Mr. Ruggerio's Neighborhood

"Mr. Ruggerio's Neighborhood"
The Sopranos episode
Episode no.	Season 3 Episode 01
Directed by	Allen Coulter
Written by	David Chase
Cinematography by	Alik Sakharov
Production code	302 (3-1)
Original air date	March 4, 2001 (HBO)
Guest stars
see below
Episode chronology
← Previous "Funhouse" Next → "Proshai, Livushka"
Episode chronology

"Mr. Ruggerio's Neighborhood" is the twenty-seventh episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and was the first of the show's third season. It was written by David Chase, directed by Allen Coulter and originally aired on Sunday March 4, 2001.

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. *
• 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
• Aida Turturro as Janice Soprano *
• Federico Castelluccio as Furio Giunta

* = credit only

Guest Starring

• Jerry Adler as Hesh Rabkin

Also Guest Starring

Louis Lombardi as Skip Lipari Ari Graynor as Caitlin Rucker John Fiore as Gigi Cestone Dan Grimaldi as Patsy Parisi and Philly Parisi Frank Pellegrino as Frank Cubitoso Saundra Santiago as Jean Cusamano Michele de Cesare as Hunter Scangarelo Erica Leerhsen as Birgit Olafsdottir Albert Makhtsier as Stasiu Wosilius Katalin Pota as Lilliana Wosilius Robert Bogue as Ed Restuccia Anthony DiMaria as Ruggerio's Son David Mogentale as Coach Goodwin James Murtaugh as Judge Lapper Frank Pando as Agent Grasso Gary Perez as Agent Marquez Matt Servitto as Agent Harris

Bryan Smyj as Agent Smyj Colleen Werthmann as Agent Malatesta Jay Christanson as Agent Jongsma Dennis Gagomiros as Agent Theophilos Neal Jones as Agent Tancredi Gary Evans as FBI Tech #1 Glenn Kessler as FBI Tech #2 John Deblasio as S.E.T. Lineman Anthony Indelicato as S.E.T. #1 Murphy Guyer as S.E.T. #2 Frank Deal as R & D #1 Katie C. Sparer as R & D #2 Matthew Breiner as Rob Ian Group as Colin Mark Karafin as Egon Kosma Etan Maiti as Jason Tommy Savas as Xavier

Episode recap

After the FBI loses another informant, Agent Skip Lipari recalls that Tony takes his associates down to his basement to discuss private matters that cannot be discussed away from home, counting on the noise of the vast 6,000-square-foot (560 m²) home's five central air conditioning units to mask any conversation. If the FBI were to obtain a search warrant, they would be able to maintain a high level of surveillance on the Soprano home. Chief Frank Cubitoso and Agent Harris go to obtain the court order but are warned by the judge not to linger there for too long. The FBI discover a one hour and forty-five minute period each Tuesday when nobody is home. When the Sopranos leave for their activities on Tuesday and the maid goes to English lessons and a picnic with her husband, the FBI then "breaks into" the Soprano home to look around. They discover in the basement a lamp which could serve as a decoy for a hidden microphone. They then hurry and plan to come back the following Tuesday to plant the device, hidden inside an exact replica of the lamp being replaced. However, the Sopranos as well as the FBI are soon shocked when the 120-gallon water heater explodes and the basement is flooded. They are then forced to gather old relics and boxes before they are destroyed by the water. Tony then calls on his plumber, Mr. Ruggerio to ask him to fix the mess. The following week, after the water heater is fixed and the basement is put back in order, the FBI agents plant the new lamp and quickly leave before the maid returns from lunch.

Meanwhile, Meadow is adjusting to life at Columbia University, where she meets her very energetic but homesick roommate, Caitlin Rucker. A.J. is cutting classes to smoke cigarettes with friends. Carmela begins taking tennis lessons with Adriana La Cerva. She is soon upset when she discovers her coach is moving away (and is married) and has been replaced with a woman who has more of an interest in Adriana.

Tony is still running his crew and is concerned about a possible garbage war involving his company, Barone Sanitation. He then gathers with his friends at Satriale's, where he finds a still-distraught Patsy Parisi mourning over his deceased twin brother (Phillip "Philly Spoons" Parisi) on their birthday. Tony acts as if he does not know what actually happened, but Patsy suspects Tony had something to do with it. The following day, while the FBI watches, a drunken Patsy aims a gun at Tony from his pool patio. However, he then puts the gun down and urinates in the pool instead.

Title reference

• Mr. Ruggerio is Tony's neighborhood plumber; one of the FBI agents says the Soprano house is in "Mister Ruggiero's Neighborhood."
• Like Tony in this episode, real-life Mafioso Angelo Ruggiero had his house bugged by the FBI, yielding crucial evidence that led to the indictment of John Gotti.
• The title is also a reference to the children's television show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.

Production

• Although this episode aired first in season three, "Proshai, Livushka" was the first to be shot.
• The episode was part one of a two-hour season premiere when it originally aired in 2001.
• Federico Castelluccio (Furio Giunta) is now billed in the opening credits as part of the main cast, but only in episodes in which he appears.
• First episode in which Nancy Marchand (Livia Soprano) is not billed in the opening credits.
• FBI Codenames for the Sopranos:
  • Tony - Papa Bing / Der Bingle
  • Carmela - Mrs. Bing
  • Meadow - Princess Bing
  • A.J. - Baby Bing
  • The Soprano residence - The Sausage Factory (also referred to as "The Factory")
• The lamp is only photographed on one side, leaving the other side unknown for the aging process.
• The exterior shot at minute 22 of the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, is taken from the beginning of the 1991 film The Silence of the Lambs.

References to other media

• The idea of the wire tap placed in Tony's home possibly came from the wire tap placed in Paul Castellano's kitchen, where Castellano felt it was safe to talk. As in this episode, the wire in Castellano's home was placed in the bottom of a small lamp.
• While the federal agents are picking the lock of the Soprano home, one federal agent says, "Pick it, Wilson," a reference to Wilson Pickett.

Music

• The music playing when Tony walks down his drive-way in the first scene is the intro to "Sad Eyed Lady"' by Alabama 3, who also perform the iconic "Woke Up This Morning" in the opening credits.
• The episode features the "Peter Gunn Theme" (by Henry Mancini) and "Every Breath You Take" (by The Police) mashed up by Kathryn Dayak from HBO. The music is played when the FBI are planting the bug in Tony's house, the significance being that the "Peter Gunn Theme" is from a detective show, and the lyrics of "Every Breath You Take" are evocative of stalking and surveillance.
• Elvis Costello's "High Fidelity" plays at the very end of the episode, as Tony and Carmela converse in front of the bugged lamp.
• While driving, Tony sings along with Steely Dan's "Dirty Work". This is likely an ironic reference to his own illegal business practices.
• In the dormitory, when Caitlyn is telling Meadow about the man on the train, "Van Gogh" by Ras Kass is being played in the hallway.
• Tony listens to "Hotel California" by the Eagles while exercising at the end of the episode.

External links

• "The Sopranos" Mr. Ruggerio's Neighborhood at the Internet Movie Database