Arrivederci, Tony!

I am (was?) a die-hard fan of The Sopranos. I've literally seen every episode. I remember when Tony was slimmer with more of a hairline and when Carmela was in her feathered bang period. I know of all of Tony's "capos", "gumars", and even those who ended up on the unlucky side of his 9mm (Big Pussy, Ralphie, Adrianna, et al). At one point, I'd watched so many episodes that I found myself wanting to say things like, "All due respect, T" or "Marone!"

***SPOILER WARNING***

Hence as one might imagine, I was on pins and needles awaiting tonight's series finale. Oh, how I hypothesized about its content! I had a strong feeling that he would not be killed or jailed, despite evidence to the contrary. Fans of the show would be upset to see Tony go down, for he is one of those characters you love to hate and hate to love. I also conjectured that there would be a twist of fate in the show that would leave people talking around water coolers and blogging to no end.

What I did not expect was a Spike Lee-esque weird ending cliff hanger. So many things were left unsaid, unfinished, unanswered. There has to be a movie coming! For instance, are we to believe that Pauly really had it in for T and that his superstitious nature pushed him to flip? Does Tony ever forgive Uncle June? Will Janice ever be satisfied? Most importantly, is the guy in the restaurant (who goes to the restroom) in the last scene a hitman sent to whack Tony "Godfather" style?? And what is up with the abrupt cut to black screen at the end?

I'm afraid I need some closure, David Chase. I am a fan until my last breath, but I want more. I feel that this ending was sort of a cop-out. Understandably, it must be quite a challenge to end a series like The Sopranos, and there will always be people out there ready to complain whatever the ending. However, as a self proclaimed Sopranos aficionado, I am left feeling a bit flat.

Salud!