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At first, I thought the Sopranos' title sequence was fun and certainly up to HBO standards on the production values front. The song was an immediate hit as well, the main reason I never skipped the title sequence on the later episodes. But as the series wore on, I came to realize the brilliance of the opening sequence, how it is the perfect introduction to each episode of The Sopranos. For a show so rooted in psychology (which I only understand to a basic degree, specifically Freud, Oedipus, and projection), it's right that every episode begins inside a tunnel for two reasons. First, the obvious, that Tony comes from his mother's tunnel. The show has gone out of its way to describe how strong an influence Livia has had on Tony, even long after she passed, and Tony's recognition of this fact has done nothing to change it. Secondly, especially during the final season, the show became about seeking enlightenment, or understanding the world on a higher level. After Tony's vision quest in Vegas, he shouts to the Sun, "I get it!" I'm not certain he does, but it supports the idea that the tunnel opening is an analogy for Plato's Cave. Tony starts out in blackness and approaches the light. He woke up this morning, if you will. You could say I'm reading too much into it, but I don't really care. David Chase has endowed this show with a deep literary pedigree, and whether he intended to reference The Cave or not, it's clearly there. So is the Hell reference. The series often discussed whether its characters would go to heaven or hell when they died, but by the end, the show asserts that Tony's (and Christopher's and Junior's) life is hell. Hence Tony crossing the River Styx in the titles, entering the land of the dead every episode.

Of course, the opening is most obviously a way to take us from a familiar and public side of America (New York City, represented by the World Trade Center and the Statue of Liberty) to the shady and private side in Tony's neighborhood. I particularly appreciate that it's Tony driving, since other HBO title sequences often do not employ the shows' actors. And naturally, Tony is our guide. Now let's talk about that glorious song. Not only is it rocking, but it fits in thematically with its references to Mama's and Papa's influence and signs to interpret. And of course, Tony got himself a gun.

After my first time through the series, I knew immediately that Season 6 (both parts) was my favorite, and even it had a certain amount of filler. Instead of compiling a list of my 10 favorite moments or scenes from the season, however, I just wanted to talk about 10 of my favorites, 10 of the scenes that helped elevate the season. And since I've already discussed my love for the final scene (and more on that below), I'm gonna skip that one. 1) "Members Only" - The season begins with a character montage set to "Seven Souls," a poem by William S. Burroughs about the Egyptian belief that a body has seven souls that leave when you die. One of the many reasons the season seemed built up to Tony dying, but even more puzzling was why certain characters were picked for the montage. Notably, three of them were rats, all of whom are dead, and the only ones from the montage to survive were blood relations to Tony. Vito, Bobby, Adriana, Gene, and Ray all died, but beyond that, I'm still confounded by this beautiful season opening. 2) "Members Only" - Uncle Junior jumping out of the shadows, shouting, "Cazzata Malanga!" and shooting Tony, and then Tony struggling to save himself. 3) "Mayham" - After Tony finally gains consciousness, surrounded by everyone and uncommunicative, he gestures for Carmela to come closer and whispers, "I'm dead, right?" It's a beautiful, haunting moment. 4) "The Ride" - The flashback to when Christopher told Tony about Adriana, one of my all-time favorite scenes on this show, thanks to the power of that storyline and the tremendous performances by Gandolfini and Imperioli.

5) "Cold Stones" - Carmela and Rosalie are in Paris, and all of a sudden, Carmela turns to see Adriana, who says she found Cosette. And then a stranger tells Carmela to tell her she's dead. It might be my favorite dream sequence of the entire series, but then I always loved Adriana. 6) "Stage 5" - Silvio goes out with Gerry Torciano, when suddenly, everything slows down and blood splatters across Silvio's face, and only then does he notice the hit men and Gerry being riddled with bullets. One of my favorite artsy moments on a show that sometimes goes overboard with it. 7) "Kennedy and Heidi" - "Comfortably Numb" blares. Tony bores into Christopher with his eyes. And then Christopher drives his car to his death, aided by Tony's mercy. 8) "The Second Coming" - AJ's analysis of Yeats is his final straw, and his suicide attempt is harrowing. But even better, Tony jumps in and saves him, and then, when AJ has left the womb and severed the cord, Tony cradles him saying, "It's all right, baby." 9) "The Blue Comet" - Bobby gets nostalgic for a better time, and as he is killed, we get an artful sequence of Bobby and his beloved model trains. 10) "The Blue Comet" - Melfi, after years of influence by Dr. Kupferberg, finally gives in to her nagging feeling that maybe she's not helping Tony. And then, to complete silence, we read in close-up a report that makes her culpable too. It was a fairly shocking scene for me, despite all the hints, to see that Dr. Melfi isn't quite as omniscient as she comes off. It reminded me too of that time she accused Dr. Kupferberg of being interested in Tony on a tabloid level. Projection, anyone?

So there you have it. And I didn't have enough room to get into "Soprano Home Movies," with the boat ride between Tony and Bobby and the brilliant flashback to it at the end of "The Blue Comet," Janice's story about her mother's beehive, or the opening where Tony and Carmela are woken up by the police. Or Eugene Pontecorvo's suicide. Or the first shot of Tony in the hospital as Carmela and Meadow look on. Or the guy in "The Fleshy Part of the Thigh" who tells Tony about how dinosaurs were on Noah's ark. Or Johnny Sack getting hauled off at his own daughter's wedding, Agent Harris cheering when he finds out Phil Leotardo's been taken out, Vito's gay awakening in New Hampshire, or the "I get it!" at the end of "Kennedy and Heidi." This season had more episodes than all prior, and it would have been even stronger condensed to 13 episodes, but even still, these and many other scenes contributed to it becoming my immediate favorite.

Everyone compiled a similar list when The Sopranos ended, and now that I've joined the party, it's my turn too. For most shows, I figure my Great Episodes make it obvious or covers all the possibilities anyway, but for The Sopranos, I figure it'll be a fun way to commemorate my finishing the show. Also, based on the Time and EW lists of Top 10 episodes (Time's is better), my opinions seem remarkably conformist. Which is strange considering my two favorite seasons (4 and 6, both parts) are everyone else's least favorite.

Top 10 Episodes Honorable Mention
	Employee of the Month (Season 3, Episode 4): Lorraine Bracco's biggest episode sees Melfi raped and then struggle with her conscience about telling Tony. My favorite moment in Season 3 is when Melfi says she's just happy knowing she could have the guy killed if she wanted to. Of course, the Tony-Melfi relationship is always fascinating, but him comforting her, having been violent with her in the past, would have clarified their abusive relationship on any other day.
	Pine Barrens (Season 3, Episode 11): One of the most beloved episodes is just out of my top 10. I actually thought Paulie was going to die out there in the snow without shoes, especially as the tension built between him and Christopher regarding the blame. Steve Buscemi's direction is magnificent, particularly in all the scenes in Pine Barrens, and Bobby saving the day is one of the many reasons I fell in love with him so quickly.
	Irregular Around the Margins (Season 5, Episode 5): Tony and Adriana flirt with disease, cocaine and each other, share a kiss, and, putting the brakes on their relationship before anything more serious happened, crash their car, injuring Adriana. The mobsters play telephone and even Agent Harris hears the rumors. Of course, Christopher doesn't help upon his return, beating up on her some more until Tony convinces a doctor to back them up.
	Join the Club (Season 6, Episode 2): I thought the coma dream was amazing, and when the light first came down, and we caught that glimpse of an unconscious Tony being operated on, I was blown away. At Gene's funeral, Silvio and the gang praise Gene for not being a rat, and Silvio takes temporary control, while Tony's blood family arrive at varying moments to give their reactions to Tony's condition. Janice, in typical Janice fashion, brings the drama, but AJ brings the stoicism, promising to kill Uncle Junior.
	Kennedy and Heidi (Season 6, Episode 18): Christopher dies to "Comfortably Numb," and Tony seeks (and possibly achieves) enlightenment in the beginning of the end. The last four episodes of the season are each worthy of an A+, and it begins here with Christopher's haunting sendoff. Michael Imperioli was the only one to consistently match Tony and Carm, and I was sad to see him go, although his final scenes were given as much care and weight as the best scenes on this show. And Tony's Vegas trip is still weighing on my mind.
Top 10 Episodes
	10. The Weight (Season 4, Episode 4): First of all, I loved Johnny Sack talking about why the 90-pound mole joke was such a big deal to him. It's been a troubling issue for their marriage, but Johnny thinks she's beautiful the way she is and never asked her to change. But most importantly, this is the episode with the dual hit attempts, Ralphie's on Johnny, and Johnny's on Ralphie, neither of which come to fruition, though both come close.
	9. Members Only (Season 6, Episode 1): If the Seven Souls montage itself (the first on this show, if I recall) weren't enough, that Adriana dream alone would have sold me on the episode. Then, the rats start dying, first Ray Curto in a kind of funny mid-snitch stroke, and later, and far more tragically, Gene Pontecorvo hangs himself after realizing the impossibility of escape from his life. But better still, Junior shoots Tony, who miraculously pulls himself to a phone, dials 911, and loses consciousness. Gandolfini is expectedly phenomenal, but Dominic Chianese has been wonderful in the last few seasons facing his dementia.
	8. College (Season 1, Episode 5): I'm a little astounded that people think this is the best episode of The Sopranos. It's certainly great; it's just weird to think the show peaked after five episodes. Amidst a rainstorm of symbolism in New Jersey, Carmela seeks to take things further with Father Phil while Christopher has to stay on point for Tony, who is touring colleges in idyllic New Hampshire with Meadow, who openly questions him about the mafia. It doesn't help that Tony runs across an old rat who got away.
	7. Made in America (Season 6, Episode 21): I'll admit that the midscene, midsong cut is a bit gimmicky--I'd have preferred a fadeout as the song continues--but overall, I loved it. Tony's Family Life has invaded his family life, with Carmela and the kids on the run and openly discussing business. Paulie steps up, and Agent Harris helps Tony, while otherwise contributing to the apocalyptic feel. And when violence fails, Tony and Butchie use diplomacy, with the concession of Phil's life. But in the end, this is a show about family: Janice gets closure with Tony and Junior, and Tony gets closure with Junior.
	6. Whoever Did This (Season 4, Episode 9): Ralphie finally meets his end, long after his expiration date, but still unplanned and accidental, since he set off Tony by delving into self-pity--his son's in the hospital--and burning the stable where Pie-O-My lives. And after a tremendous first half featuring Joe Pantoliano, the episode becomes a Tony-Christopher show (some of the best episodes) as they dispose of the body, talk about their history, and examine each other's current states.
	5. The Second Coming (Season 6, Episode 19): I've already discussed the impact of AJ's suicide attempt and Tony's rescue. The Yeats poem itself is amazing, especially when compared to the plot of this season, and AJ's weariness with global politics heightens the season's apocalyptic feel. It particularly worries me to consider how in the final episode, Agent Harris said AJ may be right to worry about that stuff. But the symbolism in this episode is unparalleled, all the way to Tony joining his son on the other side at the end.
	4. Funhouse (Season 2, Episode 13): Big Pussy finally gets taken out on a tense and tragic boat ride. It's another case of a character (Tony) becoming physically ill due to emotional distress, and here it gives way to Tony's best dreams yet. He walks on an abandoned boardwalk, but goes nowhere. He looks through a telescope to see himself in a room. He learns he has cancer and sets himself on fire. And then he pays a surprise visit to the Bonpensiero's, where Big Pussy tries to prepare himself for what he knows could be the end.
	3. The Blue Comet (Season 6, Episode 20): Probably the most eventful episode ever, beginning the war between Phil and Tony, as Bobby gets taken out, Silvio put in a coma, and Patsy on the run. Then Tony puts his family on the run, goes to comfort Janice, and flees to a safehouse himself. Meanwhile, Elliot passive-aggressively has an intervention for Melfi, who comes to the startling revelation that her therapy sessions have been helping Tony become a better criminal. She follows up by closing the door on him forever, depriving him of yet another ally.
	2. Long Term Parking (Season 5, Episode 12): Adriana's house of cards comes tumbling down. She begins at the doctor's, and then the feds force her to give them Christopher to flip. So she tells him, and their conversation is powerful, both Michael Imperioli and Drea de Matteo impressing. And then Christopher tries to strangle her, but relents, and the rest plays out as Tony and Silvio take her out. Adriana's remains the death that was most powerful to me.
	1. Whitecaps (Season 4, Episode 13): Apart from being one of the most violently focused episodes of the series, the Soprano marriage crumbling as Tony and Carmela fire everything they have at each other, this episode is a masterwork of acting. But that goes without saying. I loved Tony bringing up Carmela taking his hidden money, and Carmela throwing Furio in his face, and Tony rebuking her for saying he's going to hell before his MRI. At the end, Meadow has a flashback to where she took her family for granted, as AJ watches Tony go.

I'm almost a year late on this, but for me, The Sopranos just ended, and I'm high as a kite. I don't really know how to explain the effect the final scene had on me, but I was powerfully engrossed in everything. It's one of my favorite scenes on the show, certainly, but also of all television. I will say that my reaction was less confused than people watching it when it aired because I knew that it cut to black and that "Don't Stop Believin'" is played first, so as soon as the song began, I was preparing myself for my final scene with this family. Mostly, I wanted to weigh in on Tony's future. I really liked the idea that Members Only gets a gun in the bathroom, comes out, and shoots Tony, hence the black screen with the even more jarring soundtrack interruption. But I have to believe that doesn't happen. Tony lives, at least for the moment, and here's why I think so: First, we see the view of Holsten's as Meadow approaches. Nobody else is in sight--no mobsters, no hired killers, no feds. It's just Meadow nearing the door. And just the right amount of time passes between when we see her outside and when the door bells chime. So I think we can be reasonably certain that Tony's last sight on the show is of Meadow entering the restaurant. That doesn't discount Members Only, who's in the bathroom, last we saw. There are so many hints that maybe he's about to whack Tony. First, the members only jacket reminds us of the Season 6 premiere, "Members Only," in which Tony is shot wearing the same shirt he wears at Holsten's. Then we remember Bobby telling Tony you probably don't even see your death coming, a flashback that is played in the episode prior. And finally, during Gerry Torciano's death, everything slowed and Silvio didn't even recognize what was happening until he felt the blood splatter on his face. All great evidence from within the story (and season) leading one to conclude that Members Only shooting Tony is at the very least a possibility. But to me, the episode, "Made in America," goes out of its way to show Paulie's folly for buying into such superstitions over coincidences. The cat, the Virgin Mary, the cursed position as captain of construction. But Tony convinces him to get over the paranoia to provide for his family. Additionally, we have no hard evidence to think Members Only is actually a killer, just the fact that he looked at them a couple times. The paranoia is invented, but also remember, there's no reason to expect a hit on Tony--New York signed off on the Phil Leotardo hit. So while I still think it's possible Members Only is about to whack Tony, I don't think it goes down like that. I think the Sopranos eat their last supper, their leader is betrayed by one of his own (Carlo, as has been established), and Tony goes to trial. Which probably means, unless Silvio wakes up, the New Jersey mob goes down and Carmela and Rosalie and Janice commiserate for the rest of their lives, although Carmela does it more fabulously. James Gandolfini and Edie Falco maintain perfection throughout. Much much more to come, but my general view of the show is that it is great, overrated, brilliant, meandering, and evolves beautifully.

Some who claim Tony's dead argue that Chase is using the language of film to set us up for it. Every time someone comes in, they say, we see Tony look up, and then we see the door from his point of view. But the last time, the door bells chime, and we see Tony look up, but when it's time to see what he sees, we see nothing instead. Well, that's actually flawed. It may seem like we get inside Tony's head for those shots of people coming in the door, but we don't. We see from right next to him, but not directly from his eyes; Carmela, Members Only, and AJ don't look into the camera (locking eyes with Tony), but rather they all look just to our left. So the black screen is not seen from Tony's eyes. That doesn't mean the black screen doesn't still represent his death, but I maintain the simplest solution. Occam's razor, bitches. There's no reason not to believe that they just eat their dinner and follow the rest of the plotlines to their natural conclusions. Further, Members Only doesn't fit the pattern of any of the killers we've seen on the show. Hit men arrive at the scene, walk to their target, sometimes confirm their identity, and then shoot. Not a single one of them has ordered coffee or waited or hidden a gun in the bathroom first. Regardless, I think the scene is deliberately constructed to be ambiguous. The repeated shots of Members Only glancing at them, the music, and the cuts of Meadow having an impossible time parking, and then running to get there just in time are all effective ways to amp up the tension. This in turn plays on our paranoia, which is even more effective at putting us in Tony's head than showing us what he's seeing. The season opens with a similar scenario: we hear early morning knocking on the Sopranos' home, and as Carmela (and the audience) get worried about it being the big one, it turns out just to be a gun charge. The closing is the same way--we're worried it's the big one, but

it's probably just a normal dinner. David Chase says there are no esoteric clues, and as arrogant as he is, I think he would count something as detailed as examining the shot construction esoteric. So as a closing scene, while they're showing us nothing more eventful than a hectic family dinner, it's a way to give us one final look at their lives. The show is about this family, so our final scene shows us each of our characters meeting one by one to do the most basic family exercise while giving us just enough hints to extrapolate their futures, just like the closing montage of The Wire--it's possible Dukie immediately escapes his life on the streets and ends up living with Prez or something, but it's highly unlikely based on what we've seen. Similarly, look at what we learn in the final scene. Meadow's switching birth control, as she prepares to get married. AJ is enjoying his new job, having given up his ambitions to change the world. Tony tells Carmela that Carlo flipped and there will be a trial, and Carm takes a beat to contemplate her own future. Essentially, each of them is in a satisfied place in life, and none of them have successfully escaped the umbrella of the mafia. The Sopranos has been shocking, but based on its artistic conventions, and David Chase's snobbery toward those who wanted to see Tony die in the finale, I think it's most likely that life goes on ("and on and on and onnnnn") for Tony Soprano, at least for now.

More importantly, the final scene of the show is a last supper. Others have noted this, but let's really examine the similarities between the last suppers of Jesus and Tony Soprano. At Jesus', he announces that one of them will betray him, and he knows who. At Tony's, he tells Carmela that Carlo flipped. Jesus gives his apostles wine and bread, and what do you know, Tony ordered everyone the exact same food and drinks (coke and onion rings by the way, and Dr. Brooks has some interesting things to say about why their final meal is onion rings--hint: circumcision). Even better, they each put the onion rings in their mouths whole, like communion wafers (even though they were clearly too big for AJ's mouth, and the more I watch it, the more it seems like Falco and Gandolfini are deliberately treating them like communion). Now, I'm obviously not suggesting that Tony Soprano is going to die for their sins, or that the show is a Christian allegory (although, Mama always said you'd be the chosen one), but I think the similarities are worthy of discussion. By the way, Jesus wasn't killed during the last supper, but he did go to trial soon after. It's important to note that it doesn't matter whether Chase was actively evoking the Last Supper or not. The later seasons are filled with literary allusions, particularly Carmela's Madame Bovary awakening, and Chase is a smart enough guy to have subconsciously set up his last supper. And I just have to point out that AJ sat with his mother, in light of the show's Oedipal psychological bent.

And as if I haven't discussed it enough, I want to explain a little bit about why I fell in love with the scene. First of all, as I said, I was prepared. I knew going in that the scene would involve "Don't Stop Believin'" and end with a jarring cut to black. I knew there were onion rings. The rest was new to me, but as soon as the song began, I knew that it was almost over. And that alone was very powerful, knowing that in a few minutes I'd be done with The Sopranos forever. I've loved Tony and Carmela for some time, and Meadow for a few seasons now, but it wasn't really until the end of the show that AJ became more than a bratty kid. So knowing that this final scene was going to be this family that I've come to love was very gratifying. And I think it also depends a bit on if you like the song or not, which I do and don't see how you can't, but then my parents listened to Journey when I was little. Which I think is a perfectly Sopranos reason for loving the scene (because my parents influenced my childhood). But on top of that, and the aforediscussed building tension and future speculation, I felt the details were perfect touches. The old-fashioned diner with table jukeboxes, the hamburgers flipping, the guy in the vest and USA hat, the man taking his cub scout group out to eat, the young couple. It's all very nostalgic for old-fashioned America, which is one of the major themes of the show. The first season was overflowing with that sort of sentimentality as the old-timers talked about the old days, and Christopher represented the folly of today's youth. And I think that nostalgic feel augmented the sadness as Carmela discovers her husband's going to trial, because I felt that moment was extremely powerful. But they stop talking about it as AJ comes in, and maybe it's due to recent events, or maybe it's because Tony knows he's going away soon, but when he clasped AJ's hand talking about onion rings, it was another of those perfect touches by Gandolfini. I'm not sure there's much symbolism to Meadow's inability to parallel park--it's probably just a way to help amp up the tension, especially as she hurries to make it, and of course someone had to provide the show-ending door bells--but I thought it was great, because it's one of those daily obstacles we can all identify with.

Until the end of Season 5 (the episodes from "The Test Dream" through Season 6's "Mr. and Mrs. John Sacrimoni Request..." are consistently incredible), I would have said that I'm basically disappointed with The Sopranos. Most seasons have a few great episodes, some good ones, and some (too much) filler/set-up. Actually, the first three seasons have a whole lot of standalones that I don't really care for, with a few notable exceptions. Season 4 changed my outlook, and by Season 6, I felt the show had fulfilled its promise. But part of my reaction is because I don't think I gave the first three seasons a fair shake. Nevertheless, this show is not perfect. Sometimes they'd sacrifice realism for thematic statements, like when Meadow helps AJ with the Frost poem, one of the scenes with dialogue unbecoming a show of this stature. What's worse though is that I really didn't care for any of the characters until I realized during Season 4 that I liked a lot of them by then. Aside from Tony and Carmela, I would get annoyed when someone like Uncle Junior or Livia or Janice or Richie or anyone else came on the screen. Of course, that's the point, especially during Season 2, where all four of them are villains of a sort, but it doesn't change the fact that I felt like watching the show was a chore sometimes. As the show became more serialized and more focused, I came to really love it despite the lulls in each of the final three seasons. And I think that evolution, from standalones to serialization, reflects the growth of the main characters. So while it makes sense, I personally wasn't engaged until the second half of the show, which is also when I feel the series fulfilled the promise of its psychological and literary themes. That said, and thinking back to parts of the first two seasons, I fully expect my love for this show to grow with rewatches. I think my disappointment is an unfair reaction, and even despite it, I do love this series.

The Sopranos is phenomenal in many ways. First, this is a show about family. It's called The Sopranos, which is not the name of Tony's mafia organization, but the name of his biological family. Further, we're told time and again that the only people you can really trust are your blood relatives, hence Tony's support for Tony Blundetto over the qualms of Paulie and Silvio. Accordingly, I was always more interested in things on the homefront than anything going on at the Bada Bing. By "Amour Fou," when Melfi finally makes it explicit that Tony's tremendously influenced by Oedipal urges, the show really started to click for me. Season 4 was the first season that really emphasized family, with the Sopranos breaking down, Bobby moving from his old family to his new one with Janice, and Christopher and Adriana succumbing to personal pressures from heroin and the FBI. Additionally, I loved the psychology on the show, with most of the characters' actions clearly responses to their psychologies. Obviously, Tony's childhood was the most explicit in the series, which is good because James Gandolfini is tremendous. He and Edie Falco are powerful as the main characters, the two that grow the most and act as each other's support systems, foils, and occasional enemies. Carmela's awakening in Season 4 is one of my favorite plots thanks to Falco, and it culminates in my favorite episode. I have to agree that Gandolfini especially gives one of the best performances ever. And Lorraine Bracco, Michael Imperioli and Drea de Matteo were consistent, great, and enjoyable (while Aida Turturro, Dominic Chianese, and Nancy Marchand were great, but not enjoyable). Further, essays upon essays could be written about this series, particularly in the later seasons. The dreams, the bear, and onion rings are obviously intentional thematic choices, but so are the more subtle touches like AJ giving his mother The Matrix or Frankenstein in Christopher's movie. To me, all of the greatness vastly outweighs the filler, so I hope to grow to love the show more. To give you a more concrete reference, I currently like Deadwood more, and while The Sopranos is not in my top 10, it is definitely in my top 20.

Contents
	The Title Sequence
	Great Moments from Season 6
	Top 10 Episodes
	The Final Scene
	Overall Reaction