Thanks, Guess Who, for posting that summary. It just didn't make sense that they would throw that out there for no reason. Yet, I would have thought they'd make it slightly more obvious. After 15 months with nothing knew, it's difficult to pick up the more subtle clues. I had enough trouble remembering what was going on with the family- that SNL skit was very fitting for me!

Glad I'm not the only one who wasn't perfectly clear on the marriage!

MACD23- I suspect Pine Barrens was also mentioned for a reason. We know that Tony was never informed of the "mishap" and we'll likley see the Russian again this season. Maybe he has a part in Paulie or Christopher's demise?

The thought that the Fish and Game guys were Feds also crossed my mind. Carmela mentioned the cops sent them and that vibe between Carm and the good looking one seemed like a parallel to the Adriana storyline (can't remember the name of her "friend" that was a Fed.)

Renee, maybe we will, maybe we won't....I read directly from the writer/director Chase that the russian story was done with and not to expect him back again. we'll see.

As far as the time frame goes, Tony and Johnny Sack refer to Tony refusing to whack Carmine as being "last year" - the turning point was in Whitecaps, last ep of season four. So at least a year has passed, which keeps it consistent with previous seasons (roughly the same amount of time passing on the show as passes in real life between seasons - eg, all the stuff about post-9/11 life changes in S4).

SOOO glad to have this show back. Loved last night's ep., can't wait for Buscemi. So at least a year has passed and Andriana is still working with the feds? She may be in very big trouble down the road...

was the print from last night a little overly dark, or is it the vhs tape i used to tape the episode.

I saw The Graduate and I think it was her boobs last night, but it's hard to say for sure. Either way, great episode last night. It's great to have it back.

Same thoughts here. That bear is a plant, an excuse to get closer to the house. Better yet, it's an highly advanced remote controlled animatronic bear developed by the US military in conjunction with Disney and the FBI.

I was definitely glad to have The Sopranos back, but it did feel like they tried to force too much into the episode. I'm sure they will explain all the big changes later on. I never thought about the Fish & Game guys being the Feds, but that does sound very possible. I can't wait for Buscemi!

That comment alone means I'd say a few months for sure, I don't know about a complete year. I refer to December as "last year" but it's only been 2.5 months since then, right?

But for consistency's sake, I think quite a bit of time has passed equal to the amount we've waited as viewers.

Ass was a double, breasts are real... Few factors come in...

1)First is the obvious cut away to Tony.
2)The skin tones between the two shots are different, the ass is much more tan then the upper body. Personally it looked like Valentina's ass.
3)Her whole upper body (head & breasts) was in the same shot. Usually with body doubles you'll get multiple close ups of body parts (like the ass shot).


Anyway great episode all around and I'm really looking forward to this season.

That seems to be the case with some of the subplots, but the Tony-Carmela subplot only seems to be two or three months later than the end of last season. Adriana's little subplot doesn't seem to have had as much development as I would expect, either.

I didn't see any banjo.

I think we agree that last season ended in Dec 2002, right?

last night's episode can't have been only a few months later (making it mid 2003) because the newscast referred to the "Class of 2004" being released from jail. Therefore the current episode takes place in 2004.

I disagree. I think that it's refreshing that a show doesn't have to hit you over the head with every plot point. That being said, I can see why some people were confused. All in all, though, it seemed like a clever way to further Janice's storyline without having to actually show everything. Makes sense that things would happen in the 15 months that we don't get to see.

I think Tony and Carmela also act like a couple who have been seperated for awhile. They are definitely not as angry as we saw them at the end of last season and both seem at least somewhat comfortable on their own.

I'll watch the episode again with this in mind. For me, it seemed like there should have been more resolution or change in their situation; it was almost like Tony had just moved out. On reflection, seeing that the two are very unlikely to divorce, years could pass and they'd still be stuck in the same situation...

I don't think we can...it was clearly summer or early fall in New Jersey. The neighbors of the summer house Tony was looking at were out on their deck relaxing in the evening in these episodes...no one relaxes out on a deck at nighttime in December in New Jersey...too darn cold!

to further mess with your head about the time frame - the guy was reading THIS week's TV Guide on the toilet

I thought it was funny how Carmela referred to the Cusimano's dog "Esterhaus". Nice showbiz reference.

It was a little dark quality wise, but I didn't think that it was that much different than any of the past episodes.

Maybe the reference to the Pine Barrens episode was solely an inside joke since Steve Buscemi directed that episode?

^^^ My thought too.

i thought it was pretty dark too.

you mean the one with the sopranos on the cover, or the one with Depp, and orlando bloom on the cover (last weeks)
I also liked how they were real subtle with letting the audience know that Bobby and Janice got married. it would have been too cheesy if they came out loud and said that they had gotten married.

Any chance of maybe seeing Drea or Jamie-Lynn do some nudity before the end of the season?

Rypro 525 - the one with the sopranos on the cover - same back advertisement too