It's All Over Except The Whacking

Some critics have called The Sopranos the finest series ever to grace American television. An exaggeration? Perhaps. After all, it's hard to top My Mother the Car.

Whatever its merits, Tony and the gang will end their run on HBO tonight. Among fans of the show, there is rampant speculation about what will happen in the finale. Will Tony live or die?

After the events of last week, that is not an idle question. Bobby got hit by a train (an absolutely classic scene) in the opening shots of a gang war with a New York family. Shortly afterwards, Silvio was caught in a fusillade of bullets and left in a coma, leaving the future of the E Street Band in doubt. And when we last them, Tony and Paulie were holed up in a safe house. But with their crew in disarray, it remains to be seen how they will be able to strike back at Phil Leotardo.

So how will it end? Personally, I thought I had it all figured out a few weeks ago. Chrissy was becoming increasingly disillusioned with mob life. To me it was obvious he would go to the Feds in return for a new identity. That theory went up in flames when Tony, er, "helpfully" held his nose shut after the car accident. So at this point, I'm left without a clue except to say that Tony will most certainly NOT die.

Then again, I also predicted that Kerry would beat Bush.

The Sopranos: A Seven Minute Wrap-Up