# Unresolved Sopranos plotlines **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 1, 2004, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unresolved-sopranos-plotlines/277511 "2004-12-01T16:38:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Siddhartha\_Vicious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@Siddhartha\_Vicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siddhartha_Vicious)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unresolved-sopranos-plotlines/277511/1 "2004-12-01T16:38:58Z")
HBO2 has been showing all of the Sopranos episodes, one each week night, building up to the 6th season starting in January. I’ve rented the first two seasons on DVD, and I’ve watched since they started rerunning them this time. We’re now halfway through season 4. It’s a great show. Sure, Tony’s constant screaming at his underlings gets a bit tiresome. Sure, Meadow’s incessant whining and angsty sighs go through me like a dentist’s drill. Sure, Adriana never gets naked. But still, great show. However, they have several plotlines that rot on the vine immediately after the episode airs, it seems. Whatever happened to Hesh and the angry rapper? Or the Russian guy that Paulie and Christopher failed to kill? Or Tony’s beef with the Russian mobsters who slapped around his sister? Anyone else notice this? ---
**Author:** ![smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smoke)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unresolved-sopranos-plotlines/277511/2 "2004-12-01T18:56:06Z")
From what little I’ve read on/heard about the subject, these were intentionally left up in the air. I’m pretty sure that I’ve heard the writer (wot’s his name?) state explicitly that we would not be hearing from the Russian again. BTW- you _do_ know just _which_ January the sixth season will open in, right? ---
**Author:** ![Kid\_A\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Kid\_A\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kid_A_1)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unresolved-sopranos-plotlines/277511/3 "2004-12-01T19:19:24Z")
I don’t think he knows. Oh, I don’t have the heart to tell him…maybe someone else will. ---
**Author:** ![smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smoke)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unresolved-sopranos-plotlines/277511/4 "2004-12-01T19:23:30Z")
I was actually always hoping they’d “resolve” the rapist plotline most of all. That could’ve been a classic Mob justice scene… **Kid** , I just didn’t want **Sidd** to feel at all… rushed… in getting through the current episodes. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unresolved-sopranos-plotlines/277511/5 "2004-12-01T19:51:55Z")
I read an interview with the writer and he did unequivocally state that the Russian wouldn’t be back. The rationale, apparently, for leaving so many plotlines dangling is that since we don’t always get closure in real life, we shouldn’t expect it in **The Sopranos** , either. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unresolved-sopranos-plotlines/277511/6 "2004-12-01T20:43:08Z")
> [@smoke](#): > > From what little I’ve read on/heard about the subject, these were intentionally left up in the air. I’m pretty sure that I’ve heard the writer (wot’s his name?) state explicitly that we would not be hearing from the Russian again. > > BTW- you _do_ know just _which_ January the sixth season will open in, right? I didn’t hear anyone say January of '0x (no I don’t have the heart to tell him). What I did see was on there website: [spoiler] > [@](#): > > HBO and series creator David Chase have already reached an agreement for a sixth season, with that season’s ten episodes to begin production in early 2005. This might mean it would be ready before the end of 05. [/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unresolved-sopranos-plotlines/277511/7 "2004-12-01T20:44:14Z")
Well that didn’t work out too well, did it? ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unresolved-sopranos-plotlines/277511/8 "2004-12-01T21:01:35Z")
No, it didn’t, but thanks for the laugh at the end of a long hard day. ---
**Author:** ![smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smoke)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unresolved-sopranos-plotlines/277511/9 "2004-12-01T21:14:24Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Well that didn’t work out too well, did it? It was a damn fine attempt, though. ---
**Author:** ![Siddhartha\_Vicious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@Siddhartha\_Vicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siddhartha_Vicious)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unresolved-sopranos-plotlines/277511/10 "2004-12-01T22:01:52Z")
Actually, no, I didn’t know which January, damn it! ---
**Author:** ![Ashkicker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4bbf92/32.png) [@Ashkicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashkicker)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unresolved-sopranos-plotlines/277511/11 "2004-12-01T22:07:12Z")
Yes, I have noticed this also and it is very frustrating when they leave you hanging. I wished they would have shown more on the rape, like Tonys revenge and more on the Russian guy. I mean why start these things if they aren’t going to finish? ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unresolved-sopranos-plotlines/277511/12 "2004-12-02T00:33:53Z")
I’ll agree that the Russian mob seemingly disappeared in later seasons. The Pine Barrens Russian storyline has been complained about so much by fans that they’ve put self-refential mentions of it in later seasons. They ain’t going to resolve it. But the storyline of the rape of Dr. Melfi was designed to advance her character…not Tony. Her decision not to tell Tony about what happened, knowing how he’d respond, has kept her above Tony’s level. That storyline **was** resolved, though I’ll admit Melfi “got over it” fairly quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Hooleehootoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/eada6e/32.png) [@Hooleehootoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hooleehootoo)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unresolved-sopranos-plotlines/277511/13 "2004-12-02T01:03:46Z")
> [@Siddhartha Vicious](#): > > We’re now halfway through season 4. Are they going to do Season 5 too? Maybe I better re-subscribe to HBO ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unresolved-sopranos-plotlines/277511/14 "2004-12-02T05:51:50Z")
Ray Curto, one of Tony’s captains, was revealed to be an FBI informer way back in season three. Since then, there’s been very little mention of it, aside from a few teaser shots which make you think, “Ah, FINALLY they’re gonna resolve that plotline!” Except, they don’t. I wonder if they even have a plan for that one. What I really wanna know, though, is when in hell season 5 will get released on DVD!!! ---
**Author:** ![Siddhartha\_Vicious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@Siddhartha\_Vicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siddhartha_Vicious)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unresolved-sopranos-plotlines/277511/15 "2004-12-02T15:25:06Z")
> [@Hooleehootoo](#): > > Are they going to do Season 5 too? Maybe I better re-subscribe to HBO The way I understood it, although now I have no idea why I thought it was this way, was that they were going to show all 5 seasons. Then again, I could’ve also sworn that the ad on HBO also said that they were going to show season 6 in January, and we’ve seen how wrong that is, so better be careful before listening to me. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unresolved-sopranos-plotlines/277511/16 "2004-12-02T15:50:36Z")
I think the real, true reason for all the dangling plotlines is that they never really had any kind of coherent plan for where the show was heading after season 1. The same sort of thing happened with **The X Files** , among other shows. The writers make it up as they go along with no fixed story arc in mind. ---
**Author:** ![smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smoke)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unresolved-sopranos-plotlines/277511/17 "2004-12-02T16:13:47Z")
Well, if Tony Soprano ends up in the Arctic digging up spaceships at ANY point, I’m out. ---
**Author:** ![Made\_in\_Macau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@Made\_in\_Macau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Made_in_Macau)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unresolved-sopranos-plotlines/277511/18 "2004-12-02T16:27:45Z")
Right before Tony and Adrienne crashed in his car he was saying that she should re-introduce him to her friend (the FBI agent!) and she says that she died. ‘Tony look out!’ I was convinced this would return to haunt her. Steve Buscemi taking video of Carmella’s ass and Tony’s gut apparently didn’t bother anyone who subsequently saw the footage. There’s another one but I can never do spoilers, so as demonstrated above by Loach, it’s too risky! MiM