Attila the Hub thinks the Sopranos story lines are becoming very dense, almost busy--as if the writers were trying to cram too much in. I think the episodes are more and more brilliant--and in a comfortable, less-pretentious way than in the first few seasons.

It turns out we were misinformed about the show maybe dying at the end of this season: there will be one more set after the current one (#5), though given the 18-month lead time in filming these it's possible season 6 was in doubt while they were producing the ones we're watching now. This might explain all the "big moments" my spouse was beginning to tire of. All this saying goodbye--and then saying it again. Season 6 will be shorter, though: only ten episodes. Just enough for HBO to retain its lock on Sunday nights, and to have a full 75 shows to shop around for syndication.

Last week's installment was probably the best one I've ever seen. The primary story line had to do with Cousin TonyB, who as the episode opens has been trying to break away from crime as an occupation. He is trying to become a licensed massage therapist, and comes across an opportunity to open his own spa. Everything is clicking for him: he even finds some drug money that's been stolen and ditched. But he's still hanging around with his mob friends, gambling a lot and skipping sleep before he clocks in to work. He gambles the extra money away and squabbles with his girlfriend. Three days before his spa is supposed to open he picks a fight with his boss and beats him up. End of business opportunity.

The next day, he asks his cousin Tony if he can still get in on the "stolen air bag" scam he was offered when he first got out of prison. Tony tells him it's better not to do business with strangers. Implication: Keep things in the family. It's just at the moment of success that TonyB collapses and runs away from the opportunity in front of him, because the responsibility is too great, the change too wrenching. He goes back to the familiar.

Meanwhile, Carmella has her first real affair, and is enjoying herself despite serious qualms--some having to do with the Church's disapproval (for she and Tony will always be married, as far as the Church is concerned), and some having to do with her feelings of loyalty to Tony--and her fear that Tony might get violent if he finds out about this. (After all, The Sopranos is all about the sexual double standard.) But as a mob wife, she has the "quid pro quo" mentality, and it's natural for her to ask her boyfriend for favors on her son's behalf. When he begins to feel used, she attacks him. On her way out the door, she tells him he should watch his step. The threat is perfectly in keeping with her mobbed-up sensibilities.

Taken together, this installment has a lot to say about how hard it is for people to change. We try to consciously, but our unconscious minds sabotage us back into our comfort zones. Or we think we're taking the indicated actions, but our old habits are so ingrained we don't even see them.

We lock ourselves into the grooves we've cut through years of habit. We foil our best plans and call it destiny.

And then we rail at God, who wanted the best for us all along.

Posted by: Attila at 11:27 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 586 words, total size 3 kb.