Marco Polo (The Sopranos)

"Marco Polo"
The Sopranos episode
Episode no.	Season 5 Episode 60
Directed by	John Patterson
Written by	Michael Imperioli
Cinematography by	Alik Sakharov
Production code	508
Original air date	April 25, 2004
Guest stars
see below
Episode chronology
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Episode chronology

"Marco Polo" is the sixtieth episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and the eighth of the show's fifth season. It was written by Michael Imperioli, directed by John Patterson and originally aired on April 25, 2004.

Guest starring roles

• Ray Abruzzo as Little Carmine
• Tom Aldredge as Hugh De Angelis
• Allison Bartlett as Gwen McIntyre
• Chris Caldovino as Billy Leotardo
• Toni Kalem as Angie Bonpensiero
• Joe Maruzzo as Joe Peeps
• Joe Santos as Angelo Garepe
• Paul Schulze as Father Phil Intintola
• Suzanne Shepherd as Mary De Angelis
• Frank Vincent as Phil Leotardo

Episode recap

The conflict in New York increases, as Little Carmine's party boat is damaged and sinks. Tony tries to keep his family out of the hostilities. He meets with Johnny Sack and agrees to have Phil Leotardo's car fixed, even though it was damaged because Phil owed Tony money. To save money, Tony has the work done in the late Pussy Bonpensiero's body shop (now run by his widow, Angie). Phil however causes trouble with Angie, and claims numerous problems with the car (none of which Angie was originally to be responsible for). Tony Blundetto is asked to attend Phil's return visit, where Phil turns down a counter-offer and sticks Angie with the cost of $2,000 to replace a seat.

Carmine's crew begins courting Tony B. through his old prison buddy, Angelo Garepe. Angelo and Rusty Millio approach Tony B. and offer him a freelance job. They want him to kill Johnny Sack's associate Joe Peeps in retaliation for the hit on Lorraine Calluzzo, who Little Carmine was quite fond of. Tony B. turns them down, but he soon realizes he isn't moving up in Tony's crew fast enough and wants more than he is being given.

Carmela's father, Hugh De Angelis, accidentally falls off the roof of her house while fixing a loose shingle and injures himself, though not seriously. Carmela plans a surprise 75th birthday party for her father. After Uncle Junior ruins the surprise by telling Hugh that he isn't coming, the old man gets involved with planning the event. When he hears Tony is not invited, he demands the "man of the house" attend. When Tony arrives at the party, Carmela's mother, Mary, is humiliated at his behavior and presentation. She apologetically explains the behavior of the Sopranos to her more cultured Italian-American friends. Hugh, however, is overjoyed with Tony's attendance. When Tony presents Hugh with a Beretta DT-10 over-under barrel shotgun, his gift warrants a condescending comment from one of Mary's friends, informing the party goers that the best Berettas never leave Italy. As her parents leave, Carmela expresses her disgust at her mother for her behavior.

After most of the guests depart, Artie Bucco leads the younger guests in a game of Marco Polo. During the game, Tony and A.J. grab Carmela and throw her in the pool, where she is immediately made "it" by Artie. After everyone else is out of the pool, Tony and Carmela find themselves together. A few kisses in the pool lead to the two of them spending the night together.

The evening at the Sopranos' house seemed to bother Tony B., chafing at the way Carmela instructed him to help her at the party. His sons were dissatisfied returning to their own home after they had so much fun at the Sopranos'. After thinking about the situation, Tony B. calls Rusty and agrees to do the hit. He finds Joe Peeps in his car outside a brothel and shoots him and his innocent female companion, but his foot is injured when the vehicle rolls over it. He limps back to his own car to make his getaway.

Deceased

• Joseph "Joey Peeps" Peparelli: shot by Tony Blundetto on Little Carmine's orders
• Heather: prostitute with Joey Peeps; shot by Tony Blundetto

Title reference

• At Hugh's birthday party, a game of Marco Polo breaks out in the Sopranos' pool.
• The title may also be a reference to Tony B.'s exploring new territory/making deals with "foreigners" (i.e., the New York families).
• The title may also refer to the return home, after a long, life-changing sojourn elsewhere, by Hugh's Navy friend Russ Fagoli (who moved back to New Jersey after traveling with the Navy, serving as an ambassador, and living in Marin County), "Little Carmine" (who moved back to the northeast, from Miami, after his father's death), and Tony B. (who told his sons he had been traveling internationally during his long time away from home, although he had actually been serving time in prison).
• The title may also refer to the long journey made by Angie Bonpiensero, who has travelled a long way from being wholly dependent upon men (first her husband, Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero, then Tony Soprano) to co-managing Pussy's auto body shop with Sal's brother, Edward "Duke" Bonpensiero (after Pussy's "departure"), an enterprise through which Tony runs much of his illicit business.

References to other media

• The movie Junior is watching when Bobby enters is the Fellini film, La Dolce Vita. Junior references the opening scene, in which the statue of Jesus is flown over Rome by helicopter, with the comment: "You could tell it was a dummy!"

Music

• The song on the radio in the opening scene is Mason Williams' "Classical Gas".
• The song played over the end credits is "Bad n' Ruin" by Faces, it's also played at the Bada Bing, when Tony S. and Tony B. have their meeting.
• One of the songs played at Hugh's birthday party is "Bandstand Boogie", a song that is more well-known as the theme to American Bandstand.
• Another song played at the party is "Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White" by Perez Prado.
• The song being played on saxophone when the party is closing is "Stardust" by Hoagy Carmichael.

References to previous episodes

• In the "Commendatori" episode, Jovanotti's song "Marco Polo" plays briefly when Christopher is taking drugs in Italy. Similarly in the "Marco Polo" episode, multiple characters are portrayed as (or accused of) taking chemically induced journeys by becoming intoxicated (i.e., Hugh, Tony B., Joanne Moltisanti, Artie Bucco and Carmela)