Whitecaps (The Sopranos) - Episode Recap - The Separation

The Separation

Tony's ex-"goomah", Irina, is drunk and phones the Soprano residence, telling Carmela she used to have sex with her husband; Carmela hangs up, shocked. Irina calls back and tells Carmela that "Tony loves " and she also reveals he had sex with Svetlana. Carmela tells Irina that if she calls again then she "will find her and kill her." Later, as Tony pulls into his driveway listening and whistling in accompaniment to Derek and the Dominos' "Layla", he accidentally runs over his golf clubs. He exits the vehicle and sees Carmela hurling more of his possessions from the window, and at him when he enters the house before she locks herself in the bedroom. Carmela tells Tony that he has embarrassed her for years with his infidelity and she is angry because it has bled into their home lives. She is even more infuriated because Irina initially spoke to A.J. They get into a physical altercation and Carmela tells him to leave the house, again becoming violent when he touches her after Tony tells her to calm down. Tony accuses Carmela of taking money from his stash in the bird feed, which she denies and counters by bringing up the fingernail she found; Tony tries to deny the connection (the fingernail in fact belonged to yet another mistress, Valentina La Paz). Carmela again insists that Tony leave; when Tony asks about the kids she admits the separation would be horrible for them but stands her ground.

Tony drives to Irina's duplex but only Svetlana is there. Svetlana reveals to Tony that Irina and Zellman broke up because of the emasculating beating that Tony gave him in front of Irina. She also tells Tony that Branca, the now-fired nurse of Junior, was the one who told Irina about their affair after an argument over Svetlana's withholding Federal Insurance Contributions Act tax and other taxes. Tony lets her know about the separation. Svetlana tells Tony that he is a strong man and will survive. They part amicably. Tony goes to Whitecaps to stay there for the night and, in the morning, he is awakened by Sapinsly's banging on the window. Sapinsly asks him not to stay at the house, since he would be liable if something happened to Tony while he was there. He advises Tony to meet with all of the top local divorce lawyers so that none of them will be able to take Carmela on as a client. Once he is dressed, Tony visits the Sapinsly house and asks to withdraw from the sale. Alan's wife, Trish, seems caring but Alan insists that they stick to the contract he signed, especially since Alan dumped another buyer to accommodate Tony. After Tony leaves, Trish chastises Alan for getting into a dispute with a "mobster", and also for lying about having partners.

At the Soprano household, Meadow discusses the separation with her mother. She is distressed about it and brings up Furio Giunta. Carmela denies any infidelity to Tony and Meadow storms off after asking her mother how she could "eat shit" from Tony for so many years. Tony dines at Nuovo Vesuvio and Artie offers consolations. Paulie Gualtieri fervently supports Tony's position in the argument with Carmela.

Tony returns home and Carmela is angry to see him. She tries to stop him from taking food from the refrigerator, twice, and demands that he leave. Tony becomes violent and refuses to leave. Carmela threatens to call a lawyer and get a restraining order. Tony dares her to and hands her his phone which she bats away with her hand. Carmela tells him that she doesn't want him sleeping in her bed anymore and that she no longer loves him. Carmela runs upstairs in tears. Later, A.J. helps Tony clear the home cinema (located in the pool house) so that he can stay there. Tony tells his son that he will be taking a bigger hand in his life now that he is right outside. Tony has a difficult night's sleep.

Tony lies in the pool and Carmela asks him to move the chairs he has put on the lawn. Tony thinks she is looking for an excuse to nag him and they get into another argument. Carmela tells Tony it might not have come to this if he had a more loving attitude while at home. Tony brings up Carmela's telling him he was going to hell when he was first being examined for an MRI for his collapses (in episode 1). She follows him inside and apologizes, telling him he was her man and was sweet to her. Tony asks her what she expected from their marriage, as she knew everything about him when they met, including the fact he and his family were gangsters, and that many gangsters keep "women on the side." He also accuses her of materialism. Carmela calls Tony hateful and reveals she harbored feelings for Furio, telling Tony that her happiest moments for months have been her mornings with Furio. Tony again becomes violent and charges at Carmela and almost punches her but stops himself and punches holes in the wall beside her head instead, smashing it in. She turns away while Tony keeps punching. He tells her he looked for women with different qualities from her in his affairs, but she reminds him that he hardly knew most of the women he slept with and walks out, calling him a "fucking hypocrite." Later, Tony calls Dr. Melfi but hangs up when she answers. She tries to call him back using *69 but the recording says that the number was blocked to that service.

A.J. goes to his father to ask if he can move in with him because A.J. is not getting along with his mother but Tony refuses and tells him to support his mother. Tony tells the family he has decided to move out completely. A.J. becomes upset and asks if it was because he asked to live with Tony. Meadow takes the news hard as well, and suggests Tony and Carmela try counseling again. When Meadow gets upstairs, a flash of a moment when she antagonized her parents runs through her mind and she begins to cry. Tony packs to leave and Carmela asks him to be careful. A.J. watches from the doorway with his mother as his father drives away.