at the time, they’d gotten to known each other/work together a bit over 2 years if im not mistaken. the 1st season took 1 year to finish & the pilot took 1 year to air iirc
For me, it’s the length of the pause he gives before the statement that makes it so funny. He was genuinely trying to tie the logic of what he’d just heard Paulie say to what he’d seen.
All set up by the fact that they had poor cellular reception in the Pine Barrens. Tony alerted them by phone that their subject had been a member of the Russian *Interior **_Ministry._* Paulie misheard Tony, and misunderstood it as Interior _Decorator._ 😂 Brilliantly hilarious
It's easy to fall in love with character "Tony" only to be reminded that he is a murderer, adulterer and a thieving professional criminal. Absolutely brilliant.
@@ayda2876 he charmed women with his looks and charisma you dolt, there are a couple of women who are specifically obsessed with serial killers but those aren't the type you'll find everyday and most likely have a few screws loose aswell
@@JB-xl2jc Well it is not every year i watch it 3 times lol. But certainly over Covid it was. Usually it is just once or twice though. Once at the start of the year and then maybe a 2nd watching at the end. Other years once is enough. It depends if there are other shows worth watching at the time tbh. Each time i have watched it has been from different perspectives. When i was younger it was through the age of Meadow as i am the same age as her IRL, then more through Christopher, but recently it has been through Tony himself as i am now his age range. I guess one day it will be through Junior, rather that doesn't come too soon though lol
Solid breakdown. Meadow is Tony’s guardian angel. She’s the reason he didn’t die this episode, she brought Tony back from the coma. In the final episode, she’s unable to get to the restaurant in time cause of her parking which results in the ending we received
Like Michael Imperiolli said on the TalkingSopranos podcast, HBO told David Chase that "the audience will turn against Tony if he murders him" and he said "no, they will turn against him if he doesn't kill him" .. which I 100% agree with
@@trikstari7687 frankly, I think it was more about Cosa Nostra and honor and mobster duty than killing itself what appealed to people.. that we liked it because he was "a good soldier", not because he killed the guy
Bryan Cranston is so respectful to the art I love hearing him compliment the sopranos and its influence on creating a genre that opened the door to shows like breaking bad. Great actor and humble appreciator of the artform
@@stevowilliams8279 that's why I prefer breaking bad: there is a full evolution of the character and the plot, there are no stand alone episodes. We know Tony already as a made guy and captain, and de facto boss, and he doesn't really change throughout the season (which should be the whole point of seeing Melfi), in S6 he gets darker but it's not such an evolution as Walter White's (and Jesse's too)
The audience needed this episode because as much as we love Tony Soprano as a regular guy, we needed to be reminded that he’s a mobster and he’s ruthless and this episode showed us what he was capable of.
Personally, I find that standalone episodes in heavy plot series like this are an amazing breath of fresh air and escapism from the heavyness of the main story. And like it is said in the video, it lets the writers develop the characters so that when you "come back" to the main plot in the next episode you are even more engaged.
so true, they aren't bad filler episodes, they are genuinely good pieces of film that are enjoyable to watch. (I feel the opposite way about that freaking fly episode in breaking bad)
I either love them or hate them, no middle ground. One that I hated that comes to mind recently is in the Watchmen TV series where they did a full episode dedicated to the main character reliving her grandfather's (?) memories. It was an interesting way to do a stand-alone character focused episode but it just wasn't entertaining.
I love that Tony responded to her question with “am I in the what?” It it such a classic response when you catch someone off guard with a question and they’re about to lie when they respond further. And he does.
It's also key to establish the mob mentality and the fact is he couldn't let a rat get away with it. Wouldve been unrealistic in what it was trying to portray. It's also symbolic of the final scene of the show where many point to Meadow as his guardian angel and had she been sitting next to him if he would have succumbed or not. Even the ducks tie in here when it comes to the topic of family.
I distinctly remember canceling plans and rushing home to catch The Sopranos every Sunday evening. Then talking about it with everyone on Monday. There have been some amazing shows after this one but, the story and characters in The Sopranos were so well thought out and portrayed you couldn't help but feel a connection with them.
It is the ambiguity and constant unspoken insinuations by all cast members that made this show so emotional. You were charmed by basically every single character in their own way.
When I saw Tony hunt down and kill the squealer It reminded me of something I learned in the Marines, no matter high up in rank you are, you are always a foot soldier when it’s needed.
The symbolism in this show is honestly incredible... even after re-watching the whole show multiple times, I still find hidden gems and symbolism that I havent caught on to before.
@@zannythenanny4918 A lot of characters have a spirtual animal attached to them. For example the ducks for tony, the raven in the window for chris, the cat after killing chris. Just next time you re-watch, you'll notice a lot more animals/symbolism that you've wouldnt of picked up on the first time watching
@@zannythenanny4918 a good one i caught was when paulie and chris were doing the hit on mikey palmice, paulie gets caught in poison ivy. in s2 or 3 when paulie goes to the psychic, the psychic brings up the poison ivy, which i found pretty cute and funny (this isnt symbolism. i just found this to be pretty funny)
This episode of the Sopranos is the one I remember most 10+ years after watching the show. The scene of Tony showing his true colours going after a man he really doesn't have to kill is so memorable. The episode perfectly encapsulates how his mobster life tears at his family relationships and ultimately his dark side wins over regardless. It really set the tone for the show going forward, and it would always stick in my mind that no matter Tony's good qualities at the end of the day he brutally murdered this guy on a peaceful college hunt with his daughter!
But he did have to kill him. It's a deterrent. Criminals need to be reminded that if they don't uphold their "code", their coworkers will do a lot worse to them than the police will. Every single one of them was constantly on edge around friends.
He was a straight guy that was caught in a fight between wanting to live out his commitment to his faith and wanting to plow reasonably attractive middle aged women that were constantly throwing it at him. At least he wasn’t diddling AJ or Bobby’s little boy.
What's with all the quotes? You would have been better off trying out some capital letters and not bothering with all the 'completely unnecessary' apostrophes.
I remember watching this episode when it aired in 1998. I was already hooked, but this sealed the deal. It’s crazy that nobody had cell phones during this season. I didn’t get my first cell phone till ‘03. Now can’t live without them. Crazy how much changes in only 20 years
Great episode, great series. David Chase really hit a home run with The Sopranos. Sad that Mr. Gandolfini didn't live longer and share more of his talent with us.
Tony is the only role I've ever seen of Gandolfini and it's the absolute best character I've seen in any media, so the thought of seeing him as something else kinda feels wrong to me. Even the clip of him smiling and applauding at the Emmy's in the video here is just surreal.
@Miles Doyle i wrote a comment saying "Sir, this is Arby's" and they deleted it. I have no idea who did it, but I can clearly see that the reply section shows 4 replies (with this, five)
I have watched this series 8 times…and every single time I get more interested. It is without doubt the greatest tv show ever made and the character development was fantastic
Just finished my 6th rewatch last night, about to start from episode 1 again tonight for my 7th time watching the series, by far the greatest show ever made and I will never get tired of it. Just like you said the more you watch it over and over you learn more subtle details than before, rest in peace James Gandolfini and Tony Sirico :(
For me (the funniest line) would be when Tony was in the bar in the last season, and he is talking with one of the girls who worked there and asked her if she wants to go to another place: The girl : “oh , a man with a plan, I see” Tony: “no, a man with an erection” What cracks me up, is thinking how many men , were completely screwed the rest of their lives because of an erection. For real you can help me with our own conclusion 🤣🤣
My dad and I used to watch Sopranos together all the time, and this was always one of our favorites. It features several pivotal moments for Tony and Meadow's characters going forward, and firmly established Tony as a ruthless killer. He showed none of the mercy he was shown. Really groundbreaking television for the time.
I've watched the entire series of "The Saprono's" about 20 times (once a year) and still everytime I think I know all there is, someone like yourself makes a video like this and shows me ideas, thoughts, etc that I have missed. Thank you. Great and awesome analysis!
I've been rewashing Sopranos for maybe the 3rd time with my daughter, 1st time for her. I somehow missed the College ep, and been wondering where it was. That ep., the bonding and un bonding between Tony and Meadow, and Carmella and the almost tryst with the preist... Thanks so much..glad I saw this clip. I need to go rewatch College.
The scenes with Father Phil in that episode were beyond creepy. He's definitely the least likeable character on the whole show. I love when Carmela tells him off.
I'm sure Father Phil went back to pursuing choirboys after he couldn't score with Carmela. Phunny that 2 of the most despised characters on the show were named Phil.
Oh come the fuck on! Just because he gives off douche and creeper vibes on someone's wife? Who he doesn't even fuck? Meanwhile Tony has several affairs and murders people and runs a criminal empire that victimizes innocent families. ( remember that Benz that was stolen from that poor, traumatized family? Next scene has Tony looking at several polaroids of cars, one of which is the very same Benz. )
"You created one of the most compelling characters and you're going to through it away" No, the morally complicated aspect is what made him compelling.
I’ve been revisiting The Sopranos and and just as amazed as I was in the beginning. This was literature on film. Absolutely brutal, thought provoking, deeply disturbing, and heartbreaking. I’m so glad I was able to experience this show from the beginning. Now with the film of his youth I’m looking forward to how this will play out. I’m cautiously optimistic. Glad his son will play a young Tony.
@Miles Doyle You preach but are a sinner. What is your point ? Your computer let's you print and reprint senseless babbling. Time and time again, get a life...
@Miles Doyle god and jesus cannot love you, just as Tony soprano can't. Jesus is dead and god is a fictive character like Tony Soprano is. Even as a fictive character I cannot understand how people let themselves believe god is good and great. If a being continuously tests you to prove you are worth their favor, if these tests are hurtful and harmful, if they demand your love, attention and compliance, if they dictate how you should live, if they denie you stuff because you didn't do things their way... They are a textbook narcissist. Meanwhile people want to believe the fairytale so bad that they denounce logic and reason and put their faith in manmade doctrine. Well done to you! That will help you for sure. It's sad to see how many people still have their eye shells on. But if it makes you happy... Go ahead. Follow the fictive narcissist. But please stop bugging people with your badly written nonsens. Thank you.
UA-cam TV is so weird. I finished this episode last night and today this video is in my recommended. I'm glad they did. I didn't realize it's significance until now, great video.
Usually I don’t like videos like this but you did a good job blending actual scenes with great to the point narration. I did find it insightful and entertaining. You got a new fan.
Another important episode is "Employee of the month". Very brutal what happens to Melfi while pretty much everybody expected some sort of Hollywood revenge enacted by Tony. But that's not how you get it in life.
Not going to lie i expected the rapist coming back crossing paths with Meadow almost getting her and Tony would end up torturing him but i can respect Chase's decision.
Rape rarely is ever written properly in a TV Show, it’s almost always a cheap shock. In Employee of the Month we see one of Jennifer’s defining character moments and it really brings to light just how piss poor the system is towards victims.
This episode did feel like a short movie of sorts to me. It was awesome from character development point of view actually. I recently finished watching season 1 of Sopranos and I am hooked on to it now.
This episode always stayed with me after all these years. The fact he’s taking his daughter around different colleges - which is a happy, normal thing to do - and picks her up again after murdering someone an hour before. And the murder itself is pretty disturbing. I got on to Sopranos around 2002 when I was 16 and I’d never seen anything like that before.
I think it also shows how Tony is NEVER off the job. He has to continue his duties from both his families but he is letting the other family duties separate him from such a pivotal moment with Meadow. This constant fight between between his job and family begging for his attention and effort is something that i found fascinating in the show.
I never took to Breaking Bad. I tried to watch it, suffering thru the first handful of episodes, but the way the show portrays the illicit drug trade is just so far off base it's crazy. In Breaking Bad, everyone - from the lowliest addict to the richest kingpin, is a psychopath willing to kill at the drop of a hat. As a New Yorker who's struggled with heroin addiction for most of my life, I can totally assure anyone who's curious that the drug 'industry' doesn't work like that at all. Killing people is very bad for business. Dealers want customers, and don't want police attention focused on them. They don't leave a trail of bodies everywhere they go. However, since even a lame 'weed block' here in the Bronx can generate a couple thousand dollars in sales every day, dealers have to protect what is theirs and can't just let new people move in and start cutting into their profits. So it's best to be careful where you step and how you do it. Yes, people get killed occasionally. About 2 people every month in my neighborhood, in fact (White Plains Road and 225th street). And this started when some idiots tried to move in on a well established weed spot on the main strip. Prior to the first killing, it was like 7 months since anyone was shot dead in my hood. This little war has been going on since last summer. I buy my weed at that spot. I've got a pic on my phone of the cops placing the little numbers on the street where shell casings fell. The kids shirt that the EMT's cut off is still in the street. It's been pretty crazy. Maybe it's because of the pandemic. A lot of shit got out of hand here during lockdown.
No. Breaking Bad doesn't come anywhere close to it. Breaking Bad might still be the best of slightly modern times which gets it the hype it has today but on quality level it is nowhere near Sopranos.
The line "guy was an interior decorator" actually makes sense when you think about how the mob used to say "he paints houses" when referring to hit men.
That's a line from a book that claimed to be true but totally was not and I'm not talking about a little dramatic license I'm talking about total lie....the movie was good but fictional and the line in the sapranos was comedy Pauly "walnuts" was almost always comedic relief
This episode confirmed to me that the producers were *NOT* going to make Tony Soprano into some kind of lovable mafia boss. They kept his character pretty much consistent throughout the run of the Sopranos.
at this point audience supported Tony killing the rat because he looked like the capo protecting the honor of the family, etc, however as seasons passed by, we discover he always was a selfish prick, and the family honor was an excuse for violence
Nice breakdown of the episode. Sopranos is really a masterpiece. Tony’s character goes from a charismatic mob boss who the audience loves because he is a man of principle to a flawed man with glimpses of pure greed and no self accountability. James Gandolfini is a true artist.
It’s so funny how David chase likes these isolated episodes. You can’t even call them “filler episodes” Because they are too good to be put in a category that has a negative connotation. I do disagree with the episodes being irrelevant tho, 1) “College” changed the course of Tony’s relationship with Meadow for the rest of the series. 2) It reaffirmed that Tony, despite his position, was still willing to “do dirty work” (Forshadowing for Tony B later on) 3) AND it reaffirmed how everything is dropped to discover and deal with an informant, no matter what! (Foreshadowing for Pussy later in the series)
I agree. The stand alone episodes are frequently better because they are not constrained to the overall narrative which at times can become plodding. Another show that was better when it was a stand alone outside the overall narrative was The X Files. That show eventually got too bogged down by the alien conspiracy which became tiresome because they never could come to a convincing wrap up and it became convoluted.
"Every sentence must do one of two things - reveal character or advance the action." - Kurt Vonnegut on writing fiction. But that's exactly what those episodes do, right? Reveal character. The episode only becomes filler when it fails to do either. And I do love episodes like this. They have a different feel to them, as if they exist outside the story. I even liked the much-hated Fly episode of Breaking Bad for the same reason: It allowed us a closer look into the minds of Walter White and Jesse. I mean, contrast this to the clipshow episodes on Friends, and other sitcoms. THOSE were filler! ;)
Not sure if this episode could be considered foreshadowing for Pussy. At this point, the writers hadn't decided if Pussy was ultimately a rat and kept his fate at the end of the season ambiguous as a thread to continue in Season 2. What this episode did do though was establish Tony as a cold-blooded murderer and that would open up avenues for him later in the series to murder Pussy, Ralphie, Tony B and Chris.
@@kevinmcdonald6477 Good god, do you remember Lost? Now that a show that spent years asking questions to pull viewers, only to end up with "purgatory" as a catch all answer.
There is something timeless about this episode. When I watch it, I just feel like I'm in that time when I first saw it. That it was cinematic but more revolutionary... more intimate than a film. I think if you first saw Gandolfini in True Romance this episode wasn't as shock.. but you know the threat he portrayed was electric.
I know I am 2 years behind on your channel but man this is incredible! I love seeing different perspectives on episodes that I didn't particularly care for at the time. Thank you very much!
Meadow is my favorite non mob character on the show. Shes smart and projects empathy like her mother but also has a deep seeded selfishness, and willingness to lie and manipulate she gets from Tony.
Very well said. I loved Meadow for that very reason also. The character I literally hated was Tony's Crazy ass Mother. I kept wishing the next episode would be the one where she finally died...LMAO
@@DianavanLaar Same here...... I have watched the entire series 5 or 6 times, hope I live long enough to watch it 5 or 6 more. And yes, best series ever.
My wife and I are watching the Sopranos together for the first time ever, and we just finished this episode. It’s kind of crazy how hard it DIDN’T hit us or change our opinion of him - but that’s because we grew up watching TV that had been permanently altered already. We were living in a post-Sopranos world, and we took it for granted.
this episode was incredible when it came out. we were all GLUED to the screen, and people were calling each other as soon as it ended to talk about it lol. definitely a turning point in Tony's arc because its the first cold blooded murder you see him commit (if i remember it right)
pine barrens must be the most imitated episode on tv. most ongoing shows now have an episode with characters lost or stranded in a wilderness and bonding or not to save their lives.breaking bad and better call saul spring to mind.
The best part about Pine Barrens is Chase never felt the need to close the loop on what happens to the guy who ran into the woods or make him a part of anything that happens later. Unless of course he was in disguise in the Resturant in Made in America
That idea predates the Soprano's though. Quark and Odo had an episode like that on deep space nine. It's just a good and simple concept so you see it a lot, including in the Soprano's.
Nice work this episode is phenomenal. Episodes like these, and there are a few, in my mind, throughout the series that help pull, even the casual fan, deeper into the show and make them want to watch it to the end.
I'd recommend viewing it from different premises on each watch through. The first time I saw it, I just took it at face-value. Everything had some explanation and whatever happened on screen is what actually happened. After I finished it, I found out some of the show's events could also have supernatural implications. The interior decorator disappearing in the Pine Barrens, Tony having dreams that are actually visions of the future, Paulie and the psychic, etc. So on the second watch, I took these things into mind. My third watch, I accepted an even more supernatural bent to the show. Some ideas are: * They're all actually in purgatory, which is why horrible things keep happening to everyone on the show. They're being tested by a higher power, which is why Chris has that vision of Hell with the Irish. * There's a Lovecraftian, cosmic force toying with them. The Gods are real and they don't like you (I like this idea the most). * They're in some alternate reality. Tony's dream where he gets stuck at the airport is closer to his actual reality, and the house with his family is really about choosing to take the blue pill or the red pill.
It's so fucked up that they forced them to make the guy deal drugs to "justify" him being murdered. It screws with the whole concept of the episode. It still works but i think it would have been better if the guy didn't come after him and Tony just found and murdered him. There is no reason to justify the murder because the whole point of the episode is that Tony has to hide something that he can't possibly justify in front of his daughter.
@@Mainlyeverything The writers were forced by HBO to make Febby Petrulio deal drugs before Tony murders him. So that the audience will feel like the guy kinda deserves it and Tony doesn't look too bad. The central point of the episode is that at first it seems like Tony gets to bond with Meadow by revealing some truth about his illegal activities to her. But then he goes on to murder someone, which he could never justify to Meadow. So he has to continue to lie to her. This contrasts the earlier bonding moment between father and daughter. The producers insisting that Petrulio has to be a bad guy who is also a threat to Tony makes this almost self-defense and takes away from the impact this scene is supposed to have on the audience.
@@lednails The point of the scene is that Tony does something he can't justify to Meadow. (Which shuts down the idea from earlier in the episode that he can truely bond with his daughter.) The fact that the guy was a drug dealer and almost killed Tony before lessens the impact of how evil Tony's action was. If the guy had just tried to escape the mob life it would have underscored how ruthless a murderer Tony is. Now that we know HBO insisted on pointing out that this is also a bad guy it reinforces my view that the scene would have been stronger without the interference with the writing.
@@lednails Not sure what you're trying to argue here. The worse Febby looks in this episode, the less obvious the contrast between between family-man-Tony and ruthless-murderer-Tony is to the audience.
Just started watching the sopranos and this episode was a masterpiece. This was the episode that engulfs you into the soprano universe. It not only sets the tone for the entire show it also does it in a very nuanced way.
I still remember when I first watched this episode. I considered it to be the best stand alone episode in the entire first season and I still vividly remember the details of that episode more than any other, even today. Great video.
This is it. The video that first got me interested in The Sopranos. I watched the whole show in a few weeks after watching this video. Thank you so much.
I think “THE SOPRANOS” was an awakening from the ABC, CBS and NBC b*ll sh*t shows! I remember being so blown away after seeing (especially) this episode that I went to the VIRGIN store to get the sound track for the show (you know the theme song) can you imagine they sent me to the opera section😆 Because at that time the show was super new. Not like now😀
Yah. That entire show was nothing but characters who were morally compromised. About the only people who aren't morally grey are the prison clergy. I think people just overlook Oz because it's not a well-known show. But a lot of the actors and writers on Oz would go on to other HBO shows, namely The Sopranos and The Wire.
@@nekrataali Oz had a lot of well known actors/entertainers like Jj Simmons Luke Perry Method man Master P BD Wong. The show was good until season 3 or early season 4 when that whole lord Allah arc began. After that it just went to shit
I like the duality in episode in which it portraits Tony living his two life’s, his family life and the day to day things that happen and his mob life and the horrific acts that comes with it. Bad people can do good deeds and good people can do bad deeds.
It's definitely one of those stories/shows that I don't get sick of. I'm not sure how many times I've watched them all through...but I know it's a lot.
i agree with this entire video. I was too young when College premiered but i watched it a year later and remember the impact it had on me. Im really impressed how you pointed out Meadow and Tonys relationship wasnt that strong ever again. As perfect as a show can possibly get to and no one has come close only in an imitation sort of relevance.
THIS is exactly how I felt after I finished the last episode! I felt like I had spent months living in this other world and yet I had no idea how to feel when it was over. I got so used to spending time with these people and watching them grow while simultaneously experiencing growth in my own life that seemed to nearly match up side by side with how the show was progressing. It was a beautifully strange experience and I'm so glad it happened. 🫶🏼
I got hooked on The Sopranos at my brother's house one Sunday night. He offered to loan me the first and second seasons he had on DVD, then I was caught up and never missed a Sunday from there. I'm glad you didn't show the strangling scene to the bitter end. It came up on another video yesterday and I had to stop watching. Seeing that once was enough, probably more than enough. I still can't explain my attraction to the series to myself. I've never owned a TV, and stopped watching it when I left home at 21. I'm 73 now....
Brilliant analysis. Tony was much more complex and interesting than a unidimentional sociopath, and he struggled to do his job because of it. This episode was a surprise, if only because the usual approach would have been a much more planned hit by underlings, weeks later. Instead he followed his passion, he followed the moral Mafia code, which ultimately drove a wedge into his daughters relationship. A real psychopath would find a much easier path, and would easily shrug off the dilemma of empty relationships.
I also really like this episode for how self contained it is. You don’t have to watch other episodes and can still understand this episode start to finish. It’s like a novella in movie form.
All 3 "New England" college locations were shot in two buildings at Drew University in N.J. The first college scene was shot outside of Bowne Hall, the second was shot right next door outside of Meade Hall and the third college scene, with the Hawthorne quotation, was shot inside Meade Hall. The quotation was added to the wall of the building for the shot, and then removed.
I "grew up" with Dexter and became gradually tired of him. Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul were my favorite shows of all time. I've watched Sopranos for the first time ever like a week ago and I'm totally in awe. I don't think I'll ever see something like this again. Best thing I've ever experienced in a screen.
It's hard to believe that this was only the fifth episode of the series. The characters, the mood, the show already seem so fully formed...
Im rewatching sopranos and just finished this episode testerday. I totally agree. AJ is terrible though lok
@@jessed9145 aj is terrible the entire series, just a whiney little spoiled POS
yeah i watched them out of order years ago. though this was season 5 !
@@swettyspaghtti no this is season 1 ep 5
at the time, they’d gotten to known each other/work together a bit over 2 years if im not mistaken. the 1st season took 1 year to finish & the pilot took 1 year to air iirc
"His house looked like shit" makes me cry laughing so much every time, Christopher was so serious
For me, it’s the length of the pause he gives before the statement that makes it so funny.
He was genuinely trying to tie the logic of what he’d just heard Paulie say to what he’d seen.
"Fucked-shuway". Huh? "(You know, "Fung-shuway")?
All set up by the fact that they had poor cellular reception in the Pine Barrens. Tony alerted them by phone that their subject had been a member of the Russian *Interior **_Ministry._* Paulie misheard Tony, and misunderstood it as Interior _Decorator._
😂 Brilliantly hilarious
@@oubriokoI assumed it was Paulie being a moron.
@@Mizmoon2020it was lol same as the meteor/meat eater thing with the dinosaurs
It's easy to fall in love with character "Tony" only to be reminded that he is a murderer, adulterer and a thieving professional criminal. Absolutely brilliant.
Women love those men every day.
@@mikemath9508 women love confident assertive men, stop talking like a pathetic incel
@Snehil Singh yes im sure most women love murdereders and criminals and not nice guys like you
@@igorz4582 well you can watch the documentary on ted bundy and see it for yourself ;D
@@ayda2876 he charmed women with his looks and charisma you dolt, there are a couple of women who are specifically obsessed with serial killers but those aren't the type you'll find everyday and most likely have a few screws loose aswell
RIP James, miss your acting and watch The Sopranos from start to finish 1-3 times a year, like it is a movie.
Holy crap, 86 50min episodes 1-3 times a year? I'm impressed and terrified
@@JB-xl2jcyeah no way I could do all that…
I watch it about every 5 years
@@JB-xl2jc Well it is not every year i watch it 3 times lol. But certainly over Covid it was. Usually it is just once or twice though. Once at the start of the year and then maybe a 2nd watching at the end. Other years once is enough. It depends if there are other shows worth watching at the time tbh.
Each time i have watched it has been from different perspectives. When i was younger it was through the age of Meadow as i am the same age as her IRL, then more through Christopher, but recently it has been through Tony himself as i am now his age range. I guess one day it will be through Junior, rather that doesn't come too soon though lol
A real wet dreamer
Solid breakdown. Meadow is Tony’s guardian angel. She’s the reason he didn’t die this episode, she brought Tony back from the coma. In the final episode, she’s unable to get to the restaurant in time cause of her parking which results in the ending we received
LOOOOOOooooooooooooooL. This is the ultimate proove that Tony probably dies at the end of The Sopranos.
damn I never thought of the ending that way, nice take
@@javiersanz29 "the ultimate proof that Tony probably dies"
Makes no fucking sense 🤣😂 little Carmine is smarter than you
@@jonnysupreme Oh!
LOL No
One of the best lines in the Sopranos was delivered by Dr Melfi. "I've been charmed by a sociopath"
We all have.
tony is not a sociopath
@@earam88 lol
The World was
@@earam88 how is he not a sociopath?
Like Michael Imperiolli said on the TalkingSopranos podcast, HBO told David Chase that "the audience will turn against Tony if he murders him" and he said "no, they will turn against him if he doesn't kill him" .. which I 100% agree with
There's a reason the Punisher is such a popular Superhero even though he's just a dude with guns.
@James Spittle oh snaaaaaap 🙄
Love thats what information got through to chrissy
He appealed to the lizard brain murderer in all of us. The part of us that we don't like to talk about at parties.
@@trikstari7687 frankly, I think it was more about Cosa Nostra and honor and mobster duty than killing itself what appealed to people.. that we liked it because he was "a good soldier", not because he killed the guy
Bryan Cranston is so respectful to the art I love hearing him compliment the sopranos and its influence on creating a genre that opened the door to shows like breaking bad. Great actor and humble appreciator of the artform
Amazing professional, it's too bad he is pretty radical in his personal views.
@@carsandsports123 what do you mean?
@@passingforcoffee249He’s liberal lol
Sopranos > Breaking Bad.
I feel like Breaking Bad's plot is a bit thin, compared to the Sopranos and Better call Saul
@@Wutang36 thats crazy considering BB is primary a plot driven show while The Sopranos is a character driven show
Tony Soprano is not just an anti hero, he’s a villain protagonist.
programing meets opportunity
That's exactly right.
Yeah so is Walter White
@@albygates4263 not as much, especially in the first few seasons.
@@stevowilliams8279 that's why I prefer breaking bad: there is a full evolution of the character and the plot, there are no stand alone episodes. We know Tony already as a made guy and captain, and de facto boss, and he doesn't really change throughout the season (which should be the whole point of seeing Melfi), in S6 he gets darker but it's not such an evolution as Walter White's (and Jesse's too)
The audience needed this episode because as much as we love Tony Soprano as a regular guy, we needed to be reminded that he’s a mobster and he’s ruthless and this episode showed us what he was capable of.
this makes very little sense. you mean hes a ruthless killer, but also a family guy?
@@goodbyemr.anderson5065 Lucky there's a man who, positively can do....
Good Point!!
Yeah, but he’s not as evil as Carm ... goes to Church and denies were her highly material comfort comes from.
@@beowulf916 LAUGH AND CRY
Personally, I find that standalone episodes in heavy plot series like this are an amazing breath of fresh air and escapism from the heavyness of the main story. And like it is said in the video, it lets the writers develop the characters so that when you "come back" to the main plot in the next episode you are even more engaged.
so true, they aren't bad filler episodes, they are genuinely good pieces of film that are enjoyable to watch. (I feel the opposite way about that freaking fly episode in breaking bad)
Just look at pine barrens, one of the most beloved episodes of the show
I either love them or hate them, no middle ground. One that I hated that comes to mind recently is in the Watchmen TV series where they did a full episode dedicated to the main character reliving her grandfather's (?) memories. It was an interesting way to do a stand-alone character focused episode but it just wasn't entertaining.
@@Anna-cg1pn I was thinking of the exact same episode from breaking bad....total waste of an episode!
I read the comments here and I see none of you have the makings of a varsity athlete.
I love that Tony responded to her question with “am I in the what?” It it such a classic response when you catch someone off guard with a question and they’re about to lie when they respond further. And he does.
That episode was remarkable. A good father making college rounds with his daughter while making a kill.
"When the duck had babies, it became a family". In more ways than one for Tony being the head of 2 families.
Multitasking at it's finest.
@xavicampoverde6031you should watch breaking bad again. walter never really changes. he just embraces who he really is.
HBO wanted Tony to be a likable character, but David wanted Tony to be Tony. A ruthless mobster.
Lucky for us he was both.
The duality really works
The show did a great job of reminding the audience that no matter how likeable Tony was, he wasn't a good person.
He indeed was a ruthless and powerful Mobster.
Lovable psychopath is a better description
David Chase wanted to make sure people knew that Tony was a killer. He was so charming it was sometimes easy to forget.
Hence the brutal ending of the show.
It's also key to establish the mob mentality and the fact is he couldn't let a rat get away with it. Wouldve been unrealistic in what it was trying to portray. It's also symbolic of the final scene of the show where many point to Meadow as his guardian angel and had she been sitting next to him if he would have succumbed or not. Even the ducks tie in here when it comes to the topic of family.
I distinctly remember canceling plans and rushing home to catch The Sopranos every Sunday evening. Then talking about it with everyone on Monday. There have been some amazing shows after this one but, the story and characters in The Sopranos were so well thought out and portrayed you couldn't help but feel a connection with them.
you must be old
It is the ambiguity and constant unspoken insinuations by all cast members that made this show so emotional. You were charmed by basically every single character in their own way.
Also, that guy never had the makings of a varsity athlete
I still think it is the best series ever made.
When I saw Tony hunt down and kill the squealer It reminded me of something I learned in the Marines, no matter high up in rank you are, you are always a foot soldier when it’s needed.
That's a great lesson!
"You gotta serve somebody"...Bob Dylan.
yeah unless youre in the airforce then NOBODY's getting on their feet lol
Something I learned from the Corps, everyone doesn’t have the balls to be a foot soldier. It was a great episode though. Guns Up
💯
He's exactly right... "College" took what looked like a mundane American television drama episode, and suddenly flings it into a horrifying murder
@Miles Doyle find purpose
The symbolism in this show is honestly incredible... even after re-watching the whole show multiple times, I still find hidden gems and symbolism that I havent caught on to before.
What kind of symbolism did you catch on to? I'm not being rude just honestly wanna know what to look for. I love the sopranos
@@zannythenanny4918 A lot of characters have a spirtual animal attached to them. For example the ducks for tony, the raven in the window for chris, the cat after killing chris. Just next time you re-watch, you'll notice a lot more animals/symbolism that you've wouldnt of picked up on the first time watching
@@zannythenanny4918 a good one is the phrase "poor you" whatever is happening when its said echos the character Livia.
@@zannythenanny4918 a good one i caught was when paulie and chris were doing the hit on mikey palmice, paulie gets caught in poison ivy. in s2 or 3 when paulie goes to the psychic, the psychic brings up the poison ivy, which i found pretty cute and funny (this isnt symbolism. i just found this to be pretty funny)
Like the birds singing in the background? The old saying “singing like a bird” meaning he’ll talk and cooperate with the Feds.
This episode of the Sopranos is the one I remember most 10+ years after watching the show. The scene of Tony showing his true colours going after a man he really doesn't have to kill is so memorable. The episode perfectly encapsulates how his mobster life tears at his family relationships and ultimately his dark side wins over regardless. It really set the tone for the show going forward, and it would always stick in my mind that no matter Tony's good qualities at the end of the day he brutally murdered this guy on a peaceful college hunt with his daughter!
Brutally? Bro he deserved it.
@@GoodOlTaylorWhy?
@@JB-xl2jcHe was a rat.
But he did have to kill him. It's a deterrent. Criminals need to be reminded that if they don't uphold their "code", their coworkers will do a lot worse to them than the police will. Every single one of them was constantly on edge around friends.
'father phil' always seemed to me to be one of the 'creepiest' characters on the sopranos....
He really was a creep, huh?
A creep and very cringy, yeah.
He was a straight guy that was caught in a fight between wanting to live out his commitment to his faith and wanting to plow reasonably attractive middle aged women that were constantly throwing it at him. At least he wasn’t diddling AJ or Bobby’s little boy.
@@williamluis9846 true, his struggle is understandable.
What's with all the quotes? You would have been better off trying out some capital letters and not bothering with all the 'completely unnecessary' apostrophes.
I remember watching this episode when it aired in 1998. I was already hooked, but this sealed the deal. It’s crazy that nobody had cell phones during this season. I didn’t get my first cell phone till ‘03. Now can’t live without them. Crazy how much changes in only 20 years
Now take that awareness and look at how drastically things have changed in ONE YEAR. It only takes a little bit.
They had cellphones, but Tony and Chris chose to use pay phones so nothing can be traced back to them.
@@kennethlatham3133 or how they can drastically change in a matter of days (Afghanistan).
@@kristenc6839 Burner phones weren't really a thing though. In the 90s it was a major chore to activate a cell phone.
1999
Great episode, great series. David Chase really hit a home run with The Sopranos. Sad that Mr. Gandolfini didn't live longer and share more of his talent with us.
Tony is the only role I've ever seen of Gandolfini and it's the absolute best character I've seen in any media, so the thought of seeing him as something else kinda feels wrong to me. Even the clip of him smiling and applauding at the Emmy's in the video here is just surreal.
@Miles Doyle Thanks for this!
@Miles Doyle i wrote a comment saying "Sir, this is Arby's" and they deleted it.
I have no idea who did it, but I can clearly see that the reply section shows 4 replies (with this, five)
Watching sopranos for the first time now, almost finished with it, sad to hear he passed ):
@@Scroolewse Go watch _True Romance_ immediately.
The ending of that episode is so freaking euphoric. The music playing at the end. Breathtaking
You know Quasimodo predicted all this.
Who did whaat!
@@abdouboulkadid6416 if you had watched the show you would have known what Clovis was aiming for.
Clovis 😀👍
@@aleksandarlukic1489 if u had watched the show, you would know that "who did what" was tony's reply to Bobby
I didn't understand you were quoting Tony. My humble apologies 😉 👍
You never pondered the back thing?
"No man can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude without finally getting bewildered as to which may be true."
True. But you can get away with a little of that. Just, not too much.
That's why Little Carmine looked always stupid.
only the russian decorator could, he still looking for glue
Unless you are a sociopath..masters of disguise.
Paulie: He was a interior decorator....
Chris: His house look like shit
😂😂😂😂😂😂
@@markmed9091 he’s trying to get UA-cam comment section fame
He killed 16 Czechloflovakians!
@@dlawlis single handed
That was probably the funniest dialogue exchange on the entire "Sopranos" series.
@@markmed9091 I think his point was to have fun and discuss things in the video he liked.
I have watched this series 8 times…and every single time I get more interested. It is without doubt the greatest tv show ever made and the character development was fantastic
Just finished my 6th rewatch last night, about to start from episode 1 again tonight for my 7th time watching the series, by far the greatest show ever made and I will never get tired of it. Just like you said the more you watch it over and over you learn more subtle details than before, rest in peace James Gandolfini and Tony Sirico :(
I loved it, but its hard to re-watch when I always now what's coming and some parts are slow.
Behind breaking bad
@@ppumpkin3282 yah the therapy scenes are what I have trouble not skipping past
@@AnthonyChieffo.
I watched the show 3 times maybe more including youtube vids😂...Im going for the 4th run 💪🏽❤️💪🏽
Just finished the show and seeing tony in the first season really shows how much he changed through the show
@Bzake 80% of America is fatter than Tony was at his fattest and they're outliving him, he had heart issues not a fat gut issue you weird cunts
The accent alone (I'm a North Jersey girl.. noticed it INSTANTLY)
@Bzake The weight played a role, but it was also due to drinking and doing a ton of coke.
@@Mrcoconutgun coke?
@@t.s.1683 yes cocaine
"The hustle never ends" greatest line of the show
I really don't see how thats the greatest line. It's short and sounds good, but isn't creative, deep or clever.
Line?
"You're only as good as your last envelope" season...4 I think
Greatest delivery, Tony to Richie: "No."
Let him come out here and pay me my money
For me (the funniest line) would be when Tony was in the bar in the last season, and he is talking with one of the girls who worked there and asked her if she wants to go to another place:
The girl : “oh , a man with a plan, I see”
Tony: “no, a man with an erection”
What cracks me up, is thinking how many men , were completely screwed the rest of their lives because of an erection.
For real you can help me with our own conclusion 🤣🤣
I thought it was "you gonna eat that" Toblerone scene
i was more shocked about the way ralph killed his girlfriend...the hoower.
We where definitely not meant to like Cyph... I mean Ralph.
I remember watching that on the original broadcast and thinking this is the most intense thing I’ve seen ever on TV.
@@Rediscovered oh snap I didn’t even realize that! Lmao
@@zer0kelvin511 @Alexander ~ realize what? Cyph? like Syphllis? or what? lol
@@maggiemargaret1412 that he played Cypher in The Matrix. He does betrayal really well
My dad and I used to watch Sopranos together all the time, and this was always one of our favorites. It features several pivotal moments for Tony and Meadow's characters going forward, and firmly established Tony as a ruthless killer. He showed none of the mercy he was shown. Really groundbreaking television for the time.
“His house looked like shit” will always be funny.
The way it is delivered is absolutely hilarious too. I love how Christopher looks away quizzically and in disbelief before he delivers the line 😂
@@bredenis5 Right! Very good acting. 💯
@@bredenis5 reminds me of the line in Dumb and Dumber: “John Denver was full of shit”
Put remote on docking station.
Damn it. Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in! Now I have to rewatch The Sopranos. Again.
I could watch this kind of soprano content all day
There will definitely be more to come soon!
Watching youtube videos on The Sopranos when they are this good is almost as enjoyable as watching The Sopranos.
Agreed! Great work
I've watched the entire series of "The Saprono's" about 20 times (once a year) and still everytime I think I know all there is, someone like yourself makes a video like this and shows me ideas, thoughts, etc that I have missed. Thank you. Great and awesome analysis!
If the 19 time's instead kf sopranos you learned something
I've been rewashing Sopranos for maybe the 3rd time with my daughter, 1st time for her. I somehow missed the College ep, and been wondering where it was. That ep., the bonding and un bonding between Tony and Meadow, and Carmella and the almost tryst with the preist... Thanks so much..glad I saw this clip. I need to go rewatch College.
The scenes with Father Phil in that episode were beyond creepy. He's definitely the least likeable character on the whole show. I love when Carmela tells him off.
Even less likable than Noah!
I'm sure Father Phil went back to pursuing choirboys after he couldn't score with Carmela. Phunny that 2 of the most despised characters on the show were named Phil.
Oh come the fuck on! Just because he gives off douche and creeper vibes on someone's wife? Who he doesn't even fuck? Meanwhile Tony has several affairs and murders people and runs a criminal empire that victimizes innocent families. ( remember that Benz that was stolen from that poor, traumatized family? Next scene has Tony looking at several polaroids of cars, one of which is the very same Benz. )
Mustang Sally is my least likeable!
@@danbock5683 I enjoyed watching him get taken out.
If you're running from the mob, run more than a state or two north.
Yep. If I were running from the New Jersey mob, I’d live in Idaho, Montana, or even Alaska.
@@ThorOdinson I would run to Lillehammer
@@marks.6480 go frank yourself
Big-time facts
@Miles Doyle shush
"You created one of the most compelling characters and you're going to through it away"
No, the morally complicated aspect is what made him compelling.
Throw
Every 2 years I spend 2 months to watch all the seasons of "The Sopranos" and I've already watched it 4 or 5 times.
I’ve been revisiting The Sopranos and and just as amazed as I was in the beginning. This was literature on film. Absolutely brutal, thought provoking, deeply disturbing, and heartbreaking. I’m so glad I was able to experience this show from the beginning. Now with the film of his youth I’m looking forward to how this will play out. I’m cautiously optimistic. Glad his son will play a young Tony.
@Miles Doyle You preach but are a sinner. What is your point ? Your computer let's you print and reprint senseless babbling. Time and time again, get a life...
@Miles Doyle fuck you get your copypasta bullshit out of this comment section
@Miles Doyle god and jesus cannot love you, just as Tony soprano can't. Jesus is dead and god is a fictive character like Tony Soprano is.
Even as a fictive character I cannot understand how people let themselves believe god is good and great. If a being continuously tests you to prove you are worth their favor, if these tests are hurtful and harmful, if they demand your love, attention and compliance, if they dictate how you should live, if they denie you stuff because you didn't do things their way...
They are a textbook narcissist.
Meanwhile people want to believe the fairytale so bad that they denounce logic and reason and put their faith in manmade doctrine. Well done to you! That will help you for sure. It's sad to see how many people still have their eye shells on. But if it makes you happy... Go ahead. Follow the fictive narcissist. But please stop bugging people with your badly written nonsens. Thank you.
UA-cam TV is so weird. I finished this episode last night and today this video is in my recommended. I'm glad they did. I didn't realize it's significance until now, great video.
Yes. "College" has been one of my favourite episodes for years. It's almost like a short film in itself. An absolute classic.
Usually I don’t like videos like this but you did a good job blending actual scenes with great to the point narration. I did find it insightful and entertaining. You got a new fan.
Thank you!
Agreed, this was great.
Another important episode is "Employee of the month". Very brutal what happens to Melfi while pretty much everybody expected some sort of Hollywood revenge enacted by Tony. But that's not how you get it in life.
One of the best qualities of the show. Not everything is some badass vengeance show, in fact it rarely is in real life
Not going to lie i expected the rapist coming back crossing paths with Meadow almost getting her and Tony would end up torturing him but i can respect Chase's decision.
Brilliant episode.
Rape rarely is ever written properly in a TV Show, it’s almost always a cheap shock.
In Employee of the Month we see one of Jennifer’s defining character moments and it really brings to light just how piss poor the system is towards victims.
The ending NO said by melfi in employee of the month was such a profound and powerful scene.
This episode did feel like a short movie of sorts to me. It was awesome from character development point of view actually. I recently finished watching season 1 of Sopranos and I am hooked on to it now.
This episode always stayed with me after all these years.
The fact he’s taking his daughter around different colleges - which is a happy, normal thing to do - and picks her up again after murdering someone an hour before. And the murder itself is pretty disturbing.
I got on to Sopranos around 2002 when I was 16 and I’d never seen anything like that before.
I think it also shows how Tony is NEVER off the job. He has to continue his duties from both his families but he is letting the other family duties separate him from such a pivotal moment with Meadow. This constant fight between between his job and family begging for his attention and effort is something that i found fascinating in the show.
Still the best TV show ever made. Breaking Bad came close but The Sopranos is still the leader.
I never took to Breaking Bad.
I tried to watch it, suffering thru the first handful of episodes, but the way the show portrays the illicit drug trade is just so far off base it's crazy.
In Breaking Bad, everyone - from the lowliest addict to the richest kingpin, is a psychopath willing to kill at the drop of a hat.
As a New Yorker who's struggled with heroin addiction for most of my life, I can totally assure anyone who's curious that the drug 'industry' doesn't work like that at all.
Killing people is very bad for business. Dealers want customers, and don't want police attention focused on them. They don't leave a trail of bodies everywhere they go.
However, since even a lame 'weed block' here in the Bronx can generate a couple thousand dollars in sales every day, dealers have to protect what is theirs and can't just let new people move in and start cutting into their profits. So it's best to be careful where you step and how you do it.
Yes, people get killed occasionally. About 2 people every month in my neighborhood, in fact (White Plains Road and 225th street). And this started when some idiots tried to move in on a well established weed spot on the main strip.
Prior to the first killing, it was like 7 months since anyone was shot dead in my hood. This little war has been going on since last summer.
I buy my weed at that spot. I've got a pic on my phone of the cops placing the little numbers on the street where shell casings fell. The kids shirt that the EMT's cut off is still in the street.
It's been pretty crazy.
Maybe it's because of the pandemic. A lot of shit got out of hand here during lockdown.
Twin Peaks :)
@@JohnSmith-mk1rj shush up :-)
_Better Call Saul_ is better than _Breaking Bad._ I hope it doesn't go shark-jumping in the final season.
No. Breaking Bad doesn't come anywhere close to it. Breaking Bad might still be the best of slightly modern times which gets it the hype it has today but on quality level it is nowhere near Sopranos.
you better be kicking up to Borko
Plenty of garbage for everyone
Again with the Borko??
@@efrainrodarte6395 Yeah again with Borko, settle Efrain, so either name a price or get the fuck over it
Next time there’ll be no next time
who is borko some kinda narc?
Here's the ruling. This is borkos route but out of respect for your faada, we're going to let you keep earning. Just kick up to him.
@@mann953 fuck that. This ain't the 70s and borkos not a kid
SUBSISTANCE LEVEL
If anyone here is disrespecting Borko, they’re disrespecting me 🤟
Spoken like a true Don..... Very funny. Hats off to borko...
@@mann953 Ohh sopranosfan57 whatever happen there.
0:23 one of my favourite Christopher lines in the entire series
Glorifying Criminality whiteman's criminality...imagine a show based on black criminality
The line "guy was an interior decorator" actually makes sense when you think about how the mob used to say "he paints houses" when referring to hit men.
I always thought of it that way instead of just thinking Paulie misheard that the Russian guy was from the Interior Ministry
@@2ez4micko This is the explanation, it’s fairly obvious in the episode. Paulie mishears Tony over the bad connection.
That's what I always took from it.
That's a line from a book that claimed to be true but totally was not and I'm not talking about a little dramatic license I'm talking about total lie....the movie was good but fictional and the line in the sapranos was comedy Pauly "walnuts" was almost always comedic relief
You seem to have missed the absurd comedy of their dialogue
This episode confirmed to me that the producers were *NOT* going to make Tony Soprano into some kind of lovable mafia boss. They kept his character pretty much consistent throughout the run of the Sopranos.
The one inconsistency I noticed was Tony's utter distain for gamblers. Then later he has a terrible gambling addition himself.
@@jimsnider3852 tony was a hypocrite throughout the entire show. Still likeable though.
producers? wtf?
@@boybillythebutcher4575 creators
at this point audience supported Tony killing the rat because he looked like the capo protecting the honor of the family, etc, however as seasons passed by, we discover he always was a selfish prick, and the family honor was an excuse for violence
Nice breakdown of the episode. Sopranos is really a masterpiece. Tony’s character goes from a charismatic mob boss who the audience loves because he is a man of principle to a flawed man with glimpses of pure greed and no self accountability. James Gandolfini is a true artist.
It’s 2024 and I’m watching Sopranos for the 3rd time. The new documentary on the show called Wise Guys forced me to watch it again.
One of the best shows of alll time. I watch the entire series a couple of times every year just because I start to miss it again so much.
It’s so funny how David chase likes these isolated episodes.
You can’t even call them “filler episodes”
Because they are too good to be put in a category that has a negative connotation.
I do disagree with the episodes being irrelevant tho,
1) “College” changed the course of Tony’s relationship with Meadow for the rest of the series.
2) It reaffirmed that Tony, despite his position, was still willing to “do dirty work” (Forshadowing for Tony B later on)
3) AND it reaffirmed how everything is dropped to discover and deal with an informant, no matter what!
(Foreshadowing for Pussy later in the series)
I agree. The stand alone episodes are frequently better because they are not constrained to the overall narrative which at times can become plodding. Another show that was better when it was a stand alone outside the overall narrative was The X Files. That show eventually got too bogged down by the alien conspiracy which became tiresome because they never could come to a convincing wrap up and it became convoluted.
"Every sentence must do one of two things - reveal character or advance the action." - Kurt Vonnegut on writing fiction.
But that's exactly what those episodes do, right? Reveal character. The episode only becomes filler when it fails to do either. And I do love episodes like this. They have a different feel to them, as if they exist outside the story. I even liked the much-hated Fly episode of Breaking Bad for the same reason: It allowed us a closer look into the minds of Walter White and Jesse.
I mean, contrast this to the clipshow episodes on Friends, and other sitcoms. THOSE were filler! ;)
Not sure if this episode could be considered foreshadowing for Pussy.
At this point, the writers hadn't decided if Pussy was ultimately a rat and kept his fate at the end of the season ambiguous as a thread to continue in Season 2.
What this episode did do though was establish Tony as a cold-blooded murderer and that would open up avenues for him later in the series to murder Pussy, Ralphie, Tony B and Chris.
@@kevinmcdonald6477 Good god, do you remember Lost? Now that a show that spent years asking questions to pull viewers, only to end up with "purgatory" as a catch all answer.
@@orange_sauce5951 Were we really so naive?!.
There is something timeless about this episode. When I watch it, I just feel like I'm in that time when I first saw it. That it was cinematic but more revolutionary... more intimate than a film. I think if you first saw Gandolfini in True Romance this episode wasn't as shock.. but you know the threat he portrayed was electric.
I know I am 2 years behind on your channel but man this is incredible! I love seeing different perspectives on episodes that I didn't particularly care for at the time. Thank you very much!
Meadow is my favorite non mob character on the show. Shes smart and projects empathy like her mother but also has a deep seeded selfishness, and willingness to lie and manipulate she gets from Tony.
Among other things
Very well said. I loved Meadow for that very reason also. The character I literally hated was Tony's Crazy ass Mother. I kept wishing the next episode would be the one where she finally died...LMAO
@@MichaelDulaney-ts1xs deadass
and she's hot af
@Miles Doyle holy jesus, that's like a book. why u nuts always putting a half a bible under every youtube thread out there?
Dude please make more sopranos breakdowns and back stories.
I plan to! Be sure to subscribe for that :)
I agree! Subscribed!
Do some shine box breakdowns.. 🤣
@@PureKino fuck it do an episode by episode breakdown podcast 😭😭
I agree, WOOOOOOOOOOO!
Man, why are you doing this to me? You want me to re-watch this best show in the history of all TV shows AGAIN?
Rewatching after all these years for the umpteenth time here. Still in awe.
@@DianavanLaar Same here...... I have watched the entire series 5 or 6 times, hope I live long enough to watch it 5 or 6 more. And yes, best series ever.
My wife and I are watching the Sopranos together for the first time ever, and we just finished this episode. It’s kind of crazy how hard it DIDN’T hit us or change our opinion of him - but that’s because we grew up watching TV that had been permanently altered already. We were living in a post-Sopranos world, and we took it for granted.
this episode was incredible when it came out. we were all GLUED to the screen, and people were calling each other as soon as it ended to talk about it lol. definitely a turning point in Tony's arc because its the first cold blooded murder you see him commit (if i remember it right)
Yeah, he really garrote that scene down perfectly!
Vick Mackey on The Shield was another flawed hero of this type that i enjoyed watching
How brilliant would a crossover episode between The Sopranos and The Shield have been? Tony v. Vic! Bring plenty of body bags....
Is 'The Shield' still watchable in 2021 ? Or is it too dated and doesn't hold up well with modern shows ?
@@thebesttheworst2277 I rewatched it a couple of years ago; it holds up very well..
Old,shows are better than,todays nonsense. Shield is still solid.
@@HelloThere-jr6gd Define "today's nonsense," please. Because there have been some very good shows in recent years. How far back is your cut-off?
pine barrens must be the most imitated episode on tv. most ongoing shows now have an episode with characters lost or stranded in a wilderness and bonding or not to save their lives.breaking bad and better call saul spring to mind.
The best part about Pine Barrens is Chase never felt the need to close the loop on what happens to the guy who ran into the woods or make him a part of anything that happens later. Unless of course he was in disguise in the Resturant in Made in America
same thing in Mr. Robot in season 4 , with Elliot Mr. Robot and Tyrell
@@jondrew55 that and not a pine tree in sight.
That idea predates the Soprano's though. Quark and Odo had an episode like that on deep space nine. It's just a good and simple concept so you see it a lot, including in the Soprano's.
Entourage even has one of those
Nice work this episode is phenomenal. Episodes like these, and there are a few, in my mind, throughout the series that help pull, even the casual fan, deeper into the show and make them want to watch it to the end.
Best show out there, watched it from A to Z multiple times. Wish I could forget all about it so I can experience it for the first time again.
what’s your favorite episode
@@Chde8xu pine barrens is up there, but to be honest it would be crazy hard to pick one since there’s so many great ones.
I'd recommend viewing it from different premises on each watch through. The first time I saw it, I just took it at face-value. Everything had some explanation and whatever happened on screen is what actually happened. After I finished it, I found out some of the show's events could also have supernatural implications. The interior decorator disappearing in the Pine Barrens, Tony having dreams that are actually visions of the future, Paulie and the psychic, etc. So on the second watch, I took these things into mind.
My third watch, I accepted an even more supernatural bent to the show. Some ideas are:
* They're all actually in purgatory, which is why horrible things keep happening to everyone on the show. They're being tested by a higher power, which is why Chris has that vision of Hell with the Irish.
* There's a Lovecraftian, cosmic force toying with them. The Gods are real and they don't like you (I like this idea the most).
* They're in some alternate reality. Tony's dream where he gets stuck at the airport is closer to his actual reality, and the house with his family is really about choosing to take the blue pill or the red pill.
Call total recall...
@@cbf63 lol. Nice!
It's so fucked up that they forced them to make the guy deal drugs to "justify" him being murdered. It screws with the whole concept of the episode. It still works but i think it would have been better if the guy didn't come after him and Tony just found and murdered him. There is no reason to justify the murder because the whole point of the episode is that Tony has to hide something that he can't possibly justify in front of his daughter.
Who gets forced to deal drugs?
Not being funny. Just don't get it
@@Mainlyeverything The writers were forced by HBO to make Febby Petrulio deal drugs before Tony murders him. So that the audience will feel like the guy kinda deserves it and Tony doesn't look too bad. The central point of the episode is that at first it seems like Tony gets to bond with Meadow by revealing some truth about his illegal activities to her. But then he goes on to murder someone, which he could never justify to Meadow. So he has to continue to lie to her. This contrasts the earlier bonding moment between father and daughter. The producers insisting that Petrulio has to be a bad guy who is also a threat to Tony makes this almost self-defense and takes away from the impact this scene is supposed to have on the audience.
@@lednails The point of the scene is that Tony does something he can't justify to Meadow. (Which shuts down the idea from earlier in the episode that he can truely bond with his daughter.) The fact that the guy was a drug dealer and almost killed Tony before lessens the impact of how evil Tony's action was. If the guy had just tried to escape the mob life it would have underscored how ruthless a murderer Tony is. Now that we know HBO insisted on pointing out that this is also a bad guy it reinforces my view that the scene would have been stronger without the interference with the writing.
@@lednails Not sure what you're trying to argue here. The worse Febby looks in this episode, the less obvious the contrast between between family-man-Tony and ruthless-murderer-Tony is to the audience.
Precisely. It was enough that the rat was shown trying to assassinate Tony made it palatable.
This first scene is the episode I watched and got hooked. I've seen every episode 100x Will never get old. Brilliant writing and actors!
Just started watching the sopranos and this episode was a masterpiece. This was the episode that engulfs you into the soprano universe. It not only sets the tone for the entire show it also does it in a very nuanced way.
I still remember when I first watched this episode. I considered it to be the best stand alone episode in the entire first season and I still vividly remember the details of that episode more than any other, even today. Great video.
Sopranos' content exists on yt
Borko subscribers - *allow us to introduce ourselves*
We're from borko anonymous
@@farttur what's your name?
@@yashsaraswat6822 well, we're anonymous
@@farttur My name is Clarence
You don't talk about this thing. Never!
According to UA-cam subtitles, the guy was an INFERIOR decorator.
That makes sense because his house looked like shit
@@markusk1015 it finally makes sense
Well his place did look like sht. Right Cristophaaa?
That’s why his house looked like shit
This is it. The video that first got me interested in The Sopranos. I watched the whole show in a few weeks after watching this video. Thank you so much.
I think “THE SOPRANOS” was an awakening from the ABC, CBS and NBC b*ll sh*t shows! I remember being so blown away after seeing (especially) this episode that I went to the VIRGIN store to get the sound track for the show (you know the theme song) can you imagine they sent me to the opera section😆 Because at that time the show was super new. Not like now😀
People should remember OZ with a little more respect. That show was decades ahead of its time
Yah. That entire show was nothing but characters who were morally compromised. About the only people who aren't morally grey are the prison clergy. I think people just overlook Oz because it's not a well-known show. But a lot of the actors and writers on Oz would go on to other HBO shows, namely The Sopranos and The Wire.
@@nekrataali Oz had a lot of well known actors/entertainers like Jj Simmons Luke Perry Method man Master P BD Wong. The show was good until season 3 or early season 4 when that whole lord Allah arc began. After that it just went to shit
OZ led to Sopranos being made.
@@jposensei um, I thought the book “Wiseguy” was the genesis of the show?
Edit: sorry, That book was the the story of Henry Hill of Goodfellas.
10:21 much sightful indeed - nice working on this video man : )
I like the duality in episode in which it portraits Tony living his two life’s, his family life and the day to day things that happen and his mob life and the horrific acts that comes with it. Bad people can do good deeds and good people can do bad deeds.
An episode that struck me as being inexplicably special and totally unlike anything I had seen before. A truly remarkable piece of storytelling
Excellent video. Well done. Simple point presented with perfect mood.
The Sopranos is my favourite TV show of all time, a close second being Breaking Bad.
Same here
Well actually The Sopranos is a close third behind Breaking Bad and The Wire.
It's definitely one of those stories/shows that I don't get sick of. I'm not sure how many times I've watched them all through...but I know it's a lot.
i agree with this entire video. I was too young when College premiered but i watched it a year later and remember the impact it had on me. Im really impressed how you pointed out Meadow and Tonys relationship wasnt that strong ever again. As perfect as a show can possibly get to and no one has come close only in an imitation sort of relevance.
Man.. I just finished the last episode. This show is a masterpiece.
I felt like I was living in this tv show, just by watching it. I remember how huge of an impact it made on me. What a masterpiece, indeed.
THIS is exactly how I felt after I finished the last episode! I felt like I had spent months living in this other world and yet I had no idea how to feel when it was over. I got so used to spending time with these people and watching them grow while simultaneously experiencing growth in my own life that seemed to nearly match up side by side with how the show was progressing. It was a beautifully strange experience and I'm so glad it happened. 🫶🏼
I haven’t watched ‘The Sopranos’ since it first aired. However, whenever I hear the HBO static I start singing ‘woke up this morning’.
I got hooked on The Sopranos at my brother's house one Sunday night. He offered to loan me the first and second seasons he had on DVD, then I was caught up and never missed a Sunday from there. I'm glad you didn't show the strangling scene to the bitter end. It came up on another video yesterday and I had to stop watching. Seeing that once was enough, probably more than enough. I still can't explain my attraction to the series to myself. I've never owned a TV, and stopped watching it when I left home at 21. I'm 73 now....
Brilliant analysis. Tony was much more complex and interesting than a unidimentional sociopath, and he struggled to do his job because of it. This episode was a surprise, if only because the usual approach would have been a much more planned hit by underlings, weeks later. Instead he followed his passion, he followed the moral Mafia code, which ultimately drove a wedge into his daughters relationship. A real psychopath would find a much easier path, and would easily shrug off the dilemma of empty relationships.
Thanks for uploading, reminds me I’m due for a Sopranos complete rewatch, this time with the Blu Rays I bought...
"Mix it wit da relish" ...best line in television history.
I also really like this episode for how self contained it is. You don’t have to watch other episodes and can still understand this episode start to finish. It’s like a novella in movie form.
Bro, that's literally the main point being made here !!!!
All 3 "New England" college locations were shot in two buildings at Drew University in N.J. The first college scene was shot outside of Bowne Hall, the second was shot right next door outside of Meade Hall and the third college scene, with the Hawthorne quotation, was shot inside Meade Hall. The quotation was added to the wall of the building for the shot, and then removed.
This was an awesome, very well thought out video! Thanks a lot for sharing it with us, Pure Kino!
Wow! Awesome! Super!( Think I'm gonna puke)
@@kevinmeserole7345I don’t understand.
@@kevinmeserole7345No response?
I just watched the show for the first time, crazy that 20 years later the same things are going on
I loved the video! And watching Bryan Cranston saying that about the sopranos was awsome!
I love when channels analyze shows like this. Makes me feel sane realizing others break stuff down like this.
I "grew up" with Dexter and became gradually tired of him. Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul were my favorite shows of all time. I've watched Sopranos for the first time ever like a week ago and I'm totally in awe. I don't think I'll ever see something like this again. Best thing I've ever experienced in a screen.
Deadwood is also one of the best, especially the first 2 seasons …
@@ma3stro681deadwood is nowhere near sopranos bruh you gotta be slow in the head
Watch the Wire to. Sopranos and the wire head and shoulders above anything else on TV.
@@lewisgreenhalgh7546them and true detective season 1
@@usanumba1916 Deadwood was phenomenal. The language of the writing alone, and how well the actors delivered them were amazing.
"he strangled him with his bare hands" right as its showing him doing it with a wire