Johnny and Johnny Cakes

"The Sopranos," episode 10. From my review:

And now, the end is near, and so I face the final curtain. My friends, I�ll say it clear. I�ll state my case, of which I�m certain: Vito has lived free long enough, and now he wants to die.

The man is driving back to a place where all his old friends want to kill him, guzzling gin and listening to "My Way" on an endless loop. This is what you would call a suicide mission. And if you're wondering why Vito would bother killing that stubborn New Englander to escape the cops, it's simple: he's ready to die, but he wants to do it his way. Preferably with a big bowl of pasta first.

Vito's not the only one facing an end, though his should be more definitive than most. In the space of one deceptively busy hour, Johnny Sack pled guilty, Tony crushed Carmela's dreams of independence, Paulie revealed that he's battling cancer, Meadow edged closer to dumping Finn, and Tony finally made peace with Janice's role in his life.

David Chase and company have been using these final episodes to give each of their characters a moment or two at center stage before that final curtain. Three weeks ago, it was Artie's turn; the week after that, AJ. Last night, that curtain fell hard on Johnny.

To read the rest, click here. Then come back to comment. With this episode more than most, I felt like there wasn't nearly enough room for me to write about everything I wanted to. (Vito's inner monologue, for instance, was one of the biggest stylistic departures this show has ever done. Still not sure whether I liked it.)