Tis...sorry that you have to wait a few extra hours to view it.

That is what makes this show so great...is it or isn't it.

Is Jr. faking, or is he really starting to blur between the lines...just like Tony's mother? she did the same thing...

They want everyone and anyone to have a reason to be killed or kill another person. This years final show will leave you hanging I bet and you will die until it starts up again...

I forgot to mention: once again, Junior's love of the ladies does him in. Before, it was that lady nurse he had the hots for (maybe she's an undercover Fed, maybe not). This time, a female reporter makes him turn around in delight, and he gets a boom mic in the head that sends him down the stairs.

Ah, Junior. Ya gotta love 'im.

Cam,

You wanna know how I could tell it was going to be a good episode?? I won't open the thread, but at 10:10 (your time)I saw there were already 26 posts, so I figured it was really good.

Gee, think I'm addicted??? Plus the board is really slow during that hour!!!

TIS

Hi ChrisY2J,
You started a thread that will go down in the history books. The crap hit the fan. Ralphie was WHACKED by Tony. Tony is one tough SOB. He choked the life out of Ralphie with his bear hands. Then Chris cut him up like RIchie only Ralphie wasn't grinded up. IMHO I wonder who started the fire. Could have been Paulie to get back at Ralphie for the practical joke on Paulie's mother. Ralphie may have done it after Tony told him about Valentina. Ralphie was so distraught over his kid that he could care less about the horse and says "It's only a horse, my kid is lying in the hospital for Christ's sake." Next week also looks interesting.

Paul

PAUL: Yeah, I guess I did, huh?

Back to the episode, which I think ranks among the all-time best of the entire series.

Did Ralphie light up the stable? That's a question that I think won't ever be answered. Maybe after Tony told him about Valentina, that was a breaking point for Ralphie. Maybe that was a way for Ralph to get back at Tony.

But maybe no one did it; maybe it was just an accident. If it was, then this was an even bigger blunder on Tony's part. This looks like it will ignite a war between North Jersey and New York. Does the Soprano/DeMeo Family have the muscle to go toe-to-toe with Lupertazzi's Family?

One more thing: recall the scene where Tony woke up in the Bing office. He went to the mirror and checked his eyes. As he did that, his attention was diverted to a picture on the mirror. Was it a picture of Tracee (the girl Ralphie killed last season) he was looking at?

As Tony was choking Ralphie to death, he screamed in rage, "She was beautiful and innocent. What did she ever do to you?"

Was he talking about the horse, or was he really talking about Tracee?

Hi Chris,
You are right about a gang war between the two families. Next week Johnny Sack returns and it looks like fireworks. This is the buildup we have been waiting for.

Paul

Brilliant observation, Chris. I think Tony was truly shaken by Tracee's gruesome murder by Ralphie's bare hands, and was only stopped from pummeling Ralphie at the time by being reminded Ralphie was a "made guy", as well as, no doubt, a major earner. But Tony caring for the sick horse was so telling, and I can see where his assumption that Ralph was the arsonist would have unleashed his fury at Ralph about every and all things. (I was watching through my fingers over my face; did we hear Tony also say, "How do you like it?" as he was giving Ralphie what Ralphie gave Tracee?)

Whew. Whoa. Zowie. A difficult but powerful episode. My parents in Calif. told me yesterday they were getting bored with Tony and would probably watch "Topsy Turvy" on Bravo. I immediately called them after viewing and said they might wish to reconsider. But I also warned them that I was shaking.

Still am.

So Kennedy became president after Bush?

I cant believe they whacked Ralphie! Im so pissed. All of this is over a fuckin horse. Yeah Ralphie does do alot of stupid stuff but there is no way he should have gotten whacked over that. What the hell was Tony thinking?. Ya know I must be jinxed because everybody I really like gets killed(Richie, Pussy now Ralphie) I wonder how Tonys eyes are feelin' That had to hurt so bad.

I didn't understand why Tony didn't just go ahead and 'fess up with Christopher about his whacking Ralphie, rather than awkwardly lyin' his way through it. Christopher may be strung out, but he's no fool when it comes to issues like that. I'd have been insulted had someone lied to me like that and tried to play me for an idiot. Even lying, he could've at least made a plausible lie, like "Ralphie tried to kill me so I had to kill him first." I don't guess it's critical to the main plot, but I thought it was kind of lame.

(BTW: The more I think about it, the more convinced I am that Paulie is the one who burned down the stables!)

Hi Snake.
I have the same thoughts about Paulie burning down the stable. Paulie figured he would get back at Ralphie for harassing his Mother at Green Grove. Paulie probably didn't know that Tony had a piece of the horse.

Paul

I think that Tony may have realized that he whacked Ralphie out of anger over the love of an animal. Which is not justified with mafia code Ralphie was a captain and a good earner.

Ralphie's crew and other families are going to want answers and revenge for his death. I think Tony's got himself in some hot water with this one.

Chris was stoned but I think he was aware of what might have happened. He did say that he knew it wasn't Paulie because Paulie was somewhere else all day.

I must say this episode has been the best so far.

Looks like it might be time for a new avatar, DP!

looking forward to seeing this

I had to work on a project so I asked my dad to record the show for me. When I got home I asked him if it was a good episode and if anybody got whacked (to which he said "no")...then I checked on these here forums and couldn't believe what I was reading! I watched it and was thoroughly shocked, although I do wish I wouldn't have looked at the forums first. Anyway, some observations about the episode:

Junior falling down the stairs was fucking hilarious, as was Chris's slurring of words when he goes to Cifaretto's house to help Tony clean up, but the one that topped them was Chris's surprise when he pulled off Ralph's wig!!!

I am really confused on who it was who did burn down the stables...I was trying to figure out if it really was Ralphie, but it may not have been! It'll be interesting to see what happens next.

Best part of the show this week? That grade-A, center cut, USDA Select, prime ass on Valentina...mmm...

I can't believe that nobody has thought of this yet, but...

Tony didn't really plan to whack Ralphie... I think that he was just going to beat him up a bit for being a dumbass... but when things got violent and weapons were drawn... Tony had no other choice.

It's about damn time that that guy was killed, but now that he is... I don't really understand why Chase bothered to show the kid getting injured... what did that have to do with anything?

I really warn you guys... quit saying... "durrrr next week iz gunna b gr8 cuz I saw teh preeview" since when does the show have ANYTHING to do with the preview???? I think by saying things such as this we just jinx the new episode.

Well... anyways, it was a great episode no doubt... finally.

-Lucky

I saw it as agreat way to surprise us.Who would of thought that Raplie was going to die after we saw his getting so emotional about his son?Great way to hide it.

It kinda works either way, doesn't it?

Hey Paul, it seems like whenever you start the thread, it's a crappy episode, but when someone else beats you to it, it's a good one. Why don't you take one for the team and not start any more. Hahaha. I'm just busting your balls.

Carmella's Grandaughter,

Was that picture of Tracy?? I didn't catch Tony telling Ralphie that she was so "beautiful and innocent", I was so blown away by the moment I guess!!

Btw Are you and I the only females who post on this thread???

TIS

I agree with you on Tony not actually planning to kill Ralphie, Lucky. It just got out of hand.

Point taken on the discussion of previews, too. However, you must admit the quick glimpse of Tony talking to Johnny Sack looked pretty ominous:

Tony: "You got nothing coming to you, you or Carmine."
Johnny: "You sure you wanna go down this road, Tony?"

Now, it could've been harmless and maybe Tony will turn around and reply, "No, you're right, Johnny. I don't wanna go down this road." But at least the potential is there for a hairy finale'. However it turns out, I don't think they're fooling us in that exchange. I.e., I don't think Tony was talking about sharing a Happy Meal with Johnny and Carmine. You gotta' admit they at least know how to whet our appetites!

Sounds like Tony is stealing his lines from Jack Woltz

It kinda works either way, doesn't it?

Hey Paul, it seems like whenever you start the thread, it's a crappy episode, but when someone else beats you to it, it's a good one. Why don't you take one for the team and not start any more. Hahaha. I'm just busting your balls.[/b][/quote]Hi Don Corpuzzi,
You have a good point. You start the next one. Someone else can start another one for the following weeks show. By then all of the characters will be DEAD and the show over.

Paul

I'll start the next one again. Hey, I'm 2 for 2, and I'm on a roll here!

Oh no Im keepin this one for a while

You know, I have a slight feeling that in a later episode it will come out that it wasn't really Ralphie behind the stable blaze. I mean, it could have been him, but equally, it could have been someone else who just had an argument with Tony. Possibly Paulie? Maybe he did it because he knew Ralphie would get blamed? Is that too far fetched? Either way, I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out to be someone else who actually set the fire...maybe in a casual conversation, someone will admit it to the wrong person...

Paulie isn't all that conniving a guy. I don't think it was him that lit the stable. I'm guessing that it was either an accident, or the work of Johnny Sack.

Hi, TIS: I think Tony was looking at the picture of Tracee on the mirror when he woke up the next morning in the girls' dressing room at the Bing, after the event. I didn't catch him looking at a photo before then. Yes, his "beautiful/innocent" would have been easy to miss at that particular moment!!

And yes ... I think we're the only females on this thread! Awright, us! Badabing!

You know, when I watched the episode I wondered the same thing and upon rewinding the tape a whole shit load of times, I came to this conclusion: I don't know. It doesn't really look like Tracee to be honest, but who else would it be? Maybe he was just looking at himself but the camera angle made it look like he was staring at the picture? I think he was staring at the picture but it really doesn't look like her up close. Oh well.

I was pretty certain it was Tracee when I initially saw the episode.

Joe Pantoliano was just on Fox News with Sheperd Smith and says that he knew Ralphie would get "whacked" in episode 9, but didn't know how it would happen. He said if he were about 10 lbs heavier he'd be able to take Tony.

He said that David Chase told him that the fire was really an accident. He also commented about his character killing Tracey and since Meadow is about the same age, that it bothered Tony.

Was a short interview, but just thought I'd give the highlights.

TIS