S6B:E13 - Soprano Home Movies
Gavin and Hannibal arrive at the beginning of the end! ‘Soprano Home Movies’ is one of the greats, blending flashbacks, callbacks, bad karaoke, and the most unexpected fist fight of all time, from a script that would make Edward Albee proud. Your hosts examine the ways in which Livia manages to haunt this episode, and the events that compel Tony to take what is arguably his darkest act of vengeance yet.
S6A:E12 - Kaisha
Once you realize what the title of this episode references, it’s hard not to see it as the funniest title of the series. Gavin and Hannibal wrap up Season 6A with a discussion that touches upon the successes and failures of the season overall, the plausibility of AJ’s new romance, and why Tony’s “every day is a gift” philosophy is difficult to maintain when one is part of the mob.
S6A:E11 - Cold Stones
‘Cold Stones’ is a fitting penultimate chapter for Season 6A... which is both great, and at times, not so great. Gavin and Hannibal explain what makes the traditional late season main character death not all that surprising, and dig into the intriguing subtext of Carmela’s Paris trip. Your hosts also discuss Phil’s terrifying wife, Tony ‘back in black,’ and the right and wrong time to pick nits.
S6A:E10 - Moe n' Joe
Moe n’ Joe has Gavin n’ Hannibal confused about a couple things... like the meaning of the title itself, or what Jim sees in Vito. Still, the episode has its high points: Chris’ sole scene is hilarious, Melfi does a great job leading Tony to an important epiphany about Janice, and a snowy murder towards the end channels ‘Fargo’ in all the right ways. Your hosts also discuss the latest news out of ‘Newark.’
S6A:E9 - The Ride
There are many rides in ‘The Ride,’ both literal and metaphorical. Gavin and Hannibal examine Chris’ reasons for falling off the wagon yet again, Tony’s war against boredom, and the events that push Paulie to look deep into himself as never before. Plus Gavin explains why he now views this episode more favorably than he did in the past, and your hosts discuss why many fans (themselves included) tend to have issues with Season 6A.
S6A:E8 - Johnny Cakes
Your hosts have mixed feelings about ‘Johnny Cakes.’ On one hand it contains profound and powerful scenes that rank amongst the series’ best. On the other hand, are several scenes so cliche ridden and implausible, they’re unintentionally hilarious. Gavin and Hannibal discuss the unsavory nature of Julianna Skiff, AJ’s sad and misguided attempts to live up to the family name, and how Jim could ever question whether or not Vito wants the tall stack.
S6A:E7 - Luxury Lounge
Gavin and Hannibal agree that ‘Luxury Lounge’ ranks very high on the ‘funniest Sopranos episodes’ list. It makes hilarious use of cameos (‘Sir Ben’ Kingsley, ‘Betty’ Bacall) to lampoon Hollywood culture, and does a great job updating dilemmas previously established in Seasons 2 & 4. Plus, Gavin points out that Tony, for the first time, correctly deploys the Ojibwe saying, and Hannibal defends his love of Charmaine Bucco from unjust attacks!
S6A:E6 - Live Free or Die
Gavin and Hannibal can’t quite figure out how a Chase-Winter-Green-Burgess script directed by Tim Van Patten, winds up being one of the more mediocre Sopranos episodes, but they have some theories. Though ‘Live Free or Die’ just never quite comes together, your hosts single out the quality moments of humor that keep it entertaining.
S6A:E5 - Mr. & Mrs. John Sacrimoni Request...
In honor of this nuptially inclined episode, Gavin and Hannibal grapple with the age old question; when is it ok for a grown man to cry? From Johnny Sack’s tears, to Vito’s outing, to Tony’s fear of being thought weak, mob society’s rigid definition of masculinity presents major dilemmas for the main men of “Mr. and Mrs. John Sacrimoni Request...” Your hosts also explain why they agree with Johnny when he calls the Feds “heartless pricks,” and decode the thought process that leads Tony to make an example of Perry.
S6A:E4 - The Fleshy Part Of The Thigh
Though this episode has its faults, (one too many philosophical discussions, an implausible Bobby Baccala subplot), Gavin and Hannibal agree that Tony Sirico is in top form, impressively revealing a vulnerable new side of Paulie Walnuts. Your hosts also point out how ‘The Fleshy Part of the Thigh’ links to an episode from the first season (with some improvements), and comment on how this story painfully teaches several of its central characters that life just isn’t fair.