Isabella (The Sopranos episode)

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The Sopranos episode
“Isabella”
Episode no. Season 1
Episode 12
Guest star(s) see below
Writer(s) Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess
Director Allen Coulter
Production no. 112
Original airdate March 28, 1999
Episode chronology
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"Nobody Knows Anything" "I Dream of Jeannie Cusamano"

Episode chronology

"Isabella" is the 12th episode of the HBO original series, The Sopranos. It was the twelfth episode for the show's first season. The episode was written by Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess and was directed by Allen Coulter. It originally aired on Sunday March 28, 1999.

Contents

[edit] Guest Starring roles

[edit] Episode recap

At Mariolina Capuano's funeral, Jimmy Altieri mentions to Uncle Junior how sad Brendan Filone's mother was at his funeral. Once Jimmy leaves, Uncle Junior complains to Mikey about Jimmy's yapping about the Brendan Filone hit. He also confesses that Mariolina gave him his first hand job many years ago, but then realizes that such discussion is inappropriate for a funeral.

Tony sinks into a severe depressive episode and experiences hallucinations - he sees a beautiful Italian woman named Isabella in his neighbour's (the Cusamano's) garden. Isabella tells Tony that she is a foreign exchange dental student, and guesses that Tony is from Avellino, Italy. Tony has a dream that she is breast feeding a baby named "Antonio." It is later learned that Isabella never existed. Dr. Melfi theorises that Isabella was an idealised maternal figure that Tony's subconscious produced because of his deep upset at his own mother's actions at the time.

Junior continues in his plan to assassinate Tony using two outside hired guns - Rasheen Ray and John Clayborn - contracted through Donnie Paduana. Ray and Clayborn tail Tony and wait for him outside a store near Dr. Melfi's office. Christopher, worried about Tony, has also followed him to the store, and unwittingly prevents the assassination attempt. Junior meets with Donnie after the first attempt fails and Donnie makes a joke about Tony and Livia. Junior decides Donnie has a big mouth and states that he does not feel right about Donny. Mikey then kills Donny after Chucky calls Donnie back as he is about to leave the meeting.

Rasheen Ray and John Clayborn again wait for Tony near Dr. Melfi's office. As Tony stops to buy the paper and orange juice, they attempt to make the "hit." They open fire as Tony sees their reflection on his car door. He is hit but has sufficient warning to jump into his SUV and start it. When Rasheen reaches the door Tony grapples with him and he accidentally shoots John on the other side of the vehicle. Tony manages to start the car and pulls away still holding Rasheen through the window. He drops him once he gets his speed up. The event seems to invigorate Tony, but Tony's ear and leg are injured.

Agent Harris of the FBI shows up at the hospital to attempt to convince Tony and Carmela to enter the witness protection program because Tony was no longer safe on the street. Tony declines and states that the attempt was merely a carjacking. However, Silvio, Paulie and Christopher suspect Junior, and discuss this suspicion among themselves when Junior visits Tony at home after Tony is released from the Hospital.

[edit] Deceased

[edit] Title reference

  • Isabella is a character in the episode, although actually being a hallucination/imaginary experience that Tony experiences.

[edit] Miscellanea

  • As Tony is about to be shot, he purchases orange juice from a vendor, a homage to The Godfather in which Don Vito Corleone barely survives an attempt on his life after buying oranges.
  • The song that is played twice this episode (during the time Tony is in his bedroom) is Tiny Tears by the Tindersticks.
  • The song that plays over the ending credits is "I Feel Free" by Cream.
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