I think he died.
This is a brilliant scene… Tony and Ralph sit down to talk about Jackie Jnr.
you can look at it as both not wanting the kid to die and showing empathy to each other about the situation- or it’s the complete opposite and the kid is already dead and they’re arguing about who’s gonna whack him and using reverse psychology to argue the point.
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Theres a hundred scenes like that throughout the series tbf
Still doesn’t detract from it…
Tony…it was your card game
Ralp… i know how close you are to the family
Tony finishes by saying dont worry about what anyone says behind your back 
And truly marks his card when he gives him back the gun he took from Jackie a while back saying to Ralph i ‘believe this is yours’
On the surface it’s a simple scene but there’s so much going on in what’s not said… and you’re right- that’s the genius of the Sopranos as a show, it’s always what’s not said or implied.
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There is some complexity to Tony’s character.
Here is a lad who he watched grow up, the son of his deceased best mate, close to his daughter.
But he has accepted that he needs to go.
Then it is about management of the situation and even using it to his advantage.
There are signs in him that he is human though throughout the series but mostly he is ruthless - because he has to be. He seems to have become used to being ruthless.
Tony’s character doesn’t actually change much during the series. From whacking the rat when he is bringing Meadow around in the first series, to instances like this. Many other series are interested in character progression (e.g. Breaking Bad) but the Sopranos aren’t interested in this, because real life is more like that.
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Camila talks about change, leaves him… but comes back.
Christopher is another that is always talking change and his screen writing but cant. Perhaps the cause of hus addiction?
Janice looks to have changed but Tony sorted that out and wound her up beautifully.
Eugene wants to go to Miami to retire - not a hope.
Tony himself is going to counselling and she pulls the plug when she realises it’s cementing his belief system and not changing it.
Did a similar rewatch of this and Mad Men.
Prefer Mad Men on the rewatch. They have more to play with in terms of the passage of time and the interest of the ads, but I still felt there were more characters of interest in it. I don’t think anyone touches Gandolfini’s acting or Tony as a character (Draper is sort of a retread) but it doesn’t drag as much imo.
Some serious wumming here. Mad Men is a load of me bollix… i think i gave up in season 3 it was so predictable.
Mad Men is indeed one of the all timers, it’s on a level not everyone got I found.
Mad Men is excellent.
Not on a level with the Sopranos or the Wire mind
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Not anywhere near either.
A lot of captains of industry always seem to hype it. After a couple of seasons you’ve figured out the story and character arc.
It doesn’t have guns in it so some lads struggle.
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I’ve seen a few clips of it and it indeed seems excellent.
But to watch it is a big commitment. It’s not like we have a pandemic these days.
The other two are a level above. I would put the Sopranos ahead of The Wire.
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Its good but The Sopranos and The Wire are senior hurling while Mad Men is Intermediate.
Breaking Bad is Intermediate too.
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Correct
Maybe Senior B?
Better Call Saul Senior B.
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I would have no interest in watching an episode of Better Call Saul again.
It was grand.
No - I would say there is a bigger gulf in class.