"The Soprano's Season 2" What Happens Next?

 

    The Sopranos season two is for the most part the same quality television that you've come to expect from watching season one. Would I call it more boring? I suppose depending on your perspective on how TV shows operate it could be disappointing how self-contained it felt. Season 1 had clear ramifications, Tony was almost assassinated, and in one fell swoop he retaliates against his uncle, finally culminating in a satisfying finale where Tony alone sits at the top of the DiMeo family. His uncle basically neutered, his mother in a stroke, and life is good for him. In season two the ramifications of what happened feel more self-contained, Richie joins and dies pretty unceremoniously, Janice does much of the same ultimately leaving for the final episode, and the Big Pussy storyline almost feels cut short when it happens in the very final episode. Not to say that I disliked this season, just to say that I am interested to see what ramifications this season has upon the next one, if any (of course other than Christopher becoming a made man).

    Of course, let's talk about the new characters introduced, Richie and Janice. Is it bad to say that I enjoyed the dynamic Richie brought? Not to say that I particularly enjoyed him as a person, he was a hothead through and through that made too many messes, but I did not expect him to be gone so soon after a single season. I'm not saying that I wanted them to milk his character, but with Janice stroking his ego to try and challenge Tony for the top spot, you'd have expected him to put up more of a fight than he did. Frankly, the fact that both him and Pussy died made me think that the showrunners hopefully have new, bigger/better plots for the next ones, because he got really lucky with the fact that Janice of all people killed him. Even still, he did bring a nice friction to the show to keep things interesting now that Tony was at the top, so I'm interested to see who they choose to replace him for next season and onwards.

    I'd talk about Janice some more, but frankly she was just so annoying, and you could see a lot of Livia in her when she'd mention things or sort of try and stoke the flames of any sort of residual beef. So instead I'd rather spend this paragraph talking about Pussy, who I actually quite enjoyed as a character. Obviously, he helped murder people, but it was cool to see this sort conflict exist within him, after all he's being forced to do all of this against his friends, but his commitment is still to his family first and foremost. I just think the most disappointing part of it all was that it felt kind of abrupt? Tony is literally told that Pussy is betraying him through a talking fish in his dreams. Like yes there were signs, but also a fish is what causes him to confirm it? I could see all the doubts throughout the season but I suppose I thought the show would have made it more obvious that Puss had it coming.

    In terms of my favourite episodes I'd say that D-Girl was one of the better ones. I was actually surprised that they got Jon Favreau to be in the episode, and I thought hearing Christopher legitimately think about his future was refreshing, considering he didn't do much this season other than get shot to be honest. The Happy Wanderer was also fantastic, seeing one of their high roller games was incredibly fun, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy seeing how as Tony put it, "the bread and butter of his was made". It's nothing glamourous, it's just taking people's businesses, and leaving them in ruin. On a side note it is interesting to see how everyone in his life just kind of tiptoes around the whole part of the mafia thing. 

Final Score: 78/100

    One thing I must admit about this show is that it's incredibly easy for me to pick and remember what happened. It's not like with some shows where each episode is incredibly connected to the next and I have to read the summary on Wikipedia beforehand if I take a two week break. Either way, I am currently watching season three of the show and I have to admit I have begun to grow attached to the little crew that Tony Soprano keeps around him. Though sometimes they just do throw random characters in and you have to ask why. Like Furio is cool, he reminds me of Nicholas Cage sort of in terms of looks, but I have no idea why he's here other than to be some enforcer. I wonder if with Pussy gone he'll have a bigger role now. Truthfully I had accidentally been spoiled to Pussy's death (I just need to stop searching up questions to this show it's clearly too old), though I did not expect it to be so soon.

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