The episodes this year are just getting back to the raw essence of the earlier seasons, where each one is a tiny movie unto itself. This week, we get back to the meaner, eviler Tony, shown through his addiction to gambling. The title is a metaphor for him trying to chase whatever joy he gets from gambling... but we also saw his addiction creep into his everyday life...
Why would he gamble the money he was to give Marie Spatafore for their move to Maine? I think subconciously, he did not want to give her that much loot. That move is kind of ridiculous - if you don't get at the root of the problem, you really aren't solving a thing. I'm like everyone else, tripping over the fact that dude shit in the shower at his school, but the situation is bigger than that. Rebellion brought on by confusion of what his dad did, and who his dad was. That requires therapy, not a move to another part of the US...
The bigger deal with Vito Jr. is the Phil situation. Phil Leotardo was man enough to cause the situation to be what it was by murdering Vito, but is not man enough to take the responsibility, whether it's ponying up the ends to move them out or taking a more active role, but it just shows how heartless of a prick he really is. Don't think for a minute that by the time this season is over, Phil and T will be bumping heads once again, over something.
Did we really need to see Nancy Sinatra in this episode?
I want to send a shout out to AJ Soprano, for getting played like a fiddle. I love how he damn near makes her say yes, then looks all upset when her brother pulls up with his bag of clothes ("I just did laundry last week!")... he was chasing that puerto rican poonani, and a life that involved him being the big man. But being manager of the pizza shop and learning some spanish to impress ya shorty's seed does not a man make, young AJ. And by the looks of the preview of next week, he hits a deep funk.
I do have to say, I think Adrianna is buried under the house Carm and her pops built, and with the weak lumber, she will be found. Just a hunch - they are spending too much time dwelling on Carm worrying, and the fact that pops is using the old ass lumber. I also wanna let it be known that T's "unborn baby" crack @ Carm was fucking wrong, even if he technically fronted the major end of the money for the house she considers her own. T should have played it off, not even gotten at her for ends for his gambling, but he took it too far. And upset Carm. That's gonna bite him.
The big thing I want to see is next week's showdown with Chris and Paulie. Both look bad in Tony's eyes right now, so if it comes to blows, its going to be interesting to see how that will play off. Their rivalry has always been a staple of the conflicts - so much can be played off, and it harks back to the "Pine Barrens", where both the show and their relationship went to far-out places.
Only time will tell how this show will end, but I have a feeling I'm not ready for it. Like they are going to hit us with something way out of the ordinary... or just have it end like any other season, with Tony letting off a puff of smoke and some poignant song ushering in the credits...
