Do Not Resuscitate (The Sopranos episode)
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| The Sopranos episode | |
|---|---|
| “Do Not Resuscitate” | |
 |
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| Episode no. | Season 2 Episode 15 |
| Guest star(s) | see below |
| Writer(s) | Robin Green & Mitchell Burgess and Frank Renzulli |
| Director | Martin Bruestle |
| Production no. | 203 (2-2) |
| Original airdate | January 23, 2000 (HBO) |
| Episode chronology | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| "Guy Walks into a Psychiatrist's Office..." | "Toodle Fucking-Oo" |
"Do Not Resuscitate" is the 15th episode of the HBO original series, The Sopranos. It was the 2nd episode for the show's second season. The episode was written by Robin Green & Mitchell Burgess and Frank Renzulli and was directed by Martin Bruestle. It originally aired on Sunday January 23, 2000.
Contents |
[edit] Guest Starring roles
- Lillo Brancato Jr. as Matthew Bevilaqua
- Chris Tardio as Sean Gismonte
- Bill Cobbs as Reverend Herman James, Sr.
- Steve R. Schirripa as Bobby "Bacala" Baccalieri
- Robert Desiderio as Jack Massarone
- Louis Lombardi as Agent Skip Lipari
- Richard Portnow as Harold Melvoin
- Gregory Alan Williams as Reverend James, Jr.
- John Fiore as Gigi Cestone
[edit] Episode recap
Tony meets Uncle Junior at prison where he is upset that Junior did not put him on the visitor's list for two weeks. Tony tells him to be careful and that he is lucky that he is letting him earn. Junior tries to convince Tony that Livia had nothing to do with the shooting but Tony doesn't believe him. Tony won't talk business but asks to meet with Bobby Bacala, Junior's "courier" and soldier in his crew. When Bobby Bacala meets Tony at the pork store, Tony tells him that Junior can stil "earn" via his shylock business and the pipe fitter's union, but everything else of Junior's is now his, even though Junior will still hold the title of boss. Bobby says that he will convey this to Junior. Before leaving, he says, "to the victor go the spoils." Tony tells Bobby to shove his "book of quotations" somewhere and to get out.
The following day, Junior's lawyer Harold Melvoin successfully gets Junior out of jail after convincing the judge that Junior has a recurring heart problem due to the clogging of several arteries. The judge agrees to put Junior on house arrest, with a position monitoring bracelet, on the condition that he can only leave the house for grocery shopping, family functions and doctor's appointments. At a doctor's appointment which Tony is present at, Junior tells Tony that the owner of the Green Grove Nursing Home, Fred Capuano, has been discussing Soprano family business with others, saying that "Tony Soprano likes to fluff his mother's pillows." Tony takes action by making sure that Capuano disappears. Shortly after, a state trooper finds Capuano's car and toupee near a road and continues to open the car trunk which supposedly holds Capuano's body.
After Pussy has surgery for his back, his "friend" Skip Lipari takes him home. On the car ride home it is revealed that Pussy has been working for the FBI since 1998 and now that Jimmy Altieri is a dead informant, Skip wants Pussy to step up and "stop being Tony's errand boy". Pussy tries to convince Skip that he is over Tony and that he wants to help the government however Pussy continues to lie to Lipari and provide him with unfactual information.
When Tony learns that Massarone Construction is facing problems due to a lack of African-American workers which is causing several protests, he accepts Jack Massarone's offer to stop the protests. Tony then sends in several mob associates to "scare" the protesters away from the construction site with the end result being successful. Tony later tries to win the protest leader, Reverend Herman James over by agreeing to split the money with him that Massarone payed him. Reverend James states that his deceased father would not have liked the arrangement but that it is a business arrangement that could not be refused by both parties.
Janice continues to visit Livia in the hospital who continues to have pity on herself and refuses to act happy. When Janice asks Meadow what brings Livia joy, Meadow tells her that Livia enjoys opera and show tunes. Janice then purchases a set of records and plays them for Livia who becomes very emotional. Later, Livia begins to choke which is short lived when the nurse helps Livia. The nurse then discusses with Janice whether to make Livia a "DNR" otherwise known as "Do Not Resuscitate" if she ever enters a comatose state or is kept alive artificially. Janice considers this and talks it over with Tony who advises her to do whatever she wants and that she can even move into Livia's house if she chooses so. Anthony Jr. overhears this and asks Livia if "DNR" is the same as "DNA," as he is conducting a school project on DNA. Livia who is shocked that her daughter would suggest this. When Janice tells Livia she is ready to go home, Livia says "why so won't be able to resucitate me". Livia is then brought back to her hospital room where she calls Carmela and tells her about her troubled children, and promises to leave her wealth to her "children." Carmela warns her to never call the house again and hangs up prior to the conclusion of the conversation.
The following evening, Junior slips in the bathtub while shaving and believes that he has fractured something. Bobby Bacala then calls Tony for help and Tony hurries over to find Junior lying on the couch in his bathrobe. Tony suggests that they call an ambulance which Junior objects to. Tony then picks his uncle up on his shoulders and proceeds to drive him to the emergency room.
[edit] First appearances
- "Black" Jack Massarone: owner of Massarone Brothers Construction which was once run by Uncle Junior
- Bobby "Bacala" Baccalieri: member of the Junior Soprano crew who becomes Junior's aid
[edit] Deceased
- Fred Capuano: supposedly murdered after spreading gossip about the Soprano family.
- Reverend Herman James, Sr. dies of natural causes due to old age.
[edit] Title reference
- The episode's title is known as a common medical order known as Do Not Resuscitate or DNR. Janice and Tony talk about signing a DNR for Livia.
[edit] Trivia
- Although the episode aired second, it was the third to be produced.
- Agent Lipari stated that Pussy has been working with the FBI since 1998 which would mean that Tony's suspicion of Pussy wearing a wire during Christmas '95 in episode 3.10 ...To Save Us All From Satan's Power was false.
