Take The Cannoli: I Want The Last Nine Years Of My Life Back!
I have heard this refrain countless times since Sunday night’s limpid Sopranos’ finale, but I said it first so I’m holding onto it.
As someone who has spent wayyyy too much of his 20’s watching, following, speculating on and obsessing over “The Sopranos”, my first reaction after seeing the screen go blank and silent was that the fans (especially this fan) deserved more.
David Chase, the creator of “The Sopranos” has said in interviews that he doesn’t feel that art should give answers to people. Instead, it should raise questions and let us come to our own conclusions. While I believe in giving the viewer or listener room to think in music, television, film, art etc., I find this to be somewhat of a cop-out when faced with the question of “The Finale”.
It’s incumbent upon the people who created this show, and who shaped the characters and devised the plots, to resolve for us the fate of its main character. Simply leaving it to interpretation is not giving credit to the audience, it’s an insult. Make a decision, any decision about what happens to Tony and stick with it.
To me, the blank screen smacked of David Chase not trusting himself, flinching at the most important of moments. To leave room open for more episodes or a movie is further insult. We were told countless times that the show was through, that they had said everything that was going to be said.
In the end, though, while I’m angry about the non-ending, I’m grateful for the show, which while flawed, was infinitely more entertaining and compelling than 99.9% of what’s on television. The final nine episode go-around was a valiant final statement. And despite my friend Busco’s arguments on this site, I’m happy that Phil, the world’s most passive-aggressive mob boss got what he so richly deserved.
But in the end, the show, and the fans deserved much more than a blank screen.
— by Alex Simon
Alex, our only NYC resident, joins us on the west side of the Hudson whenever he remembers how to use the PATH. Which is when he's sober. Which ain't often.
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June 13th, 2007 at 10:57 am
Well, I guess I see it differently. I did want to see some loose ends tied up, but, I can live without that with the Sopranos (unlike a show like Lost, where I’d die if it just ended with a black screen). I liked the ending because it was saying, “Hey - life goes on. your ability to be on the inside of this guy’s life has now come to an end.” I mean, at first I was stunned and upset, but I like it in retrospect. Also, the last scene was just genius with all the uncertainty and tenseness - I don’t think I had ever been that tense before. And that’s why I agree with an article I recently read that described the last moment inside Holsten’s this way: “We got to see the world as Tony does, suffused with anxiety and some amusement and apprehension.” This was exactly what I had thought. And this was true to the whole way in which the series had been done - with vague closure, if any, big questions left open, or opening new ones, etc.. And the Journey song lyrics couldn’t be more perfect:
The only thing I feel cheated by is that each season came too many years apart, and that we won’t be seeing anymore of this family.
August 11th, 2007 at 7:43 pm
I haven’t seen the end yet, but I’d heard it was meant to be from Tony’s viewpoint. I have to admit that it will be frustrating to watch (waiting for it on DVD).