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The Sopranos, Season 6: "Johnny Cakes" [recap]


Another one down, and what a crazy episode it was. I was expecting a few of these things, but there is always a twist in it.

First off, that Julianna chick, her real name escapes me, but she was a tough nut to crack, eh? Tony had been dialoguing back and forth with her over the sale of the shop to open a fucking Jamba Juice. She called him persuasive, and that proved to be true... by episode's end, we see Tony about to get hot and heavy with Juliana when he suddenly stops himself. I like how they did that too: we see Carm come with the very shirt Tone wants to wear, all ironed, and her buttoning it up for him. Then, as Tone is about to do the deed with Julianna, he takes notice of her unbuttoning the shirt and pumps the breaks. Good step for Tony, and a well thought out diagram of scenes. It's good to see Tony truly changing for the better... gotta show and prove.

Back to the Jamba Juice thing; I like how they showed Tony's goons trying to shake down the coffee shop in the beginning. Set the undertone for the whole episode. And my nigga at the shop stood his ground! He was right though, big chains keep track of everything, whether it's a DVD or a coffee bean. What is the world coming to is right! I just wonder if Tony will still be going through the whole Jamba Juice thing b/c he turned down the nookie... we shall see!

Now Vito, or "Vince", that's a horse of a different color. We see him not fitting in throughout the whole episode -- no conversations at the bed and breakfast, him waddling around town in his velour Fila suits. Even calling wifey and choking up at the sound of his son's voice -- which might prove to be a bad move. Cells can be tracked, numbers traced, esp. since he used someone else's cell to place the call! Dumb move. Anyways, he got enamored by the firefighting flapjack maker. So enamored that he bought homeboy and his crew a round at the bar. When 'Flapjack' tried to kiss him, Vito smacked him, which got himself fucked up. It was OK though, "Vince" came back for the Johnny Cakes and ended up going Broke-Back with dude in the park after a nice bike ride. I give Vito 2 more episodes before he's found and clipped. He can't outrun a pissed of Phil, and Tony would rather do the damage first.

Now the maddest part of this episode was just seeing AJ's decline. From big pimpin' in the club to throwing up outside of the police station. We first hear beats on AJ's drumset, but alas, it is not him playing. We find out that he is selling the set b/c his Blockbuster checks aren't cutting it with his lifestyle. He has been staying out all night in the club, parlaying with some guys who think he is more connected than he really is. He is footing the bill for guys he disliked in high school, and is leaning on Tony and Carm to front a club for him. He says he's researching, but it looks like he is wallowing in cocaine addiction. He deep down wants to please his father, but does NOT have the chops to roll with it mafia-style. One day, AJ tells mom dukes to wake him around 10AM... which she does. It isn't until 4 that day that he goes out and does what he planned to do -- bring a knife in to see Uncle Junior and take care of what, I guess, he figures his father is lax on. Only, his nerves are so shot, he drops the knife before approaching Junior, who mistakes AJ for his nephew. Corrado's "that's not my knife" line is one of the funnier lines I had heard, just struck me as so typical. Tony has to pick up AJ at the precinct, and tries to drill it in his head that AJ is a "nice guy"... AJ wants to please pops, but does not have the balls nor the brains to do it that way. As Tony alluded, AJ is too stuck in the movies. The whole convo at Blockbuster about holding the knife, him talking about Tony's fav scene in The Godfather... etc. etc. And in the end, AJ ends up passing out in the club bathroom. Panic attacks kicking in...

Preview time:

I was kind of confused with this one. There were a LOT of cuts, so the action gets muddled, but it looks like there is PLENTY action next week. Disputes between Bobby Bacala and Paulie Wallnuts over some money Bacala is owed, which may or may not lead to some dispute in what looks like a carnival? There was a LARGE crowd out there. There is also that scene of Christopher bustin' caps outside of a car window. Matter of fact, Chrissy was making repeated comments on how someone (I can only assume Tony) saved his life... maybe Tone has Chrissy take care of a job?

Who knows, maybe next week's episode will make all of the "this week's ep was filler" crowd STFU?!?!?!

For more summary info, check out MSNBC's 'Sopranos Body Count', as well as the HBO Episode Guide.
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