SPOILER WARNING: IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE FINALE FOR THE SOPRANOS - STOP READING NOW.
COME BACK AFTERWARDS, AND WE'LL TALK.
I MEAN IT.
The headline I wanted to use:
America Doesn't Get It - Tony Does.
Americans get the TV they deserve. It's the beauty of the system. TV shows that draw big audiences stick around. Shows that don't, go away. Unfortunately, that allows the lowest common denominator to have a pretty big say in what we have beamed into our homes.
It's the reason CBS programs the way they do. Throughout the TV era simple shows like MURDER, SHE WROTE, THE BRADY BUNCH, JAG, THE GHOST WHISPERER and CSI have drawn large audiences who want simple distraction.
That's not necessarily a bad thing - but it's aggravating when quality shows that do challenge the audience, like PROFIT, FIREFLY, or (insert the name of your favorite short-lived show here) get scrapped only to be replaced by yet another clone of THE BACHELOR.
Tonight, we may be seeing a huge steaming pile of why American TV is as bland as it is.
The finale of THE SOPRANOS has generated an enormous amount of web traffic this evening. HBO's servers are melting due to the number of complaint postings and emails about how tonight's episode simply cut off and went to black.
You see, Tony and his family (the biological family, not the other one) were meeting at a diner for a meal. It looked like Tony had come out on top in a war with a rival family, and things might be getting back to normal.
Tony was first to arrive - and every time the front door of the diner rang, we looked up from the menu with Tony to see who was coming in.
Carmella walked in, followed by a seedy looking character in a truckers cap who might be trouble. Tony chatted with his wife - and the bell sounded again.
A.J. followed by another seedy fellow into the diner. The other fellow sat at the bar, and A.J. joined the family.
Meadow had trouble parallel parking. While we nervously watched every person in the diner for signs of suspicion. The tension built. And built. And built.
The fellow at the bar, got up and went to the men's room. Meadow finally got the car parked, and crossed the street to join her family. The bell rang. Tony looked up - and dead silence over black.
And fanboys all across America screamed "WHAT?!!!!"
They're complaining about an ending they don't understand, about details left unfinished, storylines that didn't end.
What they're not getting - including this guy from the AP - or these guys either - is that Tony got whacked.
Tony said it himself in the first episode of the season. You never see the one that gets you.
Series creator (and this episode's write/director) had confidence in his audience's ability to fill in the blanks.
They didn't get it. And they're screaming bloody murder about it.
And that's why network TV sucks.
