Sopranos TV Show - The Blue Comet - Sopranos Photos & Videos, Sopranos Reviews & Sopranos Recaps | TWoP

Recapped by Kim · Aired 06-02-2007

At a dinner party, Melfi's psychiatrist friends (including Elliot) bring up the study about sociopaths, and Melfi gets pissed. Elliot also spills the beans to the group that Melfi treats Tony Soprano. Melfi finally reads the study in question and finds that it hits a bit close to home. At Tony's appointment, Melfi breaks off their therapeutic relationship, to Tony's dismay. Janice informs Tony that Uncle Junior's money is running out and that he'll be transferred to a state facility if they don't help him out. Tony refuses, and he's sick of everyone expecting him to pay for everything, especially Bobby.

Silvio whacks Burt Gervasi for working with New York. Phil proposes to his guys that they take out the heads of the Soprano family (Tony, Silvio, and Bobby Bacala) and absorb any guys who are left. Agent Harris tips Tony off to the plan. Tony brings some guys over from Italy to take out Phil before Phil's plans are in motion. The Italians accidentally kill Phil's goomar and her father instead of Phil. Silvio discovers that Phil has gone into hiding until his plans play out, so Tony tells his guys to be on the lookout and be careful. Unfortunately, before Bobby gets the word, he's gunned down at the train store. Silvio and Patsy take some fire at the Bing; Silvio is hit, and he's barely clinging to life. Patsy runs away through the woods and isn't seen for the rest of the episode. Tony tells Carmela to clear out of the house with the kids as a precaution. Tony, Paulie, Carlo, Walden, and Tony's giant bald bodyguard bunk down at an old house (I don't think it was Livia's, because the interior was wrong -- the kitchen reminded me of Uncle Junior's house, but surely that's been sold to pay expenses by now, so it was probably just a safe house) and wait to see what happens in the finale, like the rest of us.

Welcome back, my friends, to the show that soon will end. And now I apologize for putting an Emerson, Lake & Palmer earworm in your heads. My husband is (sadly) a big prog rock fan, and the things I have to suffer through for the sake of my marriage would amaze you! I've actually seen ELP in concert. Then again, he watched an entire season of Dancing With The Stars for me and pretended like he cared, so I guess we're even.

Anyway, it's the penultimate episode, and it opens with a man grabbing a newspaper from the end of his driveway. Tony? In a robe? Nope. Burt Gervasi (brother to Carlo, made at the same time as the late Gerry the Hairdo) is the man seeking out the news of the day. He's wearing white shoes, which is a theme of the episode, apparently. Or maybe mobsters just like to wear track suits with white shoes. Or maybe Paulie is a fashion role model for everyone. Anyway, Burt's split-level ranch is not nearly as nice as Tony's house. Silvio skulks up behind Burt and says they need to talk, and some things can't be discussed over the phone. Burt invites Silvio inside and warns him to look out for his wife's dog, because "her fucking toy terrier's a shit machine." Once they're inside, Silvio says he "talked to some of the guys about [Burt's] misgivings." Burt, walking in front of Silvio, flips through the newspaper. He doesn't notice Silvio pulling out a piece of wire, which Silvio slips around Burt's neck. After a struggle of a few minutes, and lots of broken furniture and barking from the dog, Burt dies. The camera pans down to his white shoes. I told you it was a theme.

Phil meets with Albie and Butchie in his bar. He yells into the other room and tells the guys hanging out in there to get lost, then launches into a speech about how "the Sopranos are nothing more than a glorified crew" and don't deserve to be considered in the same league with the Five Families of New York. Phil proposes that they "decapitate" the New Jersey crew and deal with whoever is left. Albie thinks that's crazy, but Butchie thinks it makes good business sense, since they won't lose so much money as it gets kicked up through the levels. Phil isn't even worried about the money; he reminds them of Coco, Fat Dom, and his brother Billy, and adds that Tony has never been to prison and didn't really earn his position. Phil thinks Tony was handed the job. He also thinks the Sopranos have no respect for the Mafia traditions. Phil's final argument is that Tony harbored Vito even after he knew Vito was gay. Phil concludes, "There's no scraps in my scrapbook." He orders his guys to make it happen.

By Kim

AJ is still in the hospital. He notices a girl sitting nearby wearing a really short skirt. She has marks on her legs as if she has been cutting herself. She sees AJ and his buddy staring at her and walks off in disgust. Another girl comes in and sits down by the window; it's Rhiannon, a girl he used to hang out with when he was hanging out with that dude Hernan and dropping $500 per night on bottles of Cristal in the clubs while he worked at Blockbuster. Rhiannon shares that she's in the facility because she has food issues and depression, and that she's been modeling, but no longer hangs out with Hernan because she "caught him fingerbanging [her] cousin on the ski lift." Classy.

Carmela and Tony arrive to see AJ. The counselor suggests that AJ needs peaceful and calm surroundings once he's released. And they're sending him home? And why does the counselor look exactly like Shirley MacLaine in Terms of Endearment? She hands Tony an envelope, and when he opens it in the elevator, he remarks on how expensive this treatment is.

Tony arrives at Satriale's and orders a sub. He spots Agent Harris sitting alone in the front room and joins the Fed while his sub is being made. Tony tries to get more info on the Arabs he turned in, but Harris won't spill, claiming he doesn't really know. Tony gets pissed and stomps out with his sub. Agent Harris follows him outside and yells to Tony to wait up. Agent Harris reminds Tony that he heard, some time ago, that Tony and people close to him were in danger, but that never came to fruition. Now Agent Harris is hearing it again, and it's been implied that "the wheels have already been set in motion." Agent Harris walks off without giving any more details, and Tony angrily throws his sub to the ground. Hey, that's a waste of good gabbagool!

Silvio walks into the back room at the Bing, and Tony wonders where he's been. They had an emergency; Krista fell off her shoes last night. Awesome. Silvio pours Tony and himself a drink and explains, "Burt Gervasi. He's gone." Tony angrily demands to know what happened. Silvio says he didn't want to burden Tony, with AJ's problems and all, but Burt told Silvio that he had been "playing both sides of the fence with New York." Tony slumps into a chair as Silvio explains that a lot of the guys "have been getting squeezed hard to sway them towards new management." Tony surmises that Phil thought Silvio would join New York, and that whacking Burt was Silvio's response to that. Silvio hopes that now they can resume negotiations with Phil, but Tony doesn't seem convinced. Bobby walks in, and Silvio says they're talking about Phil.

By Kim

Cut to Vesuvio, where Tony explains to Bobby and Silvio that they have to hit New York first, because what Silvio revealed dovetails with what Tony got from Agent Harris. Tony asks Bobby's opinion; Bobby says that he knows he has advised Tony to let things slide in the past, but he realizes now that "with a fuck like Phil, appeasement don't work." Tony and Silvio start slow-motion boxing like in Raging Bull as Bobby smiles.

Butchie, all business, talks to Phil's crew about their plans. He wants "three pops" and confirms that they plan to take out Tony, Silvio, and Bobby, but not Paulie. He explains that they feel Bobby is now number three. One guy is shocked that Bobby has moved up so far, since he started out as Junior's driver. Well, that's what marrying the boss's sister will do. Also, contrast this scene, where the hit is discussed quickly and efficiently, with how the New Jersey guys handle it.

AJ's home! He comes downstairs and is greeted warmly by Meadow and Carmela. He cuts through their false cheer by asking for his belt, but he immediately realizes that Carmela hid it from him to prevent another suicide attempt. AJ slumps into the living room and starts watching a PBS special about the war in Iraq. Meadow and Carmela share a look and don't say anything.

Tony walks into the Bing back room and says that he's decided they should call in some guys from Italy to whack Phil. Meanwhile, Silvio is buffing his white shoes. Seriously, what's with the white shoes? They're most closely associated with Paulie, who survives the episode, but who knows what will happen week. Bobby asks who Tony wants to run the thing, and Tony just looks at Bobby and nods. Bobby! Stepping up! Taking responsibility! I'm sure he has a bright future with the organization.

Melfi and Elliott are having dinner with a bunch of shrinks. One shrink brings up a client of hers who is dating someone in prison, which leads to a discussion of the same study by Samenow and Yochelson that Elliott brought up to Melfi in their last session. The one that claims that sociopathic criminals aren't helped by talk therapy; in fact, it allows them to practice their con so that they can become more effective criminals. The only problems I had with this storyline are that A) no self-respecting shrink would use Google to find academic articles – maybe Google Scholar, but not just plain old Google, and B) the study was published a long time ago so I'm not sure why it's news to these people just now. Melfi tries to dismiss the findings. Another shrink agrees that sociopaths can only mimic empathy. Melfi angrily accuses Elliott of setting this up. Everyone else at the table feels awkward. Elliott won't drop it and refers to Tony as "Leadbelly." Of course, now that he's mentioned it, everyone else wants to know what he's talking about. Elliott gives the easiest hint ever about a female opera singer. Melfi is shocked that he would commit such a breach of ethics, but Elliott doesn't see the big deal. One guy tries to change the subject and asks Melfi what she thinks about the wine; another guy says, "All Italians have big noses." Melfi, feeling attacked, thinks the guy is making an ethnic slur, but it turns out he was just talking about the wine. Man, she must feel dumb ten ways to Sunday.

Bing. Bobby calls Paulie into the back room, where Silvio tells him that there's a hit out on Phil, and it'll happen when he's at his goomar's on Friday night. Paulie asks if Tony knows about it, and Silvio and Bobby are offended that he would even ask. Paulie explains that he made it through the last gang wars "by the skin of [his] nuts," and he wants to make sure the boss knows what they're getting themselves into. Paulie does agree that Phil has to go. Silvio notes his concerns and asks if Paulie has a problem. Paulie just walks out. Does Silvio suspect Paulie of going over to Phil's side? That was a weird scene.

Melfi sits in bed, finally reading the study by Samenow and Yochelson. The key sentences that the camera focuses in on are: "The criminal's sentimentality reveals itself in compassion for babies and pets. The criminal uses insight to justify heinous acts. Therapy has potential for noncriminals; for criminals it becomes one more criminal operation." Melfi grimaces and puts the papers down sharply, as if they might harm her.

Bing. Corky, the addict that helped arrange the hit on Rusty Milio, comes in and tells Paulie that the Italians are outside. Paulie yells at him for his lack of discretion. In the bathroom, Paulie passes responsibility for the hit over to Patsy. So this thing has gone from being Tony's problem, to Bobby, to Paulie, to Patsy, to Corky, to the Italian guys. Meanwhile, Phil gave the order and Butchie informed the rest of the crew in one sitting. Is that an indictment of the unprofessional and untraditional ways the Soprano Family does business, or an indictment of the modern corporation with all its delegation and ineffective middle management? Who wrote this episode, Tom Peters? Outside, Patsy meets with the Italians. Paulie drives by, and then peels out quickly. Are we supposed to assume that everyone keeps passing the buck because no one wants Phil's blood on their hands in case things go wrong?

Tony sits in Melfi's waiting room, reading a magazine. He finds a steak -grilling recipe he likes and tears out the page. I used to work in the library in college, and I HATED it when people did that instead of paying for the copies. Assholes. Melfi calls him in, and they take their familiar positions. Tony starts out by asking how much money she makes, then explains that he's wondering because Meadow has announced she's not going to be a doctor. Melfi just glares at Tony and gives short responses, especially when Tony mentions babies (JUST LIKE THE STUDY!). Tony explains that Meadow is interested in civil rights right now, but he hopes she'll end up at a big firm handling white-collar crime. Tony senses that Melfi is pissed and starts buttering her up by talking about how Melfi has helped a lot of people, just like the people who are helping AJ. Tony tears up while talking about his son, and then gets angry and says that maybe he was too soft on AJ. Melfi mutters things under her breath and gets bitchy with Tony. He notices and asks what her problem is. Melfi changes the subject, and Tony asks why she's taking on a hostile tone. Melfi thinks he might be projecting, and continues picking a fight and pushing Tony's buttons. She even brings up that she saw Tony ripping a page from the magazine in her waiting room. Tony blows it off, and Melfi says, "I don't think I can help you." Tony asks what she means, and thinks this is all because he missed some appointments. Melfi launches into a rehearsed speech about how she can give him a referral to another shrink. Tony backpedals and makes excuses about why he's been a bad, bad boy. Melfi stands up to end the session (and the relationship). Tony stands up and says that he "chalks this all up to female menopausal situations." Melfi says he's not her gynecologist, and Tony responds with one of my favorite lines of the whole season, "You don't need a gynecologist to know which way the wind blows." I think Bob Dylan said that, right? In "Menopausal Homesick Blues"? Tony accuses Melfi of being immoral for cutting him loose while his family is in crisis. He exits her office, and then he unfolds the magazine page and puts it back with a flourish before walking out.

The Italians sit outside Phil's goomar's house, waiting. A car pulls into her driveway, and a gray-haired man gets out. The hit men consult a photo, and one of them heads into the house while the other waits behind the wheel. The hit man knocks at the door and claims that he's from DHL. A man answers the door; it's not Phil. Phil's goomar stands at the top of the stairs and asks what's going on. The hitman shoots the Not-Phil man in the temple, and then shoots the goomar for good measure, but not before she screams in Ukrainian that they shot her father. Oops.

Corky waits in a video store, watching porn on the monitors. As you do. He gets a phone call from the Italians, explaining that they did the job, and that they had to kill the goomar, too. There's some confusion over who exactly they killed, because she called the man in the house Daddy, and they were both speaking Ukrainian. Corky hangs up and calls Patsy to give him the news. Corky asks if Phil ever spoke Ukrainian to his goomar. Patsy doesn't know, and Corky hangs up. Patsy then calls Paulie and tells him the job is done. Can't they just do a conference call or something? Now does Paulie have to call Bobby, who will call Tony? They should have done a split screen, and then split it again, and then split it again, like those old "and then she tells a friend, and then she tells a friend" shampoo commercials.

At Vesuvio, Tony tells Carmela that he quit therapy. Carmela doesn't think it was doing much for him anyway. They both paste on big fake smiles as Charmaine and Artie walk up. Charmaine asks about Meadow dating Patrick Parisi and quitting medical school. Carmela pretends they are thrilled about both developments and talks about how doctors have to deal with hospital cutbacks and malpractice insurance. Artie claims that Meadow has always been intellectually curious, but Carmela doesn't think compassion and patience come naturally to her daughter. Even Tony is like, "The fuck? That was a weird thing to say about your own kid." But he conveys it all through facial expression. Carmela explains that Meadow is going into "constitutional law." Artie and Charmaine act impressed and ask about AJ. Artie then changes the subject and points out that "Mangenius," the coach of the Jets, is there. Tony wants to say hello, leaving the two women alone. Charmaine wants to dish some more about Meadow and Patrick, but Carmela keeps her mouth shut until Charmaine finally takes the hint and leaves. Well, at least we got to see the Bucco family one more time before the series ended.

By Kim

Bobby parks outside a model train store; just after he gets out, his cell phone starts ringing, but he left it in the car so he doesn't hear it. It's probably Silvio, telling him to be careful, and Bobby didn't get the message. Inside the store, Bobby admires the trains and has a conversation with the store's owner about a vintage "Blue Comet" engine (thus the episode's title). While Bobby is engrossed in train discussion, two guys dressed in dark clothes and wearing baseball caps enter the store. One of them turns a corner and starts shooting at Bobby. The other one joins him. Bobby takes a number of bullets and ultimately falls on top of the model train table, riddled with bullet holes, eyes wide open and unseeing. The two killers exit the store as the customers cower in fear. Goodbye, Mr. Bacala. You certainly deserved better, between your wife dying and somehow getting hitched to Janice and knocking her up. Then again, maybe you're better off now.

Bing. Silvio is packing work-related items into a bag, preparing to go into hiding. Patsy tries to hurry him along, and they eventually hop into Patsy's car. As they are pulling out of the Bing's parking lot, another car pulls in and blocks their exit. Two guys get out and start shooting. Silvio reaches into the back seat and struggles to grab a gun, similar to how Ade struggled to stay in the car when Silvio tried to pull her out so that he could shoot her. Karmic justice? Silvio takes a few bullets, including a shot to the side and one to the shoulder. Patsy manages to return fire and beat feet into the woods nearby without getting hit. The killers run out of bullets and retreat as the patrons and strippers from the Bing watch in horror. The killers drive away, slowing down to check out Silvio, who is sitting in the passenger seat unconscious and possibly dead. As the killers pull out of the parking lot, they cut off a dude on a motorcycle, who dumps his bike and rolls down the highway. Then the guy's legs get run over by a minivan, as the people outside the Bing (representing us, the viewers?) gasp in horror, but don't turn away. Meanwhile, we see an unharmed Patsy sprinting through a drainage ditch, gun in hand. Did he know about the hit? Seems weird that Silvio got hit multiple times and Patsy made it out unscathed. Or was he just lucky?

Tony and his driver pull into the Soprano driveway. Carmela and Rosalie Aprile (yea!) are going through photos from their trip to Europe last year, laughing over their good times. Tony comes in and asks Carmela if he can speak to her privately. With no time to pussyfoot around, Tony quickly tells a shocked Carmela that Bobby is dead, and Silvio is in the hospital, because they were both shot. Meanwhile, Rosalie continues looking at pictures and finds one of her and Carmela sticking their heads through a painting of two queens, so it looks like they are wearing the dresses. I wonder why they focused on that photo specifically – is it because Rosalie used to be the wife of the head guy, and now Carmela is? Anyway, Tony tells Carmela that she needs to leave with the kids and not ask questions. He reminds her that generally families don't get touched, but he just wants her away from their house, so she should go to the house she just bought in an estate sale. Carmela looks pained and terrified as Tony gives her a hard look. She pulls it together and asks about Janice. Tony promises they can stop by after they pack. Carmela moves quickly into organizing mode, just she did when Tony was shot, or when Christopher died, thinking about the steps. She worries that AJ won't leave the house, and Tony promises that he'll leave the house one way or another. Rosalie shows up and says that she's going to leave, but she heard everything. I don't know if that's important, but I thought I'd throw it in there. She's probably relieved that she has no male connection to the Family anymore, with her husband, brother-in-law, son, and former boyfriend all dead. Of course, the last three of them were killed (either directly or indirectly) by Sopranos; she probably doesn't know, but you wonder why she's still friends with Carm.

AJ and Rhiannon are hanging out in his room, discussing a trip to Mexico. Tony walks in and tells Rhiannon to beat it, so she does. AJ whines that Tony just busted in, and they could have been doing anything. Tony has no time for this nonsense, and sits down on the side of AJ's bed to try to compassionately explain that Bobby is dead. AJ wants details, and Tony says he doesn't have time, because they all have to leave until things settle down. Tony asks AJ to be the man of the house while they're away, and to help out his mother. AJ continues to be a whiny bitch, pretending he doesn't know what Tony means, and repeating, "This is really depressing to me. I was already having trouble maintaining." Tony does what most viewers have wanted him to do for a while now: he grabs AJ by the scruff of the neck and tosses him into the closet, growling at him to pack a bag. AJ just sobs and whines some more.

Meadow and Carmela arrive at the Bacalas' house (formerly the Sack house) and find Janice and Bobby's older children sitting there in shock. I really feel for Bobby's older kids; first their mom dies, then their dad marries crazy Janice, and now their dad is dead. Their lives suck a lot. Janice looks at Carmela, and all she can say is "Oh my God."

Tony and Paulie are securing the Soprano house. Paulie reports that he finally got news on Silvio: the doctors don't think he'll regain consciousness. They go into the kitchen to pack some food, and Paulie takes note of AJ in the backyard talking to Rhiannon. I'm still suspicious of her. How did she get out of the facility so quickly? Is it possible that she got arrested for drugs or something and the Feds found out she knew AJ? Anyway, Paulie takes time out of his packing to admire her "stems" and express jealousy of AJ's youth.

That night, a bunch of the guys arrive at a generic safe house that looks similar to Livia or Junior's old houses, but it's not. They cautiously go inside. Walden says he's going to sleep on the couch. Behind Walden, there's a cardboard cutout of Silvio, which freaked me out on first viewing. Tony tells Dante (his driver) to go home to his wife, and tells Paulie that he can go too. They both say they're not going anywhere. Carlo asks if they can order a pizza. Man, I am truly paranoid, because now I'm suspicious of Carlo too. Who's he calling? Is it someone from New York, to tell them where the guys are hiding out?

By Kim

Tony heads upstairs and walks down a long hallway until he comes to a bedroom. He closes the door and sits on the bed, where he pulls the gun Bobby gave him for his birthday out of a garbage bag. This causes him to flash back to sitting in Bobby's boat, discussing what it's like to get shot. Tony lays back on the bed facing the door and cradles his rifle. His actual rifle, not...you know. Heavy lies the head, and all.

And then there was one. I don't know about you, but after this episode, I can't wait for the finale.

Sopranos TV Show - The Blue Comet - Sopranos Photos &amp; Videos, Sopranos Reviews &amp; Sopranos Recaps | TWoP

Sopranos TV Show - The Blue Comet - Sopranos Photos & Videos, Sopranos Reviews & Sopranos Recaps | TWoP