Made in America (The Sopranos)

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“Made in America”
The Sopranos episode

The Soprano family meet for dinner at a restaurant.
Episode no. Season 6
Episode 21
Written by David Chase
Directed by David Chase
Guest stars Ricky Aiello
Frank Albanese
Gregory Antonacci
Carl Capotorto
Max Casella
John Cenatiempo
John "Cha Cha" Ciarcia
Michele DeCesare
Michael Drayer
Frank John Hughes
Michael Kelly
Geraldine LiBrandi
David Margulies
Angelo Massagli
Peter Mele
Arthur Nascarella
Donna Pescow
Joseph Perrino
Anthony Ribustello
Daniel Sauli
Matt Servitto
Jenna Stern
Emily Wickersham
Original airdate June 10, 2007 (2007-06-10)
Season 6 episodes
Part 1: 12 March 2006 – 4 June 2006
Part 2: 8 April 2007 – 10 June 2007
  1. "Members Only"
  2. "Join the Club"
  3. "Mayham"
  4. "The Fleshy Part of the Thigh"
  5. "Mr. & Mrs. John Sacrimoni Request"
  6. "Live Free or Die"
  7. "Luxury Lounge"
  8. "Johnny Cakes"
  9. "The Ride"
  10. "Moe N' Joe"
  11. "Cold Stones"
  12. "Kaisha"
  1. "Soprano Home Movies"
  2. "Stage 5"
  3. "Remember When"
  4. "Chasing It"
  5. "Walk Like a Man"
  6. "Kennedy and Heidi"
  7. "The Second Coming"
  8. "The Blue Comet"
  9. "Made in America"
List of The Sopranos episodes

"Made in America" is the eighty-sixth episode of the HBO television series The Sopranos. It is the ninth episode of the second half of the show's sixth season (the broadcast of which was split into two parts), the twenty-first episode of the season overall, and the final episode of the series. It was written and directed by series creator/executive producer David Chase. It originally aired in the United States on June 10, 2007, attracting 11.9 million viewers. The initial fan and critical reception was mixed with many negative reviews; however, in the weeks following the episode's original broadcast, appreciation for the finale grew considerably among fans and critics alike. "Made in America" and its closing scene became the subject of much discussion, criticism, and analysis; many parodies of the final scene also appeared in popular culture. The episode won an Emmy Award in the category of "Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series".

The plot of "Made in America" details the aftermath of the war between the DiMeo crime family—headed by series protagonist Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini)—and the Brooklyn-based Lupertazzi family. Tony also has to deal with many familial concerns involving his son A.J., wife Carmela, and daughter Meadow (Robert Iler, Edie Falco, and Jamie-Lynn Sigler). As the series comes to a close, several characters make personal and professional adjustments.

Contents

[edit] Plot

Tony wakes up in the safe house where he and the core surviving members of the crew have taken up residence. Tony meets with FBI Agent Dwight Harris (Matt Servitto) and exchanges information. However, Harris refuses to provide Tony with Phil Leotardo's (Frank Vincent) location. Tony visits his family at the safe house where they are living and sees A.J. developing his relationship with Rhiannon (Emily Wickersham).

At Bobby Baccalieri's funeral, there's a large FBI presence, allowing Tony and his crew to attend. At the dinner afterwards, A.J. announces his disaffection with the American Dream and the government's war on terror to the people at his table, telling them that they are all "living in a dream," but most of them express disinterest or confusion. Janice comes over to see Tony and quickly annoys him with her delusional statements.

At the safe house, members of his crew bring their payments to Tony and they are all light, signs that the war is affecting everyone's business and that the Soprano crew is feeling the pinch. In a surprise move, Agent Harris notifies Tony of "Multiple calls traced back to a pay phone in Oyster Bay, Long Island", thus hinting at Leotardo's location. Tony's crew sets out to look for gas stations containing payphones, but they are unable to locate Phil. Phil talks to Butch DeConcini where he is angry that Tony has not been killed, gets angry when he perceives Butchie is suggesting he end the war against the Soprano family, and implicitly threatens Butchie with reprisals when the war is over.

Paulie Walnuts and Tony having a sitdown in front of Satriale's.
Paulie Walnuts and Tony having a sitdown in front of Satriale's.

Once again, we overhear FBI surveillance, where Tony appears to ask a neutral party to arrange a sitdown with Butchie. Tony and Paulie have a sitdown with him, Little Carmine and Albie Cianflone, hosted by George Paglieri. The Lupertazzi family members agree to stop pursuing the war. Butch refuses to tell Tony where Phil is hiding, but tells Tony "do what you have to do." Tony also asks for reparations for the killing of Bobby Baccalieri and Butch agrees to a monetary payment for Janice at a future date.

Tony then comes out of hiding and he and his family return to their North Caldwell home. His crew returns to the Bada Bing. Meadow plans a wedding with Patrick Parisi. Life begins to return to normal for Tony, his family and his crew. The exception is AJ, who decides that joining the Army is his only recourse to contribute to fixing things, but both his parents and his girlfriend Rhiannon are against this. AJ as well as Tony and Carmela are shown discussing this turn of events with AJ's therapist. Ultimately though, Tony and Carmela distract AJ from his Army ambitions by getting him involved in producing a movie with Little Carmine's production company, and supplying him with a BMW M3 to replace his SUV, which burned to a crisp after he injudiciously parked it in some dry leaves while listening to Bob Dylan and making out with Rhiannon.

Phil is shown getting out of his SUV at a gas station, and says goodbye to his wife and grandchildren. Walden Belfiore shoots him once in the head and a second time in the chest, killing him as he stands by the passenger side window. Belfiore escapes in a Chrysler 300 driven by Benny Fazio while Phil's wife Patty jumps screaming after leaving her vehicle. The Expedition is locked and left in drive, however, soon crawling forward and crushing Phil's head, causing an onlooker to vomit. Ron Goddard, an agent with the FBI, is seen notifying Agent Harris of Leotardo's death, causing Harris to exclaim, "Damn! We're gonna win this thing."

Tony confronts his uncle Corrado "Junior" Soprano.
Tony confronts his uncle Corrado "Junior" Soprano.

Tony visits Silvio, who remains in a coma. Tony's lawyer Neil Mink informs Tony someone is testifying to a grand jury (Tony believes it to be Carlo Gervasi) and that Tony is likely to be indicted. Tony offers the leadership of the Aprile crew to Paulie. Paulie, unsettled by a stray cat that keeps staring at a picture of Chris in the backroom of Satriale's, also feels superstitious about the apparent curse that has struck the leaders of that crew. After he turns down the offer, Tony says that he will offer the position to Patsy Parisi, which drives Paulie to accept the promotion after all. Later on, as Paulie is sunning himself outside of Satriale's, the stray cat walks over and lies down beside him.

Junior is visited in the state mental hospital by Janice who wants to find out where he has hidden his stash of cash, but his dementia is so far advanced that he doesn't recognize anyone. He thinks Janice is Livia, and that Janice's daughter Domenica is Janice. When she tells him that Bobby is dead, he answers "yeah, Ambassador Hotel," thinking she is referring to the 1968 assassination of Bobby Kennedy at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.

Tony visits his uncle Corrado "Junior" Soprano (Dominic Chianese) at the state mental hospital. Because of his dementia, Junior barely recognizes Tony and becomes confused when Tony asks him about various things. Tony tries to remind him of his involvement in "this thing of ours" by stating that "you and my dad — you two ran North Jersey." Junior simply replies "That's nice," whereupon Tony walks away with a tear in his eye. Tony then meets his family for dinner at a restaurant, arriving first. Carmela arrives second, followed by A.J.. The three talk for a while. As Meadow enters the restaurant, Tony looks up and the screen abruptly cuts to black and silence. After 10 seconds, the credits roll silently.[1][2]

[edit] Production

Holsten's in Bloomfield, NJ
Holsten's in Bloomfield, NJ

The final scene of the episode was filmed in April 2007 at Holsten's Brookdale Confectionery, an ice cream and candy shop located in Bloomfield, New Jersey.[3]

Agent Harris' exclamation "Damn! We're gonna win this thing!" when learning of the death of Phil Leotardo is a real-life allusion to former FBI supervisor Lindley DeVecchio who famously uttered the line when he was told Lorenzo "Larry" Lampasi had been shot to death in front of his Brooklyn home. DeVecchio was later charged for informing the mob on various accounts, including giving the locations of other mob enemies to Colombo crime family enforcer Gregory Scarpa, another parallel to Agent Harris and Tony.[4][5]

Journey's Steve Perry reports that he refused to let David Chase use their song "Don't Stop Believing" in the final scene until he knew the fate of the leading characters, and did not give final approval until three days before the episode aired. He feared that the song would be remembered as the soundtrack to Tony's demise, until Chase assured that it would not be the case.[6]

As published by TV Blogger, a source for HBO revealed a possible alternative episode structure, "comprising of the same scenes ordered differently and with a few omissions."[7] According to actor Matt Servitto (Agent Harris), the original scripted ending concluded with Meadow walking into the diner and the mysterious Man in Members Only jacket walking towards the table.[8] David Chase also reportedly wanted the "black screen" to last for the entire duration of the credits, but could not get a waiver from the Directors Guild.[9]

Maureen Van Zandt, who plays Silvo Dante's wife Gabriella Dante on the show, is billed in the opening credits for this episode only. The characters Dr. Jennifer Melfi (Lorraine Bracco) and Christopher Moltisanti (Michael Imperioli) do not appear in "Made in America" but the actors who play them are still listed in the opening credits.

[edit] Reception

Momentary puzzlement occurred from viewers watching the final scene of the episode.[10] The use of an abrupt ending followed by several seconds of silent black screen caused controversy as many viewers initially believed their cable or DVR had cut out at the crucial moment.[11]

Aspects of the "Made in America" episode have been widely parodied. The ending was spoofed in a promotional video produced by the Hillary Clinton 2008 presidential campaign as well as on an episode of The Celebrity Apprentice which featured actor Vincent Curatola. The ending was also referenced during the opening act of the 59th annual Primetime Emmy Awards. The act featured Brian and Stewie Griffin from Family Guy singing a tribute to various television shows including The Sopranos. The tribute was in tune to the "FCC Song" from the Family Guy episode "PTV". Brian sings his line "The Sopranos is a show I recommend" followed by Stewie singing "because you never know just how it's gonna-" at which point the song is interrupted and the screen abruptly turns black.[12] The episode "Lois Kills Stewie" later used the same joke.

[edit] Final scene

[edit] Interpretations

The final shot of "Made in America"
The final shot of "Made in America"

Peter Biskind of Vanity Fair stated in an early interview with David Chase that "in true Sopranos fashion Chase won't have tied up all loose ends."[13] True to the prediction, the ending is said to offer little closure or catharsis for viewers.[14] A major point of contention among fans lies in the fate of Tony Soprano in the episode's final moments and thereafter: some believe that he is killed; others believe that he remains alive.[15][16]

One argument for the former points to a conversation that Tony had in "Soprano Home Movies" with his brother-in-law Bobby in which Bobby comments on how suddenly and without sound death can happen in their lives as gangsters.[17] When questioned on the theory, HBO spokesman Quentin Schaffer stated that the conversation is a legitimate hint.[15] The final scene showing a man credited as "Man in Members Only jacket" who goes to the bathroom has been interpreted as a nod to Tony's favorite scene from The Godfather in which Michael Corleone retrieves a gun from the bathroom before shooting his enemies.[18] The jacket has also been speculated to be a reference to the title of the opening episode of the season, in which Tony is shot, and also as a symbolic reference to membership in the Mafia by the "mystery man".[19]

Arguments are also made with equally strong conviction that the meaning of the final scene was that life is fraught with fear and danger but it goes on, as some fans believe the lyrics of the closing song may imply.[20] Supporters of this interpretation point out that because of Tony's peace agreement with the Lupertazzi family and their tacit sanction of a hit on Phil Leotardo, there was no legitimate basis to expect a hit on Tony Soprano.[21] It is also interpreted that as Meadow walked through the door, Chase cut away at the precise moment of Tony's unknowing apprehension, a feeling that would consume the rest of his life.[22]

Another interpretation is that the final scene allows the viewer to create one's own ending to the series, or no ending at all, allowing the plot to continue in one's mind.[23]

[edit] Comments from David Chase

David Chase has stated that the series ending was planned during the 21-month hiatus between seasons five and six, a "long break" Chase asked for when approached about another season.[16] Reports also indicate that Chase had a definite ending in mind[15] and that he initially intended the cut to black to last thirty seconds.[24] He also denied that the ending was a setup for a future film.[25]

Chase has made various comments surrounding the finale:

His first interview after screening:

“ I have no interest in explaining, defending, reinterpreting, or adding to what is there. No one was trying to be audacious, honest to God. We did what we thought we had to do. No one was trying to blow people's minds, or thinking, 'Wow, this'll (tick) them off.' People get the impression that you're trying to (mess) with them and it's not true. You're trying to entertain them.[16] ”

Chase later commented:

“ I wasn't going to do this, but somebody said it would be a good idea if we said something about that ending. I really wasn't going to go into it, but I'll just say this...when I was going to Stanford University's graduate film school and was 23 [years old], I went to see Planet of the Apes with my wife. When it was over, I said, 'Wow...so they had a Statue of Liberty, too.'[26] ”

On moments during and after the final scene, and referenced a scene from the episode "Stage 5":

“ There are no esoteric clues in there. No Da Vinci Code. Everything that pertains to that episode was in that episode. And it was in the episode before that and the one before that and seasons before this one and so on. There had been indications of what the end is like. Remember when Jerry Torciano was killed? Silvio was not aware that the gun had been fired until after Jerry was on his way down to the floor. That's the way things happen: It's already going on by the time you even notice it.[27] ”

On the future for A.J and Meadow, Tony Soprano's children:

“ (A.J. will) "probably be a low-level movie producer. But he's not going to be a killer like his father, is he? Meadow may not become a pediatrician or even a lawyer...but she'll learn to operate in the world in ways that Carmela never did".[9] ”

On the fans of the show:

“ (The fans) "had gleefully watched him [Tony] rob, kill, pillage, lie and cheat. They had cheered him on. And then, all of a sudden, they wanted to see him punished for all that. They wanted 'justice'...The pathetic thing -- to me -- was how much they wanted HIS blood, after cheering him on for eight years."[9] ”

[edit] Ratings

When "Made in America" first aired on HBO in the United States on Sunday 10 June 2007 it attracted an average of 11.9 million viewers, the largest audience since the season five premiere.[28]

[edit] Critical response

The initial critical response was mixed.

[edit] Awards

In 2007, "Made in America" won an Emmy in the category of "Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series" at the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards. This is the third and final time series creator/executive producer David Chase has won the award for his writing on the series.[29][30]

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Made in America". David Chase. The Sopranos. HBO. 2007-06-10. No. 21, season 6.
  2. ^ Episode guide - Episode 86 - "Made in America". HBO. Retrieved on 2008-05-20.
  3. ^ Moss, Linda. "The Sopranos Ends in an Ice Cream Parlor", Multichannel News, 2007-06-11. Retrieved on 2008-05-20. 
  4. ^ Moushey, Bill. "Switching Sides", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 1998-12-01. Retrieved on 2008-05-20. 
  5. ^ Raab, Selwyn (2006). Five Families: The Rise, Decline, and Resurgence of America's Most Powerful Mafia Empires. New York: St. Martin's Press, 341. ISBN 978-0312361815. 
  6. ^ Journey Rocker Kept Sopranos Boss Waiting pr-inside.com. Retrieved on June 12, 2007.
  7. ^ 'HBO Source Confirms Alternate Sopranos Ending'. Retrieved on 2007-07-29.
  8. ^ Sopranos Finale Cast Reaction accesshollywood.com. Retrieved on July 12, 2007.
  9. ^ a b c 'Sopranos' creator defends famous finale Associated Press. Retrieved on October 24, 2007.
  10. ^ Sopranos Whack the Competition, If Not Each Other E! News, 11 June 2007
  11. ^ Sopranos ending splits fans Australian Couriermail, 11 June 2007
  12. ^ YouTube - Broadcast Yourself
  13. ^ Biskind, Peter (April 2007). An American Family. Vanity Fair. Retrieved on 2008-05-20.
  14. ^ Moore, Frazier. "No Easy Ending for 'The Sopranos'", Associated Press, 2007-06-11. Retrieved on 2007-05-20. 
  15. ^ a b c Gorman, Steve. "Sopranos rub-out theory gains credence", Reuters, 2007-06-15. Retrieved on 2008-05-20. 
  16. ^ a b c Sepinwall, Alan (2007-06-11). David Chase speaks!. The Star Ledger. Retrieved on 2005-05-20.
  17. ^ Mark Farinella. "A perfect ending to a perfect TV series", thesunchronicle.com, 2007-06-12. Retrieved on 2007-06-12. 
  18. ^ "Sopranos Creator: Movie No Sure Thing", Associated Press. Retrieved on 2007-06-11. 
  19. ^ "Think Tony Soprano's dead? You may be right", CNN. Retrieved on 2007-06-15. 
  20. ^ Jim Emerson. "'The Sopranos': Eighty-Sixed", Chicago Sun-Times, 2007-06-10. Retrieved on 2007-06-11. 
  21. ^ "Sopranos" finale: What Really Happened. sfgate.com. Retrieved on 2007-06-30.
  22. ^ Chat with Page 2's Bill Simmons. espn.go.com. Retrieved on 2007-06-23.
  23. ^ "Write your own ending to the 'Sopranos'", Pressconnects. Retrieved on 2007-06-17. 
  24. ^ Carter, Bill Fans Online Sift for Clues in the ‘Sopranos’ Finale The New York Times. June 17, 2007.
  25. ^ Sopranos creator Chase says final episode isn’t a setup for a movie, but ’never say never’, The Boston Herald, accessed June 17, 2007.
  26. ^ TCA Awards report tvsquad.com. Retrieved on July 24, 2007.
  27. ^ Martin, Brett. 'Sopranos' Creator Takes on Angry Fans. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved on 2008-05-20.
  28. ^ 'Sopranos' Body Count: 11.9 Million. www.zap2it.com (2007-06-12). Retrieved on 2007-11-13.
  29. ^ Emmy winners. The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved on 2008-02-22.
  30. ^ Sopranos scores hat-trick at Emmys. RTE (2007-09-17). Retrieved on 2008-02-22.

[edit] External links


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