Season 5 in Review

[Janice]

Good to the last bullet: `The Sopranos' has made a killing this season

Is David Chase preparing "Sopranos'' fans for the day when the mob drama is officially iced?

What other explanation could there be for this penultimate season's litany of dramatic chills?

From Tony's (James Gandolfini) therapeutic epiphanies - and complete disregard thereof - to cousin Tony Blundetto's (Steve Buscemi) abrupt and wholehearted return to crime to the outing of Vito Spatafore (Joseph Gannascoli) and the whacking of Christopher's fiancee Adriana (Drea de Matteo), creator and executive producer Chase packed the season with drama and intrigue - and, for the people who want it, a body count.

The fifth season of HBO's premier water-cooler series comes to a close Sunday at 9; the series will sleep with the fishes after concluding a truncated 10-episode run sometime next year.

If the demise of Ralph Cifaretto (Joe Pantoliano) cast a pall of depressing inevitability and repetition over season four, the beauty of season five has been Chase's ability to infuse even the predictable moments with elements of surprise while simultaneously revealing the deep flaws and duplicitous natures of almost every single character. In short, there were fewer Columbus Day-style tangents, and the show was better for it.

The season began with Tony coping with the fallout of his separation from Carmela (Edie Falco) and the paroled mobsters returning to their crime families, including cousin Tony, the brilliantly acerbic Buscemi.

We all knew lovable dimwit Adriana was not long for this world after confessing to Christopher (Michael Imperioli) that she was an FBI informant, but it was an ingenious move to have Silvio (Steven Van Zandt) serve as the triggerman. It deftly reminded viewers who have cozied up to this ostensibly likable, often comic character that he is as cold-blooded as his partners.

(Diehard Ade fans continue to hold out hope for her resurrection as the teaser for Sunday mentions a "surprise'' visitor for Christopher.)

It also seemed a foregone conclusion that Tony and Carmela would reconcile, but if anyone's treachery has been spotlighted this year, it has been this superficially long-suffering wife. Gone is the hand-wringing and spiritual tumult of seasons past. First she spun her sexual web around A.J.'s school counselor Wegler (David Strathairn) to boost her dim son's college prospects. After his blisteringly accurate appraisal of her manipulation, she turned on a dime and threatened him and then negotiated Tony's return to the tune of a $600,000 plot of land. And when her own mother turned up her nose at Tony, Carmela defended him and, by extension, her own choices fiercely.

With Dr. Melfi (Lorraine Bracco), Tony made breakthroughs in recognizing the roots of his depression, his short fuse and his father’s culpability in shaping him. That he then chose to neglect and then physically threaten his son A.J. (Robert Iler), drive his sister Janice (Aida Turturro) to the brink of mania and proclaim his ailing Uncle Junior (Dominic Chianese) as "dead to me'' underscored his primal maliciousness in disturbing new ways.

If anyone got short shrift this season, it was Melfi and Soprano daughter Meadow (Jamie-Lynn DiScala). But even in a brief appearance, Meadow was true to her roots as she manipulated boyfriend Finn (Will Janowitz).

What happens on Sunday's finale, titled "All Due Respect,'' is anybody's guess. But given Tony's blunt rebuke of Johnny Sack (Vincent Curatola) regarding cousin Tony's whereabouts, it's a good bet that violence will be involved and that "Respect'' must be paid - both to Tony and creator David Chase.

By Sarah Rodman
The Boston Herald

[Moonlight Lady]

Oh I can't wait to watch it. It looks good..

[Brian Damage]

I heard about the rumors that Adrianna might not be dead. They say since they didn't actually show her murder, that it leaves the door open for her possible return. I personally think that is alot of bunk.

[Janice]

Think you can predict `The Sopranos'? Fuhgedaboudit!


Bust out the ricotta pie, the fifth and penultimate season of "The Sopranos'' comes to a close tonight at 9 on HBO.

The cable network did not release a screener of the finale for review, so all that fans of New Jersey's first family of crime have to go on are ambiguous teasers.

On HBO's official Web site for the show comes this promo for tonight's episode, titled "All Due Respect'': "Tony's crew circles the wagons as Johnny Sack turns up the heat. Carmela counts her blessings; Christopher is freaked out by an unexpected visitor; Benny's connection to the plumbers' union comes in handy; A.J. demonstrates his business acumen; and Tony ponders whether to execute a `sacrifice bunt.' ''

Creator David Chase has ended each season with some sort of family event, either at Artie Bucco's restaurant or at the Soprano compound. We're guessing this year's celebration will be an engagement party for Meadow (Jamie-Lynn DiScala).

We don't know what will happen tonight, so we can only speculate.

Because a sacrifice bunt is used in baseball to advance the runners at the expense of the batter, Tony (James Gandolfini) might sacrifice his cousin Tony Blundetto (Steve Buscemi) in a bid to make nice with Johnny Sack (Vincent Curatola), who now heads the New York family. Or, since Tony told his once good friend Johnny to piss off in the last episode, he could order a hit on Johnny.

Carmela's (Edie Falco) blessings could include breaking ground on the land Tony purchased for her. Or maybe it's a college acceptance letter for A.J. (Robert Iler) thanks to her manipulation of his guidance counselor, Mr. Wegler (David Straitharn). Or maybe she simply receives her quarterly statements on those investments she made with the bird feed money.

Christopher's (Michael Imperioli) surprise guest is Adriana (Drea de Matteo), who is still alive. She tells Christopher that Silvio (Steven Van Zandt) allowed her to enter the Witness Protection Program as long as she didn't let slip that he wears a rug. She's hiding out in Los Angeles posing as the sister of a dimwitted actor from New York named Joey Tribbiani. She's pretty sure his best friend Chandler is gay.

Could Benny's (Max Casella) connection to the plumber's union somehow be linked to Bobby Baccalieri's (Steve Schirripa) complaints about having to buy stool softener for Junior (Dominic Chianese)?

The idea that the gleefully dim A.J. demonstrates any kind of ``acumen'' baffles us. Perhaps he starts a luggage-toting service, because he has gotten so good at schlepping around his dad's suitcases.

Vito Spatafore (Joseph Gannascoli) comes to terms with his homosexuality by joining the Fab 5 for a special edition of ``Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.'' The layabout ``construction'' worker wants to help metrosex-up the Jersey family by getting rid of those tacky bowling shirts and pinky rings.

The Boston Herald

[Brian Damage]