“Marco Polo” Review
Grade: A-
“The Sweet Life”
As I’ve already said many times throughout these reviews, The Sopranos is a show about family. But rarely does the Soprano family experience happiness. That’s why “Marco Polo” is such a fun anomaly. Everyone gets together and has a great time celebrating the 75th birthday of Hugh DeAngelis (Carmela’s father), and we get to watch all the characters just hanging out doing nothing.
If ever there was a scene in The Sopranos that epitomized “good vibes,” the backyard barbecue sequence is surely it. The food, the banter, the drunkenness — everything is captured with a mesmerizing realism, as characters both familiar and foreign drift in and out of the background, all reveling in the bacchanalian atmosphere.
Meadow flirts with her boyfriend Finn; Chris and Adriana pal around with Cousin Brian; Artie Bucco passes out on a lawn chair; Tony Blundetto makes crude home videos; Tony Soprano wears a ring of sausages around his neck; Carmela gets thrown into the swimming pool against her will. In moments like these, the Soprano family is no different than yours or mine.
In many ways, “Marco Polo” reminds me of the classic season two installment “House Arrest,” in which the entire premise of the hour is that nothing happens. Both episodes contain an easygoing attitude, and both episodes conclude with great classic rock tunes (“Bad ‘n’ Ruin” by Faces, in this case). But the biggest trait they both share is likability. After years of watching the main characters devolve into people we’re supposed to hate, it’s nice to be reminded why we love them so much.
That includes being delighted when Tony and Carmela rekindle their relationship in the pool. Even though past episodes have emphasized how toxic their marriage was, it’s still heartwarming to see them get back together. Perhaps they’re capable of true love after all. And, furthermore, perhaps they deserve it.
Credit goes to director John Patterson and writer Michael Imperioli, who — through warm mise-en-scène and naturalistic dialogue — make the episode so relatable. “Marco Polo” takes place on a beautiful summer night, which helps us instantly forget any past atrocities the characters have committed. And isn’t that what family is all about?
Perhaps, however, the season three episode “He Is Risen” is a more apt comparison for “Marco Polo.” There’s the carefree family gathering (e.g., Thanksgiving dinner and Hugh’s birthday, respectively), but there’s also the familial tensions that exist on the outside. Case in point: the only one not having fun at the barbecue — other than the pompous Italian diplomats invited by Carmela’s mother — is Tony Blundetto.
Tony B is slowly being integrated back into a life of crime, but he can’t help feeling underpaid and unappreciated. For instance, Tony S is delegating him with low-paying jobs, such as checking in on Angie Bonpensiero’s body shop, and Carmela ignorantly bosses him around during the party, not too dissimilar to how she treated Charmaine Bucco way back in “46 Long.” All the while, Tony B sees how everyone else is unaware of their privileged lifestyles.
Actor Steve Buscemi does a terrific job conveying Tony B’s internal struggles as an outsider. That’s why it’s no surprise that the episode ends with him killing a rival soldier in New York City. Despite being completely at odds with the rest of the episode’s friendly tone, it’s easy to see why Tony B would make such a rash decision, as a job offer from Little Carmine Lupertazzi’s crew seems like the only option for a better life.
The final scene benefits from quick editing by Patterson, showing that Tony B’s choice was never in doubt. After the initial gunshots, all we hear is the Faces’ “Bad ‘n’ Ruin” — an adrenaline-filled soundtrack that swiftly leaves the rest of the episode behind. It’s not a cheap cliffhanger; rather, it’s a perfect change-up.
And so “Marco Polo” runs the full gamut of Sopranos action, from carefree shindig to violent conclusion. Even in the series’ most enjoyable moments, we’re constantly reminded about the darkness underneath. But for now, let’s just take pleasure in that fantastic extended family party sequence. Even criminals deserve some happiness every now and then.
STRAY ROUNDS
- The final scene is a whirlwind. As “Bad ‘n’ Ruin” blares, Tony B shoots Joey Peeps (and a prostitute) to death; the car — which wasn’t in park — runs over Tony B’s foot; and Tony B limps away into the night. He’ll have to explain his suspicious injury soon enough.
- Another theory as to why the soundtrack is all we can hear after the initial gunshots: death happens so fast that you don’t even see it coming. Does this foreshadow the final scene of the series, namely the infamous cut-to-black? It’s telling that the editing is so rapid during Joey Peeps’ murder.
- Earlier in the episode, Tony B was propositioned by Angelo Garepe and Rusty Millio (played by Frankie Valli) to take out a hit on Joey Peeps. Garepe and Millio are loyal to Little Carmine, while Joey Peeps was the one who killed fellow Little Carmine loyalist Lorraine Calluzzo a few episodes back. Tony B initially declines the offer, citing how Tony S wants his crew to remain neutral during the NYC power struggle.
- Some things never change: AJ Soprano is still practicing that same damn drum rhythm, and Sal Vitro is still doing Johnny Sacrimoni’s landscaping for free.
- Uncle Junior’s Review of La Dolce Vita: “They said in the guide it’s an Italian movie, but even with the captions I can’t tell what’s what. They had Jesus hanging off a helicopter, but you could tell it was a dummy.”
- The episode’s worst aspect is Carmela’s mother, who doesn’t want Tony at the party. Of course, it’s not because of the separation; rather, it’s because she’s worried her pompous Italian diplomat friends will be embarrassed. The Sopranos often delves into issues of Italian pride, which results in some of the series’ most on-the-nose moments. This time, however, it fits in naturally with the family party vibe, as an offended guest is always commonplace at such a function.
- “Marco Polo” was written by Michael Imperioli and directed by John Patterson.
FAMOUS LAST WORDS
- “At my age, it’s surprise enough to be able to get out of bed every morning.”
- “I’m on my way to Welsh Farms to get a triple blueberry sundae.”
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