What a cliché, the gangster's wife: either she doesn't know what her husband does for a living, or she does but has no real relevance in his life other than when it comes to getting rid of compromising evidence. Not Carmela Soprano, though: she may seem to disapprove of several of Tony's activities, but in the end she enjoys her status, as this episode shows.
But why would Carm, a regular housewife, take advantage of her hubby's reputation for her own sake? Simple: Meadow is applying for various colleges, and since neighbor Jeannie Cusamano has a sister who went to Georgetown, Mrs. Soprano thinks a nice little letter of recommendation wouldn't be a problem. Too bad the Cusamanos aren't that enthusiastic about the idea. On the work front, meanwhile, violence is about to make his way as Matt Bevilaqua (Lillo Brancato) and Sean Gismonte (Chris Tardio), two up-and-comers working for Christopher, get tired of being treated like crap by the Soprano family and decide to pledge their services to Richie Aprile, a choice that is sealed with an act of unexpected brutality.
In the previous twenty episodes, it was clear Carmela was the more rational half of the couple, except for the few times she yelled at Tony or AJ, but this is the first time she gets to use all her abilities to subtly achieve her goals, and Edie Falco, rightfully nominated for an Emmy, does her best with a new side of her role that doesn't, for once, require any instinct-driven swearing. She is so riveting to watch she almost distracts from the bleaker side of the episode - until the blood-splattered climax, that is.
But why would Carm, a regular housewife, take advantage of her hubby's reputation for her own sake? Simple: Meadow is applying for various colleges, and since neighbor Jeannie Cusamano has a sister who went to Georgetown, Mrs. Soprano thinks a nice little letter of recommendation wouldn't be a problem. Too bad the Cusamanos aren't that enthusiastic about the idea. On the work front, meanwhile, violence is about to make his way as Matt Bevilaqua (Lillo Brancato) and Sean Gismonte (Chris Tardio), two up-and-comers working for Christopher, get tired of being treated like crap by the Soprano family and decide to pledge their services to Richie Aprile, a choice that is sealed with an act of unexpected brutality.
In the previous twenty episodes, it was clear Carmela was the more rational half of the couple, except for the few times she yelled at Tony or AJ, but this is the first time she gets to use all her abilities to subtly achieve her goals, and Edie Falco, rightfully nominated for an Emmy, does her best with a new side of her role that doesn't, for once, require any instinct-driven swearing. She is so riveting to watch she almost distracts from the bleaker side of the episode - until the blood-splattered climax, that is.
