"The Blue Comet" is the 8th episode of Part 2 and 20th episode of Season 6 of the HBO original series The Sopranos. It is the 85th overall episode in the series. Written by David Chase and Matthew Weiner and directed by Alan Taylor, it originally aired on June 3, 2007.
episode cast
- James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano
- Lorraine Bracco as Dr. Jennifer Melfi
- Edie Falco as Carmela Soprano
- Michael Imperioli as Christopher Moltisanti *
- Dominic Chianese as Corrado Soprano, Jr. *
- Steven Van Zandt as Silvio Dante
- Tony Sirico as Paulie Gualtieri
- Robert Iler as Anthony Soprano, Jr.
- Jamie-Lynn Sigler as Meadow Soprano
- Aida Turturro as Janice Soprano Baccalieri
- Steven R. Schirripa as Bobby Baccalieri
- Frank Vincent as Phil Leotardo
- John Ventimiglia as Artie Bucco
- Dan Grimaldi as Patsy Parisi
- Sharon Angela as Rosalie Aprile
- Katherine Narducci as Charmaine Bucco
* = credit only
Guest starring
- Gregory Antonacci as Butch DeConcini
- Arthur J. Nascarella as Carlo Gervasi
- Peter Bogdanovich as Dr. Elliot Kupferberg
- Matt Servitto as Agent Harris
- Carlo Giuliano as Italo
- John "Cha Cha" Ciarcia as Albie Cianflone
- Artie Pasquale as Burt Gervasi
- Edoardo Ballerini as Corky Caporale
- Matilda Downey as Yaryna
- Aleks Shaklin as Yaryna's Father
- Ricky Aiello as Raymond "Ray-Ray" D'Abaldo
- Emily Wickersham as Rhiannon Flammer
- Lenny Venito as James "Murmur" Zancone
- John Mainieri as Ira Shortz
- Mimi Lieber as Stacey Bellows
- Adam Heller as Arnold Bellows
- Connie Teng as Yaolin
- Anthony Ribustello as Dante Greco
- Miryam Coppersmith as Sophia Baccalieri
- Angelo Massagli as Bobby Baccalieri, Jr.
- Frank John Hughes as Walden Belfiore
- Joseph Perrino as Jason Gervasi
- Merissa Morin as Isabel
- Davide Borella as Roberto
- John Cenatiempo as Anthony Maffei
- Dominic Chianese, Jr. as Dominic
- Pete Bucossi as Petey B.
- Henry Glovinsky as Derek
- Jeff Talbott as Father
- Eric Mangini as Himself
- Julie Mangini as Herself
- Michael Drayer as Jason Parisi
episode recap
Silvio garrotes Soprano soldier Burt Gervasi at his home. Later, in Brooklyn, Phil tells Albie and Butchie that he has decided to eliminate the Sopranos. Butchie and Albie set up an after-hours meeting with their own subordinates and set Phil's plan in motion by ordering the murders of Silvio, Tony, and Bobby within 24 hours. A.J. receives psychiatric treatment and is regularly visited by his parents. He starts a relationship with Rhiannon Flammer, an ex-girlfriend of his friend Hernan O'Brien, who has been hospitalized for dietary problems. A.J. is eventually discharged and sent back home, under the watchful but sympathetic eye of his family. Tony is once again visited at Satriale's by Agent Harris, who tells him that an informant in the Lupertazzis has tipped him off about Phil's planned move against the Sopranos.
Silvio informs Tony that he eliminated Burt after learning he was a double agent for the Lupertazzis. Tony, Silvio and Bobby convene at Nuovo Vesuvio, where Tony breaks the news to them about Phil's plans to kill them and of his decision to preemptively kill Phil first, using the Italian hitmen who performed the hit on Rusty Millio. Meanwhile, at a dinner party with colleagues, Dr. Melfi hears again of the study claiming sociopaths take advantage of talk therapy, leading to a confrontation with the other guests. Melfi's psychiatrist, Dr. Kupferberg, indifferently breaks the doctor–patient confidentiality by revealing that Tony is Melfi's patient, embarrassing her. Later at home, she thoroughly reads the study herself and is convinced of its findings.
Before his next session with Melfi, Tony rips out a page from a cooking magazine in the waiting room. Melfi exhibits hostility towards Tony throughout the session, sarcastically suggesting aggressiveness for his problems. Tony takes offense, which prompts Melfi to suggest referring him to a different therapist. Tony attempts to defuse the argument, but Melfi insists they are done and uses Tony's action of ripping out the magazine page as an example of his disrespect and lack of seriousness to therapy. Although he recently said he wanted to quit therapy himself, Tony is still aghast that Melfi would end their sessions not long after his son attempted suicide. Before leaving, Tony demonstratively puts the page back into the magazine and leaves. Melfi closes the door, symbolically ending her professional relationship with Tony.
The order to kill Phil is passed down to Corky Caporale, who contacts the Italian assassins. However, the hitmen stake out the home of Phil's Ukrainian goomah and confuse her visiting father for Phil; both are shot dead. At the Bada Bing, Silvio and Paulie learn of the mistake when Murmur shows them a newspaper article on the murders. At Nuovo Vesuvio, Tony tells Carmela that he has quit therapy. The two put on a good face as they talk with Artie and Charmaine about their children.
Janice visits Tony and tries to persuade him to help Bobby pay for Junior's living arrangements at his mental institution. Junior has run out of money and will have to be moved to a state-run psychiatric facility. Tony angrily refuses and expresses disgust at Bobby for continuing to show empathy for Junior. He is informed by Silvio about the failed hit on Phil, who has been hiding and has already set his plans in motion. Tony immediately orders Silvio to inform everyone in the family to break their routines and to go into hiding themselves until Phil can be located. However, Bobby has gone to a hobby store in Lynbrook, New York, to buy a rare model Blue Comet train and leaves his ringing phone behind in his car. While Bobby is at the counter, two gunmen enter and shoot him dead.
Silvio and Patsy rush to pack up important items from the Bing. They are intercepted by two Lupertazzi hit men, Ray-Ray and Petey B, and fired upon. Silvio is hit multiple times while Patsy abandons the car and flees while returning fire. Silvio is left in a medically-induced coma, from which doctors do not think he will awaken. Tony arrives back home and, hearing about the hits, orders his family to go into hiding. Carmela and Meadow visit the Baccalieris, who are all in shock over Bobby's death. At nightfall, Tony, Paulie, Carlo, Walden Belfiore and Dante Greco drive to an old suburban safe house. Tony goes upstairs to get some sleep, clutching the AR-10 assault rifle that Bobby gave him for his birthday.
Deaths
- Bobby Baccala - gunned down shopping for the eponymous toy train, The Blue Comet.
Trivia
- James Gandolfini's dialogue coach on the show, Susan Aston, has a small role in this episode as "Evelyn."