jonelikate wrote:Was it previously established that Butchie's legit job is running a waxing salon? If so, that's priceless. If not, what was with that odd cut of him straightening and throwing out bottles of beauty products? It was half a second long but it seemed so strange. Whatever happens next week, I'm almost praying that Butchie gets one right between those crazy eyes.

There are often some scenes like that. I remember hoping that someone would make the point and raise this question. You certainly seem correct in that there surely seems no other possible explanation except to let us know that he really runs the place or works there. Although, it seems like it would have been so much easier to establish that with a line of dialog (like, "we'll meet tonight at Butchie's salon"). That would have made it so much more clear, too.

Nice question, jonelikate.

3) It is also clear this is a huge franchise for HBO and they would like it to continue in some fashion (as many have pointed out). What better way to do this than to start building up the next generation? We have already seen this with the Gervasi's and others. Also, the Meadow and Patrick connection is more than just a red herring.

I'd like to see AJ respond to Tony putting a shoe up his ass by coming out strong and decisive. He did respond well the last time Tony got tough with him. He went to the job and kept the job and got a gf too.

But I'm not at all sure that this is a huge franchise for HBO. I had understood that the ratings had dwindled the last couple of seasons. I could be wrong, but I'm not at all sure HBO is hot to trot.

Even if they were, there are several ways to continue the series. Some of the more tried ways include. They could arrange for Tony to have had a twin brother. They could arrange for some aspects of the killings to have all been a dream. They could focus on the next generation.

OK. Granted that most of these are pretty silly. My point is just that when there is money to be made in the TV business, anything goes.

4) Mr. Chase has a history of building up apparent plot twists that he then doesn't complete in the manner which everyone assumes ...

I don't see this as a problem. Lots of events occur in real life that you expect will have some kind of resolution, but never do. I know this show isn't real life, but still, I don't mind that the Russian disappeared and we never find out what happened to him. So what? That happens in real life all the time. And even if it didn't, why should DC owe us an explanation for everything that happens in the show? We get an explanation for most of the major events. It just seems to me this is a very minor thing to complain about.

If he does, how fascinating would it be to have it come full circle with Carmela in the Livia role?

If Edie Falco is willing, she might just be able to carry the whole show on the strength of her mighty talent.

The family has money from his attorney which the Feds can’t freeze because Tony died without being accused or charged with a crime.

Excellent thought and a really nice post. Great that you offer us all so much optimisim. But, Hey! Whattsamattu? How come you wait until the very last moment to start posting? It would have been a lot of fun to have had you with us so much earlier.

Splishak wrote:Even if they were, there are several ways to continue the series. Some of the more tried ways include. They could arrange for Tony to have had a twin brother. They could arrange for some aspects of the killings to have all been a dream. They could focus on the next generation.

OK. Granted that most of these are pretty silly. My point is just that when there is money to be made in the TV business, anything goes.

This is what I love about the unpredictability of "Made in America." If this were any other TV show like "Heroes," "24" or even "Lost" (which has just pulled a major season ending twist that fans of that show are still talking about in awe) my lifetime of TV viewing would have trained me to know what to expect. Tony goes for a meeting with Phil? If this were "24" I'd expect double-crossing guards with telescopic lenses and sharp shooters to save Jack Bauer's ass at the last minute to pull a gun from the bad guy, shoot him in the leg and torture him to get info on the missing nukes. The Soprano family is kidnapped by the NY crew to get Tony out of hiding? On a procedural show like "CSI" or "Numb3rs" a hacker would use one of the kidnapped family member's cellphone to track their location, alert the good guys who would storm in at the last second and leave all the good guys' either unharmed or with a meaningless flesh wound.

But this is "The Sopranos" we're talking about, so the rule book is out the window and the potential for a mind f*** of epic proportions (like "Kaisha's" subdued finale) hangs tall and ominous over both the remaining characters and the viewers. "Made in America" counts as its primary ally for its potential surprises/plot twists the expectations from a lifetime of TV viewing from its audience about how things are supposed to wrap-up at the end of a TV series. So what I'm basically saying is that the wait 'till Sunday is brutal!

Splishak wrote:I'd like to see AJ respond to Tony putting a shoe up his ass by coming out strong and decisive. He did respond well the last time Tony got tough with him. He went to the job and kept the job and got a gf too.

I agree. A lot of time this season was spent focusing on AJ's negative emotional existence. Pretty much everything he has touched in the past has turned to crap. I think in the final episode he is going to play a major part in what goes on. Either he will screw up something terribly again and put his family in harm's way (or worse), or he is going to step up and help save his dad.

As for the theories about "kidnapping Tony's family to get him out of hiding", I doubt it. Sounds like the plot to every Steven Segal movie ever made. Done to death...

Reality mixed with fantasy / tv for me today. I drove home and pulled up in front of the train store when Bobby was whacked, it was late and they were closed. To my disappointment there was no Blue Comet in their window, as far as I seen. I know it is a "movie" but thought I would see it in the window anyway.

If there's a rat in NY who knows about the hits put out on Tony and his top guys, wouldn't the FBI have enough evidence right now to convict phil of the murder of Bobby and maybe Sil? It seems like they would have someone who could testify that Phil ordered the hits. I was just thinking of the possibility that the feds step in and arrest phil whenever he turns up, possibly saving him and even tony.

Several people have talked about the significance of Meadow drinking orange juice in this episode.

I was hoping that I'd eventually figure it out. But, I can't. Can anyone help me out and explain just what is special about Meadow and OJ? Surely it doesn't have any connecition to OJ the football player?

FlyOnMelfisWall wrote:Since there seems to be some misunderstanding about what constitutes a spoiler for purposes of this forum, I quote from the official spoiler policies announcement, found at the top of every forum:

From the beginning, I have never considered previews, once they are published on air or on the website, to be spoilers. Their content is controlled by the network airing the shows, which network has a manifest interest in building audience anticipation and excitement while still preserving mystery. I've been willing to cede that much judgment to them in order to quench my own thirst for "harmless" tidbits about upcoming shows.

I understand that others might still like to avoid previews, especially for this last show. In view of that pronounced sensitivity expressed here, and since it will only apply for one more week, I'll request that speculation based on official previews and promotional material be confined to dedicated threads (They don't have to be in the spoiler forum, however. Within this forum is fine).

However I don't want the poster(s) who mentioned the content of the previews to feel like they did anything wrong by the rules that govern here. They were only continuing a tradition of openly discussing weekly preview content.

I used to always watch the previews as well, but they are misguiding and actually more spoilers than one might think. I imagine next week will have me on the edge of my seat all the time wondering if tony will get clipped. But no wait he won't get clipped just yet cause the preview shows him doing this and that.

The episode with Paulie and T on the boat showed Doc Santiro's hit on the preview. I thought some crazy stuff was gonna happen when the Columbians approached T and Paulie.

When I saw the hit men from Italy sitting in the car, I thought maybe they brought Furio back, that would have been interesting. They didn't line up 5 guys in Italy and say I pick You You and You, so it was possible if he is alive.