The Ride (The Sopranos episode)
Encyclopedia
"The Ride" is the seventy-fourth episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos
The Sopranos
The Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...

and the ninth of the show's sixth season. It was written by Terence Winter
Terence Winter
Terence Winter is an American writer and producer of television and film. He is the creator, writer, and executive producer of the HBO television series Boardwalk Empire...

, directed by Alan Taylor
Alan Taylor (director)
Alan Taylor is an American television and film director, television producer, and screenwriter. Taylor has directed for numerous programs on both network television and premium cable, most notably on HBO...

 and originally aired on May 7, 2006.

Guest starring

  • Edoardo Ballerini
    Edoardo Ballerini
    Edoardo Ballerini is an actor, writer and director. He is best known for his work on screen as junkie Corky Caporale in The Sopranos , a hotheaded chef in the indie hit Dinner Rush , and an NFL businessman in the blockbuster Romeo Must Die...

     as Corky Caporale
  • John Bianco as Gerry Torciano
  • Cara Buono
    Cara Buono
    Cara Buono is an American actress, screenwriter and director, probably best known for her role as Dr. Faye Miller in the fourth season of the AMC drama series Mad Men.-Early life:...

     as Kelli Lombardo
  • Carl Capotorto
    Carl Capotorto
    Carl Capotorto is an American actor, known for his portrayal of Little Paulie Germani on The Sopranos. He is also the author of Twisted Head: An Italian-American Memoir.-External links:*...

     as Little Paulie Germani
  • Max Casella
    Max Casella
    Max Casella is an American actor. He is known for his roles on the television series The Sopranos, Doogie Howser, M.D., and as the voice of Daxter in the Jak and Daxter video game series.-Life and career:...

     as Benny Fazio
  • John "Cha Cha" Ciarcia as Albie Cianflone
  • Miryam Coppersmith as Sophia Baccalieri
  • Tony Darrow
    Tony Darrow
    Tony Darrow is an American actor.Darrow was born Anthony Borgese and grew up in the East New York section of Brooklyn. Darrow had plenty of opportunity to observe would be mobsters and their attitudes while growing up in his neighborhood in Brooklyn. As a child, Tony was gifted with a great...

     as Larry Boy Barese
    Larry Barese
    Lorenzo "Larry Boy" Barese, played by Tony Darrow, is a fictional character on the HBO original series The Sopranos. He is the only one of the five original captains of the DiMeo crime family that remains in that position of the crime family throughout the show...

  • William DeMeo as Jason Molinaro
  • Jonathan Del Arco
    Jonathan Del Arco
    Jonathan Del Arco born on is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Hugh the Borg in Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes "I, Borg" and "Descent, Part II" ....

     as Father Jose
  • Frances Ensemplare as Nucci Gualtieri

  • Louis Gross as Perry Annunziata
  • Will Janowitz
    Will Janowitz
    Will Janowitz is an American film, television and stage actor as well as writer. He is first generation American with his mother having been born in the Czech Republic and his father Berlin, Germany.- Biography :...

     as Finn DeTrolio
  • Kimberly and Brianna Laughlin as Domenica Baccalieri
  • Julianna Margulies
    Julianna Margulies
    Julianna Luisa Margulies is an American actress and producer.After several small television roles, Margulies achieved success in her regular role as Nurse Carol Hathaway on NBC's long-running medical drama ER, for which she won an Emmy Award...

     as Julianna Skiff
  • Angelo Massagli
    Angelo Massagli
    Angelo Massagli is an American actor and amateur MC. Angelo played Frankie in The School of Rock where he is known to be called the tough guy at the start of the film he also starred alongside Jack Black during the making of this film . He also appeared on The Sopranos as Bobby Baccalieri,...

     as Bobby Baccalieri, Jr.
  • Patty McCormack
    Patty McCormack
    Patty McCormack is an American actress with a career in theater, films and television.She achieved success as a child actress, and received a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in The Bad Seed...

     as Liz La Cerva
  • Arthur Nascarella as Carlo Gervasi
  • Artie Pasquale as Burt Gervasi
  • Crazy Legs Conti
    Crazy Legs Conti
    Crazy Legs Conti is an American competitive eater. He is currently ranked twentieth in the world by the International Federation of Competitive Eating.-Early life and career:...

     as himself
  • Lenny Venito
    Lenny Venito
    Lenny Venito is an American actor who has made appearances in movies such as Gigli, Men in Black II, and War of the Worlds.Starting in 2006, Venito has been featured in The Sopranos as the character nicknamed "Murmur," who helped shake down actor Ben Kingsley and violently mug actress Lauren Bacall...

     as James "Murmur" Zancone
  • T.R. Shields III as Dale Hutchins


Episode recap

In preparation of the annual Feast of Elzéar of Sabran
Elzéar of Sabran
Saint Elzéar of Sabran, O.S.F., Baron of Ansouis, Count of Ariano, was born in the castle of Saint-Jean-de-Robians, near Cabrières-d'Aigues in Provence, southern France, in 1285. He died in Paris, France, on September 27, 1323...

, Paulie Gualtieri
Paulie Gualtieri
Peter Paul "Paulie Walnuts" Gualtieri played by Tony Sirico, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. He is a caporegime and later underboss in the Soprano crime family.-Plot details:...

 and Patsy Parisi visit their local church and learn that the new priest, Father José, wants to raise the fee provided to the parish. When Paulie refuses to pay, Father José tells them they will not be able to use the golden hat worn by the Saint, a traditional part of the statue's garb. "Fuck the hat," Paulie decides.

Christopher Moltisanti
Christopher Moltisanti
Christopher "Chris" Moltisanti, played by Michael Imperioli, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. He was Tony Soprano's protégé and a Capo in the Soprano crime family.-Biography:...

's girlfriend, Kelli, tells him that she is pregnant. She nervously blames herself and assures him she will "take care of it
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...

" by going to a clinic. Christopher instead suggests they get married in Atlantic City and "make a day of it." Chris mentions how much he wanted to have a baby with Adriana
Adriana La Cerva
Adriana La Cerva played by Drea de Matteo, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. She is the long-time girlfriend and, later, fiancée of Tony Soprano's protégé, Christopher Moltisanti.-Character history:...

 and tells Kelli that his ex is probably having some "other guy's babies now". Later, Chris enters the Bada Bing
Bada Bing
The Bada Bing! is a fictional strip club from the HBO drama television series The Sopranos. It was a key location for events in the series, named for catchphrase "bada bing", a phrase popularized by James Caan in The Godfather. The popularization of the fictional club benefited the real-life go-go...

 wearing a wedding ring, happy that he is married and about to be a father. He and Kelli make an offer on a large house as he anticipates starting a family.

On their way home from a trip to Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

, Christopher and Tony Soprano
Tony Soprano
Anthony John "Tony" Soprano, Sr. is an Italian-American fictional character and the protagonist on the HBO television drama series The Sopranos, on which he is portrayed by James Gandolfini. The character was conceived by The Sopranos creator and show runner David Chase, who was also largely...

 make an impromptu bathroom stop in what they think is a deserted parking lot. When they pull behind a building, they witness two bikers
Motorcycling
Motorcycling is the act of riding a motorcycle. A variety of subcultures and lifestyles have been built up around motorcycling.-Benefits:Robert M. Pirsig's book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance was a paean celebrating motorcycling...

 stealing crates of 1986 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a winery in the Pauillac appellation of the Bordeaux region of France. Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is also the name of the red wine produced by this property...

 wine from a liquor store. As the two bikers go back into the store, Christopher and Tony plunder their wine, moving the crates into Tony's SUV. When the bikers re-emerge (carrying an ATM
Automated teller machine
An automated teller machine or automatic teller machine, also known as a Cashpoint , cash machine or sometimes a hole in the wall in British English, is a computerised telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public...

), bullets fly. As he and Tony speed away, Christopher hits one of the bikers. They celebrate their escapade at a restaurant, and although Christopher initially abstains, Tony suggests, "You should toast to your wedding at least," and he pours Christopher a glass of wine. Later, they drink more of the wine in the parking lot, while Christopher recollects the time when he tearfully told Tony that his fiancée, Adriana, was an FBI informer, which led to her execution.

Carmela Soprano
Carmela Soprano
Carmela Soprano née DeAngelis, played by Edie Falco, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. She is the wife of Mafia boss Tony Soprano and the program's most prominent female character.-Character biography:...

 encounters Liz La Cerva (Adriana's mother) at the feast, who claims Christopher killed her daughter, telling Carmela that the FBI told her as much. When Carmela asks Tony about it the next day, he insists that it would have been impossible for Christopher to have gotten away with killing his fiancée. At the feast, Tony and Phil Leotardo work out a deal where they agree to split the profits for the New York distribution of a trailer of Centrum multivitamin
Multivitamin
A multivitamin is a preparation intended to supplement a human diet with vitamins, dietary minerals, and other nutritional elements. Such preparations are available in the form of tablets, capsules, pastilles, powders, liquids, and injectable formulations...

s confiscated by Tony's crew. Phil's stipulation is that Johnny Sack
Johnny Sack
John "Johnny Sack" Sacramoni, played by Vince Curatola, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. He was the longtime underboss and later the boss of the powerful Brooklyn-based New York City Lupertazzi crime family...

 be left out of the transaction in order to "spare John the stress of having to hear about this."

Christopher meets with Corky Caporale to pay him for the hit on Rusty Millio. Part of his payment includes some heroin. As Christopher watches Corky shoot up, he first recommends rehab to him, but then tells him he wants to "toot" a little himself. Christopher spends the night in a stoned stupor, bonding with a stray dog at the feast.

During the feast, several parishioners notice the missing gold hat and word begins to spread that Paulie scrimped on the planning of the festival. His frugal ways are blamed for an accident on a ride that left several people injured. Little Paulie Germani is left to deal with the police investigation. Janice
Janice Soprano
Janice Soprano Baccalieri, played by Aida Turturro, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. She is Tony Soprano's elder sister. A young Janice has appeared in flashbacks, played by Madeline Blue and Juliet Fox.-Biography:...

 and her baby were also on the ride, and although apparently unhurt after the accident, Janice seems to develop a neck injury after Meadow
Meadow Soprano
Meadow Mariangela Soprano , played by Jamie-Lynn Sigler, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos.-Character:Meadow is the first-born child of Tony and Carmela Soprano...

 makes the suggestion that the injured may be compensated monetarily.

In Dr. Melfi's office, Tony laments about people lining up for thrill rides. "They pay money to almost puke." She asks if he's bored. Tony claims he continues to feel that every day is a gift, but "Does it have to be a pair of socks?"

Bad blood erupts between Bobby Bacala
Bobby Baccalieri
Robert "Bobby Bacala" Baccalieri, Jr., played by Steve R. Schirripa, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. He was a Capo and later the acting underboss of the DiMeo Crime Family, as well as Tony Soprano's brother-in-law...

 and Paulie after Bobby learns from Dale Hutchins, the ride's operator, that Paulie was responsible for withholding money needed for maintenance on the ride. Paulie has other problems, including having a biopsy to determine if he has prostate cancer
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly...

. At the feast, he runs into Nucci, the aunt who raised him as her son. She points out how his cheap spending was not only wrong but also a sin to allow St. Elzear go without his gold hat; he harshly replies to her, leaving his adoptive mother crying in the street.

At Christopher's belated bachelor party
Bachelor party
A bachelor party , also known as a stag party, stag night or stag do , a bull's party , or a buck's party or buck's night , is a party held for a man shortly before he enters marriage, to celebrate his "last night of freedom" or merely to spend...

, held at Vesuvio's, there is noticeable lingering tension between Paulie and Bobby, who departs the dinner early. In the restroom, Tony runs into Paulie and demands he work things out with Bobby, which prompts Paulie to disclose his medical concerns to Tony.

At the feast, baby Nica Baccalieri cries, anxious to go on the tea cup ride again. As an exasperated Janice looks on, Tony placates Nica, picking her up into his arms, swinging her around as she giggles and laughs.

At home, Paulie is unable to sleep, then calls his urologist's answering service in the middle of the night. He is informed his doctor is out of town. The next morning, after seeing a vision of the Virgin Mary at the Bada Bing
Bada Bing
The Bada Bing! is a fictional strip club from the HBO drama television series The Sopranos. It was a key location for events in the series, named for catchphrase "bada bing", a phrase popularized by James Caan in The Godfather. The popularization of the fictional club benefited the real-life go-go...

, a shaken Paulie visits Nucci at Green Grove. She warns him that she does not want to argue; Paulie enters her room and sits down to watch The Lawrence Welk Show
The Lawrence Welk Show
The Lawrence Welk Show is an American televised musical variety show hosted by big band leader Lawrence Welk. The series aired locally in Los Angeles for four years , then nationally for another 27 years via the ABC network and first-run syndication .In the years since first-run syndication...

on TV with her.

Title reference

The episode's title refers, at once, to:
  • Christopher and Tony's road trip to Pennsylvania
  • A faulty amusement ride
    Amusement ride
    Amusement rides are large mechanical devices that move people to create enjoyment. They are frequently found at amusement parks, traveling carnivals, and funfairs.-Notable types:*Afterburner*Ali Baba*Balloon Race*Booster...

     at the feast, on which Janice, Bobby III, and Domenica were all riding
  • The "ride" on which Silvio Dante
    Silvio Dante
    Silvio Manfred Dante, often referred to as "Sil", played by Steven Van Zandt, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. He is the consigliere to Tony Soprano in the Soprano crime family. Silvio has one of the lowest profiles on the show. He is usually a behind the scenes figure...

     took Adriana that is referred to in this episode
  • Christopher getting high

Production

  • The Feast of Saint Elzear takes place on September 27th.
  • The episode includes a flashback scene of Christopher's emotional revelation to Tony that Adriana had been working for the Feds. That scene was originally shot as part of episode 5.12, "Long Term Parking" (directed by Tim Van Patten
    Tim Van Patten
    Tim Van Patten is an American television director, actor, screenwriter, and producer. As a director, Van Patten has directed episodes of The Sopranos, The Wire, Deadwood, Boardwalk Empire, Rome, The Pacific, Game of Thrones, Ed, and Sex and the City. Van Patten is perhaps best known for portraying...

     and photographed by Alik Sakharov), but had been cut to heighten the suspense surrounding Adriana's execution.
  • The theme of a wind driving the characters is continued in this episode - the closing shot is of wind rustling autumn leaves as Paulie reconciles with Nucci.
  • Actor Tony Sirico
    Tony Sirico
    Genaro Anthony "Tony" Sirico, Jr. is an American character actor who is most famous for his role as Paulie Gualtieri in the television series The Sopranos.- Background and career :Sirico was born in Midwood, Brooklyn...

    , who plays Paulie, cited the final scene as probably his character's favorite thing to do with his mother as a child, going on to explain that he really has no one else who loves him, which explains Nucci's sudden change in mood and silence.
  • Shortly after Paulie arrives at Nucci's place, Nucci mentioned that she was watching Lawrence Welk on channel 55. Since the 1980s, The Lawrence Welk Show was seen exclusively on PBS
    Public Broadcasting Service
    The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....

     member stations. While there is a channel 55 in the New York City television market, WLNY-TV, that station is a commercial independent station.

Music

  • The song playing in the background at the Bada Bing while Christopher announces his marriage is "Flash and Crash" by 1960's Seattle garage rock
    Garage rock
    Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that was first popular in the United States and Canada from about 1963 to 1967. During the 1960s, it was not recognized as a separate music genre and had no specific name...

     band Rocky & The Riddlers.
  • A live cover version of "Pipeline
    Pipeline (song)
    "Pipeline" is a surf rock tune by The Chantays which was recorded in 1963.The tune, originally called "Liberty's Whip," was renamed after the band members saw a surfing movie showing scenes of the Banzai Pipeline in Hawaii. The tune, fitting in with the popular surfing craze of the time, swiftly...

    ", performed by Johnny Thunders
    Johnny Thunders
    Johnny Thunders, born John Anthony Genzale, Jr. , was an American protopunk guitarist, singer and songwriter.He came to prominence in the early '70s as a member of the New York Dolls...

    , plays over the episode credits.
  • The song playing throughout Christopher's high is "The Dolphins" by folk artist Fred Neil
    Fred Neil
    Fred Neil was an American folk singer-songwriter in the 1960s and early 1970s. He did not achieve commercial success as a performer, and is mainly known through other people's recordings of his material – particularly "Everybody's Talkin'", which became a hit for Harry Nilsson after being...

    .
  • The music playing while Christopher and Tony are driving and stealing wine is "All Right Now
    All Right Now
    "All Right Now" is a rock single by the English rock band Free. The song, released in mid-1970, hit #2 on the UK singles chart and #4 on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. "All Right Now" originally appeared on the album Fire And Water, which Free recorded on the Island Records label, formed...

    " by British
    Great Britain
    Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...

     rock band Free
    Free (band)
    Free were an English rock band, formed in London in 1968, best known for their 1970 signature song "All Right Now". They disbanded in 1973 and lead singer Paul Rodgers went on to become a frontman of the band Bad Company along with Simon Kirke on drums; lead guitarist Paul Kossoff died from a...

    .
  • The song played when Tony Soprano and Phil Leotardo meet at the feast is "A Chi" by Italian
    Italian people
    The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...

     singer Fausto Leali
    Fausto Leali
    Fausto Leali is an Italian singer, famous for his rough and aggressive voice, in sharp contrast with Italian melody conventions. Due to his voice, he is nicknamed "The black white" .-Beginnings:...

    . The song is played again at the end of the episode when Tony and Carmela join the Baccalieris at the feast.
  • The song played when Tony Soprano lifts the baby and spins her around is "Red River Rock
    Red River Valley (song)
    Red River Valley is a folk song and cowboy music standard of controversial origins that has gone by different names—e.g., "Cowboy Love Song", "Bright Sherman Valley", "Bright Laurel Valley", "In the Bright Mohawk Valley", and "Bright Little Valley"—depending on where it has been sung. ...

    " by Johnny & The Hurricanes.
  • The polka played on accordion by Myron Floren
    Myron Floren
    Myron Floren was an American musician best known as the accordionist on The Lawrence Welk Show between 1950 and 1982...

     on The Lawrence Welk Show
    The Lawrence Welk Show
    The Lawrence Welk Show is an American televised musical variety show hosted by big band leader Lawrence Welk. The series aired locally in Los Angeles for four years , then nationally for another 27 years via the ABC network and first-run syndication .In the years since first-run syndication...

    during Paulie's visit to Nucci is the Norwegian
    Norway
    Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...

     children's song "Hompetitten" (presented as "Johnny Oslo Schottische"). The music was written by Gunnar Wahlberg and originally had lyrics by Alf Prøysen
    Alf Prøysen
    Alf Prøysen , was a writer and musician from Norway. He was born at Rudshøgda in Ringsaker. Prøysen was one of the most important Norwegian cultural personalities in the second half of the twentieth century, and he made significant contributions to literature, music, TV and radio.His childhood was...

    .
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