| "Two Tonys" | |
|---|---|
| The Sopranos episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 5 Episode 1 |
| Directed by | Tim Van Patten |
| Written by | David Chase Terence Winter |
| Cinematography by | Phil Abraham |
| Production code | 501 |
| Original air date | March 7, 2004 |
| Running time | 54 minutes |
"Two Tonys" is the 53rd episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and the first of the show's fifth season. Written by David Chase and Terence Winter, it was directed by Tim Van Patten and originally aired on March 7, 2004.
** = photo only
** = photo only
Janice and Bobby Baccalieri are now married. A year after his separation, Tony is living in his mother's former home.
One evening, while A.J. is in the backyard, a large black bear appears. Terrified, he calls for his mother, who drives off the bear and calls the authorities. Tony visits the next day and talks to Carmela, but the discussion turns hostile when she criticizes him for buying A.J. too many gifts. As they argue about money, she accuses him of calling Italy on his cellphone, and he tells her that Furio's life is “finished” if certain people find him. Tony tasks Benny and Little Paulie to guard his backyard, and Carmela reluctantly supplies them with a rifle.
After watching The Prince of Tides with his mistress, Valentina, Tony feels driven to see Dr. Melfi again, and he sends flowers and a greeting card to her office. When he calls her to set up a date, she declines, feeling that it would be unprofessional to date a former patient. She has a sexual dream about him. Tony then schedules an appointment, an opportunity to tell her he loves her. He forcibly kisses her; she tactfully makes him desist. In a therapy session with her own psychiatrist, she admits her initial attraction to Tony. Tony makes a third attempt to court her by offering cruise tickets, but she declines again. At his request, she tells him the aspects of his character she could not accept; but there are things he cannot bear to hear, and he storms out. He returns home, in a sense, and takes over guard duty from Benny.
Four mobsters imprisoned in the 1980s are released on parole. Three of them are a generation older than Tony: Soprano family capo Michele "Feech" La Manna, Lupertazzi family consigliere Angelo Garepe, and Lupertazzi capo Phil Leotardo. The fourth is Tony's cousin, Tony "Tony B" Blundetto. Feech wishes to return to work as a shy and sports bettor, which Tony and Uncle Junior permit so long as he does not compete with other operators. Tony is excited about his cousin's release and plans a lavish welcome party.
Carmine Lupertazzi has a stroke while having lunch with Tony, Angelo, and Johnny Sack at a country club, and is hospitalized. At the hospital, Johnny tells Tony that he is still angry that he backed out of their agreement to kill Carmine the previous year.
Christopher and Paulie confront each other when their re-telling of their Pine Barrens ordeal devolves into mutual recriminations. Christopher begins to resent the custom that, being of lower rank, he is expected to pay when they dine in a restaurant. One evening, he forces Paulie to pay, but Paulie demands that Christopher repay him the next day and threatens that interest will be added if he does not. When he complains to Tony, he tells Christopher to keep paying the tabs, as he himself once did. In Atlantic City, Paulie contrives to inflate their dinner bill to nearly $1,200. As they argue in the parking lot, their waiter confronts Christopher about his poor tip, and when they dismiss him, he insults them. An enraged Christopher throws a brick at his head. The waiter collapses and has a seizure, causing a panicked Paulie to shoot him dead. Paulie takes the $1,200 as he and Christopher speed off in their cars. The next day, they make amends and split the original tab.
