Coke

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I don't understand the coke-issue. Snorting a line doesn't mean that the guy is out of control. For rich people coke is as big thing as getting drunk on champagne. The fact that the guy is a mob-boss makes this even more plausible. This has nothing to do with the fact that Tony almost killed Chris for using H. Heroin is more addictive and dangerous than coke, which is rich people's drug. Besides, none of the guys preached Ralphie about his habit.

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Re: Anyone See The Same Episode as me? LOL

74
Actually, Nick, as another "Big Tony Soprano fan" myself, I have to agree with you to a certain extent--only the roots of my disctontent with Tony started with the 4th season. He did a couple of things then that I didn't like. One, he whacked Ralph over a horse. Two, he resisted Carmela's entreaties to guarantee the family's long-term financial security to ridiculous lengths. Three, he whipped Ron Zellman for hooking up with Irina, an ex-goomar of his whom HE had originally dumped--and almost a good two years previously at that. In short, although these all showed basically reasonable character flaws, Tony was my hero UNTIL Season 4.

Since Season 5 has begun, he's done less to dismay me, so I can't agree totally with your characterization of him as a "lowlevel wiseguy with no honor". Mind you, I still can't get over the senselessness of his infatuation with Adriana; and his snorting coke, as well as his shedding tears (in front of Sil, no less!!!) because "no one loves him" make me wonder about his psychological constitution. But the way he seems to have dealt very well with his separation from Carm (so far at least) and the way he's skillfully and professionally handled MOST of the problems he's encountered in this season so far still impress me.

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Great episode 4.5/5

75
1. Tony never cared for Ralph in the first place, to whack him over a horse, the only thing Tony actually loved, is easy to understand.

2. Tony's delaying setting up trust funds, etc, is very believable - after all, Mobsters don't use banks. Any money he has in the bank, or easily traceable accounts, can be seized by the feds if and when he gets busted. Mobsters are worse than the little old ladies hiding money under the matress or burying it in a coffee can in the back yard. Not to mention his loss of control. It also provides an angle for divorce lawyers to dig in with.

3. His whipping of Zellman was actually being easy on the councilman. Most mobsters would've whacked him without batting an eye.

What I do see, this season (imo) is Tony slowly losing control over everything. He's losing his wife, his house, Christopher (who is supposed to be the heir to his empire), the respect of his captains (?), the Feds are closing in with all of the informants, Uncle Junior is slowly going senile, and Janice is...still Janice. Quite interesting when Dr Melfi is proclaiming that Tony is making real breakthroughs in his therapy.



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...

77
Whacking Zellman easily? I don't think so. Both NY and NJ share Zellman and the Esplande, whacking him would totally be out of the question unless he was like Mazzerone and ratted. Even slapping him around was pretty harsh, especially since it was over Tony's old goomah and Zellman did everything he could to make sure it was OK with Tony, which he oblidged. It would be bad for business, pure and simple. Same with whacking Ralph over a horse, it was not about business.

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Re: ...

79
I am not sure what to think about Tony this season... I agree with Melfi that he is doing SOME things right-but then making very strange decisions..


About Ralph- Don't forge Tony was also very upset with Ralph for Killing the stripper. I think Tony admires the innocent, sweet or even in his vision- pure characters. I do feel that it appears Tony is loosing it, but to be honest his handeling of Feech was smart- his discussions and ideas on the NY boss mess where smart. I feel he is actually realizing that he can't depend on those whom he thought he could (Chrissy, Carm) and that is leaving him a bit lost at sea. I think we will see him pull the reigns in soon, either by force or charazima... <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/pimp.gif ALT=":hat">

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Re:

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<blockquote>Quote:<hr>his handeling of Feech was smart<hr></blockquote>

Are you kidding? That was the biggest mistake he could make. Now Silvio, Chris and Benny ( ? ) know Tony would rat someone out. And Tony knows that they don?t have a problem with ratting. A big problem has been created. Nothing smart about it.

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