Prompt: "A song you used to hate but now you love"
Selected by Pat
"Don't Stop Believin'"
Journey
Escape, 1981
WARNING: MASSIVE SPOILERS FOR A SHOW THAT ENDED 16 YEARS AGO
My favorite interpretation of The Sopranos finale is as follows. The whole show, from the first minute of Season 1, Episode 1, to the infamous cut to black, represents the only time in Tony's life where he is capable of self-reflection. See, no one involved in la cosa nostra is particularly honest with themselves. Christopher is a violent drug addict who fancies himself a screenwriter and later a family man. Sil complains about anti-Italian discrimination without pausing to consider if his line of work reinforces the worst stereotypes. Paulie thinks he's respected. But Tony, for a brief span of six seasons, opens up to the possibility that **maybe** he's not the best version of himself. That's why the series opens with him outside Dr. Melfi's office. Over the course of the series he progresses and backslides, but he's at least trying to examine his life critically.
That all ends in "Made in America." Dr. Melfi has kicked Tony out of therapy after concluding that he's not capable of changing. By the end of the episode, Tony agrees. But why would he want to change? He has everything he could ever want. Phil Leotardo is dead. Junior is alive, but ain't coming back to run the crew. His son is finally figuring out his path in life. His wife belongs to him alone. His daughter is engaged and going to law school. Sure, Carlo might be talking to the government, but Special Agent Harris will put in a good word. Besides, it's time for family dinner at Holsten's. As soon as Meadow walks in, Tony realizes he's won. He can't improve on this situation. And as any healthy American knows, there's no need to self-reflect if you're succeeding. Thus ends Tony's capacity for introspection. He'll be a piece of shit forever, because it works for him. The screen cuts to black. Show's over, folks.
Is this the correct interpretation? Who cares? It's the interpretation I find the most satisfying and most in line with the show at-large. And it improved my opinion of "Don't Stop Believin'." Before watching the show, I associated that song with working at weddings and guests hitting the high-water mark for being drunk and annoying. Now I associate it with art.
My favorite interpretation of The Sopranos finale is as follows. The whole show, from the first minute of Season 1, Episode 1, to the infamous cut to black, represents the only time in Tony's life where he is capable of self-reflection. See, no one involved in la cosa nostra is particularly honest with themselves. Christopher is a violent drug addict who fancies himself a screenwriter and later a family man. Sil complains about anti-Italian discrimination without pausing to consider if his line of work reinforces the worst stereotypes. Paulie thinks he's respected. But Tony, for a brief span of six seasons, opens up to the possibility that **maybe** he's not the best version of himself. That's why the series opens with him outside Dr. Melfi's office. Over the course of the series he progresses and backslides, but he's at least trying to examine his life critically.
That all ends in "Made in America." Dr. Melfi has kicked Tony out of therapy after concluding that he's not capable of changing. By the end of the episode, Tony agrees. But why would he want to change? He has everything he could ever want. Phil Leotardo is dead. Junior is alive, but ain't coming back to run the crew. His son is finally figuring out his path in life. His wife belongs to him alone. His daughter is engaged and going to law school. Sure, Carlo might be talking to the government, but Special Agent Harris will put in a good word. Besides, it's time for family dinner at Holsten's. As soon as Meadow walks in, Tony realizes he's won. He can't improve on this situation. And as any healthy American knows, there's no need to self-reflect if you're succeeding. Thus ends Tony's capacity for introspection. He'll be a piece of shit forever, because it works for him. The screen cuts to black. Show's over, folks.
Is this the correct interpretation? Who cares? It's the interpretation I find the most satisfying and most in line with the show at-large. And it improved my opinion of "Don't Stop Believin'." Before watching the show, I associated that song with working at weddings and guests hitting the high-water mark for being drunk and annoying. Now I associate it with art.
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