Proshai, Livushka

"Proshai, Livushka" is the 28th episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and the second of the show's third season. It was written by David Chase and directed by Tim Van Patten, and originally aired on March 4, 2001.

"Proshai, Livushka"
The Sopranos episode
The Sopranos at Livia's funeral.
Episode no.Season 3
Episode 2
Directed byTim Van Patten
Written byDavid Chase
Cinematography byPhil Abraham
Production code301
Original air dateMarch 4, 2001
Running time57 minutes
Guest appearance(s)

see below

Starring

Guest starring

Also guest starring

Synopsis

At home, Tony greets Meadow and her friend from college, Noah Tannenbaum. Tony and Noah talk briefly about Tony's favorite film The Public Enemy. Alone with him, Tony questions him about his ethnicity, and confirms that he is half Jewish and half African-American. Tony tells him that, being black, he must stay away from his daughter. Noah swears at him, and storms out. Tony goes to the kitchen; unwrapping some cold cuts he sees a box of Uncle Ben's Rice, triggering a panic attack.

Tony has read the newspaper headline: "2nd Firebomb in Sanitation War". He confronts Ralphie Cifaretto, an ambitious and effective member of Richie Aprile's crew, and Albert Barese about the sanitation dispute. He tells them firmly: "No more fires." So, instead, Ralphie has a man beaten up with baseball bats. Separately, Ray Curto meets his handler from the FBI; he is 'cooperating'.

Tony visits his mother Livia in an attempt to set things straight, and tell her what to say if questioned about the stolen airline tickets. She seems to stonewall him. Exasperated, he walks out. That evening, Livia dies from a stroke. Later, Tony tells Dr. Melfi, "I'm glad she's dead." Then he bursts out that he is "a bad son".

Tony's sister Barbara informs him that Janice will not be coming for the funeral. He furiously calls her in Seattle and tells her to be on the next plane; she inveigles him into paying the fare. At the funeral home Janice insists that, contrary to her wishes, Livia be given a lavish funeral and, exasperated, Tony agrees. In Livia's house, Janice hammers at the basement wall. At the funeral, still at the graveside, she has a dispute with Livia's caregiver Svetlana about Livia's collection of records. Svetlana says Livia gave them to her; Janice orders her to give them back.

At the post-funeral reception at the Sopranos' house Janice, against Tony's wishes, corrals everyone into the main room for a ceremony of remembrance. With some reluctance, one or two people speak in memory of Livia. Christopher, stoned on marijuana and cocaine, gives a rambling, unfocused speech. Tony has slipped outside, where he is confronted by an angry and drunk Artie Bucco, who remembers Livia telling him about Tony's torching of the Vesuvio. Artie goes back inside and seems ready to speak about it but Carmela, who has been drinking, suddenly says, "This is such a crock of shit." She says that Livia was "terribly dysfunctional" and, "even from the grave" she "spread no cheer".

Afterwards, Tony sits in front of the television with a drink and watches the scene from The Public Enemy in which the main character's mother joyfully prepares her home for her son's return. Tony gets teary.

First appearances

The episode marks the first appearance of:

  • Ralph Cifaretto: A high-ranking soldier in the former Aprile crew who pushes to be made captain of said crew.
  • Eugene Pontecorvo: A well-liked associate and soon-to-be made man in the Aprile crew.
  • Noah Tannenbaum: A half-black, half-Jewish college student and potential boyfriend of Meadow's.
  • Ronald Zellman: Assemblyman for Newark, New Jersey's Lower 8th Ward.

Deceased

Title reference
  • A Romanization of the Russian «Прощай, Ливьюшка»: "Farewell, little Livia." Said in Russian, as a toast in Livia's memory by her caregiver, Svetlana.

Production
  • Because of Nancy Marchand's death, David Chase decided that Livia should die as well. Livia's final scene was created using CGI with previous sound clips and scenes featuring Marchand. The cost was approximately $250,000.[1]
  • This is the final episode in which Nancy Marchand is billed in the opening credits.
  • Joe Pantoliano (Ralph Cifaretto), Steve R. Schirripa (Bobby "Bacala" Baccalieri), Robert Funaro (Eugene Pontecorvo), John Ventimiglia (Artie Bucco), and Kathrine Narducci (Charmaine Bucco) are now billed in the opening credits as part of the main cast, but only in episodes in which they appear.
  • The episode was part two of a two-hour season premiere when it originally aired in 2001.
  • Vincent Pastore makes a cameo in this episode, when Tony opens a closet door and Pussy is seen in the mirror.

References to other media
  • When Tony visits his mother for the final time, he brings her audiobooks of the novels The Horse Whisperer and Omertà.
  • Meadow goes upstairs to get her Barenaked Ladies CD, leaving Tony and Noah alone.
  • The book read by the FBI agent in the surveillance van was The Internet for Dummies.
  • Various clips from the 1931 gangster film, The Public Enemy starring James Cagney, are featured throughout this episode.
  • The shot of the undertaker from inside a descending elevator references the character Amerigo Bonasera in The Godfather, as does the undertaker's reference to using "all of my power, all of my skill."
  • Furio Giunta refers to the reality TV series Survivor, saying that someone should point a gun at the winner and demand 25% of the prize money.

Music

Filming locations

Listed in order of first appearance:[2]

References
  1. "Late 'Sopranos' actress virtually returns to show". USA Today. Gannett Company. February 28, 2001. Retrieved May 18, 2016.
  2. Ugoku. "The Sopranos location guide - Filming locations for". www.sopranos-locations.com. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
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