The ending to this episode is probably my favorite ending of the series. The great instrumental version of Xzibit's Paparazzi. The cut to the FBI replacing Jackie with Uncle Jr, showing them write boss and then cutting to Tony's picture underneath. The ending scene for this episode was amazing, first time i realized damn this is a great show. Ha Tony giving money back while all the other captains get to keep it. That's how u know it's one of the first episodes or earliest seasons. Tony saved from Jr and gave him the 50 grand he also stepped in to back off the rappers who wanted I think 400 thousand and when Hesh and his son in law got roughed up by Phil he got Hesh another 50 grand. Just for Hesh to ask for that 200 thousand haha!! It was funny the way tony went about paying it back, rubbing the quarters nickels and dimes together haha!!! One point you overlooked is that Tony got that piece of advice from Dr. Melfi. They had a conversation about Olivia and Junior and asked Tony would it be so hard to let them think they are winning.
14 Reviews
The women in his life
AlsExGal21 April 2022
Tony has always had two types of women in his life - his wife, Carmella, who he basically grew up with, and his various mistresses who he basically keeps around for sexual recreation. He would never leave his wife for any of his mistresses or for any woman for that matter.
So with his psychiatrist Dr. Melfi, a woman to whom he only talks, who is insightful, and who is helpful and is completely focused on Tony's needs during their one hour a week, Tony is confused. He starts having erotic dreams about Dr. Melfi, and mistakes his growing feelings for love.
Meanwhile, Carmella has discovered that Tony lied when he said that his psychiatrist was a man. Now Tony did lie to her because he correctly thought with his known history of cheating Carmella would be jealous. But when she discovers him in that lie she is right for all the wrong reasons - for the first time she is actually jealous of another woman whom she thinks might supplant her.
On the mob/business side of things Tony is showing supreme shrewdness, playing his uncle like a harp. It really contrasts with how immature and stunted he is romantically and emotionally.
So with his psychiatrist Dr. Melfi, a woman to whom he only talks, who is insightful, and who is helpful and is completely focused on Tony's needs during their one hour a week, Tony is confused. He starts having erotic dreams about Dr. Melfi, and mistakes his growing feelings for love.
Meanwhile, Carmella has discovered that Tony lied when he said that his psychiatrist was a man. Now Tony did lie to her because he correctly thought with his known history of cheating Carmella would be jealous. But when she discovers him in that lie she is right for all the wrong reasons - for the first time she is actually jealous of another woman whom she thinks might supplant her.
On the mob/business side of things Tony is showing supreme shrewdness, playing his uncle like a harp. It really contrasts with how immature and stunted he is romantically and emotionally.
Pax Soprana (#1.6)
ComedyFan201026 February 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Junior is taking over the role of a boss, he now starts making life of others harder by wanting to tax them and also arranges a killing of a man for just being a drug dealer. And Tony goes through dealing with relationships with women in his life, including falling in love with Dr. Melfi to the point that he even steals her car to get it fixed.
I was not a fan of mafia killing somebody for a small crime such as being a drug dealer. But this is part of the show where we feel the ugly side of the organization, I mean they are mafia not do gooders of society.
What I loved though is Tony dealing with women. His little fight with his Russian lover and the feelings of love for his psychiatrist. All great scenes and I hope to see ore development with Dr. Melfi as it seems to be bothering her and will make the show even more interesting.
I was not a fan of mafia killing somebody for a small crime such as being a drug dealer. But this is part of the show where we feel the ugly side of the organization, I mean they are mafia not do gooders of society.
What I loved though is Tony dealing with women. His little fight with his Russian lover and the feelings of love for his psychiatrist. All great scenes and I hope to see ore development with Dr. Melfi as it seems to be bothering her and will make the show even more interesting.
Junior's big moment
MaxBorg8924 February 2008
After scaring the crap out of Chris Moltisanti and having Brendan Filone killed in Episode 3, Corrado "Junior" Soprano finally steps into the spotlight, quietly dominating the events of Pax Soprana.
The title originates from Pax Romana, a political move by Emperor Augustus (a constant reference point in The Sopranos - see the name Livia) that kept the Roman Empire together without useless bloodshed for over a century. The similarities are obvious: Tony must prevent his uncle from disrupting the Family, and therefore agrees with the other captains to name Junior new boss of the NJ branch, while secretly pulling the strings behind the "capo" 's back. This is a smart move, as the FBI will focus on Corrado instead of Tony, but the plan comes close to backfiring when Junior sends his henchman Mikey Palmice (Al Sapienza) out to whack "uncomfortable" individuals. Things don't fare much better on the domestic front, either: not only is Carmela angered by the discovery that her husband's shrink is a woman, she also has to deal with the slight trouble of Tony being temporarily impotent because of his medication. On top of that, she demands he rely on her for emotional support rather than Dr. Melfi. In other words: be it one family or the other, they will both bite you in the ass at some point.
In the end, though, despite all the attention that's given to personal problems, it's the business aspect that matters the most in this episode, all thanks to the sublime double act between Gandolfini and Chianese: the former, normally a package of volatile primal energy, is very subdued and calm, pacing his words slowly in order to win sympathy and exposing the more calculating side of his character; the latter, a veteran of gangster epics (he played Johnny Ola in The Godfather: Part II), sidelines the hotheaded ex-thug seen in previous episodes, revealing a more ambitious, authoritarian figure, one that looks suited to be boss but will inevitably screw things up due to his old-fashioned view of the world. He is Vito Corleone to Gandolfini's Michael: a respectable but ultimately inadequate leader who no longer understands the dynamics of Family affairs. He is frightening as hell, too. How he never got an Emmy for his work on the show remains a frustrating mystery.
The title originates from Pax Romana, a political move by Emperor Augustus (a constant reference point in The Sopranos - see the name Livia) that kept the Roman Empire together without useless bloodshed for over a century. The similarities are obvious: Tony must prevent his uncle from disrupting the Family, and therefore agrees with the other captains to name Junior new boss of the NJ branch, while secretly pulling the strings behind the "capo" 's back. This is a smart move, as the FBI will focus on Corrado instead of Tony, but the plan comes close to backfiring when Junior sends his henchman Mikey Palmice (Al Sapienza) out to whack "uncomfortable" individuals. Things don't fare much better on the domestic front, either: not only is Carmela angered by the discovery that her husband's shrink is a woman, she also has to deal with the slight trouble of Tony being temporarily impotent because of his medication. On top of that, she demands he rely on her for emotional support rather than Dr. Melfi. In other words: be it one family or the other, they will both bite you in the ass at some point.
In the end, though, despite all the attention that's given to personal problems, it's the business aspect that matters the most in this episode, all thanks to the sublime double act between Gandolfini and Chianese: the former, normally a package of volatile primal energy, is very subdued and calm, pacing his words slowly in order to win sympathy and exposing the more calculating side of his character; the latter, a veteran of gangster epics (he played Johnny Ola in The Godfather: Part II), sidelines the hotheaded ex-thug seen in previous episodes, revealing a more ambitious, authoritarian figure, one that looks suited to be boss but will inevitably screw things up due to his old-fashioned view of the world. He is Vito Corleone to Gandolfini's Michael: a respectable but ultimately inadequate leader who no longer understands the dynamics of Family affairs. He is frightening as hell, too. How he never got an Emmy for his work on the show remains a frustrating mystery.
S1E6 Pax Soprana
The-Social-Introvert17 October 2014
Pax Soprana is a damn fine episode, and makes for an entertaining and intriguing 50 minutes or so. Its title is derived from Pax Romana, a political but peaceful move made by the Emperor Augustus that managed to hold the Roman Empire together for over a hundred years. Comparatively, Tony must plot and move in order to keep Junior, who's not really fit to be the Boss, from disrupting the family. Now that Junior has finally gotten what he wanted the most, the man thinks he can start taxing and bumping off anyone who he sees fit (and that drug dealer getting thrown off a bridge was pretty disturbing). So naturally, the mob comes to an already stressed out Tony who previously named Uncle Junior as the Boss of New Jersey to keep head off of himself whilst secretly running things. It seemed for a while that plan backfired, until Tony manages to get his points across to Junior over a duo of conversations to ease down the activities. Things aren't faring much better on the domestic side either as Carmela, in addition to discovering Dr Melfi is a woman, now has to deal with Tony being temporary impotent, apparently due to his Prozac medication. She's quite funny in this episodes, coming out with witty remarks to offend Tony at their anniversary dinner and waking up in the night to Tony quipping "You want sex?" excitedly. After an insightful talk with the priest, Carmela wants to do her best to be THE woman in Tony's life, something that she makes very clear to him as they relax in the garden. It's a touching moment, only to be made ironic by the fact that Tony is trying (and failing) to get it on with his Russian lover and is now having sexual fantasies in his dreams about Dr Melfi. Poor guy. I could see this coming, but I didn't anticipate Tony telling Melfi straight up that he loves her and makes an advance towards her. Professionally, she keeps her cool and upsets Tony by telling him this feeling is a by- product of the success they are having as psychiatrist and patient. It'll be interesting to see their relationship develop now that Tony's got his feelings for her out in the open. Amid his envy of horses and personal problems, it's the business that matters in Pax Soprana. Gandolfini is unusually calm calculating, choosing his words carefully so that he can get sympathy whilst Uncle J side-lines the violent ex-thug we've seen in previous episodes. He almost looks the part as the boss but is clearly gonna mess things up. Junior finally gets his big moment in the end of the episode, which happens to be my favourite scene of the series so far. An FBI agent is present as Junior gets crowned amongst the salutes
as is a killer beat. We are then taken to the FBI headquarters, where an agent is sorting out the order of the mob on a wall. We see all of the six big hitters. As Junior's photo is pinned above the rest and word 'Capo' is crossed out from his name and replaced with 'Boss', thus proving Tony's plan has worked, the camera focuses on Tony before panning upwards at the new head of the New Jersey family, before fading out with the beat intact. What a great ending. It really makes me wonder what more is to come from the due of Tony and Junior.
"Hey, I don't even let anybody wag their finger in my FACE."
Hey_Sweden7 March 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Experiencing moments of not being able to "perform", Tony is worried about the side effects of the Prozac that he is taking. Ever mindful of his women problems, he now thinks he's in love with Dr. Melfi, always doing little things for her, sometimes without her knowledge. In fact, he comes perilously close to ruining the whole doctor-patient relationship. Meanwhile, he has to subtly and respectfully suggest to his uncle that he might be overstepping his bounds as the new boss. And after Carmela has again discussed her relationship with her husband to Father Intintola, she becomes determined to reaffirm her status as the main female presence in Tony's life.
'Pax Soprana' is a typically solid, engaging episode with great moments for not just James Gandolfini, but other players in the ensemble like the under-rated Dominic Chianese as Junior. We can see that after a long time of waiting, Junior is relishing his just-acquired position. After learning of some tragedy in his tailors' life, he immediately sends the thuggish Mikey Palmice to snuff out a drug dealer. (In one amusing comic touch, Mikey offers bribe money to a trio of youths who actually witness this.)
One thing that's re-affirmed is the sex appeal of co-star Lorraine Bracco as Dr. Melfi. She figures in a series of sexy (and funny) dreams that recur to Tony. Ultimately, she manages to keep her cool and not just end her sessions with Tony, insisting that he may be just full of confidence due to the "progress" that he's made.
While the killing of the dealer is effective, 'Pax Soprana' mostly refrains from violence or brutality. Mostly, this episode (the first series script by supervising producer Frank Renzulli) is just about good, attention-grabbing storytelling, complete with a reference to a key moment during the time of the Roman Empire.
The closing minutes are some of the most riveting, as we can see that the authorities are keeping close tabs on this entire crime family.
Eight out of 10.
'Pax Soprana' is a typically solid, engaging episode with great moments for not just James Gandolfini, but other players in the ensemble like the under-rated Dominic Chianese as Junior. We can see that after a long time of waiting, Junior is relishing his just-acquired position. After learning of some tragedy in his tailors' life, he immediately sends the thuggish Mikey Palmice to snuff out a drug dealer. (In one amusing comic touch, Mikey offers bribe money to a trio of youths who actually witness this.)
One thing that's re-affirmed is the sex appeal of co-star Lorraine Bracco as Dr. Melfi. She figures in a series of sexy (and funny) dreams that recur to Tony. Ultimately, she manages to keep her cool and not just end her sessions with Tony, insisting that he may be just full of confidence due to the "progress" that he's made.
While the killing of the dealer is effective, 'Pax Soprana' mostly refrains from violence or brutality. Mostly, this episode (the first series script by supervising producer Frank Renzulli) is just about good, attention-grabbing storytelling, complete with a reference to a key moment during the time of the Roman Empire.
The closing minutes are some of the most riveting, as we can see that the authorities are keeping close tabs on this entire crime family.
Eight out of 10.
Junior!
and_mikkelsen2 February 2024
This episode was the one where Junior solidefies himself as the boss and already putting things in motion! He makes himself clear, to those he works for, who he is! The stuff at the waterfall was very memorable and shows how sometimes.. there is no such thing as negotiation!
Tony spends this episode, struggling with the women in his life, and getting used to Junior as the boss! Some great psychological elements as he seems confused about his feelings!
A great use of historical references as Tony talks with Junior about Augustus and Julius! Almost as a subtle warning to him and some subtle foreshadowing of where things could be heading in the future!
The end makes me even more excited for the next!
Tony spends this episode, struggling with the women in his life, and getting used to Junior as the boss! Some great psychological elements as he seems confused about his feelings!
A great use of historical references as Tony talks with Junior about Augustus and Julius! Almost as a subtle warning to him and some subtle foreshadowing of where things could be heading in the future!
The end makes me even more excited for the next!
New arrival?
snoozejonc7 February 2022
Junior asserts himself as new boss of the family whilst Tony tries to keep him grounded.
'Pax Soprana' is another strong episode with much lauded psychological themes and historical context.
It is an entertaining and compelling character study of Tony dealing with conflict involving Junior in his mafia life and Carmela at home. These plots mirror each other well and make a solid story in its own right. However, the links to previous and future episodes are strong.
The psychological interpretations of Tony's behaviour are heavily in focus and explained in quite simple terms by Dr Melfi and visually in good dream sequences. Little touches like Irina exhibiting the same dismissive, hand waving gesture as Livia when she's upset with Tony is a brilliant touch.
His reference to Augustus is interesting at this early point in Tony's overall character arc that shows his intentions are peaceful wherever possible. This is clever writing that places my sympathy with Tony, particularly when the writers know he will need to go in a more aggressive direction at later points in the show.
That being said, a large amount of Tony's issues here are dealt with through deception of others. He lies to a number of people to achieve a desired outcome, and once more you have to applaud the writers and James Gandolfini for keeping the character likeable.
As ever there are numerous enjoyable sequences of dialogue between characters. Gandolfini has great exchanges with Nancy Marchand, Dominic Chianese, and Lorraine Bracco. These for me are the highlights of many episodes.
Visually it is another cracker, with superb cinematography and editing. Some of the transitions are excellent and so subtle I missed them on my first few viewings of the episode over the years.
I think it has one of the best endings to any episode of The Sopranos. We have been wondering about this perspective on events for six episodes and we finally get a glimpse that is quite impactful.
'Pax Soprana' is another strong episode with much lauded psychological themes and historical context.
It is an entertaining and compelling character study of Tony dealing with conflict involving Junior in his mafia life and Carmela at home. These plots mirror each other well and make a solid story in its own right. However, the links to previous and future episodes are strong.
The psychological interpretations of Tony's behaviour are heavily in focus and explained in quite simple terms by Dr Melfi and visually in good dream sequences. Little touches like Irina exhibiting the same dismissive, hand waving gesture as Livia when she's upset with Tony is a brilliant touch.
His reference to Augustus is interesting at this early point in Tony's overall character arc that shows his intentions are peaceful wherever possible. This is clever writing that places my sympathy with Tony, particularly when the writers know he will need to go in a more aggressive direction at later points in the show.
That being said, a large amount of Tony's issues here are dealt with through deception of others. He lies to a number of people to achieve a desired outcome, and once more you have to applaud the writers and James Gandolfini for keeping the character likeable.
As ever there are numerous enjoyable sequences of dialogue between characters. Gandolfini has great exchanges with Nancy Marchand, Dominic Chianese, and Lorraine Bracco. These for me are the highlights of many episodes.
Visually it is another cracker, with superb cinematography and editing. Some of the transitions are excellent and so subtle I missed them on my first few viewings of the episode over the years.
I think it has one of the best endings to any episode of The Sopranos. We have been wondering about this perspective on events for six episodes and we finally get a glimpse that is quite impactful.
A culmination of many story arcs
cwkenreich27 December 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This episode completely changed the dynamic of the series more than any other episode hirtheto. Tony's issues with women finally crystallize and he makes advances towards Dr. Melfi. This contrasted with Tony's reconciliation with Carmela fills one with unease for the future but felt satisfying nonetheless. The issues with Tony's uncle are the seeds of the next story arc after Tony's father passed, especially as his authority is now formalized. This episode was a microcosm of Freudian psychology and Roman Empire political theory, making for another intellectually stimulating episode.
9.05/10, Amazing
dcdude-2698819 August 2023
This was definitely one of the best episodes I have watched in this series so far. Not my favorite, but a very good one. Anyways, my favorite characters in this episode were Tony, Uncle Junior, and Dr. Melfi. My favorite things about this episode were the storyline, the acting, and the ending. This is starting to really become close to being a top 10 show for me, because this is absolutely amazing so far. I literally think anyone should watch this, including my future kids and future wife. In conclusion, I am really loving this show so far, even though I watched only about six episodes so far.
The Sopranos rewatch - "Pax Soprana" (vague spoilers for this episode only)
jdjc00115 March 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Not much to say about this episode except that it is a very solid one. While Tony's family appear to be more peaceful than ever in this episode (as alluded to in the title), we are reminded from the foreboding final scene that Junior's contentment is one that will come with a price, as will Carmela's continued passivity. As well as this, we see the escalation of Tony's feelings for Dr. Melfi, although by the end of the episode it appears as though they have been nipped in the bud for the time being. In summary, "Pax Soprana" is really an expository building point for future episodes to come, while having some neat little moments of its own. Was considering giving this episode an 8/10 but decided to bump it up slightly just because the writing and camerawork are so intelligently yet subtly executed and I thought the final scene in particular was excellently composed. One other thing; Tony telling Carmela that she is his "life" has to be one of the most blatant lies he has ever told on the show.
Dreamy
ctomvelu-114 July 2008
Warning: Spoilers
While Tony is treating Uncle Junior as the head of la famiglia, Junior begins screwing things up and makes everybody angry as hell. So Tony must finesse the old man. The FBI meanwhile moves Uncle Junior to the head of the famiglia list on its bulletin board. At home, Tony has a problem: he has become impotent to his meds. He also, under the influence of them and because his treatment under Dr. Melfi is moving forward, professes his love for Dr. Melfi and even kisses her. Talk about trouble in paradise. Carmela senses things are not working in her favor and, after chatting with her priest, decides to win Tony back. Tony has a couple of dreams, both involving Melfi. The first has her show up under his covers (and for half a second, at least in my head, she looks an awful lot like Meadow). A second dream has her show up nice and wet and naked in his shower. When Tony wakes from that one, he quickly rolls over to make sure it is Carmela lieing next to him. His double-take is priceless. A near-perfect episode.
"And I thought I was the only one Junior could make look like that"
edantheman12 September 2010
Warning: Spoilers
It would seem that the New Jersey mob of 'The Sopranos' has a lot in common with the Roman Empire under Octavius: their government is largely influenced by a woman named Livia and they are run by a dictatorship, but within the republican principles of 'checking the pulse' of the subjects -to name only two. This would be the first time the show explored the political idea of Tony/Junior as Octavius/Augustus or the Mafia as the Roman Empire (after touching on it a few episodes ago) and it wouldn't be the last.
Moving from ancient history to Greek mythology, the story also tackles Tony's Oedipal complex in relation to maternal figure Dr Melfi. His dreams of her change from matriarchal nightmares to sexual fantasies in which she opens the shower door, nude, inviting him in as she would her office. Now he looks to her for the guidance his mother Livia can not give him, the companionship his wife Carmela can't and the sex his comare Irina won't allow him anymore. It's a tough load for Melfi, the psychiatrist who admittedly leads a sheltered life.
After his posthumous rejection, we come to know Tony the animal lover a little better when he muses to Heche of his disregard for human relationships, how he would rather 'just f*ck' without the '100 questions and the guilt' like his Jewish friend's horses. Here, he envies them while the ducks in his pool were just great pals. This facet of his complicated character, who surprisingly never raises his voice for the duration, will be further explored later in the series.
On the family dynamic of the first season, it would seem the circle is complete, as this episode explores the fraternity of the mob when Tony stands up for his 'brother' Heche in the face of 'father' Don Corrado. He argues with his brother, vents frustration at him, gives him scolding looks but in the end we know Tony is not a totally selfish man, handing a wad of his earnings over to Heche. The sorority will also be brought into the limelight in later seasons. Tony also has male problems of a more physical nature when the Prozac threatens his libido, harking back to the dream he had in the pilot where a pelican (or 'duck') stole his penis, which, as Heche would say: "no man can go without." Or mobster, for that matter.
Moving from ancient history to Greek mythology, the story also tackles Tony's Oedipal complex in relation to maternal figure Dr Melfi. His dreams of her change from matriarchal nightmares to sexual fantasies in which she opens the shower door, nude, inviting him in as she would her office. Now he looks to her for the guidance his mother Livia can not give him, the companionship his wife Carmela can't and the sex his comare Irina won't allow him anymore. It's a tough load for Melfi, the psychiatrist who admittedly leads a sheltered life.
After his posthumous rejection, we come to know Tony the animal lover a little better when he muses to Heche of his disregard for human relationships, how he would rather 'just f*ck' without the '100 questions and the guilt' like his Jewish friend's horses. Here, he envies them while the ducks in his pool were just great pals. This facet of his complicated character, who surprisingly never raises his voice for the duration, will be further explored later in the series.
On the family dynamic of the first season, it would seem the circle is complete, as this episode explores the fraternity of the mob when Tony stands up for his 'brother' Heche in the face of 'father' Don Corrado. He argues with his brother, vents frustration at him, gives him scolding looks but in the end we know Tony is not a totally selfish man, handing a wad of his earnings over to Heche. The sorority will also be brought into the limelight in later seasons. Tony also has male problems of a more physical nature when the Prozac threatens his libido, harking back to the dream he had in the pilot where a pelican (or 'duck') stole his penis, which, as Heche would say: "no man can go without." Or mobster, for that matter.
Erotic Dreams
AvionPrince168 April 2024
Warning: Spoilers
A nice episode .
We got that part where Junior kill someone who gave drugs to his son .
We got Tony still managing the business but what really was interesting was the lose of libido from Tony and all his erotic dreams with DR Melfi who is very sexy in the shower .But even with his wife and Irina he got some problems of getting excited. And we get Tony who tried to kiss Dr Melfi but failed . We got also the reason why Carmela was jealous and it was because Dr Melfi is the one who really help Tony in his problems.
After , Junior celebrate promotion and we dont know really who but someone taking some pics and that was prty mysterious and give us some worries : new ennemies ?
Need to see more.
We got that part where Junior kill someone who gave drugs to his son .
We got Tony still managing the business but what really was interesting was the lose of libido from Tony and all his erotic dreams with DR Melfi who is very sexy in the shower .But even with his wife and Irina he got some problems of getting excited. And we get Tony who tried to kiss Dr Melfi but failed . We got also the reason why Carmela was jealous and it was because Dr Melfi is the one who really help Tony in his problems.
After , Junior celebrate promotion and we dont know really who but someone taking some pics and that was prty mysterious and give us some worries : new ennemies ?
Need to see more.
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