The end is near: Sopranos comes full circle

Smallscreen Features

By April MacIntyre Jun 4, 2007, 16:21 GMT

Dr. Melfi (Lorraine Bracco) is told by her own therapist, played by Peter Bogdanovich, that Sociopaths cannot benefit from therapy, they just hone their deceptive and destructive skills even sharper. David Chase -Shrine Auditorium - Los Angeles, CA © Glenn Harris / Photorazzi

David Chase -Shrine Auditorium - Los Angeles, CA © Glenn Harris / PhotorazziHow true this is in Tony Soprano's case.

Bogdanovich

He has lost his grip, and both his families are fraying and deconstructing right before his eyes.And then, Dr. Melfi rips the cord. He is alone now.SPOILER ALERT:The next-to-last episode aired last night of "The Sopranos," and we saw a beloved and kinder member of Tony's crew meeting a violent end, another important captain is in critical condition from a botched assassination attempt and Dr. Melfi ridding herself of a patient that caused her psychological angst.Tony is still alive. But he is on the run.A.J. does not have his survival skills and inner strength, Meadow got those qualities, along with the brains.Carmela's polished beige marble upper middle class existence has been intruded upon once again, and Meadow has been interrupted in her studies.Christopher met a less than heroic end at Tony's hands, literally.Last night's show illustrated the lesson that all of us are the sum of our choices, and our decisions in life. When you least expect it: Force begets force. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction."Everything comes to an end," said Carmela to Tony, many episodes ago.

Van Zandt

The second to last episode was the culmination of the long-simmering hostilities boiling between New Jersey boss Tony Soprano and the Brooklyn mob boss Phil Leotardo, who ordered hits on Tony, Bada Bing's Silvio Dante and sister Janice's husband, Bobby Bacala.

Steven Schirripa

Seven years of therapy comes to an end. Melfi is done.All those free Satriales veal parmigiana subs insured an act of goodwill from the Italian fed who always liked Tony, despite their career loggerheads. It paid off, and he tipped Tony to the Brooklyn assassination chatter. Tony lays it out for Sil, Paulie and the boys: "We gotta hit first."Tony orders two gunmen from Italy to take out Leotardo. But they shoot the wrong man. Leotardo (Frank Vincent) hits the mattresses as his own people go for the Jersey boys.Bobby (Steven R. Schirripa) was gunned down in a hobby shop, his true "goomah" was playing with the choo choo trains.Sil (Steven Van Zandt) was critically wounded in the parking lot of the Bada Bing! club. Patsy Parisi, at the wheel of the car in which Sil was a passenger, was uninjured and the assassins get away.The episode ended with Tony sending his blood family, Carmela, as well as Meadow and A.J., into hiding. "It's just a precaution," Tony insisted.The last shots of last night's show were haunting, as Tony retreated into an upstairs bedroom, falling asleep cradling a high powered rifle.Next week will be the end. Tony and "The Sopranos," end of times is here. I will thoroughly miss this long running series watched from its inception.Thanks to you, David Chase, for breathing life into a cast of characters that gave us so much to savor.

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