The Fleshy Part of the Thigh

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“The Fleshy Part of the Thigh”
The Sopranos episode
Episode no. Season 6
Episode 69
Guest stars see below
Written by Diane Frolov & Andrew Schneider
Directed by Alan Taylor
Production no. 604
Original airdate April 2, 2006 (HBO)
Episode chronology
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Episode chronology

"The Fleshy Part of the Thigh" is the 69th episode of the HBO original series, The Sopranos. The episode was written by Diane Frolov & Andrew Schneider and was directed by Alan Taylor. It was the 4th episode for the show's sixth season. It originally aired on April 2, 2006.

Contents

[edit] Guest starring

[edit] Episode recap

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Tony has a surgery to close the opening in his stomach, a signal that the doctors are confident they will no longer need access to his innards. With his condition improved, the insurance company wants to send him home as soon as possible. Before leaving, he bonds with two patients on his floor, John Schwinn, a scientist, and Da Lux, a rapper.

The scientist discusses the interconnectivity of all life with Tony, telling him how no event can be understood independent from the rest of the world. The scientist has ideas that refute the beliefs of two evangelical visitors to Tony, and he uses the information gained from both sides to debate the other.

Da Lux expresses admiration to Tony, referring to himself as an “Original G” (meaning "gangster"). Like Tony, he is hospitalized for gunshot wounds, injuries that many of his followers and colleagues believe will help his career by giving him “street cred”. Bobby proposes an idea to Marvin--one of the other rappers visiting the hospital--to help jumpstart his career with a gunshot wound to his thigh. The rapper agrees, but Bobby does not deliver as promised but instead ends up hitting the man in the buttocks.

Paulie visits his dying Aunt Dottie and learns she is actually his mother. Because she was a nun and did not want to shame her family, she had her sister raise Paulie as if he was her son. Devastated with the news, Paulie struggles to remain focused at work and questions his own identity. He confronts the woman who raised him and tells her he will no longer support her financially.

Following Dick Barone's death his son Jason takes over ownership of Barone Sanitation and tries to sell the company without getting approval from Tony. After Tony, Paulie and Patsy make it clear that it will not be in his best interests to proceed, Jason discovers he is too far along in the sales process to back out. The company trying to buy Barone’s routes is associated with Johnny Sack. After a violent encounter between two garbage crews trying to work the same route, Tony agrees to Sack’s terms and allows the sale to go through, despite not getting the demands he originally stated. He also does not seem to punish Jason for going ahead against his wishes. As he leaves the hospital, Tony again avoids confrontation by allowing an EMT worker to keep money Tony originally claimed was taken from his wallet the night his uncle shot him.

Outside the hospital, on his way back home, Tony observes, "from now on, every day is a gift." At the docks Paulie viciously beats Jason and demands a cut from his business, apparently without Tony's knowledge.

Spoilers end here.

[edit] Deceased

[edit] Title reference

  • When discussing ways to increase a rapper's popularity, Bobby proposes delivering to him a relatively benign gunshot wound to "the fleshy part of the thigh". Further, when Paulie approaches Aunt Dottie from the foot of her death-bed he attempts to cover her with a blanket, which she immediately pulls back away. Paulie is apparently disturbed by the view up her garment.

[edit] Trivia

  • The episode references two recent events: the Hurricane Katrina of 2005 and the Terri Schiavo case. When Jason Barone tells Tony his current situation is unfair, Tony tells him to ask the Hurricane Katrina victims about fair. Aaron, Janice's ex-boyfriend, wears a t-shirt that references a vigil for Schiavo.
  • John "Cha Cha" Ciarcia appears in this episode as Albie Cianflone, Phil Leotardo's consigliere. He played one of Billy Batt's crew in Goodfellas. Both Billy Batts and Phil Leotardo are played by Frank Vincent.
  • Ray Abruzzo (Carmine "Little Carmine" Lupertazzi, Jr.) is now billed in the opening credits.
  • This episode features several real life rappers guest starring as rappers. The rapper/actors have also all appeared in the show Oz.
  • The song playing during the end credits is One of These Days by Pink Floyd.
  • The exchange between Bob Brewster (the fundamentalist Christian) and Tony references a joke in a comedy routine by Lewis Black on evolution and creationism (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcvADtGMLVw) comparing the belief that "dinosaurs and human beings lived on the earth at the same time" to "The Flintstones".
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