Tony is becoming very concerned about being discovered as a psychiatric patient, knowing it won't be good for images. Christopher discovers his friend Brendans' corpse and becomes paranoid, ultimately determined to wage some sort of war with Uncle Junior. Jackie succumbs to cancer, which will mean someone else will need to ascend to his just-vacated position. Tony takes this death particularly hard, knowing it could just as easily have been him. Anthony Jr., after repeated scuffles at school, realizes that a classmate is scared of him, and is mystified by this fact. It is Meadow who educates the blissfully unaware Anthony Jr. on just what their father REALLY does for a living.
Also among the story threads is the fact that Tony has decided to learn whatever he can about Dr. Melfi, and tasks a corrupt police detective (veteran actor John Heard, making his first appearance in the role) with tailing her. This enables us to see more of the doctors' personal life, and adds to the drama when the unstable detective oversteps his bounds and decides to beat up the doctors' date (Mark Blum). So now we have more than just Christopher as an on-the-edge character who wonders what will become of him; the date can tell he's being shadowed and is now afraid to venture outside his home.
'Meadowlands" has moments both utterly affecting - Tony reacting to hearing of Jackies' death - and humorous - as Tony administers some punishment to Mikey Palmice using a stapler. The air is thick with tension during crucial confrontations between Tony and Uncle Junior, but Tony realizes that it will be better for him if it is his uncle who fills the power vacuum.
Light on violence this time around, but containing some powerful passages, this sizes up as another engrossing episode of this popular series.
Eight out of 10.
Also among the story threads is the fact that Tony has decided to learn whatever he can about Dr. Melfi, and tasks a corrupt police detective (veteran actor John Heard, making his first appearance in the role) with tailing her. This enables us to see more of the doctors' personal life, and adds to the drama when the unstable detective oversteps his bounds and decides to beat up the doctors' date (Mark Blum). So now we have more than just Christopher as an on-the-edge character who wonders what will become of him; the date can tell he's being shadowed and is now afraid to venture outside his home.
'Meadowlands" has moments both utterly affecting - Tony reacting to hearing of Jackies' death - and humorous - as Tony administers some punishment to Mikey Palmice using a stapler. The air is thick with tension during crucial confrontations between Tony and Uncle Junior, but Tony realizes that it will be better for him if it is his uncle who fills the power vacuum.
Light on violence this time around, but containing some powerful passages, this sizes up as another engrossing episode of this popular series.
Eight out of 10.