the end.

So it's finally over. I watched the finale of The Sopranos last night and I wasn't disappointed. The last couple of seasons were a real cinematic death march for me, though. I grew to despise everyone on the show...everyone that was left that is. With the exception of Bobby Baccalieri - his character possessed the only beacon of likability - honesty, compassion, conscience - in the entire six seasons of the show. And Tony realized that...and was jealous of it. Now that I think about it, Bobby possessed the qualities that Tony pretended to have - with his famiy, his therapist, his 'cumares.' Which is why he tried to rob Bobby of it (grrrr...remembering the French-Canadian in the laundromat).

Yes, I pretty much ended up hating everyone on that show: Paulie with his whining and paranoia, Sil for killing Adriana the way he did, Christopher for letting him kill Adriana the way he did, Meadow for her mind-boggling naivete about her father (how could a mafia daughter decide to go to law school without even a hint of irony?), Carmela and Anthony, Jr., too, for that matter. All the other members of Tony's family, the New York Family, all the wives and children, Dr. Melfi...I hated them all.

That's not to say that I didn't 'like' the show. It's a brilliant show with wonderful performances and I have an immense respect for James Gandolfini that I didn't have before. I appreciate how good it is. I just didn't enjoy the last couple of seasons. I was talking to my daughter's boyfriend about it last night and I described it as thus: imagine 'There Will Be Blood'...now imagine it lasting for SIX YEARS.' That sums it up pretty well.

As for the ending, I wasn't disappointed. My initial idea for a perfect ending was for the entire cast to die in a raging fire while attending a huge Italian wedding. But that last shot with Tony's apprehensive, uncertain face was good enough for me. Yeah he lives...but for what? Fear and anxiety for the rest of his days.

Yeah. That's about right.

I do like these pictures I found though.







Farewell Sopranos, I knew ye well. Thank Jupiter it's over.