Two Tonys

"Two Tonys"
The Sopranos episode
Episode no. Season 5
Episode 1
Directed by Tim Van Patten
Written by David Chase
Terence Winter
Cinematography by Phil Abraham
Production code 501
Original air date March 7, 2004
Running time 54 minutes
Guest appearance(s)

see below

"Two Tonys" is the 53rd episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and the first of the show's fifth season. Written by David Chase and Terence Winter, it was directed by Tim Van Patten and originally aired on March 7, 2004.

Starring

** = photo only

Guest starring

** = photo only

Episode recap

One year after his separation, Tony Soprano has moved into his mother's former home. As the family has dinner with the now-married Janice and Bobby Baccalieri, they watch a news report about the parole of several local mobsters: Soprano caporegime Michele "Feech" La Manna, Lupertazzi consigliere Angelo Garepe, Lupertazzi capo Phil Leotardo, and Tony's cousin Tony "Tony B" Blundetto. Tony is excited about his cousin's release, planning a lavish welcome party for him. During a meal at Uncle Junior's house, Feech voices interest in returning to work as a shy and sports bettor, which Tony and Junior agree to consider if Feech doesn't "step on anyone's toes."

One evening, while A.J. is in his parents' backyard, he discovers a large black bear and calls Carmela for help. Carmela drives off the bear and calls the authorities. Tony arrives home the next day and talks to Carmela, but it turns acrimonious when she criticizes Tony for buying A.J. too many gifts out of guilt over their separation. Tony reveals that he has been threatening Furio Giunta's life, mentioning there are hitmen ready to kill him once he's found. After the bear's appearance at Carmela's becomes common knowledge to his mob associates, Tony tasks Benny Fazio and Little Paulie Germani to guard his backyard. Carmela reluctantly supplies the mob soldiers with an AK-47.

Meanwhile, Christopher Moltisanti and Paulie Gualtieri spark a feud when their humorous re-telling of the "Pine Barrens" story devolves into accusations between them and other gangsters. Later, Chris forces Paulie to pay for their dinner. At Satriale's the following morning, Paulie demands that Chris repay him and threatens that "points" will be added on. Tony orders Chris to keep paying the tabs, explaining it is a Mafia tradition of respect. In Atlantic City, Paulie orders his dining guests to order expensive meals to saddle Chris with an inflated bill. As they argue in the parking lot, a waiter confronts Chris about his tip, causing Chris to throw a brick at his head. The waiter collapses and goes into convulsions, causing a panicked Paulie to kill him with a gunshot. Paulie grabs the money and speeds off with Chris. The next day, they agree to bury the hatchet and split the original tab.

While Tony lunches at a golf course with Angelo, Johnny Sack, and Carmine Lupertazzi, Carmine suffers a massive stroke and is rushed to the hospital. Johnny notifies his son, Little Carmine, who hurriedly rushes to New York. At the hospital, Johnny reminds Tony that he has not forgotten about him backing out of their deal to kill Carmine the previous year, which Johnny believes could have averted the current situation.

Later, after watching The Prince of Tides with his mistress, Valentina La Paz, Tony wants to reunite with Dr. Jennifer Melfi. He sends flowers and a calling card to her office. When he calls her to set up a date, Melfi declines his invitation, feeling that it would be unprofessional of her to date a patient. Later, Melfi has a sexual dream about Tony. Afterwards, Tony makes an appointment to confess his love to Melfi in person, and begins making advances. Melfi again refuses, prompting him to leave. Later, in a therapy session with Melfi's own psychiatrist, she admits her initial attraction to Tony. Later, Tony makes a third attempt to court her by offering cruise tickets, but she declines once again and lists Tony's negative personality traits. Tony calls her a "cunt" and storms out. He returns to his house to take up bear duty from Benny.

First appearances

  • Michele "Feech" La Manna: former capo of the now defunct La Manna crew who was incarcerated during the 1980s
  • Angelo Garepe: longtime Lupertazzi family Consigliere
  • Phil Leotardo: (image only) Capo of the Lupertazzi family who was sent to prison in the early 1980s
  • Tony Blundetto: (image only) Tony's cousin and DiMeo/Soprano crime family member who was sent to jail in 1986 for hijacking a truck

Murders Committed

  • Raoul: an Atlantic City waiter who complained to Paulie and Christopher about a poor tip. Christopher hit him in the head with a brick, causing him to have a seizure. Paulie then shot Raoul dead.

Title reference

  • Tony attempts to demonstrate to Dr. Melfi that there are two Tony Sopranos, one of whom she has never seen before and he wants to show her.
  • Tony Soprano's cousin, Tony Blundetto, is getting released from prison.
  • The title may refer to presence of a large predatory animal at the Sopranos' house, in Tony's absence.
  • In 1951, real-life mafia members Tony Broncato and Tony Trombino were killed in what has become known as the murders of the "Two Tonys".

Production

  • The new addition to the series writing staff beginning with Season 5, Matthew Weiner, plays the Mafia expert on the news broadcast who introduces the new gangster characters. Previously, series writers Terence Winter and David Chase also made cameo appearances on the show, as Dr. Melfi's patient and a man in Italy, respectively.[1][2]
  • Steve Buscemi joins the main cast as Tony Blundetto and is now billed in the opening credits, although he doesn't appear in this episode other than in the form of photographs during the "Class of '04" news report. Buscemi previously directed two Sopranos episodes, "Pine Barrens" (Season 3) and "Everybody Hurts" (Season 4), and he continued to direct for the show, as well as act.
  • Jamie-Lynn Sigler is billed by her married name, as "Jamie-Lynn DiScala", during this season.[3]
  • The character Sophia Baccalieri is now played by Miryam Coppersmith, who replaced Lexie Sperduto from Season 4.
  • Toni Kalem, who plays Angie Bonpensiero on the series, becomes a story editor for the show starting with this episode. She will also write an episode, "All Happy Families..." (season 5, episode 4).
  • This episode is the first season opener wherein Tony is not featured picking up The Star-Ledger at the foot of his driveway. Instead, Meadow runs over the newspaper with her car.
  • The preface to an April 10, 2002 Star-Ledger article titled, "Jersey mob soon to get infusion of old blood: Lawmen are wary as jail terms end", reads: "(EDITOR'S NOTE: Sopranos creator David Chase revealed that the story arc of Season 5 was inspired by a Star-Ledger article on the RICO trials of the '80s. We've combed our archives and believe this may be the article he was referring to.")[4]

Other cultural references

  • The opening sequence of various shots of the Soprano home with autumn leaves blowing in the wind is an homage to the opening shots of The Godfather Part III, which portrayed the rundown Corleone compound in Lake Tahoe.
  • Tony gets angry upon learning Carmela did not inform him of a bear sighting, saying this is not Little House on the Prairie.
  • Tony greets Feech La Manna with: "You go straight from the joint to Earl Scheib?" when telling him he has a tan.
  • Tony observes that Junior's house is like the Bowery Boys, with secret codes.
  • Feech La Manna calls himself Fred Astaire when told not to "step on anyone's toes".
  • The movie The Prince of Tides that inspires Tony to send the flowers and Tide detergent to Dr. Melfi deals with several themes relevant to this episode, including a patient's romantic relationship with a female psychiatrist and a character who has "two sides" (in the film, Savannah has dissociated states).
  • Carmela tells Benny, whom Tony has sent to "protect" her and A. J., that he shouldn't sit outside like A Fistful of Dollars.
  • Christopher is shown reading My Search for Bill W. by Mel B., the biography of the founder of Alcoholics Anonymous.
  • When trying to persuade Dr. Melfi that it is ethically permissible for her to date him, Tony references information that he learned from the Dr. Phil show.
  • Connections to The Rockford Files
    • Robert Loggia, who plays Michele "Feech" La Manna, and Joe Santos, who plays Angelo Garepe, both had roles on The Rockford Files, the television show for which David Chase wrote several scripts in the 1970s.
    • Carmela retrieves the keys to the weapons closet from a cookie jar, which is the same place where P.I. Jim Rockford would often hide his gun.

Connections to prior episodes

Music

  • The song played in the opening scenes, then heard on Carmela's radio, and then over the end credits is "Heaven Only Knows" by Emmylou Harris.
  • The song blaring from Meadow's car when she comes to pick up A.J. is "Bichu Rap" by Titi Robin.
  • The song playing at the restaurant where the guys eat dinner with their goomahs is "Mia Serenata" by Jimmy Fontana.
  • At the start of the scene where Tony's crew were having dinner at the Atlantic City restaurant, "Band of Gold" by Freda Payne is heard, as is "Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye.

References

  1. ↑ "Guy Walks into a Psychiatrist's Office...", The Sopranos, originally aired January 16, 2000 on HBO
  2. ↑ "Commendatori", The Sopranos, originally aired February 6, 2000 on HBO
  3. ↑ "Jamie-Lynn DiScala, Husband Split Up". People. September 25, 2005. Retrieved January 29, 2013.
  4. ↑ Rudolph Robert; Sterling, Guy (April 10, 2002). "Jersey mob soon to get infusion of old blood". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
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