The Sopranos – Recap – Episode 6-10

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Saluti.

As always, if you have any questions about the show (background, history, etc.), or wish to share your opinions of a specific episode/character/plotline/etc, or if you vehemently disagree with one of my conclusions or opinions — please email me by clicking my name in the column title at the top of page. I’ll answer everything here in the column the next week.

First things first: if you aren’t familiar with The Sopranos, or if you need a refresher course on the history of the show (since it has been 21 months since the last episode), please read my column on the background of Tony Soprano. It concentrated on Tony’s character, but touches just about every large storyline that we’ve seen over the first 5 seasons. You should be able to find links to the recaps to the past few episodes at the bottom of the page.

Previously on The Sopranos:

  • Carmela and her father fight over the permits on her spec house
  • Vito meets Jim, a diner owner in a small town in New Hampshire, and they start a relationship
  • Christopher’s new girlfriend Kelli tells him she’s pregnant. They go to Atlantic City and get married.
  • Carmela talks to Adriana’s mother, who is convinced that Christopher killed her daughter. Carmela later brings up the topic to Tony.
  • Christopher gives in to temptation and does some heroin.
  • A ride at the local Italian festival has some mechanical problems while Janice and her baby are riding on it. Bobby confronts the ride operator, who says Paulie wouldn’t pay for repairs. Bobby screams at Paulie in the middle of the festival about it.
  • Tony instructs Paulie to settle the business with the ride. Paulie tells Tony that he has a biopsy scheduled to check for prostate cancer.

Episode 75: Moe ‘n Joe:
Directed by: Alan Taylor
Written by: Terence Winter

Sal the landscaper is working on Tony’s yard, and asks how much longer he’s going to have to keep the Sacrimoni house on his route. Tony calls him “a selfish prick”, and makes it obvious that the answer isn’t anytime soon.

Johnny Sack is meeting with his lawyer in jail, where he finds out that the Feds have put his net worth at $5 million (hmm – would’ve thought it would be higher). The lawyer, Ron, brings up the possibility of cooperating with the Feds. Johnny’s response: “Being a rat, where I’m coming from? That’s like asking a person where you’re coming from to become a f*cking Nazi!” Ron: “Good. Because I don’t represent turncoats.” John: “Because it would kill your practice.”

Janice is having an argument with someone working the counter at Satriale’s. She comes into Tony’s office, and we find out that she expected to get a stuffed pork loin, but apparently it was delivered to Carmela. The conversation quickly evolves into Janice complaining about Tony’s treatment of her and Bobby, and how he blames the two of them for being shot. Tony denies it, but Janice keeps pushing the subject: “To be his age, and not to be a Captain…” They then have a hilarious exchange about Bobby’s model railroads: Tony: “He’s a grown man!” J: “Oh, but it’s okay for Neil Young.” T: “He owns Lionel!” Janice then does a bit of soul-searching, admitting that she knows can be annoying (ohhh, Janice – don’t get *me* started), but brings up how much time she spent in the hospital after he got shot. Tony then rather astutely points out that no matter what he ever did or didn’t do, she would end up complaining. Her response: “My God. There’s nothing holding us together but DNA.”

Vito is in the library, swigging an occasional drink from a flask of vodka, when Jim comes in and catches him looking over books about motorcycles (not much to do with Rocky Marciano, the supposed subject of his forthcoming book). Vito follows him outside, where we find out that Jim has asked him to move in. Vito finally breaks down and admits that he’s from New Jersey (“Some shit went down. I had to leave”), that he left his wife and kids, and that he’s on the run. Overall, Jim handles it pretty well (“I used to be married too, remember?”), and offers to help Vito find some work as a handyman.

Carmela, Angie, Rosalie, Gabrielle and Janice surprise Ginny Sacrimoni at her house for her 50th birthday. Ginny spends most of her time complaining about her current situation, Janice talks about how much she loves the house, Angie yells at her employees on her cell phone, and Carmela makes faces about all of it. So, basically: the usual.

Well, it looks like Vito has indeed moved in with Jim. We’re introduced to this by seeing them in bed together. On the Uncomfortable Scale, it’s slightly below the Janice/Ralphie scenes – but not much. The director does pull a rather amusing visual trick by leaving them in mid-cuddle, and cutting straight to one of Bobby’s trains entering a tunnel. HA!

Speaking of Train Boy, he’s trying to get Bobby Jr. interested about a new piece of scenery he picked up, but the kid apparently couldn’t care less. See below for Bobby’s expression after his son declines an offer to “race”.

Carmela gets on Tony’s case about her spec house, since he said he would handle her problems with the building inspector weeks ago. Tony says that Little Paulie wasn’t any to make any leeway, but he’ll send Sil to handle it. And in the next scene, Tony informs Sil about this. Ginny Sack’s brother Anthony comes to make a visit, and he insists that what he has to say is for Tony’s ears only. After Silvio excuses himself, Anthony tells Tony about a heavy-lifting business down in New Orleans where Johnny is a “silent partner”, which he wants sold in order to get more cash. The most surprising part of the instructions: “Phil Leotardo shouldn’t be involved.”

Vito has already started his handyman job, and is mixing up cement outside of someone’s home. Honestly, he doesn’t look to be enjoying it very much. And it probably doesn’t help that he gets caught taking a nap by the homeowner. To be fair, though, he probably hasn’t had to work an actual 8 hour day in his life – this is new for him.

Carmela tells Tony that she’s talking to a new builder, the same guy that built the Sacramoni house. Oh, and that she picked up some sandwiches for dinner (although I’m sure Tony was expecting something home-cooked). Tony thinks she shouldn’t give up on her father just yet, and reminds her that her Dad built their house. “You think about replacing him before you rush off into maybe something that could cost you a lot more of your time.” (More important, more of her time that she should (in his opinion) be spending on making dinner and other wifely duties.)

Tony further expounds on this with Dr. Melfi, who recognizes that Tony’s main problem with Carmela’s house is that it’s interfering with Tony’s life. He changes the subject to talk about Janice, and admits that his sister was correct in her accusation that he enjoys making life difficult for those two. While exploring the reasons why, Tony talks about them growing up together, and how he thought she was “cool” back then. But he also tells a revealing story: one time when Janice was left in charge, she tape-recorded a fight between Tony and his other sister Barb, and used that as extortion on Tony for a month. He’s obviously still very, very bitter about it: “I’ve been coming here, what I don’t know – 5 years now, and you still don’t understand what it means to tape somebody in my family?”

Johnny and his brother-in-law have an incredibly amusing conversation in the visiting area, trying to talk “business” without saying anything incriminating. “I suck at talking like this, John – I’m sorry.” Anthony lets him know that Tony agreed to their offer, but wants more money (surprise, surprise). Johnny then asks if Anthony picked up a cake for Ginny, which Anthony mistakenly thinks is more “code” for business talk. “No, an actual f*cking cake!” Okay, that was funny.

Jim gets beeped in the middle of the night for a fire emergency, and Vito decides to go with him. They find out that there’s some down electrical wires inside that’s causing a problem, so Vito climbs up a ladder and cuts the main power. The fire company is appreciative, except for Jim: “What, are you trying to be a big man?” They eventually calm down, and Vito joins them for beers afterwards.

Bobby makes a pick-up from a bookie in a bad neighborhood. We find out just how bad when Bobby gets jumped on his way back to the his car by five young punks, who rob him and then shoot him in the eye (ouch).

Tony is having dinner with the two partners in Johnny Sack’s New Orleans business, and tells them they’ll have to sell the business and get the money to him in 30 days. One partner is okay with it, but the other is incredibly antagonistic to Tony, and refuses to sell. (I love the accent: “Would you sell now with all that money pouring into Nawlins?”)

Tony gets a call from Paulie, who wants to know if he had heard about Bobby yet. Tony has, and talks about how even the cops don’t even go into that section of Newark anymore. Paulie then drops the bomb: he has prostate cancer.

Back at the Bada Bing, Tony and the boys talk about Bobby some more, with Tony re-iterating how stupid it was to be in that part of town that late at night. Carlo lets them know that Bobby might need a cornea transplant. Tony: “Should be a candidate for a brain transplant.” However, Bobby did manage to make sure his payment that week was delivered to Tony; but even that gesture is dismissed by Tony as a “maneuver”.

Johnny’s lawyer Ron is meeting with the District Attorney to work out a plea bargain, based around the length of sentence (the DA wants 20, Ron asks for 12), and Johnny’s assets (he is insisting that Ginny keep the house).

Tony is over at Bobby’s house to watch the Giants game, and to try and not stare at the huge patch over Bobby’s eye. Bobby Jr. tries to leave to catch the Chargers game at a friend’s house who has DirecTV (“Some people aren’t too cheap to buy the satellite package”), but gets stopped by Janice, who brings up his last report card (apparently – not too good).

Back at Melfi’s office, they again discuss Tony’s relationship with Janice. “Janice attracts drama. She creams over the misery.” Melfi: “Does she remind you of anyone?” Ohh, SNAP. This segues into a really, really uncomfortable discussion where Melfi tries to explore the possibility that Tony had sexual feelings for Janice back in his youth. Tony reacts pretty much like you would expect: “Oh, Jesus Christ.” We then get into the true crux of his bitterness towards her: she left him to deal with their mother all those years ago, and then came back expecting to get her piece of the pie. “I got the scars, so it’s mine!”

Vito makes a special Italian dinner for Jim: pasta and potatoes, salad, and pork chops and vinegar peppers. (Damn, I’m hungry now.) They share an embrace, and each tells the other that he loves him.

On the job the next day, Vito spends his entire morning guessing how much time has passed, finally hoping it’s almost noon. But when he’s checks his watch, it’s not even 10:00 AM. This is apparently the last straw: Jim wakes up back at home, only to discover that Vito has packed his clothes and taken off.

Johnny’s lawyer delivers the DA’s final offer: 15 years and $4.1 million. Ginny gets to keep her home and her IRA (worth about $110K). After arguing about the allocution, Johnny reluctantly agrees. “That IRA of Ginny’s? She worked a tie counter at Wanamaker’s. That’s where we met.”

Vito is driving south on I-95 (yes, towards New Jersey), and has brought along his handy flask of vodka. And in yet another ironic twist, he’s listing to Sinatra’s “My Way”.

Tony and Meadow have a quick discussion about Carmela’s recent lack of food shopping. Meadow starts talking about problems between her and Finn, which mostly just serves to make Tony uncomfortable: “You know who’s really good to talk to about stuff? Your mother.” Meadow keeps plowing through her list of complaints inbetween sobs, but Tony looks more concerned about getting his breakfast out of the microwave. Tony uses the unfortunate phrase “living in sin”, which finally sends Meadow out of the room in a huff. Soon after, back at the Bing, Tony tells Sil to forget about making a visit to the building inspector.

Vito finishes his vodka, and then plows right into a parked car on a backroad somewhere in.. well, the middle of nowhere from what I can tell. Vito offers the other car’s owner $500 in cash for the damages, but he insists that they file a police report. Vito relents and goes into his car to get his “registration”. Yup, you know what’s coming in: bang bang.

Johnny’s brother-in-law catches Tony just outside the Bing, where Tony informs him that the New Orleans business deal is too much of a headache. Anthony pleads with Tony, saying Ginny really needs the money. Tony apparently gets some kind of idea in his head…

We find out what that is when Anthony makes his next visit to jail: Tony will actually take a smaller cut, but Johnny has to sell his house to Janice for 50% of its current value. John: “I guess beggars can’t be choosers. And the worst part is, I gotta sell the idea to Ginny somehow.”

Tony informs Carmela that Sil wasn’t able to get anywhere with the building inspector, despite his best efforts (ha ha). Carmela is, of course, pissed off about the entire deal, but Tony tries to convince her that she’ll make 30% off her investment is she sells now.

We get a small glimpse of Johnny’s allocution. “Mr. Sacrimoni, during the time period beginning approximately January 1, 1996 through today, were you employed by or associated with the New York faction of an organized crime family of La Cosa Nostra?” …. “Yes.”

The TV report on the allocution is watched by Phil Leotardo, who insists that no one should admit the existence of the mob. Carmela ends up breaking the news to Tony after she hears it on the radio.

A U.S. Marshall confiscates Christopher’s new Maserati as an asset of Johnny Sack, despite Christopher’s loud and profane objection. (Not too smart, Chris – this guy would just love to arrest you.)

Tony and Sil are both disgusted with John’s plea bargain, with Tony being embarrassed that he ever called him a friend. (Wow, the hypocrisy runs deep: if either one of them got nailed, they’d do the same.) Sal the landscaper then asks Tony if he can drop the Sacrimoni house from his route, which Tony agrees to.

We see Vito driving again. And.. whoa, he’s right out front of Satriale’s. Very dangerous.

Back at the Soprano household, Janice thanks Tony for what he did with the house. And then, in true Janice fashion, she goes into full-on breakdown, crying hysterically. Please see below for Tony’s expression during this. Carmela walks in, asks Janice what’s wrong, and gives her a supportive hug. Janice then lets loose with her most revealing line of dialogue ever: “No one knows… what goes on… in my head!” Carmela walks her back out, while Tony appears relieved for the return of silence.

Cue credits.

What did we learn this week?

– Despite five years of psychotherapy, Tony still doesn’t realize just how many issues he’s carrying around from his childhood upbringing.

– Janice is at least marginally aware that she’s a melodramatic annoying psycho.

– Dr. Melfi feels that it’s “normal” for brothers and sisters to have repressed sexual feelings for each other. In a word: Eww.

– Tony loves Carmela and supports her side interests, but that can change if it affects dinner being ready when he gets home.

– If an extremely nervous/irritable Italian man rear-ends you in a secluded area and tries to offer cash to pay for the damage: just take it.

– Vito’s never gotten the memo that drunk driving=bad.

Next week on the Sopranos:

  • Melfi and Tony have some sort of confrontation about Tony’s lifestyle
  • Rosalie does not approve of a conversation topic brought up by… Carmela? (Maybe)
  • Tony to AJ: “I just want to see you do good.”
  • Phil apparently finds out that Vito was somewhere in the area, and confronts Tony about it
  • Tony thinks that Phil’s issue is less with Vito than with Tony himself
  • Carmela to Tony: “Why do you have to lie?”
  • Tony throws a butcher’s knife at.. somebody.