Where's Johnny?

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“Where's Johnny?”
The Sopranos episode
Episode no. Season 5
Episode 55
Written by Michael Caleo
Directed by John Patterson
Guest stars see below
Production no. 503
Original airdate March 21, 2004
Episode chronology
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Episode chronology

"Where's Johnny?" is the fifty-fifth episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and was the third of the show's fifth season. It was written by Michael Caleo, directed by John Patterson and originally aired on March 21, 2004.

Contents

[edit] Guest starring roles

[edit] Episode recap

Feech La Manna causes trouble for a local gardener, Sal Vitro, who has been cutting grass in a particular neighborhood for decades. Feech does not care about Vitro's arrangements and claims that his nephew, E. Gary La Manna, reserves the right to this area. When Vitro disobeys, Feech becomes offended and violently attacks him, leaving Vitro battered with a broken arm. Tony B., who was with him is horrified because it could violate both of their paroles (Tony B. has a new legit laundry job, still truly trying to go straight) is with him and pulls Feech away. Paulie Walnuts learns from his Aunt Mary, a loyal customer to Sal, that Sal will not be gardening the area anymore because he was assaulted.

Uncle Junior's creeping dementia is getting worse. He thinks he sees himself on cable TV, when it is really a character who resembles him physically; he also mistakes an overweight character for Bobby. He wonders if that was his trial on television in confusion. Tommy, who is keeping him company, is at a loss as to why Junior would think he was the man on TV. The TV show is "Curb Your Enthusiasm", another HBO hit. "Curb Your Enthusiasm" also did an episode partially centered around the first season DVD of "The Sopranos".

Tensions rise in New York as loan shark Lorraine Calluzzo and her boyfriend Jason Evanina collect gambling debts from a bartender. They are accosted by three competitors including Phil Leotardo and Joey Peeps in a bar. He slaps Lorraine down to the floor while Joey Peeps knocks Jason down, then restrains and steps on his head to subdue him.. They've warned Lorraine twice that she will be "kicking up" directly to Johnny Sack now. Lorraine refuses, stating that she has always been faithful in giving her collections to Little Carmine in Miami. Phil pulls a gun and Lorraine immediately becomes apologetic. Unphased, Phil tries to scare Lorraine by tying her up and putting a phone book to her chest under the pretext that it would muffle the sound. Phil then fires the gun, with the bullet only penetrating through to the middle of the phone book's "R" section. Phil warns that next time she will not be so lucky.

Later, Lorraine takes her case to New Jersey with the guidance of Tony and Junior. Along with Angelo Garepe, Lorraine and Jason meet Tony and Junior at Harold Melvoin's office to discuss the New York issue. Lorraine tells Tony that she is scared and that Johnny now wants her to be giving her collections directly to him. Jason tries to offer a suggestion, but Lorraine dismissively says to him that "men are talking," emasculating Jason. Tony tries to resolve matters by recommending that New York form a triumvirate of bosses: Johnny, Carmine and Angelo. Angelo insists that he does not want to work with all the added stresses since he is semi-retired. Uncle Junior then adds, "What are you listening to him for? He never had the makings of a varsity athlete!" Tony laughs it off, stating that Junior does not know what he is saying.

Later, Paulie tries to help Sal win back his neighborhood. Paulie goes to the bakery owned by Feech to discuss the situation. He tells Feech that Sal had been cutting his Aunt's grass since the time he lived there. Feech says he is entitled to earn after 20 years in prison and Sal didn't belong to anyone so that makes him fair game. Paulie says being in prison entitles Feech to nothing and you get points for staying out of jail. Feech becomes irate with Paulie, saying what's Paulie's was Paulie's, but everything else is none of Paulie's business. He throws Paulie out of his bakery.

Tony tries to mend fences with Artie Bucco, who is still holding a grudge over the loan incident. Artie has run into trouble over his living situation. Tony offers him one of the bedrooms at his mother's house, where he has been staying since his separation from Carmella. Although at first reluctant, Artie agrees.

During Sunday dinner at Uncle Junior's, which Janice "prepares" (with the help of Nuovo Vesuvio take-out), Junior repeats his comment against Tony of not being "varsity material." Tony takes offense this time defending his sports record, reminding Junior how those comments made him feel when they were said in front of female cousins. Tony warns Junior to not make the comment again. When Barbara arrives with her family, she asks her brother about NFL season tickets. Their discussion of a possible draft pick leads Junior to make the comment again. Irate, Tony tells A.J. they are leaving and they both walk out. Uncle Junior genuinely wonders what Tony is upset about. Janice then asks Uncle Junior if that was necessary, which causes Junior to call Tony "a hot house flower" genuinely not understanding what Tony was so upset about.

At Paulie's aunt's, she tells him that Sal is tending her lawn for the last time. Sal had to fire his Spanish helper and pull his kid out of college to help with the business because he couldn't afford to hire help.

Tony meets up with Johnny Sack that night at Shea Stadium and tells him that Lorraine reached out to him. Johnny is contemptuous of Lorraine (it is revealed that Tony and Lorraine had a sexual relationship a long time ago). Tony brings up the power sharing idea. Johnny is contemptuous of the idea; Tony quickly drops the idea. Meanwhile, Uncle Junior wanders from his house in his bathrobe, unbeknownst to a sleeping Tommy, who was supposed to be watching him. Junior drives to Bloomfield Avenue where his brother, Johnny Boy, once had a Soprano family hangout. Instead, he finds a storefront church. One of the older parishioners remembers that it was an Italian neighborhood "back in the day," and the made guys once had vending machines. Junior is roughly told by a young person he is not welcome and escorted out of the church. Befuddled, Junior leaves his car behind. Janice and her husband Bobby argue over the phone about what to do when he tells her that her Uncle Junior has wandered off. She wants to go to Tony with the problem but Bobby wants to go looking for Uncle Junior himself and tells her to come to Uncle Junior's house in case he comes back.

Paulie drives over to his aunt's neighborhood (while listing to a tape of Sun Tzu) and pays a visit to E. Gary, who is pruning a tree high up with support from his brother. Paulie asks Gary to give back his area to Vitro, and Gary refuses, causing Paulie to bean Gary's brother Jimmy in the head with a shovel. This, in turn, causes him to let go of the rope holding Gary up, plunging him down from the tree. Paulie threatens Gary, takes his lawn mower as a down payment (and robbing Gary of the cash on him) and tells Gary that he is to pay Sal's medical bills and is taking a piece of Gary's action.

Bobby lets Tony know that Uncle Junior is missing. Tony, still smarting over the varsity athlete comments, says he doesn't care and tells Bobby that Uncle Junior is dead to him.

Tony once again tries to have a sit-down with Johnny to resolve the New York issue. When Christopher intrudes in the argument, Johnny reminds him that he used to stay in the car, and that he should probably still be there. Tony lashes out at Christopher in the car afterward and advises him to keep his ears open and mouth shut in the future.

Adriana meets with her handler, Agent Sanseverino, and lays out the complex blood and marriage relationships of the Soprano clan. "It's an Italian thing," she tells her. Adriana asks how long will she has to be an informant and is told it could be for up to ten years if a previous RICO case was any indication.

Uncle Junior is sitting on a park bench and a homeless woman sits down next to him and offers to give him a blowjob. He refuses, saying that he has to find his car. He is eventually discovered by police walking across a Newark bridge. He tries to flee the police after tripping over an old wooden pallet and skinning his knee. He demands to see his lawyer when the cops question him. He says he is Corrado Soprano and they exchange humorous "yeah, right" looks. He is driven home by the police . At Uncle' Junior's, a relieved Janice gives the police Uncle Junior's ID. Startled, the cops realize he was telling the truth. The cops are more polite and give Junior his wallet back. Uncle Junior promptly says "Go shit in your hat." This incident causes Janice and Bobby to worry that Uncle Junior is becoming less and less aware of his surroundings, possibly due to early Alzheimer's disease.

Janice and Bobby go to Livia's old house to tell Tony about Junior's situation. It is apparent that Artie has moved in. Over the Uncle Junior matter, Tony claims not to care and repeats to Janice what he told Bobby: that Junior is dead to him. Tony and Janice then begin to argue, dredging up old hurts and slights. Tony reminds her of people she has tried to "help" in the past, only to help herself. Tony mentions her drug habits and her life on the road, that Janice "dropped acid" and performed fellatio on "roadies." Bobby is shocked. Janice says the allegations are untrue and slaps Tony. Tony resorts to choking her which leads to a larger skirmish. Bobby and Artie try to break up the fight and Artie gets hit in the eye by Janice's flailing elbow. Janice runs out of the house crying.

Paulie and Feech have a sit-down with Tony, who rules that Sal and Gary get half of the area. When Sal hears this, he is disappointed, especially when told he will have to provide free services at the homes of made men, "some friends of ours" as Paulie puts it, including Tony and Johnny Sack. Paulie tells him he should be grateful for getting this much.

After running into Junior's neurologist on the golf course, Tony realizes that Junior's comments may have been due to his infarcts, mini-strokes causing brain trauma. Now feeling rather guilty, Tony visits Junior to reconcile, and recommends that he takes his medication to help with his memory loss. He reveals that Feech complained to him about Tony ruling against him. Tony is upset for Feech going to Junior but Junior reminds him that he is still the Boss of the family despite arrangements. Tony ask why he always repeats mean things and not something nice. When Tony asks Junior if he loves him, Junior doesn't answer, but weeps quietly.

[edit] First appearances

Sal Vitro: a gardener helped by Paulie who becomes indebted to the Soprano crime family.

Billy Leotardo: Solider in the Lupertazzi crime family and Phil's younger brother. Along with Joey Peeps and Phil, pushed for Johnny Sack to succeed Carmine as boss of the New York family.

[edit] Title references

  • Confused and suffering from dementia, Uncle Junior asks the whereabouts of his younger brother, Johnny Boy.
  • The title could also be a reference to the feud between Johnny Sack and Young Carmine, in which Tony makes a suggestion on where Johnny should be in ranking against Carmine.


[edit] Music

The Music played over the end credits is "Earth,Wind,Water" by Mitch Coodley-The Metro Music Production Library. When Paulie confronts Sal Vitro, the song playing in the background of the bar is "Let Your Love Flow" by the Bellamy Brothers.


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