This episode was about mobsters who tried to branch out and failed. Chris tried to get into music and failed on pretty-much every level, and Tony tried to make friends outside of the mob and failed. With all the money and power he has, he can't get the respect. I'm reminded of his rant to Melfi about Italians wanting a piece of the good life. He has the money to be a normal member of high-society, but it's just not possible. Coos and his buddies won't have him for the same reason the lady wouldn't write Meadow a recommendation; they don't want to fraternize with criminals. Tony playing his prank showed that he had come to terms with it, but his going straight to the bench to aggressively lift weights shows how much he hates it. Remember the episode that ended with Tony having to hear Paulie tell another of his stupid, meandering stories? He doesn't like most of the guys in his family, and he had to kill Pussy, the only one he did like. He's trapped in a life of organized crime with a bunch of idiots, vipers, and sociopaths. This episode felt super out of place...like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. The funniest part of this episode is when they had the phone meeting but Paulie is wearing a bulletproof vest.
Review of A Hit Is a Hit
