# Sopranos - Just now watching



## photoshopgrl (Nov 22, 2008)

Okay don't make fun of me but this is one of those series that for whatever reason I never watched even though I always thought it would be great and everyone raved about it. 

So finally I decided to grab it and I started over the weekend. Got up to episode 7 of season 1. 

Not even sure if there's anything to discuss as the series has been over so long but if anyone wants to jump in and talk about it, I'm game.


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## jeff125va (Mar 15, 2001)

Enjoy. At least you won't have to endure the long waits - not just between episodes, but especially between seasons. Some of the breaks were over a year, IIRC.

I really can't remember what would have been happening at that point in the series. I probably watched that a little more recently than some since I started the series I believe during season 3, then went back and watched 1 & 2 before season 4 began.


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## TiVo'Brien (Feb 8, 2002)

One thing to keep in mind is the cast is pretty large. Minor characters (*****'s wife, for example) often come and go throughout the show's run. It will add to your enjoyment of the show if you remember who they are because you won't be confused like I was by dismissing them and forgetting about them.


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## Shaunnick (Jul 2, 2005)

Be ready for some unresolved plot threads. 

Seriously, great show, and great ending.


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## photoshopgrl (Nov 22, 2008)

TiVo'Brien said:


> One thing to keep in mind is the cast is pretty large. Minor characters (*****'s wife, for example) often come and go throughout the show's run. It will add to your enjoyment of the show if you remember who they are because you won't be confused like I was by dismissing them and forgetting about them.


Thanks I will definitely keep that in mind now.


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## jeff125va (Mar 15, 2001)

TiVo'Brien said:


> One thing to keep in mind is the cast is pretty large. Minor characters (*****'s wife, for example) often come and go throughout the show's run. It will add to your enjoyment of the show if you remember who they are because you won't be confused like I was by dismissing them and forgetting about them.





photoshopgrl said:


> Thanks I will definitely keep that in mind now.


Actually you should have an easier time keeping track assuming you continue to watch it all in a much shorter time. Even some of the more regular, but minor, characters were easy to get confused.


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## Wilhite (Oct 26, 2003)

I started watching about 3 years ago and finished them up last year.

One of the things that I did was to go Wikipedia and read the episode summary after I had watched an episode. It helped with the "who was that?" questions that would pop up from time to time.


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## Mr. Soze (Nov 2, 2002)

Fast forward though anything with Dr. Melfi. You will enjoy the show a lot more.


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## jradosh (Jul 31, 2001)

Mr. Soze said:


> Fast forward though anything with Dr. Melfi. You will enjoy the show a lot more.


I'd ignore this advice. Tony's psychological issues are at the heart of series and are a key to understanding how and why things end the way they do.


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## busyba (Feb 5, 2003)

Whatever you do, just don't stop believing!


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## Cainebj (Nov 11, 2006)

jradosh said:


> I'd ignore this advice. Tony's psychological issues are at the heart of series and are a key to understanding how and why things end the way they do.


I would have to agree with this. Fast forwarding through the Dr. Melfi's scenes seems ludicrous to me.


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## MikeAndrews (Jan 17, 2002)

Rosebud is.....


There are a bunch of series that I never started (like Heroes. I don't care about Lost.) The last seasons of Mad Men and Breaking Bad are waiting for me on the TiVo.

Don't ruin those for me.


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## pjenkins (Mar 8, 1999)

Cainebj said:


> I would have to agree with this. Fast forwarding through the Dr. Melfi's scenes seems ludicrous to me.


completely agree, it's critical to watch/understand the Melfi scenes, and some of the best acting of the series is watching Gandolfini in them, imo.


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## Kablemodem (May 26, 2001)

I bought the series a few months ago, but I haven't started watching yet. I have too much on my TiVos to start watching DVDs.


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## heySkippy (Jul 2, 2001)

I've been waiting for this show to appear on Netflix streaming. Never watched it, but want to.


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## aindik (Jan 23, 2002)

busyba said:


> Whatever you do, just
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> ...


FYP.


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## Wheens (Jan 1, 2003)

Don't be surprised if you get a desire to listen to Springsteen and the E street Band!


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## marksman (Mar 4, 2002)

Mr. Soze said:


> Fast forward though anything with Dr. Melfi. You will enjoy the show a lot more.


I second this advice. Fortunately she became less of a participant and key figure as the show progressed. There were episodes where I just FFed through the sessions because it was just such a waste of space.


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## photoshopgrl (Nov 22, 2008)

Okay watched episode 8 last night. I'm puzzled why Dr Melfi insisted he pay for the missed session. Was she testing him? I mean she knows why he missed it so how could she not see his reaction coming on that? Or am I missing something? Then to talk about it all with her family & ex is just stupid and dangerous to me!


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## TiVo'Brien (Feb 8, 2002)

photoshopgrl said:


> Okay watched episode 8 last night. I'm puzzled why Dr Melfi insisted he pay for the missed session. Was she testing him? I mean she knows why he missed it so how could she not see his reaction coming on that? Or am I missing something? Then to talk about it all with her family & ex is just stupid and dangerous to me!


She's just trying to get Tony to treat her with more respect. Early on, he tends to dismiss her and what she does.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

There WILL be a time when the Melfi sessions are ALL important, and her character becomes a central theme for a whole season. I never understood this hatred for for those scenes. But those are the same people who only watched the show for the blood and the whackings. It's like people who watch hockey for the fights, or auto racing for the crashes.


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## heySkippy (Jul 2, 2001)

^^ Why else would someone watch hockey or auto racing?


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## photoshopgrl (Nov 22, 2008)

Steveknj said:


> There WILL be a time when the Melfi sessions are ALL important, and her character becomes a central theme for a whole season. I never understood this hatred for for those scenes. But those are the same people who only watched the show for the blood and the whackings. It's like people who watch hockey for the fights, or auto racing for the crashes.


I gotcha. I'm enjoying all aspects of the show so far! I mean I watched 7 episodes straight on Sunday. It's all I did all day!


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## busyba (Feb 5, 2003)

Steveknj said:


> It's like people who watch... auto racing for the crashes.


As opposed to all those facinating left turns?


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## Cainebj (Nov 11, 2006)

photoshopgrl said:


> Okay watched episode 8 last night. I'm puzzled why Dr Melfi insisted he pay for the missed session. Was she testing him? I mean she knows why he missed it so how could she not see his reaction coming on that? Or am I missing something? Then to talk about it all with her family & ex is just stupid and dangerous to me!


Melfi's dilemma once she knows what Tony does is whether or not she can morally be his therapist. As I recall it's the through line for their relationship for the entire series and mirrors how the viewer can root for Tony when he does what he does. I always thought anyway


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## photoshopgrl (Nov 22, 2008)

Okay just finished episode 9. You have to know what question is coming. How the hell does a man going down on a woman make him less of a man in the mob? That must be just something Sopranos right? I've never heard that before. It makes no sense. Tony seeing a shrink, yeah I get why that is not cool but the other..... bah.


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## Tsiehta (Jul 22, 2002)

photoshopgrl said:


> Okay just finished episode 9. You have to know what question is coming. How the hell does a man going down on a woman make him less of a man in the mob? That must be just something Sopranos right? I've never heard that before. It makes no sense. Tony seeing a shrink, yeah I get why that is not cool but the other..... bah.


Do you mean just in the mob in the Sopranos? Or, at all? Because I've met guys who refuse to go down, saying that "men" shouldn't do that because it's emasculating.


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## MikeAndrews (Jan 17, 2002)

photoshopgrl said:


> Okay just finished episode 9. You have to know what question is coming. How the hell does a man going down on a woman make him less of a man in the mob? That must be just something Sopranos right? I've never heard that before. It makes no sense. Tony seeing a shrink, yeah I get why that is not cool but the other..... bah.


Think of it more as the teasing that gets Junior more than what he's being teased about. For that, it's that the bimbo let it get out.


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## Mr. Soze (Nov 2, 2002)

jradosh said:


> I'd ignore this advice. Tony's psychological issues are at the heart of series and are a key to understanding how and why things end the way they do.





Cainebj said:


> I would have to agree with this. Fast forwarding through the Dr. Melfi's scenes seems ludicrous to me.





pjenkins said:


> completely agree, it's critical to watch/understand the Melfi scenes, and some of the best acting of the series is watching Gandolfini in them, imo.


The series may have started out that way - his relationship with his mother, and the panic attacks - and that was really to have been the theme of a fairly limited run show. Then it became so popular that the whole raison d'etre for the show changed.



Spoiler



Then the actress who played Tony's mother died after season 1, etc. etc.

All that BS from David Chase about a long vision and story arc was just that. Am I the only person who ended up after many MANY episodes thinking "That was an hour wasted."? I suspect not.



All this is from memory. I do remember hating the annoying voice and tedious plodding sessions. Though I do agree with pjenkins point re Gandolfini's acting in those scenes.

Sorry for Alfering the thread.


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## photoshopgrl (Nov 22, 2008)

Tsiehta said:


> Do you mean just in the mob in the Sopranos? Or, at all? Because I've met guys who refuse to go down, saying that "men" shouldn't do that because it's emasculating.


Seriously? Wow. I must be sheltered. Where I'm from men brag about their skills in that department and it somehow makes them not only more manly but more attractive to girls.


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## busyba (Feb 5, 2003)

Tsiehta said:


> I've met guys who refuse to go down, saying that "men" shouldn't do that because it's emasculating.


Do me a favor and give me their girlfriends' phone numbers.


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## busyba (Feb 5, 2003)

photoshopgrl said:


> Seriously? Wow. I must be sheltered. Where I'm from men brag about their skills in that department and it somehow makes them not only more manly but more attractive to girls.


How *you* doin'?


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## Cainebj (Nov 11, 2006)

photoshopgrl - you are making me wish i had started watching this again from season 1 at the same time


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## jradosh (Jul 31, 2001)

photoshopgrl said:


> Seriously? Wow. I must be sheltered. Where I'm from men brag about their skills in that department and it somehow makes them not only more manly but more attractive to girls.


I think it's a NY/NJ Italian thing.


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## Cearbhaill (Aug 1, 2004)

*photoshopgrl*- try and not romanticize the characters- they seem affable enough but they remain thugs.
It can be easy to lose sight of that.


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## photoshopgrl (Nov 22, 2008)

busyba said:


> Do me a favor and give me their girlfriends' phone numbers.





busyba said:


> How *you* doin'?


Haha!



Cainebj said:


> photoshopgrl - you are making me wish i had started watching this again from season 1 at the same time


So what's stopping you from watching again? 



jradosh said:


> I think it's a *NY/NJ* Italian thing.


Must be that because this Italian girl never heard of such rubbish!



Cearbhaill said:


> *photoshopgrl*- try and not romanticize the characters- they seem affable enough but they remain thugs.
> It can be easy to lose sight of that.


I'm used to watching shows like Dexter and Breaking Bad. I know how to love a show and its characters while remembering they are not good people!


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## Cainebj (Nov 11, 2006)

photoshopgrl said:


> So what's stopping you from watching again?


I actually have Season 1 on blu ray just sitting here, but I am so backed up on my TiVo. Two weekends ago I watched most of FlashForward, last weekend I watched most of Justified. If I stop to watch Season 1 of The Sopranos my TiVo will explode.

Besides which, you are now 9 episodes ahead of me!!!


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## photoshopgrl (Nov 22, 2008)

Cainebj said:


> I actually have Season 1 on blu ray just sitting here, but I am so backed up on my TiVo. Two weekends ago I watched most of FlashForward, last weekend I watched most of Justified. If I stop to watch Season 1 of The Sopranos my TiVo will explode.
> 
> Besides which, you are now 9 episodes ahead of me!!!


I'll give you a day, hurry, catch up!


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## photoshopgrl (Nov 22, 2008)

Okay so I got through the entire first season now. Was a bit surprised that Artie decided to believe Tony but glad. I like their friendship. I also liked the ending with them all in the restaurant in the dark.

Wow how scary was Tony when he flipped out on the doc about his mom?? He was literally spitting on her as he talked. Yikes.

And speaking of, his mom is the worst!


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## jradosh (Jul 31, 2001)

Without spoiling anything, Artie and Tony's relationship has an interesting progression throughout the seasons.

It's also interesting to watch the Soprano children as they grow up. AJ really is interesting (IMO) in the later episodes.


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## aindik (Jan 23, 2002)

photoshopgrl said:


> And speaking of, his mom is the worst!


Poor you!


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## JTAnderson (Jun 6, 2000)

photoshopgrl said:


> And speaking of, his mom is the worst!


Maybe you haven't met another member of his family yet.


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## MikeAndrews (Jan 17, 2002)

JTAnderson said:


> Maybe you haven't met another member of his family yet.


..and the drama to come from far outside of his family.


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## nyny523 (Oct 31, 2003)

What a great series.

Some great writing and some really outstanding acting.

I think Edie Falco is absolutely brilliant - throughout the entire series, she creates a character that is so real, so believable and so muti-faceted. As with many of the great performances in this series, she takes what could have been a mere caricature, and turns it into a 3-dimensional character.

Worth watching for her performance alone, and yet there are so many others. Enjoy the ride!


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## jsmeeker (Apr 2, 2001)

JTAnderson said:


> Maybe you haven't met another member of his family yet.


yeah..



Spoiler



Janice is a real piece of work


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## photoshopgrl (Nov 22, 2008)

Okay about to start the second season finally. Been a busy few days!


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## busyba (Feb 5, 2003)

JTAnderson said:


> Maybe you haven't met another member of his family yet.


I know who you're referring to, and she was really bad, but Mom was way worse.


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## 4inziksych (Mar 1, 2003)

Who the heck is it? I thought the mom was totally the worst. I loved her! Surely not Janice - she paled in comparison.


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## newsposter (Aug 18, 2002)

photoshopgrl said:


> Okay just finished episode 9. You have to know what question is coming. How the hell does a man going down on a woman make him less of a man in the mob? That must be just something Sopranos right?


i just finished S1 and thought that was one of the highlites of the show..and i now i know where they got all those MadTV skits from..i had no idea they were so accurate lol


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## MikeAndrews (Jan 17, 2002)

photoshopgrl said:


> Okay just finished episode 9. You have to know what question is coming. How the hell does a man going down on a woman make him less of a man in the mob? That must be just something Sopranos right? I've never heard that before. It makes no sense. Tony seeing a shrink, yeah I get why that is not cool but the other..... bah.


I hope you got this far along but...



Spoiler



Later Big ***** glad-hands the guys and LOLs about doing it to the girl he was hiding out with in Mexico(?) (LALALALALALALALAL!!!!)

My point that it's cool in some circles. It's the dissing that makes them mad not just going "south of the border".


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## Craigbob (Dec 2, 2006)

Wheens said:


> Don't be surprised if you get a desire to listen to Springsteen and the E street Band!


I have the sound track CDs I have to agree the music (esp that over the end credits) really enhances the show.


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## newsposter (Aug 18, 2002)

i admit over 50% of the time i let the opening play vs normally pressing FF 2 x in most other premium channel shows.


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## MikeekiM (Jun 25, 2002)

My son and I just finished Season 1 Episode 1...

At what point does the series kick into high gear with episode level cliff hangers that have you saying to yourself in the midnight hour "just one more episode!"

The first episode didn't have us hungry for the second...


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## TiVo'Brien (Feb 8, 2002)

Pilot episodes are never very good for any show.

Keep watching. It gets better.


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## zalusky (Apr 5, 2002)

MikeekiM said:


> My son and I just finished Season 1 Episode 1...
> 
> At what point does the series kick into high gear with episode level cliff hangers that have you saying to yourself in the midnight hour "just one more episode!"
> 
> The first episode didn't have us hungry for the second...


I don't think it was really a cliffhanger sort of show. To me it was more a Mad Men characters study show with lots of murder and mayhem.

They left a number of storylines dangling in the wind.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

TiVo'Brien said:


> Pilot episodes are never very good for any show.
> 
> Keep watching. It gets better.


I actually thought it was one of the better pilot episodes and really got to the gist of what it's like to be a mobster and what Tony's issues were going to be.

That said, I suggest that he keep watching, but really, don't expect, edge of your seat stuff. There are more than a few episodes that will make you squirm and upset you though.


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## Satchel (Dec 8, 2001)

I advise you to FF every time Tony sits down at his therapists office. 

You'll thank me later.


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## GoPackGo (Dec 29, 2012)

Satchel said:


> I advise you to FF every time Tony sits down at his therapists office. You'll thank me later.


Ugh. I completely disagree. Those are some of the more nuanced and intimate moments in the entire series.


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## danielhart (Apr 27, 2004)

MikeekiM said:


> My son and I just finished Season 1 Episode 1...
> 
> At what point does the series kick into high gear with episode level cliff hangers that have you saying to yourself in the midnight hour "just one more episode!"
> 
> *The first episode didn't have us hungry for the second*...


It's been ages but I felt the same way when it first aired. It took a few episodes to get good.


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## danielhart (Apr 27, 2004)

Satchel said:


> I advise you to FF every time Tony sits down at his therapists office.
> 
> You'll thank me later.


Dr. Melfi is integral in the first couple of seasons imo


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## markp99 (Mar 21, 2002)

Satchel said:


> I advise you to FF every time Tony sits down at his therapists office.
> 
> You'll thank me later.


OMG, yes. This is such good advice!


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## nyny523 (Oct 31, 2003)

GoPackGo said:


> Ugh. I completely disagree. Those are some of the more nuanced and intimate moments in the entire series.


TOTALLY agree.

Don't FF through anything. As with most shows, there are a few bumps in the road, but the overall experience is pretty incredible.

The acting is top notch, the storytelling is interesting, and the characters are easily the strongest part of the series - really well fleshed out, not caricatures (which they so easily could have become in a "mob" drama). You find yourself rooting for some of these "bad guys" because each character is painted with a gray brush, rather than black and white. It is definitely what makes the show so interesting and compelling, IMO.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

GoPackGo said:


> Ugh. I completely disagree. Those are some of the more nuanced and intimate moments in the entire series.


Agree


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## aindik (Jan 23, 2002)

One of the points of the series is the two sides of Tony. You miss a lot of that if you don't hear his introspective side.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

aindik said:


> One of the points of the series is the two sides of Tony. You miss a lot of that if you don't hear his introspective side.


They also delve into his mommy issues, which are important in context with the series.


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## Wilhite (Oct 26, 2003)

Satchel said:


> I advise you to FF every time Tony sits down at his therapists office.
> 
> You'll thank me later.





GoPackGo said:


> Ugh. I completely disagree. Those are some of the more nuanced and intimate moments in the entire series.





aindik said:


> One of the points of the series is the two sides of Tony. You miss a lot of that if you don't hear his introspective side.





Steveknj said:


> They also delve into his mommy issues, which are important in context with the series.


I can't find it now, but one of the advertisements from HBO for the series was something to the effect of "If one of the families doesn't kill him, the other one will." You get to see a lot of what's going on inside his head while he's talking to Dr. Melfi. I don't think you should skip it.


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## markp99 (Mar 21, 2002)

Wilhite said:


> I don't think you should skip it.


Just be prepared for some of the most slowly . delivered . wooden . dialog . ever.


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## Numb And Number2 (Jan 13, 2009)

Inspired by this thread to re watch.

Melfi is good because it's a laugh riot to see Tony lie to her blatantly. He does try to apply her lessons as far as he understands them, which he seldom does.

More fun: Tony cautions his mother's Trinidadian house keeper to lay off the ganja while on the job. Later she asks him if he'd like tea (hippie slang for marijuana) and Tony replies that he'd prefer Coke. HAHAHA!!!

'Hey, Melfi, what's with that painting of the barn?' (It's a nice innocent painting of a barn.) 'It's all ugly and decayed, it speaks of horror and you're using it against me.' Melfi then asks how Tony is doing, Tony says, 'good.' HAHAHAH!!


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## Jim_TV (Mar 4, 2006)

I'm shaking my head in incredulity at the people suggesting that a new viewer should fast forward through key scenes like Tony's psychiatrist sessions with Dr. Melfi in one of the most critically acclaimed and entertaining tv series ever. You people are like the dolts who think that the Olive Garden is good Italian food. Superficial nincompoops with no appreciation for subtlety.


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## busyba (Feb 5, 2003)

Jim_TV said:


> I'm shaking my head in incredulity at the people suggesting that a new viewer should fast forward through key scenes like Tony's psychiatrist sessions with Dr. Melfi in one of the most critically acclaimed and entertaining tv series ever. You people are like the dolts who think that the Olive Garden is good Italian food. Superficial nincompoops with no appreciation for subtlety.


Seriously. Maybe _According to Jim_ is more their speed.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

Jim_TV said:


> I'm shaking my head in incredulity at the people suggesting that a new viewer should fast forward through key scenes like Tony's psychiatrist sessions with Dr. Melfi in one of the most critically acclaimed and entertaining tv series ever. *You people are like the dolts who think that the Olive Garden is good Italian food. Superficial nincompoops with no appreciation for subtlety.*


But seriously, tell us how you REALLY feel?


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## Howie (May 3, 2004)

I love Dr. Melfi. She's better in the Soprano's than she is as the nagging ***** in Rizzoli and Isles. She's wonderful in Goodfellas, too.


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## Satchel (Dec 8, 2001)

Jim_TV said:


> I'm shaking my head in incredulity at the people suggesting that a new viewer should fast forward through key scenes like Tony's psychiatrist sessions with Dr. Melfi in one of the most critically acclaimed and entertaining tv series ever. You people are like the dolts who think that the Olive Garden is good Italian food. Superficial nincompoops with no appreciation for subtlety.


Whatever dude...those scenes still suck.


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## JohnB1000 (Dec 6, 2004)

Jim_TV said:


> I'm shaking my head in incredulity at the people suggesting that a new viewer should fast forward through key scenes like Tony's psychiatrist sessions with Dr. Melfi in one of the most critically acclaimed and entertaining tv series ever. You people are like the dolts who think that the Olive Garden is good Italian food. Superficial nincompoops with no appreciation for subtlety.





Satchel said:


> Whatever dude...those scenes still suck.


I FF'd pretty much all of them and still enjoyed a great show without feeling I missed anything of significance.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

JohnB1000 said:


> I FF'd pretty much all of them and still enjoyed a great show without feeling I missed anything of significance.


You probably did, without realizing it...because, you, ummm, skipped it 

Seriously, for the OP who's a new viewer, I'd suggest watching the Melfi scenes at first. In this day and age where many of us are playing with our phones while watching, if you find them boring, just don't pay attention while watching and at least when there's something of significance (and you'll know when you see it), you'll not miss it.


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## markp99 (Mar 21, 2002)

However, just think, with all time he'd save by FF'ing, he could make a few visits to the Olive Garden with the rest of us superficial nincompoops!


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## jlb (Dec 13, 2001)

I think I read somewhere, that David Chase is being queried about possibly doing a prequel series. Would be interesting.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

jlb said:


> I think I read somewhere, that David Chase is being queried about possibly doing a prequel series. Would be interesting.


It'll be called..ummm...Boardwalk Empire


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## markp99 (Mar 21, 2002)

jlb said:


> I think I read somewhere, that David Chase is being queried about possibly doing a prequel series. Would be interesting.


I'd love to see Tony & Pauly Walnuts as young up-and-coming mobsters!


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## JohnB1000 (Dec 6, 2004)

Steveknj said:


> You probably did, without realizing it...because, you, ummm, skipped it


If it was significant I would have known though right ? I would have not understood some other aspect of the show.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

JohnB1000 said:


> If it was significant I would have known though right ? I would have not understood some other aspect of the show.


Spoiler because it talks about a plotline in the show.



Spoiler



If you skipped all the Melfi scenes how you have ever known her life was in danger at some point?


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## nyny523 (Oct 31, 2003)

Steveknj said:


> Spoiler because it talks about a plotline in the show.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


THIS!!!



Spoiler



One of the most interesting plot lines was when she got raped and the moral dilemma she faced with regards to Tony. If you skipped those scenes, you missed a LOT.


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## Numb And Number2 (Jan 13, 2009)

JohnB1000 said:


> If it was significant I would have known though, right? I would have not understood some other aspect of the show.


Wrong as can be. You don't know what you don't know. There is much that you missed.


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## TAsunder (Aug 6, 2003)

JohnB1000 said:


> If it was significant I would have known though right ? I would have not understood some other aspect of the show.


Not really. In very rare circumstances. Instead, you probably missed layers beyond the immediate plot (e.g. how to interpret scenes) or some of the motivations behind Tony's actions.


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## jlb (Dec 13, 2001)

markp99 said:


> I'd love to see Tony & Pauly Walnuts as young up-and-coming mobsters!


Here's a couple of links from back in November.....

http://www.esquire.com/blogs/culture/sopranos-prequel

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertai...igued-sopranos-prequel-idea-article-1.2000336


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## midas (Jun 1, 2000)

Tony Soparano is one of the best written and well acted characters of all time, especially in the first few seasons. The thought of fast forwarding through anything when he's on screen just boggles my mind.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

midas said:


> Tony Soparano is one of the best written and well acted characters of all time, especially in the first few seasons. The thought of fast forwarding through anything when he's on screen just boggles my mind.


I'm sure those who FF through the Melfi scenes were the same people who were disappointed when there was no whacking that week.


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## NorthAlabama (Apr 19, 2012)

GoPackGo said:


> Ugh. I completely disagree. Those are some of the more nuanced and intimate moments in the entire series.





nyny523 said:


> Don't FF through anything. As with most shows, there are a few bumps in the road, but the overall experience is pretty incredible.





aindik said:


> One of the points of the series is the two sides of Tony. You miss a lot of that if you don't hear his introspective side.





Steveknj said:


> They also delve into his mommy issues, which are important in context with the series.





midas said:


> Tony Soparano is one of the best written and well acted characters of all time, especially in the first few seasons. The thought of fast forwarding through anything when he's on screen just boggles my mind.


all of these. i've watched 3 times from beginning to end, picked up missed revelations with each watch, and wouldn't think of touching ffwd.

sometimes what appears to be slow is essential in establishing plot points. you'll miss the subtle beauty in the series.


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## busyba (Feb 5, 2003)

Steveknj said:


> I'm sure those who FF through the Melfi scenes were the same people who were disappointed when there was no whacking that week.


I'm sure that whenever Melfi was on the screen, there was hardly any whacking going on. Especially in the later seasons.


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## Jim_TV (Mar 4, 2006)

Satchel said:


> I advise you to FF every time Tony sits down at his therapists office.
> 
> You'll thank me later.


Was it just Tony's therapy sessions with Dr. Melfi that you fast forwarded through or did you also fast forward through Dr. Melfi's sessions with her psychiatrist as played by Peter Bogdonavich? How about when Meadow saw a psychiatrist? Anthony Jr.'s sessions after he tried to commit suicide? What about Tony & Carmela's couples' counseling? Sounds like you may have missed about 20% of the series, lol.


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## Howie (May 3, 2004)

midas said:


> Tony Soparano is one of the best written and well acted characters of all time, especially in the first few seasons. The thought of fast forwarding through anything when he's on screen just boggles my mind.


Me too.


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## mooseAndSquirrel (Aug 31, 2001)

Loved Melfi. It's the sister that I would FF through.


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## midas (Jun 1, 2000)

mooseAndSquirrel said:


> Loved Melfi. It's the sister that I would FF through.


While I hated her character, she was, as the saying goes, a real piece of work.

If I were going to FF through anything it was be Carmela and the Priest stuff. I know, part of the story. But it was boring.


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## stellie93 (Feb 25, 2006)

midas said:


> Tony Soparano is one of the best written and well acted characters of all time, especially in the first few seasons. The thought of fast forwarding through anything when he's on screen just boggles my mind.


I just started re-watching season 1 after quite a few years. This struck me the most. And Gandolfini wasn't a well known actor at all at the time, was he? So awesome how he can be a murderer one minute and so vulnerable the next. :up:


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## Turtleboy (Mar 24, 2001)

If someone is watching the show for the first time, telling them to fast forward through any of it is stupid.


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## MikeekiM (Jun 25, 2002)

I am heading towards the end of season 1...

I watch everything... Honestly, even if the sessions were completely useless, I could never fast forward any parts of any show... I am one of these anal retentive viewers that turn on the CC because I hate missing any dialogue...

I find the Melfi sessions ok... They do provide an insight into Tony's personality that you wouldn't get from third person scenes outside of her office... That said, I find the sessions a little awkward... Not sure what it is... I think it's the actress who plays Melfi...she's not believable to me...

The show is good... Good character development...good story telling... Not even close to being as suspenseful from episode to episode as some of the other programs mentioned earlier that may not be as masterfully written...but have fantastic cliffhangers at the end of almost every episode...

With Lost, 24, Prison Break and Breaking Bad, my son and I always got to the end of an episode, looked at each other and both said aloud "just one more" before going to bed...

We don't find ourselves doing that with the Sopranos... I just started Dexter (just finished the first episode of the first season)... I wonder how that compares...


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

MikeekiM said:


> I am heading towards the end of season 1...
> 
> I watch everything... Honestly, even if the sessions were completely useless, I could never fast forward any parts of any show... I am one of these anal retentive viewers that turn on the CC because I hate missing any dialogue...
> 
> ...


The Sopranos was more a character study wrapped in a mob story, so it's much more like Mad Men than it is Lost or 24. There are, and will be, some suspenseful episodes, but for the most part, that's not how the show is written. Also, a lot of the episodes are self contained. While there may be an arc to the season, the main story of an episode if often a one off.


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## brebeans (Sep 5, 2003)

Turtleboy said:


> If someone is watching the show for the first time, telling them to fast forward through any of it is stupid.


Totally agree.


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