| "Johnny Cakes" | |||
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| The Sopranos episode | |||
| Episode no. | Season 6 Episode 8 |
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| Directed by | Tim Van Patten | ||
| Written by | Diane Frolov Andrew Schneider |
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| Cinematography by | Alik Sakharov | ||
| Production code | 608 | ||
| Original air date | April 30, 2006 (HBO) | ||
| Guest stars | |||
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see below |
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| Episode chronology | |||
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| Episode chronology | |||
"Johnny Cakes" is the seventy-third episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and the eighth of the show's sixth season. It was written by Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider, directed by Tim Van Patten and originally aired on April 30, 2006.
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To get more money for partying, A.J. sells the drum kit Tony gave him as a gift. While the pair are fishing on Tony's boat, A.J. asks what they are going to do about Uncle Junior shooting Tony. Tony tells A.J. he should not concern himself with Junior, saying, "He's incarcerated for the rest of his unnatural life."
Uninterested in his job or in going back to school, A.J. is spending more time hanging out in nightclubs in New York City with Hernan and his new friends, some of them underage girls. His club acquaintances are impressed with him because of who his father is. A.J. brags to one of the girls who inquires about revenge against his uncle Junior. "I'll probably have to do something," he says. At A.J.'s next night out clubbing, one of Hernan's crew hounds A.J. to get his father to lean on his landlord. Retreating to the restroom, A.J. has a panic attack.
At Dr. Melfi's, Tony complains about his son. "It's like a bad smell in the house, it's always hanging there," Tony says. Tony tells Melfi that it's not a good aphrodisiac and that he couldn't be blamed for considering an extracurricular outlet, even though he's not seeking out one. He asks for advice about A.J. Melfi suggests he and Carmela lay down some rules: "The most important thing is that you and Carmela are in agreement."
After getting little support from his parents to provide him a club to manage, and after spending the day sleeping past noon, A.J. visits Uncle Junior in the psych hospital, taking a knife with him. When he sees A.J., Junior begs him to take him home. Scared, A.J. drops the knife and is tackled by several hospital staff members as he tries to escape. After calling on Assemblyman Zellman to have A.J. released from custody without criminal charges, Tony picks up A.J. at the police station and confronts him. A.J. calls his father a hypocrite because Tony admires Michael Corleone for avenging the attempted murder of his father in The Godfather. Tony, although touched by his son's intentions, tells him that he needs to grow up, that The Godfather is only a movie. Tony also instructs A.J. not to tell Carmela about the incident.
Vito, pretending to be a writer named "Vince", spends more time at Jim's diner. One evening, he witnesses Jim (aka 'Johnnycakes') performing a heroic rescue of a young child while working as a volunteer firefighter and later compliments him on his heroism. Jim takes an interest in Vito's book and questions him about the lonely life of a writer. Meanwhile, Vito manages to steal the cell phone of a fellow guest at the bed-and-breakfast where he has been staying and calls his wife. She begs him to come home and to get "treatment". Vito refuses, but tells her where to find $30,000 cash in the house. Marie puts their son on the phone, and Vito has a brief, pained conversation with him.
Vito spends an evening with Jim and some of his volunteer firefighter colleagues at a local roadhouse. Later, after discussing Jim's motorcycle in the parking lot, Vito rejects his sexual advances. The two throw punches, and Jim leaves Vito beaten and bloody. Days later, Vito goes back to the diner for more of Jim's johnnycakes. The two later decide to patch things up after Vito tells Jim "sometimes you tell a lie so long, you don't know when to stop" (in regards to his closeted homosexuality), they then take a motorcycle ride together that results in a romantic picnic and them making love in a secluded field.
Phil Leotardo meets with Tony and asks what he is doing about finding Vito. Tony tells him he will take care of it his own way. This elicits a warning from Phil that he will not swallow his pride on this issue like he did when Tony Blundetto killed his brother Billy. Phil tells Tony that if his father "Johnny Boy" Soprano was around, there wouldn't be any discussion about Vito's fate. Phil then reiterates that Vito shamed his family by betraying his wife, Phil's cousin, and his young, innocent children. Tony responds by walking away in a huff.
Burt and Patsy visit Caputo's Poultry store for their "take." Next, the pair visit the neighborhood's new Starbucks-like coffee store, offering "protection". But when the manager explains that they are required by corporate to account for every dollar spent and that the company won't care about vandalism due to its many locations, Patsy and Burt retreat outside. "It's over for the little guy", Patsy says.
Tony, Silvio, and Chris check out a woman outside Satriale's Pork Store. The woman is Julianna Skiff, a Century 21 Real Estate agent who asks Tony if he is interested in selling a building he owns, the one he is renting to Caputo's Poultry. Tony rejects the deal, stating that the poultry store is part of the neighborhood, but he is interested in Skiff sexually. Skiff seeks out Tony at the Bada Bing and makes an increased offer on the building. Tony again declines, but asks her out to dinner. Mentioning the new outlook on life brought about by the shooting, Tony tells her that he knows what he wants in life. Stating that she is engaged to another man, Julianna seems intrigued by Tony and claims there was a time in her life when she might have taken him up on the offer. "For once in my life I will exercise some self control," she states.
Julianna calls Tony with a third offer on the building, which he accepts, and she agrees to let him come to her apartment that evening, ostensibly to complete the paperwork. In his bedroom, while Tony is dressing for the encounter, Carmela helps pick out a shirt for him and assists him in buttoning it up. At Julianna's, after Tony signs the paperwork the two embrace, and Julianna starts unbuttoning Tony's shirt. Tony makes her stop and abruptly departs, heading home to Carmela in a rage over his sexual frustration.
Burt and Patsy revisit Caputo's Poultry to collect the weekly take. Caputo informs the pair that Tony has sold the building to Jamba Juice. Outside, Patsy laments, "What the fuck is happening to this neighborhood?"
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