TV Review: The Sopranos – “Members Only”

The wait is over. After two years, Season Six of HBO’s mob soap opera The Sopranos finally arrived on Sunday March 12.

A quick synopsis of Episode 66:

It’s going to be a good season.

Tony and Carmella are back together and have apparently discovered the joys of Sushi.

Adrianna, offed by Silvio in last season’s most shocking “hit” is also back…at least in Carmella’s dreams.

Enforcer Eugene Pontecorvo wants to retire with his wife and move to a dream house In Florida.

The uneasy truce between jailed New York boss Johnny Sack and Tony’s New Jersey Mafia is tested when some of interim New York Boss Phil Leotardo’s boys rough up a relative of Soprano confidante Hesh.

Eugene the Enforcer, pretty much emasculated by Tony’s refusal to allow him to retire, does the only thing an enforcer can do when his balls have been effectively cut off in the eyes of his wife, and hangs himself.

Tony’s kids are growing up, too.

A.J. is now sporting a long haired “grunge” look to match the under acheiving, pot smoking slacker that emerged last season.

Oh, lest I forget, and just in case anyone was wondering, Meadow Soprano is also still really hot.

Finally, in the season opener’s ending cliffhanger, Mob patriarch Junior Soprano’s dementia escalates to the point where he shoots Tony.

In other words, based on this premiere episode, it looks like this is going to be a really good season for The Sopranos.

What sets The Sopranos apart from other Mob dramas is the way the writers delve into the psychology of these characters. And once again tonight, you had Tony on Doctor Melfi’s couch squirming away as she brought up the Oedipal relationship with a Mother who conspired to kill him.

Yeah, The Sopranos looks to be really good this season.

So let the speculation begin. Who’s getting wacked?

Tony Soprano is the odds on favorite not to survive season six. But it won’t happen just yet…not this early. Look for Tony to survive getting shot by Junior tonight, but to go out in a blaze in the season – and series – finale.

Vito Spatafore After tonight’s comments to Eugene about becoming a boss should Tony have an unfortunate “downturn in health”, the newly slim Vito isn’t long for this world. Fish food by episode six.

Phil Leotardo will be crossing paths with Tony sooner than later. Though I have a hunch he’ll survive to the end and be the one who finally takes Tony out.

Bobby Bacala unfortunately is destined to meet the same fate as Janice Sporano’s former husband Richie Aprile. Which leads to…

Janice Soprano being done in by Tony in the ultimate example of “Sopranos Family Values”.

Christopher Moltisanti is an obvious choice here (because of the gig on NBC’s Law and Order for one thing), but I predict he turns on Tony and lives to tell the tale.

Silvio Dante is another obvious choice to turn on Tony. But since Little Steven Van Zandt’s “other boss” Bruce Springsteen has put plans for a final E Street Band tour on hold for the moment, I predict Silvio stays true to the family…at least till the end of this season.

Paulie Walnuts is going to be up to his silver temples in shit this season, but will survive to play his role in taking Tony out for The Sopranos season finale.

Like I said, this looks to be a really good season.