Oh Nurse Jackie is in this! Okay I’m 10 seconds in and its a solid YES on the intro sequence. Up beat, catchy, just the right length, that’s a 9/10 intro right there! No one does these sort of openings anymore do they? It’s mostly just a title card (Barry) or an annoying five minute affair that has you fast forwarding (sorry, The Deuce). He’s having a drive, a smoke… yeah i’m in – The Sopranos! Hit me.

We open with the main squeeze in a waiting room for therapy while he checks out a nude green statue of a woman I’m going to call Jade. Back in the 90’s women were seen as objects that didn’t get many lines in big TV shows so it is likely that Jade is a main character. She’s probably just been MeToo’d off camera. I’d have thought they would want to use a real woman but I guess it is just a pilot after all. I’ll keep you posted on Jade.

As he goes into the therapists room I’m really hoping that this whole series isn’t going to be a flashback.
“So Mr The Sopranos, whats up?”
‘Well Doc it all began…’
Oh did he just deliberately look at the camera after he lied, or was that a coincidence?

Hmm we are flashing back. Looks like just a story telling mechanism to set up the first episode though; i’ll allow it.

Hold the phone.

No one is even eating cereal!

Nurse Jackie is pretty great in this already. Meanwhile the psychiatrist is talking her way into an early grave

Look I’m not going to shit on everything (already I can tell I’m on board with the show for at least a season) but the sound effects on this beating are killing me! 😂

We are in a restaurant with a sea of new faces and names that I won’t be learning.

This guy is super active huh? I mean here I am sat down watching TV while in the space of one morning Tony has fed the pool-ducks, been to a few restaurants, ran someone down in this car, beat said someone up, bought a CD player and now he’s sorting out his ma – what a good shit!

Not sure I can suppress my urge to rant about this kid being called Antony Jr for much longer… Nice little parallel with a future show though!
Question: When does Antony Jr start calling himself Flynn?

Speaking of Breaking Bad, episode one and our main character is having health scares. Just had his heart attack and happened to drop the lighter fluid on the BBQ – that SHARP money won’t spend itself after all.

Edie Falco has aged well, she still looks like this 20 years later (hit me up on Twitter Edie) This seems like a great role for her. Did she just suggest to Tony she is banging the priest? Or the woman in this photo? Or no one? Someone get with the priest!

Oh first kill alert!

That was a very cool scene. Didn’t really understand who he killed or why, but don’t think it’s all that important (It’s at this point I’d question anyone that reads this blog – what you getting from this? Answers on a postcard.)

Oh Nurse Jackie is banging the priest! I think. Nice. She just ranted at her daughter and I haven’t a clue what she said. Was eye-popping though for the girl.

Aww he really loves the ducks. He has felt sad since they left – what do the ducks represent? I’ve got a lot of time for this show if the answer is: Ducks.

There is a woman in this nursing home with blue shorts hiked all the way up and it is just amazing. Oh farts, Tony is breathing heavy stood next to a vase of flowers, here we go…

Tony is pouring his heart out in therapy but all I can wonder is; is it sexist to say that this psychiatrist is becoming better looking in every scene? (Hit me up on Twitter, psychiatrist)

I’m noticing I’m not commenting much on the all male dick measuring talk. There is something about this accent that makes it very hard to listen attentively (and as you can see from my previous observation, i’m not naturally thriving in that department anyway.)

I don’t know the deal with the guy running the restaurant (Arthur?) but his wife is great. Voice of reason.

While this corporate stooge gets taken out for ice cream I just want to take a moment to say how visually good this show is. Not just in location, but it upgrades to HD really nicely. Ok, back to the irrelevant nonsense:

“Dick’s looking for ya!” Did I hear that right?… It’s the restaurant owner. Wasn’t he called Arthur? Guess he’s just a dick.

Back with Tony. Oh he cheats on his wife? This guy has a lot going on, where does he find the time? Where will we find the time to appreciate it all?

It’s enjoyable that he is manly enough to go to therapy but is terrified of anyone finding out. Except his wife, Nurse Jackie, who I’ve a feeling won’t mind you medicating yourself.

The news says “Pussy [someone]” has been caught. This show is nothing but pussy and dicks. As if life.

EXPLOSION

I’m loving all the character stuff but I have no idea whats happening on the mobster side. Is it a turf war for selling cocaine knives? Now that I’d understand!

Why did they need to blow up his restaurant? Is Arthur part of the lads or are they trying to force him on board?
“People might stay away from the restaurant”
“Why would they?”
Err… Because it blew up? Am i missing something? Well, clearly I am.

Don’t talk to me about sausages tasting particular grandma… Boom.

We close on the kids chasing each other with guns followed by a duckless pond. If the ducks do represent his family (which for better or worse, end the episode all together) they are going to need a lot more ducks! There were like 600 people at that BBQ.

One down! 85 to go.

Good pilot! Lots of interesting characters – I want to see more of Nurse Jackie and the two kids. Visually engaging, pacing was good; the use of this therapy sessions were used really well not just to fill us in with the story but also to give us an insight into the main man. Tony seems like a great character, a lot more well rounded (and even sensitive) than I was expecting. On the negative front I didn’t get what was happening with the mobster side of things, which I mainly put down to finding it hard to hear what they were saying – but all in all, a really good episode!

Takeaway questions moving into episode 2:

1. Was I jumping to conclusions about Nurse Jackie having an affair with the priest? I get she likes to spend time with him, she’s spiritual etc, but she didn’t actually admit to banging him…did she?

2. Seems like we are heading for a family feud to control the gang (do they have a name yet? The Sopranos I guess. Hmm I’m going to call them The Duckies ) Are we going to have to hear more about his daddy issues to get the full picture? I could do without that 😴

3. Are these two guys the same person? Obviously they are the same actor. I assume they are playing the same character as well. It’s like an audition. Both play the uncle in the pilot and we’ll see who we like. That makes sense.