I hate the dentist
Why is it that no matter how old I get I still need to learn certain lessons? I mean, I actually do like my dentist. He's a really nice guy. But I hate going to the dentist. Which means I put it off unnecessarily and for no good reason, since I'm well covered under my health plan. Which also meant today that I found out that I have an
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Honestly? After last night's finale, I have to say I'm very disappointed with the season. I've always really liked the more introspective themes, and have loved the dream sequences, so I'm not one of the fans complaining about a lack of action in the show. And I did think the season started off really well. But since then, it's all tended to drag.
A huge part of the problem for me is that the one "main" storyline (if you can call it that) throughout this season was Vito, and I really didn't care for it. Firstly, I don't think Joe Gannascoli is a good actor. Secondly, I have always found the character of Vito rather repulsive. So to have so much of the season devoted to it was both off-putting and dull.
I suppose that plays into the second part of my disappointment - all of the other characters seemed to get short shrift. Junior shoots Tony in the first episode, we see him shuffled off to a care facility in the second, and then what? Did he have more than two 3 minute scenes for the rest of the season? One with AJ and then this past week with Bobby? For that matter, in spite of the fact that Janice annoys the world, I really like her character (not as a person, just as an antagonist). But there really wasn't much for her to do.
Instead, we get lots of Vito, an entire episode devoted to Artie, the premiere episode devoted to the mobster that killed himself, etc.
I don't know - the whole thing was disjointed and anticlimactic and just didn't feel like the show I love. I'm somewhat hopeful that the last 8 episodes will tie together with these 12 and that the whole will be greater than the sum of its parts, but right now I have to say that I think the season was a huge bust.
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I would have liked the arc about Vito if they had ended it with the episode where he first went to Surprisingly Gay New Hampshire. Even though I didn't think much of him as a character, I thought that would have been an amusing and unexpected outcome. Instead, he wound up exactly like Richie. And Ralphie. And the other Tony. And Jackie Jr.
I'm curious about Junior and Bobby, who I have suspected for a while might have conspired in Tony's shooting, but I'm not sure if that is going anywhere or not. It looks like things are not going to end well for Christopher, though.
At any rate, I hope next season can tie everything together. Taken on its own, the season was definitely disappointing.
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Aside from my other "Whedon" issues, it's similar to how Joss screwed up Season 7 of BTVS by spending his time trying to set up a spin-off. I'm surprised, though, that Chase elected to use that kind of narrative - if only because although he clearly sets things in motion multiple seasons before they happen, he's usually more self contained within a season. As I said, the only really self-contained storyline was Vito.
I would have liked the arc about Vito if they had ended it with the episode where he first went to Surprisingly Gay New Hampshire.
It would have been good from the point of view of having less Vito and therefore (presumably) more focus on other characters, but at the end of the day Chase failed to make me feel anything (including pity) for the character just by making him gay. I don't (as should be obvious) have any sort of problem with gay characters or gay scenes - but I'm not going to like someone or empathize with them just BECAUSE they're gay in a hostile world when they are otherwise utterly without charm or distinction.
I'm curious about Junior and Bobby, who I have suspected for a while might have conspired in Tony's shooting, but I'm not sure if that is going anywhere or not.
Really? It honestly never occurred to me. Bobby's no planner. And I really think Junior is suffering from dementia. I think of all the storylines, the one I'm most disappointed with is Junior, because it's almost as though Chase paralled the fact that the whole crew abandoned him and forgot about him by having the story abandon him and forget about him. Which, thematically? Ok, maybe - but not very compelling for a viewer.
It looks like things are not going to end well for Christopher, though.
Now that Adriana is dead, I fully expect Christopher to die before it's all over. And really, even though he is my favorite character (and I think Imperioli is brilliant) there's no other way for it to end for him, is it? He's far too self-destructive.
At any rate, I hope next season can tie everything together. Taken on its own, the season was definitely disappointing.
I've read a lot of commentary from critics defending this season. Much of it has focused on the fact that if it felt disjointed and wandering, it was supposed to, as a reflection of the fact that the mob life for these guys is becoming disjointed and pointless. I certainly picked up on that as a theme throughout several episodes. BUT... and not to bring up Whedon again... it's one thing to sell that as a movie. That can be incredibly effective as a 2 hour exposition. But when you're dealing with a serial television show over 12 hours, I think you're out of your element, because as a viewer it just isn't entertaining to watch over that long a period of time, just as Buffy's so-called "descent" into darkness and despair was a terrible story to draw out over the course of an entire season. Television can be art, but it also has to have some element of entertainment as well. And I personally think (as a viewer) that Chase failed to entertain this season. There were moments, for sure, and a lot of really dark humour that I enjoyed. But by and large, when I look back on the 12 episodes, I have to say that it was boring. Which is never very good.
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