'The Sopranos': Tony goes on and on and on and on

Although I focus mostly on movies, 'The Sopranos' is a show in a class of it's own. If you haven't watched last night's series finale, STOP READING NOW. I would like to go on record as saying I thought the finale was excellent in that it was how it should end -- with life going on. Most seem to disagree with me, with the LA Times writing that, "It is one thing to flout the conventions of television, it’s another to flip dramatic tradition, not to mention your audience, the bird." Although the Seattle P-I agreed with me, calling it "so cruel it's brilliant." For my take, I thought the theme of this season seemed to be decay and we were reminded of that during last night's episode as Tony's empire seemed to come crashing down, only to be saved by making last-minute deals. The whole arc of the show has been about a man who has to find a way to live a life where the weight of trying to raise a family has clouded his ability to carry the family business in a world that is passing him by. To make the finale end with Tony dying or getting arrested or singing (as in to the cops) as his name suggests, would have been to make the show about events shaping characters. 'The Sopranos' has always been the opposite in my view and even the most violent acts have sprung logically from some of the best written and best acted roles on television. That final scene was the epitome of the show and where David Chase (the show's creator who wrote and directed the last episode) wanted us to see Tony and his family (epitomized by the family meal at an Americana diner), as going on and living through this world that they have created where possible arrests are looming anything could happen -- the guys walking in or sitting at a table could have a gun. That final scene (which did NOT fool me) was great because it left it so we do not know what happens -- because of the world he lives in, Tony will never be happy and never be comfortable.

I have to take a minute, though, to say what really makes this ending a cultural milestone. It is arguably television's greatest show and is without a doubt one of those paradigm-shifters. It showed that television could be a home to true quality, film-like shows could exist. It was a show that was both brilliantly written and featured the highest quality production values. One could make a case that even shows with no similar thematic elements, like 'Lost', owe a great deal of debt to the surge of cinematic quality on television. What the show also benefits from is some of the greatest acting on television, including Edie Falco, who turned in a performance as Carmela that should be studied in acting schools, and Michael Imperioli as the tortured Christopher. And although some might argue over how the show ranks in the pantheon of great television, it is beyond question to me that James Gandolfini turned in the greatest acting work ever on television. His Tony Soprano is truly one of the all-time great characters and he brought such depth to the role that kept the audience forever on the edge of embracing or being disgusted by the mob boss.

I think I'm with Edie Falco, who said in the NYT this weekend that the show has taken breaks before and it will take a while for it to set in that this is the end and not just another hiatus. The fact that the show left us with a sense of loss, especially those who had hoped for a bloody denouement, was fitting for the story that David Chase set out to tell in 1999. Although some, including the NYT, called the choice of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" a bit of a joke, I think that's only half true. Yes, I think that Chase enjoys putting a bit of humor in a cheesy bit of pop to fit his scene and make a comical nudge to those hoping for a grand finale, with his choice of music there is often more than just the surface level. After looking a bit more are the lyrics, it seems a bit more telling to Tony's situation:

Working hard to get my fill,
Everybody wants a thrill
Payin' anything to roll the dice,
Just one more time
Some will win, some will lose
Some were born to sing the blues
Oh, the movie never ends
It goes on and on and on and on

For Tony it will go on and on and on and on. Unfortunately for us, we won't be a part anymore.

Grade: A+