#10. Tracee (stripper at the bing) Killed by Ralph- Strapped with news that Ralph was the father of her baby Ralph, being the smartass that he is, tells her what she could do with the kid. Tracee hits Ralph a few times and bloodies him, causing Ralph to put down one of the most graphic beatings of the series. He beats her to death, leaves her lay in the parking lot, and goes back into the bing as nothing ever happened. Probably the most disturbing death I have seen on Sopranos.
#9. Vito Spatore (Killed by Phils crew) Vito’s character was a good one, but the whole gay story line got played out. They wasted much of the first half of season six following him. His character needed to come to an end and Phil actually stole this kill from Tony. This move started the unraveling of the NY and New Jersey ties.
#8. Richie Aprile (Killed by Janice Soprano) It is my memory that this is the only whacking done by a women on the show. I never really liked either of these characters, but Janice grew on me as being one of the most conniving bitches in television history. She was a very powerful character on the show and when Richie, put the fists on her, she put two shots to his chest.
#7. Salvatore “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero (Killed by Paulio, Silvio, and Tony) Lets just say Big Pussy sleeps with the fishes. Tony gives us the unpleasant reminder of what happens when you turn to the Feds. Big Pussy a captain and great friend of Tony’s was taken for a ride on the “stugots” never to return.
#6. Tony Blundetto (Killed by Tony Soprano) Tony was Tony’s cousin who basically was a fuck up from episode one on the show. Big T who thought Little T was going to be a great asset to the family business new what he had to do when Lil T killed Phil’s brother. Two shot gun blasts to the chest took care of the job no problem.
#5. Ralph Ciperetto (Killed by Tony Soprano) I may be a minority on this one but I really liked Ralph’s character. A member of Tony’s crew who didn’t give a shit what anyone thought. A real wise guy in the literal sense of the word, created his death sentence by killing Tony’s favorite thing in the world Pie-O-My. In probably the best fight seen on the show, Tony gets the upper end and kills Ralph. Tony calls Chrissy to come over and they chop up the body revealing Ralph’s bald head. Of course it was only fitting that they put that bald head in a fucking bowling ball bag.
#4. Christopher Moltisanti (Killed by Tony Soprano) Chrissy was next in line in the family until his drug problem got the best of him. When that problem put Tony’s life in jeopardy, there was only one thing Tony could do. Even though Chris was loyal to a fault, Tony had to kill his nephew and best friend.
#3. Phil Leotardo (Killed by member of Tony’s crew) A definite no-no in the mob world is to kill a man in front of his family. For Phil he lost that luxury with his hits to Bobby and Sil. Hiding out until things cooled off on the war front, Phil was talking to his daughter when he gets shot in the back of the head. His daughter rushes out of the car to see her father but forgot she had put the car in gear, the car rolls over Phills head causing all observers to lose it. Very gruesome way to go.
#2. Bobbi Bacala (Killed by a member of Phils crew) With Chris gone all signs pointed to Bobbi being the right hand man. A gentle giant he was a wonderful character on the show and the Husband to Tony’s sister. He got whacked doing what he loved most, playing with his trains, and it took about 40 shots to drop him.
#1. Adrianna La Cerva (Killed by Silvio Dante) Ade was Christophers fiancé and she was working with the feds to save herself from going to jail. A favorite of mine for many reasons the car ride to the woods was saddening. To me this is the most dramatic seen of the Sopranos series, Ade realizes her destiny and does not want to get out of the car, Silvio, pulls her out and throws to her to the ground. As she begs for her life, Sil, shoots her, as she is trying to crawl away he finishes her off. A wonderful seen.
#9. Vito Spatore (Killed by Phils crew) Vito’s character was a good one, but the whole gay story line got played out. They wasted much of the first half of season six following him. His character needed to come to an end and Phil actually stole this kill from Tony. This move started the unraveling of the NY and New Jersey ties.
#8. Richie Aprile (Killed by Janice Soprano) It is my memory that this is the only whacking done by a women on the show. I never really liked either of these characters, but Janice grew on me as being one of the most conniving bitches in television history. She was a very powerful character on the show and when Richie, put the fists on her, she put two shots to his chest.
#7. Salvatore “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero (Killed by Paulio, Silvio, and Tony) Lets just say Big Pussy sleeps with the fishes. Tony gives us the unpleasant reminder of what happens when you turn to the Feds. Big Pussy a captain and great friend of Tony’s was taken for a ride on the “stugots” never to return.
#6. Tony Blundetto (Killed by Tony Soprano) Tony was Tony’s cousin who basically was a fuck up from episode one on the show. Big T who thought Little T was going to be a great asset to the family business new what he had to do when Lil T killed Phil’s brother. Two shot gun blasts to the chest took care of the job no problem.
#5. Ralph Ciperetto (Killed by Tony Soprano) I may be a minority on this one but I really liked Ralph’s character. A member of Tony’s crew who didn’t give a shit what anyone thought. A real wise guy in the literal sense of the word, created his death sentence by killing Tony’s favorite thing in the world Pie-O-My. In probably the best fight seen on the show, Tony gets the upper end and kills Ralph. Tony calls Chrissy to come over and they chop up the body revealing Ralph’s bald head. Of course it was only fitting that they put that bald head in a fucking bowling ball bag.
#4. Christopher Moltisanti (Killed by Tony Soprano) Chrissy was next in line in the family until his drug problem got the best of him. When that problem put Tony’s life in jeopardy, there was only one thing Tony could do. Even though Chris was loyal to a fault, Tony had to kill his nephew and best friend.
#3. Phil Leotardo (Killed by member of Tony’s crew) A definite no-no in the mob world is to kill a man in front of his family. For Phil he lost that luxury with his hits to Bobby and Sil. Hiding out until things cooled off on the war front, Phil was talking to his daughter when he gets shot in the back of the head. His daughter rushes out of the car to see her father but forgot she had put the car in gear, the car rolls over Phills head causing all observers to lose it. Very gruesome way to go.
#2. Bobbi Bacala (Killed by a member of Phils crew) With Chris gone all signs pointed to Bobbi being the right hand man. A gentle giant he was a wonderful character on the show and the Husband to Tony’s sister. He got whacked doing what he loved most, playing with his trains, and it took about 40 shots to drop him.
#1. Adrianna La Cerva (Killed by Silvio Dante) Ade was Christophers fiancé and she was working with the feds to save herself from going to jail. A favorite of mine for many reasons the car ride to the woods was saddening. To me this is the most dramatic seen of the Sopranos series, Ade realizes her destiny and does not want to get out of the car, Silvio, pulls her out and throws to her to the ground. As she begs for her life, Sil, shoots her, as she is trying to crawl away he finishes her off. A wonderful seen.
2 comments:
For dramatic importance and plot, I think you've got a nice list. In terms of the best portrayed whack in the series, I've got to go with Bobby.
The direction and editing in that scene was worthy of the finest film directors in the world. The model train clacking along the track, increasing in speed. The miniature people on the train table, oddly appearing horrified as the train was passing. As the assassins come through the store and unload on Bobby, the train table is caught in the crossfire and the train jumps the track as Bobby is riddled with bullets. The out of control train jumping the track, to the horror of the miniature bystanders, is an apt metaphor for the NY-NJ battle that has started in motion, beyond anyone's control. The editing of those two elements of the scene... I don't recall seeing the Sopranos do anything like that before.
Then there was the innocence-lost represented by both the boy scouts who witness the murder in terror, and by Bobby taking bullets as he is still looking at the model of the Manhattan-Atlantic City line as he is shot and going into pocket for $8k for it because he's sentimental about better times and how different AC would be if that train still brought New Yorkers to the Jersey Shore.
I also agree with comments of others I've read that the episode (second to last) also seemed to be working harder to show the collateral damage these thugs put on their communities. Usually, it's just mobster on mobster, nobody else involved. Here they show Bobby's violent death in front of a group of young Boy Scouts. Also, when the assassins come for Sil and Patsy, a passer-by motorcyclist is launched in the getaway and run over by a passing car in front of dozens of witnesses from the Bing. I don't recall the general public ever being so affected by or present in the Sopranos prior whacks. Great episode.
Tim,
I agree the second to last episode ranks up there with the series best. Definately a dark episode that showed that these guys dont live in a world all to themselves. It is interesting that you note the editing, probably one of the best shows that I have seen, at making moments like this dramatic, through editing. It is hard to make Television shows very dramatic, and shows unless you have a show like 24 that goes from episode to episode picking up right where it left off. HBO has nailed this through there great production. That is why I think turning series like Deadwood, and Soprano's into movies would work.
Post a Comment