The Sopranos/Join the Club Afterthoughts

I've watched the second episode (Join the Club) of this new season three times now.  Every time, it is just as good as the first.  I rank this episode among the very best this show has so far offered.  But not everyone thinks so.  The beginning did drag just a bit after the climactic shooting that ended last week's show.  But once we move back to reality, things pick up so quickly that when it returns to the dream-like state, I had little problem enjoying that as well.

And for the dream-like state, this article from Alan Sepinwall explains quite a bit. He writes,

Here Tony's stuck in Orange County, quite possibly the most personality-free corner of the world, with no way to leave (a k a Purgatory). On one end of town is a shining beacon (Heaven), on the other, a raging forest fire (Hell). Over and over, he stops to assess the worth of his own life, asking, "Who am I? Where am I going?"

And that's the truth of it, I think.  Tony has run into a case of mistaken identity, as the show's tiny blurb announces.  But that identity is his own.  And while Tony finds his way through Limbo, the rest of his family and Family deal with the repercussions.  And one of these must be with Vito.  Chase is clearly setting Vito up as the nemesis, what with his relationship with Phil Leotardo and what the other's see as his greed.  Paulie, specifically, is shown to be irritated, as is Chris.  This will only grow.

And as for Tony, I think much of his quandry is whether or not to live or die.  He says "I'm lost."  And in many ways, he has been since season one.  He claims he got in late, that you can't trust anyone anymore, his own mother tries to have him killed.  And now, Junior got it done this time.  Or at least tried to do it himself, whether he meant to or not.  Increasingly through the last few seasons, we have seen Tony more and more agitated at the problems of his life, whether that is his children, his wife, his cousin Tony or sister Janice.  Is there a desire for him to get out?  There has been talk of him possibly taking the witness protection route.  Does this episode's Purgatory sections assist in developing that?  I think it does.  What that "out" is, I don't know.  His "out" could just as easily be him dying. But one way or the other, I do not see Tony Soprano running this Family when Chase is done.

And then there is Carmela, or more specifically, Edie Falco.  She is my favorite actor on the show, and she showed why last night.  My God, her performance moved me to tears every time she was on screen.  Many times, I felt uncomfortable because I could almost feel her pain.  If anything, that made the episode for me.  But more importantly, I was fascinated by how she talked to Tony.  Upon first reactions, I wrote over in The Chase Lounge,

This episode was heart-wrentching. I find it amazing that Chase has us invested enough in Tony Soprano to care that he lives or dies. Perhaps it is just Tony. Or perhaps it is those in his family that might deserve a chance outside of his nefarious wrongdoings. We feel for Junior's issues. We want Carm to find spirituality. We want Meadow and AJ to grow up. But most of all, we want Tony to live. Somehow. But can he?

And should we?

I have to admit that at times I am overtaken by the "cool" aspects of the mafia. When younger, I read Hill's Wiseguys and loved it. Lamented that I was not Italian as well. But that is a romantic, and naiive notion. Much like AJ's, it seems. The scenes in both Satrialle's and later in the Bada-Bing make sure to show that no matter what else, the mafia is looking out for number one. Chris says of Tony - "Don't even get him started." Why? Because we have seen his reaction to terrorism. But what has he really done about it? What has he really done that means anything?

Watching Carm try and think of ways to tell him he was a good man...that was hard. She knows he is in her heart, but in reality? In some ways maybe, but anyone looking at it from an objective point of view has to say "no."

And yet - it was like watching a loved one die tonight.

I still stand by those thoughts, but to delve a bit further into Carmela's thinking as she talked to Tony - it was as if she was trying to convince not just Tony in the coma that he was a good man, but herself as well.  Her talk of the time when he had hair enough that a woman could grab it with both hands.  I swear I saw a moment or two when her thoughts might have turned to those other women who might have done so.  And after just talking about Charmaine Bucco, who we know has been with Tony before...Carm isn't so sure his isn't going to hell.  She says he won't, and she doesn't want him to.  But in her mind, I think she realizes that he, in fact, will.  Certainly if he does not change his life, and soon.

However, this episode also shows her true love for Tony, something that has been a question in the past few seasons.  If she was unsure before, she is certainly sure now.  At least until he recovers.  After that, who knows what will happen?  These people are not the kind of people we want them to be.  They are real human beings with a great many flaws.  As I stated in my intitial reactions, we want Tony to live.  But why?  He is certainly not going to be up for a Noble Prize anytime soon.  He is certainly not a strong moral character.  And neither is anyone else.  In fact, if there ever was one on the show, it was Ade.  Well, and Charmaine (and through her, Artie.)

There was enough material to keep going with this for quite some time. But I think much of it will need further episodes to understand.  Any of these characters could go in so many different ways at the moment.  I cannot even begin to comprehend how it might come out.  And I probably should not try so hard to do so.  Simply enjoy it, right?  Well, I certainly do.  And I will continue to do so, regardless if it's a dream or reality Chase has in store.  Besides, he has too much creativity to go the Dallas route.  I suspect we will be awed by his denoument of the family and Family of Soprano.  And I look forward to it.  That is all.

Comments

[joey joe-joe]

Adriana, a strong, moral character? She lived with a murderer and knew what he was about (even if she didn't know specifics), hung out with mafiosos, used drugs, had a history of promiscuous sex (even giving the guy from Penn and Teller oral sex in a bathroom stall), had an abortion, helped cover up a murder in her club, and lied to the FBI several times.

The only reason she was cooperating with the FBI was to save herself from prison. She talked about doing it for Christopher, and maybe that was part of it, but she was always looking out for #1 - as Chris said, "she couldn't do five years for me?"

I think you might want to think again about calling Adriana a Strong Moral Character.

[Al Hurd]

joey-joe-joe - I admit, it is a stretch. Thus the phrase, "In fact, if there ever was one on the show, it was Ade." I don't truly think she was. But certainly more so that her cohorts.

In fact, the only true moral characters on the show are Charmiane and Melfi, but not being directly involved in that world, one cannot truly include them in the evil/good comparison.

But good point. Sorry that I did not make it clear enough. I should have written that differently. And thanks for the comment!

AL