Relative Badness

I wanted to comment on this week's Sopranos episode, which I was finally able to watch last night after catching up on the last 4 episodes (thank you, krys!). But since I'm actually supposed to be working and not blogging, I'll just cut and paste what I said in an e-mail earlier today:

(I was spoiled on the big plot point in the episode by a headline posted at tvtattle.com on Monday, which has since been changed. I still love tvtattle, though.)

(BEWARE: SPOILERS, BIG TIME)

I finally saw it last night. The spoiler I read said something like, "Adrianna gets bumped off." But while I knew what was coming, the episode was so brilliant that the spoiler only detracted minimally from my enjoyment of it.

My heart broke for her, as it always has - she seemed to me the only person on the show, including Carmela, who did not have an agenda. As misguided as they were, her wishes were pretty simple - to marry Chrissy and have a nice, happy family life. I think she would have gladly given up the money if it would have saved her and "Christophuh". I'm really going to miss her.

I wonder what the ep title was - "Money Changes Everything", perhaps? (It was actually "Long Term Parking", referring to the parking lot at the airport where Chris left Ade's car, I guess). Chrissy sold Ade out for money, even when it seemed as if he had seen the light; and Carmela used extortion to get that property from Tony. I am so disappointed in her. Just when I think Tony has sunk to a new low (like what he did to Janice in the anger management ep), the people around him act in ways that show that they are no better than him (including his children). I guess when everyone is morally corrupt, badness is a relative thing.

I'm glad Tony B. is still alive. I'm a big fan of Buscemi, and he has brought a lot to this season. And I'm really looking forward to the Johnny Sack war that's building up.

The scene where Chrissy nearly strangles Adrianna and then breaks down and cries with her was astounding. If neither de Matteo nor Imperioli receive a nomination, well, I guess it won't really mean anything. The Emmys became irrelevant a very long time ago.

Even though we all know Adrianna couldn't last the season, that knowledge didn't make it any easier to see her done in. Poor, poor Adrianna.