The Weight (The Sopranos episode)

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“The Weight”
The Sopranos episode

Episode no.	Season 4 Episode 43
Guest stars	see below
Written by	Terence Winter
Directed by	Jack Bender
Production no.	404
Original airdate	October 6, 2002 (HBO)
Episode chronology
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"Christopher"	"Pie-O-My"
Episode chronology

"The Weight" is the 43rd episode of the HBO original series, The Sopranos. It was the 4th episode for the show's fourth season. The episode was written by Terence Winter and directed by Jack Bender. It originally aired on October 6, 2002.

1 Guest Starring roles
2 Episode recap
3 Title reference
4 Miscellanea

[edit] Guest Starring roles

Dan Grimaldi as Patsy Parisi
Joseph R. Gannascoli as Vito Spatafore
Carl Capotorto as Little Paulie Germani
Peter Bogdanovich as Dr. Eliott Kupferberg
Tony Lip as Carmine Lupertazzi
Richard Maldone as Ally Boy Barese
Robert Funaro as Eugene Pontecorvo
Joe Maruzzo as Joe Peeps
Sharon Angela as Rosalie Aprile
Maureen Van Zandt as Gabriella Dante
Matthew Del Negro as Brian Cammarata
Denise Borino as Ginny Sacrimoni

[edit] Episode recap

Johnny Sack has dinner with an associate, Joe Peeps, in a New York restaurant. While there, Johnny spots a member of Ralph Cifaretto's crew Donny K. and is infuriated to see him laughing and joking with the barman, reminding him that Ralph had made an insulting joke about Ginny. As Donny K. gets up to leave, Johnny follows him outside, beats him into unconsciousness and urinates on him. Tony learns of the encounter the following morning and is deeply troubled that Johnny lashed out like that. Johnny complains to Tony about Ralph's joke regarding Ginny's weight. Tony assures Johnny that the joke is disgraceful but feels he has to protect his capos since Ralph is one of his highest earners.

Johnny then tries to convince his boss Carmine to intervene along with Uncle Junior in order to make a settlement since it may threaten the two families already tense relationship with the Esplanade. Uncle Junior recommends that Johnny receive a piece of the Aprile construction business however Johnny wants Ralph to be executed for bringing shame to his wife. After failing to gain support from both Carmine and Junior, Johnny decides to order a hit man to visit Ralphie in Miami, Florida where he is vacationing. Meanwhile, Carmine, who has anticipated Johnny's anger as a threat to profits from the Esplanade, makes a veiled suggestion to Tony to have his underboss killed. Tony is advised by Uncle Junior to put a hit on Johnny using the skills of a notorious crew of an elderly soldier from Rhode Island, Lou "DiMaggio" Galina. In Miami, however, events are already well in motion, as an assassin traces Ralph to his hotel. Back in Jersey, Johnny catches Ginny in their laundry room secretly eating junk food and yells at her for how much embarrassment she has caused him. Ginny begins to become emotional and tries to convince Johnny that she wants to lose weight. Johnny assures her he does not care about how she looks as long as she is happy. His anger subsiding, he calls off the hit on Ralphie at the last second and approaches Tony, offering reconciliation. Surprised, but relieved, Tony in turn cancels the contract on Johnny's life.

Meanwhile, Meadow is recommended by Elliott Kupferberg's daughter Saskia to join the South Bronx Law Center which Tony objects to, given the lack of profit offered from the underprivileged clients. Meadow disagrees with her father's advice and continues to volunteer. Meanwhile, Carmela draws emotionally closer to Furio who throws a housewarming party to celebrate his new home, and the pair dance alone to Italian music. Carmela is happy that Furio is staying permanently and takes along an unsuspecting A.J. as a restraining influence when she goes to his home to help him with decorating.

The following evening as Tony and Carmela lay in bed, Tony presents Carmela with a slim designer dress which he then asks her to put on. Carmela does so and Tony tenderly compliments her model figure. They begin to make love as Meadow plays the music from the party in the next room, reminding Carmela of Furio.