“Rat Pack” Review
Grade: B+
“Old Rats on a New Ship.”
The Sopranos clings to the past like no other television show. In fact, it’s one of the main tenets voiced by Tony Soprano in the pilot episode: “I’m getting the feeling that I came in at the end. The best is over.” Every character on the series is in love with the past, obsessed with the past, haunted by the past. Then again, every character also creates their own idealized version of the past, where fiction overrules fact. Another one of The Sopranos’ main tenets is that people never change, thus implying that the past is just as awful as the present.
Now that The Sopranos has reached its fifth season, the arrow of time is more pronounced than ever before. As we near the inevitable end, every action and interaction carry a detectable aura of tragedy. If there’s one thing for certain, it’s that the characters will never learn from the past. Their fates are sealed, and we watch them make the same mistakes time and time again throughout the series.
For instance, we’ve already seen what happened to reluctant FBI informant Big Pussy Bonpensiero. What makes us think Adriana La Cerva will have a different fate? Likewise, we’ve watched both Janice Soprano and Jackie Aprile Jr. try and fail to stay away from a life of crime. Isn’t it fair to assume that Tony Blundetto is heading down a similar path? In episodes like “Rat Pack,” this is both a blessing and a curse — the fact that The Sopranos can reference its own rich history is a rewarding gift to longtime viewers, yet the recycled subplots can sometimes feel too familiar. “Rat Pack” somewhat falls into a dangerous trap: repetitive and forgettable.
The most notable subplot involves Tony Blundetto (Tony Soprano’s cousin who has spent the last 17 years in prison for an armed robbery). He’s given the typical Sopranos introduction — a character never mentioned before who is casually incorporated into the main fold like nothing ever happened. For a late addition, however, Tony B’s inclusion is handled smoothly, and we have the readymade performance of Steve Buscemi to thank. After a decade of memorable supporting roles in eccentric crime films, Buscemi’s distinctive persona fits right in.
Nevertheless, the storyline of Tony B might feel a tad predictable at first. Even though Tony S loves Tony B like a brother, he hates the fact that his cousin wants to pursue legitimate business rather than rejoin the mafia. It’ll only be a matter of time before Tony S gets what he wants, as “Rat Pack” is also our obligatory reminder that, yes, our main character is a piece of shit. We’ve been down this road before, and if it wasn’t for Buscemi’s ability to be sleazy, sympathetic and funny all at once, the episode would be tedious.
So far, Tony (Soprano, that is) is 0 for 2 when it comes to likability in season five. To paraphrase Game of Thrones, any man who must say “I am the boss” is no true boss. Tony even gets upset over a weight joke. He’s a bad leader, and it’s only fitting that he’s got several rats working against him within his own organization. But not all rats are created equal.
In case you’ve forgotten, Adriana is still our most sympathetic character. That’s because she’s still hopelessly trapped and isolated as a reluctant FBI informant. She’s become a passive observer of her own life, and the feds prey on her gullibility (i.e., unintelligence) at every turn. Whereas other rats like Raymond Curto (an ancillary capo who has been a background snitch since season one) are a somewhat valuable resource, Adriana is too helpless to make something out of her situation. The feds know Adriana is a near useless asset, yet they ruin her life just the same. It’s only a matter of time before she ends up like Jack Masserone, another suspected rat, who is found dead at episode’s end in the trunk of a car.
Thankfully, the wheels of justice turn slowly — e.g., Ray Curto plays the FBI a recorded conversation that took place all the way back in “For All Debts Public and Private,” showing how far behind their investigation is. Even though the feds are just as cruel as the criminals they are ultimately trying to catch, it’ll be a while before they make any real progress. At the end of the episode, it’s heartening to see Adriana use the FBI to her advantage for once: snitching on a “friend” who was embezzling money and flirting with Christopher.
All this ultimately makes “Rat Pack” a placeholder episode. We’re introduced to new characters and catch up with some old ones only to find that nothing has really changed. Due to the epic structure of season five as a whole, it’s perfectly fine for The Sopranos to deliver an installment that sets the stage for what’s to come. In that regard, “Rat Pack” gets the job done while also reinforcing all the subtleties that have been built up over the course of the entire series. It’s a necessary chapter, albeit a tad unmemorable.
STRAY ROUNDS
- Steve Buscemi has already worked on The Sopranos as the director of “Pine Barrens” and “Everybody Hurts.” Prior to his work on the series, Buscemi played memorable roles as small-time criminals in King of New York, Miller’s Crossing, Reservoir Dogs, Fargo, The Big Lebowski, Big Daddy and Ghost World.
- Carmine Lupertazzi succumbs to his stroke, which opens the door for a power struggle in New York City over who will replace him as boss. Johnny Sacrimoni obviously has a claim, but so do newcomers Carmine Jr. and Lorraine “Lady Shylock” Calluzzo. We’re still getting used to all the new storylines that are being established in the early goings of season five (much more than usual for The Sopranos), which adds to the forgetfulness of the episode.
- Feech La Manna talks to Tony from behind his shoulder, which Tony doesn’t immediately notice. In fact, he’s startled when he finally sees Feech hovering over him. Could this perhaps foreshadow the series finale?
- Carmela and the mob wives make use of Tony’s media room by having a weekly film club. They don’t much care for Citizen Kane, and so they resort to neighborhood gossip instead.
- All the FBI characters are played with the same self-important sneer (Agent Harris, Agent Ciccerone, Agent Sanseverino, etc.), which is too one-note. It’s clear that series creator David Chase views them with as much disdain as he has for criminals, yet their appearances are becoming increasingly tiresome.
- “Undercover of the Night” by The Rolling Stones closes the episode — a decent song from one of the band’s worst albums. I was thoroughly surprised yet entertained by its inclusion.
- “Rat Pack” was written by Matthew Weiner and directed by Alan Taylor.
FAMOUS LAST WORDS
- “I loaned the guy some money, then he tried to kill himself, and guess who got the blame?”
- “Sun Tazoo, the Chinese ‘Prince Matchabelli.’”
- “So, it was the sled, huh? He should’ve told somebody.”
- “At least Judas didn’t go into any apostle protection program.”
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