TVSquad

(S06E13) We've all been waiting long enough for it, and that Sunday in April finally came. Tonight, we were returned to the scene of the crime as far as the Soprano family goes, or at least the scene where Tony left Johnny Sack to get snatched by the cops way back in 2004. It was definitely helpful to have something absolutely material to the current plot line be "ripped" from something we all more or less forgot about, in Tony's tossing of the gun as he ran from the yard that winter day. As the episode's title would suggest, however, "family" was definitely what it was all about.

The foreshadowing of Tony speaking with Bobby about hunting and killing - and how he hadn't done so as far as people went, at least - was curious at least, but the way this show had been going the last season or two, I hadn't expected to see things come to fruition so quickly. As far as "family" goes, however, there are a lot of different ways to look at things. AJ certainly dropped a few pounds and has a new "look" that he's sporting, ink and all, Tony isn't letting the "pork chop" nickname go to his head or anything (not that anyone would ever call him that to his face), and while health might not be the first concern for the Jersey team, Phil most certainly is looking healthy and is looking to assert himself with his family, even if there is someone else (a much younger someone else) being groomed for the job.

(S06E08) "Tall or short stack?" While it's not exactly the most touching thing ever said on an episode of The Sopranos, it's gotta be up there, in some quirky kinda way, right? Vito, er ... Vince has apparently found at least one person with an interest in other men in his new "home," but he doesn't seem to want to accept that so well. You had to get a kick out of Vince (I'm having a hard time typing that, just so ya know) apparently stealing the cellphone from one of the other guests at the B&B in order to call home. Do we think his wife is going to rat him out to Phil, by any chance? I'm *sure* that someone could figure out a way to trace teh phone number that called the house, if they really wanted to.

Seeing AJ out with his friends, apparently paying the tab now that he's "minted" made me wonder what was going on there. Is he really just trying to fit in, or is there a plan behind paying $1890 bar bills somewhere? And let's just say that he most certainly is attempting to follow the family traits, one way or another. What I want to know is, will this be the slow rise of the young man into the family, or will Tony figure out another way to keep the boy busy?

After the shocker that closed off last week's episode, it's not too out of line that we're treated to a famous Sopranos dream sequence this week. I got a big kick out of the show description on my TV's program guide, saying that Tony experiences "mistaken identity while on a business trip." Surely, this "means" something overall, but it wasn't even that simple. I'm truly beginning to feel like every little thing that happens, every nuance, means something to the overall plot. The previews for next week show what will presumably be the beginning of some troubles for the Family, and we're getting teased with more about that every week.

Looking into the title, "Join the Club," might lead down the direction of people who end up working as rats for the feds. And with Christopher having the Feebs in his face about terrorists being funded in this country by drug dealers, etc., we got a little taste of foreshadowing when he bumps into the two Middle Eastern men in the Bing. He already knows what got his girl offed, so it'd be a really big deal if he started talking to the agents. As for the real family, I thought seeing Carm the way she looked was almost as intense as seeing the open wound on Tony's stomach. She's in a rough place right now, and somehow holding it all together with her slacker son making a confusing attempt at making things good with his dad.