Episode 2.06: The Happy Wanderer - Grades & General Review
1Please post all grades, reviews, and general or abbreviated comments about the episode in this thread. Use individual threads for longer or more substantive thoughts/discussion points.
Well I don't know if I'd classify Tony's move as "stupid". I prefer to think of it as complex, for the reasons I mentioned in my first post. But the recital has some GREAT moments, despite it being a relatively short scene. I am amused every time I see Tony sniffing the flowers he brings for Meadow. It is almost as if he is trying to "stop and smell the roses", like all the Happy Wanderers do. But maybe that is pushing things a bit far. Nonetheless I ALWAYS laugh everytime I see that short shot of AJ wincing at the ceiling after the music starts. SO funny to me.AJColossal wrote:7 here. One of those typically good Sopranos episodes that have a few funny scenes, a few dramatic moments, and nothing much happens in terms of plot progression. And it seemed short for some reason. (Minute for minute, season 2 has to be the shortest Sopranos season ever.)
This one's about the big poker game, and the whole episode more or less revolves around it. The Davey Scatino business with him offering his son's car as payment on his debt is interesting, although Tony being stupid enough to give Meadow her friend's car as a gift is questionable. I always like episodes that explore Tony's business interfering with friends and personal life, and this one's a good one in that sense.
Another all-time Sopranos moment: when Carmella tells Tony that Livia is at Meadow's recital, and the camera pans to her with the most deadened blank expression on her face. I laugh everytime I see that.
That AJ moment was hilarious as well. The recital just started and he was already bored, lol. I know there's a lot of people who complain about AJ's character, but in the first 2 seasons, I thought he was responsible for some of the funnier moments on the show. His character didn't retain that innocent dopeyness as he got older, and his character got more serious, but overall, I think Robert Iler has done a fine job on the show, and is due a little more credit than he gets.garthman00 wrote:Well I don't know if I'd classify Tony's move as "stupid". I prefer to think of it as complex, for the reasons I mentioned in my first post. But the recital has some GREAT moments, despite it being a relatively short scene. I am amused every time I see Tony sniffing the flowers he brings for Meadow. It is almost as if he is trying to "stop and smell the roses", like all the Happy Wanderers do. But maybe that is pushing things a bit far. Nonetheless I ALWAYS laugh everytime I see that short shot of AJ wincing at the ceiling after the music starts. SO funny to me.
Agree on all points. I am a super fan, as many of you are, but the only reason I remember all the subtleties I mention in these reviews is that I am watching each episode (for probably close to the 15th time each). There is no way I would remember that hairband or whatever it was that was hanging from the rear view mirror. And in fact, I don't remember ever noticing it before in the previous viewings. I still can't believe how many different facets of this show there are. Not many shows or even movies can be compared to an onion in the that way. The more you peel, more is revealed.AJColossal wrote:That AJ moment was hilarious as well. The recital just started and he was already bored, lol. I know there's a lot of people who complain about AJ's character, but in the first 2 seasons, I thought he was responsible for some of the funnier moments on the show. His character didn't retain that innocent dopeyness as he got older, and his character got more serious, but overall, I think Robert Iler has done a fine job on the show, and is due a little more credit than he gets.
Garthman, I'm writing about a lot of these episodes from memory and I've forgotten some of the subtleties of these episodes, so good call about Tony giving Meadow the car. You're right, it was brought up in a session with Melfi about "wanting to rub his daughter's face in it" by forcing her to see the ugly side of his business, and wasn't just thoughtlessness on Tony's part. Another great thing about the show are these subtle points about Tony wanting to protect his family from his business, but also confront them with it when he so chooses.
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