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The Sopranos Sleep With The Fishes, Critics Eulogize
By
Jen Carlson
Published Jun 11, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Jun 11, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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If you're bummed you won't be seeing your favorite Jersey family anymore, there are tours you can go on to see some of the old stomping grounds of Tony and Co. Though the neighborhood that holds the Sopranos house is fighting to keep tours out, there's plenty more to see. "Vito" gives a video tour that you can watch here.
So what have the critics been saying about the finale today? A spoiler-heavy wrap-up after the jump...
In 2001, David Chase spoke about his approach to the eventual ending saying, "The paradigm of the traditional gangster film is the rise and fall. You have to ask yourself: 'Do I want to bother with that paradigm?'" So why is anyone surprised with last nights ending?
• The NY Times says "There was no good ending, so “The Sopranos” left off without one." Overall, they seem generally pleased by the "perfectly imperfect" finish to the show. Though question the use of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" as the note to go out on, saying, "certainly that last bit of song — 'Don’t Stop Believing,' by Journey — had to be a joke."
• NYMag likens the finale (and series) to Ecclesiastes, "The whole point is that there is no end, even when it comes time to say 'The End' — or, in this case, 'Whaddya gonna do?'" They also call the last two episodes "the most incisive and disturbing picture yet produced of post-9/11 America," with fear and paranoia often followed by forgetfulness.
They also have the details of an alternate ending. "Matt Servitto told reporters. The last he knew, the scene in Holsten's diner — which was shot in the real life Holsten’s out in Bloomfield, New Jersey — went on a little longer and featured one of the menacing figures in the diner dominating the camera. 'The scene cut as the guy was advancing towards him, as if he was about to shoot Tony. It was, I think, less ambiguous that Tony was going to get shot.'"
• Slate stated, "I thought the last episode was perfect. I'm not disappointed at all. We were privileged, over the past eight years, to receive an all-access pass to David Chase's brain." Again, another dig at the song choice: "the final sound we heard after 86 hours of modern-day Shakespeare, after all, was Steve Perry's voice."
Most agree that the "perfectly annoying" finale ended with a "beautifully unresolved stopping point," though there's sure to be some haters on message boards. In the end, we're left with the knowledge that SUV's are evil head-crushing, fire-starting machines, that Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" really is loved by everyone (mob bosses included), and that Chase did, after all, leave an opening for a big screen finale.
Check out what our readers thought; we have to it up to one reader who referenced the Sword of Damocles. And, so far, 37% of our readers loved the finale, 32% hated it, and 30% thought it was okay.
Tagged
television
the sopranos
video
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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