The Sopranos, a great TV drama (cancelled, quotes, film, locations)

[Dd714]

Everyone loves that show. I loved it, I still have HBO so I can watch it on-demand.
What I didn't like however:

-The dead-end stories and red herring plot lines (what every happened to the Russian in "Pine Barrens"?)

-The tranformation of Furio, one of Tony's best enforcers, into a love sick character mooning after Carmella (a weak plot device).

-The short season and waits until new episodes.

-The plots about family finances and Carmella's investments and spec house, etc (who cares?)

-Related to the above - the slow moving last 2 seasons, it seemed like it took forever before anything happened.

-and, of course, the ending - weak.

[ExPit]

Originally Posted by Dd714

Everyone loves that show. I loved it, I still have HBO so I can watch it on-demand.
What I didn't like however:

-The dead-end stories and red herring plot lines (what every happened to the Russian in "Pine Barrens"?)

-The tranformation of Furio, one of Tony's best enforcers, into a love sick character mooning after Carmella (a weak plot device).

-The short season and waits until new episodes.

-The plots about family finances and Carmella's investments and spec house, etc (who cares?)

-Related to the above - the slow moving last 2 seasons, it seemed like it took forever before anything happened.

-and, of course, the ending - weak.

Some good points. They did leave some questions unanswered. It might not be good enough to say, well, such is life, some questions are never answered, some situations never resolved, in fiction we are conditioned to want more. But as always a weakness is just a strength turned upside down. For me, I'd say a little goes a long way, because it does soon get to be a crutch.

Furio and Carmella? Meh, I don't know. I think they were always looking for a way to give Carmella her independence, a voice, which I think was what all the real estate and stock exchange prosepecting was all about; Carmella was always preparing herself for a life without Tony and who could blame her? Would we have seen her as the smart woman we did, otherwise?

Yeah, i was looking for more from the ending myself. I'd say it was either to leave it open ended, in case they were of a mind or a necessity to do another season or a movie, or else it was just as we were talking about, another unanswered question, somewhere between artistic integrity and just laziness, but I think you're right, they left some things unanswered.

Great Post, thanks.

[DreamWeavin]

I agree with you both.
I tried to not analyze the show too much . When I do that with shows I like I tend to lose my enjoyment.
With Sopranos I just went with the flow; never knowing where it would take me.

Originally Posted by ExPit

Some good points. They did leave some questions unanswered. It might not be good enough to say, well, such is life, some questions are never answered, some situations never resolved, in fiction we are conditioned to want more. But as always a weakness is just a strength turned upside down. For me, I'd say a little goes a long way, because it does soon get to be a crutch.

Furio and Carmella? Meh, I don't know. I think they were always looking for a way to give Carmella her independence, a voice, which I think was what all the real estate and stock exchange prosepecting was all about; Carmella was always preparing herself for a life without Tony and who could blame her? Would we have seen her as the smart woman we did, otherwise?

Yeah, i was looking for more from the ending myself. I'd say it was either to leave it open ended, in case they were of a mind or a necessity to do another season or a movie, or else it was just as we were talking about, another unanswered question, somewhere between artistic integrity and just laziness, but I think you're right, they left some things unanswered.

Great Post, thanks.

[ExPit]

Originally Posted by DreamWeavin

I agree with you both.
I tried to not analyze the show too much . When I do that with shows I like I tend to lose my enjoyment.
With Sopranos I just went with the flow; never knowing where it would take me.

Funny, reminds me of that William Hurt line in, "The Big Chill," when his actor friend finds Hurt, the stoner, sitting up alone watching some B- old movie or another. He's asking Hurt questions about the movie, who's this guy, what's going on with that, etc., and Hurt says, "You're so analytical. Sometimes you have to let art ... flo-o-ow over you."

[DreamWeavin]

LOL...............that is my favorite movie!!

Originally Posted by ExPit

Funny, reminds me of that William Hurt line in, "The Big Chill," when his actor friend finds Hurt, the stoner, sitting up alone watching some B- old movie or another. He's asking Hurt questions about the movie, who's this guy, what's going on with that, etc., and Hurt says, "You're so analytical. Sometimes you have to let art ... flo-o-ow over you."

[ExPit]

[quote=DreamWeavin;7870749]LOL...............that is my favorite movie!! [/quote

I love it too. There was/is a thread in the movie forum; what movies can you watch over and over? And that's one of mine. Shampoo is another. I guess I like movies that are half comedy half tragedy, now that i think about it. What that says about me, I do not have the courage to explore. Also both movies are about self-indulgence, hedonism and debauchery, the glory and the costs therein ... hmmm, like The Sopranos, right? Who needs therapy? Not me.

[FlaGrrrl]

Originally Posted by ExPit

Shampoo is another. I guess I like movies that are half comedy half tragedy, now that i think about it. What that says about me, I do not have the courage to explore. Also both movies are about self-indulgence, hedonism and debauchery, the glory and the costs therein ... hmmm, like The Sopranos, right? Who needs therapy? Not me.

I don't really have much to contribute here but I like to participate in your threads Expit so I'll try to come up with something.. I loved the show but a lot about the show bothered me as well. You know people watch movies that deal with all sorts of issues but that doesn't necessarily mean in reality they find those things/behaviors acceptable. I mean.. I know some people who really got off on the whole Bada-bing girls and strong arming to get your way, etc.. that whole lifestyle of the Sopranos.. I find it personally revolting.. while I can appreciate and even enjoy the Sopranos as a TV show.. I can't watch it too much or it just plain gets me down.. and for those that would emmulate some of the behaviors or characters on the show.. they sicken me. Lol.. I know.. lowsy contribution but there you have it...

[ExPit]

Originally Posted by FlaGrrrl

I don't really have much to contribute here but I like to participate in your threads Expit so I'll try to come up with something.. I loved the show but a lot about the show bothered me as well. You know people watch movies that deal with all sorts of issues but that doesn't necessarily mean in reality they find those things/behaviors acceptable. I mean.. I know some people who really got off on the whole Bada-bing girls and strong arming to get your way, etc.. that whole lifestyle of the Sopranos.. I find it personally revolting.. while I can appreciate and even enjoy the Sopranos as a TV show.. I can't watch it too much or it just plain gets me down.. and for those that would emmulate some of the behaviors or characters on the show.. they sicken me. Lol.. I know.. lowsy contribution but there you have it...

Yeah well, nobody likes a bully if that's what you mean. I'm a little too old and maybe a little too far from the East Coast to know people that emulate the characters on The Sopranos, but I have known some who took The Godfather way too seriously. Reportedly even some mob guys took The Godfather too seriously. There are things that I've seen on The Sopranos that have been hard for me to watch. Extreme emotional pain is always harder for me than physical violence, I guess because physical violence is obviously staged. Though, watching, listening to Phil Leotardo's head get squashed like a watermelon, or Tony and Christopher carving up Ralphie's body in the bathtub was a bit much. I do think the humor on the show is what saves it, and from what I've seen it's very consistent with the mafia personality. One thing I'll say is I don't have much pity for anyone caught up in the lifestyle, whether in fiction or the real world. "This is the life we have chosen," who said it? Hyman Roth (aka Meyer Lansky) in the second Godfather movie. I think it's true still today, mostly mob guys only kill their own. Now when it spills out into the general population that's especially unfortunate and ugly. Protection rackets, one of the first businesses for this life is one of its most shameful, because the targets are innocent businessmen playing by the rules.

[FlaGrrrl]

Originally Posted by ExPit

Yeah well, nobody likes a bully if that's what you mean. I'm a little too old and maybe a little too far from the East Coast to know people that emulate the characters on The Sopranos, but I have known some who took The Godfather way too seriously. Reportedly even some mob guys took The Godfather too seriously. There are things that I've seen on The Sopranos that have been hard for me to watch. Extreme emotional pain is always harder for me than physical violence, I guess because physical violence is obviously staged. Though, watching, listening to Phil Leotardo's head get squashed like a watermelon, or Tony and Christopher carving up Ralphie's body in the bathtub was a bit much. I do think the humor on the show is what saves it, and from what I've seen it's very consistent with the mafia personality. One thing I'll say is I don't have much pity for anyone caught up in the lifestyle, whether in fiction or the real world. "This is the life we have chosen," who said it? Hyman Roth (aka Meyer Lansky) in the second Godfather movie. I think it's true still today, mostly mob guys only kill their own. Now when it spills out into the general population that's especially unfortunate and ugly. Protection rackets, one of the first businesses for this life is one of its most shameful, because the targets are innocent businessmen playing by the rules.

Yeah.. well I guess I mean something along those lines.. but you know it's kinda sad to me.. watching these otherwise great characters in their own right accept this horrendous lifestyle and all that comes with it.. very dark. Greed can make you do ugly things... I think that's the lesson of this story.. for the Sopranos and the Godfather.

[Positiveone]

Sopranos movie is what i want! Great show! The fans deserve a movie though!!