The Sopranos - The Complete Fifth Season

Customer reviews:

Great Show, 2008-01-15
Not the best season of the show but a must have if you wanna finish the series.

Without doubt the greatest show to ever grace the small screen...no time to plead the fifth..., 2007-12-06
The fifth season of the acclaimed drama `The Sopranos' brought us lots of, well, drama. There are new developments in the lives of old friends and even some enemies as well as some new characters that make some hefty impacts on the family, both personal and business. The fifth season builds a lot on the man that is Tony Soprano, maybe even delving deeper into his character than any season before it. Through his actions we see his line of integrity and responsibility as well as his ruthless demand of respect and unfailing loyalty. By the time this season draws to a close we know Tony more than maybe we ever have before.

There are quite a few things that happen throughout this season that directly affect Tony. First of all he is dealing with his split from Carmela (as of the last season's finale) and his struggle to remain civil with her while still managing his pride is a hard pill to swallow. Anthony Jr. is increasingly getting more difficult to deal with and continues to give Carmela heartache over their current situation. This begins to take its toll on Carmela, especially while watching Tony and AJ's relationship grow deeper. Tony also has to deal with his recently released cousin Tony Blundetto (or Tony B.). Tony had been in anticipation of Tony B.'s release but Tony B. seems to have another agenda, an agenda that at the end of the day causes problems not only for Tony but for the entire family. Tony also meets someone from his father's past, a lover who may or may not be the kind hearted woman she comes off as.

With the death of Don Carmine Sr. a new war is born between Carmine's son and his right hand man Johnny Sack. Both feel rights to the title of Boss and they are both ready and willing to fight (and kill) for that right, exclusively. This war bleeds into the Soprano family and Tony finds himself on Johnny Sack's bad side, not a side he wants to remain on.

As much as `The Sopranos' is and will always be about Tony Soprano, season five is really all about Adriana. As was learnt in the previous season, Adriana is being pressured by the feds to disclose any and all information she has about Tony and his activities. Despite her reluctance fear moves her to cooperate, albeit as little as possible. Throughout the season we are drawn further and further into Adriana's character through her desperation and deception and ultimately her pain and suffering. Rarely does one feel so connected to a single character but by the end of season five my heart was broken for Adriana. This of course is all because of a good mixture of writing and Drea de Matteo's brilliant performance. Thank god she won the Emmy for this!

Adriana's relationship with Christopher as well as with Tony is explored deeper in this season, and an episode devoted towards Tony's feelings for Adriana and what appears to be mutual feelings on her part becomes an instant highlight of the season. It's apparent that she looks up to him and he has a deep seated affection for her as well, most likely from watching her relationship with Christopher bloom, and so this episode alone makes the close of the season all the more devastating.

Carmela's character is also fleshed out a great deal in this season. As she separates herself from Tony for the first time in her life she really becomes her own woman, and her flaws and assets are on display for the audience to pick apart and scrutinize. As she pursues a relationship with AJ's school advisor facets of her personality come to the fore, facets that maybe we have been blind to times before. Meadow has finally found the man it appears she'll spend forever with, and this big news affects Carmela in a very big way.

Steve Buscemi adds a nice touch to the fifth season. His portrayal of Tony B. is exceptional and he makes a nice (albeit temporary) addition to the already stellar cast. Dominic Chianese does a great job (as usual) of exposing Junior for all that he really is, and as his health slips Chianese's performance becomes more memorable. This year though there are four major standouts from the recurring cast. Edie Falco just glows as Carmela, and she continues to build upon her already well established character to create someone we all come to know and love. Michael Imperioli also delves deeper and deeper into Christopher to expose his inner demons and his grapple to suppress them. I just LOVE what Vincent Curatola has done with Johnny Sack this season. His ruthless determination to make it to the top is intriguing and stimulating. But no one deserves praise more than Drea who just soars as the doomed Adriana. Her performance is stunning in every sense of the word.

James Gandolfini, as it goes without saying, is flawless as Tony, but this is something we've come to expect. It was about this time when I started to wonder what the whole purpose was in having Lorraine Bracco even on the show anymore. It seems that at this point each and every session between Tony and Dr, Melfi is pretty much the same ol' same, but she has her moments when she's not a complete bore. Tony Sirico is `spicy' as usual, that crotchety gig really works for him and both Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Robert Iler continue to build layer upon layer on their characters. As much as Aida Turturro didn't have much to do this season with Janice there is one episode, one scene in particular between her and Tony that proves once again she is a force to be reckoned with.

The fifth season is yet again pure brilliance, a season that lives up to the hype and proves to be one of the finest complete seasons, with moments of monumental bliss. This is a season, much like the season that preceded it, that builds such strong characters we are forced to relate and feel for each and every one of them. It's seasons like this that make me realize what it is that we lost when `The Sopranos' died...we lost the best thing that ever happened to television.

What a shame.