Season 6A seems to take a 'step back' after the action of Season Five - introduction of major characters, Adriana's death, etc. - and ask where the series itself is headed. It's full of self-reflexive ideas: the Kevin Finnerty dreams and Tony's existential dilemmas; questions of faith upon his recovery; Paulie's whole life suddenly in question after the revelation of Nucci Gualtieri; the whole meta-narrative of Cleaver; the celebrity cameos and their affect on our viewing of the show; and the most significant plot, Vito's outing, and how, alongside all these other reflexive aspects, it faces its audience directly.

Season 6B, after such contemplation, gets back on with the 'action', and does so with a vengeance: it's a fast finale and not one of its episodes are short of excellent.