The Sopranos -- Episode 87: The Widening Gyre

SYNOPSIS

"Only in America do people think you can have your cake and eat it also..."

Out of blackness, the sound of blasting machine gun fire. It's dinner time at Janice's house and Bobby III is playing Doom III on his computer while eating take-out pizza in his room. Sophia is in her room, logged on to My Space, listening to Fergie ("Big Girls Don't Cry") and spooning Edy's Double-Churned Rocky Road from a gallon container. Domenica and her nanny are having micro waved Ramen noodles in the kitchen, Blue's Clues playing on TV. Janice is in her bedroom, posting an eBay listing for Bobby's train sets and chain-smoking. The noise level in the house mounts until Janice angrily punches into the intercom system on her phone, her voice booming dark curses at each child.

In the back room at the Bing, Paulie tells the guys he's getting a little "conserved" that Tony isn't answering his cell phone. He hates those phones anyway, announcing "They already proved in England them radio waves give you brain tumors and autism." He doesn't realize the cat is under the table, peeing on his white shoe.

Rhiannon is also worried. A.J. isn't answering her text messages. Her mother announces dinner, but Rhiannon begs off, complaining of cramps. Reaching behind a pair of Juicy Couture sweat pants in her closet, she removes a box of Entenmann's chocolate cake. From a shoe box, she takes out a bottle of Ex-Lax.

At the hospital, Silvio remains in a coma. In a dream he sees himself in a barber's chair with Tony about to shave his head. He grabs for a scissors to attack Tony, only to find it has turned into a herring. In the hospital corridor, a little boy is being rushed to the IC unit. One nurse comments to another: "Third asbestos poisoning this week."

At Phil Leotardo's wake, upper management is in a heated whispered argument. Butch is insisting they return to business as usual, reminding them that "Revenge is a meal you should serve bold." Tonio "Little Pussy" Hendra wants one more shot at the New Jersey boss, intimating that he may have taken matters into his own hands already.

At Holsten's, the nuclear Sopranos family rises from the table. Tony gives the nod and they all flip their cell phones back on. On their way out, the man in the "Made In America" cap follows right behind. Tony turns and says quietly to him that he was glad to have a bodyguard there, for "a peace of my mind." The camera remains inside as they leave, "Leader Of The Pack" on the jukebox. The man in the Members Only jacket approaches the boy scouts' table and lands a bloody punch to the troop leader's jaw. Calling him a "sick perv" he gouges the scoutmaster's eye out with a spoon from a chocolate sundae.

Comments:

I am so over The Sopranos! Everyone knows it jumped the shark after Season 3, and this episode really proves it!
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Very suspenseful - the writers have done it again. I was sick from anxiety since last Sunday's ending right through the entire first half last night until I knew that Tony and his family were o.k. Thank you, thank you, thank you. (My husband says hi also).
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Looking forward to seeing more of Little Pussy. He is one scary dude.
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I heard Chase signed on for 5 more years. Anyone know anything? Is it true The Russian is getting his own HBO series?
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How cool is it when he says "Hold the anchovies!?"
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