Toodle-Fucking-Oo

"Toodle-Fucking-Oo"
The Sopranos episode
Episode no. Season 2
Episode 3
Directed by Lee Tamahori
Written by Frank Renzulli
Cinematography by Phil Abraham
Production code 203
Original air date January 30, 2000
Running time 50 minutes
Guest appearance(s)

see below

Episode chronology

"Toodle-Fucking-Oo" is the sixteenth episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and the third of the show's second season. It was written by Frank Renzulli, directed by Lee Tamahori and originally aired on January 30, 2000.

Starring

Guest starring

Episode recap

Richie Aprile, the late Jackie's brother, is paroled from prison after being incarcerated for 10 years. In his first few days out of jail, Richie manages to reunite and cause problems with old acquaintances and to put his message out to the other associates that he has returned. The first man Richie pays a visit to is respected pizzeria owner Beansie Gaeta, who was once partnered with Richie in drug dealings and crime. Richie states to Beansie that he wants respect and what is owed to him. Beansie feels threatened and tells him to back off, which angers Richie; he smashes a coffee pot over Beansie's head, throws a chair at him, and hits him several times, eventually breaking his left cheek bone.

Meanwhile, Tony Soprano is informed by the West Orange police that his daughter, Meadow, threw a party at Livia's house. In addition to the house being trashed, there was ecstasy, Ketamine and alcohol found at the scene, explaining the overdose of one of the party goers. Since the officer owed Tony a favor, he agreed not to expose what really happened at the party. Meadow and Hunter are then driven home and interrogated by Tony. At home, Carmela expects an explanation, but Meadow just runs up the stairs when questioned. When discussing a punishment, Carmela tells Tony that there must be consequences and asks what kind of parents they would be if they don't punish her. Tony then says that there will be, and he also adds that "with the laws today, you can't restrain your kid physically. 'Cause then she would sue you for child abuse." Carmela insists on consequences, but then he replies to her, "Let's just not overplay our hand, because if she finds out that we're powerless, we're fucked." Meadow later comes clean, but she selects her own punishment by allowing her parents to take away her Discover Card for three weeks. Meadow later reveals to her best friend that losing her credit card is no big deal as she has cash saved up, and she chose this punishment believing she really put one over on her parents.

Janice initially defends Meadow's delinquency, interpreting it as a sign she is growing independent. Carmela politely yet firmly asks Janice not to interfere in her parenting of her daughter. However, when Janice discovers the mess at Livia's house, stained walls, garbage everywhere and vomit on the hardwood floors, she thinks that Meadow is getting off too easy. This annoys Tony, who angrily tells Janice to stop intruding on how they raise their kids, throwing a bowl of cereal he is eating across the room. Tony then leaves and an irate Carmela tells Janice, "Mind your fucking business, and keep your mouth shut when it comes to my kids!" A hurt Janice then leaves, saying she perhaps overstayed her welcome. Meadow overhears the argument and is visibly upset that Janice is angry with her. Janice and Carmela reconcile later that night and Carmela insists that she continue to stay at the house.

While eating dinner at an Italian restaurant, Jennifer Melfi shares a bottle of wine with some friends. As they are leaving the restaurant, Melfi sees Tony at a table with his "co-workers." She is taken aback and asks how he has been. Tony says that he is fine and exchanges the question with her. Melfi recommends a dish on the menu and Tony, annoyed, asks if they are now making small talk. Melfi leaves by saying an informal "Toodle-oo." Later, at a session with her therapist, Dr. Elliot Kupferberg, she reveals she is significantly annoyed and embarrassed by her behavior she displayed that night in front of her former patient. She asks Dr. Kupferberg if she did the right thing not accepting Tony as her patient anymore, to which Dr. Kupferberg answers that it depends on her reasons for becoming a psychiatrist in the first place. The following night, Melfi has a dream in which Tony suffers a major car accident after running out of Prozac. As Tony crashes the car in the pouring rain, music from The Wizard of Oz ("Optimistic Voices") plays in the background. Melfi wakes up with a start from her dream and immediately writes it down in a journal.

Tony throws Richie a welcome home party after his long prison term. At the party, Richie's supporters all pay him homage with envelopes of cash, except for Beansie Gaeta. When Richie asks if Beansie is present, he's told nobody has seen him. Hours after the party, Richie tracks down Beansie, behind his pizzeria and shoots at him for his disrespect, chasing him down the street on foot. Beansie escapes and when he feels it is safe, he returns to his Jaguar, only to find Richie lying in wait. Richie proceeds to run over Beansie, severely injuring him. Tony later visits Beansie in the hospital where his wife becomes very confrontational over his injury. Tony helps Beansie blow his nose while Beansie laments, "I might not be able to wipe my own ass, you know that?". Beansie's doctor has minimal hope that he will walk again.

Tony later reprimands Richie for nearly killing Beansie and disrespecting his decisions, threatening him with severe consequences should he not follow the boss's orders again.

Richie sees Janice by chance at a yoga class where they reminisce and talk about their recent past and current status. Richie later tries to win Janice over by bringing an expensive bouquet of flowers to Livia's bedside. Over coffee in the cafeteria, Janice tells Richie that they are both in very different places, but Richie insists that they give their long ago relationship another shot.

When Tony goes to change the locks at Livia's, he discovers Meadow scrubbing the floors and cleaning up the house. The stench of old vomit and bleach makes her choke. Tony turns away from the house, perplexed by his daughter's sudden display of remorse.

First appearances

Title reference

Production

Connections to future episodes

Cultural references

Music

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