I'm doing a disservice by not reviewing this episode. "Members Only" is not only one of the best episodes of the series, but also cements itself firmly in the American Millennium and I really love it. The hour is much more self-conscious in this season as a whole, and of course much more dark. This hour's shocking reversal of fate combined with sense of the end makes for a great start of Season 6A.
The episode begins with a montage scored by a reading about death from William Burrough, which reminds the reader why we all love The Sopranos, placing its viewers back in the emotion of what has been seen. However, it also reminds us of how the series is coming to a close, and how the dead are essential in understanding. The absence of the usual newspaper shot for every season premiere could underscore this idea. And that's really why this episode is that good. This sense of finality and the idea of coming to a close that plagues the episode even in the face of good fortune is what makes the hour stand out and why I enjoy this episode.
The turn of fortune, as I noted earlier, is experienced from both Eugene and Tony. Eugene at the start has inherited $2 million from his dead aunt and plans to move to Florida. While Tony ponder's the request, Gene remains faithful and whacks Teddy Spirodakis. The hour closes in on Gene's struggles: his son's addiction, his wife's pressure to Florida, and his own feeling of low position within the mob. But mainly it's between his opposed commitment between the mob and FBI. He tries to reason with one FBI agent's of his woes of leaving but the agent only tells him to turn down his fantasies of Florida. In addition, Tony has decided to turn down Gene's request of moving too Florida. So what does he do in the face constricting pressures? Gene chooses death. It's through a build up of poignant and masterful editing--the reminiscing of his time with kids and seashells--that shows the power of The Sopranos. Gene's death isn't too concerning to me but I'm able to understand that Gene felt as though he had no other options left. The Sopranos likes to use episodes that focus on character, theme, or character-trait. "Member's Only" is a fusion of them all but the episode still holds the apocalyptic tone that I greatly enjoyed.
Next is Tony, who we all know and somewhat love. The episode goes to great lengths showing how good Tony is right now. His marriage with Carm is going well (he buys her a Porsche), Meadow is happy with Finn still, and AJ is holding on. Tony also discovers the pleasant sushi store Nori for him and his wife, cracking jokes at the store of how good and cheap it is. Plus, two informants, Gene and Ray Curto, have just died, giving Tony a break from any federal pressures. The ironic editing between the scenes of Tony at Nori and Ray giving up before his death info underscores Tony's luck further. But just as things go good, they turn extremely bad. While cooking pasta for his uncle, Tony his shot by uncle Junior. Junior with his dementia, mistakes Tony as Pussy Malanga, who was planned to be killed back in the Pilot. No one could've predicted this and it's entirely shocking. "What happens next?" is the posed question for the episode as a crawling Tony hopelessly reaches to dial 9-1-1 before an overhead shot. I think this posed question returns to the theme of finality that we will encounter in this season as each episode to evoke an apocalypse. The episode sets up what great things we will see in Season 6, and it made me excited for what was to see next. "Members Only" proves that The Sopranos is back and coming in hot.
PS: I really love this episode: its cinematography from the great Phil Abraham is stunning, music choice is great, Terence Winter's writing is engaging, and symbolism/foreshadowing is ever so present(among many other technical aspects).
The episode begins with a montage scored by a reading about death from William Burrough, which reminds the reader why we all love The Sopranos, placing its viewers back in the emotion of what has been seen. However, it also reminds us of how the series is coming to a close, and how the dead are essential in understanding. The absence of the usual newspaper shot for every season premiere could underscore this idea. And that's really why this episode is that good. This sense of finality and the idea of coming to a close that plagues the episode even in the face of good fortune is what makes the hour stand out and why I enjoy this episode.
The turn of fortune, as I noted earlier, is experienced from both Eugene and Tony. Eugene at the start has inherited $2 million from his dead aunt and plans to move to Florida. While Tony ponder's the request, Gene remains faithful and whacks Teddy Spirodakis. The hour closes in on Gene's struggles: his son's addiction, his wife's pressure to Florida, and his own feeling of low position within the mob. But mainly it's between his opposed commitment between the mob and FBI. He tries to reason with one FBI agent's of his woes of leaving but the agent only tells him to turn down his fantasies of Florida. In addition, Tony has decided to turn down Gene's request of moving too Florida. So what does he do in the face constricting pressures? Gene chooses death. It's through a build up of poignant and masterful editing--the reminiscing of his time with kids and seashells--that shows the power of The Sopranos. Gene's death isn't too concerning to me but I'm able to understand that Gene felt as though he had no other options left. The Sopranos likes to use episodes that focus on character, theme, or character-trait. "Member's Only" is a fusion of them all but the episode still holds the apocalyptic tone that I greatly enjoyed.
Next is Tony, who we all know and somewhat love. The episode goes to great lengths showing how good Tony is right now. His marriage with Carm is going well (he buys her a Porsche), Meadow is happy with Finn still, and AJ is holding on. Tony also discovers the pleasant sushi store Nori for him and his wife, cracking jokes at the store of how good and cheap it is. Plus, two informants, Gene and Ray Curto, have just died, giving Tony a break from any federal pressures. The ironic editing between the scenes of Tony at Nori and Ray giving up before his death info underscores Tony's luck further. But just as things go good, they turn extremely bad. While cooking pasta for his uncle, Tony his shot by uncle Junior. Junior with his dementia, mistakes Tony as Pussy Malanga, who was planned to be killed back in the Pilot. No one could've predicted this and it's entirely shocking. "What happens next?" is the posed question for the episode as a crawling Tony hopelessly reaches to dial 9-1-1 before an overhead shot. I think this posed question returns to the theme of finality that we will encounter in this season as each episode to evoke an apocalypse. The episode sets up what great things we will see in Season 6, and it made me excited for what was to see next. "Members Only" proves that The Sopranos is back and coming in hot.
PS: I really love this episode: its cinematography from the great Phil Abraham is stunning, music choice is great, Terence Winter's writing is engaging, and symbolism/foreshadowing is ever so present(among many other technical aspects).