Besides Paris, the most overblown pop story this week has to have been the angry reaction to the finale of The Sopranos.
Drudge started the fuss, posting a link to a ridiculous rant by L.A. Weekly's media/film columnist, Nikki Finke. I'm quite certain that had David Chase been within two feet of Finke as she watched those brilliant, stomach-twisting last two minutes of the series come to an abrupt, unresolved end, she would have strangled the man in rage.
Yet if Finke had relaxed for a few moments before exploding with her online rage, perhaps she would have realized that this is the trademark of Chase: he's an artist who refuses to bow to popular expectations. Wrapping up everything in a moral tight bow (i.e., having Tony pay for his sins by having him and his entire family wiped out) is too easy. By cutting to black, he's letting us decide the fate of our anti-hero and also flipping the bird to convention (thank heavens).
Personally, I think Tony and his family are still alive. Yet, Carmela is still going to overlook her husband's blood money in order to live her comfortable, materialistic life; A.J. will set aside his attention-getting "depressive" and apocalyptic worldview and comfortably settle into the easy road with his hot girlfriend, new BMW and new life in the porn industry; and Tony will forever be looking over his shoulder, waiting for that inevitable bullet. Meadow, meanwhile, (who, it's been pointed out, was never seen entering the diner) will likely be the least affected...grounded in her pursuit of law and her new love.
Without a subscription to HBO for a number of years, I've missed quite a few Sopranos. With the show now history, it's time to dust off the DVDs of the seasons and enjoy everything anew.
Drudge started the fuss, posting a link to a ridiculous rant by L.A. Weekly's media/film columnist, Nikki Finke. I'm quite certain that had David Chase been within two feet of Finke as she watched those brilliant, stomach-twisting last two minutes of the series come to an abrupt, unresolved end, she would have strangled the man in rage.
Yet if Finke had relaxed for a few moments before exploding with her online rage, perhaps she would have realized that this is the trademark of Chase: he's an artist who refuses to bow to popular expectations. Wrapping up everything in a moral tight bow (i.e., having Tony pay for his sins by having him and his entire family wiped out) is too easy. By cutting to black, he's letting us decide the fate of our anti-hero and also flipping the bird to convention (thank heavens).
Personally, I think Tony and his family are still alive. Yet, Carmela is still going to overlook her husband's blood money in order to live her comfortable, materialistic life; A.J. will set aside his attention-getting "depressive" and apocalyptic worldview and comfortably settle into the easy road with his hot girlfriend, new BMW and new life in the porn industry; and Tony will forever be looking over his shoulder, waiting for that inevitable bullet. Meadow, meanwhile, (who, it's been pointed out, was never seen entering the diner) will likely be the least affected...grounded in her pursuit of law and her new love.
* * *
Without a subscription to HBO for a number of years, I've missed quite a few Sopranos. With the show now history, it's time to dust off the DVDs of the seasons and enjoy everything anew.
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