Episode 10- Adriana Tries to Become a Somebody

I would divide this episode into two major story lines, one of which I find more interesting than the other. Although I came to adore Adriana in the series, her attempt at becoming a record producer is not one of my most favorite story arches for her character. It is important though to show just how different she and Chris are from Tony and Carmela. This younger generation of Mafioso are more self-centered, less talented and not as concerned with the values, which the older members hold so dear. They are searching for ways to better themselves instead of being concerned with the brotherhood of the mafia, which definitely makes Adriana’s story vital to understanding the divide that’s beginning to exist within the mafia. A divide which Tony will need to deal with as the show continues.

The other story line put Tony into another fascinating circumstance. Tony joins his neighbor for a BBQ and later a game of golf. The BBQ scene is shot in a very similar manner to some of the previous scenes which take place in Tony’s backyard with his friends. The similarity makes the awkwardness of how Tony fits in even more apparent. Instead of being in the center of his group, he’s on the far side of the men, being squeezed off the screen and being forced to lean on the man next to him just to be heard. The men talk about their business, just as Tony has done in the past, but now Tony doesn’t have a clue what they’re talking about. It is really strange to see Tony go from the main man to an outsider. The scene seems to be winking at its’ audience through its duplicity; the mafia guys are really not so much different those normal, wall street types.

The final straw for Tony is when he joins the same group of men for a game of golf. It doesn’t take Tony long to figure out that he’s been invited to provide entertainment, not as a golf companion. Tony gets his revenge though with a humorous gesture when he asks his neighbor to babysit a box of sand!