Last night’s Sopranos was everything I’ve been missing all season brought back with a vengeance. Unquestionably the best of the season.
In the first place, the sheer visceral thrill of finally getting to see someone get whacked – one unsurprising and tasteful death, one shocking and grisly death (though not, certainly, Richie Aprile-level grisliness).
The plot returns to something like opera, with Phil’s first salvo in the soon-to-come war between the NY and NJ families. Methinks this will be the topic of the final eight episodes.
Edie Falco got one of her most interesting episodes ever, and ran with it perfectly. Carmela’s experience of Paris was beautifully done, one of her best character moments ever. This part in particular felt like a great first or second season plot. And the Adriana cameo was wonderful – I look forward to Carm’s upcoming realization that yes, her father is that bad of a man.
Tony’s façade finally breaks, and he starts to return to the man he was before the coma (I wonder, would he have killed Vito at their meeting?).
And the finest Melfi scene since season three, in which she finally calls him on his bullshit, bringing him ever closer to the moment when he can finally say that he hates his parents for what they did to him. And that perfect line, perfectly delivered, where he asks what she thinks of his hatred for A.J.
Two weeks until the final episode of the half-season.