Eloise (The Sopranos)

"Eloise"
The Sopranos episode
Episode no. Season 4
Episode 51
Directed by James Hayman
Written by Terence Winter
Cinematography by Alik Sakharov
Production code 412
Original air date December 1, 2002 (HBO)
Guest stars

see below

Episode chronology
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Episode chronology

"Eloise" is the fifty-first episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and was the twelfth of the show's fourth season. It was written by Terence Winter, directed by James Hayman and originally aired on Sunday December 1, 2002.

Contents

Plot summary

As Junior Soprano's trial concludes, Eugene Pontecorvo and Dogsy find juror Danny Scalercio while he is out shopping with his son and intimidate him.

Little Carmine and Johnny Sack try to convince Carmine, Sr. to reduce his demands in his dispute with Tony over the HUD scheme. Carmine Sr., becoming angry, insults his son and refuses to back down. Sack meets with Tony and Silvio at Carmine's new restaurant and offers a minor compromise; Tony, angry in part because Carmine will not deal with him face-to-face, rejects it and later orders that the restaurant be damaged.

Carmine uses his union influence to shut down work at the disputed project, the Esplanade. Tony decides to wait the dispute out, expecting the financial losses on both sides will quickly force Carmine into a compromise. Johnny Sack meets with Tony and raises the possibility of killing Carmine, surprising Tony.

In the Soprano household, Carmela and A.J. discuss a paper he is writing on Billy Budd. Tony's callous behavior toward Carmela angers Furio, who has difficulty restraining himself when Tony calls his wife a "moody bitch." Tony remains unconscious of the romantic tension between Carmela and Furio. Carmela later visits Furio's house to discuss decorating, but a possible flirtation is interrupted by one of her father's contractors.

Tony, Furio, and other members of the crew visit an Indian casino. While most of the others carouse, Furio stands aloof. Later, as the drunken crew prepares to board the casino's helicopter for the flight home, Furio grabs Tony by the shirt front and appears barely able to restrain himself from shoving Tony into the spinning tail rotor. Furio tells the baffled Tony he was standing too close to the blades. The next day, Furio does not appear when expected, and Carmela learns he has abruptly returned to Italy. Carmela and Rosalie Aprile have dinner at Nuovo Vesuvio. When Rosalie suggests Tony might have taken action against Furio, she becomes distraught.

A family dinner to meet Meadow's new boyfriend, Finn DeTrolio, further dispirits Carmela. Their annual mother-daughter birthday outing the next day turns quickly into hostile bickering. Carmela complains to Tony about her disagreements with Meadow, sharply irritating her, but he later approaches his daughter and suggests that she treat her mother with more restraint.

Paulie Gualtieri learns from his mother that her friend Minn Matrone keeps a large cache of money in her home. After a rough-edged conversation with Silvio reveals unhappiness with his declining financial contributions, Paulie approaches Carmine Sr., only to learn that Johnny Sack has never passed along his previous suggestions of a shift in loyalties. Upset, Paulie decides to steal Minn Matrone's cash to make up his shortfall to Tony. When she arrives home unexpectedly, recognizing him and interrupting the burglary, Paulie kills her. He then nervously makes a large payment to Tony.

Guest starring roles

First appearances

Deceased

Title reference

References to other media and events

Music