Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Brilliance. Redefined
So, with all the continuing speculation and controversy over the Sopranos finale (thanks for posting, Mark), my friend and long-time THOTS kibitzer, ERA, asks a sensibile question:
"The movie never ends, it goes on and on and on..." Well, writer David Chase sure figured out a way to keep the Sopranos fascination/obsession going on and on and on.
Explain nothing. Justify nothing. Leave the commentary for everyone else.
I admit that I haven't been a Sopranos obsessive. I watched the first couple of seasons and then went in and out since then. I caught up on the last few episodes before the finale since I like being part of cultural conversations. Like everyone else, I was startled by the jerk into the black screen (I thought I had screwed up my new DVR). But, hey, it forced viewers into activity -- to examine previous episodes, storylines and themes (thus, leaving only part-time observers like myself completely clueless).
Hey, I'm just happy that the show concluded with perhaps my all-time favorite arena-rock guilty pleasure of the '80s.
Don't stop believing, indeed.
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Why is it in this day and age of "user created content," blogging and ever greater demand for 'audience participation,' has the finale of the "Sopranos" left people so angry? David Chase left the perfect open ending for all viewers to create their own ending. Hasn't the whole series basically been a Rorschach test (or protracted psychiatry session) on how the viewers seen Tony, his actions and his motivations -- so why not also leave Tony's fate to the viewers?Great question.
"The movie never ends, it goes on and on and on..." Well, writer David Chase sure figured out a way to keep the Sopranos fascination/obsession going on and on and on.
Explain nothing. Justify nothing. Leave the commentary for everyone else.
I admit that I haven't been a Sopranos obsessive. I watched the first couple of seasons and then went in and out since then. I caught up on the last few episodes before the finale since I like being part of cultural conversations. Like everyone else, I was startled by the jerk into the black screen (I thought I had screwed up my new DVR). But, hey, it forced viewers into activity -- to examine previous episodes, storylines and themes (thus, leaving only part-time observers like myself completely clueless).
Hey, I'm just happy that the show concluded with perhaps my all-time favorite arena-rock guilty pleasure of the '80s.
Don't stop believing, indeed.
Labels: David Chase, The Sopranos
