THE SOPRANOS 5/23/04 - 'Long Term Parking' (Spoilers)

[Honey]

One detail has me really bugged. The head fed said that Ade had until Monday at 9am to bring Chris in to them. This makes no sense. They grabbed Ade late at night and she was at headquarters for about 8 hours. It was obviously the same night/very early the next morning when she confessed to Chris and attempted to get him to flip.

Why then did she need to ask for more time from the fed bitch? This would imply that she was grabbed late on a Sunday night. Why would the head fed say she had until 9am Monday to bring Chris in when it would already have to be Monday? He would have phrased it “She has until 9am this morning”.

This is driving me nuts. My mind is starting to tell me that Adriana dreamt the whole thing and she’s really alive. Wishful thinking huh?

[Hamlet]

Wonderful episode. Simply wonderful. Three great story lines, all emotionally charged, all very well acted, and all full of symbolism. I am absolutely floored that the one-time star of Master Ninja is a competent, even somewhat talented, director. My favorite part of the episode was Christophuh’s bitching about Tony and saying to Ade that “That’s the man I sold my soul for”. Then, later in the episode, Chris chooses Tony over Ade. Fantastic.

I do have to make one small admission. In the back of my head, I’ve always had a hunch/feeling/concern that Silvio is, in fact, working for the FBI. My logical side cries out that that thought is simply insane. No way. No how. But it’s still back there. Making me think that Silvio didn’t actually kill Ade, but put her in the WPP. I know it makes no sense, but it’s still there.

[Trunk]

Chris will never flip. He just had the perfect opportunity to flip. With his wife, with an offer from the feds, in a time that he HATES Tony S. He’s been tested like Job by the family this year and he still chose IT over his wife. No chance of flipping.

I do think he was somewhat conflicted while still at home and the scene at the gas station was him realizing he was going to be trading the LIFE (his caressing the truck) for pretty much what he could expect (white trash driving around in his station wagon). If there was ANYTHING wistful about how he was looking at those children, then it was lost on me.

I thought the similarity of the woods Ade died in and Carmella’s woods just highlighted the dichotomy of the mob life: prosperity and death both come from it. Ade and Carmella have a lot of similarities and how they handle the mob life has been a theme this year.

Now, to some of your theories. . .

Silvio not shooting Ade? Interesting. Maybe. But it would be “interesting” if Tony turned into a fire breathing robot dragon. Silvio yanked her from the car saying “come on, you cunt.” Viewers – you got to take a hint, sometime. Besides, its more interesting that she’s dead. What about when Carmella notices? What’s the club going to do? What will the feds be able to find out? What if she is alive? She doesn’t have shit for information, (remember: “You’ve given us nothing.”) Her only trump is Chris, and that’s the end of that.

The suitcase. Look, Chris drove down an unmarked road in Everytown, NJ, threw the suitcase into a bunch of weeds, and there was already trash and clothes and bags everywhere. The writers can only do so much to let you know “this bag is not going to be found!!!” without actually writing those words on the screen.

Drug dealer. Again, I thought there was a clear “terrorist” implication. He doesn’t do drugs – just deals. “He prays, like, all the time” (maybe 5 times a day?) He sends money to a boys school in Pakistan. Just exactly how literal do the writers need to be for some of you? Whether the feds do anything about it is another story.

Ade dreamt it? What is this, “days of our lives”? Maybe Carmella dreamt that she got tony to buy her a big plot of land. Maybe Tony S. dreamt that he told Jonny Sack to fuck off.

What is it about this show that so many of you can’t take anything for face value? It’s not “Rashoman”.

Ade is dead just like pussy’s dead, Jonny Peeps is dead, Joe Pantoliani is dead, Tony’s horse is dead, Jackie Jr. is dead.

Anyway. Another great episode in an already strong season. Imperioli has been so good this year.

[fiddlesticks]

@vertizontal

Could someone refresh my memory on why Tony B did the killings, which lead to all this conflict with Johnny S?

Okay, long story…

The boss of the New York family, Carmine Lupertazzi has a stroke and dies. His son, Little Carmine, who has been living in Miami, comes back to New York wanting to take the reins of the family, but Johnny Sacrimoni (Johnny Sack), who has been a strong underboss to Carmine, Sr. has other ideas. The New York family splits between those loyal to Johnny and those loyal to Little Carmine. Unfortunately for Little Carmine, he’s an idiot.

Johnny’s guys move first, with Phil Leotardo threatening a captain named Lorraine who has been kicking up to Carmine. She reaches out to Tony S. for help. She continues to kick up to Carmine and is dispatched a few episodes later by Phil.

So, at this point, captains loyal to Carmine, including Angelo and whatever Frankie Valli’s character’s name is, reach out across the river and ask Tony B. to kill a un-made associate to Sack in retribution. Tony B. knows this is a bad idea, but he needs the money so he does the job. Not surprisingly, this only makes things worse. Unfortunately, it soon becomes an open secret that Tony B. did the deed.

After Angelo is killed by Phil and his brother Billy, Carmine realizing he’s in a “stagmire” surrenders to Johnny (and presumably leaves town), leaving Sack the undisputed King of New York (at least for now). Knowing he’s got no friends left in New York, Tony B. tries to take the initiative by trying to kill Phil & Billy Leotardo. Unfortunately he only gets half the job done, Phil survives. Tony B. leaves for the farm upstate, and Johnny Sack is demanding Tony S. hand him over so that he can be dealt with personally. That brings us up to date.

[ISiddiqui]

I thought Tony B did the hit on Billy before the deal between Little Carmine and Johnny Sack? And it was mostly because he liked Angelo and wanted revenge.

[lurkernomore]

@Trunk

Silvio not shooting Ade? What if she is alive? She doesn’t have shit for information, (remember: “You’ve given us nothing.”) Her only trump is Chris, and that’s the end of that.

Not quite. The FBI TELLS us she’s given them nothing. That leaves the possibilities:
[ul]
[li]She knows nothing.[/li]
[li]She knows next to nothing, but the Feds do not believe that, so they push her for more, belittling what she has given[/li]
[li] She’s holding back – remember, she didn’t voulunteer for this. She’s trying to give up as little as possible.[/li]
[/ul]

I lean to #3. They’d have shipped her off to jail long ago if she’s given zip. She’s probably given up some, but not much, tryong to shield her friends - Chris, Tony S, Silvio, etc.

The suitcase. Look, Chris drove down an unmarked road in Everytown, NJ, threw the suitcase into a bunch of weeds, and there was already trash and clothes and bags everywhere. The writers can only do so much to let you know “this bag is not going to be found!!!” without actually writing those words on the screen.

Still too close to buildings for me. The woods she was shot in were away from everything - aren’t there similar woods?

Drug dealer. Again, I thought there was a clear “terrorist” implication. He doesn’t do drugs – just deals. “He prays, like, all the time” (maybe 5 times a day?) He sends money to a boys school in Pakistan. Just exactly how literal do the writers need to be for some of you? Whether the feds do anything about it is another story.

Or Ade is trying to give them a false lead. The FBI have a trace on the club’s phones? If the fax was international, they should be able to get the # without a tap, from the telco.

[ISiddiqui]

Still too close to buildings for me. The woods she was shot in were away from everything - aren’t there similar woods?

But these woods have similar garbage. It wouldn’t be good for a kid going through some wooded area and seeing a suitcase just laying there. At least if it is in a pile of garbage stuff no one would think anything of it.

[Trunk]

@lurkernomore

Not quite. The FBI TELLS us she’s given them nothing. That leaves the possibilities:
I lean to #3. They’d have shipped her off to jail long ago if she’s given zip. She’s probably given up some, but not much, tryong to shield her friends - Chris, Tony S, Silvio, etc.

But you watch the show. She doesn’t know shit. She doesn’t know where the money comes from (a little. she knows about the casino, I guess). She doesn’t know who whacked who. Pussy is a guy who knew stuff.

@lurkernomore

Or Ade is trying to give them a false lead. The FBI have a trace on the club’s phones? If the fax was international, they should be able to get the # without a tap, from the telco.

There’s just nothing that has ever indicated she’s that bright.

[Stoid]

@Ellis Dee

I disagree completely with the interpretation of Chris at the gas station seeing his dismal future in the WPP represented by the poor-as-dirt mullet-head. My interpretation is that Chris looked at that guy and thought to himself: “Look at that slob. He’s pathetic. But look at his beautiful kids. Ade can never give me kids. Now we have to leave the only family we’ll ever know…for what? I’ll never be as happy with Ade as that mullet-head is right now.” Remember how much Chris wanted kids…

Well, except for the fact that the mullethead looked completely miserable.

[Honey]

@Stoid

Well, except for the fact that the mullethead looked completely miserable.

Yeah. The look on his face was “How the hell did I end up like this?”

[C_K_Dexter_Haven]

First, thanks to whoever it was that pointed out that Tony’s promise to Carmella was exactly what she wanted – that his affairs wouldn’t intrude. I foolishly thought Carmella was asking that Tony refrain from having affairs, but that’s not what she’s asking. She was just asking that they not come to her attention.

It’s a marvellous statement of how she, too, is lured by the money. She’s willing to put up with anything as long as she can close her eyes to what’s going on. She can live without Tony, but she can’t live without his money.

The lure of the money and lifestyle has been a constant and somewhat overt theme this season. Tony B seemed to be going straight, but the lure of money pulled him away from the Korean massage parlor and into the crime life. Christopher gave up on Ade because he compared the car of that mullet-head with his own.

It’s a wonderful show, but I despise all those characters.

[lurkernomore]

@Trunk

But you watch the show. She doesn’t know shit. She doesn’t know where the money comes from (a little. she knows about the casino, I guess). She doesn’t know who whacked who. Pussy is a guy who knew stuff.

Oh, no doubt Pussy would be better. But she probably knows about the cigarette smuggling. Christopher is a bigmouth. She probably knows other things he does. She could “serve drinks” during the meetings they do have at the club, and eavesdrop. She had the murder in the office she didn’t give up.

There’s just nothing that has ever indicated she’s that bright.
[/QUOTE]

but notice, she’s shifted the guy’s country of origin a couple of times. As if she’s trying to remember “Where is Al Queda from again?” Didn’t say she’d do a GOOD coverup… I’m not Yoda - there IS a “try”

[Darkhold]

<< These people are lying, murderous, thieving people and their wives/girlfriends/mistresses are aware of this and have no problem taking advantage of their ill gotten gains. It’s easy to forget what scum buckets Tony Soprano and the rest of his crew are. >>

It’s a wonderful show, but I despise all those characters.

I don’t understand why I continue to watch the show, fascinated, when there’s not a single likable character. I want them ALL to get what’s coming to them.

So C K Dexter Haven How do you feel about the characters in the show?

[Mehitabel]

I suppose it might be possible that Tony helped dispose of Ade’s body, so he saw the site. Or probably had at least scouted the site, so he knew what it would have looked like.

Poor Ade–no wedding and not even a funeral. But she had always compromised for the men in her life–getting the abortion “even though it’s wrong” for an early scuzball boyfriend, selling and doing drugs, letting the gangstas use the Crazy Horse. She grumbled about that last one but didn’t stop them and didn’t lawyer-up either.

I think what we saw was Carmela triumphant–she plays the game, she is a good mob wife, she reaps the rewards (altho of course plenty of non-Mob wives want financial independence too). And Adriana defeated. Totally. And she knew a lot more about the mob world, being the niece of the Apriles and with Christopher sharing a lot more (too damn much) info with her about the life.

[threeorange]

@Honey

Yeah. The look on his face was “How the hell did I end up like this?”

Perhaps this sentiment wasn’t caused by his family, but rather, his barber