In Camelot

Pine Barrens, Everybody Hurts and now In Camelot: all terrific episodes, all directed by Steve Buscemi, all dealing with relationships gone bad. In the first two, the concerned parties were Tony Soprano and the now deceased Gloria Trillo, now it's Tony's old man who was involved.

Everything kicks off at a funeral Tony attends: at the cemetery, he spots a woman that's visiting his dad's grave, and decides to have a word with her. After discovering she was his father's mistress years before, he starts spending time with her, seeing as she provides enjoyable company and countless anecdotes on her former lover, not to mention priceless details on his strained marriage to Livia (and flashbacks in previous seasons have more or less confirmed what they both think about the late Mrs. Soprano). This story is juxtaposed with the latest misadventures of Christopher, whom Buscemi used quite prominently in Pine Barrens: this time, instead of almost freezing to death in the woods he makes the mistake of introducing an old friend from rehab, J.T. Dolan (Tim Daly), to the world of gambling, with results that mirror Tony's falling out with a childhood buddy (Robert Patrick) in Season 2.

Less overtly quirky than Pine Barrens, In Camelot is actually more alike to the previous episode of this season, Peter Bogdanovich's Sentimental Education, in the sense that it is mostly calm, warm and far away from crime, only to shock us at the right point with some of the worst consequences of belonging to the mafia. That last aspect is duly covered in the J.T. subplot, which obviously recalls a similar story from past years (see above) but also shows the program's makers at their most brilliant: to play Dolan, one of the most tragic individuals in the series, they cast Tim Daly, the actor another character kept complaining about in a Season Three episode. Sheer, unadulterated genius.

This episode is more known for the abysmal "Happy Birthday, Mister PresidDAAAAANNNNNNNNNNT" scene, but when you boil it all down, Tim Daly's character, the smarmy TV writing malcontent, is the true star.

Watching Tim's character plummet due to his gambling and having be Christopher's sponsor for drugs while Chris sponsors him for gambling is almost comical and produces extreme anxiety all the while.

The overall episode is considered a throwaway and many purists of the series despises it, but to me, it is a case study of the pitfalls of addiction. I am thankful I was able to avoid the paths good ol' TV writin' Tim ended up meandering down to his ultimate demise. Props to Christopher for being such a warm and caring sponsor that we could all benefit from.

Tony meets his father's gooma, whilst Christopher's relationship with a friend from rehab is complicated by a debt.

This is a very good episode with strong underlying themes.

A big part of the Sopranos has always been the existential crisis of certain characters. In this story we see a lot of reflection on the past by Tony and guest character Fran that involves a lot of rose tinted memories and suspiciously romanticised stories about people. Certain characters develop certain beliefs in life that seem at odds with reality.

One scene involving JFK's hat brilliantly shows reality fully dawning on Tony and it is very effectively made. Credit to the actress Polly Bergen (of James R Webb's 1962 original 'Cape Fear'), who has the job of embodying this in the episode's most notorious moment. I always found it interesting in a show that depicts subjects like murder, rape, infanticide, matricide, cancer, dementia, casual violence and infidelity, that many viewers struggle so much with this scene. Bergen is excellent throughout the episode.

Other characters such as Junior and J. T. have scenes where they start out in a seemingly positive place, but reality comes crashing down on them. These sub-plots have darkly funny moments, but ultimately they feel quite tragic.

Generally, I find the episode to be downbeat with very little hope or positivity in anything. Friendships and family loyalty seem fake and uncertain in the world of The Sopranos. The final sequence showing Tony looking at life through a haze of lies is quite powerful.

It is another well made episode, with great cinematography and editing. Some of the scene transitions are so simple and subtle.

Peruse the internet, this episode is considered one of worst by hardcore fans...fran felstein is beyond irritating..they really needed her to sing HAPPY BDAY, MR. PRESIDENT ? Tony looks like he wants to smack her around a couple times, and he should have...the flashbacks of tony's dad. he's a lying slimeball pos.

I find this episode to be remarkably compelling and thought-provoking, with a depth that may be easily overlooked. The central storyline revolves around Tony's profound realization that his father possesses flaws and imperfections. This revelation challenges Tony's long-held perception of his father, forcing him to confront the possibility that his own actions may have contributed to his mother's coldheartedness-a realization he finds difficult to accept. As Tony grapples with these truths, he begins to draw parallels between his own life and the patterns he recognizes. He becomes acutely aware that he may have replicated the same harmful behaviors in his relationship with Carmela, ultimately exerting a similar negative influence on AJ. This introspection reveals Tony's struggle with selfishness, dishonesty, and manipulation-a poignant exploration of the complexities of personal growth and the consequences of our actions.