Two Tonys


"Two Tonys" is the 53rd episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and the first of the show's fifth season. Written by David Chase and Terence Winter, it was directed by Tim Van Patten and originally aired on March 7, 2004.

Starring

** = photo only

Guest starring

** = photo only

Synopsis

Four mobsters, imprisoned in the 1980s, are released on parole. Three of them are a generation older than Tony Soprano: Soprano caporegime Michele "Feech" La Manna, Lupertazzi consigliere Angelo Garepe, and Lupertazzi capo Phil Leotardo. The fourth is Tony's cousin, Tony "Tony B" Blundetto. Feech wishes to return to work as a shy and sports bettor, which Tony and Uncle Junior will permit if he doesn't "step on anyone's toes." Tony is excited about his cousin's release and plans a lavish welcome party.
Christopher Moltisanti and Paulie Gualtieri confront each other when their humorous re-telling of the "Pine Barrens" ordeal devolves into mutual recriminations. Chris is beginning to resent the custom that, being of lower rank, he should pay when the group dine in a restaurant. One evening, he forces Paulie to pay. Next morning, Paulie demands that Chris repay him and threatens that "points" will be added. Tony orders Chris to keep paying the tabs, as he himself once did. In Atlantic City, Paulie contrives to inflate a dinner bill to nearly $1,200. As they argue in the parking lot, a waiter confronts Chris about his small tip. Insults are traded and Chris throws a brick at the waiter’s head. The waiter collapses and has a seizure, causing a panicked Paulie to kill him with a gunshot to the chest. Paulie grabs the $1,200 and he and Chris speed off in their cars. The next day, they agree to bury the hatchet and split the original tab.
Carmine Lupertazzi has a stroke. At the hospital, Johnny Sack indicates to Tony that he is still angry that he backed out of their deal to kill Carmine the previous year.
Janice and Bobby Baccalieri are now married. About a year after his separation, Tony is living in his mother's former home.
One evening, while A.J. is in his parents' backyard, a large black bear appears; terrified, he cries, "Mommy!" Carmela drives off the bear and calls the authorities. Tony comes round the next day and talks to Carmela, but it turns acrimonious when she criticizes him for buying A.J. too many gifts. Arguing about money, she accuses him of calling Italy on his cellphone; he says that Furio Giunta's life is finished if certain people find him. Tony tasks Benny Fazio and Little Paulie Germani to guard his backyard, and Carmela reluctantly supplies the mob soldiers with an AK-47.
After watching The Prince of Tides with his mistress, Valentina La Paz, Tony wants to return to Dr. Jennifer Melfi. He sends flowers and a greeting card to her office. When he calls her to set up a date, she declines, feeling that it would be unprofessional to date a former patient. She has a sexual dream about him. Tony then makes an appointment, a pretext so that he can tell her he loves her, and he forcibly kisses her. In a therapy session with her own psychiatrist, she admits her initial attraction to Tony. He makes a third attempt to court her by offering cruise tickets, but she declines again. At his request, she tells him the aspects of his character she could not accept. But these are things he cannot bear to hear and, calling her a "cunt," he storms out. He goes home, in a sense, and takes up bear duty from Benny.

First appearances