Pax Soprana

"Pax Soprana"
The Sopranos episode
Episode no.Season 1
Episode 6
Directed byAlan Taylor
Written byFrank Renzulli
Cinematography byAlik Sakharov
Production code106
Original air dateFebruary 14, 1999 (1999-02-14)
Running time50 minutes
Episode chronology
← Previous
"College"
Next →
"Down Neck"
The Sopranos season 1
List of episodes

"Pax Soprana" is the sixth episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos. It was written by Frank Renzulli, directed by Alan Taylor and originally aired on February 14, 1999.

Starring

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* = credit only

Guest starring

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Also guest starring

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Synopsis

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Mikey beats up the leader of a card game that had been protected by Jimmy Altieri, a DiMeo family capo. While Uncle Junior is being fitted for a new suit, his tailor tells him that his 14-year-old grandson died by suicide after taking drugs sold to him by Rusty Irish, who works for DiMeo capo "Larry Boy" Barese. Junior has him killed, even though he is Larry Boy's top earner.

Prompted by Livia, Junior tells Hesh that he must now, for the first time, make payments to him. Hesh goes to Tony, who goes to Johnny Sack, the underboss in New York's Lupertazzi crime family. They negotiate with Junior, who reduces his demands, and Hesh agrees to pay. The other DiMeo capos are resentful because Junior 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, and Tony's mistress Irina, become very discontented. Tony also starts having erotic dreams about Dr. Melfi and believes he is in love with her. He tries to kiss her during a session, then has her aging car stolen and returned with a new starter. Carmela admits to Tony that she is jealous that his therapist can help him but she cannot. Tony tells Carmela that she is his life, and they reconcile.

Junior celebrates his promotion to boss with a banquet. A waiter has a button camera and takes photos for the FBI, which are affixed to a bulletin board mapping out the hierarchy of the DiMeo family.

Reception

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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."[1] Emily St. James of The A.V. Club wrote that the episode "isn't a tremendous hour of television like 'College' was, but it may be more significant."[2]

References

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  1. ^ Sepinwall, Alan (July 8, 2015). "'The Sopranos' Rewind: Season 1, Episode 6: 'Pax Soprana'". Uproxx. Archived from the original on April 18, 2017. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
  2. ^ St. James, Emily (June 23, 2010). "The Sopranos: "Pax Soprana"/"Down Neck"". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on April 18, 2017. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
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