The Ride (The Sopranos episode)

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“The Ride”
The Sopranos episode
Episode no. Season 6
Episode 74
Guest stars see below
Written by Terence Winter
Directed by Alan Taylor
Production no. 609
Original airdate May 7, 2006 (HBO)
Episode chronology
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"Johnny Cakes" "Moe N' Joe"
Episode chronology

"The Ride" is the 74th episode of the HBO original series, The Sopranos. The episode was written by Terence Winter and was directed by Alan Taylor. It was the 9th episode for the show's sixth season. It originally aired on May 7, 2006.

Contents

[edit] Guest starring

[edit] Episode recap

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

In preparation of the annual Feast of St. Elzear, Paulie and Patsy visit their local church and learn the new priest, Father José, wants to raise the fee given to the parish. When Paulie refuses to the demands, Father José tells them they will not be able to use a golden hat, traditionally worn by the Saint, but the mobsters are defiant. Later on, Paulie receives a call from his doctor, who suggests he may have problem with his prostate and advises a biopsy.

At the feast, Tony and Phil work out a deal where they agree to split the profits for the New York distribution of a trailer of vitamins confiscated by Tony’s crew. Phil’s stipulation is that Johnny Sack be left out of the loop.

Carmela encounters Liz La Cerva (Adriana’s mother) at the feast. Liz claims Christopher killed her daughter, telling Carmela the FBI told her as much. When Carmela asks Tony about it the next day, he seems to convince her that it would have been impossible for Christopher to have gotten away with killing his fiancée.

During the parade, people notice the missing gold hat and word begins to spread that Paulie scrimped on the planning of the festival. His frugal ways are blamed for an accident on a ride that left one child with a bloody nose and missing teeth and several others injured. Little Paulie is left to deal with the police investigation by his Uncle. Janice and her baby were also on the ride, and although apparently unhurt after the accident, Janice seems to develop a neck injury after Meadow Soprano makes the suggestion that the injured may be compensated monetarily.

Bad blood develops between Bobby and Paulie after Bobby learns Paulie was responsible for withholding money needed for maintenance on the ride. Paulie has other problems, including having a biopsy to determine if he has prostate cancer. At the feast, he runs into Nucci, the aunt who raised him as her own. She points out how his cheap spending was not only wrong but also a sin.

While at the festival, Tony sees Julianna Skiff and waves to her, but she does not see him. He seems disappointed by this.

Christopher’s girlfriend Kelli tells him that she is pregnant. She nervously blames herself and assures him she will "take care of it" by going to the clinic. Christopher instead suggests they get married. "Let's get married. We'll drive to AC and make a day out of it." Christopher mentions how much he wanted to have a baby with Adriana and tells Kelli that his ex is probably having some other guy’s babies now. Later, Christopher enters the Bada Bing wearing a wedding ring, happy that he is married and about to be a father. He and Kelli make an offer on a large house as he anticipates starting a family.

At Christopher's bachelor party, held at Vesuvio’s, there is obvious lingering tension between Paulie and Bobby, who leaves early. Tony runs into Paulie in the bathroom and demands he work things out with Bobby, which prompts Paulie to disclose his medical worries.

Earlier, Christopher and Tony had made a pit stop on their way home from a trip to Pennsylvania. When they pull behind a building, they witness what appears to be two bikers stealing crates of Château Pichon Longueville wine from a store. As the two robbers go back into the store, Christopher and Tony plunder their booty, moving the crates into Tony’s SUV. When the bikers reemerge (carrying an ATM), bullets start flying. Christopher hits one of the bikers as he and Tony speed away. They celebrate their escapade at a restaurant, and although Christopher initially abstains, Tony suggests, "You should toast to your wedding at least," and he pours Christopher a glass of the wine.

Christopher meets with Corky to pay him for the hit on Rusty. Part of his payment included heroin. As Christopher watches the addict shoot up, he first recommends rehab to him but then tells him he wants to "toot" a little himself. Soon, Christopher is shooting up. He spends the night in a stoned stupor, bonding with a stray dog at the feast.

After seeing a vision of the Virgin Mary at the Bada Bing, Paulie visits Nucci at Green Grove. She warns him that she does not want to argue; Paulie quietly enters her room and sits to watch Lawrence Welk with her.

Spoilers end here.

[edit] Title reference

  • The episode's title refers to a faulty amusement ride at the feast on which Janice, Bobby Jr., and Domenica were all riding during the incident. It can also be considered a reference to Christopher's and Tony's road trip to Pennsylvania, Christopher getting high, or the "ride" on which Silvio took Adriana that is referenced in this episode.

[edit] Trivia

  • While awaiting the results of his biopsy, Paulie is seen to be awake at 3:00am. In Season Two's "From Where to Eternity", Christopher awakes from a near death experience and tells Tony and Paulie he went to hell and saw Mikey Palmice and Brendan Filone and was told to deliver the message "three o'clock" for them. Since then, Paulie's obsession with that warning has become a theme of the show.
Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:
  • The Feast of Saint Elzear takes place on September 27th.
  • The episode includes a flashback scene of Christopher's emotional revelation to Tony that Adriana had been working for the Feds. That scene was originally shot as part of episode 5.12 Long Term Parking, but had been cut at the suggestion of several of the actors, to heighten the suspense surrounding Adriana's execution.
  • The Feast of St. Elzear is reminiscent of a similar feast in one of the flashback sequences in The Godfather II where money was pinned to a statue as Vito Corleone took his first steps into becoming a mob boss. Conversely, the festival in this episode plays against the thematic background of decline for the mafia.
  • During Carmela's discussion with Tony concerning the allegation that Christopher killed Adriana, Tony says, "Let's not sabotage his progress." The statement comprises irony, given that that is precisely what Tony has done in earlier encouraging Christopher to drink.
  • Christopher calls Tony "The Bad Lieutenant". The film of that name is a 1992 Abel Ferrara tale full of religious undertones and Catholic iconography similar to this episode. In the film, the unnamed Lieutenant sees a vision of Christ just as Paulie sees a vision of the Virgin Mary.
  • The episode continues the use of references to Hurricane Katrina. Tony runs into Paulie in the bathroom and says "you're doing a heck of a job there, Brownie", a reference to a similar statement made by George W. Bush in to then FEMA director Michael Brown. Bush's comment is often used to sarcastically praise someone who is doing a poor job. Shortly after publicly praising Brown, many believe Bush forced him to resign.
  • The theme of a wind driving the characters is continued in this episode - the closing shot is of wind rustling autumn leaves as Paulie reconciles with Nucci.
  • Upon arriving at a house that he is looking at for a potential purchase, Christopher says "this is what I'm talking about, stately Wayne Manor" (the residence of Batman).
  • A live cover version of "Pipeline", performed by Johnny Thunders, plays over the episode credits.
  • The song playing throughout Christopher's high is "The Dolphins" by folk artist Fred Neil. The song has been covered by several dozen artists since Neil wrote it in 1968.
  • The polka played on accordion by Lawrence Welk during Paulie's visit to Nucci is the Norwegian traditional children's song "Hompetitten". The music was originally written by Gunnar Wahlberg and the lyrics by Alf Prøysen. The dance and the costumes, however, are not Norwegian - but rather similar to Austrian folk dance performed in traditional German costumes.
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