The Fleshy Part of the Thigh 

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

Director:

Alan Taylor

Writers:

David Chase (created by), Diane Frolov

Stars:

James Gandolfini, Lorraine Bracco, Edie Falco

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
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)
Steven Van Zandt	...	Silvio Dante
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

Storyline

Tony has regained consciousness but is not yet feeling like himself. The owner of Barone sanitation has died and his son Jason wants to sell the company but Tony advises against it. The potential buyer is affiliated with Johnny Sack and Tony wants to make sure he gets the cut he thinks he deserves. Johnny Sack doesn't quite agree with the amounts requested. Tony makes it clear that Jason Barone is responsible for coming with the cash he expects. Paulie is shocked when his Aunt Dotty, a nun, tells him that she gave birth to him when she was a novitiate and that the woman he thought was his mother is actually his aunt. He feel that he's been lied to and somehow cheated of ever knowing his real mother. Bobby Baccala meanwhile enters into a strange pact with a rapper.

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Plot Keywords:

gangster | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Certificate:

TV-MA

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 April 2006 (USA)

Filming Locations:

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

Company Credits

Production Co:

Chase Films, Brad Grey Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

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".

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Goofs

Because of patient confidentiality agreements, Catherine Lipman isn't legally allowed to tell Tony and other non-family members the results and status from other patient's surgery including John Schwinn.

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Quotes

Nucci: You didn't go to your mothers funeral? It's a sin.
Paulie 'Walnuts' Gualtieri: Some mother! Even a rat don't abandon its own children.
Nucci: Now you should feel sorry for her. Now she's going to have to face St Peter with the stain on her.
Paulie 'Walnuts' Gualtieri: I hope she rots in hell!
Nucci: Don't say that!
Paulie 'Walnuts' Gualtieri: And you, I was your meal ticket. The goose with the golden eggs. Look at this place, who set you up here? Not that fucking brother of mine! Or Rose! They never provided you with shit! Well, your real children can start now. I went without, so you could...
[...]

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Connections

References The Flintstones (1960)

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Soundtracks

Woke Up This Morning (Chosen One Mix)
(uncredited)
Performed by Alabama 3

User Reviews

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.