Cast: Dominic Chianese, Edie Falco, James Gandolfini, Jamie-Lynn DiScala, Lorraine Bracco, Michael Imperioli, Robert Iler, Steven Van Zandt, Tony Sirico, Steven R. Schirripa, Aida Turturro, Vincent Curatola

Rating: TV-MA

Content: Strong, Coarse Language, Explicit Sexual Situations, Violence

Director: Tim Van Patten

Release Year: 2004

I'm so excited!!!!!!!!!

I'm so looking forward to having the Sopranos back on TV! Can't wait to see the episode tonight.

I'm hoping we get more whackings this year.

has there ever been a season where there was a ton of whackings?

Well, time for it to start!

Interesting...they just did a bit interview with Drea De Matteo and unlike other cast members, she doesn't sound a thing like her character in real life. Guess she's an authentic actress.

Or as we like to call it, 'Leah Remini Syndrome'.

If you're over 30, it used to be called 'Crystal Bernard Syndrome'....

Uh...since when do bears live in New Jersey and come into suburban areas?

AJ is such a wuss.

You vould also argue it's like Megan Mullaly.

Not at all uncommon.

Last year, it was a BIG news story when they instituted a bear hunt here in NJ. Personally, my neighbor Homer and I both opted to just pay the Bear Tax; haven't seen a bear since......

Damn, I thought Steve Buscemi would be in this episode.

The trailers were a little misleading, all the protection and stuff and it was over a bear. Good episode otherwise.

good episode was also hoping Buscemi would get introduced

Yep...used to live in North Jersey and bears were an issue once in a while.

Looking forward to the rest of the season.

What's the name of the actor who played the older family member who got out of prison? He was having dinner with Junior when Tony came over. I've seen him in so many movies, but for some reason can't think of his name, or what I've seen him in.

Would have liked to have seen Buscemi as well...but they are obviously building to something. Good episode though.

Looks like Mr. Pink will be in the next ep.! Call it intuition, but I think he is already high on the list of probable whackees by the end of the season.
Overall a good ep. and I didn't expect Christopher and Paulie to just murder a somehwat innocent person in cold blood like they did.
How much you want to bet Adriana, Paulie, or both of them will be toast before the season's end?

That actor is Robert Loggia, and he is a rather famous character actor with many movies to his credit.

Tony Montana's 'Boss' in Scarface!

It feels so great to have this show back.

Not enough Meadow...

Christopher and Paulie were hilarious all episode. I'm glad they patched things up though, I was afraid one of them was going to do something stupid. Like kill some innocent waiter...

"Don't they have medication for that shit?"

I agree with all three potential whackee's. I just hope Buscemi's character doesnt' become another clone of Richie and Ralphie. A little slimy, smart-ass character is fine, but make him a bit different from those two.

That's the one I couldn't think of! He's great in everything I've seen him in, just couldn't think of what it was.

Thanks. Also just rememered that he was Tom Hank's boss in BIG. Great actor.

All this talk of bears and Tony Soprano... I'm surprised Grunter's not in here.

Uh there murderous Psychopaths why would it be out of their characters to murder someone. That's one thing I think scares me about Sopranos viewers is that they forget these are the bad guys what they do is bad.

Paulie and Chrissy are comedy gold. I loved the whole thing with the waiter and the conversation about the Pine Barrens

What a welcome season premiere...and a solid one at that. Christopher and Pauly's quarells were hysterical. Loggia (and ultimately Buscemi) will both be a welcome to the cast.

Glad to have this show back again!

Also, nice that there was some talk of the gone but not forgotten Russian from Pine Barrens. Maybe a hint for something to come?