This week I watched the second-to-last Sopranos, which I’d never seen, and re-watched the final episode. I recall going to considerable length to see the finale and being thoroughly disappointed, not just by the final seconds, but by the entire thing. Basically the whole season 6 (the part after the break, anyway) was boring. It constantly followed plots I didn’t care about it and created new subplots (Tony’s gambling) when I wanted them to be building to something.
As I said, I hadn’t seen the second-to-last episode, and man did I love it. But there was so much good stuff rushed into one episode- it could have been expanded into a whole season.
The season should have opened with the Italians being flown in and killing the wrong guy. Then one or two episodes later, New York goes after Sylvio and Bobby. The whole season is full of feuding with Phil Leotardo. Tony kills Chris in a more climactic way. Throw an AJ episode in there somewhere, maybe one dedicated to Melfi “dumping” him, then in the second-to-last episode they learn Phil’s location and have the meeting to flip his guy. Final episode opens with Phil’s execution, then most of it is dedicated to Carlo going missing and the FBI getting grand jury testimony.
I’ve taken him this far. Now David Chase just needs to go back to the drawing board AND WRITE ME A FUCKING ENDING! No, I can’t come up with anything better. That doesn’t mean he shouldn’t. I’m not the series creator- it’s not my job.
I liked the rest of that episode better this time around. I really like what happened to AJ, I just wish they hadn’t crammed it all into the last episode. The scene with Tony and Janice is one of the only scenes of hers that don’t make me grit my teeth. It’s the first and only time I understood the connection between the two of them and why Tony keeps supporting her.
The encounter with Junior was good, too. And Paulie with the cat was hysterical. “Those things are like snakes with fur.”
But I’m still not happy with the ending. I just think his pretentious “commentary” on television went on for too long. He didn’t need a precious little device to do that: the whole season was anti-climactic, highlighted by the treatment of Christopher’s death. The gag ending was just a cheap shot, as far I’m concerned.
Go ahead, someone leave me a comment saying I didn’t understand it. Tell me your deep thoughts about how “we got to feel how he has to live the rest of his in paranoia”. Please.
I’ve been reading all of your archives with great interest (directed here by the Poker Grump), but this is the first time I’ve poked my head above the parapet.
My wife and I watched the whole Sopranos series in 2009, and I knew that the ending was ‘surprising’.
I didn’t feel ‘cheated’ by the ending, but I did think it was disappointing. I think many works of art end on an ‘ambiguous’ note rather than admit that there was no real dramatic ending that the creator could invent.
As someon who reads a number of serial comic series that have come to a definitive end, David Chase could have learned from Sandman, Preacher and Y The Last Man. These were all series that went for approximately 5-8 years and had artistic and dramatically satisfying endings.
Anyway, I don’t know if you get notified of comments to old posts, so this may just sit in the ether for a looong time..
Hiya Aussie, thanks for commenting. I can’t say I’m familiar with the comic series you mention, but I think you’ve put your finger on why an ambiguous ending is so unsatisfying. Glad you’ve been enjoying the archives, and don’t hesitate to pop up again with any questions or comments- as you can see, I am still notified!