What to TV: The Sopranos

During the final between-season hiatus, we tried to convince ourselves that the sense of loss we'd feel as The Sopranos moved towards its final episode would somehow be eased. We tried to tell ourselves that it's not the same show as it was in the early years.

Well, so much for that. Episode 78 came with a clear message. David Chase, the show's other writers, the actors and the great Tim Van Patten (director of many of the show's best efforts and the dude who played Salami in the show The White Shadow) are at the top of their games. Watch it. Tivo it. Watch it again. Because it is more clear than ever that it's going to hurt a whole lot when the final credits roll.