SPOILER WARNING!
Tony Blundetto (Steve Buscemi), Tony Soprano’s (James Gandolfini) cousin, is free after years behind bars. With an old face back in town things for the family will quickly be turned upside down. Tony S. is now forced to face demons that he never thought existed, his hubris will be tested, and the life that he has come to love may never again be the same. Everyone is back in action, and New York and New Jersey will see conflict like never before. Is the capo ready to deal with the issues at hand, or will Tony S. finally fall?
Season four of The Sopranos was my favorite, as it developed relationships, intensified drama, and strengthened the narrative of a show that sometimes struggled to pique my interest. Season five has taken up the mantle of my favorite to date, as it furthers the powerful narrative that came to life in the previous season. Season five is here to make a splash, and it does just that, but there are two episodes that stand out to me more than any of the others–not just of the season, but of the entire series.
Episode ten, Cold Cuts, directed by Mike Figgins, is one of the most frustrating episodes of the entire series as a result of the cinematography. The narrative present throughout Cold Cuts is interesting, it’s full of life, and it takes characters in a number of exciting directions–but the ability of Figgins to capture the intensity or the essence of certain scenes barely exists, and it takes so much away from this aspect of the overall narrative (in a unique way, however, it reminds viewers of how cinematically adept the majority of the individuals are that work on The Sopranos). On the flip side, however, the very next episode, The Test Dream, exists, and it’s damn near perfect. With a ton of fan service, a gripping change in direction for Tony S., and spectacular cinematography, The Test Dream may be my favorite episode of the entire series. While emotion has played a prevalent role in each of the prior seasons and in each and every episode, The Test Dream explores new avenues of emotion as it touches on pieces from each of the previous four seasons of The Sopranos, perfectly marrying a series of narratives into something grand.
One of the biggest issues that I’ve had with The Sopranos over the course of the first four seasons is that things developed at such a slow pace (seemingly never heading in any particular direction)–but things finally seem to come to a head here in season five. It finally feels like the long wait was worth it, as character developments begin to make sense, the narrative starts to develop into something fluid and less jagged like before, and it introduces possibly the best addition to the show since its inception. Nearly every piece of what has occurred in the previous four seasons converge here in season five and create a story worth watching–and this is the most excited I’ve ever been about the show. Buscemi’s Tony B. is the most intriguing addition in terms of characters. His inclusion in season five changes Tony S., the family dynamic, and the overall narrative. He is a pivotal cog in the machine that is The Sopranos, and the trajectory of the show has officially been changed as a result of what Buscemi brings to the table with his beautiful performance.
While the addition of Tony B. is a welcome one, at this point in the series it seems that there are too many cooks in the kitchen. Every year we get new characters on The Sopranos, and that’s not a bad thing, but when new characters begin to take the place of original, beloved characters, an issue arises. With characters like Paulie “Walnuts” (Tony Sirico) and Sylvio (Steven Van Zandt) being forced to take a backseat as a result of a much larger ensemble cast, things can get hairy for viewers and long-time fans of the show. Mob affiliates from New York and New Jersey, goomars, friends, family, cops, and others force their way into the narrative–sometimes naturally, and sometimes a bit inorganically. There are certainly moments where I’ve come to appreciate the bulky cast, however, they tend to step on the toes of others, and it’s frustrating when entertaining characters only show up once in a while. Much of the narrative present in The Sopranos touches on the idea of balance–and the series of writers need to listen to themselves and find a better balance among the many characters.
As season five began to wind down, it started to become clear that the writers were leaning toward bringing The Sopranos to a close, but this causes me to revisit a question that I’ve been asking for seasons: Do the writers have a clear idea of the narrative for the entire series, or do they just wing it as they go, hoping to build off of the show’s successes? They seem to have a firm grasp on the fact that things are winding down, and they appear to understand what needs to be done to make things transition smoothly at this juncture in the show–but it hasn’t always felt this way. We’ve seen characters come and go, and the narrative shifts aggressively at points, and that makes me think that showrunner David Chase and his counterparts were unsure of how to develop the show at certain points, and that makes instances of The Sopranos feel cheap. Regardless of these shortcomings in the past, however, season five of The Sopranos wraps up beautifully. This team has found a method that works for the show, and I can only hope that they stick to it through the sixth and final season.
The Sopranos season five is the most invigorating so far. The narrative finally finds its footing in a way that the show needed in order to thrive, and the slow burn of the previous four seasons meet here, and things change for the better. Buscemi arrives and flips the show on its head, altering Tony Soprano, his family, and every step of his journey. With the exception of Cold Cuts, season five of The Sopranos is a work of art, and, again, this is the most excited I’ve been for the show since I began watching.
Directed by Tim Van Patten, Alan Taylor, John Patterson, Rodrigo Garcia, Allen Coulter, Peter Bogdonavich, Steve Buscemi, & Mike Figgis.
Written by Terrence Winter, David Chase, Matthew Weiner, Michael Caleo, Toni Kalem, Robin Green, Mitchell Burgess, & Michael Imperioli.
Starring James Gandolfini, Lorraine Bracco, Edie Falco, Michael Imperioli, Dominic Chianese, Steven Van Zandt, Tony Sirico, Robert Iler, Jamie-Lynn DiScala, Drea de Matteo, Aida Turturro, Steven R. Schirripa, John Ventimiglia, Kathrine Narducci, Vincent Curatola, Steve Buscemi, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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