Please 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.

7 - good episode, some of the parts with AJ seemed cliche, however, some other amazing scenes. Also, we get our first taste of a Sopranos dream sequence.

I give this episode another 8 for the dream sequence to be sure, as well as a great deal of the mob heirarchy that it explains. I agree, the AJ business tends to pull the audience from the excitement of the lead up to Junior taking the reins, but it also gives us the first glimpse of how the children see the father, which I think is important in the grand scheme of things.

This is also the first time we get to see Vin Makesian and John Heard does a great job with the role. The scene with Melfi's date when he is afraid to leave the house might not have been necessary, but it does allow her to discuss it in the session with Tony.

There are a couple of really special moments in this episode that stick with me: Ade asking "where are you" to Chris when he tells Meadow he'll buy her a happy meal - Tony throwing down the stapler a la Michael in Godfather - the way Melfi is already starting to give Tony advice on how to run his business without quite realizing it - and it allows us a chance to see how tough Junior used to be.

All in all, a very solid episode and a great closing sequence.

Such an amazing episode, I think its quite flawless actually. One of my favorites of season one. I rated it a 9/10 before, but If I can change that to 10/10 I will.
I will give a full analysis of the episode soon.

Irishwiseguy wrote:Such an amazing episode, I think its quite flawless actually. One of my favorites of season one. I rated it a 9/10 before, but If I can change that to 10/10 I will.
I will give a full analysis of the episode soon.

Ya know, it really is great, I think I might have been a bit too hard on it in my voting. It is really amazing. Especially the last couple of minutes.

An 8 from me, as well. The dream sequence is very different from the dream sequences of later seasons, but still very effective. I agree with others that the AJ stuff is a little off, but the problem lies more with the acting and directing than the writing, I think. Even still, it comes to a nice conclusion and certainly doesn't hurt the episode too badly. There are some great scenes here. A couple favorites:

• Both of Tony's meetings with Uncle Junior
• Christopher reappears at the hospital to tell Tony & crew about Brendan, as Jackie mutters non sequiturs in a seeming half-coma state. A very disorienting scene, up there with the famous scene in The Weight for surreality.
• Carmela makes her desire for Tony to stay in therapy known. "Is that a threat?" "No, it's a rave review!"

The show still feels sort of "standard TV" in moments (but only moments) here - if memory serves, this basically vanishes with the next episode. Looking forward to rewatching that one.

My favorite moment in this episode is that shot at the end where AJ is looking at Tony while standing next to a very tall headstone. Meadow turns around and gives him a "see, I told you" look, and then Tony notices AJ looking at him and winks. AJ gives a slight smile. One of those brilliant Sopranos moments where everything is said but without a word.

Its that little slight smile that AJ gives that i have posted on before. Sometimes Uncle Jun does it too. Its priceless! i think its Robert Iler's sort of signature trademark trait or whatever. He beams quietly; and i'm guessing its the exact thing that landed him the spot on the show. For all his faults this early in the show (i used to just grate at his early role)- when he does that little grin-smile-- well, all is forgiven!

I went with a 7 again for this one. Like the previous episode, I just never seem to remember too much about it until I'm actually watching it. There are certain episodes that I always remember specifically (both storylines and titles), but this one I always have to go back and either rewatch or read the episode summary to know which one it actually is. Still a good episode though. For me, College is so good that I always think of this episode as the one before College.