This sounds so good. Do we dare wait till Sunday night? “Dr. Bombay” lacked any such patience:
Sopranos 5.3 FAQ
What's it called, Bombay?
What's it called, Bombay?
"Where's Johnny?"
What about Feech? You went on and on and on last week about how Feech
would emerge as season five's big adversary for Tony, but you qualified
your prediction by saying that you just can't be sure about anything
with this show. So is Feech the man or what?
Not ten minutes into this week's episode we see Feech cruising down the
street in a block-long black Cadillac, the master of all he surveys.
The moment just screams "old school is back in session." Shortly
thereafter he totally dismantles a hapless landscaper who makes the mistake of
mouthing off to him - we're talking crotch kicks, fisticuffs, broken
bones and, I believe, some spit. So deep is Feech's frenzy that it takes
Steve Buscemi to bring him back to reality. But believe it or not, this
scene is actually topped later on in the hour when Paulie Walnuts, a
loose acquaintance of the hapless landscaper, does even more damage to
some landscapers Feech knows - we're talking shovels to the head, a guy
falling out of a tree and even a stolen lawnmower - all in broad
daylight! This has all got something to do with a turf war and which
mob-connected landscapers get to work which side of the street. The beef brings
Pauly and Feech to a sit-down with Tony, who ultimately rules against
Feech. By now Tony knows he's headed for the rocks with this mean old
bastard. It's pretty obvious.
Does anybody get whacked?
Just a phone book.
Wow, this episode sounds action-packed. What else happens?
On the New York side of the river, the power vacuum created by
Carmine's death is causing all sorts of trouble as various parties vie for
control. But it's a great episode on every level, not just in the action
department. There's humor in the script (like the scene where Christopher
proves once again he's not ready for prime time), but it's emotion and
personal pain that characterize this episode. It's all on the surface.
It seems everybody's involved in some sort of argument or beef. In the
midst of it all Uncle Junior's deteriorating mental condition takes him
wandering through New Jersey looking for his dead brother (hence the
title). It's sad to see him helpless, confused and lost. Part of what
makes this show so special is the way it makes us empathize with
characters with whom we think we have nothing in common. These are bad people,
but they are still people.
What else is there in the way of subtext and compelling human drama?
Plenty. This is a great episode because it strikes a perfect balance
between everything people love about this show. In the closing scene Tony
and Uncle Junior share a moment that is so loaded with meaning that I'd
be wrong to spoil it. I've always believed that Tony, whether he
realizes it or not, absolutely hates what he is. But because he's Johnny
Soprano's son he's going to be the very best gangster he can be. He's also
basically a little boy lost, essentially alone since childhood and
increasingly isolated now that he's apart from his kids and the one woman
who really loves him (Carmella) - and surrounded by people he doesn't
trust. That's right, for all the backslapping these hoods do, they don't
actually trust, or probably even like one another for a moment. Tony's
and Uncle Junior's plights bring them together on a couch for the
aforementiond closing scene, and what transpires, though brief, is
unforgettable.
Wow. After that last line I feel stupid asking this but... how does one
whack a phone book?
Actually, I'm not sure it died.
So it's a great episode. Was there anything about it you did not like?
Just the fact that it ended.
Dr. Bombay’s rating for “The Sopranos” 5.3?
****
The Hercules T. Strong Rating System:
***** better than we deserve
**** better than most motion pictures
*** actually worth your valuable time
** as horrible as most stuff on TV
* makes you quietly pray for bulletins
9 p.m. Sunday. HBO
