When TV fans bring up The Sopranos in casual conversation, often the first thing they say is “And what did you think of that ending!?” The cut to black as the Soprano clan eats onion rings and viewers are treated to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” makes it hard to remember anything else that happens in the final episode “Made in America.” The legacy of the climax deserves all of the hype it gets. Series creator David Chase and his writing team set out to conclude the show in a way that would allow for open-ended discussion in perpetuity, but this ended up being a double-edged sword.
As brilliant as The Sopranos’ final scene is, those final five minutes in the diner with Tony (James Gandolfini), Carmela (Edie Falco), and A.J. (Robert Iler) aren’t quite as quintessential to the essence of the series as the scene right before it. What clip am I talking about? Unless you’re a superfan, you might not even remember.
Before Tony heads to Holsten’s to wait for his wife and kids to enjoy what is most likely his last supper, he makes a pit stop to reminisce about the good old days with Corrado Soprano a.k.a his Uncle Junior (Dominic Chianese). Dialogue was always the strongest suit in the series, and these three minutes shared by Tony and his frenemy crime boss capture the entire thematic heft of The Sopranos’ literary vitality.