"The Sopranos" The Fleshy Part of the Thigh (2006)

User Rating:

8.6/10   

Director:

Alan Taylor

Writers:

David Chase (creator)
Diane Frolov (written by) ...

TV Series:

"The Sopranos" (1999)

Original Air Date:

2 April 2006 (Season 6, Episode 4)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

Tony goes home and returns to business, perhaps with a new frame of mind. Paulie receives a shock about his mother.

Plot Keywords:

Gangster | Mafia | Psychiatrist | New Jersey | Racial Slur

Cast

James Gandolfini	...	Tony Soprano
Lorraine Bracco	...	Dr. Jennifer Melfi (credit only)
Edie Falco	...	Carmela Soprano
Michael Imperioli	...	Christopher Moltisanti
Dominic Chianese	...	Junior Soprano (credit only)
Steve Van Zandt	...	Silvio Dante (as Steven Van Zandt)
Tony Sirico	...	Paulie 'Walnuts' Gualtieri
Robert Iler	...	A.J. Soprano
Jamie-Lynn Sigler	...	Meadow Soprano
Aida Turturro	...	Janice Soprano
Steve Schirripa	...	Bobby 'Bacala' Baccalieri (as Steven R. Schirripa)
Vincent Curatola	...	Johnny 'Sack' Sacramoni
Frank Vincent	...	Phil Leotardo
Joseph R. Gannascoli	...	Vito Spatafore
Dan Grimaldi	...	Patsy Parisi

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:

When Schwinn talks about everything being related, Da Lux says "Everything is everything, I can dig that". Lord Jamar is a member of the rap group Brand Nubian whose third album is titled "Everything Is Everything".

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: As Tony leaves the hospital, the church bell is ringing but the bell tower clock shows 9:55.

Quotes:

Bob Brewster: Some people would have you believe dinosaurs existed millions of years ago. It's just not true! God created the Earth six thousand years ago. And I tell my kids: 'You have to remember: dinosaurs and human beings lived on the Earth at the same time!'
Tony Soprano: What? Like the Flintstones?
Bob Brewster: It's in the Bible!
Tony Soprano: What about all that Carbon dating stuff? A lot of scientists would disagree with you!
Bob Brewster: I think you'll find those people all have an agenda, Tony: Evolution, which is Satan's plan to deny God! Evolution and Salvation are mutually exclusive!
[...]

Movie Connections:

References "Watch Mr. Wizard" (1951)

Soundtrack:

The Three Bells (Les Trois Cloches)

A new look on life?

After three emotionally dense episodes, this is usually when the creative team behind the show take it a bit easier and allow the characters to "relax" a little. No, sir: The Fleshy Part of the Thigh moves forward at a breathless pace, as if Tony's coma had never occurred.

Of course, it did, in fact the New Jersey boss sends most of the episode at the hospital, chatting to fellow patients (most notably Hal Holbrook) about life and all things connected to it. As he prepares to come home, he learns a part of his business isn't going that well and there's nothing to do about it since Johnny Sack is indirectly involved. Also in for bad news is Paulie who, after receiving a literal kick in the balls in the previous show, gets a metaphorical one when he discovers his dying aunt Dottie, a devout noun, is actually his mother and the woman he thought was his mom is his real aunt. Disgusted and enraged by the revelation, he vows never to speak to "Ma" again, taking it out on Tony instead.

Although he has been dealt with on a deeper level in other episodes as well, this is the closest the writers have come to fully rendering the complexity of Paulie's personality: his inner conflict is the final step in setting him apart from the trite "smiling hit-man" cliché and Sirico is excellent, letting every last hint of humanity in his character emerge to great effect.

That said, his misadventure is the only huge event of the episode besides Tony's return home at the end. Maybe The Fleshy Part of the Thigh is a "calmer" show: the real trouble will start in the next couple of episodes.