[Qwikshot]

Here's the thing:

I hated the episode initially but like Lester Bangs with "Exile on Mainstreet", I today, liked it.

I missed the first part with Paulie, but my assumption is that Vito just didn't give him bad advice, he did it on purpose to potentially get Paulie killed. Typical setup to remove problems, and Vito wants to remove those potential allies to Tony. --we'll get back to Vito vs Paulie in a sec.

Purgatory, whatever...Altertony was going for the light. I liked how he met with the monks ("Caucasians all look alike" BWAH). They wanted someone to take responsibility...it seems alterTony doesn't want to take responsibility. Slowly alterTony was beginning to believe he was someone else (Kevin Finnerty). The ever present briefcase...I loved Paulie's talk annoying him, making him angry) I loved how while talking on the phone he asks about the beacon, but doesn't get an answer (least not one which we can hear).

Getting to the house...shivers...remind anyone of "the shining"...the outward facade (just like when Melfi and Carmella were talking one on one about facades) belied something far more sinister. Cousin Tony as the gatekeeper whom alterTony did not recongnize (and was listed in the cast as "man" not Cousin Tony) And the quick shot of Livia turning into the house (Tony Soprano's mom is far sinister in death) definately told me that was bad juju...Meadow pulling Tony back ("Am I dead?") was heartwrenching.

The side stories weren't that interesting...Silvio knows his place and was a fish out of water as "boss", Vito is just plain creepy (RUN FINN RUN!) and munching on carrots when he realizes that Tony is awakening. Chris movie idea is bordering on whacking...you don't talk about the family, and his ultimatum to Tony is bad bad bad. A.J. is a moron (shades of godfather going on here).

But more interesting is Vito vs Paulie...here are two guys that are just as greedy and conniving. Vito is definately behind the scenes; while Paulie is brash and in your face. Both hated parting with the money to Carmella for their own selfish reasons, and when Carmella sees their real faces after giving money (the facade dropping down), she realizes how ruthless the family is. Vito wants power, Paulie wants money; their fear of reprisals was what caused them to give up their cuts. Chris is obsessed with movies to the point of blackmailing his boss (probably off the wagon). Only Silvio seemed genuinely upset for Tony (and the only one who seemed to be appealing for calm, which in the den of socio and psychopaths, just isn't going to work...even Phil L who wants revenge understood the reasoning to giving Carm a cut but was so obsessed about revenge that he and Vito "forgot what they were talking about"). Bobby seems to be running ragged thanks to Janice (blocking the ambulance and yelling at Silvio who is being carted away is not normal thinking).

I agree with Quiksand though, this should be the tip of the roller coaster before the drop now, we've had enough side story...time for action.

Still I liked this episode.