The Sopranos season 3The third season on DVD? check here: The third season episode guideMr. Ruggerio's Neighborhood / season 3 - episode 1
Written by David Chase
Directed by Allen Coulter
The third season opens up in much the same way as the second did: with Tony (James Gandolfini) walking down his driveway for the newspaper. But instead of catching up on the Family, we're catching up on the Feds. The FBI, after the death of Pussy, are still trying to build a case against Tony. While AJ goes to school and is a general delinquent, Meadow starts off her first semester at Colombia, and Carm takes tennis lessons with Adrianna, the FBI obtain a special warrant to bug the Sopranos' house. They slip the bug into a lamp that the FBI had specially made for the Sopranos, but not before several mix-ups: Carm came home from practice early at the call of the housemaid because the hot water heater burst, and AJ never wants to stay in class. The whole time this is happening, Tony has problems that he *knows* about.
Proshai, Livushka / season 3 - episode 2
Written by David Chase
Directed by Tim Van Patten
After months of everything being ok in terms of Tony's (James Gandolfini) panic attacks, something goes horribly wrong? What could provoke such an attack? Uncle Ben. Or, rather, Noah Tannenbaum, a friend of Meadow's. It seems that this young man wants to date her, and Tony doesn't like it. Why? He's African American and Jewish. After a messy altercation, Tony goes into the kitchen, opens a cabinet, and the smiling face of Uncle Ben knocks him out. Carm tells him to let her deal with this, or else he will drive Meadow "right into his arms." To take his mind off of this, Tony goes to bring his mother a couple books on tape. While he's there, Tony attempts to persuade his mother not to testify against him... but the conversation ends with a slammed door and much Kleenex. Later that night, he gets word from Livia's caretaker, Svetlana, that she had a massive stroke in her sleep.
Fortunate Son / season 3 - episode 3
Written by Todd A. Kessler
Directed by Henry J. Bronchtein
Christopher (Michael Imperioli) mismanages betting on football, and winds up owing Paulie about $2000. To make up for it, Christopher robs a JEwel benefit concert at Rutgers U., using Jackie Jr. as his driver. Tony (James Gandolfini) is not happy, but as long as Chris's debts have been paid to Paulie, he's happy. Tony has bigger problems: meat. Dr. Melfi (Lorraine Bracco) has come to the conclusion that Tony's association with meat and violence/his mother was brought about by watching Mr. Satriale get his finger cut off by his father, Johnny Boy, and by watching his parents show affection for one another while cutting beef. OF course, Meadow's relationship with Noah is not helping any either.
Employee of the Month / season 3 - episode 4
Written by Robin Green & Mitchell Burgess
Directed by John Patterson
Dr. Melfi's (Lorraine Bracco) suggestion to bring Carmela (Edie Falco) into Tony's (James Gandolfini) therapy session is not welcomed by the patient, but Dr. Melfi needs it - she's debating on whether or not to cut her patient free. She knows she should, but an event happens that makes her realize what a form of comfort he is she gets raped in the parking garage of her practice. The man gets off on a technicality, and she is extremely distraught and wants revenge, and though she knows that she can get it from Tony, she refuses to ask him. Tony has a different kind of revenge on his mind, the Russians have retaliated for Janice's stealing Svetlana's leg by beating her and leaving her in the hospital. Tony blames his sister, but he has to do what he has to do. Bigger problems loom, though, because New York boss Johnny Sacks has moved in.
Another Toothpick / season 3 - episode 5
Written by Terence Winter
Directed by Jack Bender
The therapy sessions begin, but no therapy comes out of it, Carmela (Edie Falco) is uptight towards Dr. Melfi (Lorraine Bracco), Tony (James Gandolfini) is not happy with his wife, and Dr. Melfi makes no progress whatsoever. On the way home, Tony takes out his frustrations on the gas pedal, causing him to get pulled over, much to his chagrin, by an African-American cop. When Tony gets home, one phone call to Assemblyman Zellman takes care of the ticket, and unbeknownst to Tony, the cop. He loses his eligibility for overtime and winds up working in a land and garden store. Tony tries to pay him off, but it doesn't work, the police man and Tony's morals are as different as night and day. Meanwhile, a relative of the Aprile family, Brian Spatafore, is in a coma due to a gold club that was swung by a young punk named Mustang Sally. Gigi enlists the help of Bobby Baccala Sr. in whacking the kid, since the guy is Bobby's godson.
University / season 3 - episode 6
Teleplay by Terence Winter and Salvatore Stabile, Story by David Chase & Terence Winter & Todd A. Kessler and Robin Green & Mitchell Burgess
Directed by Allen Coulter
One of the dancers at the Bing, Tracee, is thankful towards Tony (James Gandolfini) for advice that he gave her about her son. What does she do? She bakes him a bunt cake. Already having enough problems at home with his daughter, Tony doesn't need to play dad to a stripper, which he explains to her. Of course, since Betty Crocker is playing homemaker to Ralphie, that's even less of a reason to hang on to Tony. On the home front, Meadow is still seeing Noah, meeting his father and escalating their relationship to new heights. Once those heights were reached, Noah dumped her for being too "negative," or for not being what his father wants. Tony doesn't know about this, thankfully, because he has an even bigger problem... one night after heavy coke, Ritchie bashes Tracee's head in outside of the Bing. Tony does what a made man should never do: he hits him.
Second Opinion / season 3 - episode 7
Written by Lawrence Konner
Directed by Tim Van Patton
Uncle Junior undergoes surgery for his cancer and apparently has it all removed, until it comes back. This prompts Tony (James Gandolfini) to suggest that his uncle look for a second opinion, something that Junior would never do. But he looks for one anyway, and his good doctor, Dr. Kennedy, totally neglects Junior when he needs him, sending the old man into fits. Tony and Furio go out to the golf course to persuade the doctor into taking better care of his uncle, a persuasion that involves a lake and a golf cart. The doctor agrees. Meanwhile, Paulie is still all over Christopher (Michael Imperioli) for the rest of his very long probation period: not paying up at a pool game, making Chris strip to prove he's not wired, and coming by his apartment at 2 am for a shakedown. Aside from these problems, Tony has another one: Pussy's wife is trying to con Tony out of money, which he promptly ends by putting a baseball bat through her new Cadilac's window.
He Is Risen / season 3 - episode 8
Written by Todd A. Kessler
Directed by Allen Coulter
Upon arriving at Dr. M elfi's office, he finds that she's double booked him with another patient on accident. Tony (James Gandolfini) gives up his slot to the Mercedes saleswoman, and begins an affair with her, under mellow complaint from Dr. Melfi (Lorraine Bracco), who knows that this woman's a basket case. Also, Ralphie feels that Tony owes him an apology for hitting him, while Tony feels that Ralphie owes him an apology for what he did to Tracee. Eventually a cold one comes out from Ralphie: "I disrespected the Bing." Ralphie's aoplogy is a good thing, because when GiGi dies, of natural causes, Ralphie is promoted to captain of the Aprile crew. On the home front, Meadow and Jackie Jr. are hooking up, and Jackie's slowly disrespecting Tony by dragging their daughter into things that she shouldn't do.
The Telltale Moozadell / season 3 - episode 9
Written by Michael Imperioli
Directed by Daniel Attias
Meadow and Jackie are now openly dating, to the thrill of Rosalie and Tony (James Gandolfini), and to the reservations of Carmela (Edie Falco), who's worried that she's coming home from college too much and that she's missing out on things. But Tony and Carm have bigger problems than this: AJ was caught vandalizing the school pool. Instead of expulsion, he's allowed to stay at school and play football, to the shock of his parents. Unbeknownst to Tony, Jackie's setting up his own operation, offering protection to a friend to sell Ecstasy in the parking lot of the Crazy Horse, a new club that Christopher (Michael Imperioli) gave Adrianna. Chris doesn't want the stuff anywhere near the club, and he tells Jackie so.
To Save Us All From Satan's Power / season 3 - episode 10
Written by Robin Green & Mitchell Burgess
Directed by Jack Bender
Tony (James Gandolfini) has been having flashbacks and remembrances of Big Pussy. At the shore, he and Paulie remember him, with Paulie saying that "[he'd] kill him again if [he] had the chance." Tony wants to know when Pussy flipped and why (turns out he did as far back as 1995 - Santa was wired). And what's causing all of this? Christmas is upon the Soprano family, and they need a new Santa for their annual party for underprivileged youth, since Pussy was theirs in years past. Underprivileged youth aside, Tony needs to launder some money, so he takes it to Slava, who happens to tell Tony the name of the guy who beat Janice. Tony and Furio take care of the Russian cab driver, beating him and pinning him under a sleigh in a department store window. Janice sees this on TV, and it somehow brings her closer to God, and inspires her and her partner to delve further into the trenches of Christian Pop.
Pine Barrens / season 3 - episode 11
Teleplay by Terence Winter, story by Tim Van Patten & Terence Winter
Directed by Steve Buscemi
Paulie has to watch his temper around other people - while picking up money that is owed to Silvio by Valery, a Russian friend of Slava's, Paulie beats the hell out of him, and apparently kills him, much to Christopher's (Michael Imperioli) shock. They take what they think is the dead body to the woods, where they find out that he's still alive. They force him to dig his own grave, but while digging, he hits Chris in the head with a shovel and runs. The guys run after him, and Paulie shoots him in the head. When they come up to where the body should be, he's not there, he's gone... and is he a modern day Rasputin? Well, it seems that he is a former military commando, responsible for killing 20 Chechyans. Paulie and Chris are in a bigger pickle than they ever imagined, they're in the woods with a commando... and they can't find their car.
Amour Fou / season 3 - episode 12
Written by Frank Renzulli
Directed by Tim Van Patten
Tony (James Gandolfini) tries to explain his passion for Gloria to Dr. Melfi (Lorraine Bracco), that he can't stop thinking about her. She says that he has "amour fou" or crazy love, all consuming. And Gloria is about to become even more all consuming, in a worse way. She drives Carm home from the dealership while the wagon is being worked on, and proceeds to call her back later. Tony finds out, and tells Gloria he never wants to see her again, which causes her to have a nervous breakdown and threaten to call Carm, and he to almost strangle her to death after he realizes that she is acting exactly like his mother. Later, he has Patsi take a car out for a test drive... and he tells Gloria to stay away from Tony at gunpoint, or the last thing she sees will be his face, not Tony's.
The Army of One / season 3 - episode 13
Written by David Chase and Lawrence Konner
Directed by John Patterson
More problems for Tony(James Gandolfini). AJ has been caught cheating on a geometry test, and has finally been expelled from school. Tony wants to send im to military school, and Carm has reservations about turning her son into a "trained killer." Tony just wants to keep his son away from what is happening to Jackie Jr., or, rather, what happened to Jackie Jr., as the younger Aprile is found in the projects with a bullet in the back of his head. At the funeral, Carm sees Jackie in his casket and reflects on the life he led, and agrees to try things Tony's way for her son. Meadow, meanwhile, knows exactly what happened to Jackie, and calls her mother on her hypocrisy for thriving off the mafia life, though at the wake at the Aprile house, she gets upset at Jackie's sister for suggesting what happened to him in front of an "outsider," effectively and unknowingly enforcing the code of Omerta. report error and omissions here
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