The water heater springs a leak in Tony’s basement.
Patsy Parisi takes a leak in Tony’s pool.
FBI agents manage to plant a wire in the Soprano home.
Episode 27 – Originally Aired March 4, 2001
Written by David Chase
Directed by Allen Coulter
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In the previous episode, David Chase transformed what should have been a “procedural” show into something unique and surreal—Tony learned about Pussy’s betrayal from his subconscious dreams rather than from an informant or a rogue cop or one of the other usual methods employed by the typical crime drama. The Season 3 opener also plays with the procedural genre, more so than any other Sopranos episode. Chase uses genre clichés and tropes throughout the episode, and he uses them earnestly at times and ironically at other times—and sometimes he completely subverts them. It is all part of Chase’s continued interest in testing the conventions and boundaries of television.
“Mr. Ruggerio’s Neighborhood” opens quite conventionally, the same way the two previous Season Openers have begun—Tony comes out in his bathrobe to get the newspaper. But very quickly, the episode steers into procedural territory. The Feds are having a roundtable discussion about the Soprano family. Throughout the hour, we see the FBI doing—or trying to do—its job. Agents surreptitiously tail family members. They utilize their government-issue binoculars and walkie-talkies and earpieces. Chase gives us several close-up shots of their wristwatches, emphasizing how perfect the timing of the entry team must be in planting the bug. The agents disguise themselves as pest control workers and electric company technicians. Their clinical efforts are particularly highlighted in one scene:
Quantico is introduced with a flyover shot, a type of shot fairly commonplace in crime dramas and procedurals but rarely ever seen on The Sopranos. (Chase must have used stock footage for the shot. The entire scene almost feels like stock footage, like it was transplanted from some other show because it is so incongruous to the usual tone of The Sopranos.) Despite all their compulsively clinical efforts, the Feds barely get the job done. These are not your typical crime drama FBI, they are Chase’s FBI—and as such, they are humanized and shown in fuller dimension. Right from the beginning, we see how imperfect their analysis is—they believe Livia would never testify against her son (in reality she’s willing to do much worse) and they think Richie was whacked by the cartel (he was actually killed by Janice). They get a voyeuristic thrill out of seeing the contents of Tony’s basement. (Agent Grasso, who has had a contentious relationship with Tony in the past, marvels that they both have the same power tool.) Their voyeurism extends into the refrigerator as well as to family friends:
The voyeur theme is underscored by the use of the ultimate stalker anthem, The Police’s “Every Breath You Take.” (Although its repeating refrain “I’ll be watching you” is not heard here, we supply the line mentally.) It seems that it was originally David Chase’s wife’s idea to blend this song with Mancini’s “Peter Gunn Theme.” The mashup makes an absolutely perfect fit with this hour’s agenda, given Chase’s desire to rebel against the tropes of the police procedural here: over the last 50 years, the “Peter Gunn Theme” has become strongly associated with the traditional police drama, and Chase now subverts that mental association by intercutting the song with a track by a band that, despite their name, was more punk than police.
The FBI of this episode are not the impersonal, robot-like police (“Just the facts, ma’am”) of yesteryear. They are emotional, barely competent, and indecisive. Two agents struggle to reach a decision about moving a table in the Sopranos’ basement. When Patsy Parisi wanders into the Sopranos’ backyard with gun in hand, two agents freeze like deer in headlights, completely unsure how to respond. At times, the agents seem like Keystone Kops. Tony certainly doesn’t show them a whole lot of respect after easily seeing through their guise:
The Sopranos does not elevate the FBI or place them on a pedestal like some predecessor shows did. In his essay, “Tasting Brylcreem: Law, Disorder and the FBI in The Sopranos,” Douglas Howard explains that Chase recognized…
…that the real drama lies not with the “perfect, incorruptible hero” but with the imperfect villain who struggles with human choices and falls prey to human desires…Organized crime, as the series considers it, is simply too big, too involved, too complex, and the attempt to stop it and those who have futilely dedicated themselves to stopping it, like Cubitoso and Harris and the other Feds in the tradition of The Untouchables, must be viewed as absurd.
Organized crime is so involved and complex, in fact, that Chase does not spend very much time at all dealing with it. The Sopranos does not give much screen-time to portraying the ins and outs of Mob activities and enterprises. Occasionally, an episode like “Bust Out” will come along that explores some specific machinations of the mafia. But for the most part, Chase is more concerned with the complexities of characters than the complexities of organized crime. His scale is smaller, more personal. I think this is the reason why that flyover shot of FBI Headquarters at Quantico is so interesting here: it effectively highlights how different The Sopranos is from the typical crime drama. Birds-eye flyover shots give us a larger, more global view; Chase’s flyover shot sticks out like a sore thumb because we have become accustomed over time to his more modest scale. There is a birds-eye view of Manhattan elsewhere in this episode that also feels strangely out of place. By including these birds-eye global shots that are so unusual for the show, Chase helps us to become aware that the usual perspective of his series is far more intimate.
The title of this episode underscores that Chase prefers the smaller scale. The series is not eager to explore crime as a social phenomenon as it exists on the national level, but rather as how criminals exist at the neighborhood level. Tony Soprano could live next door to you or me. Fittingly, Tony’s neighbor—almost as a surrogate for you or me—makes an appearance here:
“The Neighbor” is actually a stock character in procedurals—the Good Guys do often get actionable information from the neighbors. But Jeannie Cusamano doesn’t provide any valuable info to the disguised agents; she only reveals her own voyeuristic, whisper-in-your-ear fascination with the family next door:
Jeannie: They’re in the Maf—
FBI: What?
Jeannie: Nothing. They’re different. For this neighborhood, they’re different, that’s all.
Of course, they’re not actually all that different. (Jeannie’s husband himself said as much back in Season One: “Sometimes I think the only thing separating American business from the mob is fuckin’ whacking somebody.”) Jeannie may want to think of her neighbors as “different,” but when she stops herself midsentence from revealing too much about them (whether out of a sense of propriety or a sense of self-preservation), she must have realized that little more than a fence separates her—both literally and metaphorically—from the Sopranos.
FUCKIN’ REGULARNESS
The Sopranos has always been, more than anything else, about the fuckin’ regularness of life. The series has always focused on how regular people go through their real lives with their real issues. Paulie gives a long germophobia-driven statement on cleanliness. The Sopranos’ housekeeper commits petty theft. Her boyfriend, Stasiu, is bitter about being underemployed in this country. Meadow’s new roommate is overwhelmed by New York. (The sounds and sirens of the city that come ceaselessly through their dorm room window is a nice touch by the sound department.) Eric Scatino, we learn, is burning out on acid, unhappy at state university. In the typical procedural, these types of personal and real details of characters’ lives are rarely explored. Victims are usually generic avatars who happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. The Law (whether police or lawyers or the Special Victims Unit) are professional and competent. The rest of the cast is usually made up of some combination of the Witness, the Informant, the Employer, the Victim’s Relative, the Perp’s Relative and a couple of other stock figures. While Sopranos’ storylines twist and meander in multiple ways (sometimes compellingly, sometimes less so, and sometimes wallowing in moments of numbing banality), procedural plots always rush forward—the Good Guys are always Hot On The Trail of the Bad Guys. There was a moment in this episode when it seemed the plot was going to be launched thunderously forward: Patsy Parisi, seeking vengeance for the killing of his twin brother, comes to Tony’s home with murderous intent. But this potentially fateful moment gets pissed away into nothing:
In his book The Sopranos, Prof. Dana Polan notes that Patsy Parisi represents the “evil twin” trope, a trope commonly found in soap operas and other forms of drama. But there’s nothing “evil” about Patsy’s revenge here, only an act too banal to even properly be called “vengeance.”
It is in the final scene of the episode that the intrinsic, banal “regularness” of The Sopranos completely and utterly trumps the clichés of the procedural. The clip is a little long, but it’s worth every second:
This is one of my favorite scenes of Season 3. Chase essentially gives the middle finger to crime-drama conventions here. The FBI’s interest gets piqued when they hear Tony talking about “messy…wet work.” (“Wet work” is a euphemism for assassination, coined by the Russian KGB and now used by the mob: the spilling of blood = wet work.) Of course, Tony isn’t talking about whacking someone but about actual wet work: plumbing. The conversation only grows more mundane when Carmela comes down. She and Tony discuss dinner, laundry, exercise, dental floss and roughage. (Adding “roughage” to your diet—and your dialogue—is a great way to promote regularness.) This scene of banality, so characteristic of The Sopranos, checkmates the exciting, driven plots of the typical procedural.
Or does it? In the final shot, the camera moves in on the bugged lamp. Although the agents were not able to record any damning evidence this time around, the FBI have successfully penetrated Tony’s domestic sanctuary. The desk lamp represents a major threat to Tony Soprano. Elvis Costello’s “High Fidelity” starts up and continues over the credits, highlighting that there is now a hi-fi listening device planted in the Soprano basement. The tragic death of Nancy Marchand soon after the Season 2 finale meant that Chase could no longer utilize Livia as a direct threat to Tony Soprano. Although Livia is an irreplaceable character, the wired desk lamp is (at least for now) able to bring some new tension to the drama.
R.I.P. NANCY MARCHAND
Nancy Marchand succumbed to cancer on the day before her 72nd birthday, not long after Season Two completed airing. She was an accomplished stage and screen actress with a long career, but she will probably be best remembered as “Livia Soprano.” The loss of Marchand was a major blow to the series. (If we didn’t already know it about the Universe, this was just one more example of the ultimate lesson: Everyone Will Die.) Livia was not only the beguiling matriarch of the Soprano family, she was the embodiment of the philosophy of nothingness which the series continually explored. Critics and viewers wondered how the series could proceed without her. I think by opening this season with a clever and entertaining pseudo-procedural (which does not address Marchand’s death at all), Chase effectively deflected some concerns about The Sopranos post-Marchand. He demonstrated that the show is still full of tricks, and can thrive even after suffering such an immense loss. Of course, the death of Marchand still had to be addressed without much delay, and this perhaps played into the decision to premiere “Proshai, Livushka” directly after “Mr. Ruggerio’s Neighborhood” on the same day.
TONY SOPRANO, MANAGER
We have caught glimpses of Tony’s competence as a business manager in the past. (One example was his stern refusal to allow Corrado or Richie to deal cocaine on their garbage routes because it was a shortsighted thing to do.) As the seasons progress, Tony will become more sure of himself as a leader. And Corrado’s continuing mental degeneration will cement Tony’s position at the top. Tony will excel not only as a manager of a business, but also as a manager of men. Like any good boss (syndicate or otherwise), Tony has an intuitive understanding of personalities and how to deal with them. Very early in this episode, he recognizes Patsy’s deep sadness over the death of his twin brother and his bitterness at now having to be part of the same crew that killed Philly. Tony sits with Patsy in the backroom of the pork store and, with understated power and grace, straightens Patsy out. In a very short and efficient conversation, Tony convinces Pat that being part of the Soprano crew is a very good thing for him, and that what is past has passed. Professor Maurice Yacowar notes that the Satriale’s sign behind Tony advertises hamburger patties, underscoring the very real possibility that if Pat doesn’t straighten out, he will be turned into hamburger meat:
Patsy does put his grief behind him, and by the end of the series, Tony and Patsy find themselves on track to become actual family members, not just famiglia colleagues.
___________________________________
ADDITIONAL POINTS:
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This episode which references roughage also introduces John Fiore (“Gigi Cestone”) as more of a featured player. Gigi will have major (and I mean major) issues with roughage & constipation later in the season.
- The song scored over the opening scene is “Sad-eyed Lady of the Lowlife” by A3 (the same band that composed the track used for the opening credits).
- Hidden pun? One FBI agent tells the other lockpicking agent to “Pick it, Wilson.” Perhaps a reference to Wilson Pickett?
- Little moments: As he shares his drink with a buddy, AJ warns the friend not to “backwash.” We saw AJ have this same concern all the way back in 1.07.
- On the language test, Stasiu interprets “Stop: Men at Work” as “Stop all men who are working” perhaps because he is preoccupied with his inability to work. (He can’t stop complaining that he was once an engineer with a grant for autonomous research.)
- We may remember that in 2.12, Furio seemed more upset at having to dispose of Richie’s Cadillac than having to dispose of Richie’s corpse. In this episode, we see that Furio has become the proud owner of a Caddy himself.
- Tony’s philandering: When Carmela asks Tony where he found the new caretaker for Livia, he answers that it was through “a Russian agency.” In the next episode, we’ll discover that the caretaker is Svetlana, who Tony actually met through his Russian goomar Irina.
- Tony’s philandering: The song lyrics over the final credits include “He’ll never know about high fidelity.” It is a very fitting line, not only because Tony will never know about the bug planted in his home but also because Tony will never learn how to have fidelity to his wife.
- Cultural barometer: Although this episode originally aired six months before 9/11, one FBI agent here says that he’ll run Stasiu’s name through Anti-Terror, and another goes to Denver to investigate a mosque. Jihadist terrorism was not yet on the minds of most Americans, but Chase seems to have picked up on a consequential socio-political undercurrent of the time.
- The episode title is obviously a play on PBS’ Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Mr. Rogers played with a small-scale toy neighborhood on his program, while Chase plays with the idea of the small-scale on his series. This episode refocuses the typical crime procedural’s generic social perspective into a more specific, local, neighborhood perspective.
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Sopranos Autopsy 
I’m curious to hear what you thought of the aggressive cuts every time the FBI scenes ended.
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Not sure what you mean…”aggressive” as in sudden and unexpected? This episode has a tone and style that’s unusual for The Sopranos, and some of that may be coming from the editing.
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I’m a little perplexed by your statement that Tony’s neighbours have some deep rooted affinity with him. I would disagree, I feel her reluctance to talk about him is based on fear rather than omertà and they are law abiding et cetera
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Absolutely. When I wrote that “little more than a fence” separates them, I mean that there isn’t much of a difference between the two neighbors, but also that Jeannie realizes that the Cusamanos don’t have much of a defense should the mobster next door decide to turn against them.
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Pingback: Mr. Ruggerio’s Neighbourhood: Won’t you bug my neighbour? | I Soprano:A Sopranos blog
I always thought of the close ups of the FBI agents’ watches as emphasizing that they are wearing simple Timex brand watches, whereas the Soprano crew generally sticks to Rolex.
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Okay this is something that has been bothering me for quite a while. In the last couple episodes of season 2, Tony gives Livia the stolen plane tickets because he is fed up with dealing with her and wants her to go live with her sister. It is only after Tony kills Pussy that he’s sitting in his living room when Livia calls to tell him she has been detained at the airport. But in S03E01, the FBI listens to a tape of Pussy talking to Tony about ‘rin’s cousin taking care of Livia. It wouldn’t bother me if the rest of the show had jaw-dropping continuity problems, but it eats away at me because the rest of the show does such a good job of managing multifaceted subplots throughout entire seasons
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I don’t believe for a minute that Patsy was persuaded to put his grief behind him by one bullying conversation with Tony. He’s just knuckling down because a. he knows he’s beaten and b. he knows he’ll be next if he’s not careful.
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The supernatural incidents are a nice touch. Are ghosts real? Does the Virgin Mary really visit the Bing and show herself to Paulie? Did Christopher pop into Hell – or was it Purgatory, my friend – and come back to warn Tony of the dangers of three o’clock?
Also, the Mafia are apparently generally superstitious (as those in precarious occupations usually are) and so prone to belief in ghosts and whatnot. There are many discussions of personal beliefs and good/bad luck charms.
Does it matter whether these things are true? Probably not, because incidents like these occur all the time. We hear about them from friends and read about them in magazines. Whether the supernatural really exists or not, and whether or not anyone believes in it, it’s part of everyday life and has a place in realistic drama.
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Exactly.. By including these “supernatural” moments but keeping their authenticity ambiguous, Chase actually adds to the realism of the show. This is how we experience such moments in real life…
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I just watched this one last night… I think it’s the only episode where we see the entirety of Tony’s basement – and that he has 2 water heaters… one apparently just for the washing machine
He seems to have his share of trouble with water this time around – whether it’s the heater or with Patsy adding his share of water to the pool…
@susiebinks – “Criminals are a superstitious, cowardly lot” That popped into my head from my comic book reading days 😉
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haha #WaterTroubles
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Not having Nancy in the show anymore definitely sucked. She played an amazingly convincing character whom would have been great in this season and beyond. However, some creative writing and the injection of new characters and storylines keep us wanting more. I appreciate the way Chase shows the Criminal Justice “professionals” here; they are just like you and I, regular people. Some are moody, some are immature, some have egos, etc. They are not the polished and perfect agents we have known in past shows. Being in the CJ field for 15 years, I can say without a doubt these people are shown pretty accurately. Sometimes they are indecisive and sometimes they freeze, not knowing how to react. People like this exist in the Criminal Justice system, accounting firms, insurance agencies, and in the mob. I personally think that Agent Harris is the most realistically portrayed of them all. We catch him in different moods, and even by season 6 he looks stressed out. He has a job to do but has a human quality. Perhaps this is why he and Tony have a respect towards one another. This airing was a big deal because episode 1 and 2 were played back to back. As you have said before, the series takes a dark turn. I think this change begins in the middle of season 3. This season definitely touches on some controversial topics.
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I was amused and annoyed as well (weirdly) when the FBI was looking at the mail and in the refrigerator…the judge who signed the warrant specified that its not a house and garden tour or something to that effect. Although they want information, I was actually bothered that the FBI is privy even mundane aspects. I actually felt the violation that even a mob family would feel at having people listening in on your everyday stuff. I’ve seen it numerous times and it still gives me agita.
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The tactics of the FBI really bothered me as well. I know they bug homes and it has been a big help in obtaining convictions. But I never really considered what goes into getting that done. As mentioned, the FBI didn’t stick to the judge’s instructions and nosed around in places other than the basement. But they also tailed civilians, including children, listienting to their conversations. They ogled Adriana, who does not even live in the house. They are peering into windows with binoculars. I know this is a “mob family” but the only member under suspicion is Tony, and he has not even been charged with a crime. I definitely felt uncomfortable watching this.
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I just watched this episode last evening- the judge even states “See that they limit both entrances to the basement only. It’s not a better homes and gardens.” Perhaps Chase is addressing the FBI overstepping their boundaries.
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Yes, and when the judge references Better Homes, he’s saying the FBI better not “thumb” through the house the way they would the magazine. But of course, the FBI agents are human and can’t resist their very human voyeuristic curiosity…
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It’s always fun to see Tony say something to Patsy about having his boys over, so they can “go in the pool” – something that Patsy just did, literally!
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No, he “literally” urinated in the pool. He figuratively “went” in the pool. I weep for the future.
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I weep (figuratively!) for the future of civility.
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I added the “Picket Wilson” comment to Wikipedia, which when finally noticed, was promptly edited to erase. This was a few years ago!
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Haha that’s Wikipedia for you…
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Tell me about it. Even though it is a cute find, the “powers that be” over there won’t allow it in, mainly because they didn’t think of it themselves !!!
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I had a similar experience. In Season 4, “Everybody hurts”, when Tony is persuading Artie to borrow money from him, he says more than once, “This is me!” In Season 1, “Boca”, when Artie is persuading Tony not to kill the high-school girls’ soccer coach, he uses the same three words again and again. I thought this might be worth putting in as a reference to a previous episode. After about four months it was removed (with other things on the page not by me) by someone who wrote, “Strained connection. Provide source.” I let him have the last word, partly because he might be right, partly because I know from experience that these people don’t let anyone contradict them.
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Wikipedia mobsters
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I thought the title might allude to the Gambino crew soldier Angelo Ruggiero who got caught on tape and took down a lot of the Gambino mob with his loose lips after being recorded by the FBI OCD when Gotti was boss
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I don’t know anything about surveillance or planting bugs, so does anyone know how much trouble it would be to just put a microphone inside the actual lamp in Tony’s basement? I mean, to me, trying to recreate that lamp down to the last detail of paint flecks and dust, and a second break-in to place the bogus lamp, seems a vastly expensive and risky way to go about bugging the place…
Of course it probably makes for a more interesting tv show 😉
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The FBI has one of the most talented surreptitious entry teams in the world. They rely on professionals in every type of field you can imagine. In some ways they are similar to the people who make film and television. They rely on such large and diverse teams of professionals that all the intricate work that goes into deception scales very well.
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Steve – I completely agree with your observation. I also wondered why the FBI invested so much time and money on a stupid lamp. Maybe Chase was looking for a way to squeeze out another episode by overdoing what should have been a one-shot episode. Quite frankly, the 2 episodes were just plain dumb.
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On second thought … I watched this episode again, and completely changed my mind about it. I think that this was a much-needed change of pace – it’s really very funny and silly! The FBI is depicted as woefully incompetent (no follow-through re: ‘missing’ crew members) and lascivious (licking their chops and staring with lust at Adriana’s nipples and ass), the theft of Sopranos’ food, silverware and cocktail glasses (made me almost gleeful!), the 120-gallon water tank bursting and flooding the basement … Well, all-in-all, it was a very good episode! 😁
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The wading around in a foot of water from a 120 gallon tank was a bit much. I’ve had water heaters melt down and in that big a basement it wouldn’t be more than an inch or two of water. Made it funnier though.
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Another thing to point out about the flyover shot of FBI headquarters is that it is the exact same B-roll footage that is used for the exterior shots of Quantico in The Silence of the Lambs. Silence of the Lambs, of course, is a film that is all about voyeurism. “You’d think I was Hannibal Lecture of something!”
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Hmm I figured it was stock footage but I had never heard that before
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Other times I’ve watched this episode, I wasn’t sure whether Tony saw Patsy in the back yard or not. Most of the shots through the window from outside show Tony by the dining table, not looking out, but we can’t tell what happens in the next second after the camera moves away as Tony is walking around in the dining area, so it’s ambiguous. So I paid closer attention this time, and I noticed that when Tony tells Gigi that they should go to the basement, Tony is standing in the kitchen by the sink, facing the sink and window, and we already know that the pool can be seen from that window (going back to the pilot). So it’s not that by chance Tony never looked out and saw Patsy. I think he most definitely did, possibly catching sight of him from the dining area, then moving to the kitchen to make sure. So I think it wasn’t because the maid would hear them that Tony suggest sthe basement, though Gigi glances toward her and we’re probably meant to think that’s why Tony is suddenly cautious. But the maid has been floating around in the general vicinity while they’ve discussed business already, so why the sudden need to talk in the basement? I think Tony isn’t worried in that moment about Patsy and the gun, because he has already seen Patsy fall to pieces. But Tony doesn’t want Gigi to see Patsy. This gives Tony the opportunity to have a managerial word with Patsy. Tony’s side of the conversation at Satriale’s starts off like a regular boss appearing to be concerned for an employee and a desire to make sure he has settled in to his job, but when Tony insists that Patsy say aloud that he has put his grief behind him, not just nod along, that’s Tony exerting mob boss dominance, not just job boss dominance. I’m sure that’s obvious to everyone. But what happens next is interesting and more subtle: As he’s moseying off to get coffee, Tony suddenly suggests that Patsy come by the house with his son, and the son and AJ can go in the pool. I believe this is Tony telling Patsy, without coming right out and saying it (just as he doesn’t come right out and tell Patsy that if he doesn’t admit verbally that he’s solidly on board with Tony, he’s toast), that Tony knows Patsy was in his yard that day. To my disappointment, another watching of the yard/pool scene shows me that Tony moved away from the windows with Gigi before Patsy pissed in the pool, so the phrase “go in the pool” is apparently not referring to that (unless it’s a continuity problem, which is what I wish I could believe). But he did see Patsy out by the pool, so a reference to the pool more likely simply means “I saw you at my house, by the pool,” leaving viewers to snicker knowingly about the unwitting pun. In any case, I don’t think the invitation was meant seriously, even in a fake-sincere “Let’s do lunch” kind of way. Patsy is a low-level guy who isn’t close to Tony. What we’ve seen so far is that he’s been more of an errand boy, and he’s new to the crew. Tony wouldn’t normally invite someone like him to come socialize with Tony’s family (not until much later in the series, anyway!). I really think that talking about coming up to the house and using the pool is a coded message to Patsy that he was seen, which should strike enough fear in Patsy’s heart that he won’t try anything like that again. Tony knows, from Patsy’s breaking down crying, that he isn’t in danger from Patsy. On the other hand, Patsy does need to be made to overtly pledge his loyalty, which Tony accomplishes first, after which he reinforces his dominance by letting Patsy know covertly that Tony saw him out by the pool, all with Tony putting on a show of being affable and welcoming. But we’ve seen Tony put on that act many times, and we know it’s just an act. Patsy probably does too.
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That’s a great take from top to bottom. The only thing though… I can’t imagine Tony giving Patsy a pass if he knew that Patsy showed up at his house with murder on his mind. Tony killed Patsy’s twin just for talking shit about his Tony’s relationship with Livia. I think the reptilian, self-defense part of Tony’s brain is just too strong to allow Patsy to continue living after such a threatening act…
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I was thinking about that too, but I interpret it as Tony having grown as a leader (maybe in part thanks to Melfi and in part from having been on the job of boss for a while now). He can sometimes override the reptilian part of his brain and listen to his reasoning brain, sort of like he did when he decided not to kill Coach Hauser in Season 1. Granted, it’s more serious here and potentially dangerous for Tony himself. But I think the fact that Patsy found himself unable to actually use the gun and instead broke down emotionally tells Tony, who has been learning to trust his gut, that Patsy isn’t a threat (and Gigi had told Tony very earnestly in an earlier scene that Patsy loves Tony, which might have had an effect). It would also be a shame to waste someone who is probably a good earner. In my scenario, it would be no coincidence that the writers have Patsy adding up profits from the game when we see him again at Satriale’s. Tony might also be feeling bad about Philly’s murder after seeing how torn up Patsy was and may think that the whole scene was related to Patsy’s grief, and if Patsy couldn’t go through with using the gun then, he wasn’t going to. So I can see a case for Tony deciding to give Patsy a pass. But if Gigi had seen Patsy, Tony would have had no choice but to have Patsy killed, so Tony steers Gigi away to the basement. Also, after Pussy, which was clearly an emotionally devastating experience for Tony, Silvio, and Paulie, Tony may be reluctant to kill one of his own guys if he doesn’t have to, so Patsy gets the benefit of the doubt and Tony can keept getting the fruits of Patsy’s labor. After Ralphie, though, it becomes increasingly easier for Tony to kill his own, as we will see. Obviously, I could be wrong. But with Tony standing at that kitchen window, there’s no way he wouldn’t see Patsy. To me, that’s the big clue, though it happens so fast it’s easy to miss (I certainly did, all the other times I watched the episode).. The rest is subtle but plausible, IMO. David Chase obviously has a deep interest in human psychology, and I’m in awr (to quote Bobby Bacala) of his ability to create characters with such psychological complexity. That, for me, is the best part of the series and why I’ve returned to it so many times and seen different things in it each time. One of the hallmarks of a great work of art is the possibility of different interpretations, and there doesn’t have to be one right one (*cough* series finale *cough*). I’ve had ideas about the show I never would have had if I hadn’t read your analyses and some of the comments here. Sometimes they change my mind, sometimes it’s something I simply never considered, and sometimes they send me off in a new direction.
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Ron,
You touched on key points such as “There is a birds-eye view of Manhattan elsewhere in this episode that also feels strangely out of place.”
Also, “Although this episode originally aired six months before 9/11, one FBI agent here says that he’ll run Stasiu’s name through Anti-Terror, and another goes to Denver to investigate a mosque. Jihadist terrorism was not yet on the minds of most Americans, but Chase seems to have picked up on a consequential socio-political undercurrent of the time.”
It’s uncanny and truly amazing how this series unwittingly foreshadows real life events that Chase, his crew, nor anybody else could possibly anticipate.
Strange, somewhat prophetic, and almost dreamlike how reality referenced in this and other episodes eventually played out in the real world. Just another reason, or excuse, why multiple viewings of The Sopranos is not only justified, it’s required by loyal followers of the series.
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I almost feel like it should be required viewing for all Americans. Hmm now there’s an idea… You shouldn’t be able to get your driver’s license, for example, unless you can name Tony Blundetto’s twins…
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I absolutely *loved* Edie Falco’s faces in the tennis scenes – she’s hilarious! But I do have to disagree with Paulie about women’s toilets being clean – the ladies’ are definitely worse than the gents’!
Women’s toilets are grimmer than the men’s because
a) everyone has to use the cubicles
b) you have to sit on the filth rather than stand in it
c) menstruation means that the truly disgusting have a larger palette with which to express themselves
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Hmm maybe, but I’ve seen some men’s toilets that are absolute Jackson Pollocks…
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“menstruation means that the truly disgusting have a larger palette with which to express themselves”
As English music-hall comedians used to say, “I don’t wish to hear this.”
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I always pick up on this dialogue because, as someone who is a manager of a late-night venue, I know from experience that women’s toilets are just as grim as the men’s – they generally don’t reek of piss as much or have piss on the seats or floor, but they are often a mess of papers/fabrics, products and water everywhere. For the most part a men’s room just needs a strong mop to sort it out, but you need to put on gloves and take bags with you to clean the ladies. I think the toilet comparison is another facet of how the writers like to give us the idea that their characters see women in one of two ways.
Of course, it’s perfect thought for Paulie being Paulie, he’s got some bizarre ideas in his head that don’t stand up.
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I think all humans are equally nasty. Paulie believes very much in gender policing. Part of his unrealistic view of women and men involves men being much nastier and dirtier than me. It’s all part of not seeing women as fully human so they don’t get full agency in the participating in the criminal enterprise they all have all tied their lives to.
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” The Sopranos’ housekeeper commits petty theft. Her boyfriend, Stasiu, is bitter about being underemployed in this country.”
In fact, one of the FBI agents refers to him as her husband. In the credits, the characters have the same surname, Wosilius.
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Mr. Ruggerios neighborhood was named as a play on the crazy wire tap put on New York big mouth Ruggerio. The tap was very elusive. That’s where name came from.
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Tony’s double entendre to Patsy about his kids “going in the pool” reminds me of Tony’s comment in a previous episode where he says the Father Phil, “Grab a sandwich – You’re staying the night, right?”
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Discrepancy? In this episode, we see that Carmela as well as Tony uses their basement gym. But in a later episode, as they are using stationary bicycles at a commercial gym, Carmela says to Adriana, “We don’t see you here much anymore.” Would C join a gym if she has equipment at home?
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Tony and Carmella probably inconsistently follow exercise patterns. Like many people they probably have thought at one time they will use home exercise equipment and another time thought they would be more consistent if they went to the gym. Remember how Carmella was really, really Christian for a minute, even reading the bible at bed time. But went back to reading mass market novels. Or think about how Tony will lift weights and eat ice cream right afterwards.
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Last season, in the episode where Christopher got shot, AJ was feeling hurt when Tony berated and shamed him for dropping a plate. For once AJ did not want to eat away his feelings. What he needed was Tony to just sit with him but what he got was food again to keep him inline and supress what he really needed.
In the first episode of season 3 Patsy says he does not want o eat. He is feeling sad for his brother. Instead of actually acknowledging his grief and letting him sit with it Tony wants him to ignore it and forces Patsy to eat some food. Tony is always wanting to distract other people and himself from what they are deeply feeling. He constantly does this when he is with Dr Melfi
Like a shark that can only swim, smell blood, and eat Tony can only do a few things. Yet a shark is born that way. Tony has chosen to close off other paths. What is worse he has blocked his children from being truly in touch with themselves and figuring out how to relate to others in reciprocally positive ways.
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logo – You touched on some very good points! Well done!
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It was an unusual for the show to have a flashback shot to a previous episode like they did for the murder of Pasty’s brother. I mean it was helpful. I sometimes find it hard to keep track of all the gangsters and which second tier people get killed.
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That lamp is supposed to cast light on what is going on in the Soprano household. It’s funny what happens later with the lamp.
At 8:10 minute sinto the show as the camera pans across Agent Harris’ truck the music starts to seque into Every Breath You take.
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Pingback: The Soprano Onceover: #76. “Mr. Ruggerio’s Neighborhood” (S3E1) | janiojala
Such a weird, fun episode. Love how Gandolifni is always down to sing badly. One scene in particular has me picking apart the bigger web of the family, as the FBI sees them:
– I just noticed that in the initial FBI scene, with the big Di Meo family board, Jackie Jr. is listed as an “associate” of the Aprile crew. Seems a stretch, especially at this early point, when we’ve not even seen him do a single bit of gangster shit (I wouldn’t say getting indirectly told to shut up by both Tony & Junior count). We see him act as party to a single successful heist later, than of course he fucks up the card game. Would he even register w/ the feds at any point?
– Maybe this is confirmed elsewhere and I missed it: The picture board would seem to suggest the Gualtieri crew was initially Paulie taking over the old Tony Soprano crew; this would make sense since Chris is “semi-hooked” up to Tony’s crew in S1 and works for Paulie once he gets made in Fortunate Son. The S2 convo in which Paulie gets a bump (at the Lou Costello statue in Big Girls Don’t Cry) is ostensibly when he becomes a captain (Tony says he has to “take a step back,” i. e. no longer directly supervise his crew), but I don’t think we hear anyone CALL Paulie a captain till Pine Barrens. Similarly, while we don’t hear that Vito is now a captain till he tells us in Irregular Around the Margins, he’s set up as the hair apparent to the former Aprile crew immediately after Ralphie disappears; he’s at important meetings in Ralphie’s place the following episode.
– Also, I guess they found Mikey’s body at some point; he’s listed as Deceased on the board. Like a certain Deer in Season 5, we don’t see any disposal after the character is shot dead.
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R.I.P. Nancy Marchand (Livia Soprano), 2000
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According to Cheatsheet.com, Chase said that when Ms. Marchand read for the role of Livia, “She was breathing really heavily. I looked at her and said ‘Oh my God, that’s my mother! She’s channeling my mother!’ It was unbelievable”. Chase and his family soon learned most others agreed Marchand embodied her character exquisitely. I’m so glad that my mother was never made into a TV character!
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Why was the new tennis instructor so nice to Adriana and kind of mean to Carmela? Not sure how it’s relevant, but if it wasn’t important in some way, it could have been just a bland, unmemorable lesson.
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She’s hot for Adriana, and Carmela is a hindrance
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I thought it was funny that Carmela obviously had a thing for the previous instructor (“I didn’t even know you were married”). It seems that she’s interested in just about any man she comes across that pays any attention to her at all (even when it’s their job).
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Can you expand on this? I just re-watched this episode and I had this same question. I’m trying to figure out how it’s relevant to the episode
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Define “relevant”
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I think the instructor was attracted to Adriana.
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Sure, but just wondering why that was added–it doesn’t seem to relate to any other part of the show. Maybe just more of the regular part of life? Or it could have been the start to a storyline that just never got developed.
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I’d guess it’s Chase showing the regularness of life. But it also plays into the FBI’s voyeurism…they’re not just enjoying seeing Adriana in her skimpy tennis outfit, they’re watching the instructor put her hands on Ade during the lesson.
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Also that Adriana is appealing to everyone, not just men!!
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They’re also looking at her ‘big nippies’, LOL! 🤩
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“Two agents struggle to reach a decision about moving a table in the Sopranos’ basement.”
I think the funniest part of this exchange is that they suggest that if Tony notices the table has moved, he’ll naturally assume Carmela moved it back as part of the natural day-in day-out goings on of homemaking… then it takes two ostensibly relatively strong men to lift and move the table
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Haha
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Patsy was obviously lying when he told Tony that he moved past Phillie’s murder. I think that Patsy had a hand in Tony’s demise (his son Patrick would of known Meddow’s plans for the dinner at Holsten’s.) Patsy might have finally gotten revenge.
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This may be a stretch, but in Season 6, Part II, Christopher and his father-in-law are selling stolen power tools , and I believe Christopher comments that lots of police officers have side gigs doing handy work on the weekend to pay for their fishing boats. Although not an exact match (for one thing; Grasso is an FBI agent), I wonder if that theme dovetails with Grasso’s drill comment.
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That’s possible.
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