80. Wired

Episode: The Blue Comet (SE6, EP20)
Characters: Silvio and Burt Gervasi

The Blue Comet, the ultimate Sopranos thrill ride, opens with the intense strangling of Burt Gervasi by Silvio for reasons unknown. Apparently, a scene was deleted in post production which involved Burt telling Silvio that he has begun cooperating with New York. Now, we find out Silvio’s motive for the murder a little later when he tells Tony that Burt was playing both sides of the fence. The kill reminds of the Luca Brasi strangling in The Godfather, that also happens at the starting point of a mob war. Fantastic way to open this pre-finale episode.

79. End of the Line

Episode: Members Only (SE6, EP1)
Characters: Eugene Pontecorvo

After being denied retirement to Florida by both Tony and the feds, Eugene chooses for the alternative; death. Now his wife and children can leave at least. Eugene first checks out a family photo album and then lets himself fall with a rope tied around his neck. His death struggle is hard to watch and seems to last forever. Disturbing for sure.

78. A Bunch of Ghouls

Episode: From Where to Eternity (SE2, EP9)
Characters: Paulie, psychic and clients

Paulie can’t sleep at night because he is alarmed by the ‘three o’clock’ message he got from hell. His girlfriend advises him to visit a ghost whisperer in New York. But what happens when a mass-murderer like Paulie visits a psychic? Exactly this; the psychic signals a bunch of ghouls around Paulie, including his first victim Charles Pagano and Mikey Palmice. “Poison Ivy, he wants to know if it still itches.” This ‘satanic black magic’ freaks out Paulie even more and he throws a chair through the room yelling; “fucking queers!” This is Paulie Walnuts at his best.

77. Fading Memories

Episode: Made in America (SE6, EP21)
Characters: Tony and Junior

Tony makes a final visit to Junior, who surprisingly enough made it to the end of the series. Their dialogue is touching. “You ran North Jersey, you and my dad.” “That’s nice”, comments Junior. If Tony doesn’t get whacked and doesn’t go to jail, he could end up like this also. With no memories and nobody that comes to visit him. It’s all about choices made.

76. Terminal

Episode: Another Toothpick (SE3, EP5)
Characters: Bobby ‘Bacala’ Baccalieri Sr., Mustang Sally and Petey

That old Bacala is the toughest hitman ever in the series. Despite his terminal lung cancer, he goes and takes out two guys and then lights a freakin’ Marlboro. He croaks afterwards, but it’s a very impressive final performance.

75. Dyslectic

Episode: Unidentified Black Males (SE5, EP9)
Characters: Soprano and Lupertazzi families

Joey Peeps, may he rest he piece. What has always been one of the main qualities of The Sopranos is the humour. Here, the Jersey mob have the headstone screwed up for the recently deceased Joey Peeps. Tony to Silvio: “Peeps? That’s a fucking nickname. The family name is Peparelli.” Classic.

74. Scene from a Marriage

Episode: College (SE1, EP5)
Characters: Tony and Carmela

This dialogue between Tony and Carmela is hilarious. She tells him Father Phil spent the night at their house while Tony was away, but nothing happened. “Oh, I bet he gave you communion”, Tony implies. “The guy spends the night here, and all he does is slip you a wafer?” Then Carmela gets back at him for his hypocrisy. “Your therapist called”, she says. “Jennifer?” Now, Tony has to make up for the fact that he lied about his shrink being a woman. “All we do is talk, Carm. Come on!” A great ending to a great episode.

73. Cunnilingus

Episode: Boca (SE1, EP9)
Characters: Uncle Junior, Tony, Silvio and Mikey Palmice

At this point, things start to go sour between Tony and Junior. The reason? Tony taking the piss out of Uncle Junior on the golf course with his little bed secret. “You guys went to a sushi bar or something? Uncle June, I thought you were a bacala man. What are you doing eating sushi?” But Uncle June has something on Tony as well; “At least I can deal with my own problems, unlike some I know.” In both these embarrassing truths, their mouths (bocas) are the problem.

72. Butcher Boys

Episode: Cold Stones (SE6, EP11)
Characters: Silvio, Carlo and Fat Dom Gamiello

Busting balls is one thing, but calling Jersey boys cocksuckers is quite another. Fat Dom Gamiello gets a taste of his own medicine after joking about Vito and Carlo sucking dick. What was he thinking? You know how explosive these guys can get. Silvio hits him from behind with a dustbuster, while Carlo stabs him repeatedly with a cooking knife. All the while Fat Dom squeals like a pig; it’s very messy. Afterwards, Silvio notes that they can’t chop him up at Satriale’s because of DNA technology. Whackings don’t get much better than this.

71. Tony Gets the Boot

Episode: The Blue Comet (SE6, EP20)
Characters: Tony and Dr. Melfi

After seven years of treatment, Dr. Melfi lets Tony go as a patient. The immediate reason is that she read a study about how sociopaths like Tony use therapy to sharpen their skills as conmen. The manner in which she dumps him doesn’t appear very professional. On the other hand, there have been countless other moments in which Tony totally deserved this treatment. She just rightfully came to the conclusion that Tony is not gonna put in any effort to change. He made his choices and she is right to rid herself of this self-pitying subject.