The Sopranos, Season 5, Episode 13, "All Due Respect"

The Sopranos
From TVGuide.com: Synopsis:
All Due Respect
60 mins.   

The mob drama wraps up its fifth season, made memorable by the introduction of compelling new characters.
Chief among them was Tony Blundetto (Steve Buscemi), Tony Soprano's ex-con cousin whose hair-trigger temper ruined his big chance to go straight. And since Tony B. ticked off New York boss Johnny Sack (Vincent Curatola), the pressure is on Tony S. to maintain the peace. Although she was almost married to the mob, Adriana paid dearly for crossing Tony Soprano. Should blood relative Blundetto feel any safer? Tonight's show may hold the answer.

Cast: Dominic Chianese, Edie Falco, James Gandolfini, Jamie-Lynn DiScala, Lorraine Bracco, Michael Imperioli, Robert Iler, Steven Van Zandt, Tony Sirico, Aida Turturro, Steve Buscemi, Steven R. Schirripa, Vincent Curatola, John Ventimiglia

Director: John Patterson
Release Year: 2004
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I liked this last episode, though it won't be the one talked about for the next 18 months or until the next (final?)  season of The Sopranos debuts.
The episode that still has people talking is the penultimate one--the second to last. For all it's explosiveness and general greatness, it could have been the season finale. But Chase and Co. don't care if the audience is accustomed to the big, season-ending cliff-hangers of network TV. This is HBO, so Chase will tell the story on his own time line.

The finale itself was good--filled with symbolism and foreshadowing.
Will AJ's success at  "event planning" remove him from consideration from being a successor to Tony? Was he ever a realistic choice? (Yes; and I don't think so. The series went to great lengths to show what a girly boy AJ is.)

How ironic that within a day or so of Tony S's taking out Tony B., that it turned out to be unnecessary with the rounding up of Johnny Sack's crew on what sounded like some stiff evidence (eighteen years worth of charges)?
Fodder for plenty of Tony-sized angst/guilt next season.

Within Tony's "other" family, will Paulie Walnuts continue to express his dissatisfaction with just about every facet of the role Tony has him playing? What about Silvio? Tony spelled it out quite clearly that he has no plans--ever --of allowing Sil to counsel him in the way a true consigliore does. Will Tony then face loss of loyalty from both Paulie and Sil?

What should we be expecting from Christopher next season? In their final scene together, Christopher was  in hiding, fearing that the wrath of Phil Leotardo toward Tony B. would be taken out on him. Tony S. comforted him and they hugged tightly, obviously sharing sorrow. Chris says he's gonna prove to "T" that he's "worthy."
But will Chris step up to the plate next season or will he descend back into his junkie haze?

What about Tony and Carmela?
All season, smugly, Tony never seemed to believe that the divorce would become a reality--and he was right. It appeared as if he was just waiting for her to name her condition for his return. It turned out to be $600,000 for property on which she and her father plan to build a spec house. Will this be Carmela's new exit strategy after this season's attempt to sever ties with Tony and "get (her) share" an utter failure?

It seems that Tony got most of his troubles taken care of in just two episodes. He's back with Carmela. Johnny Sack is no longer a problem. His crew (again) respects him for showing that he's strong enough to follow the code by "taking out" cousin Tony B., and he got the welcome news that  the Feds are not actively moving in on him. Even his worries about AJ's future seem to diminish.

So the season ends with more symbolism. Just as it started with the bear (Tony) locked out of the house, being kept apart from home and hearth, it ended with the real Tony stumbling out of the woods after running from the FBI like he was being chased down by the devil., walking across the patio as the bear did, but instead of shooing him off as she did the real bear, Carmela ushers him in, clucking in a motherly fashion as she notices his bedraggled state.

All seems well again in Sopranoland.

Comments

[Anne]

Does anyone know where I can buy Season 5 of the Sopranso? Thanks!

[Cyn]

Um, I think you may have to either rent it or buy it, Christie. I heard too that it's going to be on regular cable (not HBO) sometime--but I don't know when.

[christie]

does anyone know when hbo will play the second season again? i missed it!!!

[Cyn]

Glad Sopranos are "under consideration," Dan.
I hate to pay for cable and not use it, so I take a peek at a number of the HBO series. Some have been quite good. There's level of intelligence to the writing that's hard to find on network teevee.

PC, it's fine to comment at any time. In fact, I'll be stopping by your blog soon after having my Internet access mostly down for three days--so my comments won't be timely, either. No biggie.

[PurpleCar]

Sorry for the late response. I think you hit it right on the head with your summation of the season finale. It was ok. Ya had to know that Carmela was going to take him back. How was she going to get along, get a job? Please! She's whoring herself in a way, but I'm sure she figures, "a woman's gotta do what a woman's gotta do". After all, she wants her bling bling.

I, personally, am sick of the whole Christofuh line, the drugs, Adriana, etc. He's a whiny baby and he's annoying.

Too bad Adriana was so stupid, though. Those feds were just as bad as the mafia - I think they should be held accountable for manslaughter. They knowingly put Adriana in harm's way.

Killing Tony B. Man. Living here in Philly, I don't think modern-day mafia would do that crap. That sh*t there was old school all the way. his own cousin. Dang. It's like a version of killing Fredo.

Anyway, lots more to say, but nothing new to what you already outlined. Great job.

[Dan]

Cyn - I have to admit I haven't been drawn into the Sopranos. Maybe it's the scheduled time of the show (Sunday nights are rough), maybe it's because I felt like I could never catch up to understand what's happening. But through your posts -- I feel like an insider. I think I'll catch up through Netflix and join the bandwagon.

Thanks.

Dan