Sopranos, Season 5, Episode Twelve, "Long Term Parking"

(From TVGuide.com) Synopsis:

The Sopranos
Long Term Parking 60 mins.
   

Tony Soprano and Tony Blundetto (Steve Buscemi) confide in one another about their pasts; Carmela's interest in a real-estate deal is supported by her estranged husband, who also mulls an offer from Johnny Sack (Vincent Curatola). Adriana: Drea de Matteo. Carmela: Edie Falco.

Cast: Dominic Chianese, Edie Falco, James Gandolfini, Jamie-Lynn DiScala, Lorraine Bracco, Michael Imperioli, Robert Iler, Steven Van Zandt, Tony Sirico, Drea de Matteo, Steve Buscemi, Vincent Curatola

Director: Tim Van Patten
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Who'd have guessed that the lovely (but dense) Adriana would get whacked this week? I guess just about anyone who has seen a mobster movie. Poor, stupid girl. And what a pig Tony is for ordering her hit. And Silvio. Isn't this the first time he's been shown actually whacking someone? Carmela--is she any better than the whores she holds with such disdain? In this episode she was bought for exactly 600K. Christopher. I think of them all, I want him dead the most--for him being extremely physically abusive (outside of "work"), coupled with his complete lack of a conscience, along with his delusion of having writing talent--of any talent, and for his whiny sense of entitlement. I will cheer on the day of his demise.

MSNBC'S summary  includes a nice "eulogy" to Adriana.

Tony Soprano's biggest problem this week: Little Carmine has stepped down to make room for Johnny Sack, and Johnny Sack is out for blood -- Tony Blundetto's blood, that is. When Tony tries to meet with Johnny Sack to ask for Tony B's death to be quick, he meets a new, hardnose Johnny Sack who's going to make his life as miserable as possible. And our Tony's not about to let that happen.

Body count: Two. Gilbert Nieves, a patron of the Crazy Horse, was killed in a fight with his drug dealer. But when Adriana tried to cover it up, she set in motion the dominoes that eventually led her to a long, lonely ride with Silvio. Her presumed death was a horrifying farewell to one of "The Sopranos" best characters, and a reminder that, in the Mob, even those the audience loves are never safe. The repercussions of her murder will echo throughout the upcoming season finale as well as the entire final season next year. Goodbye, Adriana. We would have liked to have seen you live to be a Mafia bride.

Hardest scene to watch: Adriana presumably died at the end of Silvio's gun, but before that, she was almost killed at the hands of her fiance, Christopher. When she finally confessed she had been talking with the FBI, Chris first hit her, hard in the face, and then leapt on top of her and strangled her for an agonizingly long time. It was true to Adriana's character that when he finally let go, her first reaction was to reach out and hold him, their tears mixing.

Best not-so-inside joke: When Christopher shows up late to a meeting with Tony and Silvio (played by Bruce Springsteen's bandmate, Little Stevie Van Zandt), Tony asks him what held him up. "The highway was jammed with broken heroes on a last-chance power drive," deadpans Chris, in a Springsteen homage that would have been funny even if Silvio wasn't present.

Heading for a fall: Poor Carmela. She must have thought her life was getting better, with Tony moving back in and promising "on our children's lives" to stay faithful. She even pursued a project of her own, buying a $600,000 parcel of land. But once she finds out the truth about Adriana, Carmela's world, which has been shaken so much lately, may just fall to pieces.

Best scene from next week's preview: Phil Leotardo doesn't yet have revenge for the death of brother Billy, and if he can't find Tony Blundetto, a member of Tony Soprano's family will do. A preview shows Phil raging with a crowbar, then cuts suggestively to Carmela in her home getting dressed. Draw your own conclusions, or tune in June 6 for the Sopranos season finale.

Comments

[Max]

It's been three days since I watched the second last episode of season five. I can't believe I'm still "shaken" by Adriana's murder. How funny - that all this time when "baddies" have been whacked, I haven't batted an eyelid and most of the time cheered at their demise! This time, it fully revealed the "cover our own ass at ANY cost" mentality. No one is safe. Very powerful, yet haunting stuff.

[Cyn]

Yes, they are all horrible X 3.
Chase and Company have been working overtime this season to make sure that those of us enamoured of the series don't forget that.
Adriana, after all was a drug addicted, lying criminal. But ChaseCo. had us rooting for her.
Most definitely excellent writing.

[Jack]

They're all horrible, horrible, horrible. Take your pick. Any one of them could get whacked and you would be, like, "yeah, he/she had it coming." That's the beauty of such good writing.

Poor Adriana. That moment when you figure out that Silvio is not driving her to see Christopher at the hospital is one for the books. Incredibly powerful.

I'm not ready to bad-mouth Carmela just yet. She is trapped and has just hatched her plan. We'll see where it leads.