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The Sopranos Season 5 Episode 2 'Rat Pack' Full TV Reaction!!

The Sopranos Season 5 Episode 2 'Rat Pack' Full TV Reaction!!

Comments

I just want to clarify something that may help. Tony B is NOT a made guy. Richie Aprile was. That is why Richie gets cash when he gets out. Also the character of Feech(the old angry guy who got out of jail this season) is the character Ralphie was talking about when he told Jackie Jr about the card game Jackie’s dad & Tony robbed as kids. That card game was Feech’s. One thing you two may want to consider before you start a new season is watching a quick recap of the show thus far(which can be found on YouTube). When this show was on the air when a lot of us saw it, before every episode a minute or so long “previously on” recap before the episode started aired & refreshed our memories. So you’d be reminded of characters pertaining to that episode that hasn’t shown up in a couple season(like Ray Curto. He shows up this episode. He’s one of Tony’s captains that’s an FBI informant who complained to the FBI about stuff getting spilled on his shirt). Keep in mind that while you are going mere weeks between seasons, alot of us went 2 years without new episodes. The breaks between season 3 & 4, 4 and 5, 5&6 were 2 years! So that “previously on” were vital. It might help you guys as well since watching the show so close together like this, you are bound to forget certain details. Just a suggestion that might help.

Stan the Man

That's a really good movie, Marcus. It's one of thew few I can think of that atually shows how low rent mob life really is.

Robert Livingood

I also loved that Easter Basket line. It reminds me of another movie (nameless for spoiler reasons) where a bunch of lowly mob guys were trying to brrak open some parking meters. 😂

Marcus Cato

Agreed!! It's so wild to see Tony have fallen so far, emotionally. Oh thank you! Wow, that's a lot longer than we thought. -Sam

TBR Schmitt

So many great points in this comment! The layers and intricacy that they're able to capture in this show is just beyond! -Sam

TBR Schmitt

ah yes!! -Sam

TBR Schmitt

Yes! We didn't put that together! -Sam

TBR Schmitt

Thank you! We knew he looked familiar but couldn't put on finger on it! There's so many characters in this show haha Thank you, Robert! -Sam

TBR Schmitt

Two of the top episodes in the series! -Sam

TBR Schmitt

Ah thank you! It looked familiar and I think we equated it to Janice because she was there for a little while but now with her *gags* husband :( -Sam

TBR Schmitt

I think there's speculation both ways whether that's the same character or not haha so I can understand the confusion! -Sam

TBR Schmitt

Thank you, David! -Sam

TBR Schmitt

I think my favourite thing about season 5 is Steve Buscemi joining the cast. On every single rewatch I get a kick out of discovering that Mr Pink from Reservoir Dogs is Tony Soprano's cousin! That scene where Tony's looking at himself in the mirror in the bathroom is one of my favourites in the whole series. Tony is completely broken. Lost his family, his home, he's living with his mother's ghost in her old house, Melfi's broken his heart (and his ego). And Tony B doesn't want any part of whatever fantasy reunion Tony S had in mind... A quick note on the timeline. In the real world, 15 months passed between the end of season 4 and the start of season 5. In The Sopranos' Universe, 10 months passed. That was a fantastic start to season 5. Can't wait for next week's episodes. Hope you're feeling better by then!

Future Boy

The part where Agent Sanseverino is talking about the line "between the good guys and bad guys" not being any more clearer is layered in irony because this episode is all about the "bad guys" cooperating with the "good guys". Adriana is cooperating because she's under pressure and later to spite Tina Francesco for flirting with Christopha. Ray Curto snitches for his own self preservation rather than help his fellow country. The lawyer who tried to prosecute Junior wants to prosecute the juror that caused a hung jury rather than build the case against Tony S. because it would benefit his career more. I always believed the story of the sister being a paraplegic was made up in an effort to manipulate Ade. I agree with Tony being an incredibly lonely man who felt betrayed by Jack Massarone for being a rat. It's why he threw away the painting even though there was a possibility of it being bugged too. He was also drunk dialing his cousin Tony egg, a classic lonely move. The "Two Tonys" are in full display. Tony S. wants to be seen as the respected and feared mob boss as well as the dutiful family man throughout the show, though he is failing at both as he's estranged from his family who barely have any part of this episode, and is beginning to face scrutiny from his mob family since Ralphie's murder. He seems to be a wet blanket now, bringing up TMI at the Tony B Vesuvio reunion, nearly going off on Tony egg for his M'boy are you fat joke, and breaking up the massage slumber party. The scene where he watches the documentary of the vet express his gratitude toward his savior brings up resentment and guilt in Tony. He tries to set his cousin up for newfound success in the life of crime, but is rebuffed so he declares him useless to him as a result. He watches with envy as Feech hands Steve Buscemi an envelope, knowing that he won't be the savior he envisioned himself being. He feels guilty for what happened to Tony B but is too self-centered and hypocritical to approach it in a healthy manner.

Sol95

Boy, you are so right. I've long said the Sopranos is my favorite drama AND my favorite comedy. I've also said on these pages that Chrissy's intervention is the funniest five minutes in TV history, and gets funnier the more times you watch it.

Robert Livingood

Holy crap, I’ve watched this show like 12 times and it never occurred to me that they were the same character. It’s amazing how you always manage to find out new things. Yes I know it's not exactly hidden but it's a one-scene character from 2 seasons earlier so easy to forget lol

Sol95

“Is this about the easterbaskets” is one of my favs as well. It’s this show in a nutshell. It’s sounds so petty and small time Vs the romanticized ideals of The Godfather that some people have in their heads. There’s another one coming up in Season 6 that speaks to how these guys will steal anything. But not only are they stealing or doing shady things with Easterbaskets but the implication is there was some sort of screw up that Christopher thought Tony wanted to talk to him about lol. Honestly? I treat the sopranos as a comedy more than a drama. It’s so bleakly funny. Yes there’s incredible drama but to me it’s one of the funniest shows of all time. Chris’s intervention ranks up there in laughs with the best of “Seinfeld” for me.

Stan the Man

Just to clarify, Tony is living in Livia's house, not with Bobby and Janice. He ended up not putting the house up for sale when Janice moved out. With Jack Massarone, he was shown in S2 during the union workers strike.

JG

The other rat is Ray Curto. He's been on the series off and on since Season 1. Way back in the episode of Livia's funeral it is revealed he is an informant.

Wayne Delaune (cardaderdention)

Fantastic reaction, as usual! Just a clarification, we have seen Soprano Captain Ray Curto several times, going all the way back to Season 1 when the rest of the captains approached him to become the new boss after Jackie Sr. died and everyone was nervous about Junior running things, but Ray demurred because of (nuclear) family obligations (expanded here when he mentions he has a son with MS). We’ve only seen Ray sporadically since, but he was shown to be an informant all the way back in Season 3, I believe. It’s easy to forget all this because there are so many things going on in the show and so many characters and Ray has been, at best, a secondary one. Funniest throwaway line in these 2 episodes: “Is this about the Easter baskets?” It’s just so wonderfully random yet specific. You just know there’s a great scumbag story there. For years, anytime someone wants to speak to me and they seem annoyed, I always ask, “Is this about the Easter baskets?” Get well, you guys!

Robert Livingood

It is 100% the same character

Stan the Man

I know Steve Buscemi directed the Pine Barrens episode and the one titled Everybody Hurts which is the one when Tony finds out Gloria committed suicide. He has the dark dream of her cooking for him with and the hints hat she hung herself from the chandelier.

daron85

It is the same character

Kevin Charley

Two great closing credit songs in these episodes. Heaven Only Knows by Emmylou Harris and Undercover of the Night by The Rolling Stones. David Chase has great taste in music.

David Murray

p.s get well soon

Ghost Crusaders

Tony is living at his mother's house

Ghost Crusaders

Yes she was dating Mustang Sally. But its not the same character....lol

Ghost Crusaders

Another great couple of episodes. So glad that you were able to post, despite being under the weather. Hope you get better soon, and that the week ahead is a good one.

David Wilkins


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