Sopranos Goes Out With A Whimper

Actually a whimper is too strong a word. The Sopranos series finale went out with...a big nothing. A quick cut to black and silence, mid Journey song even ("Don't Stop Believing" -- but believing in what?!). A fill-in-the-blank ending for every viewer. This is the lamest outcome I ever feared for the show, but my fears increased throughout that last episode. I thought life was coming together too quick and easy for everybody. The fabulous penultimate episode with all out war between NY and New Jersey crews breaking out really sucked me in and had me drooling for an amazing ending. But it was all a fake out. Where is Deadwood when I need it most? Oh yeah, canceled.

Now I'm left with nothing but memories of Lost, which did live up to its hype and provided a great season ending episode a few weeks ago, to last me through the summer. The Sopranos letdown also reminded me of what could be the greatest final episode ever - the finale of HBO's Six Feet Under. They flashed forward and gave closure for every character, that was a fantastic ending, and it stuck with me for weeks. As for Tony and family, I'll just assume the various suspicious strangers in the restaurant opened fire and wiped them all out; blood splattering all over their onion rings. I'd hate to think creator David Chase did the non-ending so they can reunite for movies down the road. I think the backlash is gonna be big. I am a fan of ambiguous endings, but this was ridiculous and maddening. It just reeks of writers who didn't know how to end their story.

Can't wait to see how many people post their own Sopranos endings to YouTube and the like.