WARNING: SPOILER ALERT
Well, me and almost everyone else in the world caught the final episode of "The Sopranos", was it a good ending? Honestly, I heard rants and raves, bashes and cheers, and applause and boo's, however truthfully I thought it was decent.
The first few seasons of the show I simply couldn't get enough - his relationship with his mother, the harsh language, graphic violence, gratuitous nudity, and crime stories to me were everything a young boy needs. Then like every young boy new shows come and I was introduced to Jack Bauer who has kept me riveted for 6 seasons and counting, or Dr. Jack who makes being stranded on an island look cool. I always did my best to stay on top of issues to what's going on in the Soprano family and I always caught reruns when I could. My problem with it - was like watching a TV version of "Goodfellas", some of the stuff has been done and some of it wasn't, it was a perfect mix of cookie-cutter television and ground-breaking crime stories.
And that is why we loved it.
As for the open-ended ending, I thought it was creative and well executed, even if you think Tony wasn't (forgive the Pun). To me, Tony lives and life goes on - for better or for worse. He'll have his highs and his lows, just like real life. I thought the final diner scene with past characters was very cool, yet a little over the top, and even though the final moments of the show were a bit confusing I felt there was an aspect to it that showed us like other brilliant shows/films do that you never know where the future will take you.
Would I have ended the series like that?
Doubt it. I probably would have put more of a sure-fire finale to it. Bring an end to some stories, wrap up some lose ends, and not leave the audience unfulfilled like many were. To me the finest episode of the series was Season 3 - "The Pine Barrens", Chris, Paulie, and Tony stuck in the wilderness for a day trying to fix a hit gone bad. It was a near perfect episode and almost could've been a feature film. You needed no prior experience with the show to enjoy it, everyone enjoyed it fan or newcomer alike. Plus, it ended with a bit of mystery leaving the audience wanting more - which is what this final episode did as well.
Though the show was never in my Top 5, maybe not even Top 10, I will always like it. Mobster or not everyone could identify with it and it let us escape our lay lives and go to perhaps the most realistic fictional crime life TV has ever created.
To me the show wasn't about the mob, guns, crime, sex, drugs, or the underworld, rather it was about family. The Soprano family, your family, my family, everyones family - were all different but were all the same. Everyone has their share of problems, happiness, skeletons in the closet, fond memories, and most of all love.
I truly found the scene with Tony and Uncle Junior brilliant when they're talking about him and Tony's dad running Jersey. Almost about to shed a tear I must say. It was a metaphor for the whole series itself - family.
Was it the best finale ever?
No. "Six Feet Under" was superior to it, being the best finale I've ever seen - truly brilliant. "Newhart" surpassed it as well, even 2 decades after its end. I do feel "The Sopranos" finale will be remembered for a while; not for good and not for bad, rather than for closure. The series is over, like it or not, and it's up to you to say what happens - what's not cool about that? 10 years or so from now I can picture people standing around the water-cooler debating their favorite and least favorite finales and I don't think "Sopranos" will be on many of either lists. It will stay under the tree-line, much like "Raymond" where it was just another episode. It won't be bashed like "Seinfeld" or praised like "Mash", it will just be a finale like any other show. It didn't get cocky or high and mighty with it's ending, which is what I respect.
Everyone was just waiting for Tony to get shot but instead they were showing how they just lived 'normal lives' just like everyday people. They don't show what happens to them, we don't know because that's life, you don't know what's gonna happen. I think that pretty much sums it up.
The first few seasons of the show I simply couldn't get enough - his relationship with his mother, the harsh language, graphic violence, gratuitous nudity, and crime stories to me were everything a young boy needs. Then like every young boy new shows come and I was introduced to Jack Bauer who has kept me riveted for 6 seasons and counting, or Dr. Jack who makes being stranded on an island look cool. I always did my best to stay on top of issues to what's going on in the Soprano family and I always caught reruns when I could. My problem with it - was like watching a TV version of "Goodfellas", some of the stuff has been done and some of it wasn't, it was a perfect mix of cookie-cutter television and ground-breaking crime stories.
And that is why we loved it.
As for the open-ended ending, I thought it was creative and well executed, even if you think Tony wasn't (forgive the Pun). To me, Tony lives and life goes on - for better or for worse. He'll have his highs and his lows, just like real life. I thought the final diner scene with past characters was very cool, yet a little over the top, and even though the final moments of the show were a bit confusing I felt there was an aspect to it that showed us like other brilliant shows/films do that you never know where the future will take you.
Would I have ended the series like that?
Doubt it. I probably would have put more of a sure-fire finale to it. Bring an end to some stories, wrap up some lose ends, and not leave the audience unfulfilled like many were. To me the finest episode of the series was Season 3 - "The Pine Barrens", Chris, Paulie, and Tony stuck in the wilderness for a day trying to fix a hit gone bad. It was a near perfect episode and almost could've been a feature film. You needed no prior experience with the show to enjoy it, everyone enjoyed it fan or newcomer alike. Plus, it ended with a bit of mystery leaving the audience wanting more - which is what this final episode did as well.
Though the show was never in my Top 5, maybe not even Top 10, I will always like it. Mobster or not everyone could identify with it and it let us escape our lay lives and go to perhaps the most realistic fictional crime life TV has ever created.
To me the show wasn't about the mob, guns, crime, sex, drugs, or the underworld, rather it was about family. The Soprano family, your family, my family, everyones family - were all different but were all the same. Everyone has their share of problems, happiness, skeletons in the closet, fond memories, and most of all love.
I truly found the scene with Tony and Uncle Junior brilliant when they're talking about him and Tony's dad running Jersey. Almost about to shed a tear I must say. It was a metaphor for the whole series itself - family.
Was it the best finale ever?
No. "Six Feet Under" was superior to it, being the best finale I've ever seen - truly brilliant. "Newhart" surpassed it as well, even 2 decades after its end. I do feel "The Sopranos" finale will be remembered for a while; not for good and not for bad, rather than for closure. The series is over, like it or not, and it's up to you to say what happens - what's not cool about that? 10 years or so from now I can picture people standing around the water-cooler debating their favorite and least favorite finales and I don't think "Sopranos" will be on many of either lists. It will stay under the tree-line, much like "Raymond" where it was just another episode. It won't be bashed like "Seinfeld" or praised like "Mash", it will just be a finale like any other show. It didn't get cocky or high and mighty with it's ending, which is what I respect.
Everyone was just waiting for Tony to get shot but instead they were showing how they just lived 'normal lives' just like everyday people. They don't show what happens to them, we don't know because that's life, you don't know what's gonna happen. I think that pretty much sums it up.
R-I-P "The Sopranos"
1999-2007
Hell hath no fury like The Family
1999-2007
Hell hath no fury like The Family
-Chris
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