tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71302856172314479232024-03-17T21:01:08.756-06:00Television LadyUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger669125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130285617231447923.post-55134087258022493912023-07-21T18:40:00.008-06:002023-07-21T18:46:50.587-06:00Rewatching The Sopranos S2 E2 "Do Not Resuscitate" <p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihBGLbTyGZV3DRz3YjNJWlXbE0Jj5M2mY-2eU69bZVCRFfBlu76fL-dmaYpuQjmXs0FfdlFqtP5aeT6w5xJr_gHIRVI-SumtNWakIQXX26XH3U051-QVej48FDoS71-5oLToFzHzG76_Qs2L2InHx16axJ-elE0ukJdHLNCe7PH7A40F_Y-SlluKaU_0Sc/s313/janice.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="235" data-original-width="313" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihBGLbTyGZV3DRz3YjNJWlXbE0Jj5M2mY-2eU69bZVCRFfBlu76fL-dmaYpuQjmXs0FfdlFqtP5aeT6w5xJr_gHIRVI-SumtNWakIQXX26XH3U051-QVej48FDoS71-5oLToFzHzG76_Qs2L2InHx16axJ-elE0ukJdHLNCe7PH7A40F_Y-SlluKaU_0Sc/s1600/janice.webp" width="313" /></a></b></div><b><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">Family Events: </span></b><span style="font-size: medium;">Tony confronts Janice about the for sale sign, later at the hospital Livia accuses Janice of wanting to take her house. After speaking with Meadow ("what is she into?" "NEGATIVITY!") Janice uses a Pavarotti CD to charm Livia. When Janice offers to take Livia home to live, she says she'd rather go back to Green Grove. Janice tries to convince Tony to sign a "do not resuscitate" order; AJ overhears the conversation and innocently admits everything to Livia during a visit.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Livia calls Carmela from the hospital and babbles about nothing; Carmela hangs up on her when she begins to criticize her children but adds first, "THEY ARE ALL UNHAPPY."</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Mafia Events:</b> Tony visits Junior in prison; Junior insists that Livia had no part in the assassination attempt and that Tony make peace with her. Junior's guy Bobby Baccalieri meets the crew at Satriale's where Tony explains which of Junior's businesses he'll be allowed to keep. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Junior is released from custody on house arrest due to his health issues but once back home</span><span style="font-size: large;"> falls in the shower. When he refuses an ambulance, Tony picks him up and carries him to the car. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">A group of Black activists protest at a Masserone Brothers Construction site; the owner arranges with Tony to handle the issue. Tony meets with the leader's father, a reverend, and likes him, but still orders his crew to attack the activists. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8CnW7HpIDLOolCGtEyCRzNvyNnYXoZ99LubbKPOFz7ex-Ubnqd4gbNILDw7uwni9KJ2Q1_dNA44w9q65XDLoIvsN9TVbD7YDLkfSCo5617nb0zLx4pWGDtDYrxrnPVZLQTXyx643yqavet5RSui2tX4XWPBuNcJaz5H8bpXy7ydUqatAALlmDUMP41qwH/s1280/baccala.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8CnW7HpIDLOolCGtEyCRzNvyNnYXoZ99LubbKPOFz7ex-Ubnqd4gbNILDw7uwni9KJ2Q1_dNA44w9q65XDLoIvsN9TVbD7YDLkfSCo5617nb0zLx4pWGDtDYrxrnPVZLQTXyx643yqavet5RSui2tX4XWPBuNcJaz5H8bpXy7ydUqatAALlmDUMP41qwH/s320/baccala.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">In a flashback, Pussy is driven home after a medical procedure by Skip, revealing that Pussy has been working with federal agents since 1998. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Significant Ideology: </b>Livia throws out many contradictions, switching gears a few times throughout the episode. In what seems to be a one-off conversation with AJ, Livia says, "daughters take better care of their mothers," explaining how Janice comes every day to play pinocle with her but earlier criticized Janice for being unable to stay in New Jersey and for being unable to stand herself. She also introduced the idea that Johnny Soprano might not have been the "saint" she's been praising all this time and after hearing the disturbing news about the DNR, begins mentioning hidden money she has stashed away to both Janice and Carmela while bizarrely mixing up family names and whispering nonsensical chatter. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHnCbpYeIy8xfthTwXlWY7lbJxCKJ5Y5jtwdLnPPtO2jx6zveGBMKxZh6jxaw9-e22NVCCKYRHViXyuHu3C9RGXd4EuBG4yr2z5NGluPj7TIKoLB2drJ2CeyIjiOqISfPmd9LYoVp6lupze11s6K6iWnZhB3g9Dh5TNA8fS-lJGpFiuyxFrnniwln5sVS9/s960/junior.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHnCbpYeIy8xfthTwXlWY7lbJxCKJ5Y5jtwdLnPPtO2jx6zveGBMKxZh6jxaw9-e22NVCCKYRHViXyuHu3C9RGXd4EuBG4yr2z5NGluPj7TIKoLB2drJ2CeyIjiOqISfPmd9LYoVp6lupze11s6K6iWnZhB3g9Dh5TNA8fS-lJGpFiuyxFrnniwln5sVS9/s320/junior.webp" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">The unnamed reverend Tony meets with unfortunately dies; Junior falls and has potentially broken his hip. The older generation is declining, as the reverend stated, but in all of the cases, the sons in this story are (or in Tony's case, were) the ones caring for their elders. Janice is an opportunist, in town only to capitalize on Livia's disability, and this has been observed and commented upon by Tony, Barbara, and even Livia, who may be confused, but who definitely knows her own daughter's cunning. While Tony has refused to make peace with her (as Junior and Janice have both encouraged), he is somehow roped into caring for Junior, the man who arranged to have him killed. While he hasn't explicitly stated that he forgives either of them, his interactions with Junior, first arranging through Bobby to allow him to continue earning and then physically hauling him to the car after his injury suggest that Tony still loves his uncle. The difference with Junior is of course that he has no one else; for the time being, Livia has Janice (and Meadow, who seems sympathetic). </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The insertion of the Pussy-being-an-informant into a crew heavy episode like this one shows the vigorous nature of Tony's position as boss and how the constant chaos allowed for such a problem. When he's not dealing with Junior, he's dealing with Masserone Brothers, when he's not dealing with staging a riot between his crew and the protesters, he's arranging with the reverend's son and hacking up construction deal spoils. When he gets home, Janice grills him about Livia's house and the DNR after he's explicitly told her not to mention their mother. There was no mention of Christopher (although his two finance bros derped their way into the riot) nor of Tony's mental health. Things were just too busy.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Italian Language:</b> disgratziata (Pussy in regard to Livia when Skip says "this fuck tried to suffocate his own mother"): poor, wretched, unfortunate, unlucky</span></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130285617231447923.post-74006185501051485942023-07-17T15:20:00.014-06:002023-07-21T19:13:00.714-06:00LOST: It Wasn't Purgatory, Season 3, Episode 3, Further Instructions<p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>On-Island Events</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrCTXrLR5GmjEUbNca2I2fDdcxyDKt3nURNINgQr7bK7SIrsGzq9iDUwJlwB001e9zhqiLH5AB735q-ZnTeiKeto1E_rl82KW0nn0DlP0e-2xSeVZYjzU_6R0k9475-zwMmdf8PHcFZ9OHSYTJhQZJiCar4IWdLo2FPDcxKk81DTUYtjwiymHl_O_6Ua7W/s580/locke.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="580" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrCTXrLR5GmjEUbNca2I2fDdcxyDKt3nURNINgQr7bK7SIrsGzq9iDUwJlwB001e9zhqiLH5AB735q-ZnTeiKeto1E_rl82KW0nn0DlP0e-2xSeVZYjzU_6R0k9475-zwMmdf8PHcFZ9OHSYTJhQZJiCar4IWdLo2FPDcxKk81DTUYtjwiymHl_O_6Ua7W/s320/locke.jpeg" width="320" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Survivors: </b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Locke awakens in the jungle, sees Desmond run by naked, and is nearly struck by Eko's scripture stick as it falls out of a tree. He conveys to Charlie through gestures that he needs to speak to "the island." Locke makes a sweat lodge, ingests some sort of plant material, and induces an altered state in which Boone appears. In the old wheelchair from the crash Boone pushes Locke around an airport, looking for someone who apparently needs Locke's help. At the top of an escalator Locke finds Eko's scripture stick, bloody. Boone, also suddenly bloody says, "Clean it up, John. They've got him. You don't have much time." Locke bursts out of the tent and informs Charlie he is going to save Eko's life. While searching for Eko, Locke and Charlie pick up a blood trail, find the imploded hatch, and a recently killed boar. After running from a polar bear they encounter Hugo on his way back from the dock (last seen in <a href="https://www.televisionlady.com/2021/05/lost-it-wasnt-purgatory-season-2.html" target="_blank">Live Together, Die Alone part 2</a>), who Locke nearly kills with his machete and sends on his way back to the beach. Hugo meets naked Desmond in the jungle, offers him a shirt, and questions the fact that Desmond was not at all harmed in the detonation of the hatch. "You're not gonna like, turn into the hulk or something . . . ?" Later Hugo is confused when Locke makes a speech about going after Jack, Kate, and Sawyer as Desmond referenced this very event when they were in the jungle moments before it actually happened.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYIGdtENulrK50sKABN69zCY8j73gsJlIJFubGF19VQQb9KIu4iYLqoHKKDH6EedFMwtpKjEp1dzaP1Q7o27MOiy6tPeUczXOALOI1rcFJikW5R_j6Ett5AocwngyylJJX5bhyZfMyATGkanBgCQ4hZgUuf6mjyTy6MXARo1fxjMxNb96Je2rYW-xy2fZT/s719/boone.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="719" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYIGdtENulrK50sKABN69zCY8j73gsJlIJFubGF19VQQb9KIu4iYLqoHKKDH6EedFMwtpKjEp1dzaP1Q7o27MOiy6tPeUczXOALOI1rcFJikW5R_j6Ett5AocwngyylJJX5bhyZfMyATGkanBgCQ4hZgUuf6mjyTy6MXARo1fxjMxNb96Je2rYW-xy2fZT/s320/boone.jpeg" width="223" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Following the polar bear's tracks, Locke finds an old Tonka truck, various bones, and an<br /> injured Eko. The bear attacks but Locke and Charlie carry Eko to safety. Locke passively accepts guilt in being responsible for the hatch implosion and informs Charlie he is following Boone's advice to clean up his mess. Locke apologizes to Eko, acknowledging he should have listened to him; Eko awakens momentarily to encourage Locke to save his people, emphasizing that he is indeed, a hunter.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Flashbacks: </b>Locke picks up a young male hitchhiker in California and gets pulled over by police who find a large sack of guns in the back of his truck. Locke brings his new friend, Eddie, to dinner on a farm site. After staying with Locke on the farm for six weeks Eddie asks Locke for access to a greenhouse neither of them are allowed to enter; Locke laughs at Eddie's assumption that they might be building bombs. It turns out farmers-in-charge Mike and Jan are growing marijuana, Eddie is an undercover police officer, and Locke has ruined the farm operation by inviting Eddie into their midst. When confronted by Locke on a hunting trip in the forest, Eddie admits he was a purposeful target in that his psychological profile suggested he would be "amenable for coercion."</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiOh1JWn_tYrcFGI4VQxn_NTvRDiPBdf-SpQ3EEItcuOGT_dAl9r8l4mWs1mGRKBT4JOzh-MYY-n1QQl0JEZwQt-T7PcCtZRP9j1p_6XeATcm8HElYW1ZLi_EueJAcNkeUQH6S1lL5YQZj2BDfl8sSMjQF1S0Dj5Z0x-xvwbtp2-sMKaD9paV6zuZ_3yFZ/s1125/eddie.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="1125" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiOh1JWn_tYrcFGI4VQxn_NTvRDiPBdf-SpQ3EEItcuOGT_dAl9r8l4mWs1mGRKBT4JOzh-MYY-n1QQl0JEZwQt-T7PcCtZRP9j1p_6XeATcm8HElYW1ZLi_EueJAcNkeUQH6S1lL5YQZj2BDfl8sSMjQF1S0Dj5Z0x-xvwbtp2-sMKaD9paV6zuZ_3yFZ/s320/eddie.jpeg" width="320" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Greater Meaning:</b> Locke wakes up in the jungle in the exact way Jack did after the crash in the first episode, suggesting again that the conflicts and similarities between the characters continue to be meaningful. Despite their frequent disagreements over how best to lead the survivors, Locke and Jack are both considered leaders and are equally important; with Jack being held by the others, Locke is the de facto leader. As such, the issues Locke has been struggling with (losing his faith after finding the pearl station, causing the implosion of the hatch/putting Eko in danger, and everything regarding his father) impact how he sees himself and affect his leadership. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Repeated references to being a hunter or a farmer are mentioned by Locke (to Eddie, regarding the sweat lodge at the farm), Eddie (stating to Locke he was a farmer not a hunter), and Eko (to Locke, affirming he is a hunter), suggesting that Locke's identity is an important factor in his confidence. The troubling thing isn't just the truth in Locke's statement to Charlie---"bad things happen to people who hang out with me," but that many of the bad things that happen seem to come from Locke's vulnerability in trusting the wrong people (or in the case of Boone's death, the wrong signs from the island). Because of his rocky history with his father, Locke's need to prove himself is similar in importance but different in context to Jack's same need. Emily Locke informed Locke about his father well into his adulthood where it must be assumed that Locke had already formed an identity for himself (whereas Jack's conflicts with his father were present from childhood and thus informed the development of who Jack became); Anthony Cooper took an otherwise functioning adult male and traumatized him, causing Locke to question everything about himself. Locke's need to be a hunter may be about being an alpha, masculine man who could conceivably win favor with the father who rejected him AND it may also come from Locke's anger at said rejection---hunters get to kill, hunters are<br /> dangerous.</span></p><p><b style="font-size: large;">Further Questions: </b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA7ZfTqa6N3NDBpHMyXs-f5I2Zjn46wHCryUZfSrMbO8-rYrNXp1MuKkNDUbVjOtwYXqIImvz7qwuZ8TrQ_VsmpzSyxJpT7W7wwW5sc5wHGwWXtr8_xJ5P-KtztdIxzFy28OLIZJydHgsBpxri5c5sviNvp2QV3-sWAj_IOezFAQ1NWt9O-EulKqKIycGj/s400/eko.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="251" data-original-width="400" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA7ZfTqa6N3NDBpHMyXs-f5I2Zjn46wHCryUZfSrMbO8-rYrNXp1MuKkNDUbVjOtwYXqIImvz7qwuZ8TrQ_VsmpzSyxJpT7W7wwW5sc5wHGwWXtr8_xJ5P-KtztdIxzFy28OLIZJydHgsBpxri5c5sviNvp2QV3-sWAj_IOezFAQ1NWt9O-EulKqKIycGj/s320/eko.webp" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">1. Were there other parts of Locke's vision that are important? (</span><span style="font-size: large;">Charlie and Claire---Boone said, "they'll be fine <i>for a while</i>," Sun and Jin---"I think Sayid's got it,"). What was the significance of the airport? </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">2. Are Locke and Charlie friends again?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">3. How did Desmond know that Locke was going to give the speech about rescuing Jack, Kate, and Sawyer? Was Hugo onto something about becoming The Hulk?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">4. Will Eko be okay?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">5. How many polar bears are on the island and how did they get there? </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">6. Does Locke recover his faith in the island? In himself?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">7. Was the pearl station meant to teach Locke a lesson? Is the island communicating with him? The title of the episode is "Further Instructions." FROM WHOM?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">8. Did Eko really speak to Locke or was he imagining it? </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">9. Was Locke really meant to save Eko? What if the vision meant someone else? Boone saying "They've got him" points more to the others (they = plural, as there was only one bear that we know of)---could this have been in reference to Jack? Boone didn't say anything specifically about Jack not being the one in need of help, only a general "there's nothing you can do for them, not yet," after seeing Sawyer and Kate. Jack was shown going through security and being examined by Ben (as a security agent). </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">10. Is Jack being vetted for something by the others? </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130285617231447923.post-31900562677128515782023-07-15T19:09:00.008-06:002023-07-21T19:10:15.976-06:00Rewatching The Sopranos S2 E1 "Guy Walks Into a Psychiatrist's Office" <p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh7Doub2EFX7jhLA3JvBwlkXsQ2aCqf6LQY7PAn-lKV9umaa-nBsJKQUPHDGYk3H1Xj3Sd9GiZzf1DRp45I4-s-u_PtJNQ5LMXOct8bE_j8kvQGgCxJvuuZV_3vXDjLDpYJZlcZhpL5ZEuXtrYqdji3Kl7XNAKX8pY-x3HC9aSHFmI2s-XcTmiwkwxZZcA/s710/Sopranosjanice710.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="415" data-original-width="710" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh7Doub2EFX7jhLA3JvBwlkXsQ2aCqf6LQY7PAn-lKV9umaa-nBsJKQUPHDGYk3H1Xj3Sd9GiZzf1DRp45I4-s-u_PtJNQ5LMXOct8bE_j8kvQGgCxJvuuZV_3vXDjLDpYJZlcZhpL5ZEuXtrYqdji3Kl7XNAKX8pY-x3HC9aSHFmI2s-XcTmiwkwxZZcA/s320/Sopranosjanice710.webp" width="320" /></a></b></div><b><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">Family Events:</span></b><span style="font-size: medium;"> Oldest sister Janice Soprano shows up, when she asks about Livia, Tony says, "she's dead to me" and that he's selling her house. Meadow visits Livia in the hospital; Livia gives her two of her own grandmother's rings so that she won't be forgotten. Tony arranges a house party for Janice and their other younger sister, Barbara. When he finds the "for sale" sign for Livia's house hidden in Janice's car, Tony rages to Carmela about Janice's intentions.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Mafia Events</b>: Junior's "Boss" standing in the FBI's photo lineup is downgraded; Tony's picture remains in its place but is relabeled "Street Boss." Pussy returns, surprising Tony as he gets his morning newspaper. He admits to Tony he knew they all suspected he was the rat but that he had been away for his back problems in Puerto Rico. Tony forgives him but pats down his body to check for a wire. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Junior's guy, Philly Parisi, is assassinated, apparently for being "a bigmouth fuck," and spreading rumors about Tony's treatment of Livia and seeing a female psychiatrist. Christopher is given a SEC compliance officer role in a brokerage office; two younger guys he brings in use physical threats to force everyone to push "Webistics" stock.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Mental Health Events: </b>Tony crashes into a telephone pole when he has a panic attack; he sees a new male therapist who refuses to treat him for more than a single session. Tony continues to have issues with controlling his anger over Janice's actions and seems to struggle with further panic symptoms during the party at his house. Eventually he surprises Melfi, who is not receptive to seeing him. He attempts to discuss his recent panic attacks with her but she refuses to talk to him about it or anything else. She snaps, "How many more people need to die for your personal growth?" </span></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil5xZmqa-4NIEVZYzhrxYQVx5AWKen-w3G91MxACzNPrrZLRr2APim929rsxuq8eZjlIIByU-_STanliUrPDjT_5lkY1UMiBSk3xMrqeFjm-bS2qR-jkLPyFkGBV8-m1_VXJzQz5rn_eoOF-Cnf9PXFAjOMOXnIQ2MP_i40ftlrqNpe9305nyawPMEdJwy/s768/diner.webp" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="768" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil5xZmqa-4NIEVZYzhrxYQVx5AWKen-w3G91MxACzNPrrZLRr2APim929rsxuq8eZjlIIByU-_STanliUrPDjT_5lkY1UMiBSk3xMrqeFjm-bS2qR-jkLPyFkGBV8-m1_VXJzQz5rn_eoOF-Cnf9PXFAjOMOXnIQ2MP_i40ftlrqNpe9305nyawPMEdJwy/s320/diner.webp" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">That was a different time for us.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Significant Ideology: </b>The passage of time is shown in both the beginning of the episode (the montage of everyone going about their activities to Sinatra's "It Was a Very Good Year,") as well as the end (acknowledged through a cover of The Rolling Stones' "Time is on My Side"). Changes in Tony's life are part of the importance of the passage of time, including his fallout with Livia, professional breakup with Melfi, concerns over Junior in prison, Christopher launching off on his own as a broker, and Pussy's possible involvement with the feds. The one constant, reliable figure in his life throughout these changes is Carmela. Her montage footage was wholly focused around the delivery of lasagna from oven to table, just as she closes the episode by presenting Tony with a bowl of spaghetti after he comes home confused and upset from being rejected by Melfi. She helps Tony regulate his emotions over Livia's house and Janice's meddling and encourages him to find pleasure in being with his friends. Knowing Melfi had been helpful to him in the past, Carmela insists Tony resume therapy, citing among other reasons that they have not had sex in "God knows how long." </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Though there have been no such scenes between Carmela and Tony, Tony has what is assumed to be frequent relations with his goomar, Irina. Without reading too much into what has been shown thus far, (Tony admits to offering Carmela oral sex only once a year on her birthday, Tony does not do much other than lie there with Irina, Tony has had sexual fantasies about Melfi) it seems as though there might be specific expectations for his relations with Carmela that either don't come easily to him (emotion, genuineness, consideration for her needs) or that he just doesn't make the time for when he can use Irina for his own needs without any further provisions. Carmela wants him, physically, and is doing everything else she can to manage the house, the kids, and feeding everyone, but Tony seems to need her nurturing more than anything else. Carmela's mother in criticizing Livia (and it seems her own daughter's marriage) reminds her that Livia told her on their wedding night that marrying Tony was a mistake, that he'd only get bored with her; whatever he is currently, bored or something else, he needs Carmela more than ever. In some scenes, ("you mope your way through this and I will cut your throat," and he LISTENS TO HER) she actually seems to wield more power than anyone.</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsajkYNtpFVp3ZySyDVw1gmaVh03K4ycPB8QjKY-G1Tk6yi5hP-_dTSXrcoKz2gqrO4oRbBCRfSBYaPRXML7QVC8CUvg8a2_5e2FS_QbfGXfwG3Z8Z70URmib6uWRpo-z_d3rn2Qn7_QZtZgvEYPUbbVabijMUq7yaxOk7_tELYxHFdtMGxQS8O36iWpep/s585/carm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="329" data-original-width="585" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsajkYNtpFVp3ZySyDVw1gmaVh03K4ycPB8QjKY-G1Tk6yi5hP-_dTSXrcoKz2gqrO4oRbBCRfSBYaPRXML7QVC8CUvg8a2_5e2FS_QbfGXfwG3Z8Z70URmib6uWRpo-z_d3rn2Qn7_QZtZgvEYPUbbVabijMUq7yaxOk7_tELYxHFdtMGxQS8O36iWpep/w400-h225/carm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WILL YOU STOP, PLEASE?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Tony tells Janice that a doctor told him Livia's "stroke" was actually a conversion reaction; this is a mental health disorder and would typically prompt treatment from a psychologist. Surprise, Livia should be in therapy! </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Chris hits Adriana in the club (as in, full public with onlookers) in front of his two broker associates. For this and various other reasons, Christopher could also benefit from some psychological help.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Italian Language:</b> Batiamo le mani - I kiss the hand; my respects (when the crew explains to Pussy that Tony arranged his pickups while he was away). </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Schifosa (you fucking) unsatisfactory/trashy re: Silvio's performance of Kay Adams asking Michael Corleone "is it true, Michael?"</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Streg (re Livia, she's the devil, said to Janice) strega, witch</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130285617231447923.post-34928927144763203332023-07-09T10:38:00.024-06:002023-07-23T09:44:58.402-06:00Hella Nopes + Wambsgans<p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJuJpOD0MFCVhdvU14gvJsc-ujuUIsnbahYXPUan-PrM1OJpl_7oJIo9vj5DE9CCibfu1q80nevB0ghMtorqMitppgyjDCF0VuUB0s74jFebpkbHSvSYUsx1O6XBk53cKOKBK-LU58kGZCBMvpieouMpwhQuyNfKFBZV0d7oo-lOaDkR_yMlELFtUzTzLp/s396/knock.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="396" data-original-width="252" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJuJpOD0MFCVhdvU14gvJsc-ujuUIsnbahYXPUan-PrM1OJpl_7oJIo9vj5DE9CCibfu1q80nevB0ghMtorqMitppgyjDCF0VuUB0s74jFebpkbHSvSYUsx1O6XBk53cKOKBK-LU58kGZCBMvpieouMpwhQuyNfKFBZV0d7oo-lOaDkR_yMlELFtUzTzLp/w203-h320/knock.jpeg" title="My atheist husband would have said, "Wow, that's too bad," thrown some change at them and slammed the door" width="203" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">My husband would have said, "wow, that's too bad," <br />thrown some loose change at them, and<br />slammed the door.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />1. <b><span style="font-size: medium;">Knock at the Cabin (2023)</span></b> d. M. Night Shyamalan<p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Family goes to cabin; 4 randos show up and demand one of the dads kill either the other dad or the child to stop the end of the world.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">This was put together well (aside from weird extreme closeups in the very beginning) and I probably would have liked it maybe 10 years ago because omg what an interesting, high-stakes mythology! But now, today, this feels very much like Cult Initiation 101 and after all that has happened in the last 7 years, the writing feels irresponsible. I realize that worrying over whether or not some zealot out there is going to take this seriously is probably not a big enough reason to pan a film, but I have concerns for very specific and gullible members of the population and I honestly can't believe this is a 2023 narrative. Just quit trying to freak people out this way, they've HAD ENOUGH! This was like <i>Saw</i> but with religion.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">RUN. </span></p><p><br /></p><p>2. <b><span style="font-size: medium;">ER, season 13 (2007)</span></b></p><p><span></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxGxAtVSQ0UMTISQdIgGh1GrjH37BV43m_mWo6mTWuczIJ1-_vjBdR8h0NVLxHa5sv3iBmHiIGDPwXmIg2G2195WmuVN98fi0n8r1QBfwyRgyxkHSKfB-DLR6AUUiVJmS7xK-yt9a5yhhLsZJ5mTfvAyji7yU8NZwpqy47pzEAZtmi9r3fi_rXqAOnMGSQ/s374/Gates.webp" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="321" data-original-width="374" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxGxAtVSQ0UMTISQdIgGh1GrjH37BV43m_mWo6mTWuczIJ1-_vjBdR8h0NVLxHa5sv3iBmHiIGDPwXmIg2G2195WmuVN98fi0n8r1QBfwyRgyxkHSKfB-DLR6AUUiVJmS7xK-yt9a5yhhLsZJ5mTfvAyji7yU8NZwpqy47pzEAZtmi9r3fi_rXqAOnMGSQ/s320/Gates.webp" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">"It's giving old, creepy Malucci."</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span><span style="font-size: medium;">My daughters are rewatching this and it's always been this exact season where I quit giving a shit about the show. I don't even think I watched it </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;">full to the end, to be honest, and this upsets me because I absolutely count the first 10 seasons as one of my best shows, ever. Abby Lockhart is 100% my favorite character, ever, and I wish she would have stayed in psych with her perfect cardigan and all her experience and empathy. What a god.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">A. The change in the opening credits was bad, someone on Reddit said it was to make room for more ads. WHY.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">B. Tony Gates as some sort of rebooted Clooney bad boy was annoying. Bonus negatives for Stamos, who is very problematic (look him up, JANE magazine interview), any time, anywhere. BYE.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">C. No more Greene, Corday, Benton, Chen, or Romano, Weaver is hardly in any episodes, they need Carter. Abby and Luka are good, keep them along with Sam, Pratt, Neela, Ray, and Morris but Abby is just a doctor now. Not a nurse becoming a doctor, not a resident doing psych and NICU rotations. I want more for her, not just a surprise pregnancy. And there could have been multiple episodes about Darfur, not just a couple. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">GET IT RIGHT.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">3. If There be Thorns by V.C. Andrews</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I cannot believe this even exists. I read it in middle school (!), then again in college with my roommate where we would circle ridiculous stuff in the text and make comments on the story in the margins, and now I'm reading it again. This is the third book in the <i>Flowers in the Attic</i> series (4th if you count <i>Garden of Shadows</i> first, chronologically and I hate myself for knowing this) where Cathy's ten-year-old son, Bart, goes off the fucking rails after Grandmother Corrine moves in next door. Bart is moody and unloved (by stepfather Chris and Cathy, who seem to prefer Jory, the older brother and Cindy, a little girl Cathy adopts. Chris and Cathy are yes, brother and sister and yes, MARRIED) so his initial interactions with Corrine seem hopeful because he's finally getting attention from someone but lo and behold John Amos, the Foxworth's butler, decides to groom Bart to become the next Malcolm Foxworth, forcing him to read the old diary, speak in his voice, and grow to hate all women for bothering to exist. </span></p><p><span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyEnvOTW2hZlmXRWmfU9-koE506iKMJQa7mo5PpRKtgJuPnth1AE2OfXfdwBC0GTlziKlOucP5HT2FlNsKJ1H77hNVRYKxGuH_GMjDnE7x5Kha8CaLRJ9uoCVEj-F9a2WOppzEWh-2ioCcZB-M2NwwAuoUMeKBHbswGeP0Wn6_LlEgotwS3GC2tTBRMzXK/s400/Thorns.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="249" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyEnvOTW2hZlmXRWmfU9-koE506iKMJQa7mo5PpRKtgJuPnth1AE2OfXfdwBC0GTlziKlOucP5HT2FlNsKJ1H77hNVRYKxGuH_GMjDnE7x5Kha8CaLRJ9uoCVEj-F9a2WOppzEWh-2ioCcZB-M2NwwAuoUMeKBHbswGeP0Wn6_LlEgotwS3GC2tTBRMzXK/s320/Thorns.jpeg" width="199" /></a></span></div><span><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">I have a lot of sympathy for children going through struggles with parents, and many times kids with the biggest problems come off as extremely unlikeable to most people, but mental health struggles aside, there were very few redeeming qualities to Bart (to the point of me thinking GOD just let it end), and the Malcom stuff was weird and confusing. At various times in the story this change in Bart was presented as 1. He accepted what John Amos was selling and decided at 10 to be like, sounds good, Imma hate women and be like my great-grandfather, 2. A sort of supernatural possession of Bart by Malcom, or 3. An actual second personality in line with dissociative identity disorder, Malcom a second side of Bart, who was always aware of the presence (making it decidedly not DID). If I had to guess, she was going for all of these things under the umbrella of "this is what happens when you do incest," (even though Bart was conceived through Cathy's affair with her mother's husband Bart Winslow, not her own brother). See? GRANDMOTHER OLIVIA WAS RIGHT! </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Clearly I missed everything messed up about this book the first time, slightly less the second time, but this thing is off the charts ridiculous. </span>Chris and Cathy seemed to ignore tons of red flags throughout the story just because Bart was already slightly unpleasant, and that makes me sad, but overall the story was a giant ICK.The continued incest, the abuse toward animals and Cindy, and most of all the indoctrination of a little kid into said abuse plus misogyny. I know I was just looking for creepy locked-in-the-attic stuff the first 2 times reading it, since that's what I thought these books were about, but my god, how clueless was I to be reading through this at 12, "yes, all these things are fine because SCARY BOOK!" Also, not a single adult, anywhere, thought this might be an issue because everyone I knew was reading these also.</span></p><p><span>Christ. </span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">4. The Idol</span></b></p><p><span>Just NO. That's all.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />5. Succession</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So enough time has gone by where I am able to think more about Succession and Tom Wambsgans. Yes, I made a video freaking out about how cringey he was and how he was one of the worst people on the show, but I am going to retract that. Sometimes I get it wrong. </span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEK_AK0U3o-HpsgJVGO010LxIqFT6NTPEaSqEuO1rrUbojnAJRIkyLk88Su5SmNomyOsV-Dw04iJeb73NN8H0xgnCQYepnzIEc7v1_lFEoRi2rLPzNjJ7r8_tLRkEjv_i2aVHzCtjvQF9b3V9yltj4-uVKvdn2DLjMBIvLVt4zM_eZ22jcZlJgmcvdVjAp/s1368/tom.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1026" data-original-width="1368" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEK_AK0U3o-HpsgJVGO010LxIqFT6NTPEaSqEuO1rrUbojnAJRIkyLk88Su5SmNomyOsV-Dw04iJeb73NN8H0xgnCQYepnzIEc7v1_lFEoRi2rLPzNjJ7r8_tLRkEjv_i2aVHzCtjvQF9b3V9yltj4-uVKvdn2DLjMBIvLVt4zM_eZ22jcZlJgmcvdVjAp/s320/tom.webp" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Tom Wambsgans was at times annoying, and I still have a problem with how he treated Greg (manipulation, water bottle assault, the bodega sushi issue, etc.), but I have come to appreciate his character as one of the only ones that reacts to the disturbing elements of both the business and the Roy family with any sort of emotion or empathy. This sets him apart from Kendall, Shiv, and Roman as they also realize their lives are disturbing and problematic yet they just continue to try to one-up each other in the race to see who can get the attention of Logan (King disturbing and problematic). While the siblings try to become more like Logan, Tom tries too, but it's a challenge for him and he consistently acts out, usually targeting Greg in the process. This is not unlike the Patrick Bateman situation in <i>American Psycho </i>where he wanted to be noticed so much in a money-obsessed, materialistic environment that he became a serial killer and still no one cared. Tom pretends he's like the Roys, even wants to be like them, but he's not. Shiv wants an open marriage; he feels guilty after hooking up at his bachelor party and turns down the 3-way on the boat. He doesn't want to go to prison over the cruise line issues but offers to do it for Logan. He helps Logan in the bathroom with care and tenderness none of Logan's own children would have been able to match. This is not to say Tom doesn't have the ability to become more heartless and Roy-like with time, especially considering the finale (no spoilers) but yeah. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/dNGN87Vn5IE" width="480"></iframe></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I am kind of okay with him now. And it has totally nothing to do with (below). </span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">6. Pride and Prejudice (2005) d. Joe Wright</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I rewound this scene and watched it 3 times after finishing the film. I just . . . </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/Ll2H3TIt0PE" width="480"></iframe></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130285617231447923.post-83603873299923707692023-06-27T16:29:00.010-06:002023-07-21T19:10:58.025-06:00LOST: It Wasn't Purgatory, Season 3, Episode 2, The Glass Ballerina <p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>On-Island Events: </b></span></p><p><b style="font-size: x-large;">Others: </b><span style="font-size: medium;">Jack is still being held in the underwater cell; Juliet delivers soup to him. Ben is visited by Colleen who reports that Sayid found the decoy village and has a boat. Ben tells her to assemble at team to acquire the boat. Sawyer and Kate are made to dig and haul rocks, supervised by Juliet and Colleen's husband, Danny. Sawyer breaks rank to kiss Kate; later he admits to her his name is James. Ben visits Jack and introduces himself as Benjamin Linus; Jack refuses to shake his hand. In an attempt to prove to Jack that he has the power to send him home, Ben shows him a video of the Red Sox winning the world series of 2004.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk2B7x-iFStzz6uWn3tHyDX9dseGyjTTem6x3pLNFXsJJSSbeWddkLuKJWqv_b04j1Jgpslyx_NHNe2K4H5Ynqe5uODzhcLrpXqbEVareqF0TnmN2qe88xutDtgodJ3zcP2iPcJ-je1XStENwCYsiwzGcR5VW0tv3tL_930kOlPomX6UHi0WI3-j9nJrDA/s281/boat.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="190" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk2B7x-iFStzz6uWn3tHyDX9dseGyjTTem6x3pLNFXsJJSSbeWddkLuKJWqv_b04j1Jgpslyx_NHNe2K4H5Ynqe5uODzhcLrpXqbEVareqF0TnmN2qe88xutDtgodJ3zcP2iPcJ-je1XStENwCYsiwzGcR5VW0tv3tL_930kOlPomX6UHi0WI3-j9nJrDA/s1600/boat.jpg" width="190" /></a></div><b style="font-size: x-large;">Survivors: </b><span style="font-size: medium;">Jin, Sun, and Sayid are on Desmond's boat as they were at the end of the second season; Jin does not want to continue searching for Jack but Sun assures Sayid she knows enough about sailing to help him keep going. Sayid builds a large fire, which he claims is to signal Jack, but Sun suspects otherwise. Soon Jin realizes that Sun has conspired with Sayid to trap the others and that he needs to defend them when they show up. As Sayid and Jin wait on the shore, Sun waits on the boat where she encounters Colleen. Sun shoots Colleen in defense and the others on deck return fire; Sun manages to escape but the others steal Desmond's boat. </span><p></p><p><b style="font-size: x-large;">Flashbacks: </b><span style="font-size: medium;">Young Sun knocks a glass ballerina onto the floor and blames the family maid for it, even knowing this will cause her father to fire the woman. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCsJSIaeMn8BtodwrJcD35Rk0vWNQd9_ABjZDV4uFH_1H3UW9QNxJh7pjo_lwuy4IIhHou6CHOCtRFjs7JG8bTmUuKtmRIknKGK2co4c0JwruM70VruN0QQf4NQydgt_a2ipSmflNcFxK0p78rE703SYml0ZK99ChiBR6l4CYm9k5orWd7aIUBmMAc51cG/s608/ballerina.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="608" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCsJSIaeMn8BtodwrJcD35Rk0vWNQd9_ABjZDV4uFH_1H3UW9QNxJh7pjo_lwuy4IIhHou6CHOCtRFjs7JG8bTmUuKtmRIknKGK2co4c0JwruM70VruN0QQf4NQydgt_a2ipSmflNcFxK0p78rE703SYml0ZK99ChiBR6l4CYm9k5orWd7aIUBmMAc51cG/s320/ballerina.webp" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Sun is in bed with Jae, the man she was previously matched with (<a href="https://www.televisionlady.com/2020/06/lost-it-wasnt-purgatory-season-2.html" target="_blank">. . . And Found</a>) and who became her English tutor (<a href="https://www.televisionlady.com/2021/04/lost-it-wasnt-purgatory-season-2_6.html" target="_blank">The Whole Truth</a>). He presents her with a pearl necklace and implores her to come with him to America. Suddenly, Sun's father bursts into the room, seeing them. Later Jin comes home and blames Sun for the terrible things her father makes him do. He storms off to "deliver a message," presumably to one of Mr. Paik's adversaries but it is Jae. Jin is unable to kill him but demands he leave the country; Jae hurls himself off the building and lands on Jin's car.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsol63mWwk9APN0aGPTuARaTp4F1XOZd0mDDpYREONfiPr6Z5G1vBsE9pVT5erH5hM7Ot-UXmMyGyGrKurEiQMI7mYVnScZmWPn24LLi570TqZ5R1i9WVhCrOIUTgBMYqOGpoZdxAnCCUMBupyjwdTQGVF97FvHwnbaHp2r0qdmEX8nFani85HKdpOC0UY/s390/jae.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="266" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsol63mWwk9APN0aGPTuARaTp4F1XOZd0mDDpYREONfiPr6Z5G1vBsE9pVT5erH5hM7Ot-UXmMyGyGrKurEiQMI7mYVnScZmWPn24LLi570TqZ5R1i9WVhCrOIUTgBMYqOGpoZdxAnCCUMBupyjwdTQGVF97FvHwnbaHp2r0qdmEX8nFani85HKdpOC0UY/s320/jae.jpg" width="218" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Greater Meaning: </span><span style="font-size: medium;">As this episode focuses on Sun and the various ways she has kept the truth hidden in her life, we learn that she is actually quite skilled in looking after her own self-interests. She feared her father enough to allow a maid's dismissal over the glass ballerina lie; she feared both her father and Jin's reaction to the discovery of her affair with Jae yet went ahead with it anyway. Jae ends up being sacrificed just as the maid was. Sun does not suffer any personal consequences and is free to live her unhappy life but as long as she remains in Korea, she will still be under her father's thumb. The fact that she chooses not to save herself but supports Sayid in continuing the hunt for Sawyer, Kate, and Jack suggests that she sees them as more than just co-survivors, she cares enough to risk her life and safety to help them. The stand-off with Colleen is another example of how Sun is more capable than most people have credited; being away from her father has clearly produced some positive changes in her life.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">This is a small part of the episode, taking up only the last few minutes, but Ben's interest in Jack is specific and peculiar. All this effort to win Jack's trust is focused on letting him go home, but why? Jack will likely not leave without his friends, which Ben has doing manual labor with rocks, and Ben's discussion with Juliet and Colleen suggests that they do not want to be found by any of the other survivors. So why exactly are they keeping Jack if they have the ability to send him home? Similarly, why did Michael and Walt have to fight so hard to leave? <i>What are the others even doing?</i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGaFpc8niQipWtiWO7pJBp5t2kVtme7zdQoN84HRuykiG9qXDX-BOEpst6bqTaqHsEzSflshDaEfD1tWE77oeasNNSDROwa_nKIuJ4g9GARIJcB5mx1LV-TnpgJW3vZgf9FohhFDh-gI6VPbMgd27YMEO-ZuDMEx4zR8MPJ7La4yBpDoGDNoW0YwLRPh-F/s1031/sun.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="1031" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGaFpc8niQipWtiWO7pJBp5t2kVtme7zdQoN84HRuykiG9qXDX-BOEpst6bqTaqHsEzSflshDaEfD1tWE77oeasNNSDROwa_nKIuJ4g9GARIJcB5mx1LV-TnpgJW3vZgf9FohhFDh-gI6VPbMgd27YMEO-ZuDMEx4zR8MPJ7La4yBpDoGDNoW0YwLRPh-F/s320/sun.webp" width="320" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Further Questions: </b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">1. What is the beef between Juliet and Colleen? </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">2. What is the purpose of "the decoy village?" </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">3. Is it possible that Jae impregnated Sun before the crash?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">4. Will Ben let Jack off the island? </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">5. Is Ben obsessed with Juliet?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">6. Will Sun and Jin's marriage survive the island?</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130285617231447923.post-40848985225130934152023-06-26T22:24:00.022-06:002023-07-07T07:42:30.555-06:00Rewatching the Sopranos S1 E13 "I Dream of Jeanne Cusamano"<p><i>I am waiting (38 minutes so far) on the phone, on hold with SSA and decided to do what I always do when I'm bored, which is to read my old blogs. I haven't written anything recently because I've been drowning in school stuff, and when I'm not doing that I'm catching up on everyone else's needs that have gone neglected while I was doing school stuff. Summer has been slightly less demanding so I can read and watch tv again. </i></p><p><i>I spent 56 minutes on hold waiting to talk to these idiots for someone to tell me I can't make an appointment for what I need and have to WALK IN. </i></p><p><i>FML.</i></p><p><b style="font-size: x-large;"></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigfKziFSHFA8oIMKAjSJEpnb2u5GenbeoqzFOwTJfZverY2-S4retKo8IPn95tEYKQXaTmkmymEXiH7Ax7DpDQxZlAcdI8Jf79NuUQmtFRV89ZkWOiQ4OZztUhfHIpB52zkuzQXFaJSF7YU-VAx41MIGi5ifLp8zRBQM_Eq4Ue7-3whawRelp_Aj1PmjqG/s500/livia.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigfKziFSHFA8oIMKAjSJEpnb2u5GenbeoqzFOwTJfZverY2-S4retKo8IPn95tEYKQXaTmkmymEXiH7Ax7DpDQxZlAcdI8Jf79NuUQmtFRV89ZkWOiQ4OZztUhfHIpB52zkuzQXFaJSF7YU-VAx41MIGi5ifLp8zRBQM_Eq4Ue7-3whawRelp_Aj1PmjqG/s320/livia.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Family Events: </span></b><span style="font-size: medium;">Livia shows up at Tony's house not oriented in reality and yells at Meadow and a police officer. After she is transferred to the nursing unit at Green Grove for Alzheimer's care, she upsets visitor Artie Bucco by suggesting Tony was the one who set fire to the old Vesuvio. Artie shows up at Satriale's and threatens Tony with a rifle. Tony manages to talk him down; Artie responds by bashing his rifle apart and driving off.</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Tony goes to confront Livia at Green Grove where he is informed she has had a stroke. As Livia is wheeled away in a gurney she smiles as Tony threatens her. Tony takes the family to Vesuvio in the middle of a terrible storm and toasts them, telling them to remember the little moments that were good. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><p><span style="font-size: medium; font-weight: bold;">Mafia Events: </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFGwCmQ5lvog12nOsvxs5SXhV3ZQMG7ufc_baEhsQpy66FxSpropIdpSKHEfdcZOf-ZWdiBOizjwHijbiAWz4CBNnni5jCUDAIUQqPPrF6qmXy8ru67jPUiGckIOKUsoFCcEFC9G3Jy4W2_tqsljMfFFIRJ1uWXaZM2iDv163BNrR8_r_I25yMUDUC21A2/s1280/harris.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFGwCmQ5lvog12nOsvxs5SXhV3ZQMG7ufc_baEhsQpy66FxSpropIdpSKHEfdcZOf-ZWdiBOizjwHijbiAWz4CBNnni5jCUDAIUQqPPrF6qmXy8ru67jPUiGckIOKUsoFCcEFC9G3Jy4W2_tqsljMfFFIRJ1uWXaZM2iDv163BNrR8_r_I25yMUDUC21A2/s320/harris.jpg" width="320" /></a></span>Junior gives permission for Tony's crew to whack Jimmy; Christopher lures Jimmy to a hotel where Silvio kills him. His body is later recovered outside a dumpster with a rat stuffed in his mouth. Tony later meets with the feds where they play him recordings of Livia and Junior discussing Livia's anger at being forced to live at Green Grove, Tony's depression and psychiatric treatment, and Tony's crew using Green Grove for cover. Tony informs his crew that Junior and Mikey were the ones who arranged to have him killed. Tony kills Junior's assassin; Silvio helps him take care of the body. Paulie and Christopher come </span><span style="font-size: medium;">upon Mikey during his morning run, chase him through the forest, and kill him. Junior, Larry-Boy Barise, Joe Sasso, and 13 others get arrested for federal racketeering. Under examination with a federal agent, Junior refuses to cut a deal to save himself, scoffing at the idea that Tony is the actual boss of the family. </span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Tony comes clean to his crew about seeing a psychiatrist, Silvio and Paulie are supportive, Christopher appears confused and upset about it. Later Paulie admits to Silvio that he can't get past Tony choosing a woman psychiatrist.</span></p><p><span><b style="font-size: x-large;"></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><b style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_wL9N2-qM6baBkWF-r2Ygb2BhPIzBscRF9E3YPb-ZiokOnk_XclPs64Ws2XjDoI9NGVJFd5d23EWeaXFBvl14ywrMX7gB9eU-ir-IaRboOMBvKbL0ceEuz8-xCN1lQp6B8c_c6c8Bc4o-901ZP2EqnA3jTB7OEloevIh1BA73PIu7JrTAhrHLagbwh3dz/s960/melfi.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_wL9N2-qM6baBkWF-r2Ygb2BhPIzBscRF9E3YPb-ZiokOnk_XclPs64Ws2XjDoI9NGVJFd5d23EWeaXFBvl14ywrMX7gB9eU-ir-IaRboOMBvKbL0ceEuz8-xCN1lQp6B8c_c6c8Bc4o-901ZP2EqnA3jTB7OEloevIh1BA73PIu7JrTAhrHLagbwh3dz/s320/melfi.jpeg" width="320" /></a></b></span></div><span><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Mental Health Events: </span></b><span style="font-size: medium;">Melfi challenges Tony's reluctance to consider Livia's responsibility for the attack on his life, referencing the sudden memory loss and his subconscious creation of Isabella. Tony is incredulous."What are you saying, that my own mother tried to have me whacked for putting her in a nursing home?" Melfi explains that usually patients are encouraged to make their own breakthroughs in therapy, but that she is willing to help him through to some conclusions because his life is in danger. As Tony becomes increasingly physically agitated, Melfi goes on to suggest that Livia may have borderline personality disorder, reading diagnostic criteria from the DSM 4. Tony reacts by charging Melfi, flipping the glass top off the coffee table, shattering it, and threatening her. He shows up to his next session, admits Melfi was right about his mother, and tells her she needs to leave town. </span></span><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Religious Events:</span></b></p><p><b style="font-size: x-large;"></b><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxLMVMxLTI7lari1h--2q0FM2R187y6iorXFhlHmbQWMQFD1CfzSjPOOOVPVsR0P_RcdiR7xKqGMwLxijgF6o0l0J-ps3XUAAce-UwenliQtkhds3yM1RtkW6ItboyStgm2_OvX2A8pSzD9X-MBbhXrW6z85Hhy_UVLZ4PqKamaOA5oj2QZhN-ggrTKu7s/s532/rosalie.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="348" data-original-width="532" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxLMVMxLTI7lari1h--2q0FM2R187y6iorXFhlHmbQWMQFD1CfzSjPOOOVPVsR0P_RcdiR7xKqGMwLxijgF6o0l0J-ps3XUAAce-UwenliQtkhds3yM1RtkW6ItboyStgm2_OvX2A8pSzD9X-MBbhXrW6z85Hhy_UVLZ4PqKamaOA5oj2QZhN-ggrTKu7s/s320/rosalie.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Father Phil happens upon Carmela and Rosalie Aprile at Vesuvio; Carmela is disturbed to discover that Rosalie has given him Jackie's expensive watch. Later Carmela shows up at church with dinner for Father Phil and sees him eating with Rosalie so she dumps her own pasta into the garbage. Carmela is bothered by Father Phil's familiarity in showing up at her home and using her video store account, eventually confronting him for his hypocrisy when he questions Tony's faith and actions. Carmela suggests that instead of criticizing Tony, he look at his own manipulation. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Father Phil also seems to be making a play to encourage Artie Bucco to report Tony's possible involvement with the restaurant fire and appears to be disappointed when Artie declines to take his advice. </span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Significant Ideology</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQT6tS_OWHBZBzTJG2ME6C3vMkMMGiRYDFWIGQrT7rthOSWBU6ZFxG9nKAuipAKCyQTmqNE-FxOXdsHL-lMAA9QpkrKrQ3LZQTG93Xj4IM9br3r0mFZbUhIzv5Um7aIV_CrS1MrpKQtTP7FY3RVDgc-IBAlzjfUuWC1yheCp7bwuWe7B8pDwcrAxmAaDzg/s610/BPD.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="435" data-original-width="610" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQT6tS_OWHBZBzTJG2ME6C3vMkMMGiRYDFWIGQrT7rthOSWBU6ZFxG9nKAuipAKCyQTmqNE-FxOXdsHL-lMAA9QpkrKrQ3LZQTG93Xj4IM9br3r0mFZbUhIzv5Um7aIV_CrS1MrpKQtTP7FY3RVDgc-IBAlzjfUuWC1yheCp7bwuWe7B8pDwcrAxmAaDzg/s320/BPD.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">They took a little bit of a liberty in stretching out the borderline personality disorder (BPD) diagnostic criteria, probably to fit the version of Livia they'd already spent so much time laying out, but saying flat out that sufferers of BPD aren't able to form interpersonal relationships at all and that their internal phobias are all that matter to them is very negative and in many cases, off the mark. For Livia, (who Melfi is not treating so she has really no business diagnosing), these descriptions sound accurate, at least at first, but to qualify for BPD one needs at least five out of nine criteria, and Livia has formed and continues to form interpersonal relationships outside her immediate family, and her internal phobias (driving, being abandoned) aren't really phobias but relevant concerns as she recently had a car accident, injuring a friend, and was literally placed in a nursing home! If anything, Livia might qualify for histrionic personality disorder, dependent personality disorder, or maybe even an unspecified one before borderline, but whatever. She might not even be out of the ballpark for antisocial personality disorder, considering how easily she arranged her own son's assassination and her strange smile at Tony after her "stroke," but that's a kind of a reach. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Whatever diagnosis ends up fitting best, Livia's mental health continues to be an important factor in this story. That said, any practitioner should have been able to clearly read Tony's escalating body language and anxiety cues as these descriptions were applied to Livia, thus avoiding the table flip and physical threat. Tony's inability to consider this information cognitively (your mother arranged to have you killed and is now faking dementia to get out of it) and uncontrolled physical anger suggests that despite several months of therapy, he cannot process unpleasant information through his executive functioning, only by reacting with his body. Coupling this (Tony still has so much work to do) with the scene of him in Melfi's abandoned office after she has left is a very serious situation. He is literally in the dark without her.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Some of the most emotional moments in this episode come in reactions: </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Agent Harris's reaction to his boss dangling the tape of Livia and Junior in front of Tony---he knows what's on the recordings and he knows what hearing them will do to Tony . . . (suggesting Harris, while still committed to doing his job as a federal agent, has grown to like Tony, or at the least, empathizes with him learning his mother and uncle have conspired against him).</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrP7UszmNZdUegYKwW2GhA4UzADscRGphvqEdHZMdUDmsAuQL0OiErDV_BlrI0zNrcCKyKxOLw5ck41UNo6dwviMhmr3DSSZGqyaHDbzguUpvUO2MKa8v--a0GFFiZOI95V6EdBY8AJLFCCfk1jEo7klxIowlNLCfNg9ggP51e8CUg8mYqhpP1iop0w0X/s1211/carm.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="919" data-original-width="1211" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrP7UszmNZdUegYKwW2GhA4UzADscRGphvqEdHZMdUDmsAuQL0OiErDV_BlrI0zNrcCKyKxOLw5ck41UNo6dwviMhmr3DSSZGqyaHDbzguUpvUO2MKa8v--a0GFFiZOI95V6EdBY8AJLFCCfk1jEo7klxIowlNLCfNg9ggP51e8CUg8mYqhpP1iop0w0X/s320/carm.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />Tony's reaction to hearing what he hears on the tape, hurt, anger, then immediate regrouped control as he nods to the fed that he wants to hear more . . . He just finished losing control with Melfi and perhaps felt bad about it afterward but manages to keep his cool with the feds. In a way, Melfi's warning prepared Tony. Having that information prompt such a violent response with her proves that it bothered him, likely because he found it plausible, painful as it is. Melfi being a woman might be a factor; her proximity to Carmela and Livia or women in general would have been accepted as trustworthy---who knows an Italian woman better than another Italian woman?---but also perhaps emasculating. Tony can't escape the news Melfi gives him by any sort of strategic business or mafia means so he rages, physically and threatens her; when the feds confirm Melfi's theory, he has no choice but to play it cool and plan his retaliation, faced with the realization that Melfi saw it coming and was taking a risk in telling him the truth. His showing up at her office afterward suggests he might be looking for absolution.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Carmela's response to hearing the news about Livia: "I could kill her . . . with THESE HANDS!" and later, "This wasn't you. It was HER." Yet putting on a completely believable pleasant act when Livia and Junior come for dinner. Tony may be the one in therapy but Carmela seems to be learning a lot about boundaries (Father Phil), emotional regulation, and strategizing. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">When Tony explains to Carmela that cunnilingus and psychiatry brought them to this, he connected the issues with Junior and the mafia at large to what Silvio earlier said to the crew about needing therapy. "It'd be better to admit to ourselves that these are painful, stressful times." He looks around to see no one willing to agree with him and then says, "But it'll never fucking happen." These men are in a business that requires them to commit many unpleasant, upsetting acts but does not allow them to have or express feelings about their actions. Tony's case is unique among the crew: he seems to have made peace with the lifestyle but does not understand why his mother treats him as she does. </span></p><p><br /></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130285617231447923.post-36527685099824455722022-07-27T15:28:00.001-06:002022-07-27T15:28:29.721-06:00Rewatching the Sopranos S1 E12, Isabella<p><b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW7E8uD41KPUIgDa-jT4SkK6xP81flid4bler7gEnuREfDFWBgr1ugZdhfMl8wq2VrdCumC7eAeEIWSGdS0q9Byum-k1FBw0AilCm5kNbi2a7b8DFwW2nQ7qlgIGJi1NgdMXQGDQWf1fN6Pd4nmA_2pchTuCWOvpmjkklEHKbltmKMFg7U50JStPuWUQ/s1920/isabella.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW7E8uD41KPUIgDa-jT4SkK6xP81flid4bler7gEnuREfDFWBgr1ugZdhfMl8wq2VrdCumC7eAeEIWSGdS0q9Byum-k1FBw0AilCm5kNbi2a7b8DFwW2nQ7qlgIGJi1NgdMXQGDQWf1fN6Pd4nmA_2pchTuCWOvpmjkklEHKbltmKMFg7U50JStPuWUQ/s320/isabella.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></b></div><b><span style="font-size: large;">Family Events:</span></b> <span style="font-size: medium;">Tony is both worried and depressed about Pussy's apparent disappearance but brightens when he meets Cusamano's cousin Isabella, a dental student staying next door. After his therapy session he runs into Isabella and takes her to lunch. While chatting, Tony has a vision of her nursing an infant named Antonio. Livia comes to dinner that evening and scoffs at the idea that Tony is depressed but becomes upset when Tony refuses to stay for her insults. The next day Livia attends a film with Junior and insists what they've planned is justified given Tony's disturbing condition. Tony is attacked outside his vehicle, shot, and then crashes into a parked car. In the hospital, Carmela confronts Tony about the danger he's in but he refuses to acknowledge it. Livia and Junior show up to visit Tony after the shooting and Livia makes a comment suggesting she doesn't recognize Meadow. </span><span style="font-size: medium;">Junior confronts Livia about the botched hit and her sudden memory loss but she insists she doesn't understand.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Tony sees Cusamano and asks after Isabella; Dr. Cusamano knows nothing of her whatsoever. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinFVVJjwA4W4QE0XAvZx4TWqb81HIjOpoHkueoEO2O8hHTyoQQVJmJiOFpZB0HnoWgVn3LuXsqqWChD1CvQGIsjtdMDvY-1PRyVSP1tX7gRdE8mnwR0Q9pPxAVTlmhF6LRipUwRdXSW13gvIXDy3r9ysF4Wx6ISByoB9FbwTFszqsVGS_0zdpHsnzvHA/s853/tonyshit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="853" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinFVVJjwA4W4QE0XAvZx4TWqb81HIjOpoHkueoEO2O8hHTyoQQVJmJiOFpZB0HnoWgVn3LuXsqqWChD1CvQGIsjtdMDvY-1PRyVSP1tX7gRdE8mnwR0Q9pPxAVTlmhF6LRipUwRdXSW13gvIXDy3r9ysF4Wx6ISByoB9FbwTFszqsVGS_0zdpHsnzvHA/s320/tonyshit.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Mafia Events: </b></span><span style="font-size: medium;">At a funeral, Jimmy Altieri openly asks Junior about the hit on Brenden<br /> Filone; Mikey informs Junior that the hit on Tony is happening the next day. Christopher updates Tony on what's happening in the crew and is concerned about his depression so he follows him out. Just as the hit is about to go down, Christopher blocks the street and thwarts the attempt. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Mental Health Events: </b></span><span style="font-size: medium;">Melfi explains that the lithium she's prescribed is meant to kick start his system, but Tony says he feels dead. "I don't even know why I come here." Melfi suggests Tony consider a residential treatment program but Tony says he'd rather kill himself. Carmela brings Tony to Melfi's car for an impromptu therapy meeting where they discuss whose knowledge of Tony's treatment might be implicated in motivating the attempt on his life. Tony tears up when he tells Melfi about the vision he had of Isabella nursing the baby. Melfi explains this fantasy is about him, desiring the nurturing the baby was getting. Later when the lithium is revealed to be the source of Tony's fantasy of Isabella, Melfi draws further conclusions about the meaning of the hallucination.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Significant Ideology: </span><span style="font-size: medium;">Tony wants a nurturing mother so badly he hallucinated one. Funny how the momentary "escape" from his crippling depression was at the hands of just what he needs. The question of what Livia saw as the end game to this assassination still remains to be seen: either through her own skill or the help of the crew loyal to Tony Carmela would have eventually figured out Junior and Livia's involvement, did Livia think this would get her house back? Clearly Green Grove would have been out in the absence of Tony, it may have actually worked, if Carmela simply washed her hands of the entire business and someone (Junior) intervened to stop the sale of the house. However, Livia instead turns on Junior and plays up dementia instead, suggesting she is afraid of Tony's retaliation, knowing he'd likely figure out her role. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjubMFeSBl19TBngE7VRSIKo2PJ6SkpB6AFF9x9TAYGNjWTIR8IGyp-SjFT-CZSVeWyi3nmYcr9ulSeiL6-lkcAeB_IU31vKluFCwhh6eCM7DPpULHBekR9WnN2KWL-N7I5JMwaKtCLi-HM1bGwqKbffYwxImqTgneKXJMZqEXwamlbcZwfyvV8jgj7Nw/s400/crew.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="169" data-original-width="400" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjubMFeSBl19TBngE7VRSIKo2PJ6SkpB6AFF9x9TAYGNjWTIR8IGyp-SjFT-CZSVeWyi3nmYcr9ulSeiL6-lkcAeB_IU31vKluFCwhh6eCM7DPpULHBekR9WnN2KWL-N7I5JMwaKtCLi-HM1bGwqKbffYwxImqTgneKXJMZqEXwamlbcZwfyvV8jgj7Nw/s320/crew.webp" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">On some level, Tony has known his mother was troubled: ineffective as a parent and unable to provide love and nurturing, and victim to depression, anxiety, and possibly one of three personality disorders. Did he consider her to be capable of arranging to have him killed? From the beginning of the season he's tried many times to prove his love to Livia (with the exception of almond biscotti bringing a somewhat positive reaction) but fails to elicit anything close to love or even kindness back from her. What will he do about this?</span><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130285617231447923.post-72525200921252291802022-05-30T07:17:00.007-06:002023-07-21T19:12:00.416-06:00LOST: It Wasn't Purgatory, Season 3, Episode 1, A Tale of Two Cities <p><b><span style="font-size: large;">On-Island Events:</span></b> </p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKPh1fEG_1N5YCsHNMjtiL476D7ts628OO9x59ofQIegBjVLqTw68X-fIomSjR4iWv9gmOCw5WifE70HL0aEhmvwGfXA-92yIivgCEt-ELyj-9XhJrrP9AHA9U5Ey7_tP7jsQDMXv-pE-30TufaQYA1tkU14j1MvI1dursjPgNEEs1GzaxK00E0Z9EWg/s1260/uliet.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="710" data-original-width="1260" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKPh1fEG_1N5YCsHNMjtiL476D7ts628OO9x59ofQIegBjVLqTw68X-fIomSjR4iWv9gmOCw5WifE70HL0aEhmvwGfXA-92yIivgCEt-ELyj-9XhJrrP9AHA9U5Ey7_tP7jsQDMXv-pE-30TufaQYA1tkU14j1MvI1dursjPgNEEs1GzaxK00E0Z9EWg/s320/uliet.jpeg" width="320" /></a></b></span></div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Others:</b> </span><span style="font-size: medium;">A blond woman (Juliet) looks into the mirror and listens to Petula Clark's "Downtown," and cries; moments later during her book club group the house begins to shake. As she and her guests hurry outside they encounter "Henry Gale," dressed as they are in clean, contemporary clothing. They look up at the sky to see Oceanic 815 fly over and then break in two pieces. Goodwin and Ethan come running and are instructed to hurry to the respective landing places. After the two men depart, "Henry" looks down at Juliet's book and laments that he's out of the book club, ID-ing him as "Ben," the man another book clubber earlier stated who wouldn't read Juliet's pick, </span><i style="font-size: large;">Carrie</i><span style="font-size: medium;">, in the bathroom. </span></span><p></p><p><span><b><span style="font-size: large;">Survivors:</span></b><span style="font-size: medium;"> Jack, Kate, and Sawyer awaken in three different confined areas: Jack a dark glass enclosure, Kate a locker room, and Sawyer an outdoor cage across from a teenage boy. In his cage, Sawyer sees a red button and pushes it twice, but when he ignores the boy's advice not to push it a third time, gets electrocuted. </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;">The boy escapes from his cage and unlocks Sawyer's to let him out but Juliet shocks Sawyer. Later, Sawyer discovers a certain combination of button-pushing earns him a fish biscuit from a feeding slot in the cage. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc81l7w2daiOgj9qs6A5NJcBzitjFLJtZooxNX1zFa5qeDY3UFKQE9CS5Rn15NCMySUXbA6rR3s74K8jmTXSSIfu3--iwVb3cD1vYwz4RGHT2fKb5UOOwPe8ya0sbRIQHNJefzs5P5GpzEkOVV6Z_0VH0ustGF_pOcHxYy2ZzoHkGNe7Wc3dbjHCqqxg/s1260/breakfast.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="710" data-original-width="1260" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc81l7w2daiOgj9qs6A5NJcBzitjFLJtZooxNX1zFa5qeDY3UFKQE9CS5Rn15NCMySUXbA6rR3s74K8jmTXSSIfu3--iwVb3cD1vYwz4RGHT2fKb5UOOwPe8ya0sbRIQHNJefzs5P5GpzEkOVV6Z_0VH0ustGF_pOcHxYy2ZzoHkGNe7Wc3dbjHCqqxg/s320/breakfast.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Kate meets Ben, who provides a fancy breakfast on the beach and tells her the next two weeks will be very unpleasant. Later, Kate is returned to the cage adjacent to Sawyer's.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Jack meets Juliet as he's trying to dismantle the chains in his room; Jack thinks he hears Christian's voice through an intercom but Juliet insists it hasn't worked in years. Jack tells Juliet a series of lies about who he is and what he does but is honest about Christian's death. As Juliet delivers a tray of lunch for him, Jack charges her and insists she let him go. He ends up opening a door that floods the area. Juliet explains to Jack she is not part of the Dharma Initiative, but that he is being held in one of their stations (the Hydra), underwater. She reads to him from a file of information and knows everything about Jack. After Jack asks after his ex-wife, Sarah, and is told she is happy, Jack allows Juliet to bring him dinner. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Flashbacks:</b></span><span style="font-size: medium;"> Jack watches Sarah outside a school building conversing excitedly with another man, in the next scene they are meeting at a divorce hearing. Jack confronts Christian after he finds out his number is in Sarah's phone and later confronts him at an AA meeting. Jack is arrested; Sarah pays his bail after Christian, no longer sober, told her about the confrontation. Jack sees Sarah's new love interest and cries about what he has done to Christian.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitaolYVLDZ72kbFAaY5EZkrXWqooqNmxmETljcBW1ug8lOqyqtXbz-OVOq1LtvL1zrgTSJutkWThkKc7FpPyGG3SZwrjsfalTQge8og8bbT9anCdPQOQpd_v6WoRee_OvYKMOuIeaYTixG1y5sAidYLg2V1b_qpaICvmOjSQI607T_f4ITQeC2BcpYSg/s600/fishbis.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="447" data-original-width="600" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitaolYVLDZ72kbFAaY5EZkrXWqooqNmxmETljcBW1ug8lOqyqtXbz-OVOq1LtvL1zrgTSJutkWThkKc7FpPyGG3SZwrjsfalTQge8og8bbT9anCdPQOQpd_v6WoRee_OvYKMOuIeaYTixG1y5sAidYLg2V1b_qpaICvmOjSQI607T_f4ITQeC2BcpYSg/s320/fishbis.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Greater Meaning: </span><span style="font-size: medium;">Juliet is a new character, one that apparently works with Ben-formerly-Henry, does his bidding ("Good job, Juliet,") but selected a book Ben decidedly doesn't like for book club and is allowed to fend for herself when Jack opens the flood door. There seems to be a bit drama in this relationship, one wonders how and why. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Kate is the only survivor given a sit-down with Ben; her word choices of Sawyer first, Jack second are noticed twice. Chances are good she's more worried about Sawyer's fate as he had been seriously injured and just recently recovered, but possibly for deeper reasons. She admitted to Sawyer, unconscious, that she associates her feelings for him with her feelings for Wayne, her abusive father, and despite also having feelings for Jack, there seems to be a slight inferiority complex between them ("I'm sorry I'm not as good as you!") Sawyer and Kate are being held prisoner very close to each other; Jack is underground. Whatever Ben has planned, it seems Kate and Sawyer for whatever reason, need to be separated from Jack. <br /></span></p><p>The title of the episode, "A Tale of Two Cities," might refer to Jack being separated from the other two, or could also be a reference to Ben's people, who live in a functioning, upscale community on the island where the Oceanic 815 survivors have very different experiences and quality of life. </p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Further Questions: </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">1. Who is Ben? </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">2. Why is there drama between Ben and Juliet? </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">3. What will happen to Jack?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">4. Is Hugo okay on his own? </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">5. Will Sawyer and Kate escape? </span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130285617231447923.post-10281602624426351032022-05-26T08:59:00.006-06:002022-06-04T08:48:18.697-06:00Rewatching the Sopranos S1 E11 "Nobody Knows Anything" <p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Family Events:</span></b> Livia refuses to attend Carmela's open house party; Carmela comes to Green Grove and admonishes her for manipulating Tony. Livia refuses to acknowledge any wrongdoing and instead complains about being abandoned. When Tony asks Bonnie to inform Livia that her house has been sold Livia retaliates by suggesting to Junior that Tony has meetings at Green Grove to talk about him with his crew, effectively setting in motion the plot to have Tony killed. <br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCaBB_PeM_tryArW767xKMx5m2mSP_DKOJKBeaOv6Io1wLX5Wae3X52k4z2ACPTTroAAN_lEEivdeLzn4P-4uZKqA2w6gzsdVZOfmza57Tc6TJCfjzc_mESPy3PnPAHwNCBnfFyQAXXspzA7YuXMP5Cri66Zjd4t2k4gNFhbGD9Fdk7Iev_FqxCXOl0Q/s400/back.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="171" data-original-width="400" height="86" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCaBB_PeM_tryArW767xKMx5m2mSP_DKOJKBeaOv6Io1wLX5Wae3X52k4z2ACPTTroAAN_lEEivdeLzn4P-4uZKqA2w6gzsdVZOfmza57Tc6TJCfjzc_mESPy3PnPAHwNCBnfFyQAXXspzA7YuXMP5Cri66Zjd4t2k4gNFhbGD9Fdk7Iev_FqxCXOl0Q/w200-h86/back.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Mafia Events:</span></b> Pussy suffers an injury to his back and then gets arrested with Jimmie after fleeing an FBI bust at Jimmie's club. Junior criticizes Pussy for having run from the feds and for carrying too much cash. Makazian informs Tony that Pussy is "wired for sound" after being busted dealing heroin; Tony reacts poorly to this news but begins to entertain suspicions. Tony visits Pussy and listens to his concerns but immediately informs Paulie about the wiretap, saying he's "90% sure." Paulie offers to take care of Pussy but Tony insists that he actually see the wire before acting. Paulie surprises Pussy with a trip to the spa but Pussy refuses to get undressed and storms off. Silvio discovers that Makazian owes Pussy upwards of thirty thousand dollars. In the middle of afternoon traffic, Makazian pulls over after presumably being fired from his job as a detective and jumps off a bridge, killing himself. Jimmie gets released from prison and insists on getting Tony to talk about the Columbian money deal; Tony realizes Jimmie is the one who is working with the feds. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQsHeSDXe_cG1q5tmEi5atjxta-584YVQTpzF80S7zccSnmahDfQ8n8zDiy0NLlwpgqdqZDBmOlNIEDrxKu70wFtzho0CdCjP2g_fCDuzTrEybOo_G9tBQCwu-5WtuzH-9C3AJHaj1VWZ1FCA9OjCwoQWRdNiyAPJKoU5akgqO-rS-j5WgW1ZVwpPtBA/s1541/ridge.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="882" data-original-width="1541" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQsHeSDXe_cG1q5tmEi5atjxta-584YVQTpzF80S7zccSnmahDfQ8n8zDiy0NLlwpgqdqZDBmOlNIEDrxKu70wFtzho0CdCjP2g_fCDuzTrEybOo_G9tBQCwu-5WtuzH-9C3AJHaj1VWZ1FCA9OjCwoQWRdNiyAPJKoU5akgqO-rS-j5WgW1ZVwpPtBA/s320/ridge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Mental Health Events: </span></b>Tony admits he's worried about Pussy; Melfi tries to refocus Tony's attention<br /> on his own therapy but eventually suggests too much responsibility and secrets could be factors in someone's chronic back pain. In a passing comment to Bonnie, Tony mentions that Livia has always been "depressed." <p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Significant Ideology:</span></b> The strength of men is questioned: Jimmie and Pussy have charges serious enough to scare them into cooperating with FBI as neither of them feel strong enough to do jail or have the financial ability to stop earning. Makazian is not strong enough to handle his suspension after the raid on Debbie's place, or he's overcome by his sizeable gambling debt. Tony is the only one to put in motion what has to be done (re: Pussy) but he's very conflicted about doing it. Livia casually manipulates Junior into killing Tony with absolutely no remorse. Carmela understands both her husband and her mother in law and is the only one strong enough to confront Livia. </p><p>The consequences that threaten the men are immediate and physical, jail or death; the consequences of Livia's decisions change in this episode from chronic emotional manipulation to also immediate and physical. She is willing to have Tony killed for the simple act of selling her home, and not only that, this is her second attempt. Informing Junior about the psychiatry introduced the idea of killing Tony but did not bring about immediate action. Livia may have been content to just revert to her usual emotional manipulation (as she has seemingly come to tolerate living at Green Grove) as evidenced by her refusal to attend Carmela's open house, but the news of her house being sold was enough to push her over the edge. This time she makes it personal to Junior ("maybe it was you that they were talking about!") and she knows exactly what she's doing.</p><p><iframe frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://youtube.com/embed/BCa0mHmxvQ0" width="480"></iframe></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130285617231447923.post-88840184789292741422022-05-24T17:45:00.004-06:002023-07-21T19:14:06.148-06:00LOST: It Wasn't Purgatory, Thoughts on Season 2<p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Did everyone just forget about being rescued? </span></b></p><p>Bernard didn't of course, he tried to build an SOS signal out of rock but was quickly redirected by Rose's reveal in regard to the island's influence on her health. Claire and Aaron seemed to be nicely settled on the beach with a number of fellow survivors to watch out for them; Sun and Jin are preparing for the challenges of parenthood; Eko started to build a church! Jack and Locke, as always, are in different places, but the events of the second season reveal just how wrong they've both been, all along. </p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Jack versus Locke versus The Island versus The Others</span></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUJsbjecF1vYpJfs8Z-2IyEReCNFhKbj5kHwIjKwmZGc3Js5o_6esSk-C7gniSHc5nj4NPyXweA4OANaBay8QX3mUIBKbF_lPjJM_neUCAxwrvz4KHlfpcRYCmHrcFaww3VWwcNWb4Rl9ngOV49ouQno71Hs03iMZGJFWsBTf4WASLK8neQz9v_eWiA/s700/LockevJack.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="479" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUJsbjecF1vYpJfs8Z-2IyEReCNFhKbj5kHwIjKwmZGc3Js5o_6esSk-C7gniSHc5nj4NPyXweA4OANaBay8QX3mUIBKbF_lPjJM_neUCAxwrvz4KHlfpcRYCmHrcFaww3VWwcNWb4Rl9ngOV49ouQno71Hs03iMZGJFWsBTf4WASLK8neQz9v_eWiA/s320/LockevJack.jpeg" width="219" /></a></div>As Jack is busy doctoring and leading, making decisions for the group, he doesn't often get the chance to actually see the island for what it is (which can't really be defined, anyway), and this is not the case with Locke. Because he's been personally affected in a way that leaves no room for interpretation --- before island: paralyzed, after island: able to walk --- Locke is prepared for the island's mysterious abilities, and seeks them out, even. Of course Locke has never had any interest in being rescued, like Rose, he can appreciate the gift the island has bestowed upon him, but the island doesn't just let him off easy simply because he believes in it, either. Locke is put to the test in this season, being made to earn his gift, earn his knowledge, and his faith in the island. He initially believes that pushing the button inside the hatch was important, but after finding the underground question mark hatch (Pearl Station) he questions everything he's done since landing on the island. <p></p><p>Locke was invested in the Henry Gale situation, first by colluding with Sayid to interrogate him, then after the lockdown when Henry helped him, and again when Henry claimed the reason he got captured was that he was coming for Locke, "one of the good ones." Whatever Henry's intentions, he seems to be just as invested in Locke, if only for reasons of manipulation or playing him against Jack. After Sayid, Charlie, and Ana Lucia discover the truth about the balloon, it's clear that Henry has been lying about everything, which is further confirmed when Michael kills Ana Lucia and Libby in order to free him. After Jack, Sawyer, Kate, and Hugo are kidnapped, Henry is in charge of it.</p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Tail Section, Henry's Pretenders, The DI</span></b></p><p>Early in the season after the thwarted raft launch, Jin meets who he believes to be the others but who are really just survivors from the tail section. Henry's others are revealed to be the group who abducted Claire to the medical station (where Kate found the fake beard and other costumes) and later took Walt off the raft. Why did they take Walt in the first place, and why did they put Jack, Kate, Sawyer, and Hugo on the list to be taken only to release Hugo from the dock? After Michael asks who they are, Henry replies that they are the "good guys," but Henry's manipulation of Locke, physical assault on Ana Lucia, abduction of children and pack of lies in general seem to indicate the opposite. <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZZnumXx43DDEuasm6Cp0107YvPRs3H0QlY4M_MY5hD2xo7mlRdO3JRJwSlJVZkpuMJjGuEwtP4pO6OgToXw8yc-30NwqIM7QZgZiKmPkTjQ0uCIfPUNgmypCT92AAP2L6P9tPV8wVzLEtcjUq30xjbqREcGGIk97LVTYFeHHeHgIBb067upb3GEB5rA/s1280/swan.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZZnumXx43DDEuasm6Cp0107YvPRs3H0QlY4M_MY5hD2xo7mlRdO3JRJwSlJVZkpuMJjGuEwtP4pO6OgToXw8yc-30NwqIM7QZgZiKmPkTjQ0uCIfPUNgmypCT92AAP2L6P9tPV8wVzLEtcjUq30xjbqREcGGIk97LVTYFeHHeHgIBb067upb3GEB5rA/s320/swan.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>The Dharma Initiative is yet another division of "others," and though Desmond was trained by Inman and not a member himself, he and the orientation videos are the only link we have to this group. The completeness of the Swan Station (kitchen, bathroom, exercise equipment, and food stores) seems an amazing bit of good fortune to just be existing on its own in the middle of the jungle, especially considering the style of the others' clothing and the low quality of the huts where Walt was kept. Henry didn't seem ravenously hungry when they brought him to the hatch and his clothing was traditional for a middle-aged man, confirming as Kate suggested that they were "acting." Why are they taking such trouble to convince the survivors that they live so simply? The discovery of the tail-section at the Arrow station, Claire's stay at the medical station, and the strangeness of Pearl station (notebooks that go no where and a screen showing the man with the eye patch) imply a strong presence throughout the island. <p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Magic?</span></b></p><p>Shannon saw Walt twice after the raft departed; after the others took him, Ms. Klugh asked Michael if Walt had ever appeared somewhere he wasn't supposed to be. Was this phenomenon the island's work or Walt's? During the first season, John Locke took a special interest in Walt, and Michael's relationship with his son though strained at first, became more stable with Locke's help. Brian, Walt's stepfather, claimed there was something "different" about him, but what? If there has always been this special element to Walt, the island seems to have intensified it. It makes sense to assume that the others take all children that come to the island (Rousseau's daughter Alex, Emma and Zach from the tail section, Aaron, in attempting to induce his birth, and now Walt) but did they know about Walt's specialness or was it discovered during the tests they made him do? As far as we know, Walt is the only child that has this magical quality about him. </p><p><iframe frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://youtube.com/embed/rCYfIyQF5bI" style="background-image: url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/rCYfIyQF5bI/hqdefault.jpg);" width="480"></iframe></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.televisionlady.com/2021/05/lost-it-wasnt-purgatory-season-2.html" target="_blank">Live Together, Die Alone, part 2</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.televisionlady.com/2021/04/lost-it-wasnt-purgatory-season-2_30.html" target="_blank">Live Together, Die Alone, part 1</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.televisionlady.com/2021/04/lost-it-wasnt-purgatory-season-2_29.html" target="_blank">Three Minutes</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.televisionlady.com/2021/04/lost-it-wasnt-purgatory-season-2_27.html" target="_blank">?</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.televisionlady.com/2021/04/lost-it-wasnt-purgatory-season-2_23.html" target="_blank">Two for the Road</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.televisionlady.com/2021/04/lost-it-wasnt-purgatory-season-2_21.html" target="_blank">S.O.S.</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.televisionlady.com/2021/04/lost-it-wasnt-purgatory-season-2_18.html" target="_blank">Dave</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.televisionlady.com/2021/04/lost-it-wasnt-purgatory-season-2_15.html" target="_blank">Lockdown</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.televisionlady.com/2021/04/lost-it-wasnt-purgatory-season-2_6.html" target="_blank">The Whole Truth</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.televisionlady.com/2021/04/lost-it-wasnt-purgatory-season-2_3.html" target="_blank">Maternity Leave</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.televisionlady.com/2021/04/lost-it-wasnt-purgatory-season-2.html" target="_blank">One of Them</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.televisionlady.com/2021/03/lost-it-wasnt-purgatory-season-2.html" target="_blank">The Long Con</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.televisionlady.com/2021/02/lost-it-wasnt-purgatory-season-two.html" target="_blank">Fire + Water</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.televisionlady.com/2020/11/lost-it-wasnt-purgatory-season-2.html" target="_blank">The Hunting Party</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.televisionlady.com/2020/10/lost-it-wasnt-purgatory-season-2_29.html" target="_blank">The Twenty-Third Psalm</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.televisionlady.com/2020/10/lost-it-wasnt-purgatory-season-2.html" target="_blank">What Kate Did</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.televisionlady.com/2020/06/lost-it-wasnt-purgatory-season-2-episode.html" target="_blank">Collision</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.televisionlady.com/2020/06/lost-it-wasnt-purgatory-season-2_10.html" target="_blank">The Other 48 Days</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.televisionlady.com/2020/06/lost-it-wasnt-purgatory-season-2_7.html" target="_blank">Abandoned</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.televisionlady.com/2020/06/lost-it-wasnt-purgatory-season-2.html" target="_blank">. . . and Found</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.televisionlady.com/2020/05/lost-it-wasnt-purgatory-season-2_28.html" target="_blank">Everybody Hates Hugo</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.televisionlady.com/2020/05/lost-it-wasnt-purgatory-season-2_25.html" target="_blank">Orientation</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.televisionlady.com/2020/05/lost-it-wasnt-purgatory-season-2_18.html" target="_blank">Adrift </a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.televisionlady.com/2020/05/lost-it-wasnt-purgatory-season-2.html" target="_blank">Man of Science, Man of Faith </a></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130285617231447923.post-61665984410248894472021-08-31T19:48:00.275-06:002022-05-23T08:58:04.138-06:00Rewatching The Sopranos S1 E10 "A Hit is a Hit"<p><b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7PjbGQR0xBA8iV56aMXGCjhsa9ReciBfFKhWV-YISifxOjQ3Hn4UaVSEoBWURBTgWx3uZGN6css_AncaAuWytrVMaAVsgS8gAr-hAc_wQUJiUjEExQEUixsePY1RKvlgPOw6eBK-t8lJRLSRa0Rq5PQLcgt9TdSYszX2k9Sj7xwaHbF7Q8kYmjHrklg/s752/chrisade.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="423" data-original-width="752" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7PjbGQR0xBA8iV56aMXGCjhsa9ReciBfFKhWV-YISifxOjQ3Hn4UaVSEoBWURBTgWx3uZGN6css_AncaAuWytrVMaAVsgS8gAr-hAc_wQUJiUjEExQEUixsePY1RKvlgPOw6eBK-t8lJRLSRa0Rq5PQLcgt9TdSYszX2k9Sj7xwaHbF7Q8kYmjHrklg/w400-h225/chrisade.jpeg" width="400" /></a></span></b></div><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br />Family Events</span></b>: <span style="font-size: medium;">After gifting Dr. Cusamano a box of illegal Cuban cigars to thank him for his referral to Melfi, </span><span style="font-size: medium;">Tony attempts to branch out and socialize with some of the wealthy neighborhood families (who he coins, "the mayonnaises up the street"). Carmela worries about money. After Meadow eavesdrops on Carmela purchasing stocks, Carmela suggests that women should maintain individuality. After Tony realizes that Cusamano and his wealthy friends are using him as a token criminal association, Tony begins playing up fictional performances to mess with them. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Mafia Events: </span><span style="font-size: medium;">Pussy, Chris, and Paulie kill a young drug dealer in New York and bring home tons of his cash, which Tony wants to invest in stocks, legally. </span><span style="font-size: medium;">After Chris makes a racist scene in a restaurant, he and Adriana get invited to a party with rapper Massive Genius, where he explains he wants royalties from Hesh. Christopher arranges a meeting with Hesh; Adriana toys with the idea of becoming a music manager and introduces Massive to some musician friends. Hesh refuses to consider paying anything. After several struggles, Adriana's new band Visiting Day records a demo for Massive G, which he likes. Suspecting Massive has his eye on Adriana, Chris takes the demo to Hesh, who says the music is terrible. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis7VjIpARZ10blCPm4rG3mBZwjmzexWn755S3mr_UIb4smH8AhvrU1-_ZZFkS7I2jL6i35c5xBvXCHW4-P4nGPXuS5hw3CXTuEjn-cl2ci--C-cv7rMWezB4gi8GVrrsFTCadLhjnXoR_LzFw-3d6sW91hx7AWHd7tmc1YUu2Xj6N6Z4ATcI26FHVaAg/s1284/maassive.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="856" data-original-width="1284" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis7VjIpARZ10blCPm4rG3mBZwjmzexWn755S3mr_UIb4smH8AhvrU1-_ZZFkS7I2jL6i35c5xBvXCHW4-P4nGPXuS5hw3CXTuEjn-cl2ci--C-cv7rMWezB4gi8GVrrsFTCadLhjnXoR_LzFw-3d6sW91hx7AWHd7tmc1YUu2Xj6N6Z4ATcI26FHVaAg/w400-h266/maassive.webp" width="400" /></a></div><b><span style="font-size: large;">Mental Health Events:</span></b> <span style="font-size: medium;">Melfi has dinner with the Cusamanos and a few others and becomes uncomfortable when the group begins to discuss the Mafia, going as far as to defend Carmela's Murano glass after Jean dismisses it. Later in the bathroom, Melfi looks out the window toward the Soprano house and hears a loud groan. In therapy, </span><span style="font-size: medium;">Tony admits he's bored by his neighbors, but after golfing with them realizes they made him into a spectacle. Tony shares a story about Jimmy from the old neighborhood, a kid with a cleft palate who was bullied by. the crew, and admits to Melfi that Cusamano and his group made him feel like Jimmy.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Significant Ideology: </span><span style="font-size: medium;">The importance of each group's cultural identity can be considered both superficially and in greater depth. On the surface, the episode deals with three cultures at odds with each other: Hesh, who is Jewish and is connected to both the early music industry and the Mafia, refuses to pay royalties he owes; Massive Genius, who is African American and a successful producer himself, is open to business with Adriana but seeks justice from Hesh over exploited music vocals; Christopher and Tony are proximally involved through their protection of Adriana and Hesh. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">There are many cultural stereotypes tossed around by each group, Christopher and Hesh use racist language toward Massive Genius, Massive Genius suggests certain exploitative and legally related behaviors are common to Jewish people, and the upper class, professional Italians look down on the Sopranos and anyone in organized crime. But Cusamano's comment about the similarities between the mob and legitimate businessmen is important, not because they are the same in the way that he thinks, but because the white American businessman has largely been able to achieve without "whacking someone." Surely crimes are committed in business, but they're not judged in the way the Mafia's, gangster rap culture, or to lesser extent, Hesh's crimes are judged. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0OVZ4RVHQ_bswhcgZkLOx7HmjT6DYquL93JPMVLYR5rq3MXw9HqXSuO9oeyIORKTfvM2xZWZUqQROOfna3VziqnOYvHl8e8izOFNVlTaD7RkUA4wpWUgGKs89U_fobhvjK9GxfVoIJwKqcWYHoXaEU4QfSydZmEqEdXJVx7Os7xzxT7WrczuBm6qs2A/s1129/melfi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1129" data-original-width="840" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0OVZ4RVHQ_bswhcgZkLOx7HmjT6DYquL93JPMVLYR5rq3MXw9HqXSuO9oeyIORKTfvM2xZWZUqQROOfna3VziqnOYvHl8e8izOFNVlTaD7RkUA4wpWUgGKs89U_fobhvjK9GxfVoIJwKqcWYHoXaEU4QfSydZmEqEdXJVx7Os7xzxT7WrczuBm6qs2A/s320/melfi.jpg" width="238" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">When Tony discusses his "Medigan" neighbors with Melfi, she tries to clarify, "you don't consider yourself white?" Tony says he does, but that he's not white the way Cusamano is white. It seems like this episode is about ethnicity, and it is, but it's about economic class even more. Hesh had to exploit someone else's talent passed off as his own in order to succeed in the music business; Tony, born into his father's Mafia wanted a good life which was only attainable through criminal means, and Massive Genius used his violent experiences to create art, which then became marketable. All three cultures were denied access to the legitimate American dream, because of their social and economic classes. Adriana is dangled before us as someone who has the potential to successfully cross cultures in a legitimate way, but in the end Christopher and Massive Genius reduce her to a sexual thing, ignoring her enthusiasm and ambition to succeed in the music business, which is easily and commonly done to women in lower economic classes. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Tony's financial worth and beautiful house may rival Cusamano's, but despite being literal next-door neighbors, he is still kept out of the upper class Italians' spaces (Ivy League, stock trading, the golf club). This is likely going to become an issue for the Soprano children, especially Meadow.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Italian Language:</span></b> </p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Paisan = ("Talk about Paisan Pride, go Jovi! ") fellow Italian American</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Medigan = American</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Salcicc' = Italian sausage made of fresh pork and scraps of pancetta and pork neck</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Que coso, ragazzo? = what's the thing, boy? (Adriana asks Chris when he's being distant).</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Tony wraps a secret package for Cusamano with Carmela's help: </span></p><p><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/aYKbYm-fIHE" width="480"></iframe></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130285617231447923.post-8008385519420131182021-08-30T19:10:00.002-06:002023-07-21T19:15:01.082-06:00Rewatching The Sopranos S1 E9 "Boca"<p><b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OQzfFxM9Llw/YS2AqDegMgI/AAAAAAAAO_Q/lHNRLv_qfuMZLq8oyehR-86BWe64QYofwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/boca.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OQzfFxM9Llw/YS2AqDegMgI/AAAAAAAAO_Q/lHNRLv_qfuMZLq8oyehR-86BWe64QYofwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/boca.png" width="320" /></a></span></b></div><b><span style="font-size: large;">Family Events:</span></b> <span style="font-size: medium;">Livia again brings up Tony's seeing a psychiatrist with Junior, referring to Tony as, "my son, the mental patient." Tony and Carmela attend Meadow's soccer game and are inspired by the team's coach, Don Hauser. After the girls get together in the park, Meadow finds her friend Ally just after she's cut her own wrist. Tony soon finds out the coach has taken a position in New England; Silvio and Artie pay Hauser a visit to implore him to stay. Meadow becomes increasingly hostile toward Hauser and soccer in general; she admits Ally has been having an affair with the coach. </span><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Mafia Events:</span></b> <span style="font-size: medium;">Junior hides out from any possible indictments in his lawyer's office but decides to vacation to Boca Raton with his girlfriend, Roberta San Fillipo. In Boca, Bobbi speaks candidly with Junior about his oral abilities but Junior doesn't want anyone to know he does it out of fear of appearing weak. Tony's crew delivers a big screen to the coach and he becomes hostile, stating he refuses to be threatened or bribed. Later one of Carmela's friends hears Bobbi's manicurist speaking with her about the topic Junior wanted to avoid and soon everyone knows. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Mikey, acting on suspicions that Tony is informing the feds, has Tony followed. During a golf game with Junior, Tony is angered by a comment from Junior and begins ridiculing him armed with the new information about Bobbi; Junior retorts with a comment about psychiatry. In the locker room after the golf game, Junior floats the idea of having Tony "clipped" to Mikey. Artie begs Tony not to harm Hauser; Tony explodes at Artie for his audacity but decides not to act in the end.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dVXnT4flMUQ/YS2Avy-6XTI/AAAAAAAAO_U/KmyQGHOAd1AstPhNZAKAI_OjEF-3dS2ugCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/bobbi.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="207" data-original-width="400" height="166" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dVXnT4flMUQ/YS2Avy-6XTI/AAAAAAAAO_U/KmyQGHOAd1AstPhNZAKAI_OjEF-3dS2ugCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/bobbi.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Junior angrily confronts Bobbi about her inability to keep his secret, smashes a pie into her face (a nod to Cagney and the grapefruit), and fires her from the job he gave her.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Mental Health Events: </span></b><span style="font-size: medium;">Tony discusses Ali's suicide attempt with Melfi and apologizes for his outburst the week before. When Tony shares his frustrations over the situation with Ally and the coach, Melfi demands to know why Tony thinks he needs to deal with it, himself. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Significant Ideology: </span><span style="font-size: medium;">The actions of Coach Hauser are serious and require serious attention, both in the fictional world for the characters as they navigate such disturbing abuse and for the viewers, who are equally shocked and upset by these events. The writing of this episode seems to rely on this shock value to take focus off some of the more confusing points ---the coach randomly takes a job in New England and is leaving an entire year in advance, before the season ends? He loves Ally but won't leave his wife? Meadow plays soccer now, not volleyball and hangs out with Heather Dante, Ally, and Deena, the coach's daughter but not Hunter? Melfi kind of blowing Tony's legitimate second-hand trauma over Ally's suicide attempt (which she'd before done in the past, not connected with the Coach affair)? For a serious topic such as suicide, it all seemed kind of thrown together. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The problem with Junior has more depth. Carmela's light (ambiguous) teasing of Junior arouses only Tony's suspicion and in the end is harmless until she tells Tony what she knows. Tony may have kept his own teasing under the radar on the golf course but because Junior insulted him first, for making too much noise when Mikey was teeing off (and then suggesting Tony failed to make a play as a high school athlete because he was talking then, too), Tony, who becomes angry and can't keep himself from retaliating, goes full throttle into cunnilingus-inspired mockery of Junior. Tony responds to being hurt by Junior by humiliating Junior in return; Junior responds to the humiliation by escalating what was until then knowledge he was willing to live with (Tony seeing a psychiatrist) to the suggestion of full on war. Junior brings Mikey up to speed in the locker room, knowing that Mikey has no choice but to support him:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Mikey: "Are you thinking of having him clipped?" </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Junior: "No one would slap my wrist if I did . . . " </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Things are about to get violent, all because these men cannot be seen to lose macho in the eyes of their peers (I give my lady oral) OR to be honest about their true feelings (what you just said was really hurtful). </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Italian Language: </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">lecca fica = what Junior doesn't want to admit he does for Bobbi</span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Tony and Junior: the fighting words begin</span></b></p><p><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/KI-4f--Hlrs" width="480"></iframe></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130285617231447923.post-58444652619104299352021-08-26T15:49:00.010-06:002023-07-21T19:16:17.442-06:00Rewatching The Sopranos S1 E8 "The Legend of Tennessee Moltisanti"<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3m67arqByro/YSgLkv3-WyI/AAAAAAAAO-k/URjHBO_5gDU5Wl1bKb4-mkpwe3FLpilXwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1777/chris.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="999" data-original-width="1777" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3m67arqByro/YSgLkv3-WyI/AAAAAAAAO-k/URjHBO_5gDU5Wl1bKb4-mkpwe3FLpilXwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/chris.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><b><span style="font-size: large;">Family Events:</span></b> <span style="font-size: medium;">Carmela takes Livia out so Tony can hide contraband in her room at Green Grove. When the FBI shows up at the house, they find nothing. Livia tells Junior that Tony has been seeing a psychiatrist. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Mafia Events: </b></span><span style="font-size: medium;">Christopher dreams of Emil Kolar, the man he killed at Satriale's Deli just before federal indictments get handed out after the wedding of a family friend. Tony and Carmela clear money and guns out of a secret hiding space in the ceiling vent. Christopher works on his screenplay but is dismayed when he's not mentioned on a news update about the indictments. He snaps and shoots a bakery employee in the foot, admits to Paulie that Emil is haunting him in his dreams, and he digs up Emil's corpse with Georgie. Tony reprimands Chris for his actions but learns that Chris might be dealing with his own depression. Chris is later overjoyed to see his name finally mentioned in the New Jersey Star-Ledger. </span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Mental Health Events:</span></b> <span style="font-size: medium;">Tony explains that he might disappear for a while and for Melfi not to worry. Later when Tony returns, Melfi angers him by charging him for the session he missed during the FBI issues. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HVy0CXdyWkA/YSgLy5Nkv-I/AAAAAAAAO-o/fY9lNVrtkWETQ9yJgeFGMrq_pMbZwHeDwCLcBGAsYHQ/s313/fbi.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="235" data-original-width="313" height="235" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HVy0CXdyWkA/YSgLy5Nkv-I/AAAAAAAAO-o/fY9lNVrtkWETQ9yJgeFGMrq_pMbZwHeDwCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/fbi.jpeg" width="313" /></a></div><b><span style="font-size: large;">Significant Ideology: </span></b><span style="font-size: medium;">Livia sat on the psychiatrist information for one episode before taking it to Junior, but she waited for chaos to begin first. Her actions lately suggest she's become accustomed to Green Grove, might even be enjoying it there, but for her to tattle on Tony to Junior is an act of war---punishment to Tony. Stone cold. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Chris thinks life is like a movie, and that his life as a wiseguy should follow <i>Goodfellas</i>. Writing a screenplay is a challenge for seasoned writers, let alone people who have little grasp on grammar or spelling. Paulie does little to ease Chris's frustrations with how real life really is in the gangster world ("I was born, spent a few years in the army, a few more in the can, now this,"), and then in the car to Tony, Chris laments the "regularness of life." Reality has its lulls; Tony knows this and now Chris does, too.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Italian Language: </span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Coma stai = How are you?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">manugia l'american = (unknown, said by Adriana to Chris in regard to his misspelling of the word "managed").</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">strunz = (from stronzo, worthless)</span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Tony and Carmela gather the goods to stash:</span></b></p><p><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/SjkNflLh0ps" width="480"></iframe></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130285617231447923.post-45819425821149653322021-08-24T20:28:00.002-06:002021-08-24T20:28:20.944-06:00Rewatching The Sopranos S1 E7 "Down Neck" <p><b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_KMLJXU0tpU/YSWpa83fepI/AAAAAAAAO9o/13w3BfPNeQEdiUU-HCNK46Wr8E5Co8SVgCLcBGAsYHQ/s720/add.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="416" data-original-width="720" height="185" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_KMLJXU0tpU/YSWpa83fepI/AAAAAAAAO9o/13w3BfPNeQEdiUU-HCNK46Wr8E5Co8SVgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/add.png" width="320" /></a></span></b></div><b><span style="font-size: large;">Family Events:</span></b> <span style="font-size: medium;">AJ gets busted drinking communion wine at school and gets suspended. A school psychologist wants to test AJ for ADD. During his suspension AJ visits Livia at Green Grove and lets slip the fact that Tony sees a psychiatrist. Eventually AJ asks Tony about being in the mafia but Tony deflects. AJ is determined to be a borderline case of ADD; Tony doesn't agree. </span><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Mafia Events:</span></b> <span style="font-size: medium;">Tony asks Pussy about his children's knowledge of the business, Pussy admits they knew but loved him anyway. Chris steals watches from a FedEx truck; Tony scolds him for it.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Mental Health Events:</span></b> <span style="font-size: medium;">Tony admits to Melfi has a girlfriend but can't turn off his feelings for her. He asks her about AJ's ADD diagnosis but Melfi wants to direct his attention to his feelings about his own father. Tony has several flashbacks about his father, first beating a man who owed him money with Junior, and of him taking his sister Janice to a carnival. Tony remembers his father getting arrested at this carnival and realizing his father wasn't like other fathers, also two specific incidents of Livia threatening him (with a meat fork and pillow).</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Kpb_aA6xtSY/YSWphptM89I/AAAAAAAAO9s/FAHqGcUwMf81KYa-9AduCRrGS3TudMtoACLcBGAsYHQ/s920/johnny.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="920" height="163" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Kpb_aA6xtSY/YSWphptM89I/AAAAAAAAO9s/FAHqGcUwMf81KYa-9AduCRrGS3TudMtoACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/johnny.jpeg" width="320" /><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></a></span></div><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Significant Ideology:</span></b> <span style="font-size: medium;">Jefferson Airplane is used to introduce Tony's memories of his father in the late sixties and again at the end of the episode to show Tony's love for AJ as he makes sundaes for them. Tony admits to Melfi he doesn't want AJ to be like him, despite having not really harbored any negative feelings for his own gangster father. How will AJ fare as a Soprano? He also has a gangster father (and knows it now) but he also has a good relationship with his mother, unlike Tony. If the show is taking the position that Livia did more to screw up her son's mental health than the entire North Jersey mafia, it's one hell of a reveal. </span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Italian Language: </span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">ubatz = crazy </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">caporegime = captain, ranking member</span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">AJ spills the beans:</span></b></p><p><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/wC-6Rrjmjes" width="480"></iframe></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130285617231447923.post-63749652961637909662021-08-24T16:15:00.007-06:002023-07-21T19:16:50.811-06:00Rewatching The Sopranos S1 E6 "Pax Soprana"<p><span style="font-size: large;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9o-2903sLgE/YSVvDidtJ2I/AAAAAAAAO8w/CXzbBnXF8WUAFkfZRkgcJYD-9UDdo3nJgCLcBGAsYHQ/s740/carm.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="740" height="160" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9o-2903sLgE/YSVvDidtJ2I/AAAAAAAAO8w/CXzbBnXF8WUAFkfZRkgcJYD-9UDdo3nJgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/carm.jpeg" width="320" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Family Events:</b></span> <span style="font-size: medium;">Livia seems happier at Green Grove, but when Junior comes for a visit she implies that Junior should receive monetary benefits from Tony's relationship with Hesh. Carmela tries to voice her frustration with Tony's not being sexually interested in her any longer, later she buys furniture to soothe herself. Carmela discusses her jealousy of Melfi with Father Phil, who tells her she's not blameless. Tony apologizes to Carmela and she admits she wants to be the woman who helps him.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Mafia Events: </b></span><span style="font-size: medium;">Junior makes changes down the ranks: strong-arming a card game, taxing Hesh, and seeking a drug dealer who sold deadly stuff to a colleague's grandson. Tony meets with New York's Johnny Sack about how to handle Junior and the two cook up a scheme to get him to come down on the tax amount. Mikey murders Rusty Irish, the drug dealer in question, by throwing him off a bridge, and the captains discuss how to handle Junior's recklessness. Tony persuades Junior to distribute Hesh's tax among the top five captains; Tony returns his share to Hesh.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WKeDIxaGNC4/YSVvWv59vwI/AAAAAAAAO84/jPN45rmJBZUPH0p1lTnEXec_4O0thLyhgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/salut.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1378" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WKeDIxaGNC4/YSVvWv59vwI/AAAAAAAAO84/jPN45rmJBZUPH0p1lTnEXec_4O0thLyhgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/salut.jpg" width="215" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Mental Health Events:</b> </span><span style="font-size: medium;">Tony continues to have Makazian spy on Dr. Melfi. In<br /> session, Melfi suggests Tony's choice of her (female, Italian) as a doctor might indicate his desire, through "coming clean" with her, to dialog with Livia, Carmela, and Meadow. Tony informs Melfi he has been experiencing a decreased libido from the prozac but keeps having sexual dreams about her. In the next session, Tony lies about events that happened with Irina and after complimenting Melfi, tries to kiss her. Melfi suggests they need to talk further about this event but Tony refuses. Later Melfi discovers someone has had ailing starter on her car replaced. Tony admits to fixing the car, and then tells Melfi he loves her. Melfi tries to explain that he's feeling this way because the therapy has progressed well.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Significant Ideology:</b></span> <span style="font-size: medium;">Tony seeks a relative peace (Pax Soprana) within his both of his families---with Carmela over his lies and therapeutic relationship with Melfi and with Junior, over his need to make a splash as he takes the reins as new boss. In both cases, Tony is dishonest and manipulative, to Carmela, whom he professes to love but devotes all his energies to pursuing Melfi, and to Junior, behind whose back Tony schemes with Johnny Sack, Hesh, and the captains of his own crew in order to establish control. Funny how despite this need for control, Tony accepts Melfi's rebuff and continues therapy. While being told "no" might not be something Tony is used to, he takes it from her and then later paraphrases her words to Carmela ("what you think you're feeling, you're not feeling, and what you're not feeling is your real agenda,"). Tony seems to respect her enough to realize on some level that Melfi is right. This power differential is both unlike and exactly like one he's already experienced, he just isn't able to see it yet.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2GLMqXC_cWU/YSVvb1JOdyI/AAAAAAAAO88/1OVh8__ycyoraLmwhWgpRIG-TYd67IjZQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1000/melffi.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="654" data-original-width="1000" height="209" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2GLMqXC_cWU/YSVvb1JOdyI/AAAAAAAAO88/1OVh8__ycyoraLmwhWgpRIG-TYd67IjZQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/melffi.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />Melfi has been right about a lot of things so far, but her being an Italian woman does create an interesting dynamic in how Tony views the therapy and himself, given how much he personally needs a strong, compassionate person in his life. This powerful transference of Tony's needs onto Melfi could make for an explosively dangerous situation down the line if not addressed, but Melfi addresses it almost immediately. Tony has likely encountered men who have had more power and control in his life, but Melfi is teaching him how his mother (and her own mental illness) has colored his perceptions in his family and business life, and why this matters at all: </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">1. What do your mother, your wife, and your daughter all have in common?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">2. It's not appropriate to bring me gifts.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">3. You've made me all of the things that are missing in your wife and in your mother.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The panic attacks were just the beginning.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Italian Language: </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Morte = dead </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Putan' = prostitute (Livia to Junior, "What are you wearing? You smell like a French putan'")</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">che brutta = how ugly (Livia, "I'm going to the dining room to get away from the che brutta activities lady,")</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Capisce = he understands</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">mezzo morte = half dead (Junior to Tony, "You been walking around mezzo morte all week!")</span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Livia accepts biscotti ONLY IF THEY ARE ALMOND: </span></b></p><p><iframe frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://youtube.com/embed/xZMCHEKcw8w" style="background-image: url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/xZMCHEKcw8w/hqdefault.jpg);" width="480"></iframe></p><p><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@televisionlady/video/7000102414967770374?lang=en&is_copy_url=0&is_from_webapp=v1&sender_device=pc&sender_web_id=7000122072782308870" target="_blank">Junior gets a new card</a><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130285617231447923.post-54206390533047966882021-08-23T20:16:00.004-06:002021-08-23T20:16:46.623-06:00Rewatching The Sopranos, S1 E5, "College"<p><b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dCLkzzgZ2rM/YSRWS7da1DI/AAAAAAAAO74/iyyJQym8l58TfM1wLLaf9XXS5xfpo2VzgCLcBGAsYHQ/s620/car.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="349" data-original-width="620" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dCLkzzgZ2rM/YSRWS7da1DI/AAAAAAAAO74/iyyJQym8l58TfM1wLLaf9XXS5xfpo2VzgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/car.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></b></div><b><span style="font-size: large;">Family Events:</span></b> <span style="font-size: medium;">Tony drives Meadow to Maine for college visits while a sick Carmela entertains Father Phil. Meadow asks Tony directly if he's in the mafia. Dr. Melfi calls to reschedule a therapy appointment and Carmela learns she is a woman. Carmela and Father Phil eat leftover ziti, have a conversation about religion, and decide to watch a film together. Carmela becomes distraught during the film and Father Phil offers to hear her confession. Carmela admits she has lived in sin for years, knowing Tony's misdeeds and illegal acts, and takes communion from Father Phil in her living room. The two nearly kiss each other but suddenly Father Phil becomes ill and rushes to the bathroom to vomit. The next morning Father Phil admits he has desire for Carmela in his heart. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">After Tony picks Meadow up from Colby College, she senses Tony is hiding something and pleads with him to be honest about where he was but he puts her off. When he gets home Carmela informs him that Father Phil spent the night and he scoffs; she also informs him she knows who Jennifer Melfi is. </span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Mafia Events: </span></b><span style="font-size: medium;">While in Maine, Tony recognizes a man he thinks is Febby Petrulio, a colleague-turned-informant. Tony asks Chris to look into the man's license plate and discovers the man has been going by the name "Fred Peters." Through a local phone book, Tony finds Fred's travel agency but by this time Fred has also been tracking Tony and Meadow. Chris offers to take care of Fred for Tony but Tony insists he handle it himself. The next day, Tony surprises Fred at the travel agency and strangles him to death.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iztBhl42I7Y/YSRWXzu5PwI/AAAAAAAAO78/CH2f5CBqrosynAaBO6nRywI1VGKSQA-ugCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/choke.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="249" data-original-width="400" height="199" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iztBhl42I7Y/YSRWXzu5PwI/AAAAAAAAO78/CH2f5CBqrosynAaBO6nRywI1VGKSQA-ugCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/choke.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Significant Ideology: </span><span style="font-size: medium;">Tony comes clean to Meadow, kinda, and that's a big deal by itself, but the bigger picture here is that Meadow is not only smart enough to have figured it out on her own but has the bravery to ask him about it point blank. This makes her different than Carmela, who knows some, but not all, of what goes on in Tony's work life, and who, even while confessing to Father Phil, is vague about the "horrible acts" she believes her husband has committed. Carmela chose a life of organized crime by marrying Tony; Meadow and AJ did not, and through Tony and Meadow's conversation about how Tony came into the life he chose, it seems like Meadow empathizes with Tony but judges Carmela. </span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Italian Language:</span></b> </p><p>Ugatz = shit/nothing valuable (Chris mutters this on the pay phone with Tony)</p><p>Pisha-do = toilet</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130285617231447923.post-37594116963391253632021-08-23T16:37:00.005-06:002023-07-21T19:17:57.321-06:00Rewatching The Sopranos S1 E4 Meadowlands<p><b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2I3e23fbtPE/YSQiuLqhPqI/AAAAAAAAO7o/xssZhMsFE2Aro-9tAMOXI7e6rnuH6kkwQCLcBGAsYHQ/s741/meadow.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="416" data-original-width="741" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2I3e23fbtPE/YSQiuLqhPqI/AAAAAAAAO7o/xssZhMsFE2Aro-9tAMOXI7e6rnuH6kkwQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/meadow.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></b></div><b><span style="font-size: large;">Family Events:</span></b> <span style="font-size: medium;">Anthony fights in school, Carmela presses for more details. Tony brings Livia macaroons from her favorite bakery but she reacts very negatively despite initially being pleased. Tony meets with Lieutenant Vin Makazian, a detective he hires to check on Melfi. Makazian ends up assaulting Melfi's date on a traffic stop. AJ demands money from Jeremy, the kid he fought with, and the two again scuffle and make plans to fight after school. Instead of fighting, Jeremy pays AJ the money owed for the shirt and exits. AJ speaks with Meadow about why Jeremy was scared to fight him and Meadow explains what Tony does for a living.</span><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Mafia Events:</span> </b><span style="font-size: medium;">Christopher gets released from the hospital and finds Brendan dead in his apartment. Tony has a near miss with Silvio in the hall at the medical office. The crew visits a declining Jackie, and Chris plans to seek revenge on Mikey for killing Brendan. Tony prevents Chris from acting but assaults Mikey with a staple gun and confronts Junior himself. Junior refuses to cooperate and sends Tony away. The council of captains discusses how best to deal with the situation with Junior and want Tony promoted to acting boss while Jackie is sick. Chris assaults an employee after Junior's crew took his cut of drug money while he was in the hospital. At the Bing, the crew gets news that Jackie Apriel has died, and Chris shares the news that Junior is moving in on their turf. Tony confronts Junior again and surprises him in offering him Jackie's position as boss. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6AOjySohv24/YSQi0W7mrpI/AAAAAAAAO7s/ptlchcdDAwAzMuGi1VOxJAA6iPBYITCjwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/jr.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6AOjySohv24/YSQi0W7mrpI/AAAAAAAAO7s/ptlchcdDAwAzMuGi1VOxJAA6iPBYITCjwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h225/jr.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Mental Health Events:</b></span> <span style="font-size: medium;">Tony dreams of seeing all his friends in the therapy waiting room; when Melfi turns around, in her chair is Livia in disguise. After a mild panic attack, Tony receives Xanax from Melfi to get him through the stressful week. When Tony tells Melfi about his frustrations in dealing with Junior and Livia, she suggests Tony give them illusion of still being in control, to handle them like children. Melfi admits to Tony she's upset by the assault on her date.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Significant Ideology:</span></b> <span style="font-size: medium;">Roles change in this episode: AJ, the only remaining family member ignorant of Tony's true occupation, learns the truth and like everyone else becomes an accomplice to it. Tony becomes acting boss of not only Junior but presumably Livia as well (though we have yet to see how this plays out) after Melfi's suggestion and book recommendation. Even before this though, Tony had unique insight into his business dealings that Junior and Chris lack, neither being fathers. Junior is angry at the perceived disrespect Chris has shown toward him but also at Tony's refusal to hand out punishment. Chris expects immediate action and retaliation for Junior's murder of Brendan (which Mikey goaded Junior into committing by playing up the disrespect factor) and twice has to be restrained from acting impulsively. In the first case, Tony acts himself, taking the staple gun to Mikey, and in the second case, having just heard the news about Jackie's passing, Tony admonishes Chris and bullies him physically into standing down so he can approach Junior with the plotted offer of boss. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Tony has also learned to pick his battles with Livia, which lessens her power over him. "You could be happy here, if you wanted to," he tells her before leaving with the macaroons she rejected. It's almost as if since having his panic attacks under control he's able to think two steps ahead of everyone else's actions instead of simply reacting with aggression. Despite this, his need for control remains, evident in his need to know intimate details about Dr. Melfi and in employing Makazian to spy on her.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Italian Language: </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Cialtrone = rascal/scoundrel (Junior tells Tony, "You crazy cialtrone, you had me worried, there.")</span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Jackie Apriel's Funeral:</span></b></p><p><iframe frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://youtube.com/embed/yN5rW6H9IHM" width="480"></iframe></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130285617231447923.post-80915424191709017782021-08-22T20:04:00.005-06:002023-07-21T19:18:16.676-06:00Rewatching The Sopranos S1 E3 "Denial, Anger, Acceptance" <p><b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TAHZ9JXRVwE/YSL_3jZPrqI/AAAAAAAAO7I/m0orWMx47T8afhQNlyZqF2_feblViSyVwCLcBGAsYHQ/s465/maine.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="305" data-original-width="465" height="210" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TAHZ9JXRVwE/YSL_3jZPrqI/AAAAAAAAO7I/m0orWMx47T8afhQNlyZqF2_feblViSyVwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/maine.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></b></div><b><span style="font-size: large;">Family Events:</span></b> <span style="font-size: medium;">Meadow feels the stress of studying for SATs; Tony and Carmela visit Artie and Charmaine Bucco in their new house. To help the Buccos, Carmela hires them to cater a pediatric hospital fundraiser at the house. Charmaine is receptive to the honest work until Carmela gestures to her as she had done earlier with her housekeeper. As they box up the effects after the party, Charmaine admits to Carmela that she slept with Tony back in high school and that she's fine with her life decisions. Meadow asks Christopher and Brendan to score her some crystal to help study for exams, which he does. Tony joins Carmela for Meadow's choir concert and is moved to tears by his daughter's singing.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">At Green Grove Junior floats the idea of punishing Christopher to Livia but is surprised to hear Livia profess her love for Chris ("he put up my storm windows for me one year,"). Suggesting that Chris could rather use a talking-to but shrugging an implication of something more severe for Brendan, sly Livia colludes with Junior to hurt Tony. Junior arranges to have Christopher roughed up by Russians but sends his own man, Mikey Palmice to shoot Brendan. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Mafia Events</b>:</span> <span style="font-size: medium;">Chris and Brendan return the jacked truck to Comley; Junior is not placated. Tony and the crew visit boss Jackie Apriel in the hospital and discuss getting involved with Teittleman, a Hasidic Jew, who wants a divorce for his daughter. Tony gifts Jackie an escort and booze in his hospital room while Paulie and Silvio assault Teittleman's son-in-law, Ariel. After Ariel finally agrees to give them what they want, Teittleman tries to get out of paying Tony the agreed-upon sum. Tony tries to relay the drama to Jackie back in the hospital, but Jackie is preoccupied with his temperature.<br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BcbWS2H17xE/YSMABVQ6q9I/AAAAAAAAO7M/CpMIAfkX-OM2HXATx_EiO2PlTAM8upP_gCLcBGAsYHQ/s721/romans.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="289" data-original-width="721" height="160" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BcbWS2H17xE/YSMABVQ6q9I/AAAAAAAAO7M/CpMIAfkX-OM2HXATx_EiO2PlTAM8upP_gCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h160/romans.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Mental Health Events</b>: </span><span style="font-size: medium;">Tony accuses Melfi of hanging a depressing painting of a barn outside her office to trick him but then admits he's worried about his friend Jackie, who has cancer. Later Tony asks Melfi for her medical thoughts on Jackie's cancer but becomes immediately defensive when she tells him her honest opinion and stomps out, again mentioning the painting of the barn. Later with his Russian mistress, Irina, Tony asks her what a poolside painting above her bed means to her. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Tony eventually comes clean with Melfi about mourning Jackie but insists he's not afraid to die for a reason.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Significant Ideology</span></b>: <span style="font-size: medium;">Faced with the devotion of the Hasid, Tony comes to terms with the fact that some deaths have more meaning than others. He realizes Jackie's death is imminent and will be a cancer casualty, and will not reflect the strength of the man he once was. Tony references Jackie's appearance and formerly harsh attitude as if to reinforce that the gangster inside Jackie still exists and brings him a Bada Bing employee to enjoy (Jackie may be sick but he can still bang). The full masculine power of the mafia is in focus during this episode, so it's no surprise that the final threat to Ariel is to remove his manhood, what could possibly be worse than that?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q9H8a8IK7ps/YSMANZaGUNI/AAAAAAAAO7U/rrOAL9C2CpcuX86uixEJUh-CFzEF4Hw1gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/meadwo.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q9H8a8IK7ps/YSMANZaGUNI/AAAAAAAAO7U/rrOAL9C2CpcuX86uixEJUh-CFzEF4Hw1gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/meadwo.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">However, Tony seems to be learning in therapy. After Melfi explains how the ducks and the barn painting "took on another meaning" for him because of his inner feelings, Tony asks Irina what she thinks of her painting. Teittleman calls him a golem, a Frankenstein, but Tony all but sheds tears for Jackie in Melfi's office and also during Meadow's choir concert. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Italian Language</b></span>: </p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Statti zit = shut up </span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130285617231447923.post-37574516502108395682021-08-22T14:47:00.004-06:002023-07-21T19:18:59.595-06:00Rewatching The Sopranos S1 E2, "46 Long"<p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UqgAq6UQBA0/YSKvN7KYkjI/AAAAAAAAO54/xZj6QEcGQ1waGIMNJn4CoS9zBrCsuGgQgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1024/46livia.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UqgAq6UQBA0/YSKvN7KYkjI/AAAAAAAAO54/xZj6QEcGQ1waGIMNJn4CoS9zBrCsuGgQgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/46livia.jpeg" width="320" /></b></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Family Events</b>:</span> <span style="font-size: medium;">AJ's teacher's Saturn is stolen, Carmela suggests Tony help find the car. When Tony calls Livia to check in on her she neglects a pan of mushrooms on the stove and starts her kitchen on fire. After the fire department leaves the house, Carmela tries to reason with Livia, suggesting she get someone in to help her, but Livia refuses. Eventually Perrilyn, a Trinidadian housekeeper, is hired to help but Livia sabotages the relationship almost immediately. Later Livia accidentally injures herself and a friend with her vehicle and Tony insists she live at Green Grove Retirement Community. When clearing out his mother's house, Tony becomes emotional over old pictures of Livia smiling.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Mafia Events</b>: </span><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hHPdxPbr61k/YSKvY--G_RI/AAAAAAAAO58/9YYg30uy6Q4idjHt90Iy1WNEOH3N-fZQgCLcBGAsYHQ/s313/46chris.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="235" data-original-width="313" height="235" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hHPdxPbr61k/YSKvY--G_RI/AAAAAAAAO58/9YYg30uy6Q4idjHt90Iy1WNEOH3N-fZQgCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/46chris.jpeg" width="313" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">As Tony and the gang count money they watch a former wiseguy turned informant discuss the overall decline of organized crime. Unwillingness to do hard time for drug charges is what has brought the mafia down, the man explains. Later, Christopher and friend Brendan Filone hijack a semi full of DVD players and distribute the goods to the crew. The truck belongs Comley, one of Junior's legitimate business partnerships, and after a sit down between Tony, Junior, and boss Jackie Apriel, the two are made to pay restitution to Junior. Feeling unappreciated and ignored, Chris and Brendan plan to jack another Comley truck in defiance, this one full of Italian suits, but Chris backs out at the last minute. Tony and the crew keep some of the suits but chastise Chris for not stopping Brendan.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dYYuwxjvqIo/YSKvvagyiYI/AAAAAAAAO6E/dBNqh1bkXF0Criyj5KjPwfy6mB8D44e5QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1360/46liviaphoto.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1360" height="181" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dYYuwxjvqIo/YSKvvagyiYI/AAAAAAAAO6E/dBNqh1bkXF0Criyj5KjPwfy6mB8D44e5QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/46liviaphoto.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Mental Health Events</b>: </span><span style="font-size: medium;">Tony speaks with Dr. Melfi about his guilt over Livia's living situation; Melfi tries to gently draw attention to Livia's parental shortcomings but Tony becomes defensive. Tony later relays his near panic attack during the cleaning out of Livia's house and Melfi points out that he's made progress in having awareness of his sadness but that he needs to acknowledge his anger before it seeps out to other outlets. Tony scoffs at this idea but then randomly beats Bada Bing bouncer Georgie for not being able to manage the telephone.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Significant Ideology</b>: </span><span style="font-size: medium;">It's interesting that this episode begins with a mafia informer telling the audience that long prison time (hard consequences of criminal acts) led to the demise of organized crime as the crew looks on in agreement while counting piles of cash, presumably earned from the same actions described, still ongoing within the business. They acknowledge the truth but refuse to make changes that may help them avoid the very outcome being discussed. They don't listen. Or if they do listen and understand it doesn't matter because they don't change their behavior. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The same thing happens with Chris and the Comley trucks. He listens, nods, agrees, but does little to show Tony he understands the problem in his rogue act and what it means for the organization, not to mention Tony's relationship with Junior. When Melfi tries to make Tony aware of the anger he's stifling, he listens to a point but then stomps out of the office, unwilling to admit she's right. He is so angry about his mother's treatment of him that he releases physical violence on an innocent colleague. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Tony and crew have shown they have the ability to think critically about topics such as cloning or cultural appropriation (ala Starbucks), they also have advanced capacity for strategy: the Mahaffey scam, playing Chris and Brendon's misdeed for an ultimate financial/material gain, obtaining the science teacher's stolen car for leverage with AJ's grade, and so on. The fact that a hard warning waved in their faces does not deter the actions of any of these men suggests a very primitive way of thinking and behaving. Are they defiant (if you try to tell me what to do I'll do the exact opposite) or simply impulsively selfish (I want this thing so badly and so immediately that I cannot think logically and must have immediate gratification in getting it)? </span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Italian Language</b>: </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Indifendibile = indefensible (Paulie shouts this or something like it to the tv)</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Chiaccherone = chatty (Paulie refers to the informant on tv)</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">pastin = "pastina" or little pasta (Carmela offers to make Livia some pastin to get something in her stomach after the mushroom fire incident)</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">O trippa di zia = or aunt's tripe (Pussy laments this after going through the paperwork at the body shop after having been away for six months).</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Marone = Madonna or Madon, used similarly to 'dammit.' (Paulie laments this in frustration at the many options at what is meant to be Starbucks). </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Puzzi = stink (Paulie explains Americans ate "puzzi" before Italian cuisine became available). </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Fiori = flowers</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">(il tempo e la pazienza) cambiano la foglia di gelso in seta = Time and patience change the mulberry leaf to silk (Bonnie DiCaprio at Green Grove says this to Livia). </span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130285617231447923.post-86245320912328703512021-08-21T15:25:00.003-06:002023-07-21T19:19:22.157-06:00Rewatching The Sopranos, S1 E1 "Pilot" <p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AESqTrXZ59Q/YSFsCQs3D4I/AAAAAAAAO44/C9Dd8hkX8IgDZoJUgLEbUrwWEcW2nW1OgCLcBGAsYHQ/s620/pilotducks.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="348" data-original-width="620" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AESqTrXZ59Q/YSFsCQs3D4I/AAAAAAAAO44/C9Dd8hkX8IgDZoJUgLEbUrwWEcW2nW1OgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/pilotducks.jpeg" width="320" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Family Events:</b></span> <span style="font-size: medium;">Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) has a lot going on in his life.</span> <span style="font-size: medium;">Son Anthony, Junior (Robert Iler) turns thirteen, daughter Meadow (Jamie Lynn Siegler) rebels against wife Carmela (Edie Falco). Mother Livia (Nancy Marchand) resists the idea of assisted living and is generally unpleasant. Tony cheats on Carmela; Uncle Junior (Dominic Chianese) resents Tony's being in charge. Tony admits being in therapy to Carmela but does not disclose the fact that his therapist, Dr. Melfi (Lorraine Bracco) is a woman.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Mafia Events:</b></span> <span style="font-size: medium;">Mahaffey is assaulted by Tony's nephew Christopher Moltisanti (Michael Imperioli) and Tony for defaulting on gambling debts, Christopher shows initiative by executing the son of one of Tony's waste management rivals. Hesh (Jerry Adler), a former colleague of Tony's father, helps Tony with a plan to extract the money owed by Mahaffey. Silvio Dante (Stevie van Zandt) informs Tony that Junior plans to kill rival Pussy Malanga inside childhood friend Artie Bucco's restaurant; Tony tries to get Artie (John Ventimiglia) to leave town but ends up destroying the restaurant in an explosion. Christopher feels unappreciated in his work and mentions writing a screenplay.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-edtItCYzjtE/YSFsSM2IGhI/AAAAAAAAO48/OrE2Nrw5d8snONPog_VgM2vui1oGmNiTQCLcBGAsYHQ/s469/pilotchris.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="264" data-original-width="469" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-edtItCYzjtE/YSFsSM2IGhI/AAAAAAAAO48/OrE2Nrw5d8snONPog_VgM2vui1oGmNiTQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/pilotchris.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Mental Health Events: </span></b><span style="font-size: medium;">Tony meets Dr. Jennifer Melfi for therapy after panic attacks, storms out of first session when asked if he felt depressed. Returns for second session after collapsing at Green Grove Retirement Community with mother Livia. Tony describes mixed feelings about family of ducks in his pool. Melfi prescribes Prozac, which Tony takes. Tony skips a therapy appointment, begins to feel better, and assumes he won't need to return; Melfi suggests that talking about his thoughts and feelings is what is helping. Tony becomes tearful in a discussion over the ducks and realizes he is afraid of losing his family.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AQXDzscO670/YSFsf-0OA0I/AAAAAAAAO5E/l2L5zk9n4qAsF-fCJNZftE6GEJ-FoL6PwCLcBGAsYHQ/s350/pilottony.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="350" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AQXDzscO670/YSFsf-0OA0I/AAAAAAAAO5E/l2L5zk9n4qAsF-fCJNZftE6GEJ-FoL6PwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/pilottony.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Significant Ideology:</span></b> <span style="font-size: medium;">Tony's infidelities are referenced and later shown; he is a powerful, desirable man who has significant appetites in both women and lifestyle. His house is enormous, he dines in fancy restaurants, he plays golf. Yet the first thing he mentions to Dr. Melfi is that despite having "reached the heights," he still feels unsatisfied. Why? He's the boss, he's in charge, he has a family that loves him, what is the reason for his unhappiness? Spoiler alert: IT'S PROBABLY HIS MOTHER, but could it also have been his having bought into the the capitalist myth that money buys happiness? Material excess and extravagant lifestyle are indeed popular glamours of the mafia genre, the mob boss synonymous with unrestricted wealth and greed, but always at a price. Mafia films were once regulated by the Hays code (you could make a film about a criminal but he had to meet a violent end, because morals), so we're used to seeing consequences of negative or violent actions be realized, but what consequences can we expect in Anthony Soprano's story? Will therapy help, or is he better off not knowing what's at the heart of his anxiety and depression?</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Italian Language:</b></span><b style="font-size: x-large;"> </b></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oE321pSCU5U/YSFs6rw8ZKI/AAAAAAAAO5M/QA21ChletuIWHKTIx9MKxCC8gtFu4ZqYgCLcBGAsYHQ/s255/flag.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="170" data-original-width="255" height="133" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oE321pSCU5U/YSFs6rw8ZKI/AAAAAAAAO5M/QA21ChletuIWHKTIx9MKxCC8gtFu4ZqYgCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h133/flag.png" width="200" /></span></a></b></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Sfogliatelle </span>= Italian dessert pastry ("Hey girls, you want some of last night's sfogliatelle?").</p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Se dici </span>= "If you say," (Junior yells this or something like it to Tony after he tells him not to get Anthony Junior anything big for his birthday).</p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Goomara</span> = Mafia mistress. ("Well, havin' that goomara on the side helps," Carmela responds when Tony states that no marriage is perfect). </p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">vaffancul' </span>= vaffanculo = F--- You ("Then it's dysfunction this, and dysfunction that, and dysfunction VAFFANCUL'!" Tony, to Dr. Melfi, describing Gary Cooper getting in touch with his feelings). </p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Stugots</span> = sto cazzo = personal possessive of male sex organ (Tony's boat is named "Stugots").</p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Buenosera </span>= Good Evening (in restaurant).</p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">da queste parte</span> = around here (in restaurant).</p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Agita</span> = shake ("I'm all agita all the time!" Junior, in solidarity with Livia's being very upset about the state of the world). </p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Meet Livia: </span></p><p><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/o45oIge8RzY" width="480"></iframe></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130285617231447923.post-84782310055579141112021-08-21T14:01:00.000-06:002021-08-21T14:01:23.362-06:00Rewatching The Sopranos, opening credits<p>Tony Soprano drives from New York to his home in New Jersey in his SUV smoking a cigar.</p><p><i>Woke Up This Morning</i> by Alabama 3</p><p>"Woke up this mornin' Got yourself a gun</p><p>Your mama always said you'd be the chosen one</p><p>She said "you're one in a million, you got to burn to shine"</p><p>But you were born under a bad sign with a blue moon in your eyes</p><p>And you woke up this mornin' All that love had gone</p><p>Your papa never told you about right and wrong</p><p>Hey but you're, but you're looking good, baby</p><p>I believe that you're a-feelin' fine Shame about it</p><p>Born under a bad sign with a blue moon in your eyes</p><p>Woke up this morning, got a blue moon in your eyes (woke up this morning)</p><p>I see ya, you woke up this mornin' The world turned upside down</p><p>Lord above, things ain't been the same Since the blues walked into town</p><p>Hey but you're, but you're, one in a million 'Cause you got that shotgun shine</p><p>Shame about it Born under a bad sign with a blue moon in your eyes</p><p>Woke up this morning and got yourself a gun, got yourself a gun</p><p>Got yourself a gun"</p><p><br /></p><p><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/mJpNmYeooQE" width="480"></iframe></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130285617231447923.post-62287160320641809922021-05-04T10:47:00.009-06:002022-05-23T09:01:18.475-06:00LOST: It Wasn't Purgatory, Season 2, Episode 24, Live Together, Die Alone part 2<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IvRJd16Ia8E/YJF4Yfwk50I/AAAAAAAAOCk/O7wZbp-BtzIFy9El5lxr3QA_Pt4kH3ejwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1260/dock.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="710" data-original-width="1260" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IvRJd16Ia8E/YJF4Yfwk50I/AAAAAAAAOCk/O7wZbp-BtzIFy9El5lxr3QA_Pt4kH3ejwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/dock.jpeg" width="320" /></a></b></div><b>On-Island Events</b>: Charlie brings Eko the hidden dynamite, which Eko brings to the hatch. Eko pleads with Locke to let him into the computer room; Locke refuses and Desmond assures him the blast doors are strong enough to withstand a dynamite blast. Eko eventually lights the fuse but the blast doors do not open. Desmond talks with Locke about his beliefs; Locke tells Desmond about the night he found the hatch in the jungle just after Boone's death. In explaining what he found in the Pearl Station, Locke inadvertently causes Desmond to reevaluate his position on not pushing the button. Desmond looks through the sheets of entered numbers printed out from the Pearl Station and determines that one of his late entries resulting in a "system failure" warning may have also caused Oceanic Flight 815 to crash.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Oq7cH9Zpu40/YJF4y5BpgbI/AAAAAAAAOCw/d8e50wppOHQCrg7TDX_OLy6Ef4-lRVBZQCLcBGAsYHQ/s960/failsafe.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="960" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Oq7cH9Zpu40/YJF4y5BpgbI/AAAAAAAAOCw/d8e50wppOHQCrg7TDX_OLy6Ef4-lRVBZQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/failsafe.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>Desmond demands that the button be pushed; Locke seizes the computer and throws it on the floor, ruining it. Desmond opens the blast doors, finds Inman's key and attempts to execute the failsafe procedure as the numbers count down. Desmond tells Locke his pounding outside the hatch after Boone's death saved his life so that Desmond could save Locke's. The numbers count down to zero, the hieroglyphics seen before in red and black flip down, and the metal objects inside the hatch begin flying toward the hatch walls. Eko helps move Charlie out of the hatch but refuses to leave without Locke, who is terrified but admits he was wrong. Desmond, remembering the words of Penelope's letter, flips the key inside the Dharma octagonal<br />switchpiece marked "System Termination." <p></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Jack, Hugo, Kate, Sawyer, and Michael see Sayid's smoke signal a few miles inland and begin to argue about where Michael has been leading them but are taken down by tranquilizer darts and transported to a dock near the shore. The bearded man appears with several others; Kate tells him she knows his beard is fake and he removes it. "Henry" pulls up to the dock in a boat, and just as he begins to talk to Michael, a loud buzzing occurs and the sky becomes purple. "Henry" explains Michael can take the boat following a compass bearing of 325 and he will be able to find rescue with his son. He adds that once Michael leaves, he'll never be able to get back to the island. Michael finds Walt inside the boat, the two embrace and depart. Miss Klugh tells Hugo to return to camp and to tell the rest of the survivors they can never come to this area. Hugo asks about his friends; "Henry" announces they are coming home with them. As the others put a cloth bag over Sawyer's face Kate looks worriedly at Jack, who tries to smile back at her. <p></p><p><b>Flashbacks</b>: Desmond watches Inman augment the map on the blast door, which he explains was started by a man named Radzinsky. When Desmond asks what became of Radzinsky, Inman shows him a mark on the ceiling, a stain from Radzinsky's suicide. Desmond begs Inman to allow him out of the hatch, stating he's been locked inside for two years, but Inman refuses. Later, Desmond finds Inman drunk, hiding a Dharma Initiative key which he says is a "failsafe," which fits into an octagonal switchpiece. He further explains that pushing the button releases a buildup of electromagnetic energy that has been leaking out of the area under the hatch, which is why someone always needs to be there, "saving the world."</p><p>The next day Desmond follows Inman outside back to his sailboat, which Inman has been secretly repairing. The two struggle and Desmond accidentally kills Inman. Desperate and suicidal, Desmond finds a gun and grabs his special Dickens book, <i>Our Mutual Friend (</i>which as explained in Live Together, Die Alone part 1, he has saved to read just before he dies). Inside it is a letter from Penelope; Desmond reads it and cries. Moments later, Locke (who, after fleeing the caves after Boone's accident, is up above pounding on the outer hatch door) surprises Desmond. He then switches on the light that will convince Locke the island has given him a sign.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0AG1Zqp2_3o/YJF5QOYavCI/AAAAAAAAOC4/PTEpI8ATjM0shNGX1S75wysCRVC7X6dFQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1260/counter.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="710" data-original-width="1260" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0AG1Zqp2_3o/YJF5QOYavCI/AAAAAAAAOC4/PTEpI8ATjM0shNGX1S75wysCRVC7X6dFQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h225/counter.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><b><p><b><br /></b></p>Greater Meaning</b>: Locke is proven wrong in his thinking that none of his actions had meaning when the hatch begins to dangerously hyper-magnetize. The button indeed needing pushing, but what does its legitimacy say about the Pearl Station and the Dharma Initiative? Of course Locke was right in feeling manipulated (and we saw the field of pneumatic tubes filled with notebooks, for what, exactly?) If their experiments were to spy on whoever was in the hatch tasked with pushing the button, and if they were just going to throw away the notebooks of observations, then it does seem like it was all pointless, unless the Pearl Station itself was the subject of the experiment, NOT the hatch. Would the subjects do as they were told? Was there anything to be learned about the people in the hatch? Was it an elaborate monitoring system in case (as with Kelvin, Desmond, and eventually Locke) the button-pushers decided to mutiny or abandon their posts? Were the duties in the Pearl Station meant for some sort of punishment? Were potential members vetted there? Philosophically, the experiment seems to examine how men respond to their orders, whether or not they question them, and how they deal with unknowns. <p></p><p>Given what we've seen of the island's special abilities, one wonders if the Dharma Initiative factored in any policy or procedures for things like the monster (which we haven't heard from in a while), the mysterious healing properties, or any additional unknowns. Finally explained was the "Quarantine" warning on the outer hatch door; Kelvin tried to sell Desmond on it not being safe outside of the hatch but ended up admitting it was a lie when he was caught trying to leave with Desmond's boat. Kelvin and Desmond, though they both performed the same duty, are different. Kelvin stated he willingly left the armed forces to join the Dharma Initiative; Desmond (like the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815) crashed onto the island by accident. When Locke mentions the printed logs of the numbers, Desmond works out that he, by entering the numbers in late, caused the crash by verifying the time and date. Later, as Desmond prepares to kill himself, Locke pounds and shouts outside the hatch and prevents the suicide from happening. Were both men destined to save each other? Locke's importance on the island has thus been connected with his faith and appreciation for nature in contrast to Jack's skepticism and devotion to science, how is Desmond important, and where does he lie on the faith/science spectrum? If unaffiliated with either, is he the link between Locke and Jack?</p><p>Further Questions: </p><p>1. What will the others do with Sawyer, Kate, and Jack?</p><p>2. What is the reason for the costumes? </p><p>3. Will Michael and Walt make it back home?</p><p>4. What is "Henry's" real name? </p><p>5. What will become of the hatch?</p><p>6. Will Locke get his faith back now?</p><p>7. How did the explosion of the hatch affect the island?</p><p><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/rWMyYwmzBwo" width="480"></iframe></p><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130285617231447923.post-79973878842766755942021-05-03T06:55:00.003-06:002021-05-03T06:56:20.159-06:00My Octopus Teacher<p><i>My husband was watching this and I came in less than halfway through. I watched about thirty seconds of it and knew it was going to make me cry but of course I had to finish it. I won't spoil anything. I won't even describe any of the events that happen because it's just better to discover it your own way, uninformed (don't even google anything because the spoilers come up immediately). What I will say is, this is humanity, the way it should be. </i></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>My Octopus Teacher</i></b>, 2020</span>. <span style="font-size: medium;">d. Pippa Ehrlich and James Reed</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Starring</b>: Craig Foster </span></p><p><b>Summary</b>: " A filmmaker forges an unusual friendship with an octopus living in a South African kelp forest, learning as the animal shares the mysteries of her world," (<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12888462/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" target="_blank">IMDB</a>). </p><p><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/3s0LTDhqe5A" width="480"></iframe></p><p><br /></p><p>I think we all know people out there who walk around like Clint Eastwood characters, hating everything, scowling at everyone, but who are able to feel safe in showing kindness and love to animals. This film is important because Craig Foster shows us how to take that kindness and tenderness (which we may keep hidden) and take steps to share it outward, toward other humans, toward the land, and toward ourselves as well. </p><p>See others' existences. Protect the land, protect the seas. Allow yourself to feel and empathize. Take your humanity seriously and challenge yourself to do better. </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130285617231447923.post-25325317195831261652021-04-30T13:13:00.011-06:002022-05-23T09:01:02.073-06:00LOST: It Wasn't Purgatory, Season 2, Episode 23, Live Together, Die Alone part 1<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_DswqdzdiJ4/YIxWSp5CQSI/AAAAAAAAN_4/-xNfRe1cs6AAuSZZW4j3JiqTwr9x9NqpQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1500/sawyerkate.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1135" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_DswqdzdiJ4/YIxWSp5CQSI/AAAAAAAAN_4/-xNfRe1cs6AAuSZZW4j3JiqTwr9x9NqpQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/sawyerkate.jpeg" /></a></b></div><b>On-Island Events</b>: Jack, Sawyer, and Sayid swim out to the boat just offshore from their beach. Once aboard gunshots ring out at them from below its galley and they discover Desmond, apparently inebriated, is the shooter. They bring him back to the beach and Desmond explains that he couldn't leave the island. Sayid suggests that he use Desmond's boat to meet Jack and the rest of the group as a surprise attack when they return to the others' camp; Jack agrees. As they make their way through the jungle Kate discovers two others tracking them. A shootout happens and one other is killed. Jack informs the group that Michael has been turned and forces him to confess his betrayal to the group. Michael admits his role everything and apologizes for killing Ana Lucia and Libby. Hugo wants to return but Jack insists they carry on, stating he has a plan.<p></p><p>When Sayid asks Desmond to borrow the boat for a trip northward, Desmond asks if he's headed to see "the hostiles." Desmond refuses to sail Sayid, but Jin has sailing experience and is willing to accompany him. They set out with Sun along the island's coast and are confused when they happen across a four-toed statue of a foot. </p><p>Locke demands that Eko stop pushing the button in the hatch; Eko refuses and pushes Locke out. Later Locke finds Desmond drinking on the beach and shares the contents of the pearl station's orientation video with him. Desmond lures Eko out of the computer room inside the hatch and forces the blast doors down so he and Locke can wait for the countdown to run out. Eko runs to the beach and asks for Charlie's help in getting back into the hatch. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hYHn7FrY9eA/YIxWcB5ktGI/AAAAAAAAN_8/egG8jcT7bUskQHUROwu4IK2Xsv2te5V7ACLcBGAsYHQ/s460/desmond.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="308" data-original-width="460" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hYHn7FrY9eA/YIxWcB5ktGI/AAAAAAAAN_8/egG8jcT7bUskQHUROwu4IK2Xsv2te5V7ACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/desmond.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><b>Flashbacks</b>: A short-haired Desmond receives a collection of possessions, including a Dickens novel (<i>Our Mutual Friend</i>) which he says he'll read just before he dies, at the conclusion of having served time in jail. He is met by a gentleman who presents him with a box full of letters addressed to Penelope Widmore, his daughter. The man attempts to pay Desmond to stay away from Penelope. <p></p><p>Desmond is in America where he meets Libby, who pays for his coffee and offers up her late husband's boat, The Elizabeth, for Desmond's sailing race around the world. Later, Desmond meets Penelope who asks why he didn't write to her while he was in prison. He shares his plan to win Widmore's race, intending to regain his honor in doing so. Lost in a storm at sea, Desmond falls and is knocked unconscious on the boat. When he awakens, Kelvin Inman, the same man who trained Sayid to be a torturer, is standing before him in a yellow hazardous materials suit in the hatch. Inman shows Desmond the hatch's orientation video and explains the need for him to vaccinate himself.</p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zSTGXcxMHTs/YIxWmfv64WI/AAAAAAAAOAE/nPRaXOUKEPEoKjbFk7gdbTds9XIHKP24QCLcBGAsYHQ/s800/libbyboat.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zSTGXcxMHTs/YIxWmfv64WI/AAAAAAAAOAE/nPRaXOUKEPEoKjbFk7gdbTds9XIHKP24QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/libbyboat.jpeg" width="320" /></a></b></div><b>Greater Meaning</b>: Desmond's flashbacks reference the previously introduced connection with Jack at the stadium but now include connections with Libby and the previously unidentified Kelvin Inman, who was connected directly with Sayid and secondarily with Kate (through Sam Austen). The connections are growing with every new episode, but thus far Desmond is special for having multiple links to survivors. This again seems too important to ignore and must be for a bigger purpose than just coincidence. Obviously Desmond is not just a throwaway character. He's the person with the most knowledge about the hatch and the button, he has a sailboat (although why the boat was unable to carry him away from the island is a mystery and he seems upset about it), and now, he has these connections. We must conclude, like Locke has consistently maintained, there is a reason for this and that ultimately Desmond is important for what lies ahead. The fact that he's entertaining Locke's stop-the-button-pushing idea as a serious one says a lot about what Desmond knows (or suspects) about the island. If they stop pushing the button and nothing happens, they've all been duped, but why? Are the people Claire saw in the medical station the scientists who are conducting the psychological experiments being observed? Are they "pretending" to be scientists just as they are "pretending" to be hillbillies (as Kate stated)? If they stop pushing the button and something happens, it will be clear that Eko's faith was guiding him correctly and that Locke was wrong to doubt himself and his importance on the island. Desmond doesn't seem quite as invested in the right and wrong of it all the way Eko and Locke are, but he is interested and we are heading for a potentially explosive series of events for the season two finale.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZDRifXATyvU/YIxWxMrFZVI/AAAAAAAAOAM/o_Zg_AAw8vc5-L1l1ALQ5V5iI9BozAWrgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/toe.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZDRifXATyvU/YIxWxMrFZVI/AAAAAAAAOAM/o_Zg_AAw8vc5-L1l1ALQ5V5iI9BozAWrgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/toe.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>The stealing of children from parents remains an ongoing theme in the show's narrative: first Rousseau<br /> (Alex), then Claire (Aaron, by Rousseau then Ethan), and now Michael (Walt). The two young children from the tail section were not with their parents but were also taken. Walt tells Michael the others make him do tests; are they doing experiments on the other children? Alex seems to have joined their cause but chose to free Claire and shows a kindly concern for her, now. This only people able to fully empathize with Michael are Rousseau and Claire as none of the rest of the survivors are parents. Of course everyone continues to look to Jack for answers, but Jack is a doctor, not a father. The reactions of everyone's faces after Michael admits his terrible acts are ones of disgust; they cannot fathom Michael having chosen Walt, his own son, over other community members. This seems significant as Rousseau was unable to reclaim Alex and eventually lost her; Claire was drugged into agreeing to give the others her baby but was saved by Alex, and now Michael, after killing two people and betraying another four, is fighting to get his son back. Will he? <p></p><p>Further Questions: </p><p>1. What is Jack's plan?</p><p>2. What happened to the foot statue?</p><p>3. What will happen when the countdown completes and the button isn't pushed? </p><p>4. What is Desmond's role in all this?</p><p>5. What happened to Kelvin Inman?</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130285617231447923.post-79073349662258138322021-04-29T15:50:00.009-06:002021-04-29T16:47:49.493-06:00Queen of Hearts: A Twin Peaks Fan Film, An Early Look<p>When filmmaker Cameron Cloutier asked me to check out the early version of his film, <i><b>Queen of Hearts: A Twin Peaks Fan Film</b></i>, I was immediately interested. Doing re-watches of the <i>Twin Peaks</i> series along with <i>Fire Walk With Me</i> is something I do at least once every few years. Of course Mark Frost's books, <i>The Secret History of Twin Peaks: A Novel </i>and <i>Twin Peaks: The Final Dossier </i>have provided additional content to enjoy, but getting a chance to revisit the Twin Peaks aesthetic while experiencing the characters of Annie Blackburn and Caroline Powell (with several other familiar faces by their sides) in their own original stories was a very unique and exciting journey. Overall I think <b><i>Queen of Hearts</i></b> is a clever story with beautiful imagery and a ton of heart from its creator, cast, and crew.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5eNqk2obG7s/YIsB8-TXKLI/AAAAAAAAN_A/LA4BUGtG3NI-ib5LD6nTlPFXZjolwu03gCLcBGAsYHQ/s960/QoH.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5eNqk2obG7s/YIsB8-TXKLI/AAAAAAAAN_A/LA4BUGtG3NI-ib5LD6nTlPFXZjolwu03gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/QoH.jpeg" /></a></div>Annie Blackburn (Madison Bates) is still the newly-crowned Miss Twin Peaks and her escape from The Black Lodge after being abducted by Windom Earl (Paul Griffith Springer) drives the majority of the film's events but she's not entirely on her own. Caroline Powell (Charlotte Roi), Earl's wife and move-for-move partner in eccentricity, enjoys a queen-like power over her husband, over a young and eager Agent Cooper (Nico Abiera), and over the developments that would eventually influence Cooper and Annie's experiences in the greater <i>Twin Peaks</i> narrative. Though woven together skillfully, Annie's and Caroline's stories are not just an afterward and beforehand of the original series but also entirely new adventures, themselves: Annie's are vulnerable, powerful, and linked strongly to Major Briggs (Larry Oblander, II); Caroline's are mysterious, worrisome, and linked to Cooper. Once we begin to understand these two queens we can appreciate their similarities, not just in relation to the men they pair with but in relation to things a whole lot bigger in general. <p></p><p>Central to the story is also the concept of place, and the visuals in each scene honor the <i>Twin Peaks</i> locations and landmarks we already know while also introducing new ones, just as interesting. Colors and patterns jump out and captivate while trees, bridges, and familiar signage bring intense feelings of nostalgia. The music choices enhance these visual experiences by offering a just-right balance between pop and instrumental, playful and serious. Though there are questions and impossibilities posed by the narrative, we are well-practiced members of this very specific fandom and we can handle them, always in good hands with these skillful technical elements while waiting for answers and enjoying each aesthetic moment. </p><p>Most <i>Twin Peaks</i> fans have their favorites, who they love, who intrigues them, who they want to be. Personally I never really connected to Annie Blackburn as a character before, as a younger viewer I spent most of my time rotating my interest between Laura Palmer's power and Lucy's outfits. After this journey and in taking in the overall theme of the film (no spoilers!), there is definitely a connection, now. This was a fun, inspiring film, and I'm glad to know Annie's out there, much bigger now than any of us ever knew. Here's to the next adventure! </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iml9PjhbzqM/YIsqf7ZlxYI/AAAAAAAAN_I/Y0Chuwsfgo4aUkU7yeyIPvzav1uWnfldwCLcBGAsYHQ/s363/annie.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="205" data-original-width="363" height="226" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iml9PjhbzqM/YIsqf7ZlxYI/AAAAAAAAN_I/Y0Chuwsfgo4aUkU7yeyIPvzav1uWnfldwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h226/annie.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Madison Bates as Annie Blackburn</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3