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The Sopranos: "Members Only"

 What is possible in middle age, in the second half of life? Angie, Mrs. Big Pussy, turns her own world around; she becomes a successful business owner. It seems like Eugene, another peripheral figure in "The Sopranos," might have his own shot at reinvention.


An inheritance check arrives; it's for 2 million dollars. Eugene has quite a bit he wants to flee. His son's health is deteriorating; there seems to be no effective response to drug addiction, and the entire Pontecorvo family is coming apart at the seams. Additionally, there is the problem of Eugene's day job. He is asked to murder a stranger, a civilian, because of a financial dispute. That's a bummer.

Almost casually, in the Third Act, the writers present a final major problem. Eugene has secretly consented to talks with the Feds; though agents may sometimes feign sympathy for Eugene, these agents have little or no interest in Eugene's "dreams." Eugene will stay right where the government wants him--or he'll go to jail.

I like this episode for a few reasons. First, it makes the idea of "endgames" into a theme. This is the start of the homestretch, when we're all wondering, What will happen to Tony Soprano? The suicide of Eugene tells us all we need to know. Whether or not we get details on Tony's grand finale, we can assume that any exit Tony makes will be just about as bleak and as meaningless as Eugene's exit. Moreover, in its efficient portrait of Eugene and Son, the episode asks us to think about two Anthonys: Senior and Junior. What will become of AJ? The other thing I admire is that the director forces us to watch the urine making its egress from Eugene's corpse. This show is committed to "clarity." (In therapy, Dr. Melfi says to a sobbing Carmela: "Clarity cannot be a bad thing.") The writers want us to notice what is ugly in the world. When Silvio murders our beloved Adriana, we're forced to listen to misogynistic language. When a man hangs himself, he pees in his pants.

I wasn't psyched about rewatching 6A, but now I'm revising certain opinions.

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