"Sopranos" Hits A Flat Note

Since the rest of America has already had its say-so about the ending of The Sopranos, I figure it is time for me to weigh in. And really, I think it's a great thing that so many people have had comments about the ending. It shows that people were watching the show, and watching it closely enough to think about it in a sophisticated manner. That's great progress for a nation in which over 25 million people watch American Idol every week, and adults count down how many days until the next Harry Potter book comes out.

Let me start by saying I get the ending. So many critical examination of the ending assume that people that don't like the ending didn't get it. It's not the first piece of pop culture to end on an ambivalent note. Although I have to wonder about the people that thought their cable went out. I mean, really people. The screen goes black for 10 seconds and you panic like mommy's milk got cut off. Andy Kaufman did a similar trick on a TV special 30 years ago (he made the picture move on the screen, people at home thought their TV was acting up) so I had hoped people were a little more media savvy now.

My criticisms have more to do with the final episode in general rather than the ending. One of the great things about this show was how it well put together it was week in and week out. Usually they had three or four plot points they followed from beginning to end, with continuity throughout the show. Everything flowed together.

However, the final episode was made up of numerous two and three minute scenes, many of which retreaded over plot points we already knew, or could have been dropped in any episode during the season. The whole episode was herky-jerky. And filled of restatements of things we already know. Yes, we all remember Gigi died taking a shit. Tell us something we don't know.

How many different ways do we have to be told that AJ is a complete asshole? Did I really learn something new about his character by watching him ruin a vehicle and get another one? He's supposed to be depressed enough to be suicidal, yet he cheers up and no longer cares about the environment when he gets a new car. What was the whole point of his story with Blanca? Why would they use part of season 6 to explore that non-story, and totally blow off the break-up of Meadow and Finn? I think Chase most centrally identifies with AJ, and is reliving his childhood traumas through him. I can think of no other reason why AJ gets so much screen time.

Here is an example of something that appeared in the final but could have appeared anywhere: The return of Hunter. What was so central about that exchange that it had to take place in the final episode? All that exchange did was reinforce something we learned a long time ago: Carmela is an asshole, and can't stand it when anybody has it better that her. Once she found out Hunter was in medical school and ahead of Meadow, she stormed out of the room. How mature.

I know that we are being told that the ending is "real life" but there is a lot on that show that isn't "real life", and the creators want to have it both ways. In "real life" I am sure the body of Ralphie, Adrianna, Febby or someone that got whacked would resurface and questions would be asked. But in one of the final episodes, a body does resurface, but the whole thing gets blown off. So it seems to me the creators jot out the "real life" argument when they need to justify a creative choice they have made, rather than having "real life" apply as a whole to the series.

I have to believe the choice of "Don't Stop Believing" was a swipe at the characters of the Sopranos, and the fact that they are delusional about what "good" people they are. All their creature comforts in life come from the blood of others, yet they act like they deserved them. Or else it's a jab at the fans, and the fact that they have watched The Sopranos up to this point, so they might as well go on believing that everything goes well for Tony and the gang in the land of make-believe.

And we have seen the "Whole Family Together" ending several times in the show. It was the ending of season 1. It was pretty much the ending of the first half of season 6. Why are we seeing this again?

I really think The Sopranos was the greatest American TV show ever, and nothing I disliked about the final will change my opinion of the show. But when you create something (novel, movie script, painting, whatever), you are supposed to create it through to the end. (What would someone think if Picasso painted a painting, left 10% of the canvas blank, and told patrons to "complete that blank space yourself, paint in there anything you want"?) Thousands of shows, movies, etc., have great premises, but lose steam in the end. The ones that don't are rightfully held to higher acclaim. I already figured out that life has a lot of loose ends that never get resolved, so I didn't need a TV show to tell me that.

To read the best criticism I have come across that supports this ending, click the title.