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In Camelot

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"In Camelot"

"In Camelot" is the fifty-ninth episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and the seventh of the show's fifth season. It was written by Terence Winter, directed by Steve Buscemi and originally aired on April 19 2004.

Guest starring roles

Episode recap

While at the cemetery for his Aunt Concetta's funeral, Tony sees an elderly lady at the gravesite of his parents. He asks if she was a friend of his mother, but he soon discovers she is Fran Felstein, his father's longtime comare. Tony spends time with her and learns a lot about his father through her stories. He also discovers that his childhood dog, Tippy, was given to Fran's family when Tony's mother made his father give it away. Fran also tells Tony about her life, including all the times she resisted advances made to her by Uncle Junior and the one-time fling she had with President John F. Kennedy.

According to Fran, Phil Leotardo and Hesh Rabkin cheated her out of an investment Tony's father had left for her. Tony tries to collect the money on her behalf, but when Phil avoids him, the two get involved in a car chase that results in Phil crashing his car.

Uncle Junior, going stir crazy while still under house arrest, begins going to every possible funeral he can, even when he knows the deceased only slightly, just to get out of the house. Later, he breaks down and is very depressed, perhaps because of problems with his medication.

Christopher begins to spend a lot of time with J.T. Dolan, a friend he met in rehab, who is a television writer. The two offer to support one another when they get the urge to use. Christopher introduces Dolan to high-stakes poker, seemingly oblivious or indifferent as to the potential for his friend to channel his addiction problems into gambling. After Dolan runs up $57,000 in debt and starts missing payments, Christopher and Little Paulie Germani give him a beating. J.T. loses some writing jobs, further escalating his problems. He eventually turns back to heroin, which causes Christopher to help direct him back toward rehab (after taking his car and making plans to collect more money later).

Tony's friendship with Fran begins to sour. He realizes his father was often with her when he was needed at home, including one night in 1975 when his mother was hospitalized after a miscarriage and Tony was forced to lie for his father. When he discusses these revelations with Dr. Melfi, she suggests he could have more sympathy for his mother. Tony remains ambivalent, remarking that she made his father give away Tippy.

As the episode closes, Tony is regaling his buddies at the Bada Bing with exaggerated accounts of Fran's involvement with JFK.

First appearances

  • J.T. Dolan: Christopher's Alcoholics Anonymous friend, who is also a screenwriter.

Deceased

  • Aunt Concetta: died of a heart attack while watching Meet the Press
  • Vincent Patronella: a friend of Uncle Junior's
  • Mrs. Criley
  • Little boy: died in a jacuzzi; Uncle Junior and Bobby attend his funeral
  • Uncle Zio: died of natural causes; fifteen days after the death of his wife, Concetta

This episode had, at five, the most deaths.

Title reference

  • Fran Felstein claimed to have an affair with President John F. Kennedy, whose period in history was known as "Camelot."
  • The racetrack owned by Johnny Boy Soprano, Hesh and Phil Leotardo was named the Camelot Race Track.

Music

  • Kylie Minogue's "Can't Get You Out Of My Head" is playing when Chris and JT are in the gym.
  • The song blaring from Tony's stereo as he pursues Leotardo is "Rock the Casbah" by The Clash. It is largely used as a reference to Phil's label as "The Shah" by other mobsters.
  • When Tony takes Fran Felstein to dinner, the title track from John Coltrane's album My Favourite Things can be heard.
  • The song played over the end credits is Melancholy Serenade, the theme from The Jackie Gleason Show, which was composed by Gleason. Fran said that Gleason was present at the March 1961 party at which she met President Kennedy.
  • The song played at the Bada Bing at the end when Tony is exaggerating Fran's exploits with J.F.K is "Session" by Linkin Park, from their album Meteora.

References to other media

  • During Tony's flashback scene, as he talks with Dr. Melfi, his teenage self was watching Cannon on television, when his father called.

Connections to prior episodes

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