| "All Happy Families..." | |
|---|---|
| The Sopranos episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 5 Episode 4 |
| Directed by | Rodrigo García |
| Written by | Toni Kalem |
| Cinematography by | Alik Sakharov |
| Production code | 504 |
| Original air date | March 28, 2004 |
| Running time | 52 minutes |
"All Happy Families..." is the 56th episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and the fourth of the show's fifth season. Written by Toni Kalem and directed by Rodrigo García, it originally aired on March 28, 2004.
* = credit only
In New York, Lorraine and Jason are murdered by Billy and Joey Peeps after they refuse to give their collections to Johnny. Little Carmine is advised by fellow capo Rusty Millio to take aggressive action. Tony advises his capos and soldiers not to get involved in the New York feud.
Feech comes in to see Tony and regales the younger mobsters with stories from his criminal career, including one when Tony and Jackie Aprile, Sr established themselves by robbing his card game. Tony laughs at this, but Feech asks if he can run the game once again. Tony allows him to supervise it and get 20% of its profits. At the card game, Feech's jokes and anecdotes annoy Tony but generate uproarious laughter from his crew. In an argument, Carmela has told Tony that he has no friends, just "flunkies" who curry favor because he is the boss. As a test, Tony makes a feeble joke to the card-players and observes their overly hearty laughter.
Feech's hired men carjack wedding guests of the daughter of Tony's close friend, Ira Fried, and sell the vehicles to men working for Johnny. Tony then recalls the joke he told at the card game and realizes the only person not laughing was Feech. He reluctantly decides that Feech, although well-liked and respected, has to be dealt with. Tony sends Christopher and Benny to Feech's house, where they trick him into hiding a truckload of flatscreen TVs in his garage in return for payment, plus a TV for himself. The following day, a parole officer visits Feech and asks about the flatscreen in his living room, then asks to see his garage; Feech has to comply. On the bus back to prison, he gazes at the outside world.
Dr. Melfi finds that Tony has left a basket of expensive toiletries and a bathrobe in her waiting room. Later, stressing the misspelled words, she reads his gift card to her own therapist, Dr. Kupferberg. Tony apologizes for his outburst during their last session. Kupferberg tells Melfi the gift represents ablution.
A.J. is having a difficult time in school and disrespects Carmela. She and Tony visit A.J.'s guidance counselor, Robert Wegler. Carmela partly blames A.J.'s poor academic performance on her separation from Tony. Tony buys A.J. a new Nissan Xterra as a "motivational tool" to get better grades, saying that Carmela will keep the keys until his grades improve. A.J. asks his mother if he can attend a Mudvayne concert in New York with friends. Carmela agrees on the condition that he spend the night at Meadow's apartment; however, A.J. calls Meadow to tell her that he will not be coming, and she reluctantly agrees to cover for him.
Staying in a hotel, A.J. and his friends get drunk and high. The next morning, A.J. wakes with his face glued to the carpet, and his eyebrows shaved off and redrawn with a permanent marker. In the ensuing argument at home, A.J. sells a false story, which Tony appears willing to buy. Carmela blames herself for A.J.'s actions and says Tony should take A.J. to live with him. At Tony's, A.J. bonds with his father, Tony B, and Artie as they watch TV until Tony sends him upstairs to do his homework. Meanwhile, Wegler invites Carmela to lunch. She discusses A.J.'s troubles as well as her own. He recommends that she read Gustave Flaubert's novel Madame Bovary, noting parallels between Carmela and the book's protagonist. She returns to the empty family house.
