Annabella Sciorra: "The Sopranos"

The first time I watched "The Sopranos" (Season Three), I was overwhelmed by Annabella Sciorra, called the greatest guest actor in the history of the series (see Michael Imperioli's remarks).

Through "The Sopranos," Sciorra rewrites "Fatal Attraction," and she gives the story the ending that Glenn Close actually lobbied for.

Rewatching now, I'm still mesmerized by Sciorra, but I'm newly interested in Jason Cerbone, who plays Jackie Jr.

Though he is mostly deplorable, Jackie Jr. has nice moments. For example, he shares football tips with AJ. Also, he has a warm bond with a little girl--this forms over a game of chess--during his final days on Earth. We, on our sofas, might occasionally wonder how fully "rotted" Jackie Jr. has become; he might make us recall a certain therapist's observations to Carmela ("Take the children--what's left of them--and get out of your marriage").

At the end of the season, David Chase helps us to understand why we have spent so much time with Jackie Jr. It's not *just* about mafia power plays. Really, we are watching Jackie Jr. because the writers want us to grasp what may happen to AJ. The *stakes* in this story have everything to do with AJ.

Tony has an opportunity to steer AJ down a lifesaving path: Tony considers military school. But: Like father, like son. AJ evades responsibility--at the last possible moment--by having a full-scale panic attack.

I think--to some extent--David Chase *always* has one eye on the Soprano children. When Meadow coolly scolds AJ--"No one can interpret DNA without eight days of testing, dumbshit"--this should give us pause. The adults on the show are utterly lost, but, at times, there may be hope for the Soprano kids. The death of Jackie Jr. is an additional "nail in a coffin"--and the coffin is entrapping Meadow and AJ Soprano.

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