2x08 Full Leather Jacket

It's hard to put a beat on this episode. There's a lot of interesting parallels. Both Carmella and Matt & Sean feel like they're sick of having tried to do things straight and not gotten as far as they wanted to. Both decide they need to get their hands dirty to get what they want, whether it's Meadow getting into Georgetown or Matt & Sean moving up in the organization. Both manage to hurt someone more deserving, literally in the case of Chris who's paid more of his dues or figuratively in the underprivileged boy whose letter of recommendation has less meaning.

And then there's a contrast drawn between people who think they're "hard" or assertive or imposing who are then shut down by someone else. Jean Cusamano's sister fancies herself steely but then eventually caves when Carmella cracks her knuckles loudly enough. Matt & Sean think the same of themselves until they get shaken down and intimidated by Furio and another grunt from the other side. Even Tony, who has been shown to be downright cruel in some moments of the show so far is one-upped by Richie, who's heartless enough to threaten a man in a wheelchair.

Then there's Richie's jacket. Maybe a cigar is just a cigar. Maybe the point is just to spark more tension between Richie and Tony and Tony giving the jacket his housecleaner's husband is an easy way to do it. But I think it connects to the other themes in the episode, at least a little. Richie got the jacket in a fight with a bigger man; it's a sign of his toughness, of the old way of doing things, and it means something to Richie. When he gives it to Tony, it's both a token and a reminder; it's meant to be a peace offering, something to bring them closer together, but it's also meant to be a subtle call to Tony about the harshness their business is founded on, and Tony giving it away is like spitting in his face to Richie.

Tony, meanwhile, is worried about making amends to Beansie and not getting wiretapped and helping his daughter to fly and maybe even appreciate him on the same terms as a business man respected in the community. His jealously is palpable. Davey is a man who's sterling on the outside, but unbeknownst to the world has severely hurt his family with his private irresponsibility. Meannwhile Tony, who's public reputation is either a freakshow curiosity or scary and impolitic for good society on the outside, is the one who uses his position to try to provide for his family's security and his daughter's education. At the beginning of his therapy session with Melfi, he seems happy for once, and then he asks "how could this happen." Every time he thinks he's got things under control, there's another complication.