In the End, 'Sopranos' Simply Draws a Blank

Jun 11, 09:46 AM

Current Headlines: By Alanpergament, The Buffalo News, N.Y.

Jun. 11--Well, the ending of "The Sopranos" Sunday certainly was a shocker. Creator David Chase essentially was telling fans to do what many have been doing for the last week -- make your own ending.

Those viewers who guessed that Tony Soprano would go into witness protection or get killed because he had to pay for his sins in a very dark season were wrong. For now anyway.

Fittingly, the final scene of an HBO series that overindulged in food was at a family restaurant, with the Journey lyrics, "Don't Stop," playing in the background. New Jersey boss Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), wife Carmela (Edie Falco) and son A.J. (Robert Iler) were ordering while daughter Meadow (Jamie-Lynn Sigler) was late because of parking difficulties.

Meanwhile, two restaurant patrons looked suspicious. One wore a U.S.A. cap and sat at a table. The other sat at the counter and eventually headed to the bathroom. Was he a hit man who was going to get a gun hidden in the toilet and come out and blow up the entire family while they were eating? Or was he a federal agent following Tony around?

We'll never know because the screen faded to blank, leaving it to the viewers' imagination. Or a potential movie.

I confess when the screen first went blank I was worried that the local cable company had had another snafu at a bad time. After realizing that was the end, I loved the ambiguousness and creative bravery of it all. After all, this wasn't "Friends," "M*A*S*H" or some classic TV show that cried out for a happy or finite ending.

But I'm sure Chase will be right in predicting some fans will love the ending and some will hate it. Those who hated it probably seek resolutions, something Chase always avoided over the years.

As has happened for every season, last week's semifinal episode was loaded with much more action than the finale. For a while, you wondered if anything significant would happen.

The big event Sunday -- about 15 minutes before the end -- was the murder of Phil Leotardo (Frank Vincent), the New York boss who was Tony's nemesis. That occurred after a deal was brokered between Tony's crew and some of Phil's supporters who thought he had gone too far. Tony's friend from the FBI helped him locate Phil, whose death before two infant grandchildren was as gruesome as they come, even if the ugliest part was left to the imagination.

Although events moved very slowly, the knowledge that it was the series finale heightened the tension as Tony's old and annoying friend Paulie (Tony Sirico) gave some quizzical looks, A.J. took a ride in his new car, and Tony worried that a member of his crew had flipped on him.

Tony's lawyer told him he was right about that one. That will only matter if the guy at the lunch counter isn't a hit man.

For most of the slow-moving episode, family mattered most. Tony reached out to his widowed, con-artist sister, Janice (Aida Turturro), visited his demented Uncle Junior (Dominic Chianese) for the first time all season and persuaded his son to give up on his plan to join the Army and become involved in the making of movies.

A.J. constantly irritated Tony, even when his son was trying to make him happy. Near the end, A.J. told his dad, "Focus on the good times."

When Tony thought A.J. was being his typical wise guy, A.J. responded, "Isn't that what you said one time?"

"Focus on the good times" also is good advice for fans of the historic series who feel cheated and wanted it to end with a bang.

apergament@buffnews.com

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