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Favorite Sopranos moments

post #1 of 45
8/19/08 at 4:27pm
Thread Starter 
I'm re-watching the series culminating with me finally watching the last season.

This whole thread is going to be full of spoilers, I'd imagine, so I thought I'd mention it now.

The climax of episode 9 (where Meadow's sccer coach has sex with one of her teammates), where Tony is drunk off his ass, flailing around and laughing and then he whispers to Carmela "I didn't hurt anybody" is, I think, one of the greatest victories in the entire series. The only time I've been more proud of a character is at the end of the Melfi rape episode, when she decides not to tell Tony.

These moments really embody what I like most about the show. Beyond all the violence, the money, the power struggles, the politics, the greatest moments are the ones where the characters take time to really examine the morality of their situation. In the end, I think Artie Bucco's words got to Tony about how this would only help Tony, Silvio, and himself feel better, but would hurt their daughters more.
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post #2 of 45
8/19/08 at 4:57pm
Easily my favorite: the intervention for Christopher toward the end of the 4th season. So many characters who we've gotten to know so well over the years bouncing off each other in ways that are alternately hilarious and touching. And of course it ends the only possible way: with the people who came to help their friend confront his drug addiction beating the piss out of him on his living room floor while his mother watches.

Also, Elias Koteas.
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post #3 of 45
8/19/08 at 5:06pm
Thread Starter 
Elias Koteas is so fucking good in that.

I like when he asks if anyone had been part of an intervention and Silvio's goes "Well, we once found pot in our daughter's room..." and his wife just gives him that look, and Silvio shrugs and says "nevermind".

And to be fair to Paulie, Chris called his mother a whore. He had that shit coming.
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post #4 of 45
8/19/08 at 5:08pm
The one when the two guy take someone out to the 'woods', and get lost is comedy Gold.
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post #5 of 45
8/19/08 at 5:10pm
Thread Starter 
That is by far the best episode of the entire series. It even had a special section about it in the Making of book that came out a couple years ago. "You selfish prick, hand me one of those ketchup packets."
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post #6 of 45
8/19/08 at 5:13pm
Pine Barrens.
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post #7 of 45
8/19/08 at 5:18pm
Oh Christ, where to even start.

Episode 5: College. First on-screen murder by Tony.
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post #8 of 45
8/19/08 at 5:21pm
Season 2: Episode 1

It was a very good year. Best season opener.

And the end of Season 5, the tentative end of the series, would have been satisfying, if in a more traditional ending sort of way.
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post #9 of 45
8/19/08 at 5:28pm
I like the moment when Steve Buscemi, as Tony B., is drinking a Heineken (or Rolling Rock? a green bottled beer) with his cousin at a family party, and Carmella calls for him to handle the video camera. He's exhausted from other events but doesn't have weight to throw around. Exasperated, he says, "What am I, your slave?" Tony S., oblivious, goes "Who-ah!" as Tony B gets up and walks away.

(Buscemi directed "Pine Barrens," too.)
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post #10 of 45
8/19/08 at 5:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick Ripoll View Post
The only time I've been more proud of a character is at the end of the Melfi rape episode, when she decides not to tell Tony.
That whole episode alone should have netted Bracco an Emmy. So fucking great.

The huge blow-up between Tony and Carmela at the end of Season 4 was electrifying.

Tony finally dealing with Ralphie.

And my choice for the most compelling single-episode character has to be that poor, pathetic stripper that Ralphie beats to death in the Bing's parking lot. So harsh.
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post #11 of 45
8/19/08 at 5:32pm
My favorite scene has always been from Season 1, when Tony and the crew are shaking down the Jewish hotel owners. They get him in a storage closet and the Jewish guy is giving this huge monologue and says "And what happened to the Romans? Where are they now?"

Then Tony says "You're looking at them."
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post #12 of 45
8/19/08 at 5:32pm
Pretty much anytime there's a chorus of very Italian "Whoaa?!" I get a huge smile on my face.

I'll probably be dumping something in here every day once I start introducing the lady to the series, next week.
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post #13 of 45
8/19/08 at 5:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by BillyG View Post
My favorite scene has always been from Season 1, when Tony and the crew are shaking down the Jewish hotel owners. They get him in a storage closet and the Jewish guy is giving this huge monologue and says "And what happened to the Romans? Where are they now?"

Then Tony says "You're looking at them."
"Finish his bris."
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post #14 of 45
8/19/08 at 5:48pm
Season 1 Tony and Livia discussing the nursin..erm retirement community:
"It's like a luxury suite at Captain Teebs!
"Who's he?"
"I dunno, a captain that owns expensive hotels or something."
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post #15 of 45
8/19/08 at 5:53pm
Pine Barrens/ketchup packets.
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post #16 of 45
8/19/08 at 6:00pm
The homage to Goodfellas when Christopher shot that Bakery Store clerk in the foot.

Also when the guys have to go to a funeral because one of them strained too hard in the john and Silvio says to the effect of "He died like that Don..Producer of "The Simpsons"
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post #17 of 45
8/19/08 at 6:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by EdHocken View Post
The homage to Goodfellas when Christopher shot that Bakery Store clerk in the foot.
"It happens."

Season 3, Melfi having told Tony that he is attracted to Gloria because she is like his mother, when Tony goes over to Gloria's house after she gave Carmella a ride home and he screams "You think my life is easy?!" and she looks up at him and says almost exactly like Livia, "Oh poor you." The look Tony gets on his face, breathtaking.
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post #18 of 45
8/19/08 at 6:14pm
That fight scene between them along with the scene in which Tony is strangling Gloria was probably one of the first times I came across powerful stuff on television.
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post #19 of 45
8/19/08 at 6:17pm
Monopoly. Jersey-style.
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post #20 of 45
8/19/08 at 6:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by EdHocken View Post
That fight scene between them along with the scene in which Tony is strangling Gloria was probably one of the first times I came across powerful stuff on television.
It helps that Annabella Sciorra is so fucking sexy.
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post #21 of 45
8/19/08 at 6:35pm
Thread Starter 
I love when Tony repeats phrases Dr. Melfi says to him.

"I know people your age who are inspired!" in particular, sounded silly coming from Tony's mouth.
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post #22 of 45
8/19/08 at 6:39pm
Thread Starter 
Oh, and his mom's funeral, with Christopher coked out of his mind, talking about how you can't really be sure that no one has the same fingerprints, is hysterical. That whole scene is amazing, ending with everybody agreeing that she was a pretty terrible person.
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post #23 of 45
8/19/08 at 8:16pm
Paulie sniffing Adrianna's panties instantly made him my favorite character.

The reveal of Ralphie's toupee.

Anytime Tim Daly was onscreen. He played the hell out of his character.

Cleaver!

Syndey Pollack's apperance in Stage 5. Especially after his passing away in real life. I believe that's the best episode in the last nine.

Watching the series finale premiere, and getting assaulted by its deliberate anti-climax. That sense of paranoia and tension is something Tony will have to live with his whole un-aired life. A fate worse than death, if you ask me.
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post #24 of 45
8/19/08 at 8:35pm
I love that scene where Tony, confused about whether or not to kill his cousin, goes over to Paulie's house and sees the painting he ordered them to burn. I never thought that painting would come back into play, and to see it return (along with Tony's "What the fuck?!?" reaction to him suddenly being in Napoleon garb) and give him the motivation he needed to finally off Tony B...just brilliant.
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post #25 of 45
8/20/08 at 9:59am
I always liked, well appreciated, the scene where Tony comes home and finds AJ in the pool after his attempted suicide. AJ's flipping out knowing he fucked up, and probably scared of what his dad will do considering how and who is dad is (meaning the strong silent type, not a mob boss type), while Tony is freaking out with this mix of anger and fear. That entire scene plays perfectly.
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post #26 of 45
8/20/08 at 10:37am
The final scene of the final episode.
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post #27 of 45
8/20/08 at 10:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by BillyG View Post
I always liked, well appreciated, the scene where Tony comes home and finds AJ in the pool after his attempted suicide. AJ's flipping out knowing he fucked up, and probably scared of what his dad will do considering how and who is dad is (meaning the strong silent type, not a mob boss type), while Tony is freaking out with this mix of anger and fear. That entire scene plays perfectly.
That was an excellent episode. Tony also sorted out that dude who made those comments to Meadow. Tony finding the guy's tooth in his pant cuff during his counseling session was morbidly funny.

That whole episode goes to show that Tony knows when to stick up for his family in the most feral of ways. Strangely touching in its own brutal way.

One moment that makes me down is Bobby getting killed in the hobby store. Even though it was well played, it's one of the show's most unrelenting cruel moments. Chase definitely answered the pleas for bloodshed on that one. Just not what the audience wanted.

I loved that Paulie was one of the people that everyone thought was going to be killed, but he's Tony's last man standing.
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post #28 of 45
8/20/08 at 11:22am
"The Bah Jah Fresh"
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post #29 of 45
8/20/08 at 11:40am
Adriana's final car ride with Silvio. You know what's coming, you don't want to believe it's coming, and that whole scene just makes the wait unbearable.
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post #30 of 45
8/20/08 at 12:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick Ripoll View Post
Oh, and his mom's funeral, with Christopher coked out of his mind, talking about how you can't really be sure that no one has the same fingerprints, is hysterical. That whole scene is amazing, ending with everybody agreeing that she was a pretty terrible person.
I love when her old friend in the wheelchair talks about what a considerate friend Livia was because she always called to share bad news. It's hilarious because-
A) Livia is sharing bad news because she's always compelled to make people feel like shit.
B) The wheelchair bound friend is the woman Livia "accidentally" ran over in the first season.
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post #31 of 45
8/20/08 at 3:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by GET AIDS NOW! View Post

I loved that Paulie was one of the people that everyone thought was going to be killed, but he's Tony's last man standing.
The saddest shot, to me, is Paulie sitting alone (except for the cat he hates), in front of the meat store, sunning himself. Seeing that, I immediately flashed back to the beginning of "Christopher", with all the guys (Paulie, Silvio, Bobby, Christopher, Furio, etc.) hanging around, bullshitting, talking.

They were all gone, and that's the moment that that horrible truth sunk into me.
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post #32 of 45
8/20/08 at 3:08pm
Phil Leotardo's completely over-the-top death.
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post #33 of 45
8/20/08 at 3:10pm
Phil Leotardo coming out of the motel closet.
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post #34 of 45
8/20/08 at 3:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by EdHocken View Post
Phil Leotardo coming out of the motel closet.
The second time I saw that episode I died laughing when he did that. I know some people thought Chase was dumbing down the symbolism, but I took it as a man like Phil Leotardo would actually think that would be a cool way to present himself to the guy who married his cousin while hiding the fact that he was gay.

Another memorable scene was Johnny Sack's emotional breakdown at his daughters wedding and the reaction to it by the other made guys.
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post #35 of 45
8/20/08 at 4:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard Dickson View Post
Phil Leotardo's completely over-the-top death.
I was going to mention this one, but I think my favorite Phil moment is his history lecture to his grandkids, followed by his talk with Butchie where he decides he won't be a "Leotard" anymore.

"Because they're stupid!"
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post #36 of 45
8/20/08 at 4:34pm
My favorite Leotardo moment is when he carefully walks up the porch to whack Tony's cousin and then turns to see who's lying dead on the wood pile.
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post #37 of 45
8/21/08 at 6:34am
Season finale for Season 4. It was the culmination of every emotional betrayal by Tony and every promise he broke. Edy Falco was stunning in that episode, her short breaths while crying was just great physical acting.

Tony revealing to David Scatino that he took advantage of him in order to bust out his sporting goods store, you realize what a thoroughly ruthless bastard Tony is and also Robert Patrick delivers some great acting as the pathetic gambling addict, his breakdown in the tent is both sad and tragic.

As a vaguely comical moment, Paulie whacking the old woman when she discovers him in her room.

Tony telling Melfi about the mentally retarded kid. It's a totally sad and tragic story.
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post #38 of 45
8/21/08 at 8:17am
"No more, Butchie. No more it is."

"If it's a girl, we'll name her Tracee after you, this way she can grow up to be a cock-sucking slob just like her mother."

"And this is after all the time, and all the money, and all the fucking Prozac, and all the fucking cocksucking motherfucking dream interpretations."

Ralph's face when Tony stands there "asking" for more of Pie-O-My's winnings.

Junior's "coronation".

Tony's smile when Tony B tells him he is ready to work.

Richie Aprile's expression of shock at realizing Janice killed him.

And probably my most favorite scene: Christopher putting the bill he got from the guy that may have killed his father in the fridge, in an episode that was mostly about money...
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post #39 of 45
9/2/08 at 8:02pm
Thread Starter 
I loved that whole alternate reality while Tony was in a coma. The allegory of the search for Identity was so awesome, I kind of wish it was a feature film unto itself.

On the downside, one of my least favorite things about the Sopranos is listening to James Gandolfini breathe through his nose. Is that a character choice, or does James Gandolfini actually do that all the time? I guess only Diva knows for sure.
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post #40 of 45
9/2/08 at 8:43pm
Diva joke aside, I've always wondered if there's a microphone planted in his nose, or if Gandolfini is just part bulldog. I'm guessing it's emphasized for the character, or he'd be hyperventilating every two hours.
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post #41 of 45
9/2/08 at 11:02pm
Thread Starter 
In other news, it is because of the Sopranos that I'm going back to college. Watching AJ's arc over this last season, it's almost a bit too on the nose how similar he is. It's amazing how much Sopranos has caused me to look at my own life and re-evaluate how I live it. That's got to be one of the greatest things art can achieve, I'd imagine.

Tony, on peyote, watching the roulette wheel spin, riding his chip on 24, winning three times in a row and then finally losing it all, so brilliant. This whole last season has been transcendant. It's amazing how well the series has stripped away all the glamor of organized crime and (this is what really affects me) the modern American lifestyle.

As little praise Robert Iler may get for his performance, the fact that I relate so much to AJ's character really sucks me into the world of the show. Probably why it's forced me to examine my own life. I too am rich, white, spoiled and often lazy & underachieving. There's a lot about AJ that's nothing like me (I'm much more self-aware, I have ambition, I'd like to think I'm smarter) but it's enough that I have some food for thought. It's especially helped me emphasized with my parents.

Little personal there, but this series hits me hard. I can only hope that The Wire has this kind of personal connection when I start watching it. I don't doubt it's brilliant, but most comments about it's brilliance are about it's social awareness, it's scope, not it's quiet character moments.
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post #42 of 45
9/3/08 at 11:26am
The Sopranos is about Family, and how it shapes and affects us. The Wire is about The Job, and as such is not quite as intimate in its character portraits, but is no less affecting for it, imo.
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post #43 of 45
9/3/08 at 11:55am
The Wire has some extremly intimate moments but is really about institutions.
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post #44 of 45
9/3/08 at 12:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick Ripoll View Post
I too am rich, white, spoiled and often lazy & underachieving...I can only hope that The Wire has this kind of personal connection when I start watching it.
I can just about guarantee you won't be able to relate to it the way you related to AJ simply because of the world THE WIRE lives in, but like Schwartz and Hocken said, it has its share of wonderful intimate character moments. What I appreciate more about THE WIRE is that it doesn't spend its time with interpretations the way THE SOPRANOS does. To be fair, the central conceit of THE SOPRANOS is Tony working through his demons, but the show spent so much of its time psychoanalyzing that it alienated me as a viewer for long stretches.
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post #45 of 45
9/3/08 at 12:17pm
It doesn't lack for character or character moments, that's for sure. Get on that shit, Pat, then stop by the Wire Virgin thread. Then on to the brutal majesty that is Deadwood and you should have a pretty good idea why "It's not TV, it's HBO" didn't seem so pretentious at the turn of the century.
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