Airdate: 1/31/99
Nephew Christoper, in a neck brace, complains to Tony what
ostensibly Uncle Junior did to him, so Tony talks turkey with the man, and
ultimately decides to make him “real” boss after Jackie’s death from cancer.
Tony also develops feelings for Melfi, and has her followed by a detective, who
overzealously pulls her over in a fake DUI stop and beats the dickens out of
her boyfriend. Son A.J. unknowingly gets a school bully to back down; he
realizes what dad does for a living when Meadow informs him that’s why he won
the school fight.
We finally get a watchable episode, at least in terms of
plot – but the characters are no more likable and their dialogue still annoyingly
quippy. (Ever notice how no one thinks about
their words on these kinds of shows?) This is still a problem, particularly
with Tony, whose panic attacks and anxiety elicit no sympathy due to his
completely feckless behavior (this week, we get to see him staple a guy’s chest
with an industrial staple gun). Also in this episode, we see the son, AJ, get
into a couple of fights at school (where, apparently there is no adult
supervision whatsoever), and then face his bully out on the playground. The
bully backs down – not because he
has learned the error of his pugilistic ways, but because he (apparently) knows
what his nemesis’ father does for a living. Once again, the show displays its
cynical colors by taking a potentially sweet situation and turning it ugly in
all shades of brown, black and blood red.
On the topic of incredulity, why doesn’t Melfi end her role
as Tony’s psychiatrist after figuring out it was he who hired the cop to rough
up her boyfriend? It makes zero sense for her to continue, knowing her life and
well-being could be in danger.
Rating: **
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