Friday 31 July 2020

The Sopranos - Season 3 (2001 David Chase)

A nasty set of characters and power plays to savour. Ralphie (Joe Pantoliano) is the new one to hate, Johnny Sack is the New York boss who moves in (Vincent Curatola), Jason Cerbone is Jackie Aprile Jr. (and Richie's nephew). Bobbi is Steve Schirripa. Annabella Sciorra becomes Tony's new girlfriend.

Highlights: Melfi is an inch away from telling Tony about the rapist, knowing he'd kill him, but doesn't. The elaborate lengths that are needed to place a listening device at the Sopranos, and the ironic way it is 'neutralised'. The last hit of the very ill boss, played by Burt Young, this episode written by Terence Winter ('Another Toothpick'). Tony using Sun Tzu for strategy advice.


Tony is a racist - that didn't come up before... Thus moulinyan, aubergine, also means 'black person'. Apart from pishadou (toilet), can't find translations for words that sound like stonar, schazziata, and scharpone.

'University', centring on the lives of the Bada-Bing dancers, is a tough episode to watch, particularly when Ralphie beats one of them to death. We hope Tony will kill him, but Silv reminds him of the 'Family rules' and because the dead girl isn't made, a family member, or a goombar, Tony's not allowed to kill him. We so hate Ralphie, who's such a cunt he calls spaghetti 'Macaroni'.

There's a new building development going on, helmed by crooked councillor Peter Riegert.

But 'Pine Barrens', written by Terence Winter & Timothy Van Patten is so funny... The season finale is quite low key.



Isaach de Bankolé is a priest, Paul Mazursky guest stars, Lola Glaudini comes in to honey trap Adriana, Michael K Williams with the chess playing daughter is from The Wire.

DPs mainly Alik Sakharov, Phil Abraham.

And - Christmas Day in Russia is on January 7,

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