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Originally Posted by Hell Atlantic
i kinda thought the ending scene was a "calm before the storm" type deal. almost like a "this is the last you'll see this family meeting together like this" sendoff. i expect bombs and fireworks for the last 8 episodes.
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I was thinking that, but when Tony made peace with Phil, it was like, this whole thing could have ended right there.
The whole series doesn't need complete resolution. If you look at it like reality, Tony never is going to escape his mother's torment. A.J. will always be a slacker but at least he's not going down the road of Tony and joining the mob. Chris will never be free of Adrianna and thus will always be a disillusioned mobster thinking about that chance he could've got out with his love but didn't because like Vito found out, the real world is no place for a mobster (even if it's closing in to the likes of JambaJuice and Starbucks).
Carmella is always going to want to be free of Tony's control, she found her means by bringing up Adrianna. Meadow is still going to be the smart one but neurotic. The rest are psychopaths with no real chance for redemption (even Bobby B).
If anything, we saw that Tony went from violence of last season, to becoming more human. He didn't react to things with violence, he tried his damndest to keep in check, even with A.J., it was only after he exhausted with words, he steered A.J. with a modicum of fear. He's not able to help Meadow resolve with Finn, but Lord knows, he's not gonna whack him. Even with Vito, he tried hard to keep it from being explosive, he was even considering keeping him alive. And in the end, with Phil in the hospital, the old Tony was enjoying it, but the new perspective kicked in, and he realized that he needed to make peace.
That being said, Phil isn't like Tony. And that moment of weakness could be used against Tony. Remember, Phil hated seeing Johnny Sack cry. When Tony told Phil to stop crying, I thought that might have been too much to say (just like when Little Carmine brought up Phil's brother) and Phil might want revenge to show from being as weak.
Chris may be the biggest storyline, but I think they may have A.J. get into the thick of things (Paulie seemed quite chummy with A.J.'s girl). Carmella and Tony may also try to passively resist A.J. new relationship too providing a new type of friction. I'm sure Carm's spec house will further complicate things.
Back to Chris, the drugs will catch up. I kept waiting for him to get whacked, or Juiliana (spelling). But I liked the drug culture of it, they weren't even sleeping together anymore, it was just the drugs. You gotta admit though, Chris was smart enough to come clean (mind the pun) to keep Tony from snooping, shame he's not brilliant enough when it comes to other things. I really think the whackings will be minimal next season, if anything, Phil may have a hard time keeping control of his crew (they seemed bloodthirsty and more hungry) in check with his health issues (if anything I think that doctor who I've seen in previous episodes I think may want to worry about his health).
Meadow and Finn will be a dead end regardless of it being a wedding or breakup (the road to nowhere to eat up time).
Paulie's health issues are boring and dull. Sil is great but there is no real story to him, he can't handle Tony's job. The rest of the group is just fodder.
Uncle Junior is in stasis much like Johnny Sack, I think if anything, Junior somehow getting out may be the only new conflict, he sounded very desperate and demented and was chattering up a storm ("See that guy over there, he's a lawyer..." to Bobby B.).
Of course, some storylines weren't cleared up. The two Middle Eastern men hanging out at the Bada Bing pose to me the biggest mystery (are they Feds, are they terrorists?). Will someone try to turn (if Chris gets nabbed will he deal?). Will A.J. go straight or will he take the easy way...I liked how he dealt with the thugs with trade rather than violence (he realized that he's not like his dad, he can't resort to violence, he's no good at it). Progress A.J. Progress...
Just like Tony, with Melfi, nothing's changed, but there has been progress (no panic attacks I recall this season). It just may be too late though.
Something is brewing but I don't think it's extreme. I doubt mob war, but the Feds are ever present.