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James Gandolfini: "The Sopranos"

 Rewatching "The Sopranos," you spot certain issues. For example, it's a favorite trick of Chase's to have a villain "reemerge," having disappeared for several years. This happens with Richie, but again with Ralphie (the name even sounds similar), and yet again with Tony B. 


It's not exactly graceful.

Also, Meadow's character seems slightly inconsistent to me. A major event in Season Two is Meadow's discovery of a strong interest in UC Berkeley. This is "pitted against" an interest in Georgetown. Clearly, the writers want the Meadow character to remain near Papa--so they decide to send her to Columbia University. But Meadow's act of choosing is neglected; we just have to accept that the California dream has evaporated. (Additionally, I'm curious how often students receive both a cold shoulder from Georgetown and a warm welcome from Columbia.)

No matter. What I love in Season Three is the show's consideration of thoughtlessness--in an episode called "Second Opinion." 

Thoughtlessness is not hostility; it's not even rudeness. But it's irritating. Right now, I'm taking deep breaths to deal with a doctor's receptionist, who lost paperwork and then invented a self-exonerating story. I'm dealing with a swim instructor who just failed to show up to my child's class. On a third front, the garbage truck has started forgetting to stop by on Fridays. Irritating!

In "Second Opinion," various mob figures deal with mild incompetence. Carmela indirectly responds to Dr. Melfi's flailing; because Dr. Melfi cannot see her patient clearly, Carmela will seek help from a more established therapist. Uncle Junior becomes the victim of an ego-driven "cowboy" surgeon; when the surgeon becomes obnoxiously unavailable, aggressive tactics start to seem attractive. And Mrs. Big Pussy looks for solace, but her chosen audience is the very man who is oppressing her; after a violent confrontation, Mrs. Big Pussy learns (or at least seems to learn) that she is barking up the wrong tree.

I feel for every single person in this episode--both the "victims" and the floundering "authorities." It's strange to see bits of my own life within the machinations of various adult Sopranos.

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