Past Episodes
Big Girls Don't CryHappy Wanderer
D Girl is not a great episode of Sopranos, but it is hilarious. This is an episode about Chris and Hollywood plus a significant plot about AJ. Those are traditionally some of the lesser Sopranos episodes - although also some of the more blatantly laugh-out-loud episodes. And it's definitely the case here as well.
The momentum to start this episode is a bit shaky as it's Chris' cousin's girlfriend who helps get Chris in contact with Hollywood. So Amy is seeing Chris's cousin - a man we've never seen nor will we ever again - and she just so happens to be in close contact with Jon Favreau who just so happens to be working on a mobster-affiliated movie. So another contrived plot from Sopranos - that's clearly something David Chase is utterly unconcerned with.
Jon plays his part well and is a good sport if I do say so myself. He comes across as an asshole, but also seems to represent your typical Hollywood asshole. He claims the mobster project is "a passion" of his which is clearly bullshit. He starts randomly cussing in the middle of conversations with Chris, which Amy always looked over at him weirdly for, which was perfect.
Alicia Witt though plays it better. When Chris whispers to an obnoxious partygoer and he immediately shuts up, the look she gives him is just pure lust. I don't know how she does that. And she is charming, but you always get the sense that she's deceiving you - which goes right past Chris of course. The title of this episode is when she gets offended at being called a "d girl," which strikes me as the ultimate Hollywood satire attempt - I don't think it really comes across like Todd A. Kessler (the writer) wanted it to cause it's not that funny or clever of an insight.
The other storyline is played mostly for laughs with AJ stupidly crashing the right side of his car when another car honked. He's learned Nietzsche and it kind of loses me in this. I don't know what fucking school he went to, but I'm thinking it's way too complex of stuff for 8th grade. Also, the show tries to have its cake and eat it too by trying to make fun of the fact that AJ is smarter than Tony, but also making AJ really dumb. It works for Meadow, because she's really successful and smart, but for AJ, not so much.
Anyway, the saving grace of the episode is just how funny it is. While the AJ stuff isn't really that great to me, Tony bewilderingly trying to understand his kid as he spouts existential views is the gift that keeps on giving. Naturally, Tony's more worried about AJ talking about death and nothingness more than AJ crashing and stealing the car.
Interspersed with this story is Livia Soprano, sort of in the background but ever present. She's brought up in Tony's therapy - Dr. Melfi tries to push her into the conversation, but Tony ends up deferring the conversation back to AJ. Also, AJ goes to her for advice and wow that was a bad idea. She sort of has a point and on some level I agree with her, but it's her fault. You also should probably not tell a kid that. (Quote below)
Lastly, Skip pushes Big Pussy to talk about some mobster that got blown up. I don't think Tony had anything to do with that - I could be wrong - but nonetheless Skip ends up pushing Big Pussy to wear a wire. He's obviously struggling with it, looking at himself in the mirror trying to put it on while his wife knocks on the door.
Lastly, the show uses this overtly comic episode's last five minutes to make the episode all worth it. Using AJ's confirmation and Big Pussy as a sponsor, it's all seemingly set up for a scene where Big Pussy has to defend Tony in front of AJ. Of course, he's wearing a wire at the time while he's talking about how Tony's a good guy. It kills him and he barely avoids breaking down before convincing AJ to go back down to the party.
Between that and Tony giving Christopher an ultimatum on whether to stay at the party or leave forever, I sort of wish those last five minutes were somehow the entire episode. Oh well, I'm just glad this episode ended on such a strong note.
Grade - B+
Surprise Guest Appearances
Jon Favreau, Janeane Garofalo, and Sandy Bernhard all play themselves
Quotes
"Swingers? He can suck my dick - that swings too." - Chris
"When I get confirmed, I'm going to be a man. So how come I can't drive?" - AJ
"Death just shows the ultimate absurdity of life." - AJ again
"She knows that even if God is dead, you're still going to kiss his ass." - Tony to AJ
"Don't expect happiness. You won't get it, people let you down, and I'm not naming any names, but in the end you die in your own arms." - Livia
"When you're married, you'll understand the importance of fresh produce" - Tony
"Fucking Walnuts doesn't lie as good as you."' - Chris to Amy
"Be a good Catholic for fifteen fucking minutes. Is that so much to ask?" - Carmela
Playlist
1. "Rhiannon" - Fleetwood Mac
2. "Fragile" - Tech N9ne feat. Kendrick Lamar, !MAYDAY!, & Kendall Morgan
3. 'Tell U What to Do" - Toftgard
4. "Last Nite" - The Strokes
5. "All Along the Watchtower" - Jimi Hendrix
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