Irregular Around the Margins: Difference between revisions

"**Irregular Around the Margins**"
"Irregular Around the Margins"
The Sopranos episode
Episode no.	Season 5; Episode 5
Directed by	Allen Coulter
Written by	Robin Green; Mitchell Burgess
Cinematography by	Phil Abraham
Production code	505
Original air date	April 4, 2004
Running time	52 minutes
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"Irregular Around the Margins" is the 57th episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and the fifth of the show's fifth season. Written by Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess, and directed by Allen Coulter, it originally aired on April 4, 2004.

Starring

James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano
Lorraine Bracco as Dr. Jennifer Melfi
Edie Falco as Carmela Soprano
Michael Imperioli as Christopher Moltisanti
Dominic Chianese as Corrado Soprano, Jr.
Steven Van Zandt as Silvio Dante
Tony Sirico as Paulie Gualtieri
Robert Iler as Anthony Soprano, Jr.
Jamie-Lynn DiScala as Meadow Soprano
Drea de Matteo as Adriana La Cerva
Aida Turturro as Janice Soprano Baccalieri *
Steven R. Schirripa as Bobby Baccalieri
Kathrine Narducci as Charmaine Bucco
Steve Buscemi as Tony Blundetto

* = credit only

Guest starring

Jerry Adler as Hesh Rabkin

Also guest starring

Synopsis

Tony has a mole removed, later determined to be a squamous skin cancer. Adriana is being treated for irritable bowel syndrome caused by stress. Tony spends more time at her club and, with Christopher traveling to North Carolina on a cigarette smuggling job, is alone with her in her office. As the two bond over recent problems and snort cocaine together, Tony playfully challenges her to a game of darts. She accidentally drops the darts and, retrieving them, ends up on her knees at Tony's feet. The mood becomes intimate; he beckons her to stand, and they nearly kiss, but are interrupted by a knock at the office door. The incident compels Tony to resume his therapy. He tells Dr. Melfi that a relationship with Adriana, while appealing, would lead to problems with both Chris and Carmela and ruin Adriana's life. Melfi commends Tony for his resistance to taking an action he knows would have harmful consequences, calling it a breakthrough in his therapy.

Late at night on the eve of Chris's return, Tony and Adriana drive to Dover to buy cocaine. Tony swerves to avoid a raccoon, and his SUV flips over to the driver's side. Tony is released from the hospital unhurt. Adriana is bruised and has a head injury. Tony suggests a cover story to explain why they were alone together in the early morning: they were going to get something to eat. However, Tony's crew and their associates play an unintentional game of "telephone" with the story of the accident. The details get more elaborate and lurid with each retelling; the final version is that Adriana was fellating Tony as he drove when the accident occurred.

Chris learns of the accident from his crew upon his return from North Carolina. Initially concerned, he quickly becomes suspicious. At Satriale's, he loses his temper and nearly starts a fight with Vito, who is now a capo. At a face-to-face meeting, Tony turns the conversation against Chris, saying that Chris does not deserve a woman as good-looking as Adriana. Tony swears on his children that the rumors of their affair are untrue. At home, Adriana admits to Chris that she and Tony were going to see her drug dealer but insists that nothing happened between them. Chris batters her and physically throws her out. Immediately thereafter, he relapses with a bottle of vodka from the freezer.

A drunken Chris arrives at the Bing and empties his pistol into Tony's car. He enters the club shouting threats to Tony and brandishing the empty gun. Tony's crew easily overpowers Chris, and they drive him to the Meadowlands, where Tony prepares to execute him if he doesn't acknowledge that nothing happened between Tony and Adriana. At Tony B's suggestion, Chris is taken to the doctor who treated Tony and Adriana on the night of the accident. Though they are threatening him, the doctor freely acknowledges that Adriana's injuries show that she was wearing her seat belt and sitting upright when the accident occurred. Chris, initially skeptical, appears to be placated by the doctor's story and demeanor. He says that he feels like a laughing stock and gets out of the car, walking off alone into the rain.

Agent Sanseverino, believing the final version of the story of Adriana and Tony, wants Adriana to exploit their supposed relationship by planting listening devices in her club. She asks permission to do so, infuriating Adriana, who moves to get out of the car. As she is leaving, Sanseverino warns her that her behavior is that of someone who is protecting their abusers. Meanwhile, Tony convinces Carmela that there is nothing between him and Adriana, despite Carmela's initial resistance to believe him. In a show of unity, Tony and Carmela, Chris and Adriana, and Tony B and Quintina Blundetto dine at Nuovo Vesuvio, where most of Tony's crew are eating at other tables. Vito approaches them and shakes Chris' hand, wishing him a pleasant evening, resolving the tension between them.

Production

Tony's burgundy 1999 Chevy Suburban is seen for the last time in this episode (he was last seen driving it in the closing scene of the season 4 finale). He had upgraded to a black Cadillac Escalade at the beginning of season 5 (and drives/is driven in a white 2003 Escalade after crashing his previous Escalade from the middle of this season onwards).

First appearances

Frankie Cortese: a soldier in the Soprano family. He is one of the two bodyguards who subdued Christopher when he comes into the Bada Bing to confront Tony
Jason Molinaro: a member of the Aprile crew

Title reference

Tony tells Adriana that he's afraid a mole on his shoulder looks "irregular around the margins," a worry he's had ever since a cancerous mole was removed from his forehead.

Awards

Allen Coulter was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for his work on this episode.
Mitchell Burgess and Robin Green were nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for their work on this episode.
Drea de Matteo won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her performance in this episode.
Michael Imperioli won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his performance in this episode.

Music

The song that plays during the meeting in the Crazy Horse, when Adriana comes in, is "Beat Connection" from LCD Soundsystem.
The song that plays while Tony and Adriana use cocaine at the Crazy Horse is "Come for Me" by Little Steven and the Lost Boys. The band's singer, Steven Van Zandt, plays Silvio Dante on the show.
The music that plays during the final restaurant scene and over the closing credits is the aria, "Chi il bel sogno di Doretta?", from La rondine, an opera by Giacomo Puccini sung by Luba Orgonasova. The same aria was used in the pilot episode, when Tony got his first panic attack at the moment the ducks left his pool. The song describes a woman who rejects a king as a suitor in favor of a student.

References

External links

"Irregular Around the Margins" Archived 2016-08-18 at the Wayback Machine at HBO
"Irregular Around the Margins" at IMDb

@@ Line 64: / Line 64: @@
 ==Synopsis==
+[[Tony Soprano|Tony]] has a mole removed, later determined to be a [[Squamous-cell carcinoma|squamous skin cancer]]. [[Adriana La Cerva|Adriana]] is being treated for [[irritable bowel syndrome]] caused by stress. Tony spends more time at her club and, with [[Christopher Moltisanti|Christopher]] traveling to [[North Carolina]] on a [[cigarette smuggling]] job, is alone with her in her office. As the two bond over recent problems and snort [[cocaine]] together, Tony playfully challenges her to a game of darts. She accidentally drops the darts and, retrieving them, ends up on her knees at Tony's feet. The mood becomes intimate; he beckons her to stand, and they nearly kiss, but are interrupted by a knock at the office door. The incident compels Tony to resume his therapy. He tells [[Jennifer Melfi|Dr. Melfi]] that a relationship with Adriana, while appealing, would lead to problems with both Chris and [[Carmela Soprano|Carmela]] and ruin Adriana's life. Melfi commends Tony for his resistance to taking an action he knows would have harmful consequences, calling it a breakthrough in his therapy.
+Late at night on the eve of Chris's return, Tony and Adriana drive to [[Dover, New Jersey|Dover]] to buy cocaine. Tony swerves to avoid a [[raccoon]], and his SUV flips over to the driver's side. Tony is released from the hospital unhurt. Adriana is bruised and has a head injury. Tony suggests a cover story to explain why they were alone together in the early morning: they were going to get something to eat. However, Tony's crew and their associates play an unintentional game of [[Chinese whispers|"telephone"]] with the story of the accident. The details get more elaborate and lurid with each retelling; the final version is that Adriana was [[fellatio|fellating]] Tony as he drove when the accident occurred.
-[[Tony Soprano|Tony]] has a mole removed, later determined to be a [[Squamous-cell carcinoma|squamous skin cancer]]. [[Adriana La Cerva|Adriana]] is being treated for [[irritable bowel syndrome]] caused by stress. Tony spends more time at her club and, with [[Christopher Moltisanti|Christopher]] traveling to [[North Carolina]] on a [[cigarette smuggling]] job, is alone with her in her office. As the two bond over recent problems and snort [[cocaine]] together, Tony playfully challenges her to a game of darts. She accidentally drops the darts and, retrieving them, ends up on her knees at Tony's feet. The mood becomes intimate; he beckons her to stand, and they nearly kiss, but are interrupted by a knock at the office door. The incident compels Tony to resume his psychiatric therapy. He tells [[Jennifer Melfi|Dr. Melfi]] that a relationship with Adriana, while appealing, would lead to problems with both Chris and [[Carmela Soprano|Carmela]] and ruin Adriana's life. Melfi commends Tony for his resistance to taking an action he knows would have harmful consequences, calling it a breakthrough in his therapy.
+Chris learns of the accident from his crew upon his return from North Carolina. Initially concerned, he quickly becomes suspicious. At [[Satriale's Pork Store|Satriale's]], he loses his temper and nearly starts a fight with [[Vito Spatafore|Vito]], who is now a [[caporegime|capo]]. At a face-to-face meeting, Tony turns the conversation against Chris, saying that Chris does not deserve a woman as good-looking as Adriana. Tony swears on his children that the rumors of their affair are untrue. At home, Adriana admits to Chris that she and Tony were going to see her drug dealer but insists that nothing happened between them. Chris batters her and physically throws her out. Immediately thereafter, he [[relapse]]s with a bottle of vodka from the freezer.
-Late at night on the eve of Chris' return, Tony and Adriana drive to [[Dover, New Jersey|Dover]] to buy cocaine. Tony swerves to avoid a [[raccoon]], and his SUV flips over to the driver's side. Tony is released from the hospital unhurt. Adriana is bruised and has a head injury. Tony suggests a cover story to explain why they were alone together in the early morning: they were going to get something to eat. However, Tony's crew and their associates play an unintentional game of [[Chinese whispers|"telephone"]] with the story of the accident. The details get more elaborate and lurid with each retelling; the final version is that Adriana was [[fellatio|fellating]] Tony as he drove when the accident occurred.
+A drunken Chris arrives at the Bing and empties his pistol into Tony's car. He enters the club shouting threats to Tony and brandishing the empty gun. Tony's crew easily overpowers Chris, and they drive him to [[the Meadowlands]], where Tony prepares to execute him if he doesn't acknowledge that nothing happened between Tony and Adriana. At Tony B's suggestion, Chris is taken to the doctor who treated Tony and Adriana on the night of the accident. Though they are threatening him, the doctor freely acknowledges that Adriana's injuries show that she was wearing her seat belt and sitting upright when the accident occurred. Chris, initially skeptical, appears to be placated by the doctor's story and demeanor. He says that he feels like a [[Wiktionary:laughing stock|laughing stock]] and gets out of the car, walking off alone into the rain.
-Chris learns of the accident from his crew upon his return from North Carolina. Initially concerned, he quickly becomes suspicious. At [[Satriale's Pork Store|Satriale's]], he loses his temper and nearly starts a fight with [[Vito Spatafore|Vito]], who is now a ''[[caporegime|capo]]''. At a face-to-face meeting, Tony turns the conversation against Chris, saying that Chris does not deserve a woman as good-looking as Adriana. Tony swears on his children that the rumors of their affair are untrue. At home, Adriana admits to Christopher that she and Tony were going to see her drug dealer, but insists that nothing happened between them. Chris batters her and physically throws her out. Immediately thereafter, he [[relapse]]s with a bottle of vodka from the freezer.
-Chris, drunk, arrives at the Bing and empties his pistol into Tony's car. He enters the club shouting threats to Tony and brandishing the empty gun. Tony's crew easily overpowers Chris, and they drive him to the Meadowlands, where Tony prepares to execute him if he doesn't acknowledge that nothing happened between Tony and Adriana. At Tony B's suggestion, Chris is taken to the doctor who treated Tony and Adriana on the night of the accident. Though they are threatening him, the doctor freely acknowledges that Adriana's injuries show that she was wearing her seat belt and sitting upright when the accident occurred. Chris, initially skeptical, appears to be placated by the doctor's story and demeanor. He says that he feels like a [[Wiktionary:laughing stock|laughing stock]] and gets out of the car, walking off alone into the rain.
-Agent [[FBI on The Sopranos#Robyn Sanseverino|Sanseverino]], believing the final version of the story of Adriana and Tony, wants Adriana to exploit their supposed relationship by planting listening devices in her club. She asks permission to do so, infuriating Adriana, who moves to get out of the car. As she is leaving, Sanseverino warns her that her behavior is that of someone who is protecting their abusers.
+Agent [[FBI on The Sopranos#Robyn Sanseverino|Sanseverino]], believing the final version of the story of Adriana and Tony, wants Adriana to exploit their supposed relationship by planting listening devices in her club. She asks permission to do so, infuriating Adriana, who moves to get out of the car. As she is leaving, Sanseverino warns her that her behavior is that of someone who is protecting their abusers. Meanwhile, Tony convinces Carmela that there is nothing between him and Adriana, despite Carmela's initial resistance to believe him. In a show of unity, Tony and Carmela, Chris and Adriana, and Tony B and [[List of characters from The Sopranos - Friends and Family#Quintina Pollio Blundetto|Quintina Blundetto]] dine at Nuovo Vesuvio, where most of Tony's crew are eating at other tables. Vito approaches them and shakes Chris' hand, wishing him a pleasant evening, resolving the tension between them.
-Tony convinces Carmela that there is nothing between him and Adriana, despite Carmela's initial resistance to believe him. In a show of unity, Tony and Carmela, Chris and Adriana, and Tony B and [[List of characters from The Sopranos - Friends and Family#Quintina Pollio Blundetto|Quintina Blundetto]] arrive to dine at Nuovo Vesuvio, where most of Tony's crew are eating at other tables. Vito approaches them and shakes Chris' hand, wishing him a pleasant evening, resolving the tension between them.
 ==Production==