Where the show could've gone/what it might've done

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This might be a fun topic. What areas of the show do people feel were underexplored or in what directions could it have have gone?

One thing I think could have sustained a few episodes, if not a season, was Barbara and her escape from the family, relative to her two siblings. Part of what made "The Sopranos" so rich was this kind of story working entirely in the background, but an episode or two devoted to her would have made for something special, I think. I liked the actress, as well (the first one a bit more than the second).

Anyone else?

Re: Where the show could've gone/what it might've done

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Barbara's a good suggestion. She really was the mystery family member, especially a mystery in how she apparently escaped being anything like her siblings.:icon_eek:

I suppose it became untenable after Johnny Sac was imprisoned, and certainly after he was killed off with cancer, but I always thought that the Sacrimonis could have been a spinoff series all to itself. I know it wouldn't have been nearly as good, because such things never are and because someone besides Chase would have to have done it. It wouldn't have felt as original as the Sopranos because it would be following the Sopranos and built to some extent on the same formula. But that family had a LOT of dramatic potential that went unmined, IMO.

Between The Weight, Moe and Joe, and Mr. and Mrs. John Sacrimoni Request, there was just a ton of intriguing, hilarious, and poignant stuff about them. And Johnny Sac was every bit as charismatic a character as Tony was. So I would like to have seen a few more episodes in the main series, at least, focusing a bit more on that family.

I also wouldn't have minded a couple of episodes delving more into Roe. I thought that actress was fabulous in her part. She seemed ultimately more successful than Carmela at repressing the truth about her life and the prices she paid for it (principally losing her son). She seemed more comfortable in her own skin than Carmela, and yet, at the same time, you know there had to be something underneath, which we caught a glimpse of in Cold Stones.

Those are just the first things that pop into my head. But a good topic, jouster.:icon_wink:
Tony, his spirits crushed after b-lining to the fridge first thing in the morning: "Who ate the last piece of cake?"

Re: Where the show could've gone/what it might've done

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There were a lot of missed opportunities, but not really surprising since the series was so stellar and only so much time can be devoted to so many characters.

Eugene Pontecorvo and his family definitely had potential, but this was wrapped up in one episode.

Always thought more time should have been devoted to Artie and Charmaine Bucco. Obviously they weren't in the Mob so that limits potential story lines, but they were great characters that deserved more screen time. Had there ever been a spin off, should have been with the Buccos.

Agree with everyone about Barbara. Definitely odd how you never really learn much about this character.

Always thought the subplot developing early in the series with Meadow taking drugs had huge potential, but was dropped pretty quickly.

A.J. was a terrible character in the last two seasons and too much time was wasted on him that could have been devoted to other characters.
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Re: Where the show could've gone/what it might've done

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Two words...Uncle June!

I loved Junior's character is the first couple four seasons. I loved Juniors back and forth relationship with Tony. I didn't like the whole "Junior loses his mind" bit at the end of the series.

I think a great direction Chase could have gone with is Junior and Tony continue with their typical squabbles over money,family, and respect. But in the end, Tony has to kill his uncle because of business.

Or ..maybe they unite to battle New York and Junior goes down in a blaze of glory!

Bottom line..I think Junior deserved a better role towards the end of the series.

Re: Where the show could've gone/what it might've done

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Jameslofton wrote: Always thought the subplot developing early in the series with Meadow taking drugs had huge potential, but was dropped pretty quickly.

A.J. was a terrible character in the last two seasons and too much time was wasted on him that could have been devoted to other characters.
I think in this regard, Chase never figured that it would be the epic show that it became. And in an effort to that, he included everything in that first season to make it self contained and touch on all the things he wanted to. Specifically the tension between Meadow and Tony if she were doing drugs provided by Chris from Tony's gang. More could have been explored in later seasons, but not without seeming redundant.

On your second point, AJ was never my favorite either. But the point of so much time focused on him at the end was to provide Tony with a undeniable shadow of himself, whether he liked the results or not. So much in the Sopranos world could be bought, killed or forgotten to maintain the status quo in each character's life. This isn't available in AJ's situation, the best they could do was put him in a psych unit and then set AJ up with a nice job. It actually fits perfectly with the theme of the show if you ask me.
aprilemoney wrote: I loved Junior's character is the first couple four seasons. I loved Juniors back and forth relationship with Tony. I didn't like the whole "Junior loses his mind" bit at the end of the series.
...
Bottom line..I think Junior deserved a better role towards the end of the series.
I think this is an important aspect of the show as well. At the beginning of the series Tony puts heavy emphasis that the glory days of the mob are over and how depressed he is to have "come in at the end." By seeing Junior's slow decline, it emphasizes that regardless of what they experienced in their hay-day, you can still end up cold, alone, and miserable.

I will agree however that the idea of Junior's loss of memory does seem to be a plot that is always used for older characters in movies/tv. So that does irk me. BUT, they really made good use of it in the fifth season when Tony visits Junior and how upset he is that Junior doesn't remember any of the "good times," of their relationship while Junior muses on the gopher special on the Discovery Channel. Such a moving scene.

Re: Where the show could've gone/what it might've done

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More Richie would have been enjoyable, but I'm not sure how they could've used him more. I also would've liked more Jackie Sr. I always thought the flashback from To Save Us All From Satan's Power..., where Puss brokers a sitdown between Jackie and Junior. Junior shows up with GiGi Cestone and tries to leave when Puss isn't present at the meeting. The sitdown wasn't the focus of the flashback, but I found the situation fascinating: The Family is clearly in the early stages of its upheaval after Old Man DiMeo is imprisoned and Junior and Jackie are both vying for the big chair. Apparently the unrest is such that Junior is afraid for his safety after seeing that Puss isn't there. I'd love to see that power struggle and the events that would have caused Junior to feel so ill at ease. This storyline could have given several previous characters more run, including GiGi, Jimmy Altieri, Jackie Sr--maybe we'd even be introduced to some of the members of the Family that were unseen (the one that comes to mind that could have played a part in Jackie's transition to power is "Little Auggie" Aprile, who never appeared and was only mentioned once by, Dr. Kupferberg, the closet mafia aficionado).

Re: Where the show could've gone/what it might've done

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Renee Melfi Fan wrote:Being a fan of Melfi I would have liked to see more closure with her after giving Tony the boot. I read that there was a scene that wasn't used in Made in America where Dr. Kupferberg was comforting her.
Ditto. The way her character exited was one of the nagging problems I had with the way the show ended that time has never changed. I don't know ultimately why the scene filmed was cut, but SOMETHING more needed to be shown of her, especially in the last episode, even if it was just a scene with no dialog of her going through and archiving old patient files, written or electronic, maybe pulling out a file she kept on Tony with her weekly impressions of their sessions and showing in her face the clear sense of sadness she must have felt at the fact that it was finally over and nothing ever really changed.
Tony, his spirits crushed after b-lining to the fridge first thing in the morning: "Who ate the last piece of cake?"

Re: Where the show could've gone/what it might've done

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I'd agree with those sentiments, as I always sort of included Melfi as a true main character alongside Carm, the mob, etc. We got too see so much of her life outside of Tony's, it seemed lacking not having closure with her. Yet, it seemed to work for me as Tony was surely the main Main Character and at the end, our viewpoint was mostly his - surely in the last scene. I can see the attempt in editing to focus on Tony and that the last thing we see of her is the ending of their therapy, it seems to fit if we are to be witnessing Tony's reality now.

To go back to the thread question, I'd reiterate that Barb's story would have been very compelling as a compass point opposite of these people and showing her desired exclusion from this family, but perhaps that very lack of her was meant to highlight that same exclusion as above with Melfi. It's all there, right? :icon_wink:
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