Why I'll miss Tony Soprano
I am by no means original in this sentiment. Zillions of fans are eagerly anticipating this Sunday's final ever episode of HBO's The Sopranos.
Jerry and I have been following the show since about the second season. Along the way we've found various ways to stay abreast of the show, including renting DVDs, asking Jerry's uncle to tape episodes and send them via US Mail from San Diego, and finally signing up for HBO just for this last season (though we may be hard-pressed to give it up after Sunday's finale, since the new season of Big Love is starting on Monday!).
Like many others, I have found Tony Soprano's character alternatively appealing/sympathic and disgusting/pathetic. More the latter, as of late, given his cold-blooded murder of his nephew a couple episodes ago. Probably most compelling is the manner in which the show draws the viewer into this state of moral ambiguity - Tony is both lovable and abhorrent. His actions are reprehensible, yet justifiable within his social context. I find that I often face the same internal tension when talking with young people in the juvenile justice system. Some of them have done some truly terrible things, yet if one delves into the perpective and social reality as interpreted by these youth, the actions can seem, well, a little less wrong - or maybe just a bit more understandable.
Another intriguing elemnt of the show, of course, has been the relationship between Tony and his therapist, Dr. Melfi. Their sessions on screen are notable both for their riveting tension as well as their true-to-life nature. This relationship has recently come under fire as Dr. Melfi "dumped" Tony in last week's episode. Interstingly (to me), she did so partly on the basis of the academic literature in her field. Granted, she was pressued by her own therapist, who demonstrates highly questionable ethical behavior in revealing the idenity of Dr. Melfi's high-profile client to a group of other therapists. But I found the scenes in last week's episode where Dr. Melfi reads the journal article on her laptop, sitting in bed, to be strikingly familiar activity - but I've never seen it portrayed on TV. It turns out the article in question is a genuine one, though an old one, regarding the futility of psychotherpy with sociopaths.
The fact that Melfi decides to turn Tony away based on one journal article and under such duress is hardly professional, at least it's not something that any human service professional should seek emulate from an ethical point of view. Yet I think Melfi represents the audience on screen -she has been along for the whole brutal, bloody ride and has struggled mightily with the moral ambiguity I described above. At what point does one draw the line with Tony? How far can compassion go for such a man? What can be considered "success" in treating such a client?
I for one will be riveted to my seat on Sunday night. Will Tony finally reap what he's sown? Will he survive? If not, who will take him down? I have no doubt it will be a nail-biter right down to the bitter-sweet end.