Hi, Fern!
I think you're exactly right about the corruption on the show in some senses. I can't think of too many innocents who've emerged unscathed. However, I don't think that Chase has that high of an opinion of the non-mob people. Consider Heidi & Kennedy, the two girls who ran Chris and Tony off the road a couple of episodes back, but declined to come back because they would have gotten into trouble. Or Saplinsky (I may not have his name right), the attorney who tried to shake Tony down for extra money in "Whitecaps." Or Artie Bucco, although he seems much happier now that he's given up the idea of being a connected tough guy.
Not for eight years.
Not one of the Daves.
But they all have the occasional masturbatory ep...
so I'm guessing I didn't miss anything?
I watch Sopranos infrequently at best, so I probably don't have much invested in the ending, but I dug the diner scene. And not just because of Journey.
I'm unsure of my opinion, but that did not seem like a place the Soprano family would eat. Tony on his own, sure, but Carm? A minor nit, but it struck me as odd.
Thank goodness for TWOP.
I'm so glad I didn't waste my time.
GF and I think Chase stole that ending from Angel.
I thought the diner was maybe Tony & Carmella's high school hangout. Or some other sentimental place for them. It had a nostalgia feeling to it. Loved Phill's death, especially the insult to (mortal) injury of the car rolling over him and the bystanders' reactions. Loved Tony's screaming at AJ about not parking the SUV in leaves when off road. I guess all those commercials of off-roading in those things are wrong! There was the mixture of horror and humor we've expected from Chase.
I didn't mind the ending, as for me, the point I got out of it is that life goes on. We don't always get everything wrapped up in a neat package. And I'd seen the similar ending of "Angel."
