Sentimental Education (''The Sopranos'')

"Sentimental Education"
The Sopranos episode
Episode no. Season 5
Episode 6
Directed by Peter Bogdanovich
Written by Matthew Weiner
Cinematography by Phil Abraham
Production code 507
Original air date April 11, 2004
Running time 55 minutes
Guest appearance(s)

see below

"Sentimental Education" is the 58th episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and the sixth of the show's fifth season. Written by Matthew Weiner and directed by Peter Bogdanovich, it originally aired on April 11, 2004.

Starring

* = credit only

Guest starring

Episode recap

When Tony finds it increasingly difficult to take care of A.J., the boy is sent back to Carmela, who lets him move back in on the condition that he improve his grades and behavior. Carmela visits Mr. Wegler and finds herself agreeing to dinner with him. The following evening, after eating at a fine Italian restaurant, the two kiss in his car. Carmela feels guilty and goes to Father Phil Intintola, who advises her not to act on her feelings since she is still married to Tony. Carmela sleeps with Wegler anyway and spends the night at his house.

Despite confessing to Father Phil, Carmela continues the affair. After a date, she says she can't sleep with Wegler for A.J.'s sake, abruptly leaving his house. The next day, Wegler pressures one of A.J.'s teachers to raise his grade for a poorly written essay. After several rounds of sex followed by Carmela talking about A.J., Wegler comes to the conclusion that she is just using him to get her son better grades and wants to end the relationship. Carmela is hurt by this, and, after an argument, threatens Wegler before storming out. When her father visits the house and finds her despondent, he suggests that she look for other men. Carmela replies that her status as Tony's wife will always cause other people to assume that she is seeking to gain some benefits.

Tony B tries to adjust to civilian life but is at odds with his employer, Kim. With the help of his girlfriend Gwen, Tony B passes his state massage board exam and is hopeful to open his own business. Kim offers to partner up with Tony B, as he happens to have an empty storefront in West Caldwell. Later, Tony B comes across a bag containing $12,000, which has been abandoned by fleeing drug dealers. Despite having a streak of good luck, Tony B goes on a self-destructive tear and wastes most of the money on gambling and expensive clothes. After fighting on the phone with Gwen, he mocks Kim's English pronunciations and beats him up. While eating with Tony at Nuovo Vesuvio, Tony B hints that he screwed up and asks if he still needs someone to cover the airbag scheme. "It's hard doing business with strangers," responds Tony, smiling.

Title reference

  • Sentimental Education is a book written by Gustave Flaubert, who also wrote Madame Bovary, which Mr. Wegler recommends to Carmela.
  • It may be a reference to Mr. Wegler, one of the key players in A.J.'s education and his romantic involvement with Carmela.
  • It may be a reference to A.J.'s high school education itself, which Carmela is so concerned about, and to Tony Blundetto's massage therapist exam studies.
  • The title could also refer to the lessons learned by 1) Carmela with her affair - that her worth as a person might be biasedly judged by others--even in such intimate circumstances--due to her husband Tony's infamy, and 2) Tony Blundetto, who finds out that trying to make a living the honest way and doing business with outsiders may prove to be too demanding.

Production

  • The episode was directed by Peter Bogdanovich, who also has a recurring guest role as Dr. Elliot Kupferberg (Dr. Melfi's psychotherapist) on the show, although he does not appear in this episode.
  • Although the sixth episode of the season, it was produced as seventh, due to scheduling availability of director Peter Bogdanovich, as the following episode was directed by cast member Steve Buscemi, who wanted to direct an episode that his character was minimally featured in.[1]

Cultural references

Music

References

  1. ↑ DVD audio commentary for "In Camelot" by Steve Buscemi
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