Sopranos - 2nd to Last Episode

From time to time I will write about topics other than SEM. Tonight's post has to be about the 2nd to last Sopranos Episode. I have been told by quite a few people that they feel I am a maven. I am certainly a maven when it comes to food, but I think I am also a Sopranos expert. It is extremely sad to see this amazing phenomena in our history coming to an end. I have a few thoughts to share.

I have been closely watching this season thinking about the end of the show and what was going to happen. When we last saw Junior Soprano, he was sitting in a metal institution stroking a cat. At that point I realized that was his "exit". That was the last time we would see Junior Soprano in the history of the series (barring some strange twist in the last episode). There have been a few other exits that are worthy of mention. Johnny Sac's exit was in a prison hospital dying of cancer. Christopher's exit was dying partially by the hand of Tony and partially drowning in his own blood.

Tonight there were even more exits as the show wraps up. I believe Dr. Melfi's exit was with the close of her door to Tony. She gave up and was beaten. Bobby's exit was a little more dramatic - he died defenselessly in a hobby shop. Silvio may have exited in a violent shootout where at least he got a few shots off, but he may end up in a coma state for the remainder of his days.

So what happens in the Sopranos Season Finale? Looking at the season to date, each character's exit has been sad. There has been no happy endings. No one has had that "new start" or "sunrise" that Tony saw in the desert. Does Tony die? Does he find a way to leave the life and start over? Does he wipe out the NY family and take over? One more week and we will find out.

I think the last episode jumps ahead a few months. I think a war may have raged on and taken tolls on NY and NJ. I dare not suggest anything more than that. The series ends in 7 days. This will be a long 7 days to wait...

One more thing to consider is that the series was about family. The Mob backdrop was always exciting, but not what it was all about. We will have to see what is left of both Soprano Families in the end (blood family and crime family).