"Pax Soprana" is the sixth episode of the
HBO
Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
original series ''
The Sopranos
''The Sopranos'' is an American Crime film#Crime drama, crime drama television series created by David Chase. The story revolves around Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), a New Jersey-based American Mafia, Italian-American mobster, portraying h ...
''. It was written by
Frank Renzulli
Frank Renzulli (born February 21, 1958) is an American film actor, writer, and producer.
As an Emmy nominated writer and Golden Globe winner, Renzulli has written teleplays for ''The Sopranos'', mainly in the first two seasons, and another Emmy ...
, directed by
Alan Taylor and originally aired on February 14, 1999.
Starring
*
James Gandolfini as
Tony Soprano
*
Lorraine Bracco as
Dr. Jennifer Melfi
Jennifer Melfi is a fictional character on the HBO TV series ''The Sopranos''. She is the psychiatrist of Mafia boss Tony Soprano. She is portrayed by Lorraine Bracco.
Character description
Melfi is an Italian-American, with her father's famil ...
*
Edie Falco as
Carmela Soprano
Carmela Soprano (''née'' DeAngelis), played by Edie Falco, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series ''The Sopranos''. She is married to Mafia boss Tony Soprano. A young Carmela, portrayed by Lauren DiMario, appears in the 2021 prequel fil ...
*
Michael Imperioli as
Christopher Moltisanti
*
Dominic Chianese as
Corrado Soprano, Jr.
*
Vincent Pastore as
Pussy Bonpensiero
This is a list of fictional characters from the HBO series ''The Sopranos'', its video game '' The Sopranos: Road to Respect'' and its prequel film ''The Many Saints of Newark.''
Main characters Cast table
Main character biographies Tony Sopran ...
*
Steven Van Zandt as
Silvio Dante *
*
Tony Sirico as
Paulie Gualtieri *
*
Robert Iler as
Anthony Soprano, Jr. *
*
Jamie-Lynn Sigler as
Meadow Soprano *
*
Nancy Marchand as
Livia Soprano
''* = credit only''
Guest starring
*
John Heard as
Vin Makazian
This is a list of fictional characters from the HBO series ''The Sopranos'', its video game '' The Sopranos: Road to Respect'' and its prequel film ''The Many Saints of Newark.''
Main characters Cast table
Main character biographies Tony Soprano ...
*
Jerry Adler as
Hesh Rabkin
Also guest starring
Synopsis
Mikey Palmice
This is a list of fictional characters from the HBO series ''The Sopranos'', its video game '' The Sopranos: Road to Respect'' and its prequel film ''The Many Saints of Newark.''
Main characters Cast table
Main character biographies Tony Sopran ...
beats up the leader of a card game that had been protected by
Jimmy Altieri
This is a list of fictional characters from the HBO series ''The Sopranos'', its video game ''The Sopranos: Road to Respect'' and its prequel film ''The Many Saints of Newark.''
Main characters Cast table
Main character biographies Tony Soprano
...
. Mikey says "
Junior Soprano is the new boss. And he ain't respecting old arrangements." While Junior is being fitted for a new suit, his tailor tells him that his 14-year-old grandson committed suicide after taking drugs sold to him by
Rusty Irish. Rusty is
Larry Boy Barese
This is a list of fictional characters from the HBO series ''The Sopranos'', its video game '' The Sopranos: Road to Respect'' and its prequel film ''The Many Saints of Newark.''
Main characters Cast table
Main character biographies Tony Soprano ...
's top earner, but Junior has him killed.
Prompted by
Livia
Livia Drusilla (30 January 59 BC – 28 September AD 29) was a Roman empress from 27 BC to AD 14 as the wife of Roman emperor, Emperor Augustus Caesar. She was known as Julia Augusta after her formal Adoption in ancient Rome, adoption into the J ...
, Junior tells
Hesh HESH or Hesh may refer to:
Places
* Sharm El Sheikh International Airport, is an international airport in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
Science and technology
*High-explosive squash head
High explosive squash head (HESH) in British terminology, or hi ...
that he must now, for the first time, make payments to him. Hesh goes to
Tony
Tony may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Tony (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters
* Gregory Tony (born 1978), American law enforcement officer
* Motu Tony (born 1981), New Zealand international rugby leagu ...
, who goes to
Johnny Sack, the
underboss
Underboss ( it, sottocapo) is a position within the leadership structure of certain organized crime groups, particularly in Sicilian, Greek, and Italian-American Mafia crime families. The underboss is second in command to the boss. The underbo ...
in
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
's
Lupertazzi crime family. They negotiate with Junior, who reduces his demands, and Hesh agrees to pay. Junior's ''capos'' are resentful because he is keeping too much money for himself. Tony speaks to Junior, who agrees to pass Hesh's tribute money down to his capos. Tony gives his share of this money back to Hesh.
Tony loses his
libido as a side effect of his medication.
Carmela becomes very discontented; so does his mistress,
Irina. He starts having erotic dreams about
Dr. Melfi and
believes he is in love with her. In a session with her, Tony tries to kiss her. He has her aging car stolen and then returned with a new starter. Carmela admits to Tony that she is jealous that his therapist can help him and she cannot. Tony tells her that she is his life, and they reconcile.
Junior celebrates his promotion with a banquet. A waiter has a
button camera and takes photos for the
FBI
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and its principal Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement age ...
.
First appearance
*
John "Johnny Sack" Sacrimoni: The
underboss
Underboss ( it, sottocapo) is a position within the leadership structure of certain organized crime groups, particularly in Sicilian, Greek, and Italian-American Mafia crime families. The underboss is second in command to the boss. The underbo ...
of the
Lupertazzi crime family, one of the
Five Families of
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
.
Deceased
*
Rusty Irish: murdered by Mikey Palmice with help of Joseph Marino on orders from Uncle Junior.
Title reference
The title is a reference to
Pax Romana
The Pax Romana (Latin for 'Roman peace') is a roughly 200-year-long timespan of Roman history which is periodization, identified as a period and as a golden age (metaphor), golden age of increased as well as sustained Imperial cult of ancient Rome ...
(Roman peace) and related terms (
Pax Britannica
''Pax Britannica'' (Latin for "British Peace", modelled after ''Pax Romana'') was the period of relative peace between the great powers during which the British Empire became the global hegemonic power and adopted the role of a "global polic ...
,
Pax Americana, etc.), which refer to a lack of conflict over a long period of time due to the unchallenged rule of a single dominant power, which Tony hopes to achieve within the Soprano family. Pax Romana was an era initiated by the
Roman emperor Augustus
Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pri ...
, mentioned by Tony in his conversation with Uncle Junior.
Cultural references
* Tony speaks to Junior about Octavian, later the Roman Emperor
Augustus
Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pri ...
.
* Livia alludes to
Rudyard Kipling
Joseph Rudyard Kipling ( ; 30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936)''The Times'', (London) 18 January 1936, p. 12. was an English novelist, short-story writer, poet, and journalist. He was born in British India, which inspired much of his work.
...
's poem
Gunga Din
"Gunga Din" () is an 1890 poem by Rudyard Kipling set in British India.
The poem is much remembered for its final line: "You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din".
Background
The poem is a rhyming narrative from the point of view of a Briti ...
. He was a servant who carried water to soldiers in need.
*In the episode's final scene, sitting to Tony Soprano's left in the banquet hall is real-life Gambino crime family associate Anthony Corozzo, brother of Gambino capo
Nicholas Corozzo
Nicholas "Little Nick" Corozzo (born March 17, 1940) is an American New York mobster who is a captain in the Gambino crime family.
Biography
Nicholas Corozzo was born at 1825 Pitkin Avenue in the Brownsville neighborhood of Brooklyn. Nicholas C ...
and former Gambino consigliere,
Joseph Corozzo
Joseph "Jo Jo" Corozzo, Sr. (born 1942 in Brownsville, Brooklyn) is a New York mobster who was the reputed consigliere of the Gambino crime family.
Biography
Background
Joseph Corozzo's brother Nicholas "Little Nick" Corozzo was the alleged one ...
.
Music
* The song played when Mikey and his boys shake down a poker game that is under Jimmy Altieri's protection is "Willy Nilly" by
Rufus Thomas
Rufus C. Thomas, Jr. (March 26, 1917 – December 15, 2001) was an American rhythm-and-blues, funk, soul and blues singer, songwriter, dancer, DJ and comic entertainer from Memphis, Tennessee. He recorded for several labels, including Chess Rec ...
.
* The song played when Mr. Capri fits Junior for a new suit is "
When the Boy in Your Arms" by
Connie Francis
Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero (born December 12, 1937),
known professionally as Connie Francis, is an American pop singer, actress, and top-charting female vocalist of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Called the “First Lady of Rock & Roll” ...
.
* While Junior visits Livia at Green Grove, some of the other seniors are singing to "
I Whistle a Happy Tune".
* The song played as Christopher walks into the card game at Satriale's is "Coconut Boogaloo," by
Medeski Martin & Wood.
* The song played during Tony's first dream featuring Dr. Melfi is "What Time Is It?" by
The Jive Five
The Jive Five are an American doo-wop group. They are best known for their debut hit single, "My True Story" (1961), the Nickelodeon bumper jingles in the 1980s and 1990s, and the fact that they outlasted most of their musical peers by re-mod ...
.
* The song played when Tony meets with Johnny Sack during his anniversary dinner with Carmela is "Pampa" by
Gustavo Santaolalla
Gustavo Alfredo Santaolalla (born 19 August 1951) is an Argentine musician, composer, and record producer. He is known for composing his film scores with his collaborator and acclaimed director Alejandro González Iñárritu, which composed the ...
.
* The song played during the final montage and end credits is an instrumental version of "
Paparazzi
Paparazzi (, ; ; singular: masculine paparazzo or feminine paparazza) are independent photographers who take pictures of high-profile people; such as actors, musicians, athletes, politicians, and other celebrities, typically while subjects ...
" by
Xzibit, a song derived from
Gabriel Fauré
Gabriel Urbain Fauré (; 12 May 1845 – 4 November 1924) was a French composer, organist, pianist and teacher. He was one of the foremost French composers of his generation, and his musical style influenced many 20th-century composers ...
's "
Pavane".
Filming locations
Listed in order of first appearance:
*
Harrison, New Jersey
*
West Orange, New Jersey
*
Satriale's Pork Store Satriale's Pork Store is a fictional establishment on the HBO series ''The Sopranos''. During the 1970s, the pork store was taken over by Johnny Soprano, a capo in the DiMeo crime family, when Francis Satriale failed to make payments on a gambling ...
in
Kearny, New Jersey
*
West Caldwell, New Jersey
West Caldwell is a township located in the West Essex area in northwestern Essex County, New Jersey, United States. It is located approximately west of Manhattan and northwest of Newark. As of the 2010 United States census, the township's pop ...
*
Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson ( ) is the largest City (New Jersey), city in and the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, Passaic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.[Great Falls
Great may refer to: Descriptions or measurements
* Great, a relative measurement in physical space, see Size
* Greatness, being divine, majestic, superior, majestic, or transcendent
People
* List of people known as "the Great"
*Artel Great (born ...]
in
Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson ( ) is the largest City (New Jersey), city in and the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, Passaic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.[Long Island City
Long Island City (LIC) is a residential and commercial neighborhood on the extreme western tip of Queens, a borough in New York City. It is bordered by Astoria to the north; the East River to the west; New Calvary Cemetery in Sunnyside to the ...]
,
Queens
Queens is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located on Long Island, it is the largest New York City borough by area. It is bordered by the borough of Brooklyn at the western tip of Long ...
*
Glen Head, New York
*
Reception
In 2015,
Alan Sepinwall argued that "Pax Soprana" is "so fraught with discomfort and complications with both family and Family (and whatever separate sphere Melfi occupies) that it's nearly as compelling in its own right as
last week's Very Special Episode."
Emily St. James
Emily St. James (formerly Emily Nicole VanDerWerff; born November 30, 1982) is an American critic, journalist, podcaster, and author. She primarily writes about television. She has written for '' Vox'', ''The A.V. Club'', ''The Guardian'', the ' ...
of ''
The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cre ...
'' wrote that the episode "isn't a tremendous hour of television like 'College' was, but it may be more significant."
References
External links
"Pax Soprana" at
HBO
Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pax Soprana
The Sopranos (season 1) episodes
1999 American television episodes
fr:Pax Soprana