“The Sopranos” — Stage 5
Pic via HBO.com
The Sopranos has always been cloaked in a veil of death, but this season the death elements seem to permeate everything. The show has become about The End, whatever that means. The end of the series, the end of characters lives, the end of an era — all of it. Anytime anyone speaks, they seem to be setting up how Tony will die (and we don’t even know if Tony will die… but he certainly could). Phil, Christopher, everyone.
Elsewhere in the episode you had to love Sydney Pollack as the orderly who was giving medical advice and who happened to kill about five people. It was odd.
Speaking of guest stars, maybe it was just me but in that scene with Christopher at the diner after the movie premiere, he’s sitting with Christopher McDonald (the actor) and I honestly wasn’t sure if Mr. McDonald was suppose to be playing himself or playing a character. This is what happens when reality and fiction start to tango. Three minutes earlier in the episode Danny Baldwin was playing himself. For all I knew Christopher McDonald was in Cleaver (as it turns out, he wasn’t, and was indeed playing a character… still).
On the subject of Cleaver… awesomely bad. Also awesome was how the director of the film was totally brushed under the rug during the premiere.
Oh, and Geraldo was in the episode. Ha! ‘Stache.
April 17th, 2007 at 10:38 am
I had the same problem with Christopher McDonald. There needs to be some kind of secret code, like a green pocket square or something, for actors playing themselves.
April 17th, 2007 at 9:32 pm
I think this episode gave a pretty good idea how the series will end, based on two conversations Tony had.
LIttle Carmine put it in his head that maybe it’s time to pull out of the “business”. And Agent Harris probably gave him the means to do so and still protect both of his families - he could enter the witness protection program with Carmine and the kids after giving the Feds what they need against any terrorist groups he might be doing business with. That way he doesn’t have to rat out the others in his crew…..