I finally got around to watching The Sopranos series finale. I thought the episode was decent, pretty much indicative of the season as a whole. I like the fact that they popped Phil Leotardo. Weezle.

I, unfortunately, couldn’t not read spoilers before I was able to see this episode. Everyone was talking about it so openly that it was virtually impossible to avoid knowing what happened. I’d literally have to move to Iran or live under a rock, or something. So, knowing how the show ended before actually seeing the show, I felt an utterly hopeless sadness when Tony started playing “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey. Because I knew this “was it”, and there was to be no more Tony Soprano.

For me, it was honestly like watching Old Yeller, or Bambi die. It was it. The end. The omega, so to speak. I am truly disheartened.

I think that we watch TV and fiction because it’s not real. Because, you know what, we as humans desire closure. Regardless of what it is, we want to see an end. If we don’t, our thirst isn’t quenched.

When I watched Six Feet Under, they actually put closure on the series and on the characters. Whereas I feel as if their closure was a bit hokey, it did give me something, and that’s more than Chase did with The Sopranos.

Though I know these characters are complete and total sociopaths, even as Tony tried to seduce A.J.’s psychotherapist into talking about his childhood woes, you still fall in love with the characters. As FBI agent Harris learns of Phil Leotardo’s death and cheers in delight, I too felt a warmness because of the connection I made with these fictional characters (in a total non-sociopathic way).

It’s hard to put into words, but I feel as if we got screwed with this conclusion (or lack thereof). I wanted closure. I spent 8 years of my life following these characters and I don’t want to decide for myself what happens to Tony at the end. I want David Chase to tell me exactly what happens to Tony and his family, where he goes from here and what stripper he’s going to bang next! I feel as if I’m owed that.

Again, sadness is how I feel. Not only because I feel let down by the conclusion, but because The Sopranos will be no more, ever. I will have to rely on rewatching the episodes, hopefully finding things that I hadn’t seen in the past. Maybe Showtime can turn Brotherhood into something that can match the ethos that The Sopranos has. I doubt though, that anything will ever match the ambiance that The Sopranos carried so well for so many years.