chase wanted Van Zandt to play Tony but he rejected it and Silvio was written for him instead? Yeah, i'll probably drop these little facts everybody already knows in from time to time :p.

The funniest part in this episode in my opinion is when the teacher gets his car back. He's basically saying yeah this is like only 30% my car and A.J is just standing there oblivious looking so proud of himself :D. Also the car story is pretty interesting to me anyway. I've always been interested in the real life mafia particularly the NY Mafia. The Godfather is largely focused on the high level guys who make the decisions without doing the work and Goodfellas is largely focused on the low level money makers. The Sopranos is a mix of the two, and we are essetially watching two pretty powerful and wealthy guys go on a personal errand for the boss.

This also adds a lot to the season. Firstly Livia's fire (and later her running over her friend) being the thing that makes Tont sure that his mother can't live on her own. We all know what the nursing home/retirement community leads to. The best part of that scene is Livia picking up the phone and asking "Who is this?" haha.

The Chrissy and Brendan conflict with Junior begins here as well. In the first episode this hasn't started yet, i imagine in the year between ep 1 and 2; the writers decided that he'd be a good way to progress the conflict. Don't think he ever fully evolves out of his unreliable scumbag persona and i think that's fine because some people never do in real life.

Lastly, probably my favourite Tonys abuse of Georgie :laugh:

And of course the shellsuits Christine ;). Will say though the shellsuits don't become truly remarkable until you see Jimmy Altieri waddling about in one :D

TONGO

08-20-16, 07:32 PM

Does everybody know that Chase wanted Van Zandt to play Tony but he rejected it and Silvio was written for him instead?

OH That would have been horrid!!! Thats even worse than The Godfather when the studios wanted James Caan to play Michael, and not DeNiro :rolleyes: :facepalm:

Camo

08-20-16, 07:35 PM

OH That would have been horrid!!! Thats even worse than The Godfather when the studios wanted James Caan to play Michael, and not DeNiro :rolleyes: :facepalm:

I agree. You do like Silvio though, right? And did you already know that?

Was surprised the first time i heard it, think the show very well may have failed if it worked out that way.

TONGO

08-20-16, 07:40 PM

I agree. You do like Silvio though, right? And did you already know that?

Was surprised the first time i heard it, think the show very well may have failed if it worked out that way.

No I didnt know, and keep throwing out those bits whenever you want to. :yup:

Dammit, yall making me want to rewatch it and Im in the middle of S2 Better Call Saul! Tonys calling to me... Silvio was fine, but that show would have fallen flat on its face if Van Zandt was Tony Soprano :lol: It would have been ugly. Gandolfinis performance of Tony.....damn Ill say top ten performance on tv of all time. I could easier picture someone different playing Captain Kirk, yeah.

Camo

08-20-16, 07:47 PM

Gandolfinis performance of Tony.....damn Ill say top ten performance on tv of all time.

#1 for me :up:. My favourite TV Character is actually Don Draper though.

And yeah me and Christine are only watching it at the same time and talking about it. Jump in whenever you want whether you're watching it or not.

Anybody else too.

Camo

08-20-16, 07:58 PM

For the record since i just realized i didn't actually mention it in the first post. This is for anything Sopranos, talk about the show whenever you want here.

At the same time though me, Christine and maybe Tacitus were thinking about watching the show again and talking about it, it came from this post -

http://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1561911#post1561911

So i made this thread so we could discuss it while re watching it.

Everything else is great though keep it up please and i'd like to drift onto later things anyway so the conversation doesn't die down.

jiraffejustin

08-20-16, 07:58 PM

I have a bit of Sopranos trivia that some of you may care about:

The woman that plays Adriana had a kid with Waylon Jennings' son, Shooter Jennings. They were engaged to be married for awhile, but they never wed.

TONGO

08-20-16, 08:06 PM

My favorite "villain", actually they all were, ONE of my favorite characters was Johnny Sack (Vince Curatola). The guy that played him had a sinisterlike intelligence which played off Gandolfinis Tony perfectly. I was really disappointed the direction they went with his character, he should have been Tonys #1 foe that last season, woulda been better.

http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/mafia/images/5/53/P_vincent.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20081213054037

Camo

08-20-16, 08:10 PM

I kinda liked how he was always OK with Tony until the Ralph joke came into it. I mean Tony had seriously warranted Johnny's wrath from some of his actions, what he did to Philly in the First Season is obviously the most famous. I agree though i liked him better than Philly.

christine

08-21-16, 06:17 AM

Camo you mean where was I when I first watched it? We caught the first episode on C4 , I remember our eldest son had just left home but as he was only down the road he used to come back quite a bit to hang out. We used to watch every week after that so between tv and DVD box set we watched it all together. Bit like you and your mum. It's a nice memory :)

Going back to ep 2. You comprehend more just how short Tony's fuse is and how easily violence comes to him. Poor Georgie! Also how devious and disloyal Livia is to her own son (the car scene in ep 1 with Junior - something might have to be done about Tony...her silence) , and how the misplaced loyalty he has to her - defending her to Dr Melfi.

Nice comic relief with the teachers car :D

Tacitus

08-21-16, 06:40 AM

We've started? Yikes.

I'm on it. ;)

TONGO

08-21-16, 09:50 PM

My vote for greatest Sopranos scene ever :laugh:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_peSCECc4I

Captain Steel

08-22-16, 12:26 AM

Lastly, probably my favourite Tonys abuse of Georgie :laugh:

Having just watched the whole series I became aware that Georgie (a relatively background character who worked at the 'Bing and helped out with various backroom parties) was assaulted repeatedly throughout the series!

I lost count, but I think Tony assaulted Georgie no less than 4 times. The beatings were usually severe enough to put Georgie in the hospital - and the funny part is the things he does that precipitate the attacks are little mishaps that don't warrant a beating (like not knowing how to use a new phone system in the bar to trying to keep ice fresh to making a comment on a conversation).

Ralph assaults Georgie with a mace on a chain (while playing "Gladiator") and almost blinds him - Georgie has to wear an eye patch after he gets out of the hospital.

christine

08-22-16, 09:57 AM

Where you up to Camo? I watched ep 3 (Anger Denial Acceptance) being a wide ranging storyline with the Hasidic Jews storyline being the one that Tony sees how stubborn the son in law is and how he shouldn't have got involved as Hesh said! That little scene with Carmela calling over Charmaine like a servant at the fundraiser and Charmaine dropping the bombshell of sleeping with Tony is neat. Like Carmela has been the one compromised as mafia while Charmaine chose a happier life advising Artie to keep out of that world. Left Camela with something to think about . The end of cocky Brendan - nasty.

and 4 (Meadowlands). Funniest bit - after the tv announcement that Jackie's died the Bing dancer "I'll always remember where I was on this day" :D
I'd forgotten how much I liked the scuzzy bent detective Vin, and more of Adriana - she really is a great character. I always felt a lot of sympathy for her.
Best bit Meadow's explanation to AJ about the mafia and where Tony is in the heirarchy - the clunky website! and Meadows face looming into view with the great 'told you so' look to AJ at Jackie's funeral.

Ep 5 (College) - great episode this one, for the father/daughter bonding and the insight Meadow has. The humour of Christopher running around in the rain answering the phone - "what you got?" - "wet feet" :D and the nasty killing of the ex mobster.
and much more on the character and moral wranglings that Carm has thoughout the series. Father Phil , he's always good for a laugh.

Camo did you ever watch Edie Falco in Nurse Jackie?

christine

08-22-16, 02:35 PM

Episode 6 Pax Soprana . Livia is so funny and so sharp, such a shame Nancy Marchand died. Poor David Chase who based Livia on his own mother :( . Tony's having to work so hard planting things in the mods of Junior and Livia.
Tony's dreams in this ep are really disturbing :D

TONGO

08-22-16, 03:05 PM

Tony's dreams in this ep are really disturbing :D

Tony had the most messed up dreams :lol: youll get a doozy at the end of season 2.

christine

08-22-16, 03:26 PM

Pussy and the fish? haha!

christine

08-22-16, 04:53 PM

Ep 7 - That's a sickness to fidget? what constitutes a fidget? :D
I like that ending, the ice cream, its cute.

Great flashbacks filling us in on Tony's background. That Livia tho, she's a scheming cow playing Tony and Junior against each other - great writing.

christine

08-22-16, 04:55 PM

You guys - shall I wait for you ?

Camo

08-22-16, 04:59 PM

Sorry Christine, i've still only watched the first two episodes. I'll have time to binge watch it tomorrow though and catch up so just go when you want. Well unless Tacitus wants you to wait for him.

Camo

08-22-16, 05:05 PM

Pussy and the fish? haha!

hahaha. Love the fish.

Just one thing i want to say before i rewatch them. I think College is very overrated. A long time after i first watched it i was pretty stunned to find out that it is probably the most critically acclaimed episode of the whole show. Don't get me wrong it is a great episode but i think i'd only have it about fourth or fifth of its season nevermind the whole show. Anyway we'll see what i think this time soo.

Camo

08-22-16, 05:12 PM

Camo you mean where was I when I first watched it?

I actually meant where are you in the show but i know that now and that''s a nice story anyway :)

Also how devious and disloyal Livia is to her own son

I used to go on a Sopranos Forum all the time and other than A.J, Janice and maybe Richie she was the most hated character. I don't agree at all she was fantastic. I love how she is the actual villain in the first season and Junior is essentially her puppet. Nancy plays the part brilliantly, too bad that she died suddenly and they had to edit in that last scene between her and Tony.

Having just watched the whole series I became aware that Georgie (a relatively background character who worked at the 'Bing and helped out with various backroom parties) was assaulted repeatedly throughout the series!

That's what i was saying a few things start in episode 2 including the abuse of Georgie. You do kind of feel for him, him trying to work the phone is so hilarious though; love how he is genuinely as bad as Livia at it.

christine

08-22-16, 05:52 PM

Camo

08-22-16, 05:57 PM

Def a shame Nancy Marchand died, there could've been so much more of her wonderful snippiness. I love the cakes Tony brings her, she always appears so offhand to his face where she really can't wait to eat them :D I love all that little stuff !

haha. Totally agree, with her scowl and handwave thing :D. Was looking for a gif of the handwave and found this, love this moment; when she starts laughing at him :laugh:

http://i67.tinypic.com/a0ff5k.gif

MovieMeditation

08-22-16, 06:17 PM

Aight, I meant to post some episode-based quick thoughts but never got around to it and right now it's been too long to go into detail with the past episodes anyways...

But uh, I watched what was my favorite episode last time I tried my eyes at this show, which was the one called College. Still a really exciting and well edited and well written and structured episode. I liked how it was slightly different than the others and the cross cutting between Meadow/Tony and his wife and the priest was great, as was the structure in the story and how the themes intervened and came to a part-conclusion or at least a climax of sorts.

I also watched Pax Soprana, which was an episode I don't remember loving but this time it was great. Probably the funniest episode to date and it ends with a pretty exciting cliffhanger.

2-3 episodes more and I'll dive into unwatched territory...

christine

08-22-16, 06:31 PM

Aha MM! Are you thinking..just when I thought I was out..they pull me back in!

MovieMeditation

08-22-16, 06:35 PM

Aha MM! Are you thinking..just when I thought I was out..they pull me back in!
Indeed I am. :laugh:

Tugg

08-22-16, 06:39 PM

Just one thing i want to say before i rewatch them. I think College is very overrated. A long time after i first watched it i was pretty stunned to find out that it is probably the most critically acclaimed episode of the whole show. Don't get me wrong it is a great episode but i think i'd only have it about fourth or fifth of its season nevermind the whole show. Anyway we'll see what i think this time soo.
"College" is the first episode when Sopranos got into great territory rather than being just another show. And even though there were many equally good or arguably better episodes after that, I think "College" stands out as more unique.

Camo

08-22-16, 06:41 PM

Knew you were a good person MM :p

Camo

08-22-16, 06:42 PM

"College" is the first episode when Sopranos got into great territory rather than being just another show. And even though there were many equally good or arguably better episodes after that, I think "College" stands out as more unique.

It's a great episode just don't think it is close to the best in the show.

christine

08-22-16, 06:43 PM

Camo have you found some dialogue entered your own family? We do now say things like "always with the drama" and "here he/she is" when someone comes in, and that ohhh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRkE_Gv6ALM

(Swearing in this clip warning)

MovieMeditation

08-22-16, 06:45 PM

Camo

08-22-16, 06:48 PM

haha. My mum used to always say "always with the drama". Other than that not really with my family but me and my friends used to use quite a bit of it like "I wipe my ass with your feelings" :laugh:

Camo

08-22-16, 06:50 PM

Camo

08-22-16, 06:53 PM

Going to watch episode 3 shortly. So glad this thread has taken off :D

christine

08-22-16, 06:53 PM

Camo

08-22-16, 06:56 PM

Oh yeah. You asked if i had seen Nurse Jackie earlier Christine. No i haven't. I know it's probably good but i just can't stomach medical shows, anything heavier than Scrubs and i'm out haha. Saw her episodes in 30 Rock last year though, she was great as usual.

MovieMeditation

08-22-16, 07:03 PM

The Sopranos isn't about individual episodes MM. It's about the Seasons as a whole trust me. The only true individual episode IMO is Pine Barrens which is essentially filler but it is so amazing anyway. Couldn't really pick a favourite if you asked me to tbh.
Yeah, I get that feeling for sure. It's definitely a continous story that relies on past and present, this is not some CSI: insert-city-here type of deal, I see that. :D

But you know what I meant. Anyhow, I just like when I finish an episode and be like "damn, that was amazing". But of course, a lot of that amazingness comes from the fact that what came before was equally amazing and was the build up for the explosion of amazing amazingness. :p

Tugg

08-22-16, 07:03 PM

I'm glad to hear College is well received all over as was I equally glad when I read all the praise it got, because I didn't know that when I watched it.

But what I'm not glad of, is how it is considered a show-best episode... I sure hope the series will get a lot better over its 7 seasons from 1 single episode in season one. That's a little early to deliver a definitive episode of an entire show.

I hope you are both right, Camo and Tugg, that College is perhaps a little overrated and that the episode is more "unique and different" than "the best of the bunch".
From second season on Sopranos departs mob strategizing marathon format and becomes family and mafia drama series where we get deeper glimpses into characters and their relationships. "Colleges" was stand out in first season, but such episodes become the norm in second. This episode revealed complexities of characters: Carmela's internal struggle with being married to a Mafioso, Tony's struggle to integrate fatherly and mobster sides of him and Meadow's growing out of childhood in Tony's eyes and as a character in the show when she has more open conversations in a car. It also showed Tony committing his first murder in very personal manner.

christine

08-22-16, 07:56 PM

I think we got him Camo ;)

Camo

08-22-16, 08:15 PM

Watched episode 3. Solid episode think it is one of the weaker ones of the first season though. I like seeing Mikey Palmice playing a bigger role. Honestly there are much bigger scumbags in the show than him, but as a kid i hated him more than anyone pretty much. Pretty sure it was because of Tony's hatred of him and vice versa, also how slimy he is, trying to convince Junior to turn on Tony from the start. As a kid i think i genuinely rooted for Tony a lot more than i do now, suppose i still do since the show is focused on him but i try to understand him rather than support him now i'd say.

Some good humour in this one too. I love Jackies stuff about Mikey being the grim reaper :laugh:. Especially when Paulie sits down and does the exact same thing :D.

Never been that into the jewish hotel plot. I love Hesh so i like seeing more of him, the story just felt a bit like filler. Guess it was just trying to show you how they operate a bit more since it was still early days, wasn't that interesting though imo.

This has one of my favourite endings of the first season. Imperioli does a great job in that scene. It's great how it is intertwined with Meadows concert, makes it pretty intense and chilling.

That little scene with Carmela calling over Charmaine like a servant at the fundraiser and Charmaine dropping the bombshell of sleeping with Tony is neat. Like Carmela has been the one compromised as mafia while Charmaine chose a happier life advising Artie to keep out of that world. Left Camela with something to think about .

That part is brilliant. Always liked Charmaine i understand why she stopped appearing as much though. I think it's interesting that Artie clearly wonders if he should've went into crime himself, i think that rings true. Overall he is a good man but being that close to that life and knowing he could've used his friendship with Tony when he was younger to become a powerful mobster clearly sits at the back of his mind. Mainly because he needs to deal with real life problems and from the outside looking in it appears that Tony has everything so easy.

The end of cocky Brendan - nasty.

Ugh Brendan was a creep. My favourite scene of his was when Tony tosses him out the door after he talks about Jackie's cancer. That scene with Hunter always creeps me out. During that scene there's one thing that Meadow says that i always love. It's when Chrissy says "shut up your not giving them nothing" Meadow replies with this snappy New Joisey "Why not?. It's nothing really, it just reminds me of Carmela so much i love it. Seriously watch that scene again if you don't remember what i mean.

Anyway just a few more thoughts. Going to watch ep 4.

Camo

08-22-16, 08:42 PM

One last thing on episode 3 actually. I've always found it really weird and pointless that Junior is there when Mikey kills Brendan. The Sopranos is pretty infamous for having bosses and high ranking members commit multiple murders personally. In the real life mafia by the point you had reached that level you wouldn't involve yourself directly in stuff like that, still i approve of a lot of those unrealistic murders like Tony's for story purposes. I don't get this one at all though. Brendan is a nobody the only reason he has any involvement with these guys at all is because of his friendship with Chris, and Chris himself would be a nobody if it wasn't for his dad and his relationship with Tony/Carmela. In a later episode they make fun of the fact the media make out Brendan was some big shot but the show does this themselves by having Junior there as if it is something truly monumental. Plus just the idea that Junior would be standing 3 feet away from Mikey while he did it is absurd, i mean if he was there because it was supposed to be personal why didn't he just do it himself?

haha. I know i'm probably thinking about this too much but i just always found that detail really weird.

TONGO

08-22-16, 08:44 PM

haha. I know i'm probably thinking about this too much but i just always found that detail really weird.

It showed Junior wasnt as hard as he let on. He was hiding in the backseat like a scared lil kid, if this is the scene yall are talking about

Captain Steel

08-22-16, 10:09 PM

A couple favorite episodes:

Don't hold me to the titles because I'm not sure about them (and I don't know the seasons or episode numbers) -

"Marco Polo" - this was the one with the big bar-b-q for Carmela's father's birthday. I liked this one because it had a large assemblage of the Soprano / DeAngelis relatives. I loved how Carmela's mom was embarrassed by Tony in front of her upper class Italian "Doctor" friend. (Tony and his "sausage twirling!") Plus it had the Tony & Carm make-out session in the pool - their first reconciliation since their separation.

"Soprano Home Movies" - I think everyone knows this one... when Tony & Carm go for a weekend by the lake with Janice & Bobby. The monopoly game, the big fight between Bobby & Tony. (The suspense as to whether Tony will seek revenge on Bobby.) And finally, nice-guy Bobby being forced to make his bones with his first kill (forcing this upon him was obviously part of Tony's revenge).

Tugg

08-22-16, 10:18 PM

"Marco Polo" - this was the one with the big bar-b-q for Carmela's father's birthday. I liked this one because it had a large assemblage of the Soprano / DeAngelis relatives. I loved how Carmela's mom was embarrassed by Tony in front of her upper class Italian "Doctor" friend. (Tony and his "sausage twirling!") Plus it had the Tony & Carm make-out session in the pool - their first reconciliation since their separation.
Oh, I remember that episode. It ended with amazing unwind in the pool.

TONGO

08-22-16, 10:24 PM

"Soprano Home Movies" - I think everyone knows this one... when Tony & Carm go for a weekend by the lake with Janice & Bobby.

I liked Bobby :laugh: He was some nothing character good for a laugh to Juniors straightman, and then they developed him further. A small bit at the end of this scene but got one of the biggest laughes out of me...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-ClIxlVdlo

Frightened Inmate No. 2

08-22-16, 10:45 PM

i started watching this show for the first time a little bit ago and i'm on season 2 episode 2. it's great so far. not greatest ever yet, but there's still a lot of show left.

Camo

08-22-16, 11:02 PM

It showed Junior wasnt as hard as he let on. He was hiding in the backseat like a scared lil kid, if this is the scene yall are talking about

You're talking about Junior planning the hit on Tony. I'm talking about Junior standing just outside the bathroom when Mikey shoots Brendan. You're confused there bro ;)

Camo

08-22-16, 11:03 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsflEWIf4tg

The scene i'm talking about.

Camo

08-22-16, 11:05 PM

I liked Bobby :laugh: He was some nothing character good for a laugh to Juniors straightman, and then they developed him further. A small bit at the end of this scene but got one of the biggest laughes out of me...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-ClIxlVdlo

Bobby's "i'm in awe of you" is one of the funniest lines of the show :D

Captain Steel

08-22-16, 11:11 PM

You're talking about Junior planning the hit on Tony. I'm talking about Junior standing just outside the bathroom when Mikey shoots Brendan. You're confused there bro ;)

Yes that was weird. I interpret it as Junior was playing boss - carrying out a hit directly was below him, so having Mikey do it was Junior being in charge (making sure Mikey remembers that he is below Junior and is still just a "soldier" who's job it is to do the dirty work at Junior's command).

Still, it was personal for Junior - so he wanted to see it done. That's why he was there watching. It did say something about Junior since Brendan was a nobody. Almost like Junior knew he was getting beyond real gangland activities, but still wanted to play gangster - overseeing a hit on a nobody like Brendan (and making like it was some important hit that he had to oversee) was a way to do that.

Camo

08-22-16, 11:14 PM

Yes that was weird. I interpret it as Junior was playing boss - carrying out a hit directly was below him, so having Mikey do it was Junior being in charge (making sure Mikey remembers that he is below Junior and is still just a "soldier" who's job it is to do the dirty work at Junior's command).

Still, it was personal for Junior - so he wanted to see it done. That's why he was there watching. It did say something about Junior since Brendan was a nobody. Almost like Junior knew he was getting beyond real gangland activities, but still wanted to play gangster - overseeing a hit on a nobody like Brendan (and making like it was some important hit that he had to oversee) was a way to do that.

Did you see my comment? I kind of address all of this. Good comment but i don't think this explains any of the concerns i had about it, i actually think it repeats them and spins them a different way.

Captain Steel

08-22-16, 11:23 PM

Did you see my comment? I kind of address all of this. Good comment but i don't think this explains any of the concerns i had about it, i actually think it repeats them and spins them a different way.

Yes, I think you got it in your comments, and I was expanding on it.

My point is that it wasn't just random weirdness or an illogical plot point, but that the show's creators did this to tell us something about Junior - and I think it was that he realized he was on the decline, but playing boss by overseeing a hit on a nobody like Brendan was his way of staying in the game. (i.e. he was deluding himself to a certain extent with acts against low level operators that posed no real threat, and that made him feel like he was still powerful).

The brilliance of this show is that almost nothing was meaningless or done at random - every little detail has some character-driving point behind it.

Camo

08-22-16, 11:32 PM

The brilliance of this show is that almost nothing was meaningless or done at random - every little detail has some character-driving point behind it.

I think i agree with this overall but i also think we may be letting one of the shows flaws slip by answering them away because we know what it is capable of at its best. I actually think with it being the third episode, they had Junior there to make it clear to everyone that Junior was the villain, the main adverary of Tony. I personally think it was one of the few instances of the show beating you over the head with what they mean and that people like to work up ways of explaining it away.

Camo

08-22-16, 11:37 PM

Don't agree that it was telling us anything about Junior anyway. Mikey doing the hit then leaving without Junior being outside the door would've been much more powerful, Mikey had largely been introduced in that episode and the fact that this old guy had had enough that he sent someone to do this while sitting in his cafe sipping espresso (this is a specific thing btw not an Italian stereotype) would've been a lot better IMO.

TONGO

08-23-16, 12:06 AM

Camo

08-23-16, 12:10 AM

Halfway thru episode 2 of first season, and already skipping over the Livia scenes. Tonys mom was such a complete dark cloud from the plane of hell, just a true soul sucking negative force. Imo the whole series steps up when they grew other storylines to replace her part.

Seriously? Think she is my favourite thing about the first season actually. She is hilarious and she creates a very realistic conflict.

Also watching ep 4. Will have more to say when it's done but love the Super Mario Kart stuff so much, pretty sure that's my favourite A.J stuff in the full show.

TONGO

08-23-16, 12:21 AM

LOVE the closing songs in this series! I found a website that categorized them all from every season....

The Closing Credits Song For Every Episode of The Sopranos

http://www.theinternet.io/pages/closing-credits-music-for-the-sopranos-on-hbo.html

What inspired me to search it was the closing song of episode 2 when Tony beats Georgie down with the phone in the strip club.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrAp5omg9h8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xB0zgtTxzM

Camo

08-23-16, 12:37 AM

Watched episode 4. The single creepiest scene may be Tony's dream at the start. Silvio sitting having sex while Paulie intently reads the paper and Pussy gets annoyed at Paulie haha. The reveal as Livia as the psychiatrist always freaked me out as a kid too. I mean i know they were going for an Ophellian thing but yeah you could have chosen less disturbing visuals haha.

A great moment from Adriana here is her raising her eyebrow when Meadow says "f*ck you", then her saying "where the f*ck are you?" to Chris saying he'll buy
Meadow a happy meal :laugh:.

Christine: a great piece of dialogue to say someone is overreacting would be; "You're always with the babies out the windows" :D. Also another line me and my friends used that is used in this episode, "you break his other neck" :D

Think in general if we are looking at this from a criminals point of view, especially from an old school mafiosi one, Junior is the one in the right absolutely. Don't think i accepted that when i was younger and was completely on Tony's side, but yeah Junior was the one in the correct.

I'd forgotten how much I liked the scuzzy bent detective Vin,

When you remember what the madame of the brothel says later, this episode really confirms that he felt like he was part of Tony's inner circle and rather than paying his debt off he was doing Tony's bidding. Obviously he just assumes he is following one of Tony's girlfriends and so it seems genuinely personal to him when he beats the guy he thinks is banging one of Tony's girlfriends. The "prime rib" comment really doesn't mean as much until Tony and the madame's conversation later.

Camo

08-23-16, 12:41 AM

The most underrated episode and ending IMO:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8YK--fPegI

TONGO

08-23-16, 12:43 AM

Camo

08-23-16, 12:50 AM

Any excuse to post this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrpZKci_Ask

Captain Steel

08-23-16, 01:42 AM

What is it with mobsters beating up people with inanimate household objects? :laugh: Sonny had a broomstick and a garbage pan lid beating on his brother in law in the Godfather, Tonys used a phone, Paulies using a countertop bell...Im sure theres more to come,

Unique objects used to beat people in The Sopranos
1. Phone
2. Countertop bell
3.

As Camo showed us... the stapler.

And Vito was killed with a pool cue. (Was that the cause of death? We're not sure since we never actually saw it).
I think Tony beat Georgie with a few different things (bar furniture?)
Richie hit Beansy with a coffee pot (and then with his truck).
Paulie hits "the Russian" with a bottle and chokes him with a lamp.
I'm sure there's more.

TONGO

08-23-16, 01:52 AM

Ill keep a running list as we see them. We can build from this. :yup:

Unique objects used to beat people in The Sopranos
1. Phone
2. Countertop bell
3. Stapler
4. Sylvio beat the hassidic with a wooden mallet used to tenderize veal. Just pulled it out of his pocket like a cartoon character :laugh:
5.

christine

08-23-16, 03:12 AM

Re Junior at Brendan's killing. I don't think I'd thought about it before, but I do find Junior seriously creepy sometimes. That smirking face, anyway yeah he shouldn't have been there. Goes against all the accepted rules. Shows you how weak he is.

christine

08-23-16, 05:02 PM

Ep8. The beginnings of Christopher's scriptwriting career :D nice chat with Paulie tho
Where's my story arc? Well he had one by the end with his name in the paper, and loving it

More Livia conniving, and now Jun knows Tony's seeing a psychiatrist.

Melfi is a complex character, but I'm not always convinced by Lorraine Bracco's acting. And what's up with the whole family seeing another psychiatrist? If I was her son's age I'd have told them to wipe their ass with their feelings ;)

TONGO

08-23-16, 05:06 PM

tbph I think they were taking a storytelling liberty by having Junior there for Mikey to walk by, as a way to show the viewer who was behind it.

christine

08-23-16, 05:43 PM

Jun hocwas Boca?
I don't get down there enough .
It's not what I heard :D

Sex lives of women apparently beyond the pale

Carmela's beautiful green shell suit

Meadow's revelations deepen

christine

08-23-16, 05:44 PM

tbph I think they were taking a storytelling liberty by having Junior there for Mikey to walk by, as a way to show the viewer who was behind it.

We knew who was behind it tho. I still think it's a Jun weakness

Captain Steel

08-23-16, 09:56 PM

Singing to Uncle Junior... "South of the border, down Mexico way."

TONGO

08-24-16, 12:04 AM

Done with season 2 of Saul and jumped into episode 4 season 1 of Sopranos. Yknow AJ is actually likable season 1, very scrappy.

I wish I could eat a whole lobster. Those goombas four at a table each with a whole lobeter in front of them. I never have, and Im in florida.

TONGO

08-24-16, 12:54 AM

Unique objects used to beat people in The Sopranos
1. Phone
2. Countertop bell
3. Stapler
4. Sylvio beat the hassidic with a wooden mallet used to tenderize veal. Just pulled it out of his pocket like a cartoon character :laugh:
5. Ohp! We got a Yo-Yo! Christopher is beating up some big black kid with his own yo-yo! :laugh:
6. Tony choked that guy to death with jumper cables
7. ....

TONGO

08-24-16, 01:08 AM

Pay attention to how many natural nuances Gandolfini emits in this scene.....he was the best....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0OQ9DZJIOY

TONGO

08-24-16, 01:21 AM

Interesting thought hit me at the end of episode 4. This was the episode young A.J. learned his dad was a gangster.

What would you do if you learned your dad was a mobster?

Id probably want to be one too, which really isnt good, but honest. I probably wouldnt still be alive today either :nope:

christine

08-24-16, 02:34 AM

Pay attention to how many natural nuances Gandolfini emits in this scene.....he was the best....]

Agreed Tongo, He was a great actor who was really good at allowing viewers to see Tony's feelings in his face. I love this scene where he's mad at Christopher, but then sees his way into testing out what he thought about depression. See him trying out some amateur psychiatric probing :D What he doesn't say is more telling than his words, his face tells it all

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o53H889DI38

TONGO

08-24-16, 05:11 PM

1. Phone
2. Countertop bell
3. Stapler
4. wooden mallet
5. Yo-yo
6. Jumper cables
7. Flowerpot
8. ....

TONGO

08-24-16, 11:17 PM

S01E09 LOL! This wasnt creative liberties whatsoever they took in having Tony & Silvio so into Meadows soccer match. Parents at little league games lose their minds, truly :yup:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uat_jBT-zLk

Fabulous

08-24-16, 11:30 PM

I love Silvio. :)

Camo

08-25-16, 12:01 AM

About to get caught up with you guys. Will post about the episodes later.

TONGO

08-25-16, 01:02 AM

Unique objects used to beat people in The Sopranos
1. Phone
2. Countertop bell
3. Stapler
4. Wooden mallet
5. Yo-yo
6. Jumper cables
7. Flowerpot
8. Junior used a Lemon Meringue Pie :yup:
9. ......

TONGO

08-25-16, 01:13 AM

One of the biggest flaws of the series, and its easily overlooked or forgiven, is that its not even possible that Tony Soprano could be in so many places, plotlnes, and involved in so many things. :nope:

A.J. was so bearable this first season. Its too bad they never thought of a more audience appealing arc for his character.

TONGO

08-25-16, 01:18 AM

Sorry to trip post, but ......"Juan Valdez has been seperated from his donkey." :rotfl:

Camo

08-25-16, 01:19 AM

is that its not even possible that Tony Soprano could be in so many places, plotlnes, and involved in so many things

Can i ask what you mean exactly? I'll probably agree i'm just not quite following.

And yeah agreed about first season A.J. I liked when he was just a dumb kid rather than the whiny mess that would come later.

Camo

08-25-16, 01:35 AM

Still not convinced that College is as great as its made out to be. I completely agree with Christine that the best thing about it is the character development for Carmela. Also i think i like the later flashbacks to Meadow and Tony's plot better than the actual plot itself. I do like the bonding and the performances in Meadow and Tony's story though. Not got much to add to what Tugg said think he summarized why the ep is so well thought of, i just personally don't think of it as highly.

Pax Soprana is a great episode. Good to see Johnny Sac debut. Pretty minimmal entrance to the show for him. This is were the problems with Junior start back up again, Mikey is a real (badword) in this episode. Love how Livia manipulates Junior here, that look and her playing dumb haha. The funniest part is definitely Tony's Augustus/Octavius stuff with Jun. And this of course has one of the best endings in the full show that Fabulous posted earlier of course.

Anyway, will watch ep 7 a bit later.

TONGO

08-25-16, 02:04 AM

Can i ask what you mean exactly? I'll probably agree i'm just not quite following.

And yeah agreed about first season A.J. I liked when he was just a dumb kid rather than the whiny mess that would come later.

Not season 1 from what Ive noticed, but in the later seasons it seems they have Tonys character stretched so thin its almost impossible for him to be involved in so many things, and different places.

christine

08-25-16, 03:16 AM

Re AJ, ok he does develop into a whiny mess , but I like the fact that he's there in the series as he's one of the things that Tony thinks he can control - your own kids- but actually it's the one thing he can't. AJ is a constant thorn in Tony's side with his lack of ambition and lack of drive and Tony's inability to find something to occupy him drives him nuts. It's an excellent character interaction, well I think so anyway! I think if you've ever had your own teenage sons you might understand a bit more :D

Camo

08-25-16, 03:22 AM

I actually agree with all of that except i think the actor is pretty bad. He ruins so many great scenes with Tony later on in the show IMO. Like the one after Tony picks him up when he tries to stab Uncle Jun. I think A.J is written pretty well, just think it was one of the few missteps in casting personally.

christine

08-25-16, 08:57 AM

I don't think that ever stood out for me Camo, but I'll certainly give it some thought as the series go on.

Camo

08-25-16, 08:59 AM

Which episode are you on? I'm just about to watch episode 7. Also i'm going to skip Boca (episode 9) because i watched it the week before this started, i've already posted about it in this thread as well.

christine

08-25-16, 10:00 AM

The last one I watched is Boca. Didn't watch any last night as I had to watch Bake Off ;)

christine

08-25-16, 10:15 AM

I love Silvio. :)

I do too, but then I love Steve Van Zandt he's a real nice guy. I remember watching the very first episode and thinking wow is that Steve Van Zandt?? I knew him from being a Springsteen fan. It was a genius bit of casting to make him Silvio, and fun for his real wife to be his on screen wife too. He's lovely on Twitter (@stevievanzandt) he talks to fans unlike some celebrities who only talk to other celebs. Such a cool guy.

Camo

08-25-16, 11:54 AM

Watched Down Neck. Man i love these flashbacks never get bored of them. How well cast is young Livia? I can totally see that being her when she was younger. Junior as well, but Livia is pretty perfect. When i was a kid i thought young tony was played by the kid who plays young c in a bronx tale. Obviously the fact that the actor would have had to have stayed the same age for over five years didn't enter my mind haha. They don't even look that similar. I know it won't happen and it probably was nothing more than a pipe dream anyway but i would've absolutely adored a miniseries or movie following johnny soprano.

So love how innapropriate Tony is when talking to other adults about his kids, happens a few other times in the show as well. That is a very good scene love how he sticks up for A.J and especially how Carmela backs him up really wasn't expecting that the first time i watched it. It really comes across that she is offended for Tony as well, nice moment of those two feeling like a strong couple that doesn't happen all the time of course. Also in the first one Carm is pretty hilarious in that scene "you hit somebody who is sick, you hit somebody with polio?"
And my favourite her amazing worrying mother reaction to being told he has ADD "I knew it, i always knew it was something" :D.

Who doesn't love the first season dinners with Livia and Jun? haha.

I really love the ending, very simple but sweet too. One of the great Tony-AJ moments from the first season i was talking about.

Another fact from Camo that everybody already knew, since Tony going to a psychiatrist being a bad thing is focused on in this episode. It is partially based on Frank Costello: real life Genovese Family Boss. Not the exact same situation but Frank himself visited one, it was common knowledge but was later used as an excuse after other mobsters attempted to murder him. Here he is telling the senate that he paid his tax :laugh:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVtc3fnbJ-s

Camo

08-25-16, 02:01 PM

Watched Episode 8. Christophers obsession with getting recognized and jealousy of his dead friend Brendan is hilarious. Aw man i never don't laugh when Georgie says "the hairs in my neck they stood up, i mean i knew the guy" We also have the famous Vito before he was Vito scene, always thought it was extremely weird that they actually brought him back. And another Camo fact, not actually sure if this one is true but i read somewhere that Chris shooting the guy in the foot is a reference to Spider Rico who Imperioli played getting shot in the foot in Goodfellas.

Always loved the Chris and Paulie "arc" conversation. Their relationship is pretty underrated in general. As well as being very close genuine friends you can tell that other than Tony and in some ways more Paulie is his main mentor. There's something so comforting yet depressing at the same time about Paulie being so content that he never really made anything of himself. It's just how content he clearly is with it. I'm not sure if this an amazing way to think about things or just downright sad.

Chris: Did you ever feel like nothing good is ever going to happen to you?
Paulie: Yeah, and it never did. So what? I'm alive, i'm surviving.

My favourite line of the episode:

Georgie: Uh, is that him?
Chris: Well that would be some f*cking coincidence if it wasn't.

Also when i first watched this episode i got a nightmare about Emil :rotfl:

Captain Steel

08-25-16, 02:20 PM

And another Camo fact, not actually sure if this one is true but i read somewhere that Chris shooting the guy in the foot is a reference to Spider Rico who Imperioli played getting shot in the foot in Goodfellas.

Sopranos seems rife with these. I think Christopher says something to the guy who's foot he shoots like, "These things happen" or something.

There's a scene in one episode where Christopher quotes a Springsteen song right in front of Silvio.

And I believe the Four Seasons are playing in one of the episodes that guest stars Frankie Valli as Rusty.

Camo

08-25-16, 02:29 PM

Damn i just noticed i said Spider Rico. Spider Rico was the first guy Rocky fought :rotfl:.

His name was just Spider in Goodfellas.

Camo

08-25-16, 02:36 PM

Sopranos seems rife with these. I think Christopher says something to the guy who's foot he shoots like, "These things happen" or something.

There's a scene in one episode where Christopher quotes a Springsteen song right in front of Silvio.

And I believe the Four Seasons are playing in one of the episodes that guest stars Frankie Valli as Rusty.

Wanted to keep this for a later Camo Fact but it's in Season 6 and we might not even still be doing this by then haha. When it looks like they'll be going to war with New York, Paulie mentions the Colombo War in the 60's that he barely survived. This was a real life mafia war in NY actually there were three seperate one's: one in the late 50's/Early 60's, one in the late 60's and one in the early 90's. Tony Sirico before he got into acting was a smalltime mobster who was an associate of the Colombo's during the second war.

TONGO

08-26-16, 12:31 AM

Im ahead of yall, on episode 11. Made the mistake of watching the scene where Livia tells Junior about Tonys meetings at the nursing home, oh I hate that character. :mad: :sick:

Very surprised the "Is Pussi an informant?" question came up now, I mistakenly thought it started in season 2. Looking forward to some of my series favorites, Ralphie, and Janice. I was disappointed the direction they went with Steve Buscemis character, a massage therapist?! :rolleyes: :facepalm: Getting ahead of myself.

A couple more episodes and then Ill finish Embrace Of The Serpent, for The Movie Forums Challenge.

TONGO

08-26-16, 02:37 AM

Dont read this post unless youve seen the final to season 1 :)

http://static.srcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/i-dream-of-jeannie-cusamano-the-sopranos.jpg

Almost done with the finale. Poor Paulie getting poison ivy lol! "I can feel it itchin' me already!" :laugh:

Found it very interesting after Tony learns his mother tipped off Junior and Jun tried to have him clipped, that Tonys overall mood is lighter. Like an incredible weight was lifted from him. Whoever wrote the first season definitely did their time in a therapists office. Between the dreams and what Dr Melfie reinforces to Tony.....well lets just say Im appreciating the first season now more than before. Of course this time Im skipping most of the Livia scenes too. ;)

Fabulous

08-26-16, 06:16 AM

This thread inspired me to begin another rewatch. Just finished the first 5 episodes, and I forgot how much I love this show.

TONGO

08-26-16, 12:30 PM

This thread inspired me to begin another rewatch. Just finished the first 5 episodes, and I forgot how much I love this show.

Same :up:

Love the closing song to Season 1, really enjoyed the restaurant scene with everyone at the end too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU5MyNuBdhg

Camo

08-26-16, 12:33 PM

Watching A Hit Is A Hit right now.

TONGO

08-26-16, 01:37 PM

Christopher getting his Series 7 license was funny, a korean kid actually took it, but what made me acto-laugh is that he is supposed to be the SEC Compliance Officer! :rotfl: Who da hell do these mobsters know to get around crap like this then?

20 years from now the mob movies based on today, you better believe theyd all have E-Bay accounts, and have friended each other on Facebook :yup:

Camo

08-26-16, 02:05 PM

The funny thing is Matthew Bevilaqua is C from Bronx Tale and i was saying that Young Tony looked like Young C the other day. The actor was jailed for 10 years or something for a robbery that ended up resulting in a cop being killed. Robert Iler (A.J) has been in quite a bit of trouble too. Also the guy who owns the real life Bada Bing was busted for chid porn,

Life really does imitate art sometimes i guess.

TONGO

08-26-16, 02:12 PM

The funny thing is Matthew Bevilaqua is C from Bronx Tale and i was saying that Young Tony looked like Young C the other day. The actor was jailed for 10 years or something for a robbery that ended up resulting in a cop being killed.

Yeah I was shocked when he was arrested.

I was right with you thinking that had to be the kid from A Bronx Tale, like his twin! :eek: They had to have been trying to make the kid look like C it was so similar.

Camo

08-26-16, 02:19 PM

Don't think they look quite as similar as they do in my head if you know what i mean. Think it is mostly the similar ages and the fact they are both in mob movie/tv shows.

http://i66.tinypic.com/oqf3bn.jpg

http://i64.tinypic.com/t0iaf8.jpg

Young C now. Man i love A Bronx Tale, have to watch that again soon.

http://i64.tinypic.com/302wig5.jpg

Camo

08-26-16, 03:15 PM

Watched A Hit Is A Hit. Never been that into the Massive Genius storyline. Both Chris and Genius really annoy me in it and quite frankly i find it dull. Although it does have a great Chris line Chris: Whos f*cking welfare check do you have to cash to get a burger around here? Adriana facepalming at his comments is just perfect.

The Tony story is pretty good though. I genuinely feel for Tony here. Of course it was his own decision to enter a life of crime but ignoring this since this isn't a real person but a fictional character that you pretty much have to sympathise with at times to enjoy the show. How Paulie and the others at the end of the day are basically his employees and in real life the people who don't fear him treat him like a circus act. Great revenge/ending though, you just gotta love the idea of the Cusimano's still having that brick in their house and constantly on their mind in Season 6 or whatever :D

One minor thing, i find it really weird when the show mentions real life mobsters like Carmine Galante and John Gotti here. In the episode where Meadow talks about the mafia at dinner, she mentions the 5 real life families; Genovese, Gambino, Luchesse, Bonanno and Colombo. So who the hell are the Lupertazzi's and the other two NY families mentioned later? :laugh:. It's nothing, just knowing as much about the mafia as i do this stuff is pretty hilarious.

Also Camo fact that has nothing to do with The Sopranos but it is mentioned in this episode. The famous picture of Galante dead with a cigar in his mouth was staged. An officer put the cigar in his mouth as a joke as he always had a cigar, there were pictures taking before with no cigar but that one stuck for obvious reasons and people just thought that he really was smoking a cigar at the time.

Anyway not much else to say about this episode, it's still enjoyable but it is my least favourite of the first season. It is basically filler, which is fine Pine Barrens is 100% filler and it is one of the best episodes in the full show. Just don't personally find it that interesting, and Chris and Genius piss me off as i said this episode.

Camo

08-26-16, 03:21 PM

Ugh. I have that stupid Drive Shaft song stuck in my head now :laugh:

TONGO

08-26-16, 03:27 PM

The episode in season 1 where Tony is in a fugue, walking arong zombielike. They definitely found the right music to match that mood cause that was the only time I hated the music in this series, bleah! :sick: As soon as he snapped out of it, the good music returned. :)

Camo

08-26-16, 03:30 PM

The music in that scene was fantastic, couldn't have picked anything better in my opinion.

Camo

08-26-16, 03:32 PM

About to watch ep 11. WIll finish the first season tonight if i don't end up going out.

TONGO

08-26-16, 08:03 PM

Season 2 ep 3 - Meadows busted at the party, and after a spat of funny drama within the family, Tony & Carmella are discussing what they should/can do in todays legaleezed world, then Tony says "I hear ye', ok? Lets just not overplay our hand, because if she finds out were powerless, were f:eek:ed!" :laugh:

TONGO

08-26-16, 10:39 PM

There were only a handful of songs the characters spoke about in the series, this is one of them....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wdx5nGphnAI

Fabulous

08-26-16, 11:45 PM

There were only a handful of songs the characters spoke about in the series, this is one of them....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wdx5nGphnAI
It's a great song. Watching it back again, I really love the choices of music throughout the show. I always look forward to the end credits.

TONGO

08-26-16, 11:49 PM

It's a great song. Watching it back again, I really love the choices of music throughout the show. I always look forward to the end credits.

Im having a rough time thinking of a series that even came close to Sopranos for good music. Its so good that when the musics bad, I notice it. Like when Adrianas childhood friends band "Defiler" were trying to get signed. :laugh: Yeah that was, not good.

Captain Steel

08-27-16, 12:04 AM

Im having a rough time thinking of a series that even came close to Sopranos for good music. Its so good that when the musics bad, I notice it. Like when Adrianas childhood friends band "Defiler" were trying to get signed. :laugh: Yeah that was, not good.

Oh no - you just brought back the memory of "Master Genius" going along with the Defiler number because he enjoyed looking at Adriana's backside and doing that cat-scratch "Mrow!" thing each time when it came up in the song because Adriana was doing it!
Oh that was so embarrassing and uncomfortable! :D

Captain Steel

08-27-16, 12:09 AM

Oops! The guy's name was "Massive Genius" and the group was going by the name "Visiting Day."

Still - Massive G doing the claw hands to the "Meow" part kills me... also, check out Hesh's face at the end. It says it all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8LZgX-JlfQ

christine

08-27-16, 08:11 AM

Talking about music I love Uncle Junior singing Core 'ngrato at the end of one of the eps in Vesuvios. Meadow spoils it all by chucking food at him but I have all the CDs so can listen to it properly

christine

08-27-16, 06:32 PM

Hey Tony how real was the Godfather? Tony feeling used by Cusomano for "somebody else's amusement" well boohoo! Carmela at least has a financial head on her. But Tony's dicking around with Cus is funny

Hesh - tell it like it is - "well I think it's no good, there's good and there's not good - this my friend is not a hit" I liked this Hesh storyline he's speaking the truth about Adriana's band and there is a massive history of Jewish involvement in the music publishing business in the US and the U.K. in the 50s and 60s

Silvio owned rock clubs in Asbury Park, I bet he did!

TONGO

08-28-16, 12:23 PM

Silvio owned rock clubs in Asbury Park, I bet he did!

Yeah that was a slick line they put in. :) Good call on Juniors solo, I was floored when he started singing. Great actor too. Im really disapponted the actors from Sopranos didnt all flourish. Even the Deadwood formers get more work.

Prejudiced against italians....

https://uproxx.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/tommy-goodfellas-prejudice.gif?w=650

christine

08-28-16, 06:15 PM

Episode 11, just stress stress stress

Camo

08-29-16, 08:58 AM

Oh wow. I've been watching a HBO miniseries that just started this year; The Night Of. Was watching the credits and it comes up produced by James Gandolfini :eek:. I looked it up and he was apparently supposed to star as the lawyer but he was replaced when he died first by Robert Deniro then John Turturro and they've gave him a posthumous producer credit.

Anyway it is nothing just really wasn't expecting to see something like that 3 years after his death.

christine

08-29-16, 09:57 AM

Is it any good Camo?

Camo

08-29-16, 10:04 AM

Yeah, i'm really enjoying it. I posted about the first episode in the TV Tab. It is a remake of a BBC show called Criminal Justice, was wondering if maybe you or HK or something had seen it?

Watching episode 3 right now. Omar from The Wire is in it as well.

christine

08-29-16, 10:16 AM

ah yeah, Criminal Justice was good. Think there was 2 of them. Worth watching those too Camo. I've put The Night Of on record. Starts on Thurs. I love Riz Ahmed too

Camo

08-29-16, 10:22 AM

Cool hope you like it. It gets a lot better from the second episode on IMO, just in case you aren't that into it after the first. John Turturro is really great, would have loved to see Gandolfini in the role though :(.

christine

08-29-16, 10:52 AM

Ep 12 so Tony has had the kick start that even the drugs couldn't provide. A certain Italian dentist helped until she isn't what she appears!
Livia, my god that woman is a piece of work!
Funniest thing - AJ and his date being escorted to the dance in a stretch limo facing the baleful faces of Paulie and Silvio :D

Camo

08-29-16, 12:24 PM

Janice is in this show as well :laugh:

Camo

08-29-16, 12:27 PM

Right, this is the last time but Benny is too :rotfl:. Man this basically is The Sopranos :D

christine

08-29-16, 12:32 PM

Ep 13 series end. Interesting machinations in the last ep, two jobs Tony needed to do taken right out of his hands.
Remembering series 6 finale, series one ends pretty much with the same tight family scene.
Father Phil getting his comeuppance - loved that straight talk Carmela gave him, even if it was out of jealousy . His face was a picture! Greedy little so and so :D
Favourite scene Tony telling Chris, Paulie and Silvio he's been seeing a shrink. Their discomfort and inability to say what they really think, or actually what they're conditioned to think...

christine

08-29-16, 12:33 PM

Where you up to Camo?

Camo

08-29-16, 12:34 PM

Ep 11. Going to finish Season 1 tomorrow.

christine

08-29-16, 12:45 PM

Ok I'm going to wait for you then to start season 2

TONGO

08-29-16, 01:11 PM

Halfway thru season 2. Im liking Richie more this time around more for some reason than the first 2 times I saw this. Best actors are the ones that can get the most out of doing the least, and he nails it.

Captain Steel

08-29-16, 04:27 PM

Richie was probably my favorite "short timer" character on the Sopranos. He was a complete psycho. He was basically Tommy from Goodfellas (but with less of a sense of humor).

His ending came as a complete shock, yet was very fitting, and it put the final touches on Janice's character - despite her going away, we kind of knew she'd have to come back after that.

I didn't like his successor; Ralph. I know we weren't supposed to like Ralph - he was supposed to be a scumbag. But the character seemed like an odd fit for the show. Maybe it was the hair, but he just didn't seem as Italian as everybody else, despite actor Joseph Pontoliano's ethnic heritage. (Although I thought it was interesting that he was some kind of sexual deviant.) You kind of got the feeling Ralph wouldn't last too long right after he was introduced - what with his rubbing Tony the wrong way and the fact that several other players kept commenting that someday, despite being a "made" guy, Ralph would get whacked.

TONGO

08-29-16, 04:34 PM

I didn't like his successor; Ralph. I know we weren't supposed to like Ralph - he was supposed to be a scumbag. But the character seemed like an odd fit for the show. Maybe it was the hair, but he just didn't seem as Italian as everybody else, despite actor Joseph Pontoliano's ethnic heritage.

Ralphie did come off as an odd fit, but was hilarious. His blond wig didnt help matters any. I actually liked Ralphie alot, and his story arc.....well lets just say it wasnt boring. I was disappointed how long he lasted as I thought they were setting things up for his "turn" towards being a more decent person.

Captain Steel

08-29-16, 04:41 PM

We know, as Paulie points out in the final episode, that there was something of a "Captain's curse" on the Aprile crew as the Capo's kept getting killed. But consider this... was there also some sort of pattern of sexual deviancy with the Capo's?
Richie could only climax during sex if he held a gun to his partner's head.
Ralph wouldn't have straight sex, but only wanted to be dominated & sodomized by his female partners.
Vito was gay (not that there's anything wrong with that).

Captain Steel

08-29-16, 04:45 PM

Ralphie did come off as an odd fit, but was hilarious. His blond wig didnt help matters any. I actually liked Ralphie alot, and his story arc.....well lets just say it wasnt boring. I was disappointed how long he lasted as I thought they were setting things up for his "turn" towards being a more decent person.

Yes, his son getting arrowed through the chest seemed like it was setting Ralph up for some sort of conversion. I did like the episode with him and the dancer at the Bing (whom he beats to death) - I loved how she gets rebuffed by Tony when she tries to give him her home-baked bread!

Also loved one moment where Ralph's horse wins the race and he's giving Tony his "taste"... the camera goes into slow motion as Tony's hand remains open toward Ralph... and Ralph has to keep stacking the cash into Tony's hand. It was just one of those perfectly shot moments that said so much with no words.

TONGO

08-30-16, 02:22 AM

Gah!! Season 2 Ep 7 and AJ is already in "the worlds got no purpose" mode :sick: :rolleyes:, I wish they kept him scrappy from season 1. They really didnt have to pay any attention to the kids at all when it came down to it, just as a backdrop to a story. Noticed too they gave very little for the Carmella character this season. AJ & Meadow have more screentime even.

Captain Steel

08-30-16, 02:46 AM

They should've sent AJ to the military school and had him go the way of older brother "Chuck" on Happy Days! ;)

TONGO

08-30-16, 02:57 AM

They should've sent AJ to the military school and had him go the way of older brother "Chuck" on Happy Days! ;)

True thing, I actually entertained the idea of writing a Sopranos movie screenplay. This was after Gandolfini died, and was going to have AJs character coming back home from fighting in Afghanastan the beginning of the film.

If they did a new series the only way theyd have a chance to pull it off is focus on a completely new group of characters, younger, and the old school gangsters like Paulie & Silvio are there in the background. Like what is mob activity like in Jersey today? Itd be a longshot but I think theyd have a chance. Hell if Star Trek Next Generation could hit, why couldnt lightning strike twice for The Sopranos? :shrug:

Camo

08-30-16, 03:22 AM

OK, that's me done Season 1. I don't have much to say because i just watched them all consecutively to catch up with Christine. Not much to add to what Christine said anyway.

Starting Season 2 later, Season 1 ranked:

01.I Dream Of Jeannie Cusamano
02.Boca
03.Down Neck
04.College
05.Isabella
06.The Legend Of Tennessee Moltisanti
07.The Sopranos
08.Pax Soprana
09.Nobody Knows Anything
10.Meadowlands
11.46 Long
12.Denial, Anger, Acceptance
13.A Hit Is A Hit

Love them all though.

christine

08-30-16, 10:02 AM

I'll watch a few from Season two tonight too Camo. Compare notes :)

christine

08-30-16, 05:20 PM

I love the freewheeling beginning to season 2 and Frank singing It Was A Very Good Year - delicious :)

She's on the lam in that hospital - Livia still with the manipulation

Get outta my life - Dr Melfi, she's got balls that woman!

Janice and the lovely Barb who skipped town at the earliest so it seems, not that you'd blame her

Tugg

08-30-16, 06:14 PM

I love the freewheeling beginning to season 2 and Frank singing It Was A Very Good Year - delicious :)
Oh, that song really gets one into the episode. :)

christine

09-02-16, 06:31 PM

S2ep2
Oh Livia "I gave my life to my children on a silver platter"

Janice - jeez she's a chip off the old block with her musical enticements to Livia, she's a piece of work that Janice

Camo

09-02-16, 06:37 PM

Oh Livia "I gave my life to my children on a silver platter"

Does this not without fail make you feel for Livia? It does to me even though you see the reasons she isn't treated well by Tony.

I'm going to watch four on Sunday btw christine. Will post then. Hopefully you've seen The Night Of by then ;)

christine

09-03-16, 08:55 AM

Does this not without fail make you feel for Livia? It does to me even though you see the reasons she isn't treated well by Tony.

A bit, she's got in a cycle of behavior where she can't or won't see the effect her words have on other people. My late mother in law was like that too - she'd say awful things to my husband when he was young. Ask your mum, there's a fine line between thinking these things and throwing them in your kids faces by actually saying them. I always think one of the things you have to be good at as a parent is knowing when to keep your gob shut. Biting your lip is a thing you have to learn ;)
Livia hasn't, but not only that she enjoys the feeling of martyrdom. My favourite speech of hers is in this season in Ep 7 - remember? to a visiting AJ? That's one of our family quotes. I won't say it now cos I want to watch it in order :D

I'm going to watch four on Sunday btw christine. Will post then. Hopefully you've seen The Night Of by then ;)

I'm not going to have time to watch Night Of this weekend Camo. Got a function to run at the Community Centre and a wedding to go to tomorrow, but will catch up early next week. Might have the time to catch up with Ep 3 & 4 of Sopranos tho

christine

09-04-16, 06:16 PM

Camo

09-04-16, 06:24 PM

Just noticed that post Christine. I'll address the Livia part when i get back to watching these hopefully tomorrow. I actually didn't have time to watch any today either, somehow i forgot i had my nieces christening when i said that :facepalm:

TONGO

09-04-16, 06:38 PM

Season 2 ep 4 Commendatori
This is one of my favourite episodes. Things I like are the the way Janice lectures Carmela, and the way Carm turns that on it's head while feeling that barb dig deep.
The wives gossip and two facedness abounds. What else is there to do but hang out and lunch?
Poor Paulie, he really did want to love Italy, but it's Naples Paulie, it's the Camorra - makes T's crew look like pussies and the plumbing isn't to American standards either :D Paulie's attempts to fit in are really funny and the scene with the prostitute cracks me up.
Janice's straight talking and poor Angie's talk of divorce has planted a tiny seed in Carm's head, and speaking of which we first see the wonderful Furio . Him of the fabulous shirts, I used to love wondering what he was going to wear next.

T's incredulity at Annelisa - a woman boss?? and an equal as it turns out. A lesson for him there to take back home - a woman as business woman and a mother and a carer and a woman in charge of her own sexuality - goes against T's life experiences

Great ep :)

I thought Tonys "quickest dream scene ever" that episode was great for shock/laugh value too. Furios nose is large, I like the character but I cant help but looking at that schnoz of his, like Steve Martins nose in Roxanne. :laugh: Im a few episodes ahead of you guys so not commenting, still in S2....Richie, whoa! This is my third time thru the series and how I could have missed this guys performance before, Ive no idea. Top notch.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/TfHE2-ezilU/hqdefault.jpg

christine

09-04-16, 06:39 PM

I thought Tonys "quickest dream scene ever" that episode was great for shock/laugh value too. Furios nose is large, I like the character but I cant help but looking at that schnoz of his, like Steve Martins nose in Roxanne. :laugh: Im a few episodes ahead of you guys so not commenting, still in S2....Richie, whoa! This is my third time thru the series and how I could have missed this guys performance before, Ive no idea. Top notch.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/TfHE2-ezilU/hqdefault.jpg

Ha yeah that dream sequence was hilarious!

Camo

09-04-16, 06:44 PM

Glad you are enjoying Richie this time. He's always been one of my favourites. I used to be on a forum that had it's on sub-forum for The Sopranos and he was often brought up in the worst character threads :sick:

Captain Steel

09-05-16, 01:47 AM

TONGO

09-05-16, 02:04 AM

I've fantasized about a graphic novel: Batman vs. the Sopranos.
It wouldn't matter that Gandolfini is passed on since it would be a comic.
(Could also be Daredevil or the Punisher vs. the Sopranos as well.)

Imagine Tony having a sit down with the Carmine Falcone family.

Batman?! Batman would just....crush the entire New Jersey mob scene into fine powder, the Sopranos would just take up an hour out of that day. :laugh:

Ritchie gets the most out of a line, just loaded with nuances, and natural voice inflection. He is able to do sinister even better than Gandolfini, though Tonys a different type of sinister. Like comparing a cobra to a bear. Paulie really starts coming into his own as a character this season, but I was more a Big Puss fan. Sheesh, Im always comparing...theyre all awesome!

Captain Steel

09-05-16, 02:13 AM

Batman?! Batman would just....crush the entire New Jersey mob scene into fine powder, the Sopranos would just take up an hour out of that day. :laugh:

Ritchie gets the most out of a line, just loaded with nuances, and natural voice inflection. He is able to do sinister even better than Gandolfini, though Tonys a different type of sinister. Like comparing a cobra to a bear. Paulie really starts coming into his own as a character this season, but I was more a Big Puss fan. Sheesh, Im always comparing...theyre all awesome!

Paulie would be most spooked by Batman. It's true... criminals are a superstitious and cowardly lot.

christine

09-05-16, 06:59 AM

oh I don't like Richie Aprile. I mean I think he's brilliantly acted and I love the tensions between him and T, and the Janice/Richie thing is well done, but Richie makes my skin crawl (as does Ralphie) . His ending is great tho!

christine

09-06-16, 05:46 PM

Forgot to say one of my faves from the music is in ep 4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ivh0FWTSJ78

MovieMeditation

09-06-16, 06:08 PM

I need to get back to this again...

"Just when I thought I was out... they pulled me back in!"

Camo

09-06-16, 06:20 PM

I need to get back to this again...

"Just when I thought I was out... they pulled me back in!"

I like that you are quoting a tv show that is quoting a movie. :D

And tomorrow definitely, i'll be getting back to this.

Captain Steel

09-06-16, 10:55 PM

Paulie would be most spooked by Batman. It's true... criminals are a superstitious and cowardly lot.

Paulie: Ah'm tellin' ya, T ... Dat Bat? He aint f**ckin' human. I fired five slugs right at that m*ther-f**kin' creep an' he kept comin'. And I swear... I think I saw 'im fly! Ah'm tellin' ya, T ... Dat aint a man in dat creepy black get up. It's some kinda demon!

Tony: J*sus f**kin' Christ, Paulie! First you say the ghost of Mikey is chasin' ya. Then you're seeing g*d-dam Madonnas poll dancin' at the Bing! Now it's 'THE BATMAN! THE BATAMAN!' Chirst, Paulie, don't you think I have enough to deal with what with Christopher and Junior and what happened with Pussy? Now I've got to put up with this m*ther-f*ckin Batman Dark Knight sh*t? I've had it up to here with you and your g*d-dam, never-endin' b*llsh*t!

Paulie: Ah... I'm sorry, T. It's just that ever since Ma died and that cancer scare... I just can't stop lookin' over my shoulder to see if the Batman's there.

- for your amusement, Commendatori!

Camo

09-07-16, 02:46 PM

Watched episode 1 finally. Love the When I Was Seventeen intro scene. Without fail i always crack up at the part it shows you Paulie having sex. It's just that it pops up when the music takes a dramatic turn, and it's just the idea that they decided to put it in. I'm not really sure what i think of the Pussy situation. Personally i don't know of any examples of the FBI sending an informant back in when he has been suspected of flipping. I don't believe that would happen. I think they'd just cut their losses and would get him to testify against whoever he was able to. Obviously they were thinking that Jimmy was exposed so they may be doubting that Pussy had flipped, still it is a bit far fetched IMO.

Always felt the Philly murder was one of the most brutal in the show personally. It's mostly because GiGi seems like a genuine thread and it is so abrupt and loud. I like the importance of it, and i really like Patsy.

I've always found it curious that Seasons 2 and 3 are the most praised (in my experience) when 2 has two of the most hated characters; Janice and RIchie. I do agree with most that Janice is one of the more annoying and weakest main characters but as i said before AJ is the only one i dislike. Also i think Janice has some great scenes and storylines. She does get on my nerves though her mooching off Tony, love the detail of her reaching out to take the money off him then him stopping to talk to her more; she just wants to snatch that cash haha. Also taking Meadow to see his mum, i agree she should be able to see her grandma but that isn't Janices choice to make. She is a very well done vindictive, meddling character.

Oh man. Tony's new psychiatrist i forgot about him. Analyze This :rotfl: I think the most i laughed during the episode was Janice and Barbara talking about Paulie :D

Anyway yeah solid episode. It introduced some new things and showed us where everything else is at. Watching episode 2 in about an hour.

MovieMeditation

09-07-16, 03:02 PM

Aight, got back into it a little... Got two episodes down, The Legend of Tennessee Moltisanti and Boca.

The latter was pretty great, with the focus on Junior, but the former was one of the worst episodes imo and also the one episode that actually made me quit the show way back when. I remember liking, not loving, the episodes leading up to it, but since I was never what you would call completely hooked, that one episode threw me completely off. Anyways, it redeemed itself with Boca and apart from the A Hit is a Hit - which I hear is less great - the last few episodes should all be really good. So I'll finish this for sure within the week...

Camo

09-07-16, 03:05 PM

What didn't you like about that episode? Just wondering, it's not a major favourite of mine or anything but i personally don't think it is bad.

MovieMeditation

09-07-16, 03:15 PM

What didn't you like about that episode? Just wondering, it's not a major favourite of mine or anything but i personally don't think it is bad.
Generally I hate Christopher, so that's a big part of it. And this episode didn't make me like him or his character more, unfortunately.

TONGO

09-07-16, 03:25 PM

Generally I hate Christopher, so that's a big part of it. And this episode didn't make me like him or his character more, unfortunately.

Hm. Thats a first, my impression of him physically.....I couldnt shake "Spider" from Goodfellas :laugh:, but after awhile he won me over with his acting. He really was giving 150% and never phoned it in. Its a frickin crime we dont see most the cast in stuff today.

TONGO

09-07-16, 03:28 PM

Paulie: Ah'm tellin' ya, T ... Dat Bat? He aint f**ckin' human. I fired five slugs right at that m*ther-f**kin' creep an' he kept comin'. And I swear... I think I saw 'im fly! Ah'm tellin' ya, T ... Dat aint a man in dat creepy black get up. It's some kinda demon!

Tony: J*sus f**kin' Christ, Paulie! First you say the ghost of Mikey is chasin' ya. Then you're seeing g*d-dam Madonnas poll dancin' at the Bing! Now it's 'THE BATMAN! THE BATAMAN!' Chirst, Paulie, don't you think I have enough to deal with what with Christopher and Junior and what happened with Pussy? Now I've got to put up with this m*ther-f*ckin Batman Dark Knight sh*t? I've had it up to here with you and your g*d-dam, never-endin' b*llsh*t!

Paulie: Ah... I'm sorry, T. It's just that ever since Ma died and that cancer scare... I just can't stop lookin' over my shoulder to see if the Batman's there.

- for your amusement, Commendatori!

http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view4/1891045/a-very-brady-applause-o.gif

Good stuff, you would kill in a Survivor game here. :lol: