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[cryptoadam]

Not as a show but as a mob family?

Been rewatching it latley and noticed that Tonys crew was kind of shitty.

Half of em were rats it seems. Then you had cappos dropping left and right. Richies crew was cursed with everyone who became cappo dying.

The best earner was Ralphie who Tony murdered over a horse. Vito was a fanook. Chrissy was a mess of a drug addict who fucked up while his GF was an informant.
Paulie never seemed like he was a big earner either. Sil probably only did so well because of the bing and he never had the ambition to be boss.

Junior for all his time didnt seem like he made much money either. And when they go to war with NY they get pretty decimated and are saved because Phil got a bit to greedy. And that whole war was cause because Tony B was taking outside jobs for NY and fucked up. And you have Bobby Bacala as the under boss and being groomed until he was killed. Bobby was a fat slow joke for like 80% of the show.

And even though it seemed like Tony had money to burn he still didnt have a house as nice a Johnny who moved into Tonys territory with a bigger house.

Seems like Tony kinda had a bit of a shitty family. Maybe Carmine was right and they are just a glorified crew.

 

[BlackOlivesMatter]

No

 

[Papa]

Yes its diversity and inclusion were appalling

 

[BaneIsPain]

Less organized than Corleone’s? Definitely.

 

[Bolivar687]

 

[triplestation]

they really were a glorified crew

but there was a charm to that

the last of the classical mafia were with johnny sack and the new york family

 

[DogofWar]

The fact that they are so clumsy is a big part of the show, showing how the real mob is nothing like the glorified image we got of them from The Godfather. That lifestyle wont last, especially not over many generations. And if you think they are bad, look at their kids, will A.J. be Tonys successor?! Imagine what a worthless crew THAT would be.

Btw it is Silvio and not Paulie who owns the Bing.

 

[Foamy]

Never understood why they kept eating at the deli when they knew they had chopped up bodies there a few times.

 

[Loki]

Seems like Tony kinda had a bit of a shitty family. Maybe Carmine was right and they are just a glorified crew.

"Let me tell you a couple 'a three things..."

 

[West Texas CEO]

Never understood why they kept eating at the deli when they knew they had chopped up bodies there a few times.

Gabagool isn't too dissimilar to human meat, tho

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

I enjoyed THE TICK more.

 

[Enjay]

Yes. They were a horribly managed crime syndicate. The show was good but most things with that much hype is terribly overrated.

 

[DKehoe]

I thought it was said a few times that Paulie was one of the best earners Tony had? I figured they didn’t live in fancy houses to not draw attention to where their money came from. Tony was able to because he had the cover of being a waste management consultant.

 

[Cunth]

They were no Bidens, sure

 

[ManofOne]

I was expecting more pasta recipes

 

[Stitch]

And one of their guys just died while taking a crap

 

[Tuff McNutt]

It was more accurate as to how the Mob was in the early 2000's. The Mob then was a lot less powerful than it was in its' heyday. It had a lot less appeal to the younger generation, so you had guys like Chris, who would have been taken out much soon had he been working in the 70s. The older generation was a lot more disenfranchised, since they had seen many of the top bosses either put in jail or killed, so they were more concerned with protecting themselves than helping the family.

 

[mortal]

 

[Dacon]

Dude I was getting ready to call you so many slurs

 

[Bolivar687]

 

[TTOOLL]

lol this is great. That’s a perfect Tony lol

 

[Man with Knife]

Yes. They were a horribly managed crime syndicate. The show was good but most things with that much hype is terribly overrated.

Nothing about The Sopranos is overrated, the show aged like fine wine (including the then controversial, now timeless ending) and shares the throne with The Wire.

 

[Mitsuda Maniac]

"Hey AJ, How come your dad doesn't have that Don Corleone money?"

 

[LarknThe4th]

They where very disorganised, does that fall on Tony?

 

[Elektro Demon]

They were a glorified crew as many times stated by the New York family. I never saw the whole Soprano family as big time mob family. More of a smaller family from Jersey.

 

[Super Mario]

It goes both ways. Some of the stuff was a little out there, some is probably more realistic than you would think. Many portrayals show the mob as a group of professionals. As with life, some people are good at some things, some they are not.

 

[cryptoadam]

They where very disorganised, does that fall on Tony?

He is the boss.

And a lot of the shit that goes down is because of him.

He kills Jimmy Alteri because he wants him to be the informant not Pussy. In the end he kills Pussy anyways. (Thoug Alteri may have been flipped but its never proven).

He ends up having huge problems with both Junior and Richie. Eventually Richie dies at Janices hands but it was going bad anyways.

He keeps passing over Ralphie over petty shit even though he is the best earner, and then kills him over a stupid horse after Ralphie put 100K in his pocket.

He fucks around with Johnny Sacc leaving him hanging over the killing of Carmine, which creates beef. Then he reaches out to Carmine Jr who is a massive idiot that doesn't improve anything.

He puts all his faith in Christopher who is a major fuck up. And then instead of getting rid of him he still keeps him around after all the drug stuff.

He trust Tony B and covers for him creating the whole issue with Phil.

Alot of his actions lead to his crew being the way they were. And for a guy who tried so hard to insulate himself his crew was infested with informants.

 

[LarknThe4th]

He is the boss.

And a lot of the shit that goes down is because of him.

He kills Jimmy Alteri because he wants him to be the informant not Pussy. In the end he kills Pussy anyways. (Thoug Alteri may have been flipped but its never proven).

He ends up having huge problems with both Junior and Richie. Eventually Richie dies at Janices hands but it was going bad anyways.

He keeps passing over Ralphie over petty shit even though he is the best earner, and then kills him over a stupid horse after Ralphie put 100K in his pocket.

He fucks around with Johnny Sacc leaving him hanging over the killing of Carmine, which creates beef. Then he reaches out to Carmine Jr who is a massive idiot that doesn't improve anything.

He puts all his faith in Christopher who is a major fuck up. And then instead of getting rid of him he still keeps him around after all the drug stuff.

He trust Tony B and covers for him creating the whole issue with Phil.

Alot of his actions lead to his crew being the way they were. And for a guy who tried so hard to insulate himself his crew was infested with informants.

Now the bigger question, did Tony get worse AFTER he started going to the shrink??

I think a case can made there that it added to his worries

 

[cryptoadam]

Now the bigger question, did Tony get worse AFTER he started going to the shrink??

I think a case can made there that it added to his worries

After rewatching I think in a way yes, but only because it seemed Tony did the opposite of what Melfi told him.

Just because he is so self destructive even when things were looking better he would want to find a way to destroy his progress.

Towards the end of the show when Janice goes to anger management and starts saying she is feeling better you can see this. Melfi tells Tony that depression is rage turned inward. Then he sees Janice letting go of her anger and feeling happy.

So instead of moving on this with Melfi, he does the opposite and turns his depression even further inwards into rage ending with him pissing Janice off and making her cry over Harpo. (which is a great scene and shows how much of a deranged asshole Tony is).

 

[LarknThe4th]

After rewatching I think in a way yes, but only because it seemed Tony did the opposite of what Melfi told him.

Just because he is so self destructive even when things were looking better he would want to find a way to destroy his progress.

Towards the end of the show when Janice goes to anger management and starts saying she is feeling better you can see this. Melfi tells Tony that depression is rage turned inward. Then he sees Janice letting go of her anger and feeling happy.

So instead of moving on this with Melfi, he does the opposite and turns his depression even further inwards into rage ending with him pissing Janice off and making her cry over Harpo. (which is a great scene and shows how much of a deranged asshole Tony is).

Yes his character is a self destructive disaster really, always jumping into whirlpools right after he gets saved from drowning

 

[GeorgioCostanzaX]

Honestly that’s why it’s such a great darkly comic show. I need to rewatch it start to finish one of these days...I basically binged the first half of the series on Netflix DVD then took a break and came back to it like 2 years ago to finish up the last 3 seasons on HBO GO.

 

[Goro Majima]

It was more accurate as to how the Mob was in the early 2000's. The Mob then was a lot less powerful than it was in its' heyday. It had a lot less appeal to the younger generation, so you had guys like Chris, who would have been taken out much soon had he been working in the 70s. The older generation was a lot more disenfranchised, since they had seen many of the top bosses either put in jail or killed, so they were more concerned with protecting themselves than helping the family.

I think this post is pretty accurate.

Even the first two Godfather movies show the Mafia's birth, growth, and ultimate decline and that ended in the 1970s. As an institution, the Mafia peaked in what? The 1920s?

Now imagine what that looks like with a small Jersey operation in the early 2000s. Even though the FBI was on their ass for most of the show, you always get the impression that they would much rather get to bigger fish in New York.

 

[Neil Young]

Tony realized they were getting soft and went to see that HOT piece of ass boss in Italy to sell cars. She threw in Furio as part of the deal. When Furio came over, things were different and people could no longer walk over other members of the crew. Of course, they fucked that up because he fell in love with Carmela "Oh Furio!!"

So, they TRIED to get better.

The Sopranos is my all time favorite show.

 

[Enjay]

Nothing about The Sopranos is overrated, the show aged like fine wine (including the then controversial, now timeless ending) and shares the throne with The Wire.

^ See what I mean? Totally overrated.

 

[Jon Neu]

"Hey AJ, How come your dad doesn't have that Don Corleone money?"

Quasimodo predicted this.

 

[LarknThe4th]

I think this post is pretty accurate.

Even the first two Godfather movies show the Mafia's birth, growth, and ultimate decline and that ended in the 1970s. As an institution, the Mafia peaked in what? The 1920s?

Now imagine what that looks like with a small Jersey operation in the early 2000s. Even though the FBI was on their ass for most of the show, you always get the impression that they would much rather get to bigger fish in New York.

Probably peaked during prohibition right, all the speak easys where I guess the equivalent of operating a franchise of much more organised crack houses

The history of the mob is super fascinating

 

[cryptoadam]

Probably peaked during prohibition right, all the speak easys where I guess the equivalent of operating a franchise of much more organised crack houses

The history of the mob is super fascinating

I think this post is pretty accurate.

Even the first two Godfather movies show the Mafia's birth, growth, and ultimate decline and that ended in the 1970s. As an institution, the Mafia peaked in what? The 1920s?

Now imagine what that looks like with a small Jersey operation in the early 2000s. Even though the FBI was on their ass for most of the show, you always get the impression that they would much rather get to bigger fish in New York.

So it peaked once the Jews got out LOL.

Gotta rep my peeps.

But maybe not a joke.

Rothstein and Myer were huge in influencing Lucky, and without those 2 the commission may not have been formed. Then you had murder inc taking all the contracts. Add in Sigel and Lefty going out to Vegas and setting up the operation there making the mob a shit ton of money.

Then Jews faded into the background and the mob started going to shit.

Come at me Italians I know you don't like it that us Heebs played a big role.

 

[LarknThe4th]

So it peaked once the Jews got out LOL.

Gotta rep my peeps.

But maybe not a joke.

Rothstein and Myer were huge in influencing Lucky, and without those 2 the commission may not have been formed. Then you had murder inc taking all the contracts. Add in Sigel and Lefty going out to Vegas and setting up the operation there making the mob a shit ton of money.

Then Jews faded into the background and the mob started going to shit.

Come at me Italians I know you don't like it that us Heebs played a big role.

Well I'm Irish so my ancestors where constantly looking from the outside in on the Italions(bloody Catholics are so angry! )

I dont know much about the Jewish influence on the mob, sounds fascinating any good resources that Chronicle all that?

 

[Lupingosei]

Yes, because the writers wanted them to.

The idea of the show was, a regular guy with regular problems, but within the mob.

They could not be so well organized, as they have should have been, else the show would not have worked.

 

[cryptoadam]

Well I'm Irish so my ancestors where constantly looking from the outside in on the Italions(bloody Catholics are so angry! )

I dont know much about the Jewish influence on the mob, sounds fascinating any good resources that Chronicle all that?

There are for sure a lot of sources. You could also watch Casino and Bugsy.

But just watched this guy the other day





Guy was in the mob, made them millions of dollars. Son of the underboss of the Colombo family. Its not a comprehensive history but just a good little short talk about it from a guy who lived the life.

Actually been into his videos lately and its pretty interesting. Like is his movie reviews.

 

[008]

I enjoyed the Jersey Shore more than the Sopranos.

 

[A Elbereth Gilthoniel]

I got a few episodes past

Spoiler

CG MAMA

and it really felt like the writers struggled to course correct after that. Tony became an even bigger piece of shit, and that arc with the rappers and the Italian cartel led by a woman were bad, but I can't remember which came first or was worse.

 

[cryptoadam]

I got a few episodes past

Spoiler

CG MAMA

and it really felt like the writers struggled to course correct after that. Tony became an even bigger piece of shit, and that arc with the rappers and the Italian cartel led by a woman were bad, but I can't remember which came first or was worse.

It does make me wonder what would have happened if the actress never died. Where would Tonys mothers story line have lead to? Or was the plan to kill her off?

She was a central part of the story, basically the entire reason Tony and Janice were so fucked up.

The stuff with the Italian chick was kind of busy work to get to Furio. The bad ass Tony needed. When he sees Furio save the old Don a twinkle goes in Tony's eye that Furio is exactly the type of old school guy he needs.

 

[Bolivar687]

I got a few episodes past

Spoiler

CG MAMA

and it really felt like the writers struggled to course correct after that. Tony became an even bigger piece of shit, and that arc with the rappers and the Italian cartel led by a woman were bad, but I can't remember which came first or was worse.

I think they did start running out of new ideas in Season 3 but to me they came back in Season 4 at full force and the last episode has one of the most climactic sequences in the series. Season 5 is a like a really good mafia war miniseries and Season 6 ties up all the threads while doubling down on the psychology roots of the series. Dark stuff in the end but the entire series is worth a watch..

edit:

It does make me wonder what would have happened if the actress never died. Where would Tonys mothers story line have lead to? Or was the plan to kill her off?

I believe the direction was going to be her testifying against Tony for the stolen tickets from the Scatino bust-out. So there likely would've been an extended trail sequence against Tony. Probably would've been a lot better than what we got in Season 3.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

I know people loved it, but I gave up after 5 or 6 episodes of Season 1. It was so boring. I think the only kill might have been James Gandalfini sneaking up on a guy at a trailer park and strangling him.

I'm going to assume the series got much better, but those early episodes were so dry, I bailed. And it's not like each episode is only half an hr. They were close to an hr.

 

[cryptoadam]

I think they did start running out of new ideas in Season 3 but to me they came back in Season 4 at full force and the last episode has one of the most climactic sequences in the series. Season 5 is a like a really good mafia war miniseries and Season 6 ties up all the threads while doubling down on the psychology roots of the series. Dark stuff in the end but the entire series is worth a watch..

edit:


I believe the direction was going to be her testifying against Tony for the stolen tickets from the Scatino bust-out. So there likely would've been an extended trail sequence against Tony. Probably would've been a lot better than what we got in Season 3.

I don't know if they would have went in that direction. They always stayed away from any court room drama for Tony. He managed to always get out of it. i don't think Chase wanted him under house arrest or in prison as that would have really limited the series.

Probably now that I think of it Livia would have used it to hold over Tony even more not testifying but then rubbing it in his face, which would of made his depression and panic attacks worse.

Thought she was a great actress so it was a shame to see her go. She was really amazing in the show and was the real villian. But that Johnny he was such a saint!

 

[Greasy Caveman]

That pygmy tribe in New Jersey was a glorified crew.

 

[Batiman]

In the end most mafias fail. And even the biggest and well known mafiosos end up ratting. 99% of them do. Especially the ones that get glorified today.

 

[cryptoadam]

Watched a video recently discussing Phil and pointed out how the theme of the show was the decline of the mob, and how the newer generation is not the same as the older one. Tony even comments on it in the first episode I think where he tells Melfi that kids today will flip rat in an instant.

And you see it with guys like Phil and Richie who did time in the can only to come out and get no respect from the younger gangsters of today that don't care about the rules they pay so much lip service too. Phil kept complaining about doing 20 years in the can and it was seen as some annoying trait. But when you look into it, what did he do those 20 years for? So his brother can be killed and other Cappos can go to war with him, while the Boss breaks the numbe 1 rule and admits that the this thing is real. Richie comes out of prison and Tony busts his balls, takes the side of a civilian (even though what he did to beansie was fucked up). Richie went to the can to protect this thing so Tony could become boss and decide when and what to give to Richie what was his.

I actually like that message that in the end this thing all of it is BS and really the ones that don't turn rat and go to the can are really the suckers in all of it. Whats the point of Omerta if the next guy will go rat, or the next boss will be some young punk who doesn't follow the rules themselves.

And ya Tony's crew sucked, without Raplpie and Zellman they probably got nothing going on. Garbage was going down already in the first season and aside from half a year of selling junk stocks they didn't have much else going on. Without NY they couldn't get anything from the port and Tony was selling off his buildings at the end ruining Patsies income.