The Sopranos, "A Hit is a Hit": There's business to be done

My review/recap of the March 14, 1999 episode after I use a ukulele.

Outsiders and the search for legitimacy are this episode's focal points. Tony, Christopher, Adriana, Carmela, as well as the Cusamanos and Melfi are at outsiders to another group in this episode. Many of them, as well as Hesh and Massive G, are looking for acceptance and legitimacy.

Tony is the outsider to the legitimate world of his neighbors Dr. Bruce and Jean Cusamano (Robert LePone and Saundra Santiago), and their friends. They don't talk to Tony at a barbeque when he asks them for stock tips (Tony wants to use the money that he got at the beginning of the episode for something legitimate, like investing in an IPO). Tony is hesitant at first to go to the private golf club with them. Finally, he decides to go with him, but becomes upset when they spend the entire day asking him questions about the Mafia. When they ask him if he knew John Gotti, Tony jokes with them and tells them a made-up story about how Gotti outbid him for an ice cream truck and then gave him a ride home. At therapy with Melfi, Tony says how he felt like he was only there for their amusement. He tells Melfi that he and his friends used to do the same thing to a child with a cleft-palate in high school named Jimmy Smash. Tony and his friends would call Jimmy to make fun of him, and Jimmy would always do it because he wanted to be with the "cool kids." Later Tony found out that Jimmy would cry himself to sleep every night, and now Tony realizes that it wasn't good. As revenge, Tony fills up a box with sand and asks Dr. Cusamano to hold on to it for him. The Cusamanos are concerned about what is in the box (they think it might be drugs or a weapon).

Christopher and Adriana are outsiders in the music business. This week, Adriana wants to be a music manager, particularly to her friend and ex-boyfriend's band Visiting Day. After a chance meeting with gangster rapper Massive G, Adriana tries to get Visiting Day a contract with Christopher supporting her. He begins to realize that Massive G is only helping her because he wants to sleep with her. This is evident when Massive G tells her that Visiting Day is good and then Hesh tells Christopher that "is not a hit." 

The legitimate people (the Cusamanos, Mefli, etc.) are outsiders to Tony's criminal life. At a dinner party at the Cusamanos, Bruce talks to his friends about being neighbors with a gangster and the Mafia as if he knows all about it. Meanwhile, Melfi goes to the bathroom and looks at Tony's house. She is freighted after hearing a scream (Tony working out).

Carmela wants to make her own legitimate money and uses a stock tip she overhears at the Cusamanos' barbeque (even though she is an outsider to the stock market). 

Massive G and Hesh have a sit down because Massive G wants Hesh to pay reparations from music royalties he owes to one of Massive G's deceased relatives. Hesh refuses to pay, causing Massive G to threaten legal action, while Hesh says that he will counter-sue because Massive G used an unauthorized sample of one of Hesh's songs. Paulie becomes angry because people like Massive G are being idolized as "gangsters."

Sign of the Times: Christopher and Adriana smoking in the bar while watching Visiting Day perform

This was a good middle-of-the-season episode. It can stand on its own because it doesn't really add anything to the overall story of the season but it definitely had its moments (mainly for comedy). The look that Tony gives to Dr. Cusamano sure was scary though.