Another Toothpick

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The Sopranos episode
“Another Toothpick”
Episode no. Season 3
Episode 31
Guest star(s) see below
Writer(s) Terence Winter
Director Jack Bender
Production no. 305
Original airdate March 25, 2001 (HBO)
Episode chronology
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"Employee of the Month" "University"

Episode chronology

"Another Toothpick" is the 31st episode of the HBO original series, The Sopranos. It was the 5th episode for the show's third season. The episode was written by Terence Winter and was directed by Jack Bender. It originally aired on Sunday March 25, 2001.

Contents

[edit] Guest Starring roles

[edit] Episode recap

As they have their first therapy session with Dr. Melfi together, Tony remains quiet throughout the whole session while Carmela asks Melfi questions. Melfi then asks if Tony has been telling Carmela about any of the origins of his "root causes". Carmela tends to forget, which forces Tony to remind her of the cappicola from Satriale's. Carmela then asks Dr. Melfi why she has not helped him with the therapy since he is still passing out on a regular basis. She then yells "maybe it's because you stick your dick into anything that has a pulse, can that be considered that a root cause". When Melfi says she notices tension, Tony sarcastically remarks "you must have been at the top of your fucking class".

After the session is over, Tony drives Carmela home who is in tears. Tony continues to speed the car in frustration and is pulled over by a police officer. Tony automatically senses there is going to be trouble just by the cop's appearance and body language. Tony tries to be friendly and comical but the officer believes Tony is being wise and requests back up when Tony refuses to give him his license. The dispatch is cancelled when Tony reluctantly gives in. The officer then writes Tony a ticket and sends him off.

Tony then gets in touch with his government contact Assemblyman Ronald Zellman about the situation. Zellman says he will look into the situation and take care of it. Days after, when Tony goes to purchase a few items at a garden / nursery store, he sees his "cop friend" selling pots. Tony goes up to him and becomes very sarcastic. Leon tells him he was sacked from his job thanks to him. Tony tells Leon he had nothing to do with his sacking. He later calls Zellman who informs Tony that Officer Willmore was let go because he had issues within the force. This relieves Tony, but he asks if he can have his job back. Later when meeting with Zellman, Tony tells Zellman to forget it since he got what he deserved.

Meanwhile, after attending a funeral for Carmela's uncle, Tony meets up with Bobby Bacala and his father Bobby, Sr. Tony then learns that Bobby, Sr. has lung cancer and has trouble breathing. When Vito Spatafore's cousin Bryan is sent to the hospital after being clubbed by a thug Mustang Sally, Bobby Sr. agrees to do the hit since he is his godfather. Bobby Bacala is afraid of this because of his father's health and asks Junior to convince Tony to get someone else. Bobby Bacala wants to do the hit and proceeds to visit Mustang Sally's house in Staten Island. After manipulating Sally into getting him a glass of water, Bobby Sr. comes up from behind and shoots him in the ear. They then fight and Bobby shoots Sally and his friend Carlos. Bobby then takes Sally's cigarettes and smokes them in the car. After he drops his inhaler, he cannot breathe and loses control of the car, crashing into a pole.

Bobby Bacala is extremely upset which causes Junior to unleash his fury by breaking a lamp and picture frames. Junior then tells Tony at Dr. Schreck's office that he has cancer. He asks Tony not to tell anyone and is visibly scared. Tony tells Janice and they both meet at Livia's for a drink and discuss Janice's new found religion.

During an argument in the Soprano household between Tony and Meadow about Tony's racial beliefs, Meadow picks up the lamp that was holding the bug planted by the FBI to her dorm at Columbia, claiming the halogen lights make her sick.

Artie Bucco is upset when he learns that Adriana is leaving her post as hostess at Nuovo Vesuvio now that Christopher is earning more money. He then humiliates Christopher in front of Tony which causes a fight, which Tony breaks up. Artie tells Tony that he is in love with Adriana, but Tony tells him to sober up and never utter those words again. He tells Artie he has a proposal for him, which they talk about the next day. Tony proposes that he and Artie go into business together selling Italian food products. Charmaine is against this since they should not be doing business with a mobster. After an argument in the restaurant, Charmaine threatens divorce, and Artie scoffs. Angered by the exchange, Charmaine tells him the marriage is over, and that he should not to expect custody of the children. Artie later has an awkward dinner with Adriana. Even though she attended the dinner without telling Christopher--ostensibly because it was a "going away" dinner--she soon realizes that Artie is interested after he repeatedly attempts to hold her hand and suggests that she is not ready for marriage.

[edit] Deceased

  • Febby Viola: died of cancer; Carmela's uncle
  • Mustang Sally: shot on orders by Tony Soprano and Gigi Cestone
  • Carlos: Mustang Sally's friend who was shot for being a witness to his murder
  • Bobby Baccalieri, Sr.: cause unknown; either from cancer or collision

[edit] Title reference

  • Janice claims that Livia often said this when a person was about to die of cancer because of the emaciated appearance that comes with metastatic illness.

[edit] Trivia

  • During Junior's tirade, when he smashes the picture frame, he can briefly be seen without his glasses, then a second later they are back on.
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