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Heather, I think your read is more accurate this week than the week before, although I didn't get the sense that you did, that Tony and Carmela's marriage is falling apart. They've had worse fights than this. In many ways, those two are perfect for each other. They deserve each other.
I think last night's episode was in furtherance of a theme that I had picked up on before, the idea that the fictitious walls Tony has built up to compartmentalize his family life from his business life are breaking down. Tony would like to believe that the one good thing he's done in his life is to provide a good life for his family. So what happened last night? AJ tried to commit suicide, and Meadow was threatened by someone from Tony's business world. And of course, that made Tony go apesh*t and do something that only further sours relations between himself and Phil Leotardo.
The breaking down of these walls was at no time better exemplified than by the scene where Tony and Carmela are in the therapy session with AJ, and Tony looks down to see Coco's bloody tooth caught in the cuff of his pants. WOW. What symbolism. That says all there is to say about Tony's efforts to keep his work out of his family life. Hope some of you weren't too distracted last night looking for ducks to have missed that one.
Speaking of symbolism, what about the scene with the mouldering pile of asbestos? That looked a hell of a lot like 9/11 to me.
I was actually quite intrigued by the conversation Melfi had with her therapist. That seemed to resonate with her, the notion that, all these years with Tony, she's done nothing except help a sociopath get better at his business. Melfi may hit a breaking point of her own with Tony. If and when that happens, I still fear for Melfi.
I was also intrigued by the very, very brief scene with the FBI agents. Weren't they acting strangely? And isn't this the second time that one of the agents claims he has a sour stomach because of something he picked up in Pakistan? What's up with that?
