Sopranos Ending

[krygny]

Personally, I liked the ending. They basically ended it like every other episode: quiet reflection to give you plenty to think about, heightened drama (maybe a bit more than usual) and some well chosen music. As always, some things get resolved, some things don't. The only real difference was the abrupt silence and darkness. I guess, to make a point.

[Nathan_P]

Originally posted by krygny
Personally, I liked the ending. They basically ended it like every other episode: quiet reflection to give you plenty to think about, heightened drama (maybe a bit more than usual) and some well chosen music. As always, some things get resolved, some things don't. The only real difference was the abrupt silence and darkness. I guess, to make a point.

I liked it too. But what do you mean by it ended like every other episode? I took that abrupt silence as Tony got whacked. Nearly that whole final scene in the diner was shot in his point of view and on numerous occasions during this season they made reference to or about how when your "time comes" you don't hear/see it....it just ends. Think about it..Tony and Bobby were talking in the boat on the first episode of the season about how a boss almost never makes it to old age & retirement (like Don Vito Corleone in the Godfather). They either get whacked, or get locked up. He also spoke to Silvio after he (Silvio) was eating in that restaurant with the guy from Phil's crew (I don't remember his name), and their goomars. The NY guy got clipped and Sil just sat there in dead silence with blood on his face. He told Tony he thought he was dead.

That Italian guy with the hat on at the counter in the diner was paying way too much attention to Tony & his family and I think when he went into the bathroom right next to Tony's table he came out firing (like Michael did in Godfather I).

I know the writers & David Chase left it up for interpretation by not showing the viewers, but I for one (even as much as I have loved the show since it came out) will be pissed if they come out with a movie and I find out that Tony didn't die. Other episodes may have ended somewhat abruptly...but not like that...not in complete silence and darkness. That was a dead giveaway for me (no pun intended).

But hey, that was just my interpretation of the ending. The genius about it is that everyone's own interpretation is right and it can be whatever you think. Maybe Tony died, maybe he didn't....

[ramirami]

I liked it... but then season endings of hit shows never please everyone...

[tgrimes]

I loved it. I hate tidy endings. Hats off the the creators and all involved. Best series I have ever watched in my 44 years on the planet.

[LChisum]

But is that Russian guy still in a tree in the Pine Barrens?

Larry

[krygny]

Originally posted by Nathan_P


I liked it too. But what do you mean by it ended like every other episode? I took that abrupt silence as Tony got whacked.
...
Maybe Tony died, maybe he didn't....

I think all the drama (the guy at the counter, the black youths walking in, Meadow having trouble parallel parking, etc.) was all intended to make you anticipate that something was about to happen, and ultimately wonder if anything did. As episodes go, I'd say it was about average. But the endings are always good and this was one of the best. They're catching a lot of heat about it, but I'm with the creators on this one.

And the Pine Barons was the best of all, IMO.

[Nathan_P]

Originally posted by LChisum
But is that Russian guy still in a tree in the Pine Barrens?

Larry

I definitely agree...that was the best episode of the entire series. Good ol' Paulie & Christopher. The 2 funniest characters in my opinion, together for nearly a whole hour alone in the woods eating ketchup packets to survive.
Haha!

It cracks me up just thinking about it...

[jay]

The best thing about that ending is that I could finally ditch HBO. For several years I bought the series on DVD and watched it, but a couple of years ago added HBO to watch it. While I watched some shows like Six Feet Under, Deadwood and Entourage none compelled me to keep HBO.

That and Comcast's moving he NFL Network to the Sports tier later this month caused me to drop HBO and add the Sports tier this morning.

I do agree with other that the Pines Barren episode was the best!

[Nathan_P]

I have heard a lot of people say that about HBO & how they can finally drop their subscriptions now. I will admit that I initially got HBO for the Sopranos, but will keep it as long as The Wire is on. For me, The Wire became my favorite when Sopranos took that year & a half off of filming. I think the Sopranos lost their momentum (with me, at least) during all of that.

[ramirami]

Originally posted by jay
The best thing about that ending is that I could finally ditch HBO. For several years I bought the series on DVD and watched it, but a couple of years ago added HBO to watch it. While I watched some shows like Six Feet Under, Deadwood and Entourage none compelled me to keep HBO.

I am hooked on Entourrage... on DVD though :-)

[metsfan]

When the finale first ended, I turned to my son and said, "What the h@!!" But, the more I thought about it afterwards, the more clever I thought the ending was. As Nathan_P said, it appears to denote the end of Tony’s life, and there was a calculated build up to it. I think the fact that the screen went abruptly dark and silent for an extended period and did not fade to black with credits quickly following is significant. The show repeatedly showed things from a different angle than we are used to. You don’t need gunshots or blood spilled to portray a death scene, and the ending matches exactly what Tony & Bobby speculated death by mob hit would be like – you don’t feel it, you never saw it coming, and everything just goes black. They put the audience into Tony's point of view at the end (the whole scene goes back and forth from the audience point of view to Tony's, then audience, then Tony, and so on).

I also have to admit that during that entire last scene my heart was pounding - wondering is this guy a hit man, that guy from the FBI, etc. From that standpoint, the writers not only gave you Tony's point of view but also made you feel a little of the paranoia, etc, he would feel all the time.

[robottik]

The problem is that HBO didn't make David Chase screen the finale for a test audience. If so, Chase would have re-shot it to appease them, and this is how the episode would have ended:

AJ and Meadow notice the suspicious looking guy in the gray Members Only jacket walking into the bathroom and alert Tony.

Tony kicks in the bathroom door, slams the guy's teeth into the urinal, and gets him to confess his whole scheme.

The guy says he was gonna whack Tony to avenge Phil, and he would have gotten away with too, if it wasn't for those meddling kids.

Scooby-Dooby-Doo!

[krygny]

A lot of people keep brining up what Tony and Bobby talked about in the boat. That was only a few episodes ago. But remember what Tony said to Melfi a few seasons back: "Guys like me end up one of two ways - dead or in the can.". Maybe he ends up in the can.

I watched the show again and the more I think about it, the more I like the ending. Especially if it really is the end. As much as I liked the series, I hope that's the end of it. No sequels, no movies. I hate it when they try to squeeze more out of a franchise than they should. I've never seen a remake of a great movie that was better than the original, and it's rare that a sequel is as good or better than the first; and if it is, they keep going until they jump the shark. It's over; everybody move on. It's only a TV show.

[jdeanski]

Originally posted by robottik
The problem is that HBO didn't make David Chase screen the finale for a test audience.

Disagree.....................that's what makes HBO so good, independence.

[waynerd]

I dumped HBO a year ago, and missed this entire season. I read about the last couple of episodes and the final one, and it sounds like they ended it in typical Sopranos fashion.....not the way you'd like it, not neat and tidy, and a bit of mystery.

Oh and the Pine Barons was a RIOT!