This is a weekly feature. I'm reviewing The Sopranos episodes starting from the beginning. This is the seventh episode of the first season.
Past Episodes
Pilot
46 Long
Denial, Acceptance, Anger
Meadowlands
College
Pax Soprano
This isn't a great episode - by Sopranos standards - but it's kind of necessary. The questions raised in this episode are what made this such a great show. It's also what made it revolutionary and different than any other television show.
Anthony and his devious friends decide to steal wine from the church. Maybe because it's aged badly, maybe because I didn't really do anything that bad when I was that age, but that threw me off right away. Even at that age, I don't think those kids are stupid enough to steal alcohol and drink it DURING school. This could easily just be a problem of me just not relating to that situation at all.
Anyway, this justifiably gets him suspended and he needs to see a school therapist. This show really rides on that line between saying therapy is useless and therapy is helpful. I think this episode didn't condemn or praise therapy, which is tough to do.
I guess my problem with this episode is that Anthony stealing wine seems contrived to me - I mean it comes out of nowhere and seems out of character for me. This gives the show a reason for Tony to reflect on his upbringing. I wish I didn't think the beginning was contrived, because his son getting in trouble is a great excuse for him to reflect on his childhood. It's a great utilization of flashbacks that is central to the story and gives us information on why Tony is the way he is.
The flashbacks themselves? I love everything about them except the actor who plays a young Tony. Yeah, his acting was... not great. I just generally don't like child actors a lot. They aren't very good at acting generally speaking.
Livia finds out that Tony is seeing a therapist, which she will use against him. She attempts to not so subtly tell Junior about it. She has a weird tendency to beat around the bush and make the other person want to know what she was planning on telling them the whole time.
Anyway, this show asks how Anthony will respond to Tony if he ever found out the true details of his life. It never answers the question, because Tony doesn't tell him so they are back where they started. Anthony basically knowing about Tony's mafia life and Tony acting like he does nothing wrong.
Tony is starting to realize the true influence of his mother. His mother kind of was able to control his father and impact some of his decisions as the flashback reveals. We knew she did that now to Junior and sometimes Tony, but this episode shows it's been happening forever.
It's a testament to this show that I consider this a weaker episode when it achieves all it achieves.
College
Pax Soprano
This isn't a great episode - by Sopranos standards - but it's kind of necessary. The questions raised in this episode are what made this such a great show. It's also what made it revolutionary and different than any other television show.
Anthony and his devious friends decide to steal wine from the church. Maybe because it's aged badly, maybe because I didn't really do anything that bad when I was that age, but that threw me off right away. Even at that age, I don't think those kids are stupid enough to steal alcohol and drink it DURING school. This could easily just be a problem of me just not relating to that situation at all.
Anyway, this justifiably gets him suspended and he needs to see a school therapist. This show really rides on that line between saying therapy is useless and therapy is helpful. I think this episode didn't condemn or praise therapy, which is tough to do.
I guess my problem with this episode is that Anthony stealing wine seems contrived to me - I mean it comes out of nowhere and seems out of character for me. This gives the show a reason for Tony to reflect on his upbringing. I wish I didn't think the beginning was contrived, because his son getting in trouble is a great excuse for him to reflect on his childhood. It's a great utilization of flashbacks that is central to the story and gives us information on why Tony is the way he is.
The flashbacks themselves? I love everything about them except the actor who plays a young Tony. Yeah, his acting was... not great. I just generally don't like child actors a lot. They aren't very good at acting generally speaking.
Livia finds out that Tony is seeing a therapist, which she will use against him. She attempts to not so subtly tell Junior about it. She has a weird tendency to beat around the bush and make the other person want to know what she was planning on telling them the whole time.
Anyway, this show asks how Anthony will respond to Tony if he ever found out the true details of his life. It never answers the question, because Tony doesn't tell him so they are back where they started. Anthony basically knowing about Tony's mafia life and Tony acting like he does nothing wrong.
Tony is starting to realize the true influence of his mother. His mother kind of was able to control his father and impact some of his decisions as the flashback reveals. We knew she did that now to Junior and sometimes Tony, but this episode shows it's been happening forever.
It's a testament to this show that I consider this a weaker episode when it achieves all it achieves.
Surprise Guest Appearances
I didn't recognize any.
Deaths
No deaths surprisingly
Quotes
"Intimate feelings? I think I said I was in love." - Tony, getting straight to the point
"His belt was his favorite child development tool." - Tony on his father
"I take a licking, but keep on ticking" - Christopher, after stealing the watches
"She had a stroke. Now half her brain is gone" - Livia, whose delivery is the only reason this is funny.
"Maybe I'd be selling patio furniture in San Diego or whatever." - Tony's idea of a normal life
"I could stick this fork in your eye." "She wasn't gonna do it!" - Amusing contrast between flashback and therapy session
"I'd rather smother them with a pillow than take them to Nevada" *cue terrible acting face from kid*
"And it's a sickness, to fidget? What constitutes a fidget?" - Tony raises a damn good point
Playlist
1. No Vaseline - Ice Cube
2. Jasmine (demo) - Jai Paul
3. Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana
4. Madness - Muse
5. Security - Royce Da 5'9
AJ and Livia together is fun, he's too oblivious to what her attempt is, it doesn't hit. Anybody else would be trying to comfort her, he just eats the pear.
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