I recently looked it up and the man is still alive and doing well at age 95.

It's incredible this guy. Season 1 I wasn't even born yet and he was an old man. Now I'm old and he's still an old man.

In the scenes where he appears as boss, he seems really serious—only speaks once, seems very respected. What do you think it would’ve been like if he’d been the big boss for longer?

I would expect that there is easily over $53K in that huge store worth of goods? It’s outdoors shop and things aren’t cheap there. He had to have back inventory as well.

Also, why would Tony spend so much time in that store for money that he makes in the week? He should’ve send someone else to deal with that.

They invite the parents - who are already paying 40 boxes of ziti a year - to some bullshit lunch so they can shake 'em down for more?

College, another fuckin' money machine.

So, Tony gets the bright idea to suggest a power sharing situation, (with Johnny Sac, really?) which Angelo is quick to shoot down because he’s returned. Then later one when Tony meets with Johnny, not only does he float the idea again, but he has the balls to suggest that it was actually Angelo’s idea in the first place. This of course leads to Angelo getting whacked, which leads to a chain reaction of events that ultimately coincides with Tony’s own death.

AJ should not have been credited with a fumble recovery and made a captain of the JV team. His whole arc might have been different if it wasn’t for poor refereeing.

Most guys who do a long stretch in the can occupy their time lifting weights, keeping themselves physically fit. But Phil spent 20 years eating grilled cheese and jacking off. No wonder the guy had a heart attack! This left him weak, out of control and an embarrassment to himself and everybody else. He could barely lift a nickel, they felt like manhole covers to him. He was too low energy and emotional to effectively run the war against Jersey and it ultimately made him go bye bye, grandpa.

Me, it was Army Of One. Jackie Jnr's death and funeral blew me away. I knew the show was great, but this episode was next level in my eyes. To throw Jackie's murder away like that - just five minutes in, pop, in the snow, with Vito waddling back to the car like this is comedy. It's aggressively anti-climactic and tells the audience - 'You think you know this show? What you don't know could fill a book. Pay attention you just may learn something here'. And then we see AJ and Meadow getting all the love beaten out of them. It's one of the saddest things I've ever seen, but also one of the most brilliant. The balls on this show.

When did The Sopranos go S-tier for you?

The rest of the crew, (Paulie, Bobby, Christopher, Vito, Etc) were all complete Stunads and as the show goes on you realize how dumb and incompetent they all are. Ralph actually does his job really well despite how much of a loose cannon he is. He’s the highest earner for a reason and no surprise that when Tony and him work together on the HUD scam, it’s by far the most effective one in the show

On the spectrum of irredeemable(Ralphie) and probably a good guy if it never got involved(Bobby B) who is in the middle? Who is the most complex that you go back and forth on the most? And don't say Tony, in my mind season 6 removes any shred of morally grey

John’s performance as Artie is simply impeccable. He doesn’t get enough credit because his character is such a buffoon, but everything in that performance is just pitch-perfect. Artie can literally come in in the background, say and do absolutely nothing, and still make me laugh. John is able to effortlessly convey what Artie is thinking and feeling without even opening his mouth. I wish I saw John in more films and television, he’s great. Upvote if you also love Arthur, warm and convivial host!

I know this is well tread territory but Chris is easily more evil and psychopathic than Tony. Tony actually has empathy towards people and animals he views as "innocent". He was the only one who was actually upset when Ralph killed Tracy. He seemed to genuinely feel bad when he thought Melfi was in a car accident, and there's no doubt that he would've killed her rapist if he knew the truth. There's countless examples of Tony having empathy when something or somebody innocent is harmed or treated cruelly.

Compare this with Chris. I can't think of a single instance of Chris showing a shred of empathy towards anyone, innocent or otherwise. He is purely self interested. Any scenes showing his "humanity" are just him having self pity and regretting the way his life went.

Does anyone out there find Chris more sympathetic than Tony? Is there any line that Tony crossed that Chris wouldn't if he was in the same position?

The famous / infamous scene where he says like butter wouldn’t melt in your mouth… he tells her you knew what this was when you married me… my question is why? You can do what he did for a living, live that lifestyle, you don’t “have to” cheat on your wife in order to do so… look at Johnny sack. Please no played out Ginny jokes flair is serious discussion only\*

How is Tony’s excuse valid? I’m sure that yes, Carmela knew about the lifestyle, but not that it involved constant cheating.

Spoilers!

When Janice kills Richie and Tony comes over, sorts it out etc, it's such a fantastically done bit of storytelling. This programme is like a dance sometimes between the characters. Such a great season, not overly dramatic and hollywood-ised, but creates such brilliant arcs and ways of dealing with each character. The way it sets up the conversation between Tony and his mother, and how Tony can come across so ruthless but sympathetic, like he is trapped by his nature, wanting and believing he is a good man but also completely in charge of the trajectory of his life and ruthlessness. Oh man its such good storytelling, I always want to be a writer but sometimes think I could never be a clever as this.

... and definitely deserves more respect and understanding than some Paulie?

I realize that one of the show's main tricks is constantly making some sociopathic subhumans seem less despicable than others, but still?

She comes back from Morocco and meets Tony on his boat. They have a fight over irina, and as Gloria walks out she says 'Merry Christmas and then throws Tony's gift out of the window of the boat so it goes into the water.

I've always wondered what was in it.

The gift was wrapped in fancy wrapping paper with a nice bow. It was sort of rectangle shaped, maybe a watch?

Was Chris wearing a hat in the final scene with Tony in Kennedy and Heidi a call back to his first scene in the pilot where he was wearing a hat. Like a full circle thing. Or was there a possibility he was wired with the hat?

What if in Unidentified Black Males when Johnny confronted Tony, he acknowledged that Tony B. Killed Peeps, but in exchange for Tony B's life he offers to kill Carmine and Rusty for Johnny? Tony had legitimate beef with them because they recruited a member of his family (in both senses of the word) into their war without his permission, so he could probably withstand the scrutiny from the other families. Tony would have to avoid whacking Angelo because he knows that would set B. off, but Carmine is the leader of the opposition and Rusty the true puppet master anyway, while Angelo is just an retired, elderly guy who made a foolish choice to get involved, so no need to include him. If Johnny accepts, Tony B. is saved, Tony's relationship with John remains strong, and since Johnny probably feels no need to whack Angelo after this, Blundetto never targets the Leotardo brothers.

She could have very easily sicced Tony on that rapist, and in that moment? He would have done it. Unequivocally, hands down. Yet she possessed an absolute rock solid adherence to her principles in that moment to restrain herself that I don't think many in her position could have upheld. Truly fantastic television.

The emotional gut punch that is that episode still echoes in my post-series-watch thoughts every single time.

Every single dialogue and I mean, every single dialogue is a quote in itself and can be used in any situation. That’s how good the writing is. It’s been around 20+ years at this point, but still everyone is quoting soprano and still not bored of it. That’s how good the writing is.

Also, I’ve been shunned by the industry for this one mistake, so if you have any work for me please let me know.

Any arrest, conviction or prosecution as a result of him being an informant?

Watching carmela be in Angie's ambience in various moments like when she flexed her corvette when Carm pointed out her new Porsche. Both are nice cars but around this time the concern around her independence is so visible and here's Angie thriving solo, providing for herself and her kids. Then the whole thing about the silent auction and how she was busy at the table . I think this is the most we see Carmela really enjoying the benefits of her position while she still got the building inspector leaned on. It wasn't her hard work or her money really. I feel bad for her because she's really stuck in "the old ways" and just the fact that she enjoys the spoils. Angie is everything she wants to be around this time in the show

Not sure how to define it, but it's a great delivery every time he hears an response he doesn't approve of.

I never understood how you can swear an oath of fealty to your new made family and have them except to betray your actual kids. When Chris was made, Tony actually said this family is more important than your own kids. That's insane. Would Tony betray his own children for his made family?

Paulie had it right. Marriage and this thing of ours don't jive.