The Zone

by **Fievel** on Mon Dec 12, 2005 4:14 pm

Do the teaser commercials on HBO get anyone else pumped up??? It's about friggin' time that the new season rolled out...... in March.... 2006.
Anthony's got long hair in the little black&white clips.... does he turn to the dark side this season (and I don't mean "beating up the foreign kid in the alley" dark)?
That last season was so long ago.

by **jgraphix** on Mon Dec 12, 2005 4:16 pm

Felt like the last season was like 3 years ago, damn!

Don't subsribe to HBO anymore, so I haven't seen the teaser.

by **bamf** on Wed Dec 21, 2005 10:39 pm

Im a little annoyed with that teaser due to the fact that I had my mind set on a February return of the family. March now, wtf. Pretty much the only reason why I have HBO is Sopranos, that and reruns of Space Truckers.

by **anthonymous** on Wed Mar 08, 2006 10:58 pm

bumping due to imminent return..

The hype machine has begun its...machinations, with the first ep gaining largely favourable reviews, with promises of a shock

by **Fievel** on Wed Mar 08, 2006 11:06 pm

This season is going to rock.
Ben FREAKING Kingsley!!!!!!

by **Chairman Kaga** on Wed Mar 08, 2006 11:15 pm

I doubt Tony Jr. will ever join the "family" on the show.

by **Carolian** on Wed Mar 08, 2006 11:20 pm

bamf wrote:Im a little annoyed with that teaser due to the fact that I had my mind set on a February return of the family. March now, wtf. Pretty much the only reason why I have HBO is Sopranos, that and reruns of Space Truckers.

DUDE!!!!

SPACE TRUCKERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HELL YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!

Oh yeah, and THE SOPRANOS is cool, too.

BUT...

NOT AS COOL AS SPACE TRUCKERS!!!!!!!!!!!!

by **Hollywood_Bob** on Thu Mar 09, 2006 2:26 am

I liked the teasers alot...I have been watching all of the repeat episodes from the very begining til now...still think the ep where Ade gets it is the best...and am I the only who thinks that AJ looks like a dude from "The Hills have Eyes" from the teasers?

by **Hollywood_Bob** on Thu Mar 09, 2006 2:26 am

btw..can one of the MODS possible make this the "Offical" thread

Website · by **kortanaskew** on Mon Mar 13, 2006 12:34 am

I spent the weekend watching the season five dvd's.

I rank it up there as maybe better or as good as Season Three.
Season Four is the worst of the seasosn even though it brought us the spectacular ending of the saga of Ralph Cifaretto and Pie-Oh-MY

As for tonight's episode. It started slow but ended umm with a bang....

SPOILERS...............................
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Who else is getting the feeling that Vito is gonna make a play for Tony's job?

Weight loss is given that motherfucker one hell of an ego trip.
Plus he's getting chummy with Philly Leotardo.
So we'll assume he'll have his support as stand-in boss of the New Yoir crew. That is gonna carry a lot of weight.

Plus there's the not so subtle hint, what he told the one mob guy who had recently received the inheritance?

And now Tony's unfortunate accident. That is definitely a sign that he wont be in any condition to run anything for awhile.

Also goddamn Uncle Jun. It started last season with him having a touch of Dementia or whatever. But now it's full blown and may be no coming back from it. Unless the old fucker is faking *lol* But it makes the character less likable, as no one wants to hang around a senile old man. Too bad he always had the best lines. I rather they just had offed him.
Then again he could just still be faking like he did in season 4.

by **Chairman Kaga** on Mon Mar 13, 2006 1:20 am

I highly doubt Junior is faking. After that tumble he took down the court house steps and wandering around Newark he has legit brain damage.

I also doubt Vito will make a play to become the boss.

Website · by **kortanaskew** on Mon Mar 13, 2006 3:49 pm

Jumior was definitely faking when he walked outside to harass the neighbors in season 4. This was AFTER he took the tumble down the stairs.

He obviously wasn't faking when he took off in his car and went to the old neighborhood looking for his brother Johnny.

What kind of hosue arrest is he on anyways? He's not wearing an ankle bracelet. He's always complaining he can't leave the house. But he can take off wheneever he flips his lid?

The cops that returned him to the house in Season 5 should have arrested him. Maybe they took pity on an old man. I wouldn't have especially not the way Junior was berating them.

I think you're wrong about Vito, Kaga.
If anyone going to do it it's going to be him.
Obviously Christopher's too young and wouldn't be accepted in the role.
Sylvio doesn;t have that kind of ambition and Paulie Walnuts has become a big ass kisser lately.

Vitos a guy no one cares if he's whacked for betraying Tony. Vito will be a big player this season. plus there's the whole, "Finn saw him blowing some guy in the parking lot" deal that's still unresolved. They showed that scene in the season 5 recap at the beginning of the show. So its obvious that this is not the end of that issue.

Since season 1 Everyone expects the ending of the series to be Tony's death. I sincerely doubt that will happen.
But there are some who are claiming what we saw in the ending of the first episode to be Tony's final breaths. And maybe the rest of the season is told In Flashbacks.

by **jgraphix** on Mon Mar 13, 2006 4:02 pm

What was up with the opening and that wierd ass song about numbers?....That kinda threw me for a loop.

by **Chairman Kaga** on Mon Mar 13, 2006 4:03 pm

I assume the cops in Newark on the take thus why they returned him home once they found out who he claimed to be.
I don't see Vito or anyone else trying to dethrone Tony. He will probably be laid up in a hospital for a while but that doesn't indicate Vito will have the iniative to try and take the reigns.

As for flashbacks in the first episode indicating resolution sometime during the season.....Last season in the first ep Flashbacks were shown of Furio and Carmella but they only mentioned Furio in an argument. Nothing definitively ended that plot thread so any flashbacks of Vito's bj could simply be a reminder for the audience when Meadow's Fiance (or by this time husband?) says something again later this season.

by **monorail77** on Mon Mar 13, 2006 4:46 pm

I predict all out war between the Jersey and New York families, with Christopher as a major hitman for Tony. He and Tony will come out on top, or maybe even cooperate with the feds in the end (that really would be a twist)

by **unikrunk** on Mon Mar 13, 2006 6:21 pm

jgraphix wrote:What was up with the opening and that wierd ass song about numbers?....That kinda threw me for a loop.

Spoken word from William S Burroughs..I thought that rocked.

by **ZombieZoneSolutions** on Mon Mar 13, 2006 6:35 pm

unikrunk wrote:
jgraphix wrote:What was up with the opening and that wierd ass song about numbers?....That kinda threw me for a loop.

Spoken word from William S Burroughs..I thought that rocked.

Its from a spoken word Burroughs did with Bill Laswell's group MATERIAL called "Seven Souls". it talks about the seven souls and where they go when you die. its an interesting album, by the way.

by **Cabiria** on Mon Mar 13, 2006 8:56 pm

I was fully prepared to hate this show after the endless hiatus, but dammit if I didn't love this episode. Arggh!

Nice to see Adriana there for just a moment. I miss her!

Watching Junior was just so very sad. His character did have all the great lines. What to do about him now? Assisted living? Also- since 911 was called, will the cops arrest him for this? What happens in these kind of cases? Could be quite tricky for the family.

The suicide was incredibly uncomfortable. I had to leave the room at that point.

All in all, a great episode, I thought.

by **ZombieZoneSolutions** on Mon Mar 13, 2006 9:07 pm

Cabiria wrote:The suicide was incredibly uncomfortable. I had to leave the room at that point.

Yes, that was rather intense and unsettling.
(Not to mention realistic; what with the urination and all...)
(eww...)

I'm looking forward to a great season!

by **Chairman Kaga** on Mon Mar 13, 2006 9:41 pm

Best hanging scene I have seen. Very realistic.

by **Fievel** on Mon Mar 13, 2006 9:52 pm

I wondered as he was twitching if they'd show the post-death evacuation. Nice touch, and difficult to sit all the way through.

Vito's DEFINATELY going to make a run for Tony's job. That was just too much blatant foreshadowing. Vito likes to work the foreshadow about as much as he likes to work the foreskin - and the whole "Finn seeing Vito blow the dude" is going to have serious implications at some point. It just has to. There's no way that bit will just be dropped... after all that's the whole reason Finn and Meadow are getting married.

Every episode should start with Meadow dancing like that. YUMM-MEEE!!!

Having to watch Junior lose it so much is more painful than watching the guy hang himself. But then, that's what makes this show (and most HBO shows for that matter) so good - it's so realistic. What's to say an aging mob figure wouldn't lose it like that? Many senior citizens do.

Janice is going to get in trouble this season. She has Bobby WAY too whipped. Tony's more than aware and not at all pleased.

It was definately cool seeing Adriana... and it freaked me out thinking that she got away or something. But once she passed the Smokey Thingie I was just waiting for her to fade. Nicely done, and I wouldn't mind seeing her back for another episode or two in the same capacity.

This show being back on feels better than a weekend-long crack binge with Marion Barry.

by **Chairman Kaga** on Mon Mar 13, 2006 9:54 pm

See Fievel for me the show has never been that easy to predict thus why I don't think anything of the like will occur with Vito unless the entire quality level of the writing has severely dropped.

by **John-Locke** on Mon Mar 13, 2006 11:22 pm

Great Episode, I think the best moment was when Tony screamed out "Why can't anyone ever cut me a break?" (or words to that effect) cut to the guy about to Rat on Tony croaking moments before he spilled the beans, classic.

Do you think the blood stained Map will come back into play?

The guy who hung himself was a great story thread, I mean what was he going to do? I could totally understand his reasoning.

I hope they get some great directors in again for a few episodes this season, Mike Figgis and Steve Buscemi would be nice, maybe Jack Bender again, I'd also like to see how DJ Caruso would do after his fine work on The Shield.

by **Fievel** on Tue Mar 14, 2006 12:08 am

Chairman Kaga wrote:See Fievel for me the show has never been that easy to predict thus why I don't think anything of the like will occur with Vito unless the entire quality level of the writing has severely dropped.

I'll agree to an extent, but... you had to know that Ralphie, Richie, and Cousin Tony (Steve Buscemi) were going to get whacked the minute they first stepped into picture. Also added to that would be the minute Adriana started talking to the Feds - Big Pussy showed us how that ends.

Website · by **kortanaskew** on Tue Mar 14, 2006 1:03 pm

Also added to that would be the minute Adriana

I Never ever for one minute thought they whack Ade.

Not just because she was pretty and but because she was such a long running character. Plus the ending was so rushed I thought they were shipping her off so she could star in JOEY.

Even to the last minute where she was driving to California in her daydream I really thought she was gonna make it.

*lol*

She should have been smarter. She could told Christopher and Tony that they JUST approached her over the whole murder thing. Sure they could have whacked her anyways or they might've let her run off seeing as she had yet to say anything.

First time around I didnt catch the whole terror angle with Matush the dope dealer that got Ade in trouble.

But a reformed dope dealer from Pakistan who is now fully devoted to his religion, who sends ALL his money back home to his brother who runs a camp for young boys. No wonder the FBI guys passed it off as a terror investigation.

by **Fievel** on Sun Mar 19, 2006 8:07 pm

I heard a rumor that possibly:

***Rumored Spoiler Alert*****
Last week's season-opening episode was actually the last episode (and cliffhanger) of this season.

If it's true, I can see it being so.

Website · by **kortanaskew** on Sun Mar 19, 2006 11:08 pm

I don't see Vito or anyone else trying to dethrone Tony.

The preview for next week's episode proves your wrong about this, Kaga.

As for flashbacks in the first episode indicating resolution sometime during the season.. any flashbacks of Vito's bj could simply be a reminder for the audience when Meadow's Fiance says something again later this season.

It also looks like more than just a reminder. As Finn looks scared shitless when Vito puts his hand on him in the preview for next week's episode.

As for this week's episode:

***Rumored Spoiler Alert*****
Last week's season-opening episode was actually the last episode (and cliffhanger) of this season.

I had heard the same rumor, Fievel. But apparently thats not correct as this weeks ep AND next week's ep Tony is still in the hospital after what happened in the first episode.

Some solid performances this week by Edie Falco, and Aida Turturro, her character Janice always shows false emotions, but these were so real that I was moved. And finally I guess the FBI has discovered that Matush was INDEED a terrorist.

by **Chairman Kaga** on Sun Mar 19, 2006 11:29 pm

kortanaskew wrote:
I don't see Vito or anyone else trying to dethrone Tony.

The preview for next week's episode proves your wrong about this, Kaga.

Hardly considering the "previews" are always edited in such a fashion as misdirect actual events of the episode.

by **Iconoclastica** on Sun Mar 19, 2006 11:43 pm

I love it when the sopranos takes place at my hospital ^_^ . . . sorry, just had to gloat . . . decent episode, though I don't know where I stand on the possible outcomes for rest of the season . . .

by **Chairman Kaga** on Sun Mar 19, 2006 11:46 pm

Along that line Iconoclastica....I love how it's set all around where my folks grew up (North Hudson, Kearney, Belleville etc)...

by **Hollywood_Bob** on Mon Mar 20, 2006 12:25 am

Yeah I am on the same boat as you Icon...not sure where this will take us. I really did enjoy last weeks EP. I enjoyed as much as the last seasons EP where Andriana left on "vacation"

Website · by **kortanaskew** on Mon Mar 20, 2006 3:21 am

Hardly considering the "previews" are always edited in such a fashion as misdirect actual events of the episode.

Sure the previews sometimes misdirect.

But they nor I are saying that Vito will be successful. Only that he will try.
But he is thinking about filling that BREACH. And he is definitely talking it OVER with his Buddy Philly Leotardo who is currently running things New York.

What I think they are misdirecting us with is A.J.'s possible turn.
He's flunked out of school and now is contemplating killing somone.
Sure he's angry at what happened to his dad but does that mean he's gonna join the mob? I doubt it.
Though who knows what will happen if he is successful in his task. Not just with the Law.
But also with the mob. Uncle Junior is still the defacto boss. Killing him might still bring retribution, no matter who's son you are.

But I guess the real tragedy of Tony's life would not be him getting assasinated by mobsters or getting brain dead from his coma, It would be his son following in his footsteps.

by **Fievel** on Mon Mar 20, 2006 6:15 pm

kortanaskew wrote:I had heard the same rumor, Fievel. But apparently thats not correct as this weeks ep AND next week's ep Tony is still in the hospital after what happened in the first episode.

Yeah, I bit on it.. got excited, and posted it in a flurry.
What a great episode (again!!!). It is impossible to guess what will happen at this point. The whole Tony's Inter-Coma Story bugs me already though. This isn't Six Feet Under, it's The Sopranos. I love both shows deeply, but I don't want to see a frequent 6Ft. device used here.

Vito is definately trying to push his way into Tony's spot. Look at all the blatant campaigning he's doing. Just imagine what poor AJ could have encountered had he ridden home with HIM! :lol:

I think my favorite scene of this past week's episode was where it showed Christopher holding Meadow's hand as they slept in the waiting room - just another example of how underneath everything that this show is still primarily about Family - that scene and the first part of AJ talking to the comatose Tony. I had hoped it would turn into a scene where AJ would essentially tell Tony everything he couldn't tell him when he was awake... the whole declaration of his possible intentions was interesting though.

by **Cabiria** on Mon Mar 20, 2006 7:38 pm

Fievel wrote:I think my favorite scene of this past week's episode was where it showed Christopher holding Meadow's hand as they slept in the waiting room - just another example of how underneath everything that this show is still primarily about Family

I loved that too. A great moment that showed the family connection as well as how AJ and Med are still young in many ways.

Last night was another great episode. I understand the reservations about the "other" storyline, but I found it just weird enough to go with it. Plus, the monk slapping Tony was classic.

Ok, I'm trying to figure something out that is probably so completely obvious and yet I can't remember it at all. Why is Tony's doctor such the asshole? What happened there? Or is he just being this cold for no reason?

I loved that AJ was chatting to the reporter. You forget that something like a mob boss being shot would be big news- all the reporters around the house taking pictures - it was a nice touch of realism there. Next week, once the power shifts begin, should be very interesting.

by **The Ginger Man** on Mon Mar 20, 2006 7:44 pm

I haven't really watched the Soprano's much. Just tuned in last night, b/c why the hell not. I know what happened in the season opener, but damn was I surprised to see that gaping hole in Tony's stomach at the hospital. WTF, that caught me off guard!

by **monorail77** on Mon Mar 20, 2006 7:45 pm

Seems like most people enjoyed this week's episode. Sorry to be the voice of contention, but I was very bored and frustrated by it. Its very soap opera to have a main chracter unconscious in hospital with others all weepy around him. And they exhauted the dream sequence symbolism last season with Tony's dreams. I thought the episode had some nice touches, but, good Lord, NOTHING happened. They only have a few episodes left. I felt they squandered this episode away with garbage. I hope the trend does not continue. Just my $.02

by **John-Locke** on Mon Mar 20, 2006 7:46 pm

I thought this was a pretty great episode considering it could have all just been in the hospital.

Tony's dreams were genuinely fucked up, they had completely the right atmosphere to them, I've had dreams along similar lines (that made a lot less sense admitedly) and the feeling was spot on, not too Lynchian like the great episode last season, he was stuck in a bad situation that he couldn't get out of, classic anxiety dream, it actually made me feel a little anxious myself and I think it was one of the most realistic depictions of a dream I've ever seen, it didn't go overboard too much for the sake of narrative or audience reaction.

I liked all the rest of the episode too, especially Paulie telling Chris he was going to get a Stereo for Tony to listen to some music on, Chris tells him it's a silly idea and gets one for Tony himself to get the bonus points.

Whats up with the Feds and the two Muslims in the Bada Bing? I've not noticed those two before, have I missed some episodes with them from last season? I've missed a lot of episodes over the years and still haven't caught up.

Vito is trying to be top dog, no doubt about it and I found his veiled confession pretty funny too.

by **John-Locke** on Mon Mar 20, 2006 7:50 pm

Cabiria wrote:
Ok, I'm trying to figure something out that is probably so completely obvious and yet I can't remember it at all. Why is Tony's doctor such the asshole? What happened there? Or is he just being this cold for no reason?

I recognised the Actor straight away, I think there might be history from a previous season, can't quite put my finger on what it is though.

by **monorail77** on Mon Mar 20, 2006 7:56 pm

Despite my dissapointment overall, like I said, there were some great bits in the ep. My favourite was when Carmela puts on some music for Tony. You expect it to be something sweet or sentimental, but it turns out to be the opening guitar strains of Smoke On The Water. That cracked me up.

by **John-Locke** on Mon Mar 20, 2006 8:16 pm

I think as a piece of entertainment your criticism's are more than valid mono, it's just that I think the stuff this episode has set up for the rest of the season far outweighs the importance immediate gratification for the audience. The Family has been through the shit and this episode managed to bring all the core family members closer together than they have been in years and with the possiblity of Tony waking up a born again Christian I'm looking forward to seeing where they take this badly. Whats Tony's shrink going to say about his experience too?

by **monorail77** on Tue Mar 21, 2006 12:59 pm

Yeah, I hear ya JL. I'm just tellin you what my thoughts were while viewing. I can appreciate it better with helpful Zoner critique and commentary, but the ep still pissed me off on first view. Guess I was in "unwashed masses" mode.

by **Bob Samonkey** on Tue Mar 21, 2006 11:42 pm

I just hope it aint "The Coma Season". That would depress me.

by **MrMadCow13** on Wed Mar 22, 2006 3:48 pm

I agree, Bob. I was talking with one of my pals about this and he hypothesized that Tony was going to stay in the coma for the rest of the season, with Carm eventually making the decision to pull the plug in the last episode.

That would suck.

Plus, to me at least, it seems crazy. Doing a whole season with the main character in a coma? I guess it's been done before, but Tony is really the anchor to the show, and I'm worried that it won't work. Maybe I'm out of the loop, but I also heard that the cast agreed to do another season after this....so they can't kill Tony off. Plus, in the preview they played before the first episode of the new season they showed that chick from 'ER,' which I just assumed would be playing a new girlfriend for Tony.

Maybe my friend is just dumb...I certainly hope so. The two new episodes have been great, but I want to see Tony in action again ASAP.

by **bamf** on Wed Mar 22, 2006 5:57 pm

I dont think Tony will be in a coma for the rest of the season. Remember in the teaser leading up to the premier at the very end Tony is lying in bed with Carmella and says something to the effect "did you cum?" Im thinking he will be out of the coma within the next two episodes.

by **jgraphix** on Wed Mar 22, 2006 5:59 pm

Yeah...I think your right..they know that they would lose viewership or at least have one helluva angry mob if Tony didn't come back and we had to watch his dreams all season.

by **monorail77** on Wed Mar 22, 2006 6:03 pm

I heard Gandolfini negotiated $1million per episode for the last 8. I'd laugh if he was in a coma for all of them, but I doubt it.

by **Iconoclastica** on Sun Mar 26, 2006 11:20 pm

So when someone's in v-tach at University Hospital, it usually doesn't take that long for the nurses in the ICU to notice . . . though I shouldn't complain, considering we got some classic Steve Buscemi/trippy "don't step into the light" shit out of the deal :-p . . . finally some more action/less floundering up ahead from the looks of the previews, which makes me happy :-)

by **MrMadCow13** on Mon Mar 27, 2006 12:59 am

Great episode. The scene with Buscemi in front of the reunion was amazing. I was literally screaming at the TV, "Don't give him the briefcase!"

Thank god Tony is back.

by **Chairman Kaga** on Mon Mar 27, 2006 1:19 am

That sure was a big power grab Vito made in this episode.....oh wait......

by **DEADMAN** on Mon Mar 27, 2006 4:19 am

I thought it was a great episode that showed what the Sopranos do best: juggling more characters than you can count without losing momentum, and making you feel sympathy for the unforgivable dark-hearted center of the show - Tony(although I find myself constantly questioning why? And chalking it up to the goddamn writers using sleazy tricks to manipulate my feelings).

The Zone

THE SOPRANOS

THE SOPRANOS

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