Pax Soprana

"Pax Soprana"
The Sopranos episode
Episode no. Season 1
Episode 6
Directed by Alan Taylor
Written by Frank Renzulli
Cinematography by Alik Sakharov
Production code 106
Original air date February 14, 1999
Running time 50 minutes
Guest appearance(s)

see below

"Pax Soprana" is the sixth episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos. It was written by Frank Renzulli, directed by Alan Taylor and originally aired on February 14, 1999.

Starring

* = credit only

Guest starring

Also guest starring

Episode recap

After Junior becomes the official boss, he allows Mikey to bust up Sammy Grigio's card game and expects more money to be funneled toward him, allowing less to trickle down to his capos. They complain to Tony, the family's de facto boss. Junior learns that one of Larry Boy Barese's top earners, Rusty Irish, caused the suicide of his tailor's grandson by selling him drugs, and decides to kill Rusty as an example. Mikey and "Joey Eggs" Marino abduct Rusty and throw him off the same bridge as the grandson. They notice witnesses on the other side of the bridge and pay them off to say it was suicide.

Livia convinces Junior to tax Hesh, even though Hesh's arrangement has been in place since his association with Johnny Boy Soprano, Livia's husband and Tony's father. When Hesh approaches Tony with the news and threatens to leave the area, Tony aligns with Johnny Sack, the underboss in New York's Lupertazzi crime family, and helps Hesh and Johnny present a disingenuous proposition for Junior to accept. After more persuading from the other capos, Tony meets with Junior at a local Little League baseball game to try to convince him to share more of his newfound wealth. Junior decides to divide Hesh's money and give it to his capos. Tony later returns his share to Hesh personally.

Meanwhile, Tony is having difficulty with his libido and fantasizes about Dr. Melfi, through intrusive thoughts and dreams. At his therapy session he professes his love for Melfi, who tries to explain what he feels is the result of his progress in therapy instead of love. Carmela expresses a jealousy towards Melfi that she's never felt about Tony's mistresses. Later, she tells Tony that she wants to be the woman in his life to help him, and Tony agrees. Later, at a banquet to Junior, FBI agents disguised as servers take photos of the event with button cameras. The FBI assumes that Tony remains a capo under Junior.

First appearance

Deceased

  • Dominic Capri: Grandson of Uncle Junior's tailor Mr. Capri who committed suicide after taking designer drugs sold by Rusty Irish.
  • Rusty Irish: murdered by Mikey Palmice with help of Joseph Marino on orders from uncle Junior.

Title reference

The title is a reference to Pax Romana (Roman peace) and related terms (Pax Britannica, Pax Americana etc.), which refer to a lack of conflict over a long period of time due to the unchallenged rule of a single dominant power, which Tony hopes to achieve within the Soprano family. Pax Romana was an era initiated by the Roman emperor Augustus, mentioned by Tony in his conversation with Uncle Junior.

Music

  • The song played when Mikey and his boys shake down a poker game which is under Jimmy Altieri's protection is "Willy Nilly" by Rufus Thomas.
  • The song played when Mr. Capri fits Junior for a new suit is "When the Boys in Your Arms" by Connie Francis.
  • While Junior visits Livia at Green Grove, some of the other seniors are singing to "I Whistle a Happy Tune".
  • The song played as Christopher walks into the card game at Satriale's is "Coconut Boogaloo," by Medeski Martin & Wood.
  • The song played during Tony's first dream featuring Dr. Melfi is "What Time Is It?" by The Jive Five.
  • The song played when Tony meets with Johnny Sack during his anniversary dinner with Carmela is "Pampa" by Gustavo Santaolalla.
  • The song played during the final montage and end credits is an instrumental version of "Paparazzi" by Xzibit, a song derived from Gabriel Fauré's "Pavane".

Reception

In 2015, Alan Sepinwall argued that "Pax Soprana" is "so fraught with discomfort and complications with both family and Family (and whatever separate sphere Melfi occupies) that it's nearly as compelling in its own right as last week's Very Special Episode."[1] Todd VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club wrote that the episode "isn't a tremendous hour of television like 'College' was, but it may be more significant."[2]

References

  1. ↑ Sepinwall, Alan (July 8, 2015). "'The Sopranos' Rewind: Season 1, Episode 6: 'Pax Soprana'". Uproxx. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
  2. ↑ VanDerWerff, Todd (June 23, 2010). "The Sopranos: "Pax Soprana"/"Down Neck"". The A.V. Club. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
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