The long-anticipated final (half) season of The Sopranos brought some confusion, and not much resolution. The season as a whole dealt with Tony's continued struggles to set up a successor, while trying to handle the fallout from a power vacuum at the top with the New York family. Tony's successor candidates included Christopher, who went back off the wagon while trying to deal with the stress of Tony's lack of attention, and being a new husband and father. Tony's disappointment came to a head when Christopher wrecked the car they were riding in, and Tony killed Christopher but managed to make it look like a logical result of the accident. Tony's possible successor, Paulie, continued to be annoying and whiny, and couldn't keep his mouth shut. However, Paulie was one of the few longtime soldiers who survived the season. Tony's final potential successor, AJ, got dumped by his fiancée and sunk into depression, even attempting suicide by drowning in the family pool. Tony saved him, but also realized once and for all that AJ wasn't cut out for the family business. As far as the New York family, Johnny Sack died in prison. After the top two replacement candidates got whacked, Phil Leotardo agreed to take over, mostly because he still wanted to avenge his brother's death. And then the shit hit the fan. Phil tried to have Silvio whacked, but only succeeded in putting him in a coma, from which he was not expected to wake up. Bobby Bacala did get whacked, in a model-train store of all places. Tony and his remaining crew went into hiding (as did Tony's family), and Tony's guys finally caught up to Phil and whacked him in front of his wife and grandchildren. In other news, Meadow started dating and then got engaged to Patrick Parisi, Patsy's son. Tony and Melfi got in a big fight and broke up after Melfi heard from her own therapist that sociopaths like Tony can't be cured, and that therapy, in fact, will only serve to make them better sociopaths. In the controversial ending, Tony met with his wife and kids at a diner. The suspense that one of them might get whacked built throughout the scene, until finally -- nothing happened. The show went out with a black screen, not a bang. The ending that launched a thousand HBO cancellations and blog screeds could be interpreted many ways, but after the dust settles, people will realize how great the show was, and how much they miss their weekly visits with the Family. -- Kim
So You Think You Can Dance
By The TWoP Staff
The long-anticipated final (half) season of The Sopranos brought some confusion, and not much resolution. The season as a whole dealt with Tony's continued struggles to set up a successor, while trying to handle the fallout from a power vacuum at the top with the New York family. Tony's successor candidates included Christopher, who went back off the wagon while trying to deal with the stress of Tony's lack of attention, and being a new husband and father. Tony's disappointment came to a head when Christopher wrecked the car they were riding in, and Tony killed Christopher but managed to make it look like a logical result of the accident. Tony's possible successor, Paulie, continued to be annoying and whiny, and couldn't keep his mouth shut. However, Paulie was one of the few longtime soldiers who survived the season. Tony's final potential successor, AJ, got dumped by his fiancée and sunk into depression, even attempting suicide by drowning in the family pool. Tony saved him, but also realized once and for all that AJ wasn't cut out for the family business. As far as the New York family, Johnny Sack died in prison. After the top two replacement candidates got whacked, Phil Leotardo agreed to take over, mostly because he still wanted to avenge his brother's death. And then the shit hit the fan. Phil tried to have Silvio whacked, but only succeeded in putting him in a coma, from which he was not expected to wake up. Bobby Bacala did get whacked, in a model-train store of all places. Tony and his remaining crew went into hiding (as did Tony's family), and Tony's guys finally caught up to Phil and whacked him in front of his wife and grandchildren. In other news, Meadow started dating and then got engaged to Patrick Parisi, Patsy's son. Tony and Melfi got in a big fight and broke up after Melfi heard from her own therapist that sociopaths like Tony can't be cured, and that therapy, in fact, will only serve to make them better sociopaths. In the controversial ending, Tony met with his wife and kids at a diner. The suspense that one of them might get whacked built throughout the scene, until finally -- nothing happened. The show went out with a black screen, not a bang. The ending that launched a thousand HBO cancellations and blog screeds could be interpreted many ways, but after the dust settles, people will realize how great the show was, and how much they miss their weekly visits with the Family. -- Kim
So You Think You Can Dance