“Sentimental Education” Review
Grade: B+
“It’s hard doing business with strangers.”
Perhaps more than any other 21st century television drama (save for Mad Men), The Sopranos treats each installment as a self-contained narrative. This was especially true in the first season, in which nearly every episode operated as a one-hour movie. Naturally, The Sopranos has become more serialized as time goes on, but the one-off installments — like Tony Soprano and his daughter going to visit colleges in New England, or Christopher Moltisanti taking an acting class to cure his writer’s block — have always been part of the show’s DNA. Now midway through season five, “Sentimental Education” is a nice reminder of the show’s episodic origins.
We get two standalone stories: Tony Blundetto trying to adjust to life as a civilian, and Carmela Soprano embarking on an affair with her son’s high school guidance counselor. Both plotlines are seen to completion, from beginning to end, and both are quite isolated, with personal journeys that exist outside the main action.
In a way, “Sentimental Education” is a very non-Sopranos installment. For instance, a majority of the hour takes place in a laundromat. Then again, this is the exact type of episode we needed after last week’s visceral action, even if at times it feels like the only purpose is to move from point A to point B. It’s a necessary chapter, albeit a tad inconsequential.
Tony B was introduced early in season five and, other than “Rat Pack,” has existed mainly on the fringes. Nevertheless, his appearances have always been welcome thanks to Steve Buscemi’s confident and charismatic acting. In “Sentimental Education,” we finally get to see the full depth of his character.
Ever since he was released from prison, Tony B has been working for a laundry company while studying to become a board-certified licensed massage therapist. After passing his exam, he then makes plans to open his own business. Even though this is a far cry from the show’s familiar territory, Buscemi sells every bit of it. We’re legitimately happy for Tony B’s success — the rare Sopranos feel-good story.
But we can already tell that the rug is going to be pulled out from under him. Tony B has been trying to go straight, but in past episodes we’ve already seen he’s still too close to his cousin to truly make it work. He was at the executive poker game, he was there when Tony S held Chris at gunpoint, and he can’t help staying out all night partying with the rest of the crew. Do we really think he’s going to clock in at 5 a.m. every day at the laundromat?
Yes, Tony B has been a relatable guy so far, but let’s not forget he spent the last 17 years in prison. Like the rest of the characters, he’s a criminal at heart and just The Sopranos’ latest example of ‘people don’t change.’ He beats up his boss by the end of the episode and asks Tony Soprano for work, resigning himself to his fate.
Meanwhile, Carmela begins a romance with Robert Wegler, AJ’s guidance counselor. This, too, is a feel-good story for at least a little bit, as we’ve never seen Carmela do much of anything by herself — especially pursue her own happiness. And it also helps that Wegler is the exact opposite of Tony: gentle, cultured and goes down on a woman during sex.
David Strathairn does a great job making Wegler not feel like one of The Sopranos’ typical side character stereotypes. He has real emotion and, for all intents and purposes, isn’t a bad guy at all. But he’s quickly beaten down by The Sopranos’ cynical universe — Wegler garners no viewer sympathy because we’re biased toward Tony; a jealous Father Phil Intintola lectures Carmela about honoring her Catholic commitment to marriage; and even Carmela herself is subconsciously using the affair to raise AJ’s grades.
Wegler ends the relationship over this assumption, which is quite an admirable stand. But Carmela takes great offense and reveals her true colors. Although it’s left ambiguous whether raising AJ’s grades was her intent, she storms out of Wegler’s house and breaks a lamp and subtly threatens him with violence, which is exactly what you’d expect from a mob wife. It’s an ugly display.
Once again, Carmela is in denial of her own character flaws and decides to take the easy way out — if other men will always judge her way of life, then why should she even try to change? She, too, has resigned herself to a predetermined destiny.
In the end, both Carmela and Tony B end up right where we thought they would (i.e., under Tony’s inescapable influence). But the predictability isn’t the problem, as both storylines are entertaining parables that reinforce the show’s cynical outlook on humanity. No, the only problem I have with “Sentimental Education” is the placement.
It somewhat feels that the self-contained events of “Sentimental Education” could’ve happened at any point in the previous five episodes. More specifically, I feel that the events would’ve had more impact closer to the beginning of the season. We knew that Carmela and Tony B couldn’t stay independent for long, and so the episode’s overall position in season five feels arbitrary, as if it is just prolonging the inevitable.
Either way, this is a minor gripe and the episode itself is a unique chapter for The Sopranos, giving two characters an extended spotlight away from the rest of the ensemble. The hour still delivers all the usual hallmarks: comedy, tragedy and engrossing family drama. One misplaced installment doesn’t change the fact that this is the greatest TV show of all time.
STRAY ROUNDS
- After more outbursts from AJ, Tony kicks him out to move back in with Carmela. We’ve always known Tony has shown AJ tough love, but this is the first time Tony has gotten physically violent with his son. A disturbing character development moving forward, even if AJ is insufferable as ever.
- It’s almost like the events of last episode never even happened, as Chris and Adriana are back together with no mention of the accident and its repercussions. In fact, Chris is one of the episode’s biggest hypocrites, as he repeatedly espouses motivational phrases and uses his newfound sobriety to act like he’s actually making progress in his life.
- Tony B’s boss at the laundromat, Mr. Kim, is portrayed as a stereotypical greedy Asian American with no character depth, which is unfortunately typical of The Sopranos when it comes to depicting minorities.
- Carmela’s Review of Madame Bovary: “The story is very slow. Nothing really happens. I think he could have said what he has to say with a lot less words.”
- As mentioned in a previous review, Wegler is still The Sopranos’ typical pretentious intellectual. His musings on The Letters of Abelard and Héloïse are quite flatulent, to say the least. And we also have to wonder if he was just using Carmela for sex. Does he actually care about her? His jarring insult (“You strong-armed me using the only weapon you have: your pussy”) is quite offensive…and it’s a line of dialogue that seems a bit out of place.
- A hilarious scene: Tony makes a joke that there’s a dog-grooming business right next door to Tony B/Mr. Kim’s massage parlor, in case anyone gets hungry. A few moments later, Chris walks in and makes the same exact joke.
- The fight between Tony B and Mr. Kim isn’t The Sopranos’ most finely choreographed piece of violence. Then again, it’s worth noting that Tony B is always messing something up and getting injured no matter what he does. Bad luck seems to follow him, from getting arrested 17 years ago to hurting his back while fighting Mr. Kim. He’s always been a fish out of water (obvious symbolism from series creator David Chase), which is why I’ve never felt the “Steve Buscemi doesn’t fit in” complaints are valid.
- Buscemi is obviously a familiar face in Hollywood, which is why some viewers have trouble with his casting in The Sopranos. However, only an actor of Buscemi’s caliber could carry an entire episode like this by himself. Even though Tony B was just introduced a few episodes ago, his role in the main fold is believable due to Buscemi’s impressive range.
- “Sentimental Education” was written by Matthew Weiner and directed by Peter Bogdanovich. Bogdanovich plays Dr. Elliot Kupferberg on the series and also directed The Last Picture Show, What’s Up, Doc? and Paper Moon in the 1970s.
FAMOUS LAST WORDS
- “I’m sick of this f**king prejudice against ex-cons.”
- “Gotta keep your eye on the tiger, man.”
- “Your husband’s gonna have to get used to the idea that your life is moving on.”
- “Fear knocks at the door. Faith answered. There was no one there.”
- “Education should never stop. It enriches all aspects of life.”
- “It’s hard doing business with strangers.”
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