Yeah, going to jail or dying just seems too predictable given the direction Chase has been taking the show. He seems determined to subvert people’s expectations and the usual mobster cliches.
Having Tony elude death and capture but have both families crumble around him would be much more appropriate - and tragic.
I liked the way season 5 ended, with Johnny Sack getting arrested, and Tony running through the woods, and going on foot to his house, knocking on the door, and being let in. Talk about an interesting way to end the season. I’m also thinking that Chase wants to keep everyone on edge, and not go with what everyone’s expecting.
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| Originally Posted by Schwartz Seriously, have you even seen the Sopranos? |
if indictment is your idea of the grand arc, then I don’t think you’ve seen the Sopranos. It’s much bigger than that, as i see it. Tony doesn’t have to die in the literal sense, but keeping in mind that they have known the end was coming and have likely been able to come up with a fitting end to what will be looked back on as one of the greatest shows of all time. There will be a sea change in how his life is led, the question is how do we get there. Indictment is a fitting end to a season..but it is just too loose to end the show that way.
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| Originally Posted by thatgumyoulike if indictment is your idea of the grand arc, then I don’t think you’ve seen the Sopranos. It’s much bigger than that, as i see it. Tony doesn’t have to die in the literal sense, but keeping in mind that they have known the end was coming and have likely been able to come up with a fitting end to what will be looked back on as one of the greatest shows of all time. There will be a sea change in how his life is led, the question is how do we get there. Indictment is a fitting end to a season..but it is just too loose to end the show that way. |
Too loose of a conclusion? A sea of change in how the characters live their lives? We really must be watching different shows. Mine is known for not tying up every storyline with a neat little bow (just ask Furio or Russian), and not redeeming it’s despicable characters (just ask, well, every character in the show).
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| Originally Posted by Moltisanti If they really wanted to make things tragic for Tony they’d kill off one of his kids. I hope they don’t but that would be far worse than anything else that could happen to him. |
I was thinking the same and I’d say if they do it will be Anthony Jr.
Finally got my hands on the Vanity Fair issue but have yet to read the article.
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| Originally Posted by Eileen I was thinking the same and I’d say if they do it will be Anthony Jr. Finally got my hands on the Vanity Fair issue but have yet to read the article. |
It’s a great article, really delves into Chase and how the show reflects what is inside of him.
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| Originally Posted by Schwartz Too loose of a conclusion? A sea of change in how the characters live their lives? We really must be watching different shows. Mine is known for not tying up every storyline with a neat little bow (just ask Furio or Russian), and not redeeming it’s despicable characters (just ask, well, every character in the show). |
Who said anything about redemption?
Those examples are irrelevant because ending a series is a bit different than ending a minor arc. Who’s to say they don’t stick to your formula and forget about that whole making a case against Tony thing? Bottom line is neither of us have any idea how they are going to end this, but i’d be wiling to bet it’s closer to my end, unless they plan on doing a movie or something..then all bets are off.
Tell ya what, you come up with some decent terms, and I’ll make an indictment vs. death bet with you.
Good, because they’d better not fuck with Meadow (or Tony or Carmela). And as much as I love this show and its characters, Anthony Jr. has been such an annoying little prick for a long time now. His death would still be a sad event, but it would be a fitting bitter end for Tony to face.
I hadn’t thought about it lately - maybe because it is too obvious to even dwell upon, but this has probably been the best show on tv every single season of its existence. It’s going to be very interesting to see how things go down in these final episodes, but I don’t know what show can possibly fill the void that will exist after the final Sopranos airs.
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| Originally Posted by Eileen I was thinking the same and I’d say if they do it will be Anthony Jr. Finally got my hands on the Vanity Fair issue but have yet to read the article. |
It obviously wouldn’t be impossible to have a decent ending to the show that doesn’t involve Tony in jail or dead (word to your mother) but getting there in a way that would cover new ground is the problem. We’ve already had seasons end on the importance of family, the disintigration of the family, the price of the family business. The kids are grown, the critiques about modern american life have been made (and made again) and it appears the final chapter in Tony’s saga isn’t going to be reflected in the fate of AJ. And you can’t end on Tony going up another rung on the mob food chain, cuz that’s been done too.
So what do they do? How do you have a happy ending when the entire nature of the show has been demonstrating what a shitty foundation the family’s existence is based on? Should it be an ironic thing… where they think they’re gonna be happy but we know they’re not? Should it be a dream sequence, leaving the details totally obscured? My problem with not having some defining thing happen (and really even death at this point seems kind of a retread, considering Tony has already had to face his death a couple times) is that it would just feel too familiar. The family goes on… again…
Of course, maybe I’m placing too much emphasis on the last scenes anyway. If the body of the nine episodes explores new territory, then maybe the end won’t be the thing.
AICN has a spoilerific play-by-play on the first two of the last nine. Early on the guy who wrote it refers to AJ but calls him Christopher. What an idiot. The episodes sound good though.
Final trailer for the new season - http://tv.msn.com/tv/sopranos
After seeing that trailer my interest has peaked more than ever.
There were some things in that trailer that make some of your speculations about where things are headed seem more likely. But, who knows…
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| Originally Posted by Moltisanti If they really wanted to make things tragic for Tony they’d kill off one of his kids. I hope they don’t but that would be far worse than anything else that could happen to him. |
Too Godfather 3.
This show really lost it’s way last season. Melfi is turning into Chuck Cunningham, it’s like Tony’s mother never existed, and I miss the migrating geese. This used to be a social satire about a modern husband and father with deep issues who happens to be a mob boss. Now it’s Goodfellas:The Series with a plot driven by hollow gang wars. It no longer resonates with average American life as it used to.
I don’t buy that. The show has always verged from dealing either a lot with Tony’s domestic family to a lot with the mob element. The first part of season six was one of those stretches that was more focused on the mob. Right now the domestic aspect is not all that bad for Tony. He’s on good terms with Carm, he doesn’t have to keep an eye on Uncle Junior anymore, and even A.J. seemed to be coming around when we last saw him.
That’s why now is the perfect time for the show to lower the boom on the domestic bliss.
I agree about the Melfi complaint. They haven’t had anything juicy for her in a while.
Nice print ad of Tony standing by the water with the Statue of Liberty in the background out. Black and white. Tagline is “Made in America.” Classy. Very Godfather.
That trailer was interesting. It’s really making me want to see the last few episodes, alas I don’t have HBO. Damn!
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| Originally Posted by Moltisanti That’s why now is the perfect time for the show to lower the boom on the domestic bliss. I agree about the Melfi complaint. They haven’t had anything juicy for her in a while. |
A couple of years ago David Chase said that Tony will have to pay a price for all the stuff he has done to others. I always took that to mean one of his children might be killed off or he goes to prison.
I concur with the Melfi comments.
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| Originally Posted by Moltisanti If they really wanted to make things tragic for Tony they’d kill off one of his kids. |
Like BobClark, I think it’s too Godfather III. This show (best show on television, has been since -99) seems to always surprise me with the directions it’s taking, and I think they’ll do something else… which is why I’ll be *very surprised* if they decide to off AJ in one of the last eps.