A Hit Is a Hit

Infobox Television episode | Title = A Hit Is a Hit
Series = The Sopranos
Season = 1
Episode = 10
Guests= "see below"
Airdate = March 14, 1999
Production = 110
Writer = Joe Bosso and Frank Renzulli
Director = Matthew Penn
Episode list = Episode chronology


Prev = Boca
Next = Nobody Knows Anything"A Hit Is a Hit" is the tenth episode of the HBO original series "The Sopranos". It was written by Joe Bosso and Frank Renzulli, directed by Matthew Penn and originally aired on Sunday March 14, 1999.

Guest starring roles

* Jerry Adler as Hesh Rabkin
* Nick Fowler as Richie Santini
* Bryan Hicks as Orange J
* Oksana Lada as Irina
* Robert LuPone as Dr. Bruce Cusamano
* Saundra Santiago as Jeannie Cusamano
* Bokeem Woodbine as Massive Genius

Episode recap

Paulie Gualtieri, Christopher Moltisanti and Big Pussy kill a drug dealer in a hotel room as a warning to his organization to stay away from the New Jersey Soprano territory. They steal cash from the scene, a big score that Tony states should be used legitimately, such as an investment in an IPO.

Tony gives Dr. Bruce Cusamano, his neighbor and family physician, a box of Cuban cigars as a gift for his referral to Dr. Melfi. As part of the follow-up conversation, Cusamano invites Tony to play golf with him and friends at the private club of which Bruce is a member. After some initial hesitancy, Tony does so. Later, at a barbecue with Dr. Cusamano and his friends, while Tony is looking for stock tips, Carmela receives one from one of the wives, and invests in the company. The company's stock soon splits 3-for-1 and Carmela is pleased.

Tony regrets his decision to play golf with Cusamano when he realizes the other players want to hear his stories about life in the Mafia. They even ask him if he has ever met John Gotti. Later, Tony discusses the incident in therapy with Dr. Melfi, and how he felt used for the amusement of others, much like his speech impeded high school friend with a cleft palate. As a small revenge, Tony fills a parcel with sand and asks Dr. Cusamano to hold on to it. The box is a source of concern to the Cusamanos.

Christopher and Adriana La Cerva go to the theater in New York. After the show, while waiting for fast food Christopher makes racist comments about the clientele of the restaurant. This draws the attention of rapper Massive Genius, who is also present at the burger joint. When it appears there might be violence, a cop tells Massive's friend, Orange J that Christopher is an associate of the Soprano crew. Massive G dispatches J to invite Chris and Ade to a party at his home. Adriana recognizes Massive G, respects his work and urges Christopher to take her to the party. Chris and Massive talk business and while Chris admires Massive's gun collection, Massive G is similarly taken with Adriana. After the encounter, Adriana proposes that she should pursue a career as a music producer, and Christopher agrees, given her experience in listening to music. Her ex-boyfriend Richie Santini is the singer in a band called Visiting Day. Christopher agrees to put up the money for her to produce a demo for them.

Richie has some problems of his own: he's a recovering drug addict and never fully recuperated from an injury sustained while trying to use a downed power line to grill a trout (and is perhaps intellectually challenged as well). The demo recording progresses slowly and the producer and Richie argue, eventually leading a furious Chris to beat the musician with his own guitar. Christopher starts to realize that the band may not be a wise investment. He nevertheless takes the demo to Hesh Rabkin, who has a history in the music business and tells Chris that the band has no talent ("A hit is a hit, and that's not a hit"). Massive G meets with Christopher and Ade to listen to the demo and claims to be impressed. However, Massive G seems more interested in Adriana than in the music, something Christopher notices and angrily mentions to Adriana. Adriana in return accuses Chris of trying to hold her back and storms out of their apartment.

Massive G later has Christopher organize sit-downs with Hesh. He tells Hesh that he is a relative of a deceased artist with whom Hesh once worked and claims Hesh owes $400,000 in music royalties to the artist's relatives. When Hesh refuses to pay, Massive responds with a threat of litigation. Hesh mentions a counter-suit over the unauthorized sampling by Massive G's music label of a song that Hesh still controls. As Massive fumes over the impasse, Tony and his crew comment on the irony of modern-day celebrities like Massive Genius being idolated as "gangsters", with Paulie summizing "fucking depressing".

First appearances

*Dr. Bruce Cusamano: Soprano family physician and next door neighbor
*Jean Cusamano: Wife of Dr. Cusamano and friend of the Soprano family.

Deceased

*Gallegos a.k.a "Juan Valdez": Shot in the forehead by Paulie Gualtieri

Title reference

* Rather than referring to a planned murder as might be expected in a show about the Mafia, the title is actually a quote from the episode. The line was spoken by Hesh when discussing Visiting Day's demo with Christopher. The misleading nature of the title is mirrored in the episode itself with the tension built between Hesh and Massive G dissipating without violence.

Music

* The song played in one of the closing scenes, which Hesh hears and then says to Christopher, "Now that is a hit", is "Nobody Loves Me But You" by Dori Hartley.