Well theories abound. If David Chase was either looking to not give an ending that could be predicted or he was simply looking to be controversial he succeeded.
One of the more popular theories is that Tony is whacked dying instantly and we see the end of the show from his perspective (I can see where we wouldn't need to see the reaction of his family). It would be a dramatic statement about how this complicated life just stops. Maybe that's it and Chase thought viewers would get it and he miscalculated. I don't see where Meadow coming to the door fit's in. Or maybe Chase was trying to say that it doesn't end and the fade out was just us leaving the viewing of that life. Maybe he was allowing viewers to decide what happened so the substantial "Gets Whacked" and "Lives On" camps could each have what they wanted.
Some of the other theories deride Chase as being chicken or lacking the creativity to write a climactic ending. Others say he's leaving open a movie possibility (He could of done that by just doing a slow pull back from the family eating) Another theory says the full ending will be on the DVD (If that was true there could be multiple ending or even slightly different final episodes)
I am not sure how I feel about the ending. I mostly enjoyed the episode but I have to give very low marks to the handling of the NY/NJ war. After years of tension the war breaks out dramatically but then ends seemingly without reason and illogically like something that has got in the way. The leap from the seasons of build-up to the actual beginning of the war also seemed kind of quickly contrived. Christopher's death also seemed like some quick idea to get rid of him and the drama over whether Tony would find out about the drugs and kill him. Where was the final build up? Did Chase simply open up too many subplots, that he created too give him more potential things to write about, and not leave himself enough time to close them with their deserved attention?
I would have to give the final season a 5, or 6 at best, out of 10 and that's without the ending which I'm not sure about. It seems definitely that there was a rush to close to plot lines that had been poorly paced to coincide with the series finale.
While the Sopranos goes down as one of the great TV series of all times It became decidedly uneven with many disappointing episodes in the last few season. It's seemed the creative drive declined before the profit drive.
One of the more popular theories is that Tony is whacked dying instantly and we see the end of the show from his perspective (I can see where we wouldn't need to see the reaction of his family). It would be a dramatic statement about how this complicated life just stops. Maybe that's it and Chase thought viewers would get it and he miscalculated. I don't see where Meadow coming to the door fit's in. Or maybe Chase was trying to say that it doesn't end and the fade out was just us leaving the viewing of that life. Maybe he was allowing viewers to decide what happened so the substantial "Gets Whacked" and "Lives On" camps could each have what they wanted.
Some of the other theories deride Chase as being chicken or lacking the creativity to write a climactic ending. Others say he's leaving open a movie possibility (He could of done that by just doing a slow pull back from the family eating) Another theory says the full ending will be on the DVD (If that was true there could be multiple ending or even slightly different final episodes)
I am not sure how I feel about the ending. I mostly enjoyed the episode but I have to give very low marks to the handling of the NY/NJ war. After years of tension the war breaks out dramatically but then ends seemingly without reason and illogically like something that has got in the way. The leap from the seasons of build-up to the actual beginning of the war also seemed kind of quickly contrived. Christopher's death also seemed like some quick idea to get rid of him and the drama over whether Tony would find out about the drugs and kill him. Where was the final build up? Did Chase simply open up too many subplots, that he created too give him more potential things to write about, and not leave himself enough time to close them with their deserved attention?
I would have to give the final season a 5, or 6 at best, out of 10 and that's without the ending which I'm not sure about. It seems definitely that there was a rush to close to plot lines that had been poorly paced to coincide with the series finale.
While the Sopranos goes down as one of the great TV series of all times It became decidedly uneven with many disappointing episodes in the last few season. It's seemed the creative drive declined before the profit drive.