Whitecaps (The Sopranos episode)

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“Whitecaps”
The Sopranos episode
Episode no. Season 4
Episode 52
Guest stars see below
Written by David Chase and Robin Green & Mitchell Burgess
Directed by John Patterson
Production no. 413
Original airdate December 8, 2002 (HBO)
Episode chronology
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"Eloise" "Two Tonys"
Episode chronology

"Whitecaps" is the 52nd episode of the HBO original series, The Sopranos. It was the thirteenth and final episode of the show's fourth season. The episode was written by David Chase and Robin Green & Mitchell Burgess and was directed by John Patterson. It originally aired on Sunday December 8, 2002.

Contents

[edit] Guest Starring roles

[edit] Episode recap

Tony and Carmela visit Dr. Cusamano as she is still feeling unwell. Tony gets a call from Patsy who is watching Adriana take Chris out of rehab, also watching are Agents Harris and Grasso. Dr. Cusamano reassures Carm that it is not Lupus and is probably mono - he also checks after her mental health. Tony takes Carmela to visit the house he is thinking of buying for the family on the Jersey shore. Carm's father Hugh and realtor Virginia Lupo meet them there. Carm worries that they won't be able to afford it but Tony explains that he wants something to draw the family together. Virginia explains the catch - the house has been sold to another couple but it seems likely the sale will fall through.

Johnny is also worried over money with the esplanade shut down and argues with his wife, Ginny. At Junior's trial the jury are having difficulty reaching a verdict. The jurors look angrily at one man in particular - Danny Scalercio - the juror Eugene Pontecorvo intimidated.

Tony has ordered takeout while Carmela is ill but has set the table wrong. He also complains that the order is wrong. AJ joins them and is excited by the news. The family have a new policy of fining cursewords. In bed Carmela encourages Tony to buy Whitecaps as an investment - Tony says she should know better than using property for investment as she took real estate classes.

Chris drives Tony to meet Johnny and they discuss his recovery from addiction. The meeting takes place in an office max store and they again discuss making a move against Carmine. Tony says he has to pass, but this proves to be a negotiating technique - when Johnny promises to relinquish claims to his HUD business and gives him an equitable split on future projects Tony agrees to go ahead. On the return trip Tony discusses the job with Chris, their trust seemingly restored. Tony asks Chris to contract the job out and make it look like a carjacking.

Tony and Chris visit whitecaps and Tony meets the owner Alan Sapinsly. When Tony offers cash Sapinsly phones Dr. Kim, the current buyer, and negotiates his way out of their contract by promising full return of the deposit and threatening litigation if Dr. Kim moves in. Tony immediately tells his family the good news and they all arrive to survey the property. Tony tells his children they will inherit the property when he dies. Out on the beach Tony and Carmela embrace. Meanwhile, Chris delivers a pre-payment to Credenzo Curtiss and John Clayborn - a couple of heroin dealers he knows from his pre-rehab days - and instructs them about where to catch Carmine.

Irina phones the Soprano residence and gets AJ. She asks to speak to Carmela and tells her she used to fuck her husband - Carm hangs up and is distraught. Irina calls back and tells Carmela that Tony loves her and she also reveals his encounter with Svetlana. Irina is drunk and filled with self-loathing. Carmela tells Irina if she calls again then she will find her and kill her. Tony pulls into his drive and runs over his golf clubs. He exits the vehicle and sees Carmela throwing more of his stuff from the window. She throws things at him when he enters the house and locks herself in the bedroom. Carm tells Tony he has embarrassed her for years with his infidelity and is angry because it has bled into their home lives. She is angry because Irina spoke to AJ. Tony tries to deny everything and Carm tries to slap him. Tony restrains her and throws her against the wall, she screams at him to let go of her. She retreats to the bedroom and tells him to leave the house, again becoming violent when he touches her. Tony accuses Carmela of taking money from his stash in the bird feed. Carmela denies this and counters by bringing up the fingernail she found - Tony tries to deny the connection but stumbles when he realizes he was about to say it belonged to someone else. Carmela again insists Tony leave, when Tony asks about the kids she admits it is horrible for them but stands her ground.

Tony drives to Irina's duplex but only Svetlana is there. Svetlana reveals to Tony that Irina and Zellman broke up because of his beating. She also tell Tony that Branca was the one who told Irina about their affair. Tony goes to whitecaps to sleep. In the morning he is awoken by Sapinsly banging on the window - he appears sympathetic to Tony's problem but asks him not to stay at the house. He advises Tony to meet with all the local divorce lawyers so that none of them will be able to take Carmela on as a client. Once he is dressed Tony visits the Sapinsly house and asks to withdraw from the sale - Alan's wife Trish seems sympathetic but Alan insists that they stick to the contract. Trish chastises Alan for getting into a dispute with a mob boss after Tony leaves and also for lying about having partners.

Adriana meets with Agent Sanseverino and they discuss Chris' return. Ade reveals that Chris no longer wants children because he feels he is unfit to be a father after killing her dog. Ade tells Robyn that she and Chris plan to get Ralphie help when he resurfaces. She also reveals that Vito has been calling her while Chris was in rehab. Finally she asks permission to visit her mother and says thank you when it is granted.

Tony gets a call from Johnny to tell him Carmine has decided to settle. Tony and Chris attend a sitdown in Queens. Carmine offers sympathy on Tony's marital problems. They settle on 15% for Carmine and Johnny is visibly put out. Carmine asks Tony to remember Little Carmine's role in the settlement after he is gone but reminds them of his good health.

At the Soprano household, Meadow discusses the separation with her mother. She is distraught about it and brings up Furio. Carmela denies any infidelity to Tony and Meadow storms off after asking her mother how she could eat shit from Tony for so many years. Tony eats at Nuovo Vesuvio and Artie offers consolations - Tony's response is to criticize the food. Johnny rings Tony to ask if the hit is still on, Tony confirms it. Chris joins Tony and is surprised to learn it will go ahead.

At the Bing, Paulie talks to Sil about Johnny Sack and suggests Ralphie may have been in bed with him. Patsy plays pool as Chris and Tony arrive. The guys discuss Tony's ending marriage - Paulie tells Tony he would kick Carmela out on the street. Tony remains suspicious of Paulie. Patsy says that he couldn't disrupt the kids like that. Sapinsly phones Tony to say he is going to let him out of the sale but will keep the deposit. Tony says if that's the case he will move in and make Sapinsly's life hell.

Tony returns home and Carmela is shocked to see him. She tries to stop him taking food from the fridge and threatens a restraining order. Tony gets violent and refuses to leave. Carmela flees upstairs. Later AJ helps Tony clear the home cinema room so that he can stay there. Tony tells his son he will be taking a bigger hand in his life now that he is right outside. He has a difficult night's sleep.

Chris exercises at home and Adriana drinks wine - he shouts at her for drinking around him. Tony calls Chris to call off the hit. Tony tells Chris to make sure the hired guns don't talk to anyone. Chris meets Credenzo and Clayborn with the rest of their payment and drives off. Benny and Petey shoot the two would-be hitmen before they can drive away as Chris watches from a distance.

Back at the Soprano house Tony lies in the pool and Carm asks him to move the chairs he has put on the lawn. Tony thinks she is looking for an excuse to nag him and they get into another argument. Carm tells Tony it might not have come to this if he had a more loving attitude while at home. Tony brings up Carmela telling him he was going to hell when he was first being investigated for his collapses. She follows him inside and apologises telling him he was her guy and was sweet to her. Tony asks her what she expected from their marriageas she knew everything about him when they met. He also accuses her of materialism. Carm calls Tony hateful and reveals her feelings for Furio, telling Tony that her happiest moments for months have been her mornings with Furio: when Tony came downstairs, she felt like someone who had a terminal illness but had forgotten about it for a while. Tony again becomes violent and punches a hole in the wall. He tells her he looked for women with different qualities from her in his affairs, but she reminds him that he hardly knew most of the women he slept with and walks out calling him a hypocrite. Tony calls Dr. Melfi but hangs up when she answers.

Junior finally gets his mistrial when the jury still cannot reach a verdict, because of intimidated juror Danny Scalercio. When Junior gets home he is not in the mood for a celebration and just lets Bobby order pizza. He complains that Tony probably won't visit him because of his own troubles. Bobby and Janice's relationship appears to be developing and they dance together. Junior breaks up the moment by ordering Bobby to get on with ordering.

AJ goes to his father to ask if he can move in with him because he is not getting on with his mother. Tony realizes his presence at the house is damaging for his children. Benny and Little Paulie are taking the speakers out of the home cinema room. Tony ends his talk with AJ by giving him money to buy her a gift and tell her he is sorry. Benny and Little Paulie take the speakers out on the Stugots and play a Dean Martin concert at high volume, disrupting the Sapinsly's lunch party.

Tony drives out to meet Johnny and tell him that the Carmine hit is off. Tony thinks that the hit will be too high profile and that there is no reason to kill Carmine now that the dispute is resolved. John is enraged and complains to Tony that he will have to go back to work for Carmine and his son, who he hates - Tony says he shouldn't be hearing this. Tony tells him that it's the healthy thing, John asks him why he should trust him when he has backed out of their deal - Tony again states that he shouldn't be hearing this. They part ways with an embrace. Tony returns home and this time Carmela lets him get in the fridge. Tony tells the family he has decided to move out. AJ becomes upset and asks if it was because he asked to live with Tony. Meadow takes the news hard as well and suggests Tony go back to therapy. When Meadow gets upstairs a flash of moments when she antagonised her parents runs through her mind and she begins to cry.

Tony packs to leave and Carm asks him to be careful. AJ watches from the doorway with his mother as his father drives away. Back at the Sapinsly house the harassment continues - as soon as they venture outside the music begins again. After realizing that this could continue indefinitely, they agree to give Tony his money back.

[edit] Deceased

[edit] Title Reference

  • Whitecaps is the name of the property Tony plans to buy for his family
  • Whitecaps on water indicate rough sailing or trouble ahead.

[edit] Awards

  • James Gandolfini won his third Emmy Award for his performance in this episode.
  • Edie Falco won her third Emmy Award for her performance in this episode.
  • John Patterson won Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series from the Directors Guild of America for his work on this episode.
  • Robin Green, Mitchell Burgess and David Chase won the Emmy in Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for their work on this episode.

[edit] Miscellanea

  • David Chase described Tony's use of Dean Martin to intimidate Sapinsly as cultural warfare because Martin is Italian.
  • Adriana describes Vito as Ralph's second in command.
  • The episode ran for 75 minutes -- currently the longest Sopranos episode to date.
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