Sunday, June 10, 2007 at 10:28 pm
Sopranos Watch: Don't Stop
SPOILER ALERT: Do I really have to warn you?
HBO photo: Craig Blankenhorn
So let's cut to the (David) chase. I thought the ending was beautiful. Judging from the comments already pouring into the Television Without Pity forums (and my neighbors screaming curses into their Brooklyn backyards at 10:01 last night), you didn't. Consider this a public service. You can't walk up to David Chase and tell him what a self-indulgent, pretentious jerk you think he is, so you can post here and do it to me. You're welcome.
But hear me out first.
I'm sure we'll talk about the other 59 minutes of the finale (which to me were fine but not stellar) at some point. But the ultimate moment was, as they say about democracy, the worst possible choice except for all the other choices that could have been made. People have debated for months how the series would end, but anything other than some form of a life-goes-on ending would have been counter to the history and the spirit of the show.
This is life and The Sopranos' view of it: no dramatic final poppings, no big finishes and curtain calls, no operatic closing arias, no mind-bending twists (like the ever-popular "Meadow takes over the family business"), no karmic justice, just ignominy, never-ending dread and onion rings. Life slouches on, a rough beast never getting to Bethlehem. If we had gotten any kind of more conventionally satisfying closure--an epilogue, Tony getting locked up, the Russian coming back and whacking everyone--we would have loved it initially and regretted it later.
If you take that as a given, the challenge was to devise an ending that stayed true to that spirit but still managed to surprise, engage and stir discussion in the audience without tying on an uncharacteristic bow. The sudden cut-out focused you on that last glimpse of James Gandolfini's expressive face, idly indulging in a deep-fried treat, looking ever slightly up to catch a glimpse of his only daughter. The Journey song cut in mid-exhilarating rush. The silent rectangle of nothing that, I admit, suckered me in and had me on my feet hoping that my backup DVR was still working upstairs.
In other words, Chase (who wrote and directed the finale) ended Tony's story pretty much exactly the way he was expected to and needed to, and yet he had me literally on my feet, engaged, a little pissed, laughing at my surprise and immediately playing the last scene over and over, figuratively in my head and literally on my TiVo. TV critics probably like that sort of thing more than non-professional viewers. If an ending works better the more you think about it, that's another way of saying that it worked on "an intellectual level," which is not the level people generally want to watch TV on. (Though I actually though the piecemeal reuniting of the family, echoing the first-season finale, was moving and full of heart). I've already heard the complaint that Six Feet Under's finale (which gave closure for every character by fast-forwarding and showing their deaths) was right in all the ways that this one was wrong. But Six Feet Under was a show that was, literally, about the fact that everything ends. The Sopranos is a show about the fact that nothing does--until you die, you just repeat the same patterns over and over.
Was it a tease, a cheat? Sure. In a way. Chase played the last scene following family members into the restaurant, lingering on various vaguely menacing diners around them, telegraphing all the usual signs of menace... then it started cutting to random diners, showing that the next threat to Tony could come from anywhere. Or nowhere. He could be capped two minutes after the camera cut. He could go to jail. Or he could just live on until he dies, adding an extra coat of saturated fat to the inside of his arteries every now and then, surrounded by his disappointed wife and disappointing children.
Of course, that's if you read the ending that way. There's a credible argument to be made that Tony actually dies in the final moment--that a bullet (probably from the nervous diner who got up to go to the can) had just entered his brain and ended him.
Did David Chase kill Tony off? I doubt it. But whether or not he did, he did something that to my knowledge no TV finale has: he killed the viewer off. You and I, watching Tony and sharing his universe one instant, our consciousness of him snuffed out entirely the next. Ended. Whacked. They say you never hear it coming.
But enough from me. Go to the comments and let me know what you
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 7:33 am
Yes, yes....I get it. I get that he made us feel like we got whacked. We got to feel the "looking over our shoulder"-ness of not knowing where its going to come from...the tension...yadda yadda yadda. It was interesting, yes. But, finale fodder? No, defintely not. Chase is constantly using the "this is how it happens in real life" argument to save him from being accused of copping out. Leaving the Russians storyline hanging? Oh, its art. This is life. Things are left hanging in life. The gambling storyline all of a sudden popping up? Hey, sometimes we don't see these types of things until later in life. This is life.
This is a TV show, Chase. Work at it. I defended this show throughout when others attacked it. I even defended the dream sequences. But this is unforgivable. I understand that life isn't always clear-cut, but your inability to tie things up has now left us floundering. Your inability to say straight whether or not you are doing a movie has ruined what could have been a great finale.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 7:43 am
James - I completely agree. The ending powerfully focused us on the greatest Soprano's theme of all: there are ALWAYS monsters in our midst, dealing with problems just like you and I (in fact, we ourselves may be the monsters). And since it can be either your killer/arresting officer/total stranger/beloved family member coming through that door next at any time, why worry about the first two? Instead, as Tony says, "focus on the good times."
Equally powerful to me was the resolution (so to speak) of Meadow and A.J.'s lives on the show. Meadow, perhaps every bit her mother's daughter, rationalizing her choice to pursue poverty law by pointing out the times her father had been "falsely" arrested by the FBI, and saying in essence "if an Italian can have his rights trampelled, what about new immigrants?" There is no doubt in my mind from that comment that Meadow ends up at the big law firm with her fiance, representing the white-collar crooks and corrupt politicians who are probably rigging bids to benefit guys like Tony. (And how ominous that Meadow's future father-in-law is set to be brought closer into Tony's circle?)
And A.J., immediately dropping his political/social rights beliefs in exchange for a hot new (and slightly more fuel efficient) car and a job in "movies" with Little Carmine. A.J. (like Meadow, too) is entering the "family business," albeit its less seedy side - A.J. will seemingly remain the spoiled kid who never really leaves his parents or his father's financial support/influence.
An ending that works. Sure, it's not as powerful as being shot and then having your head rolled over by an SUV (wow....good riddance, Phil), but a great ending nonetheless.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 8:16 am
You know what else was powerful?
Those Choose-Your-Own-Adventure books. Genuis. Do your want to open the sarcophagus (pg.79)? Or do you want to enter the door to your right (pg.92)? Or does Tony die (pg. 131)?
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 8:16 am
You know what else was powerful?
Those Choose-Your-Own-Adventure books. Genuis. Do your want to open the sarcophagus (pg.79)? Or do you want to enter the door to your right (pg.92)? Or does Tony die (pg. 131)?
Powerful.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 8:17 am
Ugh, my apologies for the double-post.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 8:18 am
Disappointing, boring, very weak episode...and arguably the worst series finale ever. While leaving all options on the table, it was obvious that Chase only cared about one: the big-screen version.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 8:41 am
I thought the ending was brilliant. If you think it was a letdown, it must be because you wanted Tony to die and you probably would have been let down with any other ending. I sat in my chair for the last 5 minutes with my heart pounding and my arms stiff with tension. What more could I ask for, the drama was great. I have to imagine David Chase laughing last night when the TV went blank and millions of viewers looked around their living rooms wondering if the cable went out. Once the credits began rolled and you realized it was over, the questions start flowing through your head. Afterwards, I stood up with weak legs and laughed out loud. I haven't had that feeling since the first time I went on a rollercoaster.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 8:50 am
"if you think it was a letdown, it must be because you wanted Tony to die and you probably would have been let down with any other ending."
See...this is why Chase does this crap. He knows that people are going to watch it and say, "well, Chase is an accomplished guy. He knows what he is doing. It must mean this and those who don't get it? Well, they need everything spoonfed." Then, those people can just say that those of us that didn't like it wanted something else. Or those that didn't like it are stupid. Or, perhaps, those who aren't with us are against us.
People wonder how Bush got elected. Getting people to think they are in the cool crowd works wonders. It works on both sides. Chase was at least smart enough to know that giving "intellectuals" a reason to exclude everyone else will essentially guarantee him a pass.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 8:56 am
@Wayne:
"You know what else was powerful?
Those Choose-Your-Own-Adventure books."
You and I may never agree on this episode, but LOL.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 9:09 am
I too jumped up to see if my Cable had gone out. What an ending!!!!!!! Tremendous.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 9:11 am
Great episode. Perfect ending. Life goes on...loved it. Loved the going to black as Meadow comes in the door. Loved the possibility that Tony was whacked (he wasn't, there'll be a movie)...just a great ending. And I predicted the win over, and the whacking of Phil L...so I'm a pretty satisfied and happy camper today.
Steven C.
Duluth, GA
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 9:12 am
Wayne - I have to disagree. I don't think Chase gives a damn about what the audience thinks - he's never wrapped up a number of story lines, he's never been beholden to a deadline as far as delivering a new season, and last night shows that he could care less about delivering an "ending" in any traditional sense.
But this show was, in part, about the psychological wounds families pass down to each other (the "Livia to Tony, Tony to AJ and Meadow?" storyline), and the decay of our past traditions and their replacement with something new.
This latter theme resonates throughout the Soprano's. Tony's failure to find/embody the ideal of Gary Cooper, an archetype from an era permanently lost. The mob's slowly decaying power - I mean, the FBI doesn't care about them anymore, they're so focused on terrorism, and even helps them kill each other. The loss of Italian identity when Native Americans question Columbus' legacy, Little Italy is reduced to one block and engulfed by Chinatown, and the mob hitman who kills Phil has the name "Walden," causing Paulie to say "what the hell type of Italian name is that?" Even Dr. Melfi - the tearing down of psychology (to be replaced with what?) and realization that some problems (such as Tony's sociopathy) cannot be talked into remission.
These two themes coud never be "resolved" with a "conclusion" that would satisfy the audience, and perhaps that is the point - we as the audience need to realize these themes move on, with or without the Sopranos being on the air. If you hate that resolution, I think that's exactly what Chase wanted.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 9:16 am
After considering how the show could have ended, I am more than satisfied with the continuation of Tony's life as is.In some ways, the ending was a perfect send off for the entire series and ultimately, the Sopranos really was about family.What better way to end than to be surrounded by family in a feeding environment.
I certainly prefer some ambiguity to seeing Tony die a predictable,bloody death.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 9:17 am
I'm glad that I didn't watch the last 5 years of this show. I didn't waste my time watching it and then in the end being disappointed at the lame ending. Who really cared through the show about the interactions of Tony and his family with the other characters? What a waste of time when you consider that everyone was waiting for the end. As I said I'm glad I didn't waste the last 5 years watching this show. If Tony would have turned informant and Phil was arrested and would spend the rest of his life in jail would be a more appropriate ending.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 9:23 am
I thought that the ending was brilliant.
Chase left us feeling edgy, looking around at each face, wondering if it belonged to a hit man or an FBI agent. We felt the sense of the impending dread over Meadow being late, merely because she was struggling to parallel park the car. In a sense, we could finally understand why Tony was always on edge, always had to be careful and, in a way, fearful.
Like us, Tony is a man who always has to be in control, yet must live life know he has no control. No other ending could have been as satisfying.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 9:24 am
who cares
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 9:24 am
I did enjoy the finale for the most part...but it seemed like Philly's death was a little rushed. Also, I would have liked to see Tony use that big gun that he received from Bobby at least once!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 9:26 am
Definitely leaves you thinking about the multitudes of angles the story could have taken. I was told last February in L.A. by someone who had worked on the series, that the ending will leave you all set up for the full length film that will be produced. Probably $120,000,000. the first weekend at the box office. Then just think of the DVD sales of the flick, to complete the entire DVD collection that so many have purchased. Brilliant !!!!!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 9:26 am
Tony, his family, and his main guys alive. Nothing else matters.
Chase left the door open for a movie, it's the only thing that counts, so : BEST ENDING EVER.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 9:27 am
it seems that he may have actually gotten whacked. of course the genius in the ending is that we don't know and we may need to go back and watch season 6 again to get all the details, but one line taht they flash backed to last week that keeps sticking with me is Bobby saying to Tony (in the rowboat) "you probably don't even hear it when it ends."
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 9:29 am
it's those viewers who are just waiting for the big send off that need to stick to scarface or goodfellas or shows like CSI. sopranos, since day 1, has never just been about killing for the sake of killing or clean cut endings. it's always been precisely about the characters and how they interact. and how their actions have repurcussions. and how they never learn from their mistakes and never progress. and all the therapy just reaffirms their sad predispositions to anger, jealousy and the tendency to blame others for their problems. the ending was a beautiful way to wrap up the series. whether tony lives or dies is irrelevant. and, honestly, why would AJ or meadow get killed? that's not how it works. and why would they take over the business? that would be inconsistent with their characters and tony would never allow it. in truth, they all just muddle along. maybe tony will get killed one day, but not now, not at a time of transition like this. one day people will reflect on this and appreciate the beauty and genius of this show for what it is.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 9:30 am
WTF?! That is one hour of my life wasted that I'll never get back.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 9:35 am
Brilliant ending. I was really hoping Tony didn't get whacked... as that would have been too predictable. I love how this version leaves every possibility open.
For those of you who didn't like it, what would you have done differently??? I think anything less would have been disappointing.
And yeah, I was cheering when Phil got crushed.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 9:35 am
Mr. Poniewozik..."no big finishes, operatic closings, mind bending twists"...fine. But "devising an ending that stayed true to the spirit and managed to surprise, engage and stir discussion" is just...CRAP.
After all these years, the loyal Soprano fan deserved a kick as finale worthy of all the hype...I guess we´ll just have wait for the movie...thanks David Chase.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 9:38 am
I am conflicted.....I do think it was a cop-out/sell out, although a clever one. I dont need closure, I could care less about seeing the russian again, I loved the dream sequences, I never thirsted for more whacking....but this just leaves me with a cold feeling. This was easily the weakest all around episode of this mini-season which I feel has been brilliant. Oh well maybe I am to stupid to get it...have at me....
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 9:39 am
You could get all intellectual and say the ending was brilliant.
But a nagging part of me says the show ended the way it did because it is not over...ie -- new season, movie, whatever, fuggedaboutit.
Anybody else feel that way?
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 9:39 am
Its a tv show, it should have a tv show ending, the second to last episode was the best episode ever!!! People wanna see people die, they wanna see the role play out. I think chase started something that he wasnt smart enough to finish. And so what if there is a movie?? All the good charactors are gone!!! What a waste of an hour for me. I shoulda went to the surf club and saw jonathan peters and got drunk on the beach. I coulda caught the re run if i knew it was gonna suck. I think chase had no idea how to finish it so he took the easy way out. I think chase should be banned from making another televison show ever!!! I think he needs to be whacked for wasting all of our time!!!!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 9:42 am
I too thought the ending of the Tony saga was a disappointment. Angela Lansbury was rushed...she didn't even get the chance to walk on stage to the applause that a legend like her so richly deserves, the excerpts from the Best Musical nominees were way too short, and the sign-off by Angela seemed pre-emptory.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 9:42 am
Loved it!
Tony was a murderer, a thug, and loved his family (including the incessantly annoying Janice!). Chase couldn't kill him. Couldn't let him live. So he let Tony's audience finish the last scene. Brilliant!! The Journey song (? "Don't Stop Believing" - can't remember the exact title) will be what Meadow hears after the shooting stops (yes - I 'killed' Tony, Carmella, and A.J.), channeling her last conversation with Tony.
Not that I'm giving the wrap-up a blanket "yes!". That whole business with the FBI and the Russians was confusing. And what was with the cat?
Love it or hate it, ya gotta hand it to David Chase for a gutsy call. Bada bing!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 9:42 am
Loved the ending. Everyone can interpret it as he/she likes: Tony lives, Tony's whacked, the whole family buys it in one spray of bullets--anything could have happened. The ending said: the series is over, you (the viewer) no longer have a window into these people's lives, what happens next is out of your hands. Likely the reason so many disliked the ending is that having to think about something is becoming passe in our culture (see the movie Idiocracy). In my husband's ending, Tony and his family are all killed; in mine, life goes on.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 9:46 am
I loved the ending, brought the series full circle, in a way. The series essentially started with Tony having an anxiety attack, and now Chase has given the viewers one. Chase wasn't about to kill Tony or send him to prison, this show has never been a morality tale. Though, in a way, Chase did the cruelest thing to Tony, which is to let him continue to live his life as he has always lived it. The only difference now is the audience now understands how suspenseful, paranoid, frustrating, and unresolved, an existence he lives.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 9:50 am
I LOVED THE ENDING, I WISHED THEY WHACKED AT LEAST MEADOW
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 9:51 am
I thought the ending was brilliant. Frustrating, sure - but brilliant. David Chase is an evil genius.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 9:53 am
What a great ending. I had to watch the DVR when I came home from a gig last night. I was on the edge of the couch, heart beating out of my chest...then the screen went black. I was like 'what the hell, they didn't finish recording .....omg.....omg.....what happened.....' then the credits rolled.
I laughed. David Chase got me good. Butthead!!!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 9:54 am
Surprising and fantastic ending. Nobody guessed it. I didn't read one blogger that guessed it. Phil got whacked with relative ease. The New Yorkers got on Tony's bandwagon. No Terrorist issues. No FBI double-crossing Tony...but actually helping him in a huge way. No Russian. No AJ freakouts. No Sopranos whacked. Paulie was as loyal as ever...though we all know he complained constantly.
The greatness of the final episode is that everyone that watched it was just as paranoid and on the edge of their seat as Tony in his everyday life. It did come full circle. Tony is the man again...ready to rebuild the crew and business partnerships. And he is as paranoid as ever. I loved the black out at the end. "You never hear it comin'". Who knows, Tony could have been whacked (probably not though since Phil was already whacked). Or, life goes on...
I would think that the more it is thought about...whether you are an "intellectual" or an "instant gratification" type of person, it seems to me there can only be one conclusion: It was a great ending.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 9:54 am
Intellectually brilliant ending? HA! it was a cop-out. It was not a finale- it was a cliff hanger. I have seen every episode of this show. I have waiting the year+ in between seasons, I have been loyal and patient....and what do I get for a reward? I get messed with by Chase.
I for one will NEVER go to any damn movie. I am sure it would be a let down- as Chase would only ebd it with a sequel in mind.
Chase you should be ashamed for doing this to us.
I didn't want Tony to die- but I wanted to understand a bit more of these people-and where they go...
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 9:56 am
The cat was brilliant, staring at Chris's picture
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 9:58 am
My wife and I sat in a sweat of suspense as the final seconds ticked down. She stated that "Tony is gonna get whacked by those guys!"
"Those guys" of course where the four men the slight of camera shifted on as the family gathered in the booth.
When HBO went black and soundless leaving all of America hanging she went ballistic. She turned to me and loudly said.."What happened? Are you kidding me? What kind of ending is that?" "WHAT HAPPENED?!!!!"
I tried to give her my concept.
"Honey, not all packages come with a bow. Those four guys could have been hit men ...or...they could have been FBI men acting as protectors of Tony because they want him alive in order to use him as an informer. It's up to the viewer to draw their own conclusiveness. It's what you want it to be."
My words had the same effect on her as the volume from the TV.
My lovely wife is very much a "bow" person.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:00 am
well said chaddogg and jim. i too was weak kneed from the tension and the idea that we were just "taken out" from our secret viewing place was great! i will miss tony and his crew but i like to think he is still out there sweating it! thanks to that ending i can!!!!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:01 am
I think the ending was a total cop-out. The quinessential hollywood happy ending where the family gathers and all is right with the world.
There is no consequences for your actions, no remorse, life goes on. It was like the final episode of MASH. Everyone gets on with life and they get everything they wanted. Except at least in MASH, there was some consequences on action whether intended or not. I'm sure all the critics will howl about how clever the ending was, but in reality it was a final cop-out for the series that was a total cop-out.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:03 am
I wish I could see the last 10 seconds of the finale again (before the abrupt cut to black). I think we would have been "tipped off" by a surprised look on Meadow's face if she walked into the restaurant only to see one of those "menacing" diners with a gun a few feet away from her father's head.
If anything, I bet if you showed the replay of the restaurant scene to somebody who had never seen an episode of the Sopranos before, they would see nothing unusual about the scene. They would not get a hint that Tony was in danger. I think its a play on the paranoia that we were expecting him to die that WE were the ones seeing the danger, even though there was none.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:03 am
Chase did what a good writer does. He left the audience wondering and wanting more. The "Sopranos" is a cash cow. I don't blame Chase for keeping the show alive with the thought that there very well could be a reunion show or quite possible a big screen movie. If he had capped the family, it would have been too "Hollywood".
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:04 am
David Chase = Shakespeare reincarnated. Perceptions have a direct relationship to an individual's own experiences and character. Way to go, Chase!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:07 am
Chase has secured his future fans - all those who think that the finale was brilliant - unfortunately for Chase, while those people may feel that they are the ones who are artistically intuitive enough to "get it," they are also a staggering minority. Follow the rule of the entertainment world: nine out of ten big hypes will ultimately disappoint.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:09 am
I get it! I get!!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:09 am
After reading/hearing all the fuss about this ending, I'm just glad my life doesn't revolve around the TV like some folks'!
Big deal. Get over it. If it helps, you can rest assured that you'll be able to give these people some more of your money when the movie comes out!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:12 am
There were three major opinions of what the ending would be. Tony: 1. gets whacked, 2. goes to jail, or 3. disappears. Chase would have left someone disappointed if any of the above happened. So he left it that any of the above could have happened. I have heard that there were 3 people in the restaurant from past episodes who had reason to kill him. When the camera panned to Tony during the Journey song, the lyrics 'he took the midnight train going anywhere' were the last words before the camera turned to something else. He also commented to Carmella that someone was informing to the Feds on his operations. There you go. You can pick the one that suits you or you can go with the one that Chase added to the mix.. Life goes on.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:13 am
chaddogg - I understand the point. But no other way it could have ended with that central theme in mind? How about, and this is a total for instanct, Tony getting shot in a random act of violence. No respect, just dead by some thug looking for a few bucks. That would have still carried that theme through, I think, while having the "crescendo" feeling of what a finale should have.
I don't think this was a horrible episode...it was just a disappointing finale.
I just know that, when the screen went blank, I felt the urge to defend it as I have in the past. I felt something pushing me to say to my brother sitting next to me, "Well, just give it a chance. I am sure he wants us to think this. He wants us to feel this." But in the end, it just left me feeling empty.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:14 am
Oops! Correction:
I get it! I get it!!
(sorry, too many peyote buttons in my youth)
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:14 am
A VERY disappointing ending to one of the best series in T.V. history. Loyal fans of the show knew that Chase wouldn’t wrap things up with a shiny bow. But I think we expected a finale representative of the story we’ve followed for 8 years. Not to mention, the episode was all over the place. Jumping from one confusing scene to the next. You’re a phenomenal writer Mr. Chase; But you should have let the next to last episode be the finale (which is what he originally intended). At least that whole episode made sense.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:15 am
also, instant...not instanct
Sorry bout that.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:15 am
I'd say it's a good bet there will be no Sopranos movie, and if there is, I'll be the first to miss it. It's one thing to tease me by fading to black on existential dramas that will come back into focus next season. It's another to cut me off for good in a blip that makes me think the cable went out. This show was the end, for pete's sake. It could have been a last, satisfying, ride for the loyal fans, but it became Chase's self-indulgent mediocre drama with techno-failure overtones ending in blackness. Saying it's his story and he can do what he likes with it is like saying a parent can do whatever they like with their kids. We know where that leads. When you create something, you are indeed responsible for the effect it has. Count me out of any future audiences he whistles for.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:18 am
The real ending was last week's episode where Dr. Melfi throws Tony out. She says she can't help him. Chase can't help us either. All he can say is that these people will go on in much the same manner as they always have.
Read the article in Vanity Fair. It's very telling about Chase, his motivations and what he thinks about television. As much as I believe this episode is a brilliant piece of work, there is also a voice in the back of my mind telling me that Chase is also saying "Goodbye and F*** You!".
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:20 am
TV critics probably like that sort of thing more than non-professional viewers.
This the best line from this article. Like this clown is a smarter TV watcher than most people. He watches TV, FOR A LIVING. Jesus. Can you imagine calling yourself a TV critic in public?
The ending sucked. Shakespeare has about 20 plays that deal with imperfect characters who are doomed to repeat their mistakes. This is what the greeks 3000 years ago called tragedy. The greeks and Shakespeare were able to provide profound endings. We wouldn't still be reading them if they had endings like this. Fortunately for the Sopranos it was so strong up until this point. Chase was clearly out of ideas. He should have let one of the good writers write the episode. It was big let down to a great series. Everyone, except these people who consider themselves professional TV watchers, knows it.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:33 am
wow, actually...I meant instance, not instant or instanct.
I be a gud riter.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:34 am
Loved the ending. Makes sense due to the themes of the Sopranos but surprised the heck out of us all too. Have a sense of humor, folks.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:36 am
The ending reminded me of the stage play "The Buddy Holly Story" in the way the lights suddenly went out and the music stopped --- similar shock effect, and effective I thought. I liked the idea you mentioned that perhaps Tony's own life was snuffed at the end --- worth thinking about. Was it Chase's intent to suggest that?
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:37 am
Wow I spent all these years watching this and that's what you give me? lol It was for sure an ending that I wasn't expecting, It caught me off guard so much I asked my wife to watch it as soon as she got home from work just to see if her reaction would be same as mine and boy was it. Regardless it was great series and hope to re watch it all over again except for the last part final Ill pass on it and mentally create a better ending for my self.
Michael Feliciano
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:38 am
I was really disappointed in the ending. I felt the whole episode lacked drama. Also, the fact that they did NOT make it evident to Tony Soprano that Phil had gotten whacked was disappointing. I felt I had watched this series for so many years, and to end like it did, why did I even bother watching for so many years????? It was probably left open for a movie later on.....
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:38 am
Tony is dead. What was the only flashback seen in the previous episode? Bobby noting that when you get hit your mind doesn't even register it. You don't know it (presumably referencing a bullet to the head a la Leotardo). Why the ending of going to black? He took a bullet from the guy who went to the Men's room. One issue: it would have made a little more sense then if the last scene was Meadow walking in. That is, Tony's senses are extinguished instead of the camera viewing Tony. Anyone agree with this theory?
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:39 am
All right, I have heard from both sides and rendered my own judgment.
The possible ending for Big T was jail, death, protective custody, or survival. Tony survived. Of course T has always had the potential of danger around him; it had been there from the jump. But, the overall scenario is that Tony handled himself and all important matters that left him alive and well with his family. Of course he might get killed, or go to jail, or this or that, but he didn’t. He handled all the necessary matters and killings, i.e.; Chris, Adriana, his crew...etc... He did what was necessary and he masterminded the mob and ends the boss of the two largest cities with a mob presence. Why is Tony being a winner a bad ending??
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:40 am
It was like a jazz player ending a song on a different note than the one expected to keep the audience on their toes.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:42 am
Not sure if this is worthy of posting, as I'm commenting about one paragraph in particular.
Very, very well stated. Fix the typo -- to to -- and this paragraph should stand as one of the most basic yet insightful summations of Chase's conclusion:
Did David Chase kill Tony off? I doubt it. But whether or not he did, he did something that to to my knowledge no TV finale has: he killed the viewer off. You and I, watching Tony and sharing his universe one instant, our consciousness of him snuffed out entirely the next. Ended. Whacked. They say you never hear it coming.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:45 am
I thought the ending was a perfect summation of Tony's life. Eventhough he survived yet another attempt to kill him, he is still in the precarious state of always having to watch his back for the next attempt, the FBI is after him, and life did not change. His triumphant did not lead to an life altering change, but left him in the same state. I took the last scene as the way Tony see the world, seemingly normal people appear as omnious threats. He relates to his wife that he will probably be arrested in the near future, but does so as if it were just another day. Tony is not paranoid because people (and FBI) are really out to get him, but that is his world, thus others always take on the omnious cast. I think it was a very good piece of cinematography that showed Tony's view of the world.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:47 am
The song playing before Tony put the money in the jukebox to play Journey, was “All that you dream†by Little Feat.
Dream, Huh!!!!!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:52 am
The thing I regret the most is I will NEVER GET THAT 63 MINUTES BACK!!! Now if this had been a SEASON ending episode I would have applauded David Chase as being brilliant and shrewd. That would have been the greatest season ending cliffhanger since "Who shot JR?". But to end a SERIES with that episode was weak and without justification. To spend an inordinate amount of time on AJ's pathetic exhistence was a complete waste of time. I did however think that trying to gauge if Uncle Junior was really losing it or faking (Vincent Gigante) was great. But it was and is clear that David Chase is really setting up to make a movie at some point down the road. One great moment (Phil's head getting crushed and the kid throwing up in response) paired with several very weak moments made it a very dissapointing night.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:52 am
...hell, after waiting all these years for "closure" (or a grand finale) and then getting this ending, I´d have settled for Tony getting up off the crazy couch, walking out into his backyard and WHACKING ALL THOSE DUCKS in his pool...fade to black...
and still room for a movie Chase.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:52 am
I have mixed feelings about what I witnessed last night. I have been a Sopranos fan since episode 1, and I have followed the lives of Tony, his family, and his friends for 8 years. That's roughly 85 hours of my life I've devoted to David Chase's fictional family (that's in "live TV" hours, not to mention the DVDs I've wathched over and over, probably tripling that amount of time). I think the least David Chase could have done for the loyal fans, if he has no plans for a movie or further episodes, was to give us some kind of closure on a series that I have been loyal to for nearly a decade.
Yes, I'm intelligent enough to see where Chase was coming from, leaving it up to viewer's imagination. However if I want everything left up to the imagination, I may have just as well sat around for the last 8 years, smoking cigars, and coming up with my own mafia characters in my head.
I think myself and all the other loyal fans out there were owed more than a "TV Black-out" in the final seconds of the final episode of our favorite TV show. Artsy? Not really. Would we have been disappointed to some degree over any ending that Chase dreamed up? Probably. But an ending that included some closure on any level would have been much better than the cop-out I witnessed last night.
The show would have been better off ending after the Season 4 finale.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:53 am
@Pete: Thx for the catch. Fixed.
@ David L: My point is not that TV critics are smarter (or not) but that by trade we tend to (over)reward shows that we can overthink and treat like puzzles. For better or worse. Regardless, we'd probably also disagree on the endings of a lot of novels from the last hundred years or so, which also broke with a lot of the conventions of the Greeks and Shakespeare.
@everyone else: The comments are coming fast and heavy, so I doubt I'll have a chance to respond in kind, but keep 'em coming.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:54 am
I was hoping against hope for a non-conventional ending to the Sopranos..and we got it! James' comment that anything else would have been momentarily gratifying, like the flavor in a stick of gum, was right on the money. It would have been abysmal to end such a unique show in a fomulaic manner.
Personally, I also felt that the episode was a bit meandering, but I enjoyed the way David Chase constantly worked the audience--including his tip of the hat to all of us when the FBI agent gleefully blurted out "We're winning!" Yes, we were all routing for Tony, a murderous sociopath. (Who largely regained his humanity in this episode.)
In retrospect, the real series ending for me came when Phil's henchman wandered out of the almost non-existent Little Italy into a sea of Chinese faces. Chase has been chipping away at the romanticized notion of a macho-Italian mob culture since the first episode. This was the final piece. If its not history yet, its fading as quickly as the image in Tony's rear-view mirror. And Italian-american groups felt this was furthering stereotypes?!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:54 am
Brilliant.... Want more!!!!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:57 am
So many people crying!! So many people want the Hollywood ending: everyone dies and all of the plotlines are solved.
Get over it!! If you want the snitch ending, go watch Goodfellas, if you want the twist ending, go watch the Godfather, if you want the bloody, everyone dies ending, go watch Scarface.
I think it ended perfectly, nothing really changed, life goes on.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 10:58 am
I have no problem using my imagination to fill in the voids left by the writing. But what bothers me is that it seems like the writing just got down right lazy. Chase has been taking the easy way out for the last 2 seasons. Is that due to the critical acclaim he has received, or is it due to the fact that he got bored with the concept? Either way the quality of the show dropped over the last 18 or so months, and Chase (no thanks to the professional critics) was allowed to hide behind his "genius" title. In the end art or no art, it's worthless without the audience. He owed us loyalists a little more. At least a little more effort.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 11:00 am
I don't mind the ending so much (I coulda done without the blank screen panic attack tho - tony eating onion ring - cut to credits woulda been less childish). Tony hasn't changed, much like he hasn't changed throughout the series. Life goes on as is.
What was disappointing was the weak 60 minutes before the finale. I wish they had cut out the AJ nonsense on the car and filled out the bobby/janice and phil storylines a little more. Phil part felt rushed for all the build up to it.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 11:05 am
Did anyone else notice the canned ham that Tony carried back into the house after the sitdown? Goes back to the scene with Tony in Dr Melfi's office when he said things are like the poor woman with a canned ham under one arm crying because she doesn't have any bread. The last show was full of little tid bits like that. Great show, though did panic thinking my cable went out at the end...Thank you Mr Chase it was a bumpy yet exciting ride
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 11:05 am
"During the final edit, as the repetitive guitar riff continued on and on, Lennon told engineer Geoff Emerick to 'cut it right there' at the 7:44 mark, creating a sudden, jarring silence which concluded side one of 'Abbey Road'. The final overdub session for 'I Want You (She's So Heavy)' would be the last time all four Beatles worked in the studio together." -- Wikipedia entry on the Beatles' Abbey Road album, released 1969.
My two thoughts at the blackout were, (a) technical difficulty, and (b) this has been done before (see above). Not sure why anyone would want their viewers to be thinking either thing, each a meta-thought which takes you away from the story and diverts you to thinking about the style. This is why the ending seems self-indulgent to me.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 11:06 am
I have watched the sopranos from the start. I think it is the best mob story of all time. My routine has been to waited for the box set for each season to come out on DVD and buy it. I own every season. For the end I even broke down and order HBO which I hate but I just could not wait. I was so looking forward to this. I am so disappointed in the way this ended and as always HBO is one big rip off. I feel like I have wasted so much money right now. I almost feel like I have been robbed. I could care less at this point if they make a movie. I won’t go see it or buy the DVD. I will not waste another dime on this crap. I can’t cancel HBO fast enough.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 11:14 am
The ketchup scene was brilliant! We were all feeling frustrated and anxious by the show at that point.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 11:15 am
It was a bore, a waste of a great chance to have a great ending.
Let me give you the ending I wrote early in the week.
If I wrote the last episode...
The 55 minutes would be filled with a visual recap. Cuts about what we all wanted to rememeber, even him thinking about killing Phil. Doing a reflection of who he is etc.
And then we realize as before it was all going on in Tony's head.
We cut to the reality of
Tony is lying on the bed just waiting in the room.
With the gun across his lap. Silence overwhelms us.
Just as the episode is almost over you hear a series
of shots (coming from downstairs lots of commotion)
Tony jumps out of bed,
The camera looking over Tony's shoulder as he stands
ready with the gun facing the door to the
bedroom...errie silence as we hear the sound of feet
coming up the stairs.
And then the screen fads to black.
Alfred Hitchcock could have taught Chase something about endings.
Not a bad ending right, leaves you hanging.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 11:16 am
Anyone pay attention to the lyrics :
Workin hard to get my fill
Everybody wants a thrill
Paying anything to roll the dice, just one more time
Some will win, some will lose
some are born to sing the blues
But the movie never ends, it goes on and on and on
Maybe life just goes on for the Sopranos. Tony faces a case, maybe he gets off maybe he goes to jail, but life goes on for everyone.
Maybe Tony gets whacked ( they have repeated in the last two epsiodes Bobby's word's " I guess you don't hear it coming, everything goes black " and Tony replies " ask your friend up on the wall " Well maybe that was Tony's head up on our wall in that Plasma or LCD TV )The ringing of the bell on the diner door, the last shot we see Tony, maybe that was the ringing of the death bell ( for whom the bell tolls )We can talk about all the symbolisms in this episode that could point to Tony's death ( the two black guys who are reminders of the two black guys that tried to kill Tony for Uncle Junior ) the shirt that Tony was wearing in the end was the same one he was wearing when he got shot by Uncle Junior, maybe that explains the crazy cutaway they did when he was standing at the door and then all of the sudden he was sitting down ( we never saw him order the onion rings for the table either )The guy in the members only jacket ( also the name of the episode when Tony got shot by Uncle Junior )
This show has always been about levels and making you read between the lines. But it boils down to this:
True fans of the show loved Tony and his family. Would a true fan actually want to see Tony get shot in the back of the head, while his family watched in horror? Would we have wanted to see Meadow watch as her father and possibly mother and brother were killed in a hail of gunfire ? I don't think so. I think we were given the ingrediants for our own likely conclusion, we just had to put it together. Bottom line is this:
we stand in lines for hours to get that 90 second rush of that roller coaster at the amusement park. The anticipation, the ride up the big hill, the hairs standing up on your arms and neck, feeling like you are on the edge of your seat, then when it's over you clank to an abrupt stop, feeling a little drained. Well for that last 90 seconds of the show, i was on the edge of my seat, studying ever face in that diner, the music playing louder, drowning out the conversation, sitting on the edge of my seat, then an abrupt stop. " some will win , some will lose, some are born to sing blues.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 11:19 am
This show has never been about satifiying expectations, so it ended the only way it could have. There has never been a show that more often violated the number one rule of playwriting: "Don't make a point of hanging a gun on the wall in Act 1 if you don't intend to use it in Act 2." The series ended the way almost every prior season ended--the second to last show is where everything happens, and in the last show the family is all eating together. That's about as much consistency as we ever got from Chase.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 11:21 am
Let's see, I can't come up with an ending that's going to make everyone happy, so I'm going to make the audience more than a passive observer (a narrative device I haven't used once in the 8 years the show has been), and try to make everyone / no one happy at the same time.
And I'll set it to a Journey song that might be appropriate in more ways than people realize (the audience clearly didn't win, only question is did we win / lose or was the audience simply there to sing the blues).
Nah, this was a stinker. Except for the cat scaring Paulie.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 11:22 am
they couldn't have put in a little something about THE DUCKS in the last episode??
that would have been killer.
.... to be continued ....
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 11:23 am
meadow has little cans
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 11:24 am
@ everyone saying go watch Goodfellas, The Godfather, or Scarface - I think that sounds like a good idea. Everyone should go do that. As those are well-handled mob stories (some would disagree with this point on Scarface, I suppose..although I still enjoy it) rather than the mis-adventures of Italian-Americans as seen through the eyes of an ego-maniacal writer.
I guess you are all right. If the Godfather just blacked out with Vito playing "Crazy Orange Smile" with his grandson, it would have been totally satisfying.
Or how about when Henry Hill pulls up to his house after his drug-fueled day of helicopters and handicapped brothers...fade to black. I would love to be sitting here right now debating what happened instead of actually knowing.
Not having an actual ending is a lot more satisfying than someone wrapping things up. That's probably why everything else except this final Sopranos episode has sucked.
At least Homer knew to end every scene with a "star-wipe."
I hope my sarcasm has shined through.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 11:32 am
Believe me, the end of Seinfeld was the worst ending ever....this...meh....I am neither disappointed nor am I overjoyed. It made sense to me....
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 11:37 am
Oh, and for everyone who wanted Adrianna to come back, pay attention too the cat that stared at Christopher's picture no matter where Paulie moved it
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 11:41 am
I thought that the ending was magnificent ,it had your heart pounding ,wondering if Tony was gonna get whacked right up until the last second , it also made you think that no matter what is going on around him and even though Tony is a horrible sociopath ,that nothing truly matters except the love that he has for his family ,I also sat in my chair for a good 20 minutes after the show was over and thought Wow it really is over or is it?
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 11:42 am
Great ending, except I didn't see it. I stopped HBO last year and never saw the last ten or so episodes. Thank God, because I my mind Bobby, Phil, Johnny Sack, Sil and the boys are alive and doing well. Thanks David Chase my happy ending seems to be more satisfying than yours.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 11:43 am
Chase kills the Sopranos, but he can't bear to show them being murdered and so he cuts to black. He leaves all the clues and demands that we be observant and think it through. While many will talk that there was no real resolution to the show viewers who watched closely know that Tony and his family all now sleep with the fishes. Here's why. When Tony enters the restaurant for the final scene he is in a brown leather jacket, surveys the joint and who does he see in a booth? Himself, sitting alone. If you didn't catch that shot, but have it on Tivo, check it out. What happens next, the family arriving, Meadow parking her car, the suspicious guy at the counter going to the bathroom ala "The Godfather" and the two hip-hop dudes arriving all of it spell doom, but we never get to see it. Why? Because Chase could never show us the murder of Tony and his family. It would be too traumatic for him and for us. So what was that scene about with Tony seeing himself in the booth? He's dead and has come back to see how he could have been so wrong and not seen it coming. He even looks up to check the guy out on his way to the bathroom, but did nothing and obviously misjudged the situation. Now he comes back to the scene where his family is whacked to see how how he could have missed it. Why were they whacked? With Phil gone an peace breaking out who could have ordered this? Remember the conversation with Mink about the impending indictments and possibly having to testify? Carlo is the rat not Paulie. Also, remember from the second to last episode that the FBI agent told Tony that there is an informant inside Phil's gang? The Feds were closing in and perhaps someone wanted to clean up the mess. Who? Carmine Jr.? Possibly. Or perhaps the boys from Brooklyn just lulled Tony into a false sense of security. Maybe a crazy Phil loyalist was getting payback. Was that guy a Ukaranian getting revenge for last week's flubbed hits? the Whatever the case, viewers should review the restaurant scene very closely. The music might provide clues as well. Little Feat singing "All that you Dream" and Journey playing "Don't Stop Believing" have some special meaning here as well we can be sure. But in the end none of us could really bear to see a family we shared so much with being shot to death in cold blood. Chase did the right thing. He just made us think hard to fill in the blanks. A masterful and appropriate finish to perhaps the greatest television drama ever. Salude!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 11:45 am
You know something...you all need to get back to work and stop talking about this, its nothing more then a TV series at its end. I hope you all analyze your own lives as much as the lives of some fictitious mobster and his family.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 11:47 am
I am really tired of hearing people say how brilliant this ending was. The emperor has no clothes and this lame cut to black was the biggest cop-out in the history of cable if not mass communication. If the intent was that Tony was killed use a gunshot over the black screen at least. This pathetic ending lets everyone fill in their own blanks and that is not reality when it comes to crime families. Someone else fills in the blanks for them, either by killing them or locking them up. A totaly wast of an hour I wish I could bill someone for.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 11:52 am
hey everyone--get a life.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 11:52 am
Stop trying to get back on the bus, guys, and just let it go. Not a satisfying ending (especially after last week's explosive episode), but clever. I'm just glad that Paulie's OK, and that Tony's got a new, little P***y to hang around with (who seems to identify with Christopher). The show had to do something unexpected, and the unreal amount of speculation left an ending like this as the only way to pull a real surprise. Enjoy the DVDs and keep in mind that "Remember When" is the lowest form of conversation.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 11:53 am
The ending as classic...The rest of the episode was BORING.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 11:55 am
Did the Phils win yesterday?
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 11:55 am
Seriously. I mean, Really? Anyone can find something artistic or poetic or satisfying about the ending, but really? Come on now. Go Entourage!!
And listen to The Man.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 11:55 am
Don't get me wrong I did not want to see Tony killed but there was so many different things they could have done. I did like the fact Phil got want was coming to him. I am from North Jersey and we could not have New York with the upper hand. At least they gave us that. It was just a lame ending. It’s almost like they ran out of ideas. What about this, Chris comes back. He never dies in the car after the accent and turn’s informant as revenge for Adriana death. That would be cool right?
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 11:57 am
I want the Stugats boat! Best name ever. Now having said that - Stugats is what we got at the ending - and what else would or should you expect? I loved this show, the characters, the settings, the scenery, the writing. I'll be the alternate ending was to fade to black, come back to the scene and have them all dead and not know who killed them. I've also said for this entire season, that they would all be left to their own vices - and that's exactly what happened. They're still eating, enjoying life albeit always wondering who's out to get 'em. Da Best ending ever! Hats off to you Mr. Chase.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 11:57 am
Is the ball game for the players or the crowd? Is a TV show for the creator like Chase or the audience? This ending was for Chase, he made it consistent with the way he sees reality. The problem is that everybody creates their own reality today; there is no universal truth: We all have our own. It's the Age of Opinion--and Chase ended the Sopranos according to his. It is said that one should leave the audience wanting more--and don't we all? Despite the suspense of the episode, especially the last five minutes, I look forward to a movie that ties up some of those loose ends. That's my opinion, the way I would like reality to have been last night--and I'm sticking to it.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 11:58 am
Why are people who profess they haven't watched the last year (one guy said 5 years!) even POSTING here!? How can you possibly offer an opinion if you haven't watched it? You must not have anything going on today. Just thought you'd drop in and make inane comments. Buzz off.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 11:59 am
Great analysis as usual James! There seems to be an myth emerging about the closing credits. Some guy on MSNBC claims the credits state that Nicky Leotardo is one of the people in the diner thereby adding credence to the 'Tony gets whacked' theory. I've checked and it is not so. Anyone else catch wind of this?
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 12:01 pm
If you kill him you make him a hero, But forget all that what about Angie, Donna Pescow. Why has no one mentioned her.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 12:04 pm
I absolutely agree. I couldn't believe it was Donna Pescow! I flipped out. That was a great touch. Gotta go watch Saturday Night Fever again.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 12:09 pm
I wrote this brilliant show. It start out with a mafiaso and his disfunctional family. It will keep you thinking the whole series long. At the end... You supply the ending.
Sorry the ending doesn't cut it.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 12:13 pm
I just kept waiting for the show to redeem itself to the way it used to be. What was once an intense, unexpected thrill had become too plodding and thoughtful. While the last scene did reignite some of the old suspense from thin air, it was too little, way too late. The series, for me, ended shortly after Ralphie's head went into the bowling bag.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 12:13 pm
I hear ya Marcy but the truth is, Chase did give you insight into "those" people's lives.... Watch it one more time, not through your eyes but through Tony Sopranos eyes and you'll discover a lot about his life..... Chase isnt brilliant, he simply chose a path that many before him have already traveled. A simple twist on the classic Greek tragedy tip, but only in reverse.....
I am very sure that when the movie does come out, we'll all get to eat our cake..... on this, I bet money!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 12:13 pm
The motivation for this ending was simple...long term payoff for another season or movie finale. Reminds me of Seinfield.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 12:18 pm
wayne, no apology needed for the double post
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 12:20 pm
I'll have to agree with the TRUE intellectuals and those of us who don't like being scammed; Those of us who know the difference between honor, justice and Truth. We've been had by David Chase. He is a hack at best and a con-artist at worst. He had all of us believing he was this brilliant writer, when in fact he is a lazy, yet clever, bum who scammed HBO et. al. into giving him millions of dollars for what turns out to be crap.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 12:22 pm
I drove all the way back from Cleveland, to watch that, Im so upset about the show, I wish I was still in Cleveland!!!!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 12:26 pm
Spectacular Ending! David Chase simultaneously had millions of people jumping up and down and cursing at their cable/satellite providers, or cursing themselves for setting their DRV's wrong (I was personally cursed at by my wife and niece for prematurely changing the channel!).
Glad Tony lives on, and I hope a big-screen version comes sooner rather than later.
What a great series!
Bravo! Bravo!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 12:27 pm
there's more to life than television, people.
get real.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 12:30 pm
James - you nailed it. Thank you.
I am not disappointed with the ending, but I thought the final show overall was poor. The acting and editing were not up to par. There was little tension or suspense. Too many story lines were rushed along (Ex. all of a sudden Phil's crew turns on him???). Not too mention there was too much of a focus on AJ (boring!!).
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 12:30 pm
How about this guys....... take a look at the episode prior to the last one...... anyone notice that Tony goes to bed ona sheetless mattress WITH his clothes on...and then wakes up in PJs/with robe AND the bed had sheets on it...... fast forward to the last episode and listen to what song is playing as Tony searches for a song to play (Dream a little....) This sucker was dreaming and the movies will be about the REAL LAST EPISODE to Tony Soprano's life..... any takers......hehehehe?
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 12:31 pm
The show has always been unpredictable, but the surprises evolved naturally. The ending of the series was a trick, very out of character, very “Look at me.†I was disappointed.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 12:33 pm
Props to morons who come on message boards to tell people to stop posting on message boards.
This means you, The Man.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 12:34 pm
Ok, please stop saying "brilliant."
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 12:37 pm
This stuff is Brillant!!!
Brilliant!
Brilliant!
Brilliant!
Brilliant!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 12:42 pm
Be creative and imagine you own ending, and for God's sake, it's just a TV show, not end of the world. The sun will shine again tomorrow....
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 12:43 pm
Absolutely brilliant. Loved every minute of it. Paulie being spooked by a cat looking at Cristupha's picture, priceless! I was sitting at the edge of the sofa, counting the seconds and hoping that the entire clan would not be whacked.... I got my wish..... With the Sopranos gone, I need to get a life now.... Thanks David Chase; the Jersey family will be missed.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 12:43 pm
It was a brilliant ending! Part of me wanted to have closure after following it for the past 8 years but art imitates life and vice versa and sometimes closure never happens and other times it takes a long time to reach that closure. Any great artist, writer, film maker, lyricist/songwriter, poet, etc..lets the audience decide what it was about, what the ending is?, etc, etc...and that is one the beauties of creativity. In my opinion Chase is a genious and could not have given us a better gift of imagining which direction their lives went??? And how fitting that he ends the Final Episode with the song "Don't stop Beleiving"...A classic that will keep us talking for years to come or until the film comes out which in my opinion should be many years down the line.
At the end of the day, The Sopranos was one of the greatest if not the greatest TV show of all time and what they did the last two seasons was brilliant! How the writers were able to add Spirituality, Homosexuality, Suicide, Tony going soft for a while after he got shot, etc, etc but still remain true to the main premise of the show; was and is GENIUS!!!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 12:44 pm
Not having a real ending to The Sopranos is a lot like takin ga fine girl, a dime, to a fancy restaurant, two bottles of wine, fine veal, and driving her home in your Porsche, and then as you walk her to the front door she invites you in, only you get a call from your mother, and you decide to go pick her up from the airport.
The ending while having artsitic integrity will never sit well with anyone because it did not provide for us ther eason why we watch television shows, entertainment. It was boring and ended suddenly.
I believe this is a ploy to leave something to be desired, via a huge box office movie, which if is the case I am all about it because I think it would be great to see The Sopranos on the big screen.
But for now I am pissed!!!!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 12:44 pm
Be creative and imagine your own happy ending, and for God's sake, it's just a TV show not end of the world. The sun will shine again tomorrow....
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 12:45 pm
I thought the end was terrible. Not that I wanted to see anyone else get clipped. If Chase would have left the end with them in the diner and that was it, I would have been satisfied. But to hint he or anyone in his family got clipped, the way it was done was not right. There were, as already mentioned many loose ends. I for one wanted to see the Russian come back. I prefer the way Six Feet Under ended, showing closure with the main characters. You do not know if Sil is dead. I would feel better about it if I knew there would be a movie coming but it does not sound like it. Chase could have ended it better, not dissapointing such a loyal fan base.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 12:45 pm
Basically it boils down to this:
A) If you are an artistic / intellectual type you thought the ending was brilliant
B) If you are the type who watches pro-wrestling you thought the ending was lousy
All I know is that I've had that dang Journey song stuck in my head all day....
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 12:47 pm
I guess the John from Cleveland people were hoping for a better lead in to the premier of their show. All they got was a bunch of bewildered/angry Sopranos fans...
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 12:49 pm
VSO artisitic and intelectual people do not watch Sopranos for worldly insight or artisitic inspiration. Like prowrestling fans they watch it for entertainment, which the season finale failed to deliver.
The end of the show should have been more concrete!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 12:50 pm
If Tony lives on but no one is around to see him, does he make a sound?
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 12:52 pm
THANK YOU, anonymous.... those people who tell us all how ridiculous we are for posting comments... seems to me like they are reading them too!!!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 12:52 pm
Well, I for one am heading out to the local library and tearing the last couple pages out of every book so I can be an intellectual genius too.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 12:54 pm
The cat -
Chrissy
Adrianna
or
The Russian
reincarnated?
disappointing ending after 8 years.
but it might lay the foundation for a movie...
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 12:55 pm
Well,
In my mind it was not my ideal mafia ending. I expected to see gore. I know that my mind was playing tricks on me but for closure purposes I really wanted to see him die. If that would have happend Tony would have been a legend!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 12:55 pm
Don;t forget artistic Ben! LOL
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 12:58 pm
they got me on this new medication...it makes me urinate
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 12:59 pm
Ben, you are hilarious! Best posting I've read all day! (and I've read A LOT) As disappointed I am with the finale, it helps to hear something like that. Thanks!!!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:02 pm
Did no one notice the obvious Godfather refernce at the beginning of the episode where tony walks around eating an *orange* in the safe house with carmela? oranges signify impending death of course (think don corleone with the bag of oranges etc) So that, plus the tangential recollection of bobby's warning from the boat ("you won't even know it's happening when they hit you") all add up to the fade to black being tony getting whacked as we see through his eyes the diner characters? no???
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:04 pm
For those seeking a more work-a-day insight and explanation on last night's final episode, I have four words: "The Sopranos: The Movie"
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:04 pm
First off, from this point forward no series should end without a double 2-episode finale. Hasn't anybody learned anything from 24? Second, I wish Tony would have called upon Furio to help him with his NY problem. Thank you for your time.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:05 pm
For those seeking a more work-a-day explantion into what the final episode all means, I have four words: "The Sopranos: The Movie"
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:05 pm
I too thought that the cable had gone out, and started to freak!! I did not want Tony to die and am glad that he didnt. I look forward to the movie!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:05 pm
No.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:06 pm
The guy at the counter was a Ukaranian relative of the Phil look-a-like and daughter seeking revenge. He plugs all the entire family and eats the rest of the onion rings to boot.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:07 pm
David Chase you're the man. I sat there wondering dang what happened to the cable then I started to laugh. It was wonderful a classic ending.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:07 pm
Ok - fine. Tony lives on. Fade to black. However, the concept was ruined by the tease that he was going to get whacked at the last minute.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:08 pm
Maybe the cut to black was to symbolize that Tony & family didn't see it coming ??? Whatever David Chase wanted to depict, he left us with the best cliffhanger ever. Another day in the life of 'the family'...which in any family is never a tidy wrapped package.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:10 pm
I didn't care too much for the ending, but that was because I had spend some time leading up the ending debating the outcome. What I appreciate about the ending is it opens the door to many new beginnings. Now other people can speculate about how the family continues on and we can get various points of view until the end of time. In that sense, the story doesn't end but lives on. And isn't that what life truly is. After we are long forgotten, others carry on the story for us. Maybe in this case, Chase is leaving the future up to us - a very personal and political statement.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:11 pm
Intellectual? you call ending a show without an ending Intellectual? I have a masters degree and if I handed in a blank thesis and told my professors to "fill in the blanks" I would be laughed at. The, guess whats gonna happen, ended in not intellectual in fact it was a cop-out. David Chase was trying to be a genius but in fact just made loyal fans very angry. It does not take a genius to cut the screen black to let the viewers create an ending. It takes a genius to wrap up a 8 year long series with a good finale. I am very disappointed millions of viewers wasted 8 years for a black hole of an ending. This is like reading a great novel and stopping in the middle.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:11 pm
I loved the ending. Not because it was brilliant, but because it ended one of the worst shows ever to be thrown on TV. What a stupid, boring, and dumb series this was. I'd rather watch reruns of Mama's Family on Philly 57.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:13 pm
Chris,
Nobody cares that you have a masters degree. So get off your high horse.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:14 pm
This is like going to an asian message parlor and leaving before the happy ending!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:15 pm
I thought it was awesome!! Big screen movie is set up..
I did NOT want Tony to get killed,,last week was action packed, this one kept me on the edge of my chair the whole show
When will the movie be out,,long live the SOPRANO'S
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:17 pm
Chase is a coward!!!
Either way one camp or another would be disappointed; the camp that wanted Tony to die or the camp that wanted Tony to live. So Chase decides to piss everyone off and not tell us how it ends.
The writer/creator/director decides in the end to let us, the viewers, write the end of the story. Not acceptable in my book. This is cowardly.
He drops all these little hints that Tony COULD get killed but doesn't deliver.
Chase forgets that in the end everything needs closure. Live or die is not important what is important is that we KNOW what happens, not get left with an assortment of endings or could have scenarios.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:21 pm
Donna Pescow looked like hell!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:22 pm
No, the ending wasn't a cheat, if you get the feel for what was coming down. I was hanging out with a "drinking buddy", and we feel sure that there were hit men coming in at the end (the frowning Italian guy, who went into the M'sR just before the end, and maybe the black fellows too.) We think it was cool, to just suggest what was going to happen to Tony, and then the daughter maybe coming in on it, etc.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:24 pm
To Me: If you think that this is once of the worst shows on TV why are you on this site?
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:24 pm
I thought the finale was sensational! I loved the ambiguity. I will really miss the show.
Ted
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:25 pm
I can't wait for the MOVIE!!!!!!!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:25 pm
At first I said what the hell kind of ending was that? Then I had time to think about it and I'm glad it ended like it did. I truly did not want to see Tony or anyone in his family die and part of me wants to see a movie if there is one. And the screen going to black was brilliant. And all of you know you would not have thought of that. I have had episodes that I thought were great and some that we not so great. But all in all I loved the series and with the ending that happened last night, it left the door open for me to see Tony and his family again and also see what new journey they all go on. Thank you HBO.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:25 pm
Donna Pescow looks about the same as back in SNF, only older! Neat touch.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:28 pm
karen,
i'm bored.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:29 pm
Tony was whacked! No more no less. In the last episode after Bobby was shot Tony recalls fishing with him at the lake house and Bobby mentions that " they say you don't even hear it". Thats why the silence for the last 10 seconds. Tony got whacked.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:29 pm
Yea -- We got whacked!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:30 pm
If I didn't watch the finale, life goes on too for the Sopranos right? Me and my son looked at each other with the WTF was that look. Nothing happened absolutely nothing! What a cheat !
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:31 pm
I don't have a problem with Tony living. I would have been just as satisfied had he lived, died, or gone to jail. My problem with the ending was the ambiguity. The whole scene built up tension like something was going to happen and then . Were any of those featured customers going to kill Tony or was it all just in his head? Was the cut to black the end of Tony, following the discussion he and Bobby had that "You never see it coming"? In my opinion, Chase did a very poor job of conveying his idea for the ending.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:31 pm
i thought it was great! Especially the way Tony shook his fist at Gino and Marie rolled her eyes and clutched her leg after Bossman punched Freddy. I mean the drama produced as they all approached the door right before the rain stopped was unbelievable! Kudos to all the writer and directors!!!!!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:32 pm
Why should it have ended any other way? Life goes on. When a writer forces a plot to end it ends up being just that, forced. I hate watching otherwise good films that force plotlines to be tied up at the end just for the sake of satisfying some Hollywood formula. Who says Tony Soprano can't go on running his family? What difference does it make? They were eating dinner and time ran out, series over. I thought some of the predictions leading up to the series finale about how Tony would die or be made to suffer for all of his crimes were thought up by people that have no idea what the Sopranos was about. They should go rent Casino or Scarface and enjoy the tidy endings.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:33 pm
Well I was mad as heck thinking my satellite went out...was about to cuss out the poor lady at Directv until I saw the credit rolling...
I was like Holy Mackerel! What a heck of an ending...I sure as heck didnt see that coming! lol
But there are many clues on how that end...
like the dude that went in the can.. that was Phil's nephew... from season 6
The dude with the trucker cap.. that was from season 2/3. He have a legitimate grudge against Tony.
The two cats that came in wearing jogging suit either they were FBI agents or Professional Hitmens... I didnt catch their role in the credits.
Then you have the group of kids by the jukebox, imo they were decoys.
It was the most intense finale in the history of TV.
I was mad as heck but I have to realize we just got whacked by HBO lol cuz as we all know when it time to go, everything goes black.
And that cat was a methapor if I ever seen one.
We all can agree that cats have 9 lives. Show has been on for 9 years.
Then I have to rewind on the credit and take note of the names in the diner.. when I saw the name of the dude that was sitting at the diner, I put 1 and 1 together and as a result was able to get the answer.
GANGSTA!!! STONE COLD!
Mr. Chase deserve an EMMY for this espiode because he made a lot of people MAD lol!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:34 pm
What did we really expect? The last two seasons were incredibly weak compared to the earlier seasons. If Chase doesn't try to take this to the big screen I will be shocked. It is the only reason to end it in the pathetic way he did. When/If it does show up on the big screen, I really hope it flops, otherwise, we can expected more of the same down the road.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:34 pm
Tony is dead, the restaurant scene is actually him looking from the great beyond at how he screwed up and got so complacent as to allow his whole family to get whacked in public. Fade to black indeed. Fuggedaboudit.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:34 pm
Without a doubt .. one of the worst Soprano's episodes ever..and the most unrewarding series finale since Seinfeld.. First of all I don't buy the "artistic license" Chase tried to reveal hefre in the final episode ..Life goes on...The viewer get's whacked.bullsh!t..He basically is a money whore ,Who decided to keep the nucleus of His main characters intact Paulie..Tony..Silvio..and for what..A return of the Soprano's , a Movie..etc ..It's not anything "abstract"..What it is , is a bleeping discrace ... open your eyes
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:35 pm
Unsatisfying, maybe but more unsatisfying would be Tarantino showing us what was in the briefcase. Chase did the same but on a bigger scale and leaves it to the viewer to decide for themselves. Our imagination is almost always better than having things spelled out for us.
The emptiness I felt during the silent credits mirrored what must have been inside Tony the whole time.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:36 pm
Sopranos - life unscripted.
I think that best describes the ending. There isn't really a script as to how life ends (Unless you know Jack K), and the Sopranos met this same fate.
Fade to black.
Love that. Absolutely love that.
And I agree that the ending was certainly intellectual/philosophical in nature. Totally works for me.
PS: C'mon people, it may have been one of the best pieces of TV ever created, but it was still just that...television. Don't take it so personally!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:36 pm
I think Battlestar Gallatica was a far better show.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:37 pm
i don't know what you are all talkin about!!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:39 pm
Doesn't the open ending set us up for a movie as the real finale? There are too many unanswered questions...
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:39 pm
amber - i'm with ya!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:40 pm
did anyone notice in the closing credits that one of the diners character's was Phil Leatardo's Nephew? I have heard rumors, but have not had a chance to watch the credits...could be a clue, you never know
what was with the friggin cat??? Perhaps Christopher reincarnated just to piss off Paulie?? HA!!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:40 pm
Beginning of season Tony says "when you get shot, everything goes black..."
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:44 pm
Journey Rules!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:46 pm
Have you ever seen a remote go through a plasma?
I didn't until the end of the show last night.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:46 pm
The significance at the end of Meadow having trouble parking her car is this: Tony, Carmela, and AJ are all whacked,and Meadow remains to run things. How can she run things when she cant even park her car!
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:47 pm
Whitesnake is better.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:48 pm
Why not just buy a book and tear the last pages out of it.This is the samething.
Wonder if they would refund my cable bill for HBO for the last five years.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:49 pm
As I have 4 cats, my dad and I were choking in hysterics during the scenes with the cat, especialy when Paulie was ready to "wack" it with the broom. When the cat followed him to Satrialie's and just laid down staring at him, that was so perfect!!!!
My folks and I all yelled at the same time at the ending, when the TV went black - "what the hell", then we started laughing.
Thank you, David Chase for a terrific show (including the entire cast members), and a terrific ending.
Monday, June 11, 2007 at 1:49 pm
Loved the ending. Ambiguous as always. Left open future opportunities. Bring them back in a movie by HBO next year.
The tension built in this last hour was incredible. Who will get hit. When. I imagine that's the way it works.
Someone you don't know, or maybe you do, walks up to you and shoots you dead or you're on a machine the rest of your life (or season) and the rest of us do mundain things like file the toenails or temporarily live in some smelly, damp cottage by the shore and business still goes on and our children still don't have a clue how transparent and venal they look to us but we still love them and would do anything for them. Sopranos life is built on a network of trust which is slowly eroding away and he'll never know when death comes for him and who's talking to the grand jury.