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As "A.J." has started at a new private school, [[Carmela Soprano|Carmela]] tries to help him improve his social studies knowledge by reading him excerpts from ''[[The New York Times]]'' headlines at the breakfast table. Tony collects ''[[The Star-Ledger]]'' at the end of his driveway and, once back inside the house, asks about A.J.'s grades and slaps the back of A.J.'s head when A.J. tells him he has "revealed his own ignorance" by asking about A.J.'s grades only five days into the school term (long before any grade reports would be made). Carmela's mood visibly brightens when she hears Tony's driver enter the house; but, her smile fades when she sees that it is Christopher -- ''not'' the expected [[Furio Giunta]]. Christopher is none-too-pleased to be driving Tony, either -- a task far beneath a "made" guy on the rise -- but claims not to question his re-assignment, when Tony broaches the subject. While driving, they both check rear view mirrors for car models known to be used as FBI surveillance vehicles.
As "A.J." has started at a new private school, [[Carmela Soprano|Carmela]] tries to help him improve his social studies knowledge by reading him excerpts from ''[[The New York Times]]'' headlines at the breakfast table. Tony collects ''[[The Star-Ledger]]'' at the end of his driveway and, once back inside the house, asks about A.J.'s grades and slaps the back of A.J.'s head when A.J. tells him he has "revealed his own ignorance" by asking about A.J.'s grades only five days into the school term (long before any grade reports would be made). Carmela's mood visibly brightens when she hears Tony's driver enter the house; but, her smile fades when she sees that it is Christopher -- ''not'' the expected [[Furio Giunta]]. Christopher is none-too-pleased to be driving Tony, either -- a task far beneath a "made" guy on the rise -- but claims not to question his re-assignment, when Tony broaches the subject. While driving, they both check rear view mirrors for car models known to be used as FBI surveillance vehicles.


Tony and Uncle "Junior" meet in the office of Junior's physician, for another surveillance-free chat; Christopher, [[Bobby Baccalieri|Bobby Bacala]] and [[List of characters from The Sopranos in the Soprano crime family#Murf Lupo|Murf Lupo]] remain in the waiting room. Before entering the exam room, Junior flirts heavily with a nurse and even invites her to accompany him on a trip to Atlantic City; she declines. Junior implores Tony to increase his "kick", after bitterly complaining of how his legal defense fees are skyrocketing toward the $1 million mark. Tony refuses, suggesting that the slowing economy has resulted in "a shortage" of revenues in the "family" businesses, and, that Junior raise more money, himself, by getting his "'shy' (illegal money-lending business) running right." Junior tells Tony he's decided to demote Murf due to aging underling's worsening mental faculties, and promote Bobby Bacala in Murf's place. Tony approves, and proposes they inform Bobby of the good news right there, in the exam room. Before Bobby is brought in, the nurse tells Junior that it's her last day; when Junior asks why, the nurse -- who appears to be well past age 30 -- explains that she's going back to school. Later that night, at Junior's home, his lawyer phones and tells Murf (who relays to Junior) that a "family" source inside the hospital says that the [[FBI]] has had a mole in Dr. Schreck's office, possibly recording Junior's meetings, for months -- a mole who has suddenly been pulled from his/her undercover role, to testify at Junior's upcoming [[racketeering]] trial.
Tony and Uncle "Junior" meet in the office of Junior's physician, for another surveillance-free chat; Christopher, [[Bobby Baccalieri|Bobby Bacala, Jr.]] and [[List of characters from The Sopranos in the Soprano crime family#Murf Lupo|Murf Lupo]] remain in the waiting room. Before entering the exam room, Junior flirts heavily with a nurse and even invites her to accompany him on a trip to Atlantic City; she declines. Junior implores Tony to increase his "kick" (i.e., a percentage of the profits each underling nets from criminal enterprises, which is "kicked upstairs" to superiors, as tribute), after bitterly complaining of how his legal defense fees are skyrocketing toward the $1 million mark. Tony refuses, suggesting that the recent recession has resulted in "a shortage" of revenues in the "family" businesses; he also tells Junior to just raise more money through his own crew, by getting his "'shy' (illegal money-lending business) running right." Junior tells Tony he's decided to demote Murf due to the aging subordinate's worsening mental faculties, and promote Bobby in Murf's place. Tony approves, and proposes they inform Bobby of his good news right there, in the exam room. Before Bobby is brought in, the nurse tells Junior that it's her last day on the job; when a crestfallen Junior asks why, the nurse -- who looks well past age 30 -- explains that she's "going back to school". Later that night, at Junior's home, his lawyer phones and tells Murf (who relays to Junior) that a "family" source inside the hospital claims that the [[FBI]] has had a mole in the doctors' offices, possibly recording Junior's meetings, for months -- a mole who was just pulled from his/her undercover role, to testify at Junior's upcoming [[racketeering]] trial.


While grocery shopping, Carmela is flabbergasted to see widow and estranged friend [[List of characters from The Sopranos - Friends and Family#Angie Bonpensiero|Angie Bonpensiero]] working on the sales floor, handing out free samples of sausage near the deli. Embarrassed for Angie, Carmela hides from her, instead of approaching her. This incident shocks Carmela into realizing that the same sudden fall from a cushy lifestyle could befall her and her kids (both of whom attend costly private schools), should some bad future fate befall Tony. Carmela shares these concerns with Tony, asking to no longer be kept in the dark about their finances, and for Tony to invest significantly for her and the kids' future in tangible securities, like bonds and annuities. Tony reacts defensively, again asserts that she and the kids will "be taken care of" if something happens to him, and claims that the recent FBI raid of the house has forced him to no longer keep emergency cash in the house, like they used to. Tony then secretly removes a large bag of cash from under his car seat, stashing it in the pool house (in a hidden hole beneath a stone floor tile).
While grocery shopping, Carmela is flabbergasted to see widow and estranged friend [[List of characters from The Sopranos - Friends and Family#Angie Bonpensiero|Angie Bonpensiero]] working on the sales floor, handing out free samples of sausage near the deli. Embarrassed for Angie, Carmela hides from her, instead of approaching her. This incident shocks Carmela into realizing that the same sudden fall from a cushy lifestyle could befall her and her kids (both of whom attend costly private schools), should some bad future fate befall Tony. Carmela shares these concerns with Tony, asking to no longer be kept in the dark about their finances, and for Tony to invest significantly for her and the kids' future in tangible securities, like bonds and annuities. Tony reacts defensively, again asserts that she and the kids will "be taken care of" if something happens to him, and claims that the recent FBI raid of the house has forced him to no longer keep emergency cash in the house, like they used to. Tony then secretly removes a large bag of cash from under his car seat, stashing it in the pool house (in a hidden hole beneath a stone floor tile).

Revision as of 12:17, 9 October 2014

"For All Debts Public and Private"

"For All Debts Public and Private" is the fortieth episode of the HBO television series The Sopranos. It is the first episode of the show's fourth season. Written by David Chase and directed by Allen Coulter, it originally aired on September 15, 2002.

Starring

Guest starring

2

Episode Recap

As "A.J." has started at a new private school, Carmela tries to help him improve his social studies knowledge by reading him excerpts from The New York Times headlines at the breakfast table. Tony collects The Star-Ledger at the end of his driveway and, once back inside the house, asks about A.J.'s grades and slaps the back of A.J.'s head when A.J. tells him he has "revealed his own ignorance" by asking about A.J.'s grades only five days into the school term (long before any grade reports would be made). Carmela's mood visibly brightens when she hears Tony's driver enter the house; but, her smile fades when she sees that it is Christopher -- not the expected Furio Giunta. Christopher is none-too-pleased to be driving Tony, either -- a task far beneath a "made" guy on the rise -- but claims not to question his re-assignment, when Tony broaches the subject. While driving, they both check rear view mirrors for car models known to be used as FBI surveillance vehicles.

Tony and Uncle "Junior" meet in the office of Junior's physician, for another surveillance-free chat; Christopher, Bobby Bacala, Jr. and Murf Lupo remain in the waiting room. Before entering the exam room, Junior flirts heavily with a nurse and even invites her to accompany him on a trip to Atlantic City; she declines. Junior implores Tony to increase his "kick" (i.e., a percentage of the profits each underling nets from criminal enterprises, which is "kicked upstairs" to superiors, as tribute), after bitterly complaining of how his legal defense fees are skyrocketing toward the $1 million mark. Tony refuses, suggesting that the recent recession has resulted in "a shortage" of revenues in the "family" businesses; he also tells Junior to just raise more money through his own crew, by getting his "'shy' (illegal money-lending business) running right." Junior tells Tony he's decided to demote Murf due to the aging subordinate's worsening mental faculties, and promote Bobby in Murf's place. Tony approves, and proposes they inform Bobby of his good news right there, in the exam room. Before Bobby is brought in, the nurse tells Junior that it's her last day on the job; when a crestfallen Junior asks why, the nurse -- who looks well past age 30 -- explains that she's "going back to school". Later that night, at Junior's home, his lawyer phones and tells Murf (who relays to Junior) that a "family" source inside the hospital claims that the FBI has had a mole in the doctors' offices, possibly recording Junior's meetings, for months -- a mole who was just pulled from his/her undercover role, to testify at Junior's upcoming racketeering trial.

While grocery shopping, Carmela is flabbergasted to see widow and estranged friend Angie Bonpensiero working on the sales floor, handing out free samples of sausage near the deli. Embarrassed for Angie, Carmela hides from her, instead of approaching her. This incident shocks Carmela into realizing that the same sudden fall from a cushy lifestyle could befall her and her kids (both of whom attend costly private schools), should some bad future fate befall Tony. Carmela shares these concerns with Tony, asking to no longer be kept in the dark about their finances, and for Tony to invest significantly for her and the kids' future in tangible securities, like bonds and annuities. Tony reacts defensively, again asserts that she and the kids will "be taken care of" if something happens to him, and claims that the recent FBI raid of the house has forced him to no longer keep emergency cash in the house, like they used to. Tony then secretly removes a large bag of cash from under his car seat, stashing it in the pool house (in a hidden hole beneath a stone floor tile).

Tony has Chris take him to the Bada Bing, where he vents his frustration by beating up hapless barman Georgie for wasting ice and talking out of turn. Chris, Silvio and Tony depart the Bing on foot to attend a meeting with the family's capos (Carlo Gervasi, Ally Boy Barese, Ray Curto, and Ralph Cifaretto) in a neighboring, family-owned industrial garage (Ralphie is still banned from the 'Bing). Tony uses the meeting to harangue his capos over the family's recent decrease in business revenues, telling them that family 'boss' Uncle Junior desperately needs them to earn more, so they can contribute to his high legal fees. Christopher is left outside the room with fellow soldier Vito Spatafore.

Chris believes his return to lowly driver status may be Tony's passive-aggressive punishment for questioning Tony's handling of the Jackie Aprile, Jr. situation. At home, Adriana is with "Danielle", and the two are spending increasingly more time together; of course, "Danielle" is undercover FBI agent Deborah Ciccerone (who has a fellow-FBI-agent husband and infant son of her own). Christopher arrives home with several pieces of high-quality luggage, which Danielle asks about since "it looks like Gucci", and even still has the transport tags (from the shipment transport). Christopher is rude to Danielle, who leaves. Chris complains to "Ade" about his sudden demotion to being Tony's driver, and prepares to inject heroin between his toes (to avoid leaving telltale "track" marks on his arms). He invites Adriana to join him, but she declines.

Later, Tony buys a large quantity of duck feed bags, despite being reminded that the ducks have already flown south for the winter. When he gets the bags home, Tony uses them to store more cash (mixed in amongst the corn feed). Carmela, too, notices that it is an odd time to buy duck feed -- just as Tony finished padlocking the bags in an outdoor storage container near the pool. While out buying the feed, Tony meets with state Assemblyman Zellman at a nearby café, to discuss the (Newark Riverfront) Esplanade project's progress. Zellman encourages Tony to find the money to buy-up as much of the real estate adjacent to the future development as possible -- despite the current recession -- since the values of all Esplanade-adjacent real estate should spike upon its completion. Tony recalls that Junior owns a large warehouse on Frelinghuysen Avenue in Newark...now, a potential gold mine.

Carmela invites Rosalie Aprile & Ralph Cifaretto over for Sunday dinner, which irritates Tony. Rosalie is very withdrawn and quiet over dinner, presumably from the effects of the mood-altering drugs prescribed for her deep depression over Jackie, Jr.'s death. In contrast, Ralph exuberantly tells stories to A.J. and his friend/dinner guest about Porsches and Harley-Davidsons. Ralphie, as usual, manages to carelessly offend someone -- this time, Carmela's Jewish parents Hugh and Mary De Angelis -- when he makes an anti-Semitic joke while regaling everyone with stories of his youth. Ralph excuses himself to use the bathroom and Janice soon follows him, to snort cocaine with him. After some initial hesitancy on Ralph's part, they have sex in the bathroom. While they are away from the table, Tony notices their long absence. During the dinner, Adriana -- accompanied by Danielle -- visits to borrow a samovar from Carmela for the bridal shower of Adriana's cousin. Tony is introduced to Danielle, and is visibly attracted to her; Rosalie then shows her around the Soprano house. Meanwhile, Meadow does not attend the dinner; since Jackie Jr.'s death, she has not signed up for new classes, even as her sophomore year at Columbia University approaches.

Tony throws a wiseguy party in a hotel suite, preceded by a quick meeting with New York City boss Carmine Lupertazzi; Christopher, Ralph, and Silvio also attend. Carmine discusses the success of the $300 million Esplanade project, asks about Junior, and chastises Tony for wearing shorts at his own backyard barbecue (after hearing this from Johnny Sack, who is also present). Carmine and Johnny Sack leave, while Furio Giunta arrives with a bevy of pretty Icelandic Air flight attendants who are ready to party. Christopher smokes a heroin-laced joint in the bathroom with one of the girls; Ralph winds up passed-out (nude) on a couch, wearing only a stewardess' pillbox hat. Christopher worries when Tony (still unaware of Chris' resumed heavy drug usage) bangs on the bathroom door and has him leave the party early with him. Tony has Christopher drive out to a diner in Wayne, New Jersey, as Christopher notices they're being followed there by Bobby Bacala. Tony has been referring to him about "Dickie" Moltisanti, Christopher's late father, all day, and resumes the topic during their drive. Tony suddenly tells Christopher that the man who killed his father, Detective Lieutenant Barry Haydu, is in the restaurant having his retirement (from the police force) party. Tony said that Dickie and a gangster named Jilly Ruffalo had served time together. Jilly killed Dickie's cellmate, so Dickie later took out one of Jilly's eyes. Haydu murdered Dicky for Jilly, outside the Moltisantis' home. Christopher was always told a police officer had killed his father, but assumed the killer had died. When asked why this hasn't been 'dealt' with already, Tony answers that "he was useful," but that his retirement ended his usefulness. As Chris' anger builds, Tony gives him Haydu's address ("a house bought with cash"), wishes him luck, and leaves in Bobby's car.

Christopher waits inside Haydu's home and knocks him unconscious when he enters. Christopher takes Haydu's holster, gun, badge, and engraved retirement watch, then handcuffs him to a staircase banister in the front room. When Haydu regains consciousness, Christopher questions him about his involvement in his father's death. Haydu denies all knowledge, saying that Christopher is being set-up. Christopher replies that it doesn't make any difference, because "he wants you dead." Christopher turns up the volume on the television. Haydu panics, breaks the wood banister, and scrambles across the floor yelling, "I'm sorry." Christopher then shoots Haydu with his own weapon; before leaving, he takes the cash from Haydu's wallet (expecting more than the twenty-dollar bill there), wipes off the gun, and places it in Haydu's hand. Later that morning, Christopher goes to visit his mother, Joanne, and looks over the old photos of his father, including a Navy picture. Christopher asks if she ever misses his father; she replies, "Did I ever saddle you with a step-father?" As he leaves, he uses a magnet to attach the twenty-dollar bill to his mother's refrigerator door.

Meanwhile, Bobby and Tony eat dinner at a local diner; they discuss Bobby's promotion, and how he has coped with his own father's death. Afterwards, they go to Junior's house where Murf meets them in the basement, and tells of the FBI mole. Bobby's wife, Karen Baccalieri, has come over with their children to prepare a meal for Junior. The hospital mole revelation, however, has deeply upset Junior, who assumes it must have been the nurse with whom he flirted, and regrets the humiliation that he "will have to face her across the courtroom." They discuss what the FBI may have learned from their ploy. Tony offers the cash-desperate Junior $100,000 for his Frelinghuysen Avenue warehouse, lying to him that it's to help him with his financial difficulties; Junior accepts, but has again become despondent about his life, telling Tony he is an "old man who is going to trial."

Meanwhile, Paulie Walnuts has been arrested in Youngstown, Ohio on a gun charge (hence his absence from the earlier meeting with Tony, Silvio and the other family capos), while en route to Steubenville to see Dean Martin's birthplace. From a jailhouse payphone, he calls Johnny Sack, who tells him that nobody has mentioned to him why Paulie was jailed, just that he had been. Paulie is bothered by this and relates the story: he was visiting a friend, Lenny Scortese, and they got caught with a gun (from an unsolved homicide) in their car. Johnny seems keen to cultivate his 'friendship' with Paulie, which began with Paulie airing his grievances to him of feeling unappreciated and neglected by Tony, in favor of Ralph and the lucrative Esplanade project. Johnny reached out to Paulie through his nephew to request the jailhouse phone call.

In therapy, Tony discusses Carmela pressuring him for information and input regarding their family's future financial security, and, Uncle Junior's situation. When Tony discusses his future as having only one of two potential endings -- death, or, prison -- Dr. Melfi is initially shocked by his candor, asking him why he doesn't "just give it up." Tony tells her there is a possible third option -- a plan to avoid either outcome -- by relying solely "on blood relations," bonding Christopher ever closer to him (using methods he can not disclose to Melfi), using his nephew as a buffer between himself and others, insulating himself from any potential future prosecutions. Dr. Melfi is baffled by Tony's unexpected frankness, to which he replies that he now trusts her, "a little."

First appearances

Deceased

Title reference

  • The episode's title is taken from a phrase found on American paper currency: "this note is legal tender for all debts, public and private". The episode ends with a close up of a twenty-dollar bill that Christopher takes from Lt. Barry Haydu after he kills him.
  • Money is a worry for Tony, Carmela, and Junior in the episode.
  • Christopher is now indebted to Tony for the information Tony provided about Christopher's father.

Production

  • This episode was the first one to be made and aired after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. From this episode on, the shot of the World Trade Center Towers in the opening credits is absent, replaced by additional shots of industrial scenery before reaching the toll booth.
  • Vince Curatola (Johnny Sack) is now billed in the opening credits, but only for the episodes which he appears in.
  • Paulie's prison stay was written into the series to allow more time off for actor Tony Sirico, who was recovering from major back surgery. [citation needed]
  • The wrestler Johnny Valiant appears in this episode as Carmine Lupertazzi's bodyguard.
  • A comment made by Carmine Lupertazzi to Tony Soprano, "A don doesn't wear shorts", was added into the show after series creator David Chase was contacted by a supposed real-life mafia associate who praised him on the authenticity of the show, with the exception that Tony often wears shorts, which he said a real don would never do.[citation needed]
  • "For All Debts Public and Private" is one of only two Sopranos episodes in which the end credits roll on top of a picture (the eye of the twenty dollar bill in this case) instead of a black background (the other episode is "Cold Cuts" from Season 5) and the only episode in which they do so for the entire duration of the credits.
  • This episode has the strongest ratings of any episode, with an estimated 13.43 million viewers.

Cultural References

  • The city where Paulie Walnuts was arrested, Youngstown, OH, has the nickname "Mobtown, USA"

References to other media

  • Junior is shown watching the movie Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison.
  • During the scene in which Carmela approaches Tony about finances, the movie playing on the television is Rio Bravo, a 1959 Western starring John Wayne, Dean Martin and Ricky Nelson. In the scene that Tony is watching, Martin and Nelson sing a duet, "My Rifle, My Pony and Me". This song is also used at the end of the future episode "Pie-O-My."
  • At Lt. Haydu's house, Chris is shown watching Magnum P.I.
  • When Paulie is on the payphone in county jail, The Jerry Springer Show is seen on the television in the background.
  • During the scene in which Janice and Ralphie are snorting cocaine in the bathroom, Janice comments "Oh Bartleby, Oh Humanity" a reference to the drama surrounding Jackie Jr.'s death. This is the last line from Herman Melville's short story "Bartleby, the Scrivener."

Music

  • The song played at the episode's beginning and over the end credits is "World Destruction" by Time Zone (with John Lydon).
  • The song played while two women make out on a hotel bed is: "Do You Wanna Get Heavy?" by Jon Spencer Blues Explosion.
  • The song played while Christopher shoots up is "My Rifle, My Pony, and Me", sung by Dean Martin in Rio Bravo (1959).
  • The song playing while Det. Lt. Haydu pulls into his driveway is Lady Marmalade by Labelle.
  • The song playing when Carmela sees Angie in the supermarket, is "Saturday In The Park" (1972) by Chicago from their album, Chicago V.
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