The eruption heard across the country Sunday at 9:03 p.m.: collective exclamations of “What?” “Are you kidding me?” and “#$&!?” The abrupt, cut-to-black ending of “The Sopranos” series finale had many thinking their cable had cut out. Almost a week later, the debate rages on about what happened to Tony in the last scene and whether the ending was brilliant or a bust. Here’s a look at the aftermath. “I have no idea what happened to Tony. You have to ask David Chase that. … I thought it was a great ending.”
[ actor James Gandolfini, who played Tony Soprano ]“I have no interest in explaining, defending, reinterpreting, or adding to what is there.”
[ “Sopranos” creator David Chase, of the final scene ]“It was like a cheap one-night stand.”
[ talk-show host Kelly Ripa, who said she was left “feeling empty” ]“Tony and Gang Whack Fans”
[ front-page headline of New York Post, which called the finale “spectacularly disappointing” ]“[David] Chase was true to himself, and that’s what made ‘The Sopranos’ brilliant on Sunday night.”
[ AP TV writer Frazier Moore ]“The finale sucked! The final shot ruined the entire episode for me. We were robbed … ROBBED, I tell you!”
[ posted by Melissa Niksic on the Tribune’s The Watcher blog ]“Tony died. The guy that went to the restroom was Phil’s nephew. The cut to black was him getting shot.”
[ posted by Erika on the Tribune’s The Watcher blog ]“One of the Best. Endings. Ever.”
[ Jill Vejnoska, Atlanta Journal-Constitution ]
