{"id":123746,"date":"2024-09-08T14:30:36","date_gmt":"2024-09-08T14:30:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2024\/09\/08\/the-sopranos-pine-barrens-episode-us-weekly-breaks-down-the-classic\/"},"modified":"2024-09-08T14:30:36","modified_gmt":"2024-09-08T14:30:36","slug":"the-sopranos-pine-barrens-episode-us-weekly-breaks-down-the-classic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2024\/09\/08\/the-sopranos-pine-barrens-episode-us-weekly-breaks-down-the-classic\/","title":{"rendered":"The Sopranos’ Pine Barrens Episode: Us Weekly Breaks Down the Classic"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\n Michael Imperioli , Tony Siroco.<\/span> HBO<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Christopher (Michael Imperioli<\/strong>) and Paulie (Tony Sirico<\/strong>) alone in the New Jersey wilderness, nearly freezing to death as they search for the Russian who got away \u2014 is The Sopranos<\/em> <\/a>a comedy, a drama, or something that transcends both?<\/p>\n

As explored in HBO\u2019s new documentary Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos<\/em><\/a> the series\u2019 season 3 episode, \u201cPine Barrens\u201d is widely considered one of the greatest hours of TV of all time. It seems as though creator David Chase<\/strong> thought, let\u2019s put Tony Soprano\u2019s (James Gandolfini<\/strong>) two capos alone in the snowy woods and see what happens. Well, it worked.<\/p>\n

Because Tony, naturally, has some drama of his own, the complicated New Jersey mob boss sends Christopher and Paulie to collect money from Valery, a member of the Russian mob. When the collection trip goes wrong and Paulie thinks he\u2019s killed the Russian, the men call Tony \u2014 who is not happy and has a few choice words for his companions.<\/p>\n

After Tony requests that they dispose of the body \u201cway the f\u2014k away from me,\u201d the duo head to South Jersey\u2019s Pine Barrens. Once they arrive to the woods and remove the Russian from the trunk of the car, they discover that he\u2019s still alive. He attacks Christopher and Paulie before taking off into the trees. Paulie shoots their target, but he just disappears.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\tRelated: <\/span>\u2018The Sopranos\u2019 Cast: Where Are They Now?<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tDuring its six-season run, The Sopranos transformed television as we know it, earning its title as one of the greatest shows of all time. The HBO crime drama began in January 1999 with Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) reluctantly walking into the office of his new psychiatrist, Jennifer Melfi (Lorraine Bracco), after having a panic attack. [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cI got a bad connection so I\u2019m gonna talk fast, the guy you\u2019re looking for is some kind of ex-commando or some s\u2014t. He killed 16 Chechen Rebels single-handed,\u201d Tony told the men, who cannot hear him because, again, they are lost in the woods. \u201cHe was with the interior ministry. The guy\u2019s some kind of Russian green beret. This guy cannot come back to tell this story.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paulie, only hearing half the conversation, thought the man they were looking for \u201ckilled 16 Czechoslovakians and was an interior decorator.\u201d Christopher, delivering the best line of the whole episode, responded, \u201cHis house looked like s\u2014t.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anyway, the two got lost in the woods and eventually Tony came and rescued them. The Russian? He was never found.<\/p>\n

While one might assume that shooting in the woods would have been the most difficult part for The Sopranos<\/em> cast and crew, it was actually Sirico\u2019s hair that posed the biggest problem.<\/p>\n

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