D-Girl (The Sopranos)

"D-Girl"
The Sopranos episode
Episode no.	Season 2 Episode 20
Directed by	Allen Coulter
Written by	Todd A. Kessler
Production code	205 (2-7)
Original air date	February 27, 2000 (HBO)
Guest stars
see below
Episode chronology
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Episode chronology

"D-Girl" is the twentieth episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and was the seventh of the show's second season. It was written by Todd A. Kessler, directed by Allen Coulter and originally aired on Sunday, February 27, 2000.

Starring

• James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano
• Lorraine Bracco as Dr. Jennifer Melfi
• Edie Falco as Carmela Soprano
• Michael Imperioli as Christopher Moltisanti
• Dominic Chianese as Corrado Soprano, Jr.*
• Vincent Pastore as Pussy Bonpensiero
• Steven Van Zandt as Silvio Dante *
• Tony Sirico as Paulie Gualtieri *
• Robert Iler as Anthony Soprano, Jr.
• Jamie-Lynn Sigler as Meadow Soprano
• Drea de Matteo as Adriana La Cerva
• David Proval as Richie Aprile
• Aida Turturro as Janice Soprano
• and Nancy Marchand as Livia Soprano

Guest starring

Jon Favreau as Himself Sandra Bernhard as Herself Janeane Garofalo as Herself Alicia Witt as Amy Safir Louis Lombardi, Jr. as Skip Lipari Toni Kalem as Angie Bonpensiero Arthur Barnes as Security Guard Stephen Bienskie as Hotel Clerk John Devlin as Assistant Director

Dominic Fumusa as Gregory Moltisanti Andersen Gabrych as UTA Receptionist Bryan Matzkow as Hotel Manager Andrea Maulella as Michele Forman Jason Minter as Bellman Frank Pando as Agent Grasso Steve Porcelli as Matt Bonpensiero Elizabeth Reaser as Stace Asa Somers as Blaine Richardson

Episode recap

A.J. continues to be a source of anguish to Tony. One afternoon as he is driving in Carmela's Mercedes-Benz E320, which he had taken without permission, A.J. misjudges his lane width and scrapes a parked truck, leaving a few scratches and a broken side view mirror, whose damage A.J. attempts to conceal. As Carmela begins to drive out of the garage, the crudely repaired mirror falls off. Carmela and Tony then sit A.J. down and lecture him on how he could have killed the people in the car. A.J. thinks that the scenario would be "interesting", since "death just shows the absolute absurdity of life". Appalled, Tony and Carmela ask where he developed such ideas. A.J. reveals that he has encountered the philosophy of Nietzsche, and even asks not to be confirmed because he says there is no God. Tony feels confused about A.J.'s sudden somber outlook and discusses it with Dr. Melfi. While Tony believes it is not normal to question the faith, Melfi thinks that existentialist concerns are a natural phase of adolescence that was repressed by Tony's parents. Melfi then asks Tony how his disconnected relationship with Livia is taking a toll on the children, as how he has publicly insisted that his mother is effectively dead to him. Tony does not answer, but dejectedly admits that A.J.'s concerns could be legitimate.

Tony turns to Pussy for guidance on A.J., since Pussy is both A.J.'s godfather and confirmation sponsor, and by the looks of things, has a more active relationship with the Soprano son than Tony has. Pussy then takes A.J. and his own college-age son, Matt, to the batting cages, where the more educated Matt argues that philosophers such as Nietzsche or Sartre were often mentally disturbed or lacking integrity, and advises that he study earlier, theistic philosophic work (he quotes Kierkegaard).

Christopher Moltisanti rediscovers his interest in the world of filmmaking. While having dinner with his cousin Greg, Greg's fiancée, Amy Safir (an associate of Jon Favreau's), invites Christopher and Adriana to come on the set to see their new film being shot. Adriana tells Christopher that she believes in him, and has saved a copy of the script he had previously discarded. Christopher goes to the set alone and sits in on a film shoot starring Janeane Garofalo and Sandra Bernhard. When Janeane objects to the word "bitch" in the script, the director has difficulty finding a suitable substitute. Christopher suggests "pucchiaca" (Italian for "cunt"), which is readily accepted by the impressed cast and crew. Christopher soon becomes very close with Amy and they begin a sexual relationship. The wild sexual revelry and Amy's attractiveness are suddenly contrasted with Livia's ugliness and sterile hospital environment, when A.J. is directed to regularly bicycle over to visit Livia after the Mercedes incident. When A.J. tells his grandmother how he got in trouble, Livia dismissively concurs that life is meaningless and lonely, telling her grandson that everyone is destined to "die in your own arms". This only serves to exacerbate A.J.'s teenaged angst.

The next day over lunch, Christopher discusses his screenplay with Jon and Amy, and relates a story about a mobster's violent encounter with a transsexual. Jon and Amy ask questions about the mob and appear impressed and respectful of Christopher. This is unbeknownst to Adriana, who is still waiting for Christopher to propose. When having dinner with Carmela and Tony, Christopher pours his wine into his soup and storms out of a restaurant, when Adriana and Carmela continue to pressure him about marriage. An upset Adriana says she supported Christopher on his screenplay, unknowingly revealing to Tony that Christopher is not giving his full attention to crime family matters. Christopher then visits Amy at her hotel, stating that he was "in the neighborhood", and they enjoy another night of sex. It does not dawn upon Amy until the next morning that she has betrayed her fiancé and she and Christopher should come clean. Christopher warns her not to, but is soon distracted when he happens upon Favreau's screenplay in Amy's room. While reading the draft, Christopher learns that Jon has used the story Christopher had told him in confidence. Irate, Christopher searches for Favreau, but finds that he has already returned to California. When Christopher approaches Amy, she adopts a strictly businesslike attitude, saying that Hollywood has lost interest in mob films. Furious, Christopher denounces her as a "fucking D-girl", causing an offended Amy to proclaim that she is a vice president, and Christopher is an asshole, before storming off.

Pussy is forced by the FBI to wear a wire while at A.J. confirmation ceremony and party afterwards. Hours before the ceremony, Pussy shaves his chest as an impatient Angie asks if she can enter the bathroom. Pussy tries to stop her and, as she opens the door, she throws a mirror at him which leads Pussy to lunge at her furiously. As he is about to strike her, Matt storms in, breaks up the fight, and in the process knocks his father to the floor. As Pussy gets up, Matt spots blood on his father's chest.

After the ceremony, A.J. is caught smoking pot with two cousins in the garage, further dismaying his parents. An embarrassed A.J. then retreats to his room, where Pussy tells him his father is a good man. An increasingly emotional Pussy then tells A.J. the story of his deceased sister and how Tony always stayed with her in the hospital until her death. After Pussy hugs A.J., the FBI's reception of signals from his wire becomes troublesome.

At the confirmation party, Tony delivers Christopher an ultimatum: Tony will give him ten minutes to meditate about the path Christopher wants to take in life. Afterwards, Tony will know Christopher has made up his mind if he sees Christopher mingling at the party or not. Christopher is either to make a commitment to the mob life, seeking no other distractions, or to continue with his own life, in which case Tony never wants to see him again. Christopher thinks about this, sitting on the front steps of Tony's house, and re-enters the premises, indicating his pledge of loyalty to Tony and the family. A.J., along with his family and their pastor, gathers for a picture. When Tony asks where the godfather is, a distraught Pussy is revealed to be sobbing alone in the bathroom over his disloyalty to Tony. In contrast to Christopher, Pussy has been forced into his position.

Title reference

• The episode's title is a shortened title for "development girl", used mostly in the film and television industry.

Connections to other media and cultural references

• The plot device involving Jon Favreau's interest in writing a screenplay for a mafia movie is echoed in his actual 2001 film Made, which focuses on the exploits of two would-be wiseguys assigned to a job in New York City. Three cast members of The Sopranos appearing in this episode (Vincent Pastore, Federico Castelluccio, and Drea de Matteo) play supporting roles in Favreau's film.
• Amy reminds Christopher that Mickey Blue Eyes (which starred Tony Sirico) failed to live up to its advance billing.
• Adriana tells Amy and John that she enjoyed Favreau's 1996 film Swingers, with Vince Vaughn.
• When Carmela and Tony express concern about AJ's existentialist pronouncements, Meadow quotes Mme de Staël: "One must choose in life between boredom and suffering.”
• When Christopher relates the story of the feminine-looking cross-dresser whose lover threw acid in his face after becoming intimate and learning the cross-dresser was really a man, Amy recalls the 1992 film, The Crying Game.
• Amy relates Maslow's hierarchy of D-needs to Christopher before becoming intimate with him.
• When Amy tells Christopher they were wrong to have begun a relationship and Christopher responds that he really liked her, Amy observes that the mood has become rather "William Inge".

Music

• The song played over the end credits is "Vedi, Maria", by Emma Shapplin.
• When Chris, John, and Amy sit down at the pizza shop, the song played is "Swing Town" by the Steve Miller Band which is then followed by "Rhiannon" by Fleetwood Mac.

External links

• "The Sopranos" D-Girl at the Internet Movie Database