Please post all grades, reviews, and general or abbreviated comments about the episode in this thread. Use individual threads for more substantive thoughts on distinct issues.

Intense!

Let the mayhem begin!!!

I thought this would be the first episode in "Sopranos" history not to feature Michael Imperioli's name in the opening credits now that his character is deceased. Of course Chase & Co. got around this (keeping his name in the opening) by posting a picture of Christopher on the wall of the backroom of Satriale's!

Good episode, Glad Tony went to NY and kicked that guys ass because he deserved it.......That was weak fuckin with Meadow.....I don't like anyone from NY right now and Phil is one big giant asshole.....I don't trust Carmine either....He might of been playing with Tony about that meeting @ Phil's.....and Phil is like a 3rd grader when he is supposed to be Boss yelling at Tony from behind his window.......

Tony coming home and finding AJ in the pool had to be one of the funniest scenes....lol, I know it was serious but man that made me laugh.....

I gave it a 9.

I felt extremely uneasy during the Meadow scene at dinner. Also, props to whoever it was that accurately predicted Meadows mystery date was Pat Parisi.

This episode had something for everybody: more therapy sessions that all season 6 episodes put together, brutal beatings (I so wanted Tony to off Butchie right then and there! ), the first meaningful scene between Meadow and AJ in ages, the friction between NY and NJ reaching a boiling (and quite realistic I might add) point of no return, etc. And kudos to everybody in this forum that had (a) the Walden poem as the source of this episode's title and (b) Meadow's secret date turning out to be the Parisi kid. Going to the chatroom but coming back soon to rate and talk more about this excellent set-up episode for the final two.

Tony holding AJ after retrieving him from the pool was the first scene is 6 seasons that got steady tears from my eyes. Kudos to both actors.

Kudos to Pat Parisi for standing up for Meadow, that took some balls.

In an unrelated note, are Jamie Lynns nostrils larger than they used to be?

I don't know how Tony is holding it together. CAN he hold it together?

I couldn't believe when AJ tried to commit suicide, yet it shouldn't have been a surprise. Drowning yourself.... with a plastic bag over your head? Was that supposed to be some kind of fail safe system? Poor guy.

Carmela telling Tony that AJ's depression comes from his side of the family was a low blow, a horrible thing to say.

What's up with Phil? Is this just a game he's playing, telling Little Carmine that he'll meet with him and Tony, and then having his lackey turn them away at the door? And then, unseen, taunting them from the upstairs room? It seemed a little old-lady-wacky to me.

Great episode. Emotional, difficult to watch. Wow.

I can't wait for Fly's explanation about the significance of AJ (the little duckling)
attempting to drown himself in the pool where Tony saw the ducks for the first time. Three-page recitation on the meaning of this scene from Fly, guaranteed!