Funhouse (The Sopranos)


"Funhouse" is the 26th episode of the HBO television series The Sopranos, and the season finale of the show's second season. It was co-written by series creator/executive producer David Chase and co-producer Todd A. Kessler, and directed by frequent The Sopranos director John Patterson, and originally aired in the United States on April 9, 2000, attracting about 9 million viewers.

Starring

Guest starring

Synopsis

Tony is sick from food poisoning, and he has vivid fever dreams. In one he is having sex with Dr. Melfi in her office. In another, a dead fish on a slab speaks to him with [Big Big Pussy Bonpensiero|Pussy Bonpensiero|Pussy]'s voice and says he is working for the government because Tony passed him over for promotion. As soon as he can, Tony goes with Silvio to Pussy's home. Pretending he is still sick, Tony rushes to the toilet; while the rest are downstairs, he searches the bedroom and finds Pussy's wire.
Tony says he wants Pussy to see a boat he is thinking of buying, and the three of them drive to it. Paulie is already there. They take the boat out to open water. In the cabin, Tony confronts Pussy about flipping. He equivocates, but then admits that he told the police about the crew's current money-earning scam involving telephone calling cards. He asks for a drink and Tony permits it; he tells a smutty story and the guys laugh, though Tony, skeptical, asks if it was really true. He goes to the other end of the cabin and, while he is asking if he can sit down, Tony, followed by Silvio and Paulie, shoots him dead. Paulie removes his identifying jewelry, and together they bind his bagged body in chains and weights, throw him off the back of the boat, and watch him sink into the ocean.
Shortly after Janice's departure, Tony and his younger sister Barbara arrive at Livia's home to discuss her permanent living arrangements. Barbara's husband won't allow her to live with them and the retirement home will not have her back. Angrily, Tony gives her two airline tickets with which she and her sister can fly first-class to Tucson, where another sister is living. But the tickets were obtained through the bust-out of Davey's store, and Livia is detained at Newark International Airport for possessing stolen airline tickets. FBI agents arrive at Tony's home with a search warrant and he is led away handcuffed in front of Meadow and some of her friends. She has graduated from high school and the graduation ceremony and party are the next day but, reassured by his lawyer, he is released in time for both.
At the ceremony, Tony tells Christopher that he is putting him up to become a made man. He also meets Davey, whose wife has left him: he is going to work "on a ranch out West". His son, who was accepted by Georgetown University, is going to Montclair State University instead because of "a money pinch".

First appearances

Quintina Blundetto: Younger sister of Livia Soprano and mother of Tony's cousin Tony Blundetto.Pasquale "Patsy" Parisi: Soldier in the Soprano/Gualtieri crew and twin brother of the deceased Philly "Spoons" Parisi.

Deceased

Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero: murdered by Tony, Silvio and Paulie for being an FBI informant. His body was then weighted down and tossed into the ocean.

Title reference

  • In Tony's dream, he is on the boardwalk in Asbury Park, near the Palace Amusements funhouse with the famous wide-eyed clown painted on it known as "Tillie".
  • In the scene when Tony's mother calls his home for help about the stolen airline tickets, Carmela answers the phone. When she hands the phone to Tony, she says: "Fun never stops".

Production

Historical reference

Music

Filming locations

Listed in order of first appearance:

Reception

Critical response

Entertainment Weekly placed "Funhouse" #5 on their list of the 10 greatest The Sopranos episodes; Time placed it at #9.
It was nominated for an Emmy Award in the category of Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series.

Awards

  • This episode was one of two viewer's choice winners on A&E, along with "Pine Barrens".