The Sopranos does have some funny moments, that's undisputed. Most of the time, though, those moments are a brief intermission in an otherwise endless stream of darkness. Not so in the premiere of Season Three, which is probably the single most amusing episode of the show.
Starting where the previous season's finale ended (the execution of Pussy Bonpensiero), Mr. Ruggerio's Neighborhood sees the FBI nowhere closer to apprehending Tony. One option would be to make Livia testify, but that idea is quickly rejected. At this point, the only way out is to install a bug in the Sopranos' home. Of course, in order to pull that off, they will need a long enough time-frame in which the house is completely empty, with Carmela playing tennis, the housekeeper having lunch with her husband, Meadow studying at Columbia and A.J. doing whatever the hell he does all day. As for Tony, he might be in bigger trouble with Patsy Parisi (Dan Grimaldi) than the feds, since the former is (rightly) convinced the boss had something to do with the whacking of his twin brother.
Even that possible hint of brutality, however, climaxes into a disturbingly funny scene, so grotesque it almost distracts from the main story, which represents a refreshing departure from the show's traditional format: rather than an old-school gangster flick, this episode is a caper à la Ocean's Eleven, the Bureau's operation channeling the lighter spirit of intelligent crime comedies ("Entering the sausage factory" one guy says of Tony's house). Just don't get used to it: starting with Episode 2, it's back to bloody business as usual, so enjoy the fun while it lasts.
Starting where the previous season's finale ended (the execution of Pussy Bonpensiero), Mr. Ruggerio's Neighborhood sees the FBI nowhere closer to apprehending Tony. One option would be to make Livia testify, but that idea is quickly rejected. At this point, the only way out is to install a bug in the Sopranos' home. Of course, in order to pull that off, they will need a long enough time-frame in which the house is completely empty, with Carmela playing tennis, the housekeeper having lunch with her husband, Meadow studying at Columbia and A.J. doing whatever the hell he does all day. As for Tony, he might be in bigger trouble with Patsy Parisi (Dan Grimaldi) than the feds, since the former is (rightly) convinced the boss had something to do with the whacking of his twin brother.
Even that possible hint of brutality, however, climaxes into a disturbingly funny scene, so grotesque it almost distracts from the main story, which represents a refreshing departure from the show's traditional format: rather than an old-school gangster flick, this episode is a caper à la Ocean's Eleven, the Bureau's operation channeling the lighter spirit of intelligent crime comedies ("Entering the sausage factory" one guy says of Tony's house). Just don't get used to it: starting with Episode 2, it's back to bloody business as usual, so enjoy the fun while it lasts.
