Prior to seeing the remaining episodes I disliked this episode. The gambling thing already seemed played out through other characters. I now realize that it was an essential bridge to the overall story. The second time I watched this episode it was more then a bridge I actually liked it. It does a really good job of demonstrating a very interesting psychological phenomenon, which is complete hypocrisy on Tony's part. Obviously the gambling hypocrisy, but now he's the one who owe's, rather then shaking down someone who owe's him (when Hesh remind's Tony about the 300k he lent him). The directors did an amazing job demonstrating the Tony/Hesh loan situation...acted out perfectly. The last scene is priceless...Tony maliciously pays back Hesh, while he's grieving over the loss of his girlfriend. It's subtle, but Tony's condolences are brief and disingenuous. I wonder what was in store for Hesh had he left with Tony when he and Bobby came by the house? I'm guessing the loan would have been washed by threatening/Blackmailing Hesh in some way. By not going, it may have led to the death of Hesh's girlfriend, although there are no clues left by the writers to make that case. It's possible they took out a scene which would have linked Tony to her death... Bobby seemed a little defiant towards Hesh at the door, when he says that's too bad about Hesh not being able to go because of his girlfriend having migraines. I lean towards they cut out a scene, maybe because it would have been a hard sell, so they left it as a death by natural causes and focused more on Tony's ego...gloating in the midst of Hesh's loss was worth more than 200k to Tony. This is the last we get to see of Hesh. I've always left open the outside chance that Hesh played a role in Tony's murder (of course Patsy Perisi was in on it). I have a feeling it would have been left in had Chase/writers known that a majority of viewers would have thought the end of the Sopranos was an ambiguous ending, when Tony clearly gets whacked.
I assume David Chase's idea for the show obviously got considerably stretched out due to the popularity of the show. Other writers/directors came in wrote/directed most of these episodes throughout. The vast majority of this series was just entertaining filler, occasionally bridging to an episode, which would continue the story David Chase had in mind. This episode comes out of left field and made very little sense to me at first (rightfully so) because why would you want to take your audience on this unnecessary and emotionally draining path of Tony gambling a large portion of his funds away when the show had already demonstrated the whole gambling everything away mentality in the second season? Especially when the series only had 5 episodes left to wrap everything up. Why was this Tony gambling thing necessary? Upon watching Kennedy and Heidi (episode 18), I can see that they wanted to demonstrate the perceived drain Christopher was to Tony (Tony's luck changed once Christopher was out of his life and when he slept with his Vegas fling). After watching Kennedy and Heidi the 6th season of the Sopranos evolved into without a doubt the best season of the Sopranos for me. There's a lot of symbolism and meaning throughout the 6th season particularly in these remaining episodes.
I came to the conclusion that this episode should not be rated on it's own.
I assume David Chase's idea for the show obviously got considerably stretched out due to the popularity of the show. Other writers/directors came in wrote/directed most of these episodes throughout. The vast majority of this series was just entertaining filler, occasionally bridging to an episode, which would continue the story David Chase had in mind. This episode comes out of left field and made very little sense to me at first (rightfully so) because why would you want to take your audience on this unnecessary and emotionally draining path of Tony gambling a large portion of his funds away when the show had already demonstrated the whole gambling everything away mentality in the second season? Especially when the series only had 5 episodes left to wrap everything up. Why was this Tony gambling thing necessary? Upon watching Kennedy and Heidi (episode 18), I can see that they wanted to demonstrate the perceived drain Christopher was to Tony (Tony's luck changed once Christopher was out of his life and when he slept with his Vegas fling). After watching Kennedy and Heidi the 6th season of the Sopranos evolved into without a doubt the best season of the Sopranos for me. There's a lot of symbolism and meaning throughout the 6th season particularly in these remaining episodes.
I came to the conclusion that this episode should not be rated on it's own.