So, as promised, I watched the Sopranos finale 24 hours late. I spent all day avoiding co-workers, websites, and newspapers so that I wouldn’t spoil it. Alas, I had a single clue during the day when the ticker on MSNBC said “Sopranos Leaves Tony Alive.” Damn you MSNBC!
In any case, I thought the finale was fantastic. I’m not sure yet if that puts me in the majority or minority among fans, but considering that complaining fans crashed HBO.com last night, I’m probably in the minority here.
First off, I’ve been predicting for a week that the enormous plot points would be left open on the show, especially after hearing that the final show would only be an hour long. There was no way to successfully close all the points, and more importantly, to do it in a way that would satisfy fans. Remember, this is the show that would take whole *seasons* to close of threads of plots.
Second, I was just happy when Phil died. It was a gruesome scene – embarrassing, unyielding, and totally fitting for the way Phil lived his life. I wasn’t sure it was going to happen, and it was the single plot point that I needed cleared up to make the episode a success for me. I still have questions about Paulie, but he’s long been my favorite mobster, so I give him more leeway than anyone else.
I could go on forever, but I liked this article the best:
And the Journey song? It cuts to silence in the middle of the chorus, on the phrase “Don’t stop … “
It’s as if the jukebox has skipped on the fans’ unheeded plea.
Don’t Stop! Tell us if those two black guys are hit men! Tell us if Members Only just went to pick up a gun, Corleone-style, from behind a toilet! Tell us if the feds are circling outside!
Or at least, tell us: Does Meadow get a ticket for double-parking?
But Chase stopped short. He stopped without telling us if our dread was justified, without telling us whether this was just another day in Tony’s life or the last day in Tony’s life. He carried out on his oft-repeated threat to leave the plot unresolved, just like life.
Or did he? In every other way but the simple question of how Tony would go down, Chase and his team have satisfied most of our thematic questions. Existentially, at least, we know exactly where all the principle characters are heading, and that’s nowhere good.
I’m obviously divergent from the rest of the fans out there, but I got exactly what I wanted – my questions left unanswered.
Greg Palmer 