Just like Season Four aired 16 months after the end of the previous series, the gap between 4 and 5 was 15 months, leaving fans in a more anxious state than usual. Their patience was rewarded with what many consider the finest season ever of The Sopranos, a fact that is confirmed by its victory in the Outstanding Drama Series category at the 2004 Emmys. Sure, the last series is easily as dark as this one, but for sheer emotional resonance Season Five is the best of them all.
The recurring theme of the fifth series could be summed up in one word: preoccupation. It's a topic that is laid out in the most exemplary way in the opening shots: there's the traditional look at the Soprano home driveway, the house, everything. But wait, something is missing: there's no Tony Soprano picking up the newspaper. That's because he still hasn't lifted a finger to fix things with Carmela, and so the first big question of the season is raised: will Tony and Carm get along again? On the work front, new kinds of worries shape up, as several old-school hoodlums who were locked up in the '80s are being granted parole. Among these people, three will leave a mark on the show: Feech La Manna (Robert Loggia), a hot-headed old-timer whom Tony and Jackie Aprile Sr. once robbed in order to get made (remember? Ralph Cifaretto told the story to Jackie Jr. in Season 3); Phil Leotardo (Frank Vincent), a conservative New York gangster; and Tony Blundetto (Steve Buscemi, director of the hilarious episode Pine Barrens), Tony's troublesome cousin and oldest friend. In addition, Chris and Paulie keep arguing over money and respect issues, effectively ruining a lot of sit-downs. Finally, the most worrying fact: Tony tries to get Dr. Melfi to take him back as a patient after telling her what his true feelings are, causing her to develop a theory about "two Tonys".
That's the title's explanation: over the years we have been allowed to observe two sides of the same person - one tender and caring, the other cheerfully brutal when necessary. The two aspects are mutually paradoxical, and similarly to Melfi the viewers are attracted and at the same time repulsed by the protagonist's violently contradictory nature, which is the main charm of the show and reveals its darkest extent in this season.
That, however, is just the most obvious interpretation of the title, provided by Dr. Melfi. On another level, Two Tonys refers to the fact that the fifth series is almost entirely about the relationship between, you guessed it, two guys named Tony: Soprano and Blundetto. And considering the actors embodying the roles, it's gonna be a memorable ride.
The recurring theme of the fifth series could be summed up in one word: preoccupation. It's a topic that is laid out in the most exemplary way in the opening shots: there's the traditional look at the Soprano home driveway, the house, everything. But wait, something is missing: there's no Tony Soprano picking up the newspaper. That's because he still hasn't lifted a finger to fix things with Carmela, and so the first big question of the season is raised: will Tony and Carm get along again? On the work front, new kinds of worries shape up, as several old-school hoodlums who were locked up in the '80s are being granted parole. Among these people, three will leave a mark on the show: Feech La Manna (Robert Loggia), a hot-headed old-timer whom Tony and Jackie Aprile Sr. once robbed in order to get made (remember? Ralph Cifaretto told the story to Jackie Jr. in Season 3); Phil Leotardo (Frank Vincent), a conservative New York gangster; and Tony Blundetto (Steve Buscemi, director of the hilarious episode Pine Barrens), Tony's troublesome cousin and oldest friend. In addition, Chris and Paulie keep arguing over money and respect issues, effectively ruining a lot of sit-downs. Finally, the most worrying fact: Tony tries to get Dr. Melfi to take him back as a patient after telling her what his true feelings are, causing her to develop a theory about "two Tonys".
That's the title's explanation: over the years we have been allowed to observe two sides of the same person - one tender and caring, the other cheerfully brutal when necessary. The two aspects are mutually paradoxical, and similarly to Melfi the viewers are attracted and at the same time repulsed by the protagonist's violently contradictory nature, which is the main charm of the show and reveals its darkest extent in this season.
That, however, is just the most obvious interpretation of the title, provided by Dr. Melfi. On another level, Two Tonys refers to the fact that the fifth series is almost entirely about the relationship between, you guessed it, two guys named Tony: Soprano and Blundetto. And considering the actors embodying the roles, it's gonna be a memorable ride.
