Long ago, Janice married a French Canadian named Eugène. They had a son named Harpo. When Janice walked out on the marriage, Harpo’s father took the boy and moved to Montréal. Later Janice tried to obtain custody, but failed. A couple of times, Tony has taunted Janice about her not having a relationship with Harpo.
Good commentary, all around. And thank Og this season opener had more going for it than all of last season combined.
As farfetched as it may sound, I think they may be setting it up for Bobby to take over.
Now, now, hear me out.
For some reason, I came away with the impression that Bobby was going to step up from last season, and last night cinched it for me – at least as a possibility for what might be the climax of the show.
Even though there’s nothing about Bobby that appears to be leadership material, I think the ingredients are there:
-
There’s no clear successor to Tony; even Sil has said out loud he doesn’t have the heart for it. And then there’s Frick and Frack (Paulie and Chris). I mean, come on. And, at some point early on, I think Tony is going to get rid of Phil Leotardo.
-
Since his murder-cherry has been popped and so much now-obvious anger and resentment has built up, Bobby will acquire the *position * and the *disposition * to take over, once any opening develops. And much has always been made of him never making captain. Wouldn’t it be just like HBO to catapault him to Boss-of-all-bosses, for the surprise-of-all-suprises ending. And besides, he’s always known how to earn.
-
And he has one not-so-secret weapon – Janice. If anyone has the personality (and greed) to stoke the fire, it’s her. Even against her own brother; especially against her own brother. She’d probably sell Nica(?) down the river for a pocketful of fava beans and a nice chianti. She Livy incarnate, only meaner and more venal.
Plus, remember how Tony is always talking about how family is everything? This, to me, is a big clue as to how everything is going to go down. Given that the dam has broken on the resentment and anger Bobby feels, and with Janice’s underhandedness, it could happen. I like the idea that the murdered ex-husband might be Harpo; if so, it could also be fuel on the fire for Janice.
As dramatic as the Harpo thing would be, it sounds very Marvel Comics. And there couldn’t be a custody dispute with Janice- the son is too old, I think, and she isn’t involved in his life.
It wasn’t a custody dispute between Janice and Eugene for Harpo, it was a custody dispute between the young guy who was killed and his ex-wife.
The duck flew behind Tony’s head too while he was sitting there. Also the Nica and her nanny were singing some some about ducks when Tony was getting ready to get in the SUV. Or was it when the little girls were having the tea party. At any rate, there was some duck-singing going on.
Tony making Bobby do the killing was like, “You think you’re so fucking tough? Then how come you’ve never whacked anyone like all of the rest of us? You go kill this guy and then we’ll see how tough you are.”
The gun charge was lame. Some kid gets caught with the gun and then he claims that Tony Soprano tossed it and he picked it up. He said it as part of a reduced sentence. How can you prove that the hollow points were there all that time or the kid put them in later. So he had the gun for all of that time but never fired off a few rounds? Lame.
I still think the Tony was getting vengeance on Bobby for the sucker punch/fight by sending him for the hit. Whether of not it results in Bobby getting nailed because of his sloppy actions is yet to be seen (but this could be played out as part of Tony’s vengeance as well).
Also, compare the current status of the NY & NJ families. How long has it been since we have seen Tony’s NJ mob huddling around him like the NY mob was around Phil.
Ah, I see.
And didn’t they actually say something about the kid using the gun to shoot cans?
Were we supposed to be in suspense thinking that Bobby might be in danger while Tony was driving and especially when he pulled off the highway quickly after Bobby said he had to take a leak?
I think we were, but I did not really expect Tony to kill him and sounds like you did not either.
I love Carmela saying that Tony isn’t vindictive like she really believes it. :rolleyes:
I really hope that whatever happens at the end, (and we know that Tony will either die or go to jail) they’ll take all of their money and Carmela will have to get a job at Walmart.
Yeah, Bobby having to pee and AJ’s party felt like filler.
AJ might have had a pool party. Less chance of a big mess or something getting broken. One of his “guests” had a couple of those long tubey things.
Tony veering off the road reminded me of Sil and Ade’s trip.
Well, I definately thought we were supposed to think something, especially because after that the women had a long, long conversation where they kept looking at their watches. I thought maybe Tony would drive up without Bobby. (It also reminded me of the setting for Adriana’s murder.)
No, cop-killer bullets were designed to penetrate bulletproof vests. Hollowpoints expand on impact to cause more damage, but are actually less likely to penetrate a vest.
There’s no federal law against hollowpoints - you can buy them in Massachusetts! I don’t know if there’s a law against them in NJ, or some kind of extra penalty for convicted felons for having them, etc.
I thought that Tony drove down the little side road just to scare Bobby a little bit. Bobby knows what happens down little roads like that, and he knows that in the old days he would have had it coming.
AJ’s party was just showing that despite his new girlfriend, he’s still a useless and lying sponge.
Exactly. Hollowpoints bullets are actually safer bullets to have for home defense. They are much less likely to penetrate a wall and kill an innocent bystander.
They’re also less likely to penetrate a perp and kill an innocent bystander. The bullets tend to stop within the target.
What’s the significance of a duck? Did I miss something?
Why is Tony mad at Christopher? I can’t remember.
Thank you for the use of spoiler tags . . . I like to be surprised by the show. Excellent discussion, I don’t always catch everything.
[SPoiler]DUCK: Early on Tony had a Duck and Babies in his pool and he was really touched by them and mentioned them to Melfi several times/
Christopher got a girl that Tony wanted. So he is slow brewing over it. [/spoiler]
It’s might be because, if I remember correctly, Chissie tried to make a break for Hollywood stardom as a writer for the second time last season (the Luxury Lounge episode). The first time (Season 2, I think – D-Girl), Tony had already given him an ultimatum – disappear forever or decide his loyalty was with Tony and the “family” from then on.
Or because he found out Chris was banging someone he had the hots for – Julianna, the real estate agent (Kaisha).
Or because Christopher is using again, a path down which Tony, in his passive-aggressive way, helped push him (The Ride).
Or all of these or none of these.
“Okay, I give up. Vhy a duck? Vhy-a no chicken?”
Sorry, just had to say that! 