Remember When (The Sopranos)
| "Remember When (The Sopranos)" |
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"Remember When" is the eightieth episode of the HBO television series The Sopranos. It is the third episode of the second half of the show's sixth season, the fifteenth episode of the season overall. It was written by Terence Winter and was directed by Phil Abraham. It originally aired on April 22, 2007 and was watched by 6.85 million viewers.[1]
Episode recap
On a tip from the once again in custody capo Larry Boy Barese, the F.B.I. begins investigating an old murder, that of a small-time bookie named Willie Overall, which was Tony's first murder, On Labor Day weekend of 1982, when he only 22. The assigned hit was given to Tony by his father, DiMeo Family Capo "Johnny Boy" Soprano, in order for Tony to "make his bones", or soon become a made man. After Paulie goes to Tony's house and informs him of the situation, he and Paulie pack up and drive towards Miami, Florida in an old mini-van, to lay low until the heat blows over.
Back at the "Wyckoff Rehabilitation Center", Uncle Junior gets a visit from former soldiers from his crew Pat Blundetto and Beppy Scerbo. Junior begs them to aid his escape from the center. Pat suggests he make an appointment with an outside dentist, and then he and Beppy can sneak Junior off in their car. They give Junior their weekly kick-up and say goodbye in an Italian dialect, which Junior doesn't seem to understand. At lunch, Junior informs one of the orderlies, Jameel — whom he bribes for special treatment — that he wants to organize a poker game that night. Junior and fellow patient, Carter Chong set up the card game amongst the other patients. Jameel, the orderly who assists Junior for money, charges him $60 for smuggling in soda and candy, which some of the patients aren't even allowed to have. Junior reluctantly pays, and Jameel says he'll steer people away from the door as they play their game. Junior is flying high, telling off-color jokes and bringing back old portions of his life; however, the game is soon ended when another patient who is resentful towards Junior snitches them out to another orderly who is not on the take.
On the trip down to Miami, Tony grows weary of Paulie's annoying mannerisms and tendency to sometimes carelessly blab with strangers. Suspecting his loyalty, Tony questions Paulie several times about the circumstance by which Johnny Sack became aware of Ralph Cifaretto's joke made at the expense of his wife, Ginny Sacrimoni. In fact, Paulie was responsible. At a time when tensions were running high between the Soprano and Lupertazzi families, Paulie had disclosed it to Johnny Sack in an attempt to ingratiate himself with the New York family, as things in New Jersey weren't going well for him and he was thinking about switching families. While visiting "Beansie" Gaeta, Tony expressed his concerns about Paulie, particularly his loose tongue, and his vulnerability to the Feds due to his lack of legitimate income on his IRS tax forms, and even his mental competency. Beansie sticks up for Paulie, saying it's because he has no wife or children, and only has Tony and his crew for friendship, but Tony still wonders whether Paulie's ever been truly "put to the test" loyalty wise. Willie Overall's murder is eventually mistakenly blamed on the deceased Jackie Aprile, Sr., so Tony invites Paulie on a sport-fishing trip to celebrate. Paulie has serious misgivings about going out alone on the open ocean with Tony, remembering how a boat trip was used to lure informant Big Pussy to his death, he stares at shore as if it will be his last time seeing it, but ultimately sees no alternative other than to go. While on the boat, Tony see's a small hatchet hanging on a hook and looks at a strangely worried Paulie. He then questions Paulie again about the "Ginny Sack joke" but he repeatedly defends himself, saying it wasn't him. Tony then gets up from his seat to get himself and Paulie a soda and spots a sharp bait knife on the floor of the boat and seems to contemplate killing Paulie, whose back is turned, but decides against it and seemingly spares his life. Later that night, Paulie has a dream in which he gets home from the trip goes to his kitchen and finds Pussy cooking pasta over the stove. Paulie asks Pussy "When my time comes, tell me? Will I stand up?" Paulie then suddenly wakes up and starts frantically lifting weights in his living room with a scowl on his face. Later that day out of apparent gratitude for Tony sparing his life, Paulie sends Tony and Carmela a $2,000 espresso machine, when she wonders why, Tony angrily defends Paulie, saying that they wouldn't live the "good life" without Paulie's hardwork.
In the meantime, while Uncle Junior and Carter are playing a game of checkers, Professor Lynch, the patient who is resentful of Junior, walks up and begins to make comments that begin to anger him. Junior finally goes off and attacks the professor, kneeing his groin and kicking him repeatedly while the professor lies yelling in pain on the floor. Carter further encourages the fight by yelling, "Get 'em!" Junior is then taken away by the orderlies. One day, after Junior urinates on himself, his doctor and the staff become aware that he isn't taking his prescribed medication, which is meant to curtail his aggression and specifically prevent incontinence. The psychiatric doctor in charge informs Soprano that he can either take his medications as ordered or be transferred to a less pleasant, state-run mental facility. Junior begrudgingly agrees to take his prescribed medication. The doctor also informs Soprano they have fired Jameel for aiding Junior in his activities that do not adhere to hospital rules and regulations. Since Junior has begun taking his medication, he has lost his feisty personality and kick, which highly disappoints Carter who looked up to Junior as a father figure (Carter's mental problems relate back to a poor relationship with his father as mentioned in an earlier scene). At the end of Junior's last visit with Carter, he refers to him as "Anthony". Later that day during a music session, Carter throws a few pieces of paper at the woman playing the piano in hopes to get a laugh out of Junior. When Junior looks back at him and shakes his head angrily for him to stop, Carter becomes angry and physically attacks Junior. The episode ends with Junior sitting in a wheelchair outdoors with his broken eyeglasses taped back together, in a catatonic-like state idly petting a cat.
After leaving a massage parlor in New York, Faustino "Doc" Santoro and his bodyguard are shot and killed by multiple gunshots from hit men sent by Phil Leotardo. Santoro had sealed his fate in an earlier scene by insulting Phil by literally taking food off his plate during a sit down dinner in front of many other mobsters, even after Phil recognized Faustino as the official boss of New York. With Faustino gone, Phil officially develops his spot as the boss of the Lupertazzi crime family. Tony and his crew watch news of the shooting in the back office of the Bada Bing. Paulie starts loudly telling another story to Christopher, as Tony stands with his back to them with an annoyed look on his face, contemplating whether or not he made the wrong decision in letting Paulie live.
Guest starring
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Deceased
- Faustino "Doc" Santoro: killed by multiple gunshots after leaving a massage parlor in New York.
- 'Unnamed Bodyguard': killed alongside "Doc" Santoro.
- Willie Overall: Tony's first murder (a flashback from 1982).
Title reference
- Tony angrily describes "Remember when..." reminiscing as the lowest form of conversation.
- This episode reminds the viewer of many past events that have occurred during the show's run; alongside the appearance of older characters, mention is made of deceased and otherwise departed characters including Big Pussy Bonpensiero, Ralph Cifaretto, Jackie Aprile, Sr., Karen Baccalieri and Feech La Manna.
- Corrado "Junior" Soprano and Carter Chong reminisce in the nursing home about his "glory days".
Connections to prior episodes
- Tony repeatedly asks Paulie if he told Johnny Sack about the off-color joke that Ralph told about a mole on Ginny Sack's ass (as seen in "No Show"). Paulie repeatedly denies this (Paulie actually did tell Johnny Sack, as shown in the episode "Christopher").
References to other media
- During the times Junior was in his room, he watches television. Shows that he watched in this episode included a Weather Channel documentary hosted by Jim Cantore, and The $25,000 Pyramid.
- When driving through Maryland near Washington, DC, Paulie asks, "Chevy Chase, whatever happened to him?" Paulie means the actor Chevy Chase but is actually looking at a road sign for the town Chevy Chase.
- When Tony hears Paulie laughing loudly while on his balcony, he leans over and sees Paulie sitting on his bed, watching the 70's sitcom Three's Company.
Music
- The instrumental piece played over the end credits is "Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing)" by the Benny Goodman Orchestra.
- The song playing on the radio as Tony and Paulie travel through the Fredericksburg, Virginia area (according to the station identification for WWUZ heard in this scene) was "Rock On", by David Essex.
- The song that Junior is singing with the other patients is "Take Me Home, Country Roads", a song made famous in 1971 by John Denver.
- The instrumental piece played in the bar during Tony and Paulie's stop in Virginia is an instrumental version of "I Just Wanna Stop" by Gino Vannelli
References
- ^
Huff, Richard (2007-04-27). ""Sopranos" ratings slip again". The Denver Post. Retrieved 2009-09-26.
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