Chris finally gets his button, but quickly learns that the life
of a Made Man is not so easy.
Tony and Dr. Melfi seem to make progress on his panic attacks.
AJ has a panic attack of his own at football practice.
Episode 29 – Originally Aired March 11, 2001
Written by Todd ‘Damages‘ Kessler
Directed by Henry Bronchtein
__________________________________
In a sense, Season 3 doesn’t really kick off until this third episode. The Season Opener, “Mr. Ruggiero’s Neighborhood,” was a true stand-alone episode and could have appeared anywhere in the series. “Proshai, Livushka” did introduce us to the tensions and major players of this season, but it was primarily a farewell to Nancy Marchand/Livia Soprano. By waiting until this third episode to really shift Season 3 into gear, Chase is again playing with the conventions of TV. While most producers would be drooling to hook the viewer with new conflicts and drama, Chase loiters. He delays. He allows each season to unfold in its own unique, organic way, not beholden to previously established conventions regarding pacing or rising action. (Season 6, in particular, departs from the traditional customs of TV storytelling.) Chase breaks all the rules.
The episode title neatly organizes the hour’s various storylines. We see how Chris, Jackie, AJ and Tony are—or are not—fortunate sons. Christopher is finally getting his button. Adriana is thrilled, though a part of her is anxious that Chris is actually being called out of the house in order to be fitted with concrete shoes. Chris dismisses her paranoia: “You’ve seen too many movies.” But her fear infects him, and he is suspicious when Paulie comes to pick him up and then instructs him to sit in the front seat. We’ve seen too many movies also—we remember that in The Godfather, Carlo Rizzi was ushered into the front seat so that Clemenza could strangle him from behind. Adding to our suspense, Paulie helps Chris look sharp in his blue jacket just before they enter the car, sort of how Carlo Rizzi was helped into his blue jacket moments before he was killed in the car.
Chris quickly learns that being a made man may not be all it’s cracked up to be. He has a few hiccups running the sports betting operation and he falls short on his due payment to Paulie. Perhaps the blackbird on the windowsill at his initiation ceremony truly was a bad luck oment. More likely, there is a learning curve that Chris must make his way through. Chris could benefit from a father-figure that would guide him through his new responsibilities, but Paulie is unwilling to play the role; he tells Chris, “I ain’t running a school here.” As the series progresses, Chris and Paulie will have more and more of a dynamic relationship, sometimes contentious, sometimes affectionate. At times, the two men will seem to have a father/son type of bond (with all of the closeness as well as frustration that that entrails, er, entails).
Tony tries to act as a father-figure to Jackie Aprile. The young man gives him a hard time at first because Jackie is convinced that Tony had his uncle Richie whacked. (We know that Tony wanted to clip Richie, but Janice beat him to it.) Tony is able to smooth Jackie’s feathers, and takes it upon himself to rescue the youngster from a life of crime. Tony is convinced that with proper guidance, Jackie can become an upstanding citizen and a legitimate professional, perhaps even a doctor. (Ha!) He enlists Christopher in this quest to save Jackie. But Chris, $2000 short on his payment to Paulie, instead teams up with Jackie to stick-up a benefit concert at Rutgers University. Tony is not happy to learn that Chris steered Jackie toward such criminal activity instead of away from it. (Ironically, though, Tony is happy to receive his kick from Paulie which has been bolstered by Chris and Jackie’s Rutgers robbery.)
Tony’s primary paternal obligations are not to Jackie, they are to AJ. He attends AJ’s football games and gives his son good advice, having been an athlete himself when younger. (We may remember Mr. Piacosta, who sits with Tony at a game, from episode 1.04 “Meadowlands.” At that time, he found an excuse to run from Tony, scared that Soprano might know something about the fight between his son and AJ.)
Chase uses a very uncharacteristic slow-motion scene at the football game now. The slo-mo heightens the suspense that AJ may have gotten injured in the pile-up for a loose ball. Tony’s face stiffens with concern over his son’s well-being. As the players get up (and the camera returns to normal speed), we see that not only is AJ fine, but that he has recovered the fumble. He’s a hero! Tony and the crowd erupt in cheers. AJ is a fortunate son, he escapes injury and has a concerned and capable father who can guide him through the tangles of life and sport. For his heroic play, AJ is later made captain of the defensive unit. But upon hearing this news, AJ has a fainting spell and hits the ground with a thud. Uh-oh, perhaps he is not so fortunate after all—it looks like he may have inherited a genetic disposition for panic attacks, like his father and grandfather before him. (We learned from Hesh in “Big Girls Don’t Cry” that Johnny Boy Soprano suffered from the same ailment.)
Chase used flashback in “Down Neck” (1.07) to parallel young Tony with AJ, and he uses the same device with the same intention here. Through the flashback, we see that Tony was fortunate in some sense to have a capable and concerned father, but on the other hand, he was unfortunate in being exposed to extreme violence at a young age. Of course, most people never reach an age where they can watch the butcher get his pinky cleaved off without being mentally scarred, but poor Tony witnesses the gruesome act while still in puberty. In a series that perpetually links food and violence, this gruesome scene at Satriale’s is certainly one of the more interesting connections. It’s no surprise that Dr. Melfi is very interested in exploring this connection.
FOOD AND FIREARMS
In the previous episode, Tony had a fainting spell precipitated by food: a box of Uncle Ben’s rice. He had just made a not-so-veiled threat of violence to Noah Tannenbaum, and then saw an Uncle Ben logo which immediately made his brain short-circuit. The camera that panned across the kitchen to capture Tony as he lay face down on the floor also captured a package of deli meat on the counter:
In “Fortunate Son,” it is a similar package of deli capocollo that precipitates Tony’s flashback. He recalls the day—at age 11—that he first passed out from a panic attack. He saw his father and uncle chop off Mr. Satriale’s finger in the back of his deli, and later that evening he watched his father and mother make suggestive jokes in front of the dinner made with meat from the very same deli. When Tony shares this memory with Dr. Melfi, she has a field day with it. She had, earlier in the episode, pointed out a connection between food and Tony’s spells—she remembered that it was a fainting spell while grilling meats that first led Tony to her office:
The doctor genuinely wants to help Tony make progress. He has been coming to therapy for years and they have yet to dig up root causes and stop his panic attacks. She tries hard to find the significance of Tony’s flashback:
Melfi: That’s why you short-circuited. Puberty. Witnessing not only your mother and father’s sexuality but also the violence and blood so closely connected to the food you were about to eat. And also, the thought that someday you might be called upon to bring home the bacon. Like your father.
Tony: All this from a slice of capocollo?
Melfi may be on to something. On the other hand, she may be reading way too much into it. Chase may be criticizing some psychotherapists’ tendency to mistake simple observations as profound epiphanies. In any case, we can see in hindsight how Melfi’s close reading of Tony’s flashback here functions as a plot device: it sets up the hairpin turns that the duo’s relationship takes in the next episode. The excitement that Melfi now feels about their breakthrough will carry over into “Employee of the Month,” but over the course of that hour, Melfi will find herself frustrated, angry, jumpy and needy before she finally—in the very final moment of the hour—reaches an attitude of poise toward Tony Soprano.
FORTUNATE DAUGHTER
For all of the emphasis on the various “sons” in this episode, the most deliciously wicked scenes of the hour involve Janice. Trying to get her paws on the old record albums that Livia left to Svetlana, Janice demonstrates that she has inherited her father’s ruthlessness. (Johnny Boy had hacked off Satriale’s finger, and Janice makes off with Svetlana’s leg.)
________________________________
ADDITIONAL POINTS:
- Led Zeppelin’s “Rock and Roll” plays at the Ooh-Fa pizza parlor. I believe this is the first time that the mighty Zep allowed one of their songs to be licensed for a TV show.
-
Old man Carmine reassures Tony that it’s good that he is getting therapy, “There’s no stigmata these days.” Of course, he means to say stigma, but his malapropism inadvertently seems to mean that Tony will not be crucified for talking to a shrink. The old man’s son, Little Carmine, will provide some of The Sopranos‘ greatest malapropisms.
- After visiting his sister at Columbia, AJ decides college may not be the thing for him, and denies that he ever said that he wanted to go to West Point or Harvard. (We may remember that he did in fact say this, in 2.08.) His lack of enthusiasm for school parallels him to another of this episode’s sons—Jackie also feels that higher education may not be for him.
- Ralph Cifaretto says, regarding Jackie’s dislike for him, “I’m Satan to this kid.” In Ralph’s final episode, next year, lyrics from the Rolling Stones’ “Sympathy for the Devil” will be used to again underscore his devilish persona.
- Chris says, “Everything turns to shit” after becoming convinced the blackbird on the windowsill was indeed a bad omen. We will hear this precise sentence multiple times during the series, reflecting a dark pessimism that continuously looms in SopranoWorld.
- Everything may indeed turn to shit eventually, but the guys try to live it up now. Chase cuts from Christopher’s initiation (where the black-feathered bird appeared) to Christopher’s party (where white-feathered strippers entertain the men).
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Sopranos Autopsy 
I thought the episode was amazing. I have two observations:
1 the slow mo sports shot also had slow mo sound so we get tony shouting in that absurd distorted way, I thought it was strange that chase would undercut Anthony’s heroic moment in that way, maybe he’s saying there was something absurd about tony being all worked up over a sports game? Or kind of mocking slow motion in general.
2 the scene where Anthony’s dad explains to him about the butcher and tries to play good parent by blaming the guys gambling problem for his appalling punishment, then praises Anthony for not running ” like a girl”, again we see the destructive power of arbitrary gender roles and how this pointless machismo leads to needless suffering. I think this is one of the saddest scenes in the whole show.
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I don’t think the gender part of the comment is the point. Rather that Tony received such praise, which was likely rare, for his reaction to such a hideous act. We’ve heard Tony say before that he was proud of his old man’s toughness. Now he recieves tremendous praise for his own toughness, and in an extremely graphic and violent situation. Is his father’s approval what gave him a psychological push to go down the path he he did?
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I think Johnny boy didn’t think anything of the fact that Tony saw him chop off the pinkie.He tried to protect him from seeing it, but only because of his age. In his life, that’s business as usual..His point as he saw it was that if you owe money you pay up. The ends justify the means. Right or wrong as a concept didn’t enter into it. That’s who the father is. Unlike Tony, he doesn’t hide it, so even though we find it shocking, its admirable in a way that the father makes no excuses for his behavior. That’s his bread and butter that’s how he “puts food on the table”….you borrow.. you pay… or else you suffer retribution. End of story.
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Also Tony’s disgust towards “degenerate gamblers” most likely stems from this incident.
Interesting that Christopher’s struggles in this episode stem from gambling on a football game 🙂
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Fitting comment during the Super bowl… Go Bucs! (Don’t @ me)
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Two observations here. I don’t know exactly what they mean, but I thought I’d point it out.
A. Upon hearing Johnny Sack’s phone ring constantly, Carmine tells him to “answer the fucking thing” the same way a frustrated Christopher tells his guys at the sports book to “answer the fucking phones!” Could show how Chris is assuming the role of decision-maker and earner, despite not being the boss.
B. While Jackie Junior and Tony are having lunch and discussing his future, a song plays in the background. The same song is heard on Johnny Sack’s car radio in “The Weight”. Could mean something.
Hey, if you could share thought I’d appreciate it.
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I think one of the songs during that scene is also used when Tony is in a coma
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Season 6 episode 2. Scene at the bar… same song is played… weird
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I think with John Sac constantly not answering his phone, Chase is trying to depict Johnny to be nosy and eavesdrop on Carmine and Tony for obvious reasons of course
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Just to say that i am a huge sopranos fan and lately i re-started the show, it´s amazing how the story keeps growing,it´s so well written a there´s such classy acting that wiil stay in our collective memory for ever. Your “autopsy” of the show is really interesting and helps give new perspectives that for some reason we didn´t catch at first sight,stuff like that often happens whith Sopranos.Anyway,just to say that i admire this website and looking for your autopsys of the intriging 6th season.
Greetings from Portugal!
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Thx!
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More from the Vesuvio Juke box..In the scene where Tony has lunch with Jackie when Furio and Tony are alone the “Happy Organ” is playing in the Background. When Jackie finally arrives the song changes to the eerie sounding “Sally Go Round the Roses”. The song plays throughout the scene I believe while Tony tries to convince Jackie to stay at Rutgers. As we all know Rutgers’ school color is Scarlet aka Scarlet Knights etc.. Red/Scarlett is a popular color for Roses. The songs lyrics really bring it all home
Sally go round the roses (sally go round the roses)
Sally go round the roses (sally go round the pretty roses)
Hope this place can’t hurt you (hope this place can’t hurt you)
Roses they can’t hurt you (roses they can’t hurt you)
Sally don’t you go, don’t you go downtown
Sally don’t you go-o, don’t you go downtown
Carmine’s Line about answering the phone returns in the episode the “Test Dream”
Did any notice the Large Crucifix dangling around Johnny Boy’s neck as he explains his Horrific actions to young Tony. A shining example of the “Sacred and Propane”…
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“Happy Organ” also plays in the background in “Join The Club” while Tony is sitting at the bar and is invited to go sit at the table by the group of “traveling salespeople”.
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Thank you for this site. Like a lot of folks I’m taking a second spin through Sopranos and your research doesn’t take itself too seriously and is actually excellent scholarship. Fun to read after every episode. Thanks for the work.
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I appreciate that…
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I actually thought that Johnny Soprano’s handling of the situation was more realistic because although its horrible to see a pinky being chopped off (he did tell him to leave), his way of looking at it didn’t try to protect Tony. They are more real as parents because they are who they are, they don’t try to fake being a “normal” family like Tony and Carmela do. I have always thought that Tony and Carmela should have been more upfront with AJ about their lifestyle. On some level they are ashamed..but Johnny boy wasn’t. He said “He owed me money and refused to pay”. The end justifies the means. Its brutal but honest.
I love the character of Johnny Boy “He’s a lovely man”. 🙂
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Haha I’d hate to see what Johnny Boy would do to someone he DIDN’T find so lovely…
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Ron – Given Johnny Boy’s history of giving beat-downs (and worse) to people who owe/cross him, I find it hard to believe he allowed his wife (Livia) to forbid him from taking the family and moving to Nevada. Was he possibly (and justifiably) fearful that Livia would maim (or potentially kill) their children or was maintaining his relationship with Fran (season 4) too important for him to loose? Regardless, he likely saved his kids from serious physical harm.
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But what I love is that its all business, people still like Johnny Boy anyway. They know they have to pay the debt or they are going to get a beating or worse. They are all horrible people to us, but at least there is no pretense. His advice was “That’s why you should never gamble Anthony”. Priceless.
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“He sat on one ass cheek the whole way overrrr!” You definitely brought up some good points in an episode I felt as a bit bland. It seems as they are setting things up to play out in season 3 in this episode. The scenes in this series with Johnny Boy are just excellent. (Would be great if Joseph Siravo appears in Saints of Newark) These flashback scenes are so great to me for so many reasons. Not knowing much about film, it appears they are even shot with a different camera or film…they have that “dated” quality. Besides the modern cars in the background of “Down Neck” I feel these scenes are very realistic and done well. Watching young Tony in these flashbacks we can see how AJ is much like his father was as a boy in the social aspect. He is kind of quiet, timid and detached much of the time. During the being made ceremony, I love when Paulie yells at Bobby for adjusting the lights. I also think Svetlana is as bad or as worse than Janice; she may have met her match.
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I would love to see Siravo in the movie, but this episode was shot 17 years ago (can you believe it?!) so he may be too old to reprise the role for a prequel now…
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Ron – Unfortunately, Joseph Siravo died in April 2021. He was only 66 years old. He was a very talented actor; he not only acted in movies (like ‘Carlito’s Way’), but also off-Broadway and on Broadway. He will be missed.
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Yes I was thinking the same thing, it may be a long shot..
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The whole thing of Chris and Adriana being nervous was a reference to Goodfellas, right? Tommy getting whacked after being tricked into thinking he was getting made?
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You’ve been watchin too many movies.
But yeah, there’s definitely an echo of GoodFellas in there…
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Was it a blackbird tapping on the window that unnerved Christopher, or was it a Raven, Poe’s bad omen?
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from the picture above it looks like Lynch’s robin from Blue Velvet
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Ron – Chris was probably justified in being worried about the crow ar the window. While some believe that a crow is a sign of good luck, many more believe that it (crow) is a message/messenger of death or a bad omen. And we all know about the bad luck Chris will cause and endure in the future.
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“Never gamble”…a scene that comes into play in a major, major way late in season six. Tony (very slowly) coming to terms with his father’s negative influence as the series progresses is a facet that seems to be overlooked by many and it has its genesis in this episode, specifically that flashback sequence. I love how Chase chips away at the Johnny Boy facade over time until Tony (subconsciously or otherwise) is actively rebelling against the Johnny Boy Soprano myth. IMO it’s even more impressive given how Livia was originally supposed to be the “big bad” in season three.
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Yes, and that late season 6 storyline that I think you’re referring to (in Chasing It) uses Hesh Rabkin to amplify all the interesting connections between Tony, his dad and gambling — Hesh was Johnny Boy’s advisor and becomes Tony’s creditor…
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Yes, exactly. When “Chasing It” first aired many folks thought it odd that Tony suddenly developed a gambling problem out of nowhere and that it was somewhat out of character. But the gambling problem was secondary, as the actual issue was Tony’s internal struggle regarding the myth and the reality of his father’s influence. The gambling itself was a “f*ck you” aimed at Johnny Boy. But I’m getting way, way ahead of myself here and you’ll no doubt be touching on this theme when we get to the cartoon devil on the slot machine, “he’d dead” and “I get it” LOL!
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Just rewatched yesterday and never noticed that right after Chris tells Adriana she’s seen too many movies, he’s standing by his car in the mall parking lot just like Henry Hill was in Goodfellas in the first scene with him and Tommy as adults, when “Stardust” is playing.
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The thing that stood out to me most on my second viewing of this episode is the way seeming positive, encouraging praise can still be so damaging. We see it with Johnny Boy practically ignoring Tony’s insubordination and instead complimenting his toughness when watching a violent, heinous act. Tony is now encouraged to follow in his father’s footsteps. Fast forward to AJ. At one point AJ wanted to go to Harvard or West Point, but Tony belittled him. Now, because AJ might be a good football player, Tony’s attitude changes and suggests these schools. AJ is already damaged by the previous comments and has either shut the memory out or is having a wtf moment. AJ spills the milk and normally Tony would belittle him again, but not this time, AJ is a football hero. Tony wants to spend time with AJ, but only if they eat hot dogs, not if they play Nintendo. Seeing all of this is almost making me feel guilty for being so annoyed with AJ’s later season dysfunction. Yes, Tony loves him, but man is he messing him up. AJ wants his father’s love and approval, but is learning he only gets it under his father’s conditions.
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Good points. Although I find myself more and more sympathetic to AJ with each rewatch, I feel like he’s a bit of a jerk all the way through the series—it’s just who he fundamentally is. Tony certainly deserves some blame, I just don’t know how much blame to assign to him though. (The issue of ‘nature vs. nurture’ regarding AJ comes up pretty strongly in Season 6 “Walk Like a Man.”)
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I’ve been re watching along with the talking sopranos podcast, and I can see that his depression manifests itself as early as season 2. They are chalking it up to being a teenager, but they are clueless with the glaringly obvious. When they had the dinner scene where they were waiting for Jackie Junior, Carmela makes him talk to Meadow, and he says “Everyone’s here, is really boring.”
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Ron – I thought that AJ might have a chance to redeem himself as a maturing teenager when he seemed to find his niche in football. But go figure; when the football coach praised him and then named him captain of the team, what did he do? Yeah, that’s right – he passed out. I’ve shrugged him off before. Now I wish he’d just disappear.
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I find what is worst about Tony and Carmella is how they harm their children. I was having a discussion today about how praise or criticism are really harmful to children. I think being honest with them and just celebrating, and grieving with them is much more important. Just trying to support them in discovering things and exploring their curiosities and fears. But Tony and Carmella prefer to avoid things.
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Being exposed to the consequences of a gambler in debt to his father Johnny, the experience may have served as the catalyst for Tony’s behavior towards Davey Scatino when he was is a similar position of collecting a gambling debt.
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Ron, I wonder what your take is on the Christopher/USC game scene. Christopher is confident because USC is up by 12 and the spread is 11. He says Oregon has the ball at the 45 with no timeouts. He is then warned that Oregon has an All-American kicker, who then apparently kicks a 63-yard-FG. Aside from possibly bolstering their All-American kicker’s resume in an already lost game with one of the longest field goals ever, why would a team down 12 kick a last-second FG? It seemed like a silly way for Chase to go about this, especially since, according to your theories in your write-ups, he gives a lot of though to each and every word and even the messages that are to be conveyed without words. He could have listed any number of score/spread scenarios where the inexperienced Chris would be caught with his pants down until someone wiser pointed out the truth (maybe he gets excited that he is an extra point away from covering, but he doesn’t realize that the team is now down 2 and needs to go for the riskier 2-pt. conversion instead–any number of instances). But, down 12 and kicking a FG? Seems like lazy writing to me. I may have bailed him out with the kicker’s resume theory, but that is preposterous. What do you think?
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Hmm you’re right, it doesn’t make a lot of sense. But I guess college teams might try anything to help their rankings..
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In the scene where Carmela and AJ visit Meadow, both Carmela and AJ are wearing red shirts and red jackets. What would that represent? Hell, evil, the enemy?
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Possibly. Or New Jersey Devils fans?
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I get a “house arrest” vibe from watching AJ in this episode. When hes not on the field, hes just moping around aimlessly with boredom. Not wanting to talk on the phone, then wanting to – to avoid talking with Tony & Carm during dinner… & also ditching Tonys football lesson on the couch after being told to “keep his eye on the ball”, which could tie in to the whole “chasing it” idea.
The way he stands in the kitchen looking out the window is very reminiscent of Tony in House Arrest. Is he bored or is there more going on here? … we know hes already had an existential awakening, so I can’t help but think he might be having some early suicidal thoughts here. He most likely is looking at the pool while staring out the kitchen window, as this is the same window he looks out of in S6 before attempting suicide.
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episode with clumsiest dialogue in the entire run
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This is our first introduction to Carmine Lupertazzi, previously spoken of but never seen on screen. What an entrance! As strippers gyrate on tables while “Shaking that Ass” blares over the soundtrack, Carmine immediately establishes himself as a very different breed of criminal than anyone Tony has dealt with before:
.1. Carmine occupies the absolute upper echelon of the criminal hierarchy; not only is he the boss of one of the Five Families of New York, but he’s remained in this position for decades. It’s hard to imagine anyone having the authority (or bravery) to bark orders at Johnny Sack or to sloppily stuff food into face while Tony thanks him for his advice, yet Carmine is able to perform both actions in such a nonchalant way that it gives the scene a comedic lining. This is a man who is absolutely aware of the power that he wields; as such, everyone that he interacts with is always treated as a subordinate, regardless of their own considerable abilities to wield power.
2. A number of commentators have theorized that Carmine’s conversation with Tony is, in part, a way to assert dominance over him. While Tony was willing to great lengths in order to keep his psychiatric treatment under wraps (up to and including murdering fellow made men), the omnipresent Carmine is already well-aware of the entire situation. In this reading, Carmine is reminding Tony that there is no way to hide anything from him by rubbing his knowledge of Tony’s affairs right in his face. While I buy that Carmine views Tony as a “big fish in small pond”, I think his dialogue lacks the maliciousness that this interpretation presumes.
3. Indeed, Carmine’s advice to Tony, while hilarious in multiple ways (“Julius Caesar was an epileptic”, “There’s no stigmata these days”, and comparing his son’s court-ordered marriage counseling to Tony’s therapy), feels quite genuine. For an old-school gangster, Carmine is surprisingly progressive when it comes to his view that mental health, like physical health, should be a priority; seeking professional help is not a sign of weakness, but of someone who wants to live a healthy life. Rather than brow-beat Tony, Carmine merely highlights how Tony’s own actions look foolish in retrospect. Tony’s murderous paranoia turned out to be entirely unjustified, as Carmine only wants to see to it that Tony gets the help that he needs.
4. While the sentiment is nice and much of the advice rings true, Carmine’s tone is more akin to a manager talking to a less powerful co-worker. As noted by Carmine, Tony’s health is important due to the various illegal business dealings that the two families are engaged in; if Tony is not “well”, this means that business (specifically Carmine’s business) suffers as well. A manager might advise a co-worker to take a vacation in order to “be a better friend to yourself”, but this has nothing to do with empathy or sensitivity.
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Johnny Sack moving to New Jersey.
I’ve been thinking about this and this had to be some kind of an end game right? Lupertazzi family has always thought very little of the Jersey Family and I believe Johnny moving in was some kind of a long term plan by Carmine to take over the family and was delayed by his death and then John’s imprisonment. Now we all know Phil finally made the futile move which he also quoted Carmine “that New Jersey is nothing but a glorified crew” when he was meeting with Butchie and Albert.
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Christopher and Jackie are paralleled in an amazing way; Christopher’s slightly disappointed face when Tony (who he sees as a father figure) is being fatherly towards Jackie and thinks of Jackie as being “too good” for a life of crime but not Chris… it’s amazing.
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I am rewatching the episode. During the scene when Tony meets Jackie Jr. for lunch, the song playing at the beginning of the scene is also played at some point during Tonys coma dream… when I get to that season I will let you know what episode and scene. Thought that was interesting. Coincidence or on purpose?
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Pingback: The Soprano Onceover: #58. “Fortunate Son” (S3E3) | janiojala
The moral of this episode is that there are no fortune sons.
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What I meant was ‘unfortunate’ sons:
• Tony – an aggressive, antisocial … well … animal due to his upbringing;
• Christopher – a coke-addled, immature, antisocial moron due to his upbringing; and
• AJ – an unhappy, underachieving, immature adolescent due to his upbringing.
~
Most unfortunate of all is that each ‘son’ has the option of changing his circumstance, but chooses not to because it takes too much effort (and risk). What’s missing from their lives is insight. And one doesn’t have to have a high IQ to understand that acknowledgment of one’s problems is the first step in making a positive life change.
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Paulie sounds like an Amway recruiter when he explains how it works to Chris. Ha. The mafia is multilevel marketing.
Also, why would Jackie buy that story about his uncle? He just got out of prison after ten years and suddenly goes into witness protection? Doesn’t make sense.
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Sure it makes sense. In an earlier episode Tony comments on Jackie’s stupidity: “Didn’t he almost drown in three inches of water?”
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Make that “later episode”…
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Setting aside their mafia stuff, Tony and Carmela aren’t the worst parents I’ve seen. They do love their kids. When AJ knocked over the milk, his dad didn’t reprimand him (though it seems it was because he was buoyed by AJ’s performance at football). Tony is far from perfect and did humiliate AJ when he dropped the tray of food in an earlier episode, but he tried to spend time with him and teach him good things, even if he didn’t live up to them himself. I have definitely seen way worse parenting in real life and nobody blinked an eye. I remember someone going on about how bad the mom was on Mad Men and I was thought that was having too high and unrealistic expectations of mothers. But maybe we also have those expectations of fathers, too, esp. TV ones. If these parents didn’t have the fundamentally problematic Mafia affiliation, they would be average, very flawed parents who were doing the best they can with what emotional resources they have, just like everyone else, failing, succeeding, and treading water a good part of the time.
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