Everybody likes a nice tidy ending that ties up all the loose ends. In the real world the bad guys often don’t get what they deserve and endings are not clean cut.
Fade to black was a masterful ending to a superb show.

I’d say “Deadwood” in advance, but that assumes that show will get the finale(s) it deserves.

People in last scene, Nicky Leatardo, boy scouts from train shop from where Bobby was killed, trucker was brother of guy that was killed by Tony and Christopher over a truck full of DVDs in season 2, the two black guys are the one that tried to kill tony.

That is what I remember coupled with what I was told.

In the last four episodes, you get Christopher dead, Tony curbing a guy, Bobby Bacala killed, Sil comatose, Phil Leotardo’s dome crushed—and the last scene seemed to be taunting the audience: you want more people dead? Is that what you were really watching this show for all these years? (The answer is, of course they were.)

If you wanted more, you’re missing the point of the entire series. These people didn’t have to be mobsters: they could have been a family of janitors and we still would have watched because the show was so damn good and true to life.

Hated the ending last night. Now, the more I think about it, the more it’s growing on me… but it’s still not amazing.

I offer the following grades for the Sopranos:

Seasons 1 and 2: A+
Seasons 3 to 5: B+
Season 6: C
Season 7: B+

Series Finale: C+

The last scene was an insult to my intelligence, especially the stupidity of watching Meadow try to park.

uuugggggggggggghhhhhhh

After sleeping on it, I realized what a brilliant move this is by HBO. This opens the door to getting very creative with the packaging of a DVD set. Maybe do an interactive “choose your own ending” thing.

All of the…

FINAL….

EPISODE….

EVER!!!!!!!

promos and ads certainly took us in another direction than the episode did.

Have I enjoyed the ride? Yes. And I get that life goes on. Or “on and on and on and on…” like the Journey song in the final scene says. I guess we just have to “hold on to that feeling” (Journey again) that we had with the other episodes we thought were perfect in their own right.

That ending was controversial to say the least.

But there are actually several movies that I didn’t like the endings .. but still watch to this day.

Goodfellas immediately comes to mind.

But yes of course you are certainly entitled to feel that way. I can only tell you how I feel.

This “life goes on” type ending is something that is indictitive of the message he is trying to get across.

Life is not hollywood and epic endings. Its often mundane and boring .. even when you think something big will happen. And some may say that he should have ended the story in a hollywood-type format .. but that honestly would have broken the mold of everything he has done to date. He did want his art to imitate life. I can’t really fault him for that.

And whether I agree with the way he ended it or not .. Personally, I can’t deny that Chase has provided me with hours of brilliant drama over the years.
Can you?

And if you answered yes to that question, can you say that the ending negates all of that?

Have you ever left a movie pissed at the ending and wishing you could have gotten your $10 and 2 hours back? Think you were entitled to feel that way, or just chalked it up to the piece of art that the moviemakers chose to provide you?

I’m merely arguing the other side. I still think it was brilliant in its frustration. And that tension in the last scene was unlike almost any I’ve experienced on TV before. Worth the monthly fee in my book and the reason I’ll still watch HBO – waiting for that next series that challenges.

(I’d be curious to see what the HBO subscriber churn is today. I’m guessing just a bit on the high side for people dropping their HBO…)

I will say this.
The same type of thinking that got us hooked on the show in the first place is the same kind of thinking that went into ending the show the way he did.

I don’t think he has any personal vendetta against the fans.
I do think he wanted to end his story the way he wants. And he has every right to do that. At the end of the day .. it is his show and not ours.

I feel like I got enormous returns on my time investment throughout the show’s tenure.
Great drama, humor action and violence

And I have been telling my friends for weeks that the most explosive episode will be the one leading up to the finale and not the finale itself .. as Chase has done since he started the show.

So im not some art snob saying Chase did some masterpiece .. im just saying that Chase is a guy who was going to do his show his way .. and that has been a successful formula for 10 years. Why should he have to conform to what we wanted out of an ending? David Chase has given us fans everything we deserve

Life goes on …

I was so tense in that last scene, waiting for “it” to happen — whatever “it” would be. But it didn’t.

I know some are lauding Chase for leaving the end uncertain. But c’mon — that’s not what we wanted. I agree with Heather that last week’s episode would have been a better ending.

We still wouldn’t have known what happened to Tony in the end, but having him holed up that way would have provided closure in a sense. Or ending it with Tony’s attorney telling him of the impending indictments would have been OK.

This ending was just unacceptable.

Chase toyed with the fans of his series; we deserved better than he gave.

In the end, it’s like Livia Soprano said: “Life, it’s all a big nothing.” Yup.

Back at the first episode of the midpoint this season, Bobby and Tony are upstate in a boat and they’re talking about what getting whacked would be like. Bobby says, paraphrasing, “I don’t think you feel anything. Everything just goes black and silent.”

So can we assume Tony got whacked? Or did Chase leave just enough wiggle room for HBO to shower him with cash for a movie?

Again, brilliantly frustrating.

Yes i agree the story was random and all over the place at times .. but Chase has been doing that for years .. and we have always loved it.

So why should the show end any other way?

Fans have been treated to ten years of some of the best entertainment ever made .. and if that is not enough of a return on a time investment .. than i dont know what is.

I thought it was a solid ending: bleak and unconventional. We’ve always known that Chase hates this show and wanted to kill it off. I really like he Chase pulled off an Andy Kaufman move by making me jump up and run to another tv, thinking mine was broken. It was a big screw you to the fans, but in a poignant way. I cannot get that Journey song out of my head…

The movies could not let Tony Soprano go free or walk as
Television never protrays “Crime does Pay”. That would
send the wrong message. Tony being wacked. I could not see
that happen. the witness protection plan. I do not know.
This ending was superb.

After watching it and some of the comments made by the other characters, you could see something different is going to happen.

1. Tony’s lawyer says that there are subpenas flying
furiously. Tony will be indicted and appear before a grand jury. But Tony only has an illegal firearms charge against, so his lawyer says. He may get a few years in jail or no time.

2. Tony’s lawyer says these types of cases are made to be won.

3. Carlos? will testify to the grand jury. How credible is he and he will be under the witness protection plan for sure. But any criminal activity against Tony Soprano is only circumstantial, except for the illegal weapons charge.

There you have. Tony Soprano, illegal weapons charge and he will serve 3 – 5 in state prison, there will be appeals and he will be released on good behaviour.

My take on the Sopranos

What did you make of the songs Tony flipped through at the end? A code maybe to loyal fans?

oh well.

i have my opinion, people have theirs. but, i’m with you.

who we should be mad at is the exec at hbo who gave the OK for this to hit air.