The Sopranos

[Augustus 3061]

I read an interview with Chase in which he discussed an alternative ending scene in which Tony drives into a tunnel, then the audience sees the exit to the tunnel and Tony never emerges, but Chase wound up feeling like that was too cheesy, so he dropped it.  But the interesting part was that when he referred to writing the final scene, he called it the "death scene."

When he finished talking, one of the reporters said, "You realize you just called that the death scene?" 

Chase replied, "Fuck you."

Edited October 21, 2021 by Augustus

[CurlyDumps 4471]

Chase has finally removed all doubt about what happens in Holston's. He made some surprisingly revealing comments in this new interview with The Hollywood Reporter. He explicitly states his original idea for the ending was a de facto death scene, and then talks about how he got the idea that Tony "should get it" at Holston's.

Quote

Q: The 2018 book The Sopranos Sessions was written by guys who wrote, at the time of the show, for the New Jersey Star-Ledger, the paper Tony always read, Matt Zoller Seitz and Alan Sepinwall. They interviewed you and asked you to talk about the June 10, 2007, series finale with of course, “Don’t Stop Believin'” and the famous cut to black. You said, “Well, I had that death scene in mind for years before.” A) Do you remember specifically when the ending first came to you? And, B) Was that a slip of the tongue?

A: Right. Was it?

Q: I’m asking you.

A: No.

Q: No?

A: Because the scene I had in my mind was not that scene. Nor did I think of cutting to black. I had a scene in which Tony comes back from a meeting in New York in his car. At the beginning of every show, he came from New York into New Jersey, and the last scene could be him coming from New Jersey back into New York for a meeting at which he was going to be killed.

Q: And when did the alternative ending first occur to you? I’ve spoken with showrunners who said, “I knew at the beginning exactly how my show was going to end.” Or by season three or whatever. It sounds like when you were writing, you liked to stay six scripts ahead of where you were in the action.

A: Yeah. But I think I had this notion — I was driving on Ocean Park Boulevard near the airport and I saw a little restaurant. It was kind of like a shack that served breakfast. And for some reason I thought, “Tony should get it in a place like that.” Why? I don’t know. That was, like, two years before.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/awards-chatter-podcast-david-chase-the-many-saints-of-newark-1235040185/

 

[mchookem 16327]

i always felt that for The Sopranos to be true to its essence, to be an honest and real character study, a show that didn't 'cheat' the viewers after our years of watching... that Tony had to end up either in prison or dead. 

[Augustus 3061]

13 hours ago, mchookem said:

i always felt that for The Sopranos to be true to its essence, to be an honest and real character study, a show that didn't 'cheat' the viewers after our years of watching... that Tony had to end up either in prison or dead. 

From the very beginning, it was clear he didn't mean it to be ambiguous.

In interviews right after the finale aired, he said, watch the episode, "it's all there."  He just didn't want to do something that had been done 100 times, where the antihero gets blasted on screen.

[Billy Pilgrim 1960]

Just wrapped up my first time through this series. Loved the way it ended so we’re all still talking about it.

My wife started with me but dropped out about halfway through season 2 because she couldn’t stand the audible mouth breathing and smacking when Tony ate.

 

My only beef with the series is it appears they would frequently start a subplot but fail to tie up the story and let it fade away. I would’ve preferred some closure on Melfi rape, Meadow’s suicidal college roommate, the Russian hit man, Artie Bucco getting swindled by the liquor/wine importer. What happened to Eugene’s family after he killed himself? What happened to Vito’s fucked up kid?

 

 

[Johnny Sack 8397]

48 minutes ago, Billy Pilgrim said:

What happened to Vito’s fucked up kid?

 

 

He looked like a Puerto Rican whoooer.  Makes me sick.

[Cousin Strawberry 1261]

36 minutes ago, Johnny Sack said:

He looked like a Puerto Rican whoooer.  Makes me sick.

I didn't bring you up here to buy you a couple of sundaes.

[strangulation! 1716]

1 hour ago, Billy Pilgrim said:

My only beef with the series is it appears they would frequently start a subplot but fail to tie up the story and let it fade away. I would’ve preferred some closure on Melfi rape, Meadow’s suicidal college roommate, the Russian hit man, Artie Bucco getting swindled by the liquor/wine importer. What happened to Eugene’s family after he killed himself? What happened to Vito’s fucked up kid?

to me, this was one of the stronger arguments for the "tony doesn't die in the finale" theory. the show was perpetually anti-climactic and ambiguous, so the ending fell 100% in line with that.

at least, up until david chase opened his big mouth.

[lateshow 1304]

1 hour ago, Billy Pilgrim said:

Just wrapped up my first time through this series. Loved the way it ended so we’re all still talking about it.

My wife started with me but dropped out about halfway through season 2 because she couldn’t stand the audible mouth breathing and smacking when Tony ate.

 

My only beef with the series is it appears they would frequently start a subplot but fail to tie up the story and let it fade away. I would’ve preferred some closure on Melfi rape, Meadow’s suicidal college roommate, the Russian hit man, Artie Bucco getting swindled by the liquor/wine importer. What happened to Eugene’s family after he killed himself? What happened to Vito’s fucked up kid?

 

 

Melfi's rape - she handled on her own, despite the desire to have Tony handle it.

Meadow's roommate ended up okay. She was later shown at a party on ecstasy, when Meadow bought it off Jackie Jr. Leading to their relationship.

Russian - I liked how they handled it. Leaving it ambiguous. Although, Terry Winter discussed an idea they had to bring him back later, and have him be nearly braindead and sweeping the floors at Slava's restaurant.

The French con man was dealt with by Tony and Furio. Tony assumed the debt, and Furio collected.

Eugene's family? Who cares? They were only shown once.

Vito's fucked up kid got shipped off to a boot camp in, like, Idaho.

 

I think they wrapped up most pretty well. It wasn't the type of show to put a nice bow on everything. Leaving some on the viewer to think and draw their own conclusions. It's not Blue Bloods. 

Edited November 17, 2021 by lateshow

[Reynolds Woodcock 4739]

I’m in the middle of a re-watch. Just watched Whitecaps. Holy shit what an episode of television. Just an acting master class.

[Sweetnsourpoke 167]

Speaking of the finale, anyone ever been to Holston's? 

Grabbed a burger there the other day and noticed the onion rings were twice the price of the fries. Waiter said every tourist that comes in orders the rings. I guess that was Tony's last order. 

Might as well cash in on that. 

[billfromlaketravis 11456]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/nypost.com/2021/11/18/creepy-call-to-james-gandolfini-made-classic-sopranos-line/amp/
 

Any guesses on who called Gandolfini?

My guess is Carmine Perisco. 

[Bogeywon 2519]

Just arrived in the mail. From michael imperioli‘s personal collection signed by him. I’m a big fan of his and the show. This is from the episode where tony drives Christopher to the cops retirement party and reveals to him that the cop is the guy that killed his dad. Gonna watch the episode and read the script with it. 

[CurlyDumps 4471]

1 hour ago, Bogeywon said:

Just arrived in the mail. From michael imperioli‘s personal collection signed by him. I’m a big fan of his and the show. This is from the episode where tony drives Christopher to the cops retirement party and reveals to him that the cop is the guy that killed his dad. Gonna watch the episode and read the script with it. 

Did you mean to post a pic of something? A still or teleplay or something?

[Bogeywon 2519]

13 minutes ago, CurlyDumps said:

Did you mean to post a pic of something? A still or teleplay or something?

 

1 hour ago, Bogeywon said:

Just arrived in the mail. From michael imperioli‘s personal collection signed by him. I’m a big fan of his and the show. This is from the episode where tony drives Christopher to the cops retirement party and reveals to him that the cop is the guy that killed his dad. Gonna watch the episode and read the script with it. 

[Deej 76759]

Some guy on Ebay just got paid for copy and pasting some shit in Word.

[Bogeywon 2519]

9 hours ago, Deej said:

Some guy on Ebay just got paid for copy and pasting some shit in Word.

Well got it at a reputable auction. If it’s bogus it’s bogus. Didn’t pay a ton for it tho. Not really looking for an investment more just thought it was cool because I’m a big fan. Great episode too

[Deej 76759]

1 hour ago, Bogeywon said:

Well got it at a reputable auction. If it’s bogus it’s bogus. Didn’t pay a ton for it tho. Not really looking for an investment more just thought it was cool because I’m a big fan. Great episode too

Just fucking with you, Bogey.

[Bogeywon 2519]

12 minutes ago, Deej said:

Just fucking with you, Bogey.

Oh all good my man! I know how it works here!

[Catdaddyhorn 3444]

I watched the full serious leading up to the final season, but I just recently began a 2nd run through the show. I appreciate this show so much more than I did during the first run through. I'm currently rewatching "The Strong, Silent Type" S4E10 which has Chris' intervention. The way these guys all flip the script and make the intervention about themselves is absolutely hilarious. And I don't know why I either didn't recognize this before or remember it, but what's up with Tony and animals. Geezus Christ the way that guy can express and feel such sincere emotions for animals, but be the complete and absolute psychopath he is in every other area of his life is stunning to me. There's never been a more thoroughly fleshed out character than Tony Soprano in the history of television.

[Genco 3040]

7 hours ago, Catdaddyhorn said:

And I don't know why I either didn't recognize this before or remember it, but what's up with Tony and animals. Geezus Christ the way that guy can express and feel such sincere emotions for animals, but be the complete and absolute psychopath he is in every other area of his life is stunning to me.

[billfromlaketravis 11456]

The true tragedy of The Sopranos isn’t Tony’s ending. It’s Melfi getting fat. 

[WhatTheBuck 28776]

Well hello, Meadow.

[Deej 76759]

Final episode of the "Talking Sopranos" podcast dropped this week, with David Chase as the guest.

[mchookem 16327]

maybe he'll finally tell us if Tony died at the end!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

🤣😋

[billfromlaketravis 11456]

I guess Schrripa doesn't care about ever working again? Making beefs with De Niro probably isn't good for an actor's career. 

The Pat Cooper stuff is also surprising. He always seemed like a gentleman comedian. 

Within the first 5 minutes of the show. 

https://talkingsopranos.simplecast.com/episodes/episode-91-made-in-america

[SizzleChest 8283]

6 minutes ago, billfromlaketravis said:

I guess Schrripa doesn't care about ever working again? Making beefs with De Niro probably isn't good for an actor's career. 

The Pat Cooper stuff is also surprising. He always seemed like a gentleman comedian. 

Within the first 5 minutes of the show. 

https://talkingsopranos.simplecast.com/episodes/episode-91-made-in-america

Pat Cooper was always a whack job. 

[billfromlaketravis 11456]

Chase says HBO is interested in a Sopranos limited series focused on Tony spanning the end of Many Saints of Newark to the beginning of the show. 

I'm not sure how they could pull that off especially after watching Many Saints. 

[Johnny Sack 8397]

On 12/20/2021 at 11:00 PM, Catdaddyhorn said:

I watched the full serious leading up to the final season, but I just recently began a 2nd run through the show. I appreciate this show so much more than I did during the first run through. I'm currently rewatching "The Strong, Silent Type" S4E10 which has Chris' intervention. The way these guys all flip the script and make the intervention about themselves is absolutely hilarious. And I don't know why I either didn't recognize this before or remember it, but what's up with Tony and animals. Geezus Christ the way that guy can express and feel such sincere emotions for animals, but be the complete and absolute psychopath he is in every other area of his life is stunning to me. There's never been a more thoroughly fleshed out character than Tony Soprano in the history of television.

I love the scene where Tony tells Furio, who had just said he is sad about his dad's death, that he has to get over it.  And then cut to next scene where he's sobbing uncontrollably about the death of Ralphie's horse.

[Johnny Sack 8397]

1 hour ago, billfromlaketravis said:

Chase says HBO is interested in a Sopranos limited series focused on Tony spanning the end of Many Saints of Newark to the beginning of the show. 

I'm not sure how they could pull that off especially after watching Many Saints. 

They could do 70s and 80s.  And not much past 85 or so.

[Red Five 40852]

They would have to recast young Tony.  

[billfromlaketravis 11456]

17 minutes ago, Red Five said:

They would have to recast young Tony.  

I agree, but that would go over like a lead balloon. 

One small detail I missed in the finale: George Paglieri brokers the sitdown with Tony, Butch, and Little Carmine in the garage. What's interesting about George is that he's a semi retired boss of another New York Family. He's not a member of the Lupertazzi Family. This is repeated in the finale of Talking Sopranos. 

George's Sopranos Wiki page lists him a possible member of the Gambino Family. The same page believes the Lupertazzi Family is a stand in for the Lucchese Family. Probably nothing, but it could be something. I always though the Lupertazzis were most similar to Colombos. All their members are from Brooklyn, Brooklyn based, and they've had several modern family wars. 

The counter argument to that is the Colombos had little to no operations in Jersey. The Luchesses were very active in Jersey. Blending the two families for creative license seems most likely. 

 

Edited December 28, 2021 by billfromlaketravis

[lateshow 1304]

On 12/28/2021 at 1:15 PM, billfromlaketravis said:

I guess Schrripa doesn't care about ever working again? Making beefs with De Niro probably isn't good for an actor's career. 

The Pat Cooper stuff is also surprising. He always seemed like a gentleman comedian. 

Within the first 5 minutes of the show. 

https://talkingsopranos.simplecast.com/episodes/episode-91-made-in-america

Schrippa has been steady working since The Sopranos went off air. He’s been on Blue Bloods for years. He doesn’t give a fuck. He went into detail on earlier episodes about his beef with Pat Cooper. Seems justified. De Niro does seem like a douche in real life, to be fair. 

[Bogeywon 2519]

[billfromlaketravis 11456]

On 12/29/2021 at 10:25 PM, lateshow said:

Schrippa has been steady working since The Sopranos went off air. He’s been on Blue Bloods for years. He doesn’t give a fuck. He went into detail on earlier episodes about his beef with Pat Cooper. Seems justified. De Niro does seem like a douche in real life, to be fair. 

Good for Bobby. Looks like he’s made more from Blue Bloods than The Sopranos. 

[Deej 76759]

17 minutes ago, billfromlaketravis said:

Good for Bobby. Looks like he’s made more from Blue Bloods than The Sopranos. 

And he didn't have to act like he was into Janice. 

[Cousin Strawberry 1261]

14 minutes ago, Deej said:

And he didn't have to act like he was into Janice. 

"Roadies?!"

[Gil Bang 25943]

 

[Gil Bang 25943]

 

[billfromlaketravis 11456]

Some horrifically bad takes in this Sopranos look back. 


 

Nadu is CONVINCED AJ takes over the family eventually. 
 

Also calls Meadow’s roommate the worst character. Ari Graynor is my Jewish princess. Sure, she was crazy but still very hot. Enjoy: https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/g1006/ari-graynor-pics-0111/

[Guest Lobo]

Makes sense AJ would take over the family business.  Every Italian enterprise I’ve ever encountered has always selected the dumbest of the fucking dumbest to lead the way.  It also helps that they have plenty of fucking idiots to choose from

Edited February 18, 2022 by Lobo

[Bogeywon 2519]

On 2/18/2022 at 6:54 PM, Lobo said:

Makes sense AJ would take over the family business.  Every Italian enterprise I’ve ever encountered has always selected the dumbest of the fucking dumbest to lead the way.  It also helps that they have plenty of fucking idiots to choose from

Damn son what did my fellow Italians do to you?

[Player 4575]

RIP Beansie

https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2022/03/sopranos-actor-paul-herman-dies-on-76th-birthday.html

[Cousin Strawberry 1261]

29 minutes ago, Player said:

RIP Beansie

https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2022/03/sopranos-actor-paul-herman-dies-on-76th-birthday.html

“A ramp?”

[Elvis 3371]

RIP Manson Lamps

 

[Elvis 3371]

Wait, wrong guy.

[Guest Lobo]

Who the fuck is Manson Lamps?  

I'm afraid to google it because it sounds like a shade made of human skin.

[BigDHornfan 6546]

21 minutes ago, Lobo said:

Who the fuck is Manson Lamps?  

I'm afraid to google it because it sounds like a shade made of human skin.

Manson lamps

 

Noun, meaning crazy look or stare. In reference to Charles Manson. Used on The Sopranos (tv show).

Tony Soprano (to Richie😞 Quit giving me those Manson lamps.

[Guest Lobo]

Wow, that's a helluva callback.  Don't remember that scene.  

I knew a Mason Lamp, middle reliever for the Sox in the 80's. 

[Cousin Strawberry 1261]

On 3/31/2022 at 9:14 AM, Elvis said:

Wait, wrong guy.

Yeah, sorry. I just loved the way Ritchie reacted when he was told he had to build him a ramp. Beans quote right before he gets a pot of coffee across the face.

 

“Get my friend here a nice veal parm sandwich and hurry the fuck up about it.”