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[MMaRsu]

That's pretty much how I felt.

Those worried about knowing the ending beforehand, this isn't a show you watch for the shocking spoiler-worthy moments. The way the last two episodes play out before that 'moment' are far more intriguing and worth seeing.

Best gif ever :lol

 

[Jay Sosa]

I think Tony being killed is too obvious. I think that it's meant to show the anxiety of constantly being on guard to the audience. The guy who goes to the restroom is part of that. He's there to show that Tony must be on guard and suspicious of everyone who might be a threat, whether or not they actually are..

Yeah that were my thoughts as well. I mean the show wasn't filmed POV style so why should a sudden black screen mean that Tony was shot?

I thought the ending was simply brilliant. The entire last season was awesome, maybe one of my favorite seasons ever. Too bad the ones before that were a bit boring.

The goal of the artist is not to be indecisive, or let the reader decide

Says who?

 

[Korey]

The ending is like Inception in a lot of ways. For some reason, there are people in this world who like to insist (to the death) that certain things are "open to interpretation", even when they're clearly not.

 

[Jay Sosa]

-nvm-

 

[Always-honest]

pure brilliance

 

[teruterubozu]

3 years later and HBO still hasn't come up with an equivalent. Will they ever?

 

[BikoBiko]

It still sucks.

 

[Equus Bellator Apex]

brilliance in it's purest form

 

[Drealmcc0y]

The reactions to the sopranos finale is just like the reaction to the lost finale. Its uncanny.

Quite funny really.

 

[tino]

It's still garbage. Soprano after the first two seasons are not worthy of recommendation.

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

3 years later and HBO still hasn't come up with an equivalent. Will they ever?

Boardwalk Empire tonight at 9!

Spoiler

hopefully

 

[Always-honest]

It's still garbage. Soprano after the first two seasons are not worthy of recommendation.

yes it is. what nonsense

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

Why would he have to go to the bathroom to get the gun? Why wouldn't he have just shot Tony as soon as he saw him? Tony could have escaped in the meantime.

Doesn't make sense.

Just watched this for the first time last night.

I think the guy was scoping the situation. He'd followed AJ there, got to the door just ahead of him, and sat down at the counter to scope the scene. Then he went to the bathroom, drew his gun (which he would have had on him), waited for his moment and came out at shot. From the bathroom door alcove he'd have a perfect shot, and not be visible from much of the restaurant, and be able to walk quickly out the front door.

I can't see this being about how Tony will be paranoid for life, since he's actually quite relaxed (too relaxed!) in the scene. He's let his guard down and pays for it.

As far as who would want him dead-- I figure either this is one of Phil's plans set in action earlier, or somebody taking the opportunity of a power vacuum in NJ to make a move.


===


As far as series quality-- I was an avid watcher until Season 4-- which I would have told you that I liked. And yet, when 5 came around (on DVD) I just put off watching it over and over, so I guess S4 wasn't that great. My personal favorite is S2, but S5 was pretty great from a plot and character perspective, and S6 (when watched marathon style) is very different but great in a different way. S4 is the low point, the least compelling. S6 is surreal (and perhaps a little too long with Kevin Finnerty) but the overwhelming sense of dread and morbidity is fascinating.

3 years later and HBO still hasn't come up with an equivalent. Will they ever?

They had their chance, and passed on Mad Men.

 

[JGS]

I would have preferred him dead, but I had no problems with the ending. The show was never about finality, so why should the finale?

 

[Anasui Kishibe]

suits me. I'da hated seeing Tony whacked

 

[The Chosen One]

I just finished watching the finale about a hour ago.

I watched seasons 1-5 live, but the season 6 DVD has been literally sitting on my shelf for 3 years. I did the same thing with season 5 of The Wire. Sometimes I just don't want a series to end. :lol

Anyway, I managed to avoid the Sopranos ending spoiler for over 3 years, which is no small feat, so I'm quite proud of myself.

I actually liked the ending. I thought it was fitting to have a somewhat ambiguous ending for this kind of series. As soon as I finished watching it, I was in the "anxiety" camp for the ending interpretation. A "hit" on Tony at that point in time didn't really seem to make sense since he basically had a cease-fire with NY. Also all the previous hit jobs were the amateur hour. The member's only jacket guy would have been way too methodically for a supposed unsanctioned hit.

My initial interpretation was that we were getting a sense of Tony's anxiety. Ultimately he was most likely going to be in a court room fairly soon. A.J. is still a mess and will probably end up back in hospital. Meadow has continually made fun of her mom for being dependent on a man. Yet, Meadow has repeatedly altered her career decisions based on what her boyfriends are doing at a given time. Like Tony was telling Dr. Melfi, she's probably just going to have a career for a couple years until she starts popping out babies. She could very well end up being very close to what Carmela is.

Anyway but after reading online, the "death" interpretation also has very strong merit. There is some foreshadowing of it and the crews and families are basically in disarray at the end. It's possible someone might have wanted to do some "house-cleaning" before the trial gets started. Though I still think that part is a stretch because Tony is a boss, not some underling who could flip easily. But Paulie definitely was acting a bit strange toward the end. Though I think he was more concerned with his own mortality than climbing up the ladder.

So IMO, the symbolisms support the "death" theory, but the plot supports "anxiety".

Btw, was anybody else sad to see the Tony/Dr Melfi relationship dissolve like that? It was like Melfi saying, "The last 7 years have been a total waste". Though who knows, if Tony is indeed still alive maybe Melfi will have more "patient abandonment" dreams and she'll take him back. It did sound like she was manipulated by Dr. Elliot.

All in all, I liked the second half of season 6. The first part dragged on a bit but it was still decent. For me, seasons 4 & 5 were the weakest. At the end of those seasons, I didn't feel like the show really went anywhere. Just a bunch of stuff happened.

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

I don't buy the ending as anything other than his death. There is no point for a black screen ending if it is anything but Tony dying.

I just simplify it to "the show is titled The Sopranos, and it just blacks out as soon as the Sopranos no longer exist." They probably all die. A broken cease-fire and crews without leaders means anything goes and the underlings will try whatever they can to get the newly open top spots (remember those two kids that tried to impress in season 2 or 3?).

My dad thinks the abrupt ending was just a set up to a movie, which is the most illogical and cynical interpretation I've heard. It's actually stupid as hell and it bugs me that a normally smart guy would think something like that.

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

The more I've thought about it, the more I am on Team Dead.

Even though there is a ceasefire, Butch does not give up Phil, even if he agrees that it's OK for him to be taken out. But among the rest of the NY families, that can't be a popular decision, not to mention the way it was done-- in front of his grandchildren. Plus, the aforementioned power vacuum destabilizes things.

Also, Tony is relaxed in that last scene, even if we aren't. His guard is down. This isn't about what his life is going to be like, it's him letting himself slip.

I doubt the rest of the family is dead, though. That seems harder to do logistically, especially with Meadow not sitting at the table.




As far as the whole series, Seasons 3 and 4 are the weakest for me. When I got back to watching (with Season Five) I thought it was great. Tony Blundetto's arc is great.

 

[dave is ok]

WATCH TONY SOPRANO FINISH HIS ONION RINGS AND PAY THE BILL. SUMMER 2015

 

[Prine]

Tony died, all the clues are there, someone posted a link earlier that exhibited all the cue's viewers wouldnt have picked up. But each frame is ingeniously showing you everything from Tonys perspective, just before he (we) get whacked. I dont see how you can say otherwise.

It's still garbage. Soprano after the first two seasons are not worthy of recommendation.

What would you recommend then?