Rat Pack (The Sopranos)

"Rat Pack" is the 54th episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and is the second of the show's fifth season. Written by Matthew Weiner and directed by Alan Taylor, it originally aired on March 14, 2004.

"Rat Pack"
The Sopranos episode
Episode no.Season 5
Episode 2
Directed byAlan Taylor
Written byMatthew Weiner
Cinematography byAlik Sakharov
Production code502
Original air dateMarch 14, 2004
Running time57 minutes
Guest appearance(s)

see below

Starring

* = credit only

Guest starring

Also guest starring

Synopsis

After Carmine dies, Little Carmine sees himself as his father's successor, which is disdainfully dismissed by Johnny. Tony has a meeting with Jack Massarone, who presents him with a painting of the Rat Pack. Tony has known Massarone a long time, but does not know that he is now an FBI informant. The tip comes from a source of Patsy Parisi's. Tony arranges another meeting and hugs Massarone to find the wire, not realizing it's in his baseball cap. He does not know what to think, but Massarone said one thing out of key: he complimented Tony on losing weight. Tony spends a restless night, then drives to the Pulaski Skyway and tosses Massarone's painting into the river below. Massarone is found dead in the trunk of his car.

Another informant, Soprano capo Ray Curto, visits FBI Headquarters to help agents correct a transcript of a meeting he recorded. A third informant, Adriana, is under pressure: "I am being ripped apart here, snitching on people!" Her FBI handler, Agent Sanseverino, tells her about the family tragedy that impelled her to join the FBI, and says they are both "with the good guys now," but this is no comfort for Adriana. At an evening with Carmela and others, talking and drinking wine, Adriana is racked with guilt, inflamed when Rosalie tells her that Big Pussy Bonpensiero's widow, Angie, is not welcome in their group because they think her husband was an informant. A tearful Adriana nearly admits the truth, but instead flees, and stumbles and hurts herself in the driveway. She refuses the women's offers of first aid and speeds away in her car. She then tells Sanseverino that her friend Tina, who has been flirting with Chris, is embezzling money from the company where she works.

Tony greets Tony B after he is released from prison. At his welcome-home party at Nuovo Vesuvio, Tony tells a large gathering how important his cousin was in his life growing up. Tony B is disappointed that his ex-wife and twin sons are not there. There is some awkwardness when he seems to mock Tony's weight gain. Tony offers Tony B a place in a stolen airbag operation. However, Tony B is not eager to get back in the business and seeks to go legitimate by becoming a state-licensed massage therapist. A disappointed Tony tells Silvio and Christopher that his cousin is "useless." He rebukes Tony B for making jokes about him, as he is now "the boss," and for giving massages in the office, but in a late-night phone call, he seems to soften his tone and the two Tonys are reconciled.

First appearances
  • Lorraine Calluzzo: loan shark working for the Lupertazzi crime family, also known as "Lady Shylock."
  • Jason Evanina: Lorraine Calluzzo's loan-sharking partner and lover.
  • Tony Blundetto (first physical appearance): Tony's cousin and DiMeo/Soprano crime family member who was sent to federal prison in 1986 for hijacking a tractor trailer.
  • Phil Leotardo (first physical appearance): Captain in the Lupertazzi crime family, recently released from prison after serving 20 years.

Deceased
  • Joseph "Joey" Cogo: killed offscreen in a payment dispute. Agent Sanseverino shows photos of his corpse to Adriana, who confirms his identity and having seen him previously with certain mob members.
  • Carmine Lupertazzi: died of complications due to stroke
  • Jack Massarone: killed for being an FBI informant. Massarone is found dead in the trunk of a car by FBI agents.

Title reference
  • Jack Massarone gives Tony a painting of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, Jr, who were all members of the "Rat Pack."
  • The three informants are all "rats."
  • Junior refers to the newly released ex-cons as "the Class of 2004, old rats on a new ship."

References to other media

Reference to real events
  • After Carmine Lupertazzi passes, Bobby mentions that he had heard Carmine invented point shaving. To this, Uncle Junior nostalgically recalls, "CCNY versus Kentucky, 1951. Nobody beat the spread, I bought a black Fleetwood." This refers to the actual CCNY Point Shaving Scandal of 1950-1951.

Music
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gollark: !!!
gollark: I would know this if it was true, which it is not.
gollark: Only hilariously outdated ones.
gollark: Well, recent bees.
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