A good many of the 18 million Americans who watched the finale of “The Sopranos” Sunday night on HBO felt like they were “whacked.” The screen suddenly faded to black. People jammed buttons on their remote controls, wondered aloud what was wrong with the cable.
After eight seasons, TV’s most notorious crime family wrapped it up in a New Jersey diner over onion rings and Journey’s singing of “Don’t Stop Believing.” Who was going to do the deed - the Cub Scouts sitting at the next table, the blue-collar guy at the counter, or the guy making a beeline to the men’s room. Instead, all four of the Sopranos survived.
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Yet, there were endings. Tony Soprano’s mob rival, Phil Leotardo, took a shot to the ole noggin’, and had his head squashed publicly. Tony’s two right-hand men, brother-in-law Bobby Baccalieri and Silvio Dante, ended up in a bad way, one dead in a hail of gunfire while examining toy trains. A stray cat eerily eyed the dead visage of Christopher Moltisanti, which creeped out Paul “Paulie Walnuts” Gualtieri; two FBI agents exchanged more than just information in a cheap motel room. Would Tony and Carmela end up in witness protection, would daughter Meadow become a lawyer, would A.J. end up in the Army, would Uncle Junior shake off dementia to reveal the secret stash of family money? High expectations, unfulfilled. Even Tony’s shrink, Dr. Jennifer Melfi, who wrestled all these years with ethically providing therapy to a cold-blooded psychotic killer, threw him overboard.
The story attracted millions of viewers on Sunday nights, dating back to Clinton administration, Jan. 10, 1999. It was also critically-acclaimed, its cast winning Emmys for acting, its writers celebrated for telling an all-too-family story.
But some endings just disappoint. Like the lame finale to “Seinfeld.” Good television, but shows with a denouement that doesn’t get it done.
Paraphrasing, from Tony and others — hey, it’s over. Whaddaya gonna do?
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