All Happy Families...

Infobox Television episode | Title = All Happy Families...
Series = The Sopranos
Season = 5
Episode = 56
Guests = "see below"
Writer = Toni Kalem
Director = Rodrigo Garcia
Airdate = March 28, 2004
Production = 504
Episode list = Episode chronology


Prev = Where's Johnny?
Next = Irregular Around the Margins"All Happy Families..." is the fifty-sixth episode of the HBO original series "The Sopranos" and was the fourth of the show's fifth season. It was written by Toni Kalem (also plays role of Angie Bonpensiero), directed by Rodrigo Garcia and originally aired on March 28 2004.

Guest starring roles

* Ray Abruzzo as Little Carmine
* Chris Caldovino as Billy Leotardo
* Patti D'Arbanville as Lorraine Calluzzo
* Robert Loggia as Feech La Manna
* Joe Maruzzo as Joe Peeps
* John Pleshette as Dr. Ira Fried
* David Lee Roth as Himself
* Joe Santos as Angelo Garepe
* David Strathairn as Robert Wegler
* Lawrence Taylor as Himself
* Frankie Valli as Rusty Millio
* Frank Vincent as Phil Leotardo
* Bernie Brillstein as Himself

Episode recap

In New York, Lorraine Calluzzo and her boyfriend, Jason Evanina, are murdered by Billy Leotardo and Joe Peeps after they refused to give their collections to Johnny Sack. Little Carmine becomes extremely upset by the news and is advised by fellow Capo Rusty Millio to take action. Together with Rusty and Angelo Garepe, Little Carmine tries to devise a plan to overtake Johnny and Phil Leotardo which is likely to result in complete turmoil.

Tony hears the news of Lorraine Calluzo's murder and advises his captains and soldiers not to get involved in the New York feud. Feech La Manna then recalls when Tony and Jackie Aprile, Sr made their first major move by robbing his card game. Tony laughs at this, but Feech asks if he can run the card game once again. Tony considers the offer since it is now run by his Uncle Junior's crew.

Anthony Jr. is having a difficult time in school and is being extremely resentful to his mother because of his parents' separation. When Tony and Carmela go to a conference with A.J.'s guidance counselor, Mr. Wegler, he advises him to improve his SAT scores and to do better with his classwork. A.J. learns he was once diagnosed as having Attention Deficit Disorder, A.D.D. A.J. suggest that he could get into college with a learning disability angle. If he does have A.D.D then he would get unlimited time on his SAT test to complete it. A.J. is sent back to class when Wegler begins to talk to Tony and Carmela privately about his academic record. Carmela puts part of the blame on the separation, but says that A.J. should be devoting more time to his studies. After they leave the office, the secretary informs Mr. Wegler that two girls were killed in a car accident coming to school that morning. A.J., still in the office talking to a friend, overhears the news.

Dr. Melfi finds a basket of expensive Dr. Hauschka toiletries and a bathrobe in her office waiting room from Tony. Later she reads the gift card to her psychologist Dr. Elliot Kupferberg about the basket which was an apology for using a certain word -- "cunt" -- to her the last time they spoke in person. He tells her it represents ablution.

Tony decides to cheer A.J. up by buying him a new Nissan Xterra. Carmela scoffs at this, believing A.J. does not deserve such a gift and it will hinder his school work further. A.J. snidely tells Carmela that it is not her business and he was not talking to her. Tony then tells A.J. that the car stays in the garage until his grades are up. Later during an argument over who has real friends, Carmela points out that he doesn't have many friends, just "flunkies" who would laugh at his jokes only because he is the boss and respect him out of fear.

At the card game, Feech continues to recall events from the past and makes jokes, generating uproarious laughter from Tony's crew. This causes Tony to become extremely frustrated. Using Carmela's suggestion, Tony makes an obviously unfunny joke to the card players to see if they laugh:

:What do you get when you cross an accountant with a jet airplane? A "Boring" 747.

The only person not laughing is Feech, which suggests that Carmela was right about his "friends".

The following day, A.J. asks his mother if he can attend a Mudvayne concert in New York City with a few friends. Carmela refuses because A.J. and his friends are planning on staying overnight at a hotel. A.J. becomes angry by this and gives Carmela the silent treatment. Carmela gives in on the condition that after the concert he must go to Meadow's apartment and be back at home by 10.30 AM the following day. A.J. agrees and continues to look at his car manual.

On the night of the concert, A.J. calls Meadow to tell her that he will not be coming to her apartment afterward. Meadow reluctantly gives in, since she is in the middle of making out with Finn. A.J. and his friends then arrive at the hotel where they get high and drunk shortly after. The next morning, A.J. and his friend Matt both wake up when A.J.'s cell phone rings from a worried Carmela. A.J. doesn't answer it. A.J.'s face is Krazy Glued to the carpeted floor and his eyebrows have been shaved off. Matt helps A.J. pry his face off the carpet, leaving a patch of it on A.J.'s face. Matt, still laughing at A.J., notices for the first time that he has a cartoon mustache and beard drawn on him. A.J. and Matt manage to get themselves cleaned up and leave the room.

Carmela becomes extremely worried and frantically calls Tony to go look for A.J. Almost at that same moment, A.J. arrives back home, with his eyebrows shaved off and cartoon ones drawn in their place. A.J. refuses to explain to his mother what happened. When he tries to go to his room, Carmela tries to hold him back. He shrugs her off saying "fuck you" and runs up the stairs. Carmela demands that he comes back and runs up after him, but she trips and bangs her shin on a step. A.J. stops to look back. They look at each other, but A.J. doesn't go to comfort his mother and continues to his room. Tony arrives and Carmela, upset, gives an accurate rundown on what happened between herself and A.J. Then A.J. comes down taking out the trash (after seeing his father pull up). He has washed off his cartoon eyebrows but Tony notices "something different about him". Carmela points out that his eyebrows have been shaved off. Horrified, Tony says A.J. should come clean with whatever "sexual proclivities" he may have with him and that teacher, meaning his tutor. He also questions his son about drug usage. However, A.J. comes up with lies including a false alibi. He denies he was taking drugs and only had a few beers. Tony believes A.J.'s false story, and starts to side with A.J. about Carmela's "overreaction". Tony states that it's normal teenage behavior. Carmela is resentful for Tony taking up A.J.'s side. After Tony sends A.J. upstairs Carmela discusses how it may be her fault A.J. is the way he is because she tries to compete with Tony for his affections by indulging him like Tony. Tony denies it but Carmela then says that Tony should take him and live with him. At Tony's, A.J. enjoys himself, bonding with his father, Artie Bucco and his uncle Tony Blundetto, watching "The Honeymooners".

When Feech carjacks a wedding from one of Tony's close doctor friends, Tony reluctantly decides that Feech -- although well-liked and highly respected -- must go since he is causing nothing but problems, and he is worried that Feech will try to usurp his authority "a la" Richie Aprile.

Christopher Moltisanti and Benny Fazio visit Feech at his home and ask him where they can hide a set of flat screen televisions. Feech recommends that they place them in his garage, but charges them a TV for the service.

Carmela has lunch with Mr. Wegler. They discuss A.J.'s troubles as well as her own. He recommends a book "Madame Bovary" by Gustave Flaubert, given some apparent parallels Carmela has with the book's protagonist.

The following day, Feech is ambushed when a substitute parole officer, Supervisor Curan, arrives at his house even though a previous inspection happened the week before. He suspects that the flat screen television on Feech's wall was stolen. The officer then asks Feech to show him his garage, and Feech has no choice but to comply. For violating his parole by receiving stolen merchandise, Feech is immediately returned to prison on a bus. On the bus Feech looks forlornly at the last glimpses of the outside world through the bus window's chicken wire, possibly realizing he was set up by Tony.

Carmela, while unlocking the door to her house carrying groceries, has a flashback of the time when A.J. careens down the drive way and out into the street on his Big Wheel. She frantically screams "Anthony!" Snapping back to the present, Carmela looks at the driveway, contemplating the memory of A.J's now gone innocence. She turns and opens the door and enters. She stands in the foyer, groceries still in arm, realizing how profoundly alone she is in that big house with Tony, Meadow, and now A.J. gone.

Deceased

* Lorraine Calluzzo: shot by Billy Leotardo on orders from Johnny Sack
* Jason Evanina: shot by Joe Peeps for being an associate with Lorraine

First appearances

* Rusty Millio: A capo in the Lupertazzi family.
* Dante Greco: an associate in the Aprile crew

Title reference

* The episode's title refers to a quote by Leo Tolstoy on the topic of family. It refers to the breakup of the Soprano household.
* It may also refer to the inner struggles within the Lupertazzi crime family following Carmine's death, as well as the struggles between Carmela, AJ and Tony.

Production

* The episode's script was written by Toni Kalem, who also plays Angie Bonpensiero, and serves as story editor on several episodes of season five.
* The character of Dr. Ira Fried was recast in this episode with actor John Pleshette. The role was previously played by Lewis J. Stadlen.
* This is the first time that Frankie Valli portrays Lupertazzi capo Rusty Milio. Valli was mentioned before in the season four episode "Christopher".
*Bernie Brillstein, who plays himself at the card game, is the business partner of "Sopranos" executive producer Brad Grey.

Music

* Edison Lighthouse's "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)" is played in the background, probably on a radio, while Lorraine was murdered.
* One scene in the Bada Bing features The Cars' "Moving in Stereo".
* In the scene where Tony is arguing with Feech Jimi Hendrix's "Who Knows" can be heard in the background through the entire scene.
* As A.J. and his friends smoke marijuana in the hotel room "Trouble" by West Coast rapper "Roscoe" can be heard playing in the background.
*The Music played over the end credits is "La Petite Mer" by Thierry Robin.