Denialism

Sopranos last episode

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by

MarkH
in

Anyone else want to venture a guess as to what that ending was about?

To those who haven’t seen it – I’d avoid going below the fold – it will be a spoiler.

This is a total spoiler so seriously stop reading if you don’t want to talk about the end of the series.

Watching the show on a DVR I was thinking for a minute, “holy crap TiVo just froze at the worst possible moment.” Then I realized it was purposeful – just a fade to black after a kind of suspicious camera-glance at some customer who came into the bar who made you think Tony was about to be whacked.

I definitely got how A.J. was getting sucked back in to the good life (and maybe into the business) – his temporary satisfaction with being SUV-free ruined by the realization that riding the bus can be a pain in the ass. 23 mpg highway – that’s pretty good! Right? He gets rapidly yanked out of idealism for the temptation of having things easy. That was a great bit. No idea what the conclusion was with Janet, and Junior was totally gorped-out etc. So most of the family story-lines were pretty straight. But the ending was just so unexpected and jarring. As if to say, don’t think to hard about it, it’s just more of the same, these people don’t change.

Anyone having anything else insightful? I have to admit being disappointed.

Comments

17 responses to “Sopranos last episode”

  1. Ethan Winter

    I’m sure that most Sopranos lovers were disappointed, myself included. I had gotten the impression, that was reinforced by the second to last episode, that the show would end as a Shakespearean Tragedy. It seemed very appropriate, and I think it would have been considered “classic” or maybe “classy”.

    But instead they decided, “There’s no way to please everyone, so why try to please anyone?” and ended without conclusion. There’s an article about it on the cover of The New York Times and the front page of my local paper. Everyone’s a bit confused that they could be let down that much at the very end.

    Reply
  2. andy

    I got the impression that seeing his daughter walk in the door was the last thing Tony saw. Since one premise of Sopranos was “the world as seen through Tony’s eyes”, it makes sense that once he was whacked, there’s no more to see or say.

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  3. tharding

    My thinking is that they left themselves open for a Sopranos movie.

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  4. chris

    Haven’t watched the show all along, but I kind of know what’s going on. I like your take-that the next episode, if there were one, would be similar, and so on, no matter who led the family.

    At least Tony didn’t wake up in the middle of the night and tell his wife all about the dream he just had in which he was a mobster and not a Vermont innkeeper. That was funny once, classic even, but not again.

    BTW, CNN’s front page reader poll yesterday was “Which Tony are you more interested in-Spurs guard Tony Parker, Tony Soprano, or the Tony Awards?”

    Reply
  5. Ian Angus

    I had exactly the same reaction — the PVR has broken or we’ve lost the satellite signal! I re-ran the last bit several times to be sure.

    Then I was confused … But the more I consider, the more I think the ending was perfect. Paulie is still loyal, Phil is dead, the FBI agent has a case of Stockholm sydrome, Tony is reunited with his family … and the future is just as uncertain as it was in episode 1.

    The Sopranos NEVER had nice neat unambiguous ends to story lines, so why should the series as a whole?

    We’re left to write our own ending. Was Tony whacked by the guy who went to the washroom? Were things just ‘back to normal’ with (again) the threat of an indictment hanging over Tony’s head?

    The Lady or the Tiger?

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  6. tree

    I’m not sure what to thing of the ending. I guess it’s hard to fill everyone’s expectations so they decided not to try. I wish there had been a little more concluding; is Silvio a vegetable or will he recover; is Paulie a rat;is the cat Christopher’s spirit come back to haunt Paulie? I do understand the ending being just that – the ending of a series. We’re so used to having loose ends tied up in our program viewing that we get upset when a show doesn’t do it. Overall, I have to say I’ve enjoyed other episodes a whole lot more than the last one. Maybe it’s the way it just cut off – those of us who have satellite all thought the same thing – our signal was gone at the worst possible moment. Maybe, that was the point – a reminder that it’s just some entertaining thing we find to do and when it’s not there……

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  7. Ryan Laveder

    A lot of people feel that the Soprano’s ending was the way David Chase wanted it to go, but as a die hard Soprano’s fan who isn’t just watching to see the violence and nudity, I wanted to see it be wrapped up with no loose ends. Picture a superbowl game, with five seconds left, the running back of the team who was down by five runs towards the end zone and after you have watched the whole game, right before the he hits the end zone, the t.v cuts to black. Are we supposed to be happy with an inconclusive finale. Why were the loose ends not cleared up. We, as religious soprano’s watchers, have supported David Chase through all the uneventful, boring eposides last season, and this is how he repays us. I think i speak for all of us when i say, that we definatley deserved a better ending to the family that we have grown to love over the last seven years. On the other hand, if our beloved writer is leaving it open ended for an upcoming movie, i am all for it. For GOD”S SAKE, there better be!

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  8. triangular gutters

    You guys aren’t being meta enough. My ex refused to watch back in season 3 because it was full of “dissolution and dissipation”. Well, this half-season has been *entirely* about that, on multiple levels. It seems like every given was being denied here.

    Tony decided that the closest he had to blood for legacy was worthless, and was looking for validation for that decision.

    Gambling far beyond means was almost a given, when for the rest of the series it was a death sentence. This was just background for peyote, really. Blessed are the cracked, for they let in the light? Not hardly.

    One of Chase’s standard PR moves was that he wasn’t going to pull any camera crap in the therapy office. The reason Melfi is in the front credits is that the act of therapy is supposed to pull Tony closer to reality, and we as viewers are supposed to gain insight into his character through his revelations there. Well, previous episode says in the most emphatic manner possible that this is *all* bogus, and every single Melfi interaction is no longer any way to understand what has been happening. And that’s retroactive to episode 1. We all knew there was a lack of honesty, but the assertion here is that honesty is just orthogonal.

    Killing characters was one thing. But this is killing *narratives*.

    Frankly, I expected Tony to commit suicide in this episode, to keep up with the ambient morality. But what actually happened was that the script did, and that’s far more chilling. Especially when it’s titled “Made In America”.

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  9. jimmy

    u still dont get it do you?chase himself was amongst this sort of life growing up or at least he understood and didnt judge it like most of you do,he was curious to know why?cuz he knew they werent all bad,,is bush better?not ! thats why he brings this up…in the end hes telling everyone all those that judge the mob and want to see them go down to go to hell ,why do watch the show,,u wish u had the courage and character to be tony,but u dnt so u live it out thru the show,,,in the end tony is just another guy like me and you trying to live and didnt settle for the bullshit or values or moral valus that hold us back ,he had balls and in the end hes laughing at us,,

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  10. jimmy

    u still dont get it do you?chase himself was amongst this sort of life growing up or at least he understood and didnt judge it like most of you do,he was curious to know why?cuz he knew they werent all bad,,is bush better?not ! thats why he brings this up…in the end hes telling everyone all those that judge the mob and want to see them go down to go to hell ,why do watch the show,,u wish u had the courage and character to be tony,but u dnt so u live it out thru the show,,,in the end tony is just another guy like me and you trying to live and didnt settle for the bullshit or values or moral valus that hold us back ,he had balls and in the end hes laughing at us,,good for tony and for chase for having the logic to say ,organized crime and the bush administration,are we different,no but at least I don’t hide who I am ,,tony was the only trying to make sense of his life ,the others were just followers with no direction,tony was their guide,without tony running the crew it would a free for all ,the difference is tony didn’t accept the bullshit the world tries to make us believe ,he left his cross at the alter and knew hed pay the price if there was a price to be paid,,god puts his sheep in the dark as well as in the light,,if not the world be in total anorchy,,the proof ,,ever since they hit the mob in montreal gang wars is on the rise ,,in the end both sides need each other if not for this then for that ,,it’s a circle that keeps going ,where we land ,only god himself knows..at least tony was trying to figure it out ,,bush kills cuz he thinks the enemy is bad,,,tony kills but not without reason,,the whole holsten was to show that tony wasn’t worried,,did he not move his family back home before phil died? Oh you forgot!!why? Cuz he knew the was over and he could finally live again without fear,,he was greatful that it all worked out ,,you me and everyone has problems ,but we close our eyes ,,,we live in a denial but tony couldn’t lie to himself that way. his will to understand life was his reason for his being,he was the one that held all together in the underworld as we know it and in the end he walked away untouched,good for you tony , maybe one day with reincarnation youll get it once you walk my shoes but till then,,,,,,,, well see for yourself ,,

    Reply
  11. jimmy

    u still dont get it do you?chase himself was amongst this sort of life growing up or at least he understood and didnt judge it like most of you do,he was curious to know why?cuz he knew they werent all bad,,is bush better?not ! thats why he brings this up…in the end hes telling everyone all those that judge the mob and want to see them go down to go to hell ,why do watch the show,,u wish u had the courage and character to be tony,but u dnt so u live it out thru the show,,,in the end tony is just another guy like me and you trying to live and didnt settle for the bullshit or values or moral valus that hold us back ,he had balls and in the end hes laughing at us,,good for tony and for chase for having the logic to say ,organized crime and the bush administration,are we different,no but at least I don’t hide who I am ,,tony was the only trying to make sense of his life ,the others were just followers with no direction,tony was their guide,without tony running the crew it would a free for all ,the difference is tony didn’t accept the bullshit the world tries to make us believe ,he left his cross at the alter and knew hed pay the price if there was a price to be paid,,god puts his sheep in the dark as well as in the light,,if not the world be in total anorchy,,the proof ,,ever since they hit the mob in montreal gang wars is on the rise ,,in the end both sides need each other if not for this then for that ,,it’s a circle that keeps going ,where we land ,only god himself knows..at least tony was trying to figure it out ,,bush kills cuz he thinks the enemy is bad,,,tony kills but not without reason,,the whole holsten was to show that tony wasn’t worried,,did he not move his family back home before phil died? Oh you forgot!!why? Cuz he knew the was over and he could finally live again without fear,,he was greatful that it all worked out ,,you me and everyone has problems ,but we close our eyes ,,,we live in a denial but tony couldn’t lie to himself that way. his will to understand life was his reason for his being,he was the one that held all together in the underworld as we know it and in the end he walked away untouched,good for you tony , maybe one day with reincarnation youll get it once you walk my shoes but till then,,,,,,,, well see for yourself..i also beleive meadow was rushing herself cuz she wanted to tell them she was pregant

    Reply
  12. triangular gutters

    jimmy: That’s probably one of the most insightful things I’ve seen in the last couple days. Thank you.

    There were a lot of cases where characters knew things that turned out to be just wrong. In this season I’m not gonna trust Tony’s judgement on how safe home is after the scriptwriter spent a bunch of time saying he has to be hallucinating in order to beat the odds.

    One of the most striking things about the series is that Tony just cannot function in bullshit; that would be fatal. He has to be connected with reality. It’s pretty hard to imagine Snow lasting long in this crowd, or in fact a lot of the press for the last decade. But our boy in Jersey’s gotta dish it out too, and part of why we watched was observing what we had seen with our own eyes transformed into press-speak, often to Melfi. Even if you hadn’t known the schedule, watching Melfi bail would have set off alarm bells, because one of the central themes of the series was there. And that bridge was well and truly burned because the camera made clear she would never trust Tony again at all.

    But I think a lot of Season 6B was just Tony getting sucked under by the ocean of bullshit around him, and that’s why I don’t feel redeemed by the ending.

    Chase showed a man who was deeply flawed and broken, who knew he was broken, and who also knew there was no way of fixing himself. And he was doing the best he could as he understood it. I don’t know if heroism is possible for such a person, but I believe that few of us would want to trade places once past the surface.

    Reply
  13. pasquale valiante

    After watching the last episode for the second time and looking back at the previous episodes,one thing comes to mind:Tony Soprano is a man looking for inner peace so he can function has a father,a mobster,a family man and trying to find his place in society.After all, arent we all looking for the same thing,try to function normally and appreciate the moments of absolute inner peace.Do we find it:sometimes, Do we look for it:not always.But he did and that is the only honourably he ever did.Forget about the whacking and that he was a capo of illegitime organisation.M.Chase choose that backround to make it interesting for the viewers,between you and me,who would watch a lawyer,accountant ot teacher going through a mid life crisis or the inner turmoils that M.Soprano went through.Mafia,illegitimate,crime,getting away with stuff that a normal joe worked would not get away with,that is why we tuned in every sunday.Watching him ducking bullets,indictements,dating women that we all wished we had,that was M.Soprano.But underneath the persona,there was a human being that struggle with life and did not have the tools to deal with.Over bearing mother,a father that was absent,a sister that was egotistical.I mean,its only normal thatt he seeked help.But what people or some of them failed to see is that Chase choose M. Soprano character to show the viewers the flaws and insecurities that inhibited all humans:fear,greed,betrayal,lust,etc…
    Did he succeed,well peole are talking about the show and final episode over and over.Finally,did M.Soprano resolve anything,maybe he seems at ease but not completely,in fact look at yourself,when do you feel at ease and relaxed.Thats what I thought.The show depicted a man struggling to find a moment of peace and I think the final episode demonstrates it,he looks content almost happy.I mean his wife is with him,he strokes his son’s hand and his son informs that once Tony had said to appreciate the good moments.If you look at the first season and now,what a difference.Hs for the show showing Meadow running in,well it could be that she had good news,maybe she is pregannt or that her fiancee left her because he found out that Tony whacked his uncle,or that being with a lawyer,she had priviliege information on the indictiments.Therfore explainig her inability to park because something was bothering her.In all,the window closed on a family that gave us an insight on organize crime,but even more on the daily struggles of a man trying to cope with his problems and trying to function normally in a world that is everyday more cynical and complexed.

    Reply
  14. jimmy dip

    You guys are treating this like there was some big mystery that needed to be solved. This isn’t Lost, the whole show wasn’t about finding some divine answer at the end of six seasons. The show was about people living their lives, growing up, changing, etc. It was about characters, not some mystery, so all of the whining about them not resolving it is pointless.

    The brilliance of the final scene is that you can argue several different theories and still be 100% right. It’s completely left up to the audience, which is not lazy at all. It allows you to actually think about it, talk about it, look at all of the evidence. If you wanted a Hollywood ending (where everybody gets killed or they spoon feed you what you need to know) then you came to the wrong show. It was never about that, and it’s foolish to argue that they should have started 3 minutes before the credits rolled. Be disappointed … but think about what it means. But it all together. I hope that the people that had the knee jerk reaction actually do think about it, because the more you dissemble it the better it becomes.

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  15. TLG

    TwilightsLastGleaming.com has explained the episode.

    Reply
  16. Leoncio

    Although at the beginning I was a bit disappointed after watching the last episode (like all u others fans), I realized something later on: how do u end a show like “The Sopranos”? I mean this show was perfect to say the least. How do you end a perfect show? U just can’t find the perfect finale.
    My disappointment is not about HOW they ended it but about the fact that they DID ended it.
    p.s.
    A few months ago I was watching an episode of the 3rd Season with my g/f and I started laughing when I realized that I’ve watched that episode with other girls before her. Ladies came, ladies went, Sopranos was there the whole time. :))

    Reply
  17. STACKS

    THE LAST ONES SUCKED

    Reply

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