"The Sopranos" Second Opinion (2001)

Director:

Timothy Van Patten

Writers:

David Chase (creator)
Lawrence Konner (written by)

TV Series:

"The Sopranos" (1999)

Original Air Date:

8 April 2001 (Season 3, Episode 7)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

Junior continues his cancer treatments, but the prognosis is iffy. Chris, meanwhile, finds himself under suspicion from Paulie.

Plot Keywords:

Gangster | Mafia | Psychiatrist | New Jersey | Garbage

Cast

James Gandolfini	...	Tony Soprano
Lorraine Bracco	...	Dr. Jennifer Melfi
Edie Falco	...	Carmela Soprano
Michael Imperioli	...	Christopher Moltisanti
Dominic Chianese	...	Junior Soprano
Steve Van Zandt	...	Silvio Dante (as Steven Van Zandt)
Tony Sirico	...	Paulie 'Walnuts' Gualtieri
Robert Iler	...	A.J. Soprano
Jamie-Lynn Sigler	...	Meadow Soprano
Drea de Matteo	...	Adriana La Cerva
Steve Schirripa	...	Bobby 'Bacala' Baccalieri (as Steven R. Schirripa)
Aida Turturro	...	Janice Soprano
Federico Castelluccio	...	Furio Giunta
Sam McMurray	...	Dr. John Kennedy
Frank Wood	...	Dean Ross

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

Silvercup Studios - 4222 22nd Street, Long Island City, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Brad Grey Television

Trivia:

Director Mike Nichols was originally cast as Dr. Krakower but had to bow out. Sully Boyar plays Krakower but Nichols was still credited in the original broadcast. This was corrected in the DVD and all subsequent repeats.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the scene where Tony comes home late to Carmela's supper, his plate is shown in at least three different orientations between shots (greens on his right, greens on his left, and greens at an angle).

Quotes:

Dr. Krakower: Have you ever read Crime and Punishment? Dostoyevksy?
[Carmela shakes her head 'no']
Dr. Krakower: It's not an easy read. It's about guilt and redemption. I think your husband ought to turn himself and read this book in his jail cell and meditate on his crimes every day for seven years, so that he might be redeemed.
Carmela Soprano: I would have to get a lawyer, find an apartment, arrange for child support...
Dr. Krakower: You, you're not listening. I'm not charging you because I won't take blood money, and you can't, either. One thing you can never say is that you haven't been told.
[...]

Soundtrack:

Black Books

Dr. Krakower

When this episode originally aired, in April 2001, the end credits listed celebrated director Mike Nichols (The Graduate) as one of the guest stars. In reality, Nichols had to back out due to prior commitments, and his role was taken by Sully Boyar, whose previous credits included an appearance on The Rockford Files, also written by David Chase. Boyar passed away two weeks before Second Opinion was broadcast for the first time - a shame, given his character could have been a compelling recurring presence.

The character in question is Dr. Krakower, a psychiatrist who provides Carmela Soprano with the titular opinion after she has tried a session alone with Dr. Melfi. Upon hearing what Carm's husband does for a living, Krakower immediately suggests she leave Tony forever, instilling the first of many fundamental doubts in her head. Remaining in the family trouble area, Junior undergoes surgery to get rid of his cancer and has a bizarre experience, while Christopher is jokingly accused of wearing a wire and subsequently bullied by Paulie at all hours.

For once, Tony is not the central issue of the show, meaning the authors can work more on Carmela and give a new angle from which to look at the show: until now, she's been nothing but a loyal gangster wife, albeit with the occasional kids-related outbursts of rage; starting now, she gains more ambiguous personality traits, enhancing the narrative's poignancy. But is this a one-woman show? Not at all, in fact the exploration of Chrissy and Paulie's rivalry is a great exercise in perverse humor, most notably when the older captain humiliates his employee in the middle of the night (to reveal more would be disrespectful).

To be brief, as mesmerizing as ever. Too bad Boyar's role turned out to be a one-time event, though.