The Happy Wanderer (20 Feb. 2000)

Tony's old school friend digs himself into trouble with his gambling, while Tony's family problems only continue to grow.

Director:

John Patterson

Writers:

David Chase (creator), Frank Renzulli

Stars:

James Gandolfini, Lorraine Bracco, Edie Falco

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
James Gandolfini	...	Tony Soprano
Lorraine Bracco	...	Dr. Jennifer Melfi
Edie Falco	...	Carmela Soprano
Michael Imperioli	...	Christopher Moltisanti
Dominic Chianese	...	Junior Soprano
Vincent Pastore	...	Salvatore 'Big Pussy' Bonpensiero
Steven Van Zandt	...	Silvio Dante
Tony Sirico	...	Paulie 'Walnuts' Gualtieri
Robert Iler	...	A.J. Soprano
Jamie-Lynn Sigler	...	Meadow Soprano
Drea de Matteo	...	Adriana La Cerva
David Proval	...	Richie Aprile
Aida Turturro	...	Janice Soprano
Nancy Marchand	...	Livia Soprano
John Ventimiglia	...	Artie Bucco

Storyline

An old high school friend of Tony's, David Scatino, talks him into letting him play in a high stakes poker game. David's on a streak of bad luck and he's also in debt to Richie Aprile, who has banned him from his games until he catches up a bit. When Richie sees David at Tony's game there's trouble. David's problems grow when he can't pay Tony back and has no way out but to give him his son's four wheel drive as partial payment. It puts Meadow in an awkward situation. Richie continues to be a problem for Tony who sees him, Janice and his mother together at a family funeral. Janice eggs Richie on adding to the tension with her brother.

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Plot Keywords:

gangster

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 February 2000 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Ramsey Outdoor Store - 240 N. State Rt 17, Paramus, New Jersey, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Brad Grey Television, Chase Films

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Goofs

Meadow Soprano's friend plays a bass riff while Meadow sings but his left hand's fingering on the bass neck does not match the tune we hear.

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Quotes

Silvio Dante: [losing at poker as Matt Bevilaqua tries to sweep up the crumbs under his chair] What the fuck are YOU doing?
Tony Soprano: Sil, take it easy.
Silvio Dante: I'm losing my balls over heeeere! This fuckin' moron's playing Hazel? Get the fuck outta here!
Matt Bevilaqua: I was just trying to sweep the cheese away from...
Silvio Dante: Why? Why NOW? Leave it there!
Matt Bevilaqua: I don't know, I was just...
Silvio Dante: What?
[to Tony]
Silvio Dante: Where do you get these fuckin' idiots, huh? Where do you get 'em? He's sweeping the cheese, I'm trying ta...
[to Matt, shouting]
[...]

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Connections

References Titanic (1997)

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Soundtracks

"Tequila Sunrise"
Written by Glenn Frey & Don Henley
Performed by Eagles

User Reviews

Friendship don't count no more...

Remember Robert Patrick? Menacing guy, best known for squaring off with Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator 2 (as well as reprising the same role in Wayne's World)? Not really the person you'd expect to play a vulnerable, desperate man, right? Well, he proves all the naysayers wrong in this poignant episode of The Sopranos, which is less about blood and more about psychological conflict.

Patrick plays David Scatino, a childhood friend of Tony Soprano. The two still hang out occasionally since their kids attend the same school, and one night David pops up at a poker game Tony has taken over from Uncle Junior and asks if he can participate. His old friend accepts, only to regret it soon after-wards: not only does David end up thousands of dollars in debt, it turns out he was trying to win just so he could pay Richie Aprile, who banned him from another game. At this point, Tony and Richie are reluctantly forced to cooperate, although this means Meadow Soprano could lose one of her few real friends (John Hensley, from Nip/Tuck).

Unusually, by the show's standards, the violence is practically absent, at least physically speaking. What really matters here is the psychological pressure Tony puts on his old friend, and the devastating effects of these actions are clearly written on Patrick's face: miles away from the coldness he is famous for, the actor conveys a genuine sense of tragedy with his eyes, setting the tone for future events (Scatino appears in two more episodes).

But while the blood-letting is rather low-key, the same cannot be said of the show's benchmark profanity. In particular, The Happy Wanderer gives Silvio Dante (Steven Van Zandt) the opportunity to stand out: a calm consigliere in previous episodes, he literally explodes when a dumb friend of Christopher tries to clean the floor (Tony suggested it 'cause he knew what would happen) while he is still playing poker. "I like f*cking cheese between my feet!" he rants. "I stick motherf*cking provolone in my socks at night, so they smell like your sister's crotch in the morning! Just leave the f*cking, c*cksucking cheese where it is!". Joe Pesci must be envious.