Monday, June 11, 2007

Sopranos Series Finale

I suppose I should put in my two cents about the Soprano’s finale. I had recorded the program because, when one of your favorite people asks you if you want to go see George Carlin, you go see George Carlin.

So, when Meadow reached for the door to the diner (after ten of the most unbelievably suspenseful minutes I’ve ever spent in front of a television or a movie screen) and my television screen went black, I sat there. I just sat there. I didn’t immediately panic because the screen didn’t come up asking me if I wanted to erase the program like it does when the DVR stops recording before the program ends. So…I sat there. Then, the credits began to roll and I sat there some more.

When the credits were done, I pondered the final scene. I decided that I liked the non-ending ending. Life goes on. Just because we won’t get to see A. J. fuck up his new movie job or Meadow become an attorney for the Soprano family or Carmela fall in lust with a contractor at her new beach house or Tony make up with Dr. Melfi and fret over more possible indictments or the FBI guy continue to live a life of quiet desperation doesn’t mean it isn’t all still happening in some HBO parallel universe.

Yep. I liked it.

Oh! The Cat!
The cat was obviously a reincarnated Adriana. Period. End of story.

11 comments:

Mommy said...

Do you remember when Bobby said to Tony "they say when they shoot you, you don't hear it. Everything just goes black"? I forgot all about it until my mom reminded me. Makes you re-think that ending, doesn't it?

Anyway, when the screen went black I panicked because it was MY hand the remote was in, and I thought I'd turned the TV off. I was flipping out.

Laurie said...

Jen - I'm sticking to my semi-happy ending. It's my nature. I looked at my remote, too! I thought I hit a button or something.

Anonymous said...

My first reaction to the ending was that Tony was killed and that's why it went black. It's ambiguous enough that everyone can choose their own ending, I guess. And, if they ever decide to bring it back...

Peter said...

Glad to find someone who liked the ending (it hasn't been on in Oz yet.... thanks folks!!!!) there have been some who haven't been so complimentary.

Laurie said...

Leslie - The option that Tony and possibly the whole family died in that diner is more than I can bear. I'm sticking with my life goes on theory. I have to. :)

Peter - I prefer to think that the man who put his heart and soul into this thing (David Chase) knew what he was doing and I'll accept his artistic interpretation of the "ending." Even at that, he basically, left it up to everyone to put their own spin on it.

Carli N. Wendell said...

I'm torn. I liked the ending, but I think David Chase, for all the millions he made creating 86 hours of television, shouldn't have wimped out. He should have given us a genuine ending.

Molly said...

I liked it.
I didnd't like Journey song, but I guess Jonathan Cain is right when he said:

"We're a staple in the American music culture. Like us or not, we're here to stay."

Lorna said...

we can"t getr HBO in the frozen north, so we were about 2 or 3 years behind in the series and I never got into it....just as well--I understand it was addictive.

IUnfortunately, that also means I'm missing Dexter and King Henry. It hurts to be Canajun.

Laurie said...

Carli - That is definitely the majority opinion.

Molly - Ah, Journey. People either love 'em or hate 'em. I love 'em.

Lorna - I would hate not having HBO.

Anonymous said...

I actually watched most of it again last night and I loved it. You're 100% right about the cat. My favorite part was the lead in to "You Keep Me Hangin' On" (Vanilla Fudge version) playing as Tony drove up to the beach house, stopping just at the moment the words would have started so that as he walked into the house to see Carmela, I had the first words going through my head: "Set me free, why don't 'cha babe? Get out my life, why don't 'cha babe? You don't really love me. You just keep me hangin' on." Give me chills.

I read one take that suggested we, the viewers, got whacked. I also couldn't help but think of The Godfather when the "Man in the Members Only Jacket" went into the bathroom. I suspect the feature film will start with him coming out blasting as Meadow enters the diner. And, of course, we'll all be wanting that Season Six DVD with the alternate endings and never before seen footage!

I thought it was brilliant.

Laurie said...

Sophmom -I need to watch it again. I remember thinking along similar lines when Tony walked into the beach house.