The Sopranos 4x06 Reaction
Comments (33)
Mr. Empathy over there.
Probably one of the most underrated episodes of the entire fuckin series
It's refreshing to see Tony be vulnerable every so often. "Am I a toxshic pershon?!" is somehow quite endearing
I actually always feel great sympathy for Tony in the scene where Carmela tells him about Gloria's suicide. He's lying in bed on a normal day, and she just drops this nuclear bomb on his head like it's nothing, and he has to lie there and take it without even showing shock or sorrow. The stunned look on his face is really something as he takes it in. Tony isn't someone that I usually sympathise with, but this scene elicits it.
About Tony and his guilt the best way to put it is how Melfi described it in season 2 he commits heinous actions to take their mind away from the horrible things they do and craving action all the time there is more to it since Tony is one of if not the most deep complex character I’ve ever seen
Legit heard for the first time today that there was a sopranos prequel movie. Wonder if they will watch it after.
Tbh I’d rather see a reaction to the new documentary that came out about the show beautifully made
It’s wild how Freudian this episode feels. - Tony and AJ in this episode both hooking up with women who look almost EXACTLY like Carmela: mid-height, light tan, blonde hair, thin). Always found it funny how AJ can’t even look at Carm when she walks in on him with Devon. Obviously it’s embarrassing in general but I think also they look the same - AJ, feeling emasculated by Devon’s wealth after having been trying to have sex with her the whole episode, entering her dad’s art room and seeing a literal wall of (very expensive) penises. Later young Riddler asks why his Tony doesn’t have that same level of status - Tony going to dinner with his sister because he needs his ego as a decent person validated; not only does he practically squirm in his chair watching Janice suck the marrow off of a bone, but then she explicitly brings up how their mother used to act when Johnny Boy brought home the weekly meat order - “She reached out to me, for me to care, and I wasn’t there…” is this about his guilt over not being able to save Gloria, or for (as his mother would put it) abandoning Livia to a nursing home? - With the show leaning in to Artie as a foil/“what could have been” character for Tony, the conversation in the hospital almost feels like the id and the ego clashing with each other — A.B. says that it is A.S.’s basic instinct (id) is to exploit people, and A.S. flies into a rage because he needs to believe he’s a decent guy (ego)
Honestly season 4 was my least favourite. But they're all good and hard to separate. I'd probably pick 5 as my favourite.
Could the reason Artie initially tried to borrow the money from Ralph instead of Tony has to do with Davey Scatino? Artie accusing Tony of intentionally lending him money because he knew he can profit off of him in the worst case scenario is exactly what happened with Davey after all, and Artie might knew about it deep down. As the fight between Tony and Carmela in an earlier episode alluded to, AJ grew up in a household where love is equated with money. When he realized that his girlfriend doesn't need his money, he probably had a little existential crisis about how he can actually express his love towards her. "How come your father doesn't have that Don Corleone money?" For all the money and power than the family and their members have in their little world, it is still a very small and self contained one. Real money and real power will still always escape them. Tony is aware of this; often bemoaning the real crooks being rich bankers and waxing nostalgic about how the best days of the mafia are behind them. He doesn't have the Godfather style compound or the power and influence of Al Capone, and he never will. They condemned their souls for nothing.
Archie and Hutch (TV Series 1975–1979)
It's perfectly in keeping with Artie's character that the girls mis-named him "Archie" about 85 times during this discussion 😅😂 Things just don't go his way
Nonono. It's like Batman and Bruce Wayne. He's humble chef Artie by day, and super cool gangster Archie by night
Ana de Armas loool
This is a sign to watch Godfather 2! 4:24
So glad they got the GF1 reference though! Patiently waiting the day we get the notification for the Godfather 2.
Can't wait for episode 7. It's one of my favorite episodes in the whole show
Whole second half of this season is gonna be 🔥🔥
When Artie came to Ralph and said he wanted to pass on loaning money because he couldn't hurt Artie, he meant it literally. He knows Tony will protect him.
Meadow tells Tony "believe it or not, the world doesn't revolve around you" a couple episodes back. His expression doesn't really betray what he thinks of it. I think the narcissistic traits discussion is on point. There is a wrinkle though, in how he treats his kids. Against his wishes, he's letting Meadow explore being in law to help people he's racist towards despite really wanting her to be a pediatrician. If he knows he has a hold on his children, especially Meadow (who claimed she's going to Europe but just came running back into them) there's little reason for him to not try to manipulate her to fit his ideas unless he actually does want her to do whatever she wants. Again, as a stark contrast to how he's treating Christopher. Overall it's an underlying question of the show. Tony can clearly feel emotions genuinely, and also clearly filters a lot of it towards himself. Without his parents would he have developed these narcissistic filters and did he have a chance at some point to be able to feel and express them more conventionally? Or would he always have been naturally self-centered regardless of him being deprived of love from his parents. I also think as far as self-interest and guilt coexisting goes, I do think while it's extreme in Tony (and pretty much any other character on this show) since there is a immediate link to the mob, there are definitely shades of it in life across broader society. Look no further than how people do the bare minimum for environmental and social problems.
The tragedy of his character is that it doesn't matter how much introspection he achieves through therapy, as long as he's in the Mafia it won't do him any good and he won't be able to change in any meaningful way. And because he's a made man he can't quit without being whacked or turning witness protection against what little morality he has left, or simply leave his family to never turn back. We've seen time and time again that on a subconscious level he is weighted down by his guilt and wants to be a good man, but he's way too deep into "the life" and all his options suck, so there's not really any hope of him improving. And to add to your second paragraph, another aspect that humanizes his character is the fact of how he can't help but forgive those close to him that cause him harm like Livia, Junior and Christopher, with the first two literally trying to kill him and the other fucking up constantly and putting the business at stake, yet he always seem to let it pass and still can't help but love these characters despite all.
An interesting fact about the actor who plays Artie. When he first heard from his agent that he was wanted for a role in this new mob show called the sopranos he was excited to be the "tough guy" mob character. However later he was a little disappointed when he found out he was gonna be a chef in a mob show. I feel like they kind of translated some of this feeling to his character. As Artie is envious of Tonys lifestyle and wants to be a tough guy.
David Chase and others have talked about Chase adding character traits based off the actors traits. I know James Gandolfini talked about Tony eating more often being at least partially inspired by Gandolfini's weight issues, and Paulie germaphobia & other quirks are because his actor Tony Sirico was like that too. Tony Sirico is super interesting and used to do enforcer work for the mafia before going to prison, I gotta make a post about him one of these episodes
Poor Archie. Watching him trying to be a gangster was both hilarious and sad.
I think Janice was referring to Kurt Cobain and Nirvana when Tony asked her that question but I could be wrong lol. Another great episode exploring Tony’s way to deal with guilt. Don’t get it twisted, I feel he is feeling guilt and not sadness over Gloria. You might’ve noticed but he is always been this selfish. While this episode didn’t have that much progression with the main plot, I still would say it was enjoyable. Plus all the godfather references that now you girls are getting <3 ahh.. who would’ve guessed that you guys would get those references. I’m glad you girls at least watched The Godfather 1.
When Janice was asked for Tony about suicide, and she answered that she lived in Seattle so she did know a lot about that, i think did refer to the grunge scene there, Kurt Cobain, depression, etc.
Seattle has the second highest suicide rate of any major city in America.
The Gloria nightmare is the greatest dream sequence in the history of television in my opinion. It’s so devastating, the song choice is perfect, and it really FEELS like a dream. The camerawork, the way it feels like some scenes are missing, it’s straight up incredible. I can’t say enough about how much I love that scene.
did you call Artie a loser?! what the fuck!? the Artie hate is so wild
I call Artie "Cringe Lord"
LM: "We are bad with faces." Also LM: "That is a 17 year old Paul Dano!"
Girls you need to watch Godfather II before you finish the show. There's still a lot of references lol
I think they said they were hoping for one movie a month. I hope Goodfellas will be after The Godfather 2.