Guy Walks into a Psychiatrist's Office...

"Guy Walks into a Psychiatrist's Office..."
The Sopranos episode
Episode no. Season 2
Episode 1
Directed by Allen Coulter
Written by Jason Cahill
Cinematography by Phil Abraham
Production code 201
Original air date January 16, 2000
Running time 49 minutes
Guest appearance(s)

see below

"Guy Walks into a Psychiatrist's Office..." is the 14th episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and the first of the show's second season. Written by Jason Cahill and directed by Allen Coulter, it originally aired on January 16, 2000.

Starring

Guest starring

Also guest starring

Episode recap

Several months after Mikey Palmice's execution and Livia Soprano's hospitalization, things appear to be returning to "normal". Tony Soprano begins to self-medicate as he is no longer receiving therapy from Dr. Jennifer Melfi, who begins working out of a motel after being warned that her office is no longer safe. Christopher Moltisanti hires someone to take his stockbroker's licensing exam. Uncle Junior is in prison. Carmela continues to play the role of housewife. Livia begins receiving physical therapy. Ray Curto continues to bring in the money for Tony - as do Paulie Gualtieri and Silvio Dante, who indulge in designer shoes and strippers at the Bada Bing. Tony continues to sleep with his Russian mistress, Irina, which he conceals from his wife. When Tony goes to fetch the paper, he is approached by Big Pussy Bonpensiero and is asked if they can talk.

In Tony's basement, Pussy tries to explain that he was in Puerto Rico for medical reasons, and no longer felt safe in New Jersey after being suspected of turning informant. Tony pats down Pussy while giving him a hug; when Pussy becomes offended, Tony pulls him in for a real one. At the Bing, Pussy is welcomed back and Silvio entertains the crew with impressions from The Godfather. Tony assigns Gigi Cestone, a former soldier in Junior's crew, to kill Philly "Spoons" Parisi for spreading rumors that Tony wanted his mother dead (which was actually true). With help from Paulie, Gigi puts on an elaborate ruse to lure and shoot Philly. Tony calls Melfi on a payphone, informing her "it's over" and that she can come home.

Christopher is made the SEC compliance officer at an investment firm and pressures people to push a worthless stock. When Chris and Adriana La Cerva take a "meeting" down the shore, he places Matt Bevilaqua, a fellow stockbroker, in charge. While Matt is doing his rounds with friend Sean Gismonte, they assault a broker for providing general investment advice instead of pushing the stock. The following day, Silvio informs Tony that Chris is not doing well at his job and that two employees left because of an "incident." Tony tells Chris to wise up and make himself available at the firm instead of being a "no-show."

Carmela informs Tony that his long-gone sister Janice has resurfaced, looking for a place to stay. Perturbed, he invites Janice to stay despite knowing he will be "$5,000 lighter" when she leaves. Tony suggests to Carmela that they have a big family reunion with Tony's younger sister, Barbara Giglione, and all of the children. He makes it clear that Livia is not to be invited. While driving, Tony has a panic attack and runs off the road. He meets with another psychiatrist, who tells Tony that he recognizes him and is not taking new clients.

Tony tells Janice that he never wants Livia spoken of in his house again. Janice understands, but plans to continue to see their mother and possibly occupy her house, only to be told that Tony plans to sell it. However, Tony and Carmela are soon called to the house by a realtor after it has been vandalized. At the reunion, Tony is angered when he discovers the For Sale sign from Livia's house inside Janice's car, implying that Janice is trying to prevent it from being sold. Carmela persuades him to have a good time and not think about Livia. Meanwhile, Janice tells Barbara that no one is going to get their fair share from Livia's house, but Barbara believes that Tony is handling the situation well and will give them both their fair share.

At a diner the following morning, Tony tries to apologize to Dr. Melfi, who is extremely upset that she could not help another patient who committed suicide. Tony feels bad but tries to ask her if he can come back or be referred. She refuses and angrily tells him to get out of her life. Carmela, who is surprised that Tony is home early, fixes him leftover spaghetti. As Tony sits and eats, he tells Carmela to sit and eyes her as she looks through the mail.

First appearances

Deceased

Title reference

  • The episode's title is intended to be the beginning of a joke (for example, "Guy walks into a bar and..."). It refers to Tony's therapy sessions.

Production

  • Drea de Matteo (Adriana La Cerva) and Aida Turturro (Janice Soprano) are now billed in the opening credits.
  • During the opening sequence with "It Was A Very Good Year" playing, the shot that shows Junior's picture in FBI Headquarters being moved under Tony's clearly shows, next to Tony's picture, Johnny Sack as a capo in the DiMeo Family, which is false.
  • Show producer/writer/director Terence Winter appears as minor character Tom Amberson, a Dr. Melfi patient in the first of his three series' appearances. Winter was filling in when no other actor pleased director Allen Coulter.[1]

References to past episodes

  • It is revealed in this episode that Carmela's parents have avoided family functions at the Soprano home that Livia attended for years. However, this contradicts Season One's episode "46 Long" in which Carmela mentions that Livia is personally picking up her parents to attend dinner at Tony and Carmela's house.
  • In Season One episode "Nobody Knows Anything" Tony tells Livia that her house, which he put up for sale, has an accepted offer, a move that angered Livia so much that she revealed to Junior about Tony and his capos secret meetings at Green Grove. However, in this episode Tony reveals to Janice that he just had the house put on the market.

Cultural references

  • Edward G. Robinson, playing a mobster, is briefly seen and heard as Key Largo plays on a TV in Christopher's apartment.
  • Phillip Parisi's death is a reference to The Godfather (1972), when Paulie Gatto is shot and killed in the driver's seat of a car because of his role in the attempted murder of Vito Corleone. Also, as Philly gets in his car to leave home, his wife tells him, "Don't forget the pastries", a reference to the scene where Peter Clemenza's also wife tells him, "Don't forget the cannoli", before he drives off to see that Paulie is killed.
  • When Adriana picks up Christopher in his office, she calls him "E.F." and tells him she "is listening"; a reference to the ads for brokerage of E.F. Hutton and their 1970's advertising slogan "When E.F. Hutton talks, people listen".
  • At Tony's cookout, the crew chats about Shelley Hack (of Charlie's Angels fame), leading to Paulie Gualtieri singing the jingle for Charlie cologne. Besides co-starring on Charlie's Angels, Shelley Hack was also the model appearing in advertisements for Charlie perfume by Revlon.
  • Tony refers to his mother as a "streg" -- abbreviation for "strega," the Italian word for witch.

Music

References

  1. ↑ Murphy, John. "One on One with Terence Winter". HoboTrashCan. HoboTrashCan. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
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