Everybody Hurts (The Sopranos)

"Everybody Hurts"
The Sopranos episode
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Episode no.	Season 4 Episode 6
Directed by	Steve Buscemi
Written by	Michael Imperioli
Cinematography by	Alik Sakharov
Production code	406
Original air date	October 20, 2002
Running time	55 minutes
Guest actors
see below

"Everybody Hurts" is the forty-fifth episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and is the sixth of the show's fourth season. It was written by Michael Imperioli, directed by Steve Buscemi and originally aired on October 20, 2002.

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
• John Ventimiglia as Artie Bucco
• Katherine Narducci as Charmaine Bucco
• Federico Castelluccio as Furio Giunta
• and Joe Pantoliano as Ralph Cifaretto

* = credit only

Guest starring

2

Episode recap

Christopher is still injecting heroin and has just taken a hit and started to fall asleep when he gets a call from Tony, who wants to see him. When Christopher arrives, Tony notices his intoxication. Christopher passes it off as being from wine he drank with Adriana. Tony tells Christopher that Tony is going to be giving orders through him in the future because of their family ties, and that Christopher "will take the family into the 21st century".

A.J. hangs out with his girlfriend Devin Pillsbury and friends Matt Testa, Patrick Whalen, and Jason Malatesta. They discuss Tony's involvement in organized crime and whether or not the Sopranos' lifestyle is similar to that depicted in The Godfather films. When A.J. reveals that Tony co-owns the Bada Bing! strip club, the group decides to visit. Unfortunately, A.J. gets confused, and they end up at Satriale's instead.

In bed, Tony and Carmela discuss Furio Giunta. She wants to set him up with her dental hygienist, Liz DiLiberto. She also tells Tony she has learned that Gloria Trillo recently committed suicide, by hanging herself from a chandelier. Tony can barely conceal his shock at this news. He goes to Globe Motors himself to find out more details. Later, in his therapy session, he angrily confronts Dr. Melfi, blaming her for Gloria's death. She stands up to him and tells Tony she gives her patients everything she has. Tony relents and reveals that he is actually feeling guilty himself, as he could have cared more for Gloria. But, instead, he cut off their relationship.

Artie Bucco has a new French hostess at Nuovo Vesuvio, Élodie Colbert, and his relationship with Charmaine seems even more strained. Élodie's brother, Jean-Philippe, has a business proposition for Artie: he wants to borrow money to buy distribution rights for Armagnac, claiming it is "the new vodka". Artie is sucked in by the deal and tries to borrow money from Ralph Cifaretto. Ralphie refuses, because he would not be able to hurt Artie if he did not pay Ralph back. Later, Tony learns of this and visits Artie at home, offering the money himself, upset that Artie didn't come to him first. As he is leaving Artie's house, Tony takes a bottle of Armagnac with him.

Just after stepping out of Artie's home, Tony opens the Armagnac and drinks it straight from the bottle. He then has a dream about Gloria. In his dream, he is still carrying the bottle he took from Artie's, which is now nearly empty. He visits Gloria's home, and finds her in a black dress, very similar to the one she wore the night he showed up late, and ruined her dinner in the previous episode "Pine Barrens", but with the addition of a long, black, silky scarf around her neck. She invites him in, saying that dinner is almost ready. As "You", by The Aquatones plays quietly in the background, Tony and Gloria happily toast the occasion, she with a glass, and he with the bottle. Gloria then pulls out a chair for Tony at her table. As Tony sits in the chair with Gloria in his lap, they gaze into each other's eyes, and Tony begins to kiss and caress her. Just then the oven rings, and Gloria rises to tend to the roast. As she walks over to the oven, her long scarf drapes across Tony and is stretched around his neck before falling to the floor. While Gloria is basting the meat, tiny bits of plaster begin to fall down in front of Tony. When he looks up, he sees that the ceiling is cracked, and the chandelier is under great stress, almost as if it is being pulled downward. Gloria is suddenly back at the table and offers Tony a choice between seeing what she has under her dress or under her scarf. Noticing that Tony's eyes are fixed on her neck, she smiles, then reaches to remove her scarf. It causes Tony to wake up with a start. He makes his way to the bathroom for some medication.

Carmela's cousin Brian Cammarata, the Sopranos' new financial advisor, pays them a visit, and Tony signs the papers for a new living trust, to Carmela's delight. Tony also puts Brian in touch with Patsy Parisi, as he spots Brian's taste for fine tailoring.

Later, A.J. and his girlfriend, Devin, are interrupted by Carmela while making out on the sofa. They leave to find somewhere private. Devin orders car service to take them to Meadow's work at the South Bronx Law Center, as A.J. thinks she might let them use her dorm room at Columbia University in New York City. They are shocked by the neighborhood where Meadow volunteers and disappointed when she does not allow them to use her room for sex. A.J. discusses with his girlfriend how he "lucked out" to have been born in a rich family, when other people have to struggle to make a living. Later on, A.J. and Matt visit Devin at her house, which is vast, protected by security guard posts, and filled with such artifacts as original Picasso paintings and a mint condition first pressing of The Beatles' Rubber Soul. A.J. is shocked and somewhat intimidated by Devin's wealth and tells her she should have said something.

Tony continues his string of good deeds by organizing a night at a Billy Joel concert for Carmela, Christopher, Adriana, Brian, and his wife, Janelle Cammarata. Adriana pulls out, afraid of spending too much time with the people she is supposed to be collecting evidence about. This makes way for Carmela's planned date for Furio and Liz, although once they are there, she seems less than happy with her matchmaking. Tony also treats Janice to dinner at Nuovo Vesuvio. They get along well for once, remembering their mother's fondness for sucking marrow out of bones. Tony congratulates Janice on her relationship with Bobby Baccalieri. Janice responds by telling Tony that he always reaches out to her when it counts.

Artie delivers Tony's money to Jean-Philippe outside Nuovo Vesuvio, trying to prevent Charmaine's noticing anything. Later, he is unable to get hold of Jean-Phillipe on the phone. Élodie distracts Artie by flirting with him. Artie eventually decides to visit Jean-Philippe at home, prepping himself in the mirror and rehearsing the conversation on the way, trying to look as intimidating as possible. When they meet, Jean-Philippe implies that he will not be able to repay the debt, and Artie attacks him. Jean-Philippe gets the better of Artie and rips out Artie's earring before throwing him out. Artie goes home, overdoses on alcohol and pills, and calls Tony, who has just finished having sex with an Icelandic woman. Artie apologizes and declares himself a failure. Tony deduces that his friend is trying to kill himself, so he phones an ambulance.

When he visits Artie in the hospital, Tony is angry and sympathetic at the same time. After mentioning that Artie missed his first payment, Tony allows Artie to clear Tony's tab at Nuovo Vesuvio in lieu of payment and then assumes responsibility for collecting the debt, so that Artie no longer owes him money. Artie expresses admiration that Tony can "think 20 steps ahead" by subconsciously foreseeing the deal going bad and positioning himself to profit from it. Tony is furious at the suggestion. Later in therapy, he tells Dr. Melfi about Artie and then of his decision to put it behind him by donating money to a suicide hotline in Gloria's name. Later, Jean-Philippe opens his door to Furio, who was sent by Tony to collect the debt. The episode closes with A.J. hanging out with his friends and being unable to answer the question as to why his dad does not have "Don Corleone money".

First appearances

• Devin Pillsbury: A.J.'s girlfriend.
• Matt Testa: A.J.'s friend.

Deceased

• Gloria Trillo: Tony learns of Gloria's suicide by hanging in this episode.

Title reference

• The episode's title refers to the emotional difficulties faced by Tony, Adriana, Artie, Gloria, and Dr. Melfi.
• It also refers to the R.E.M. song of the same name about resisting the impulse to commit suicide in times of suffering.

Cultural references

• When Tony asks Janice if she knows anyone who has committed suicide, Janice responds: "I lived in Seattle". It is most likely a reference to the oft-believed myth that Seattle, due to its weather, has a very high suicide rate. Janice could also be referring to the high-profile suicide of Kurt Cobain, a Washington native. This theory is supported when Tony goes on to ask, "Somebody that you knew".

Music

• Armand Van Helden's "Kentucky Fried Flow" is played when Christopher and his friend are seen in a bathroom and his friend is vomiting, while Christopher is looking in the mirror after shooting heroin
• Weezer's "Island in the Sun" is played during the conversation between Carmela and Adriana at the gym
• "I Only Have Eyes For You", by The Flamingos, is played in the scene where Tony has lunch with Janice
• D'Angelo's "Untitled (How Does It Feel)" is used as diegetic music when A.J. and Devin are on the couch in the Soprano home
• The Aquatones's "You" plays as Tony dreams about Gloria
• Though it is not played during the episode, The Beatles' Rubber Soul (1965) album is featured in one scene, wherein a mint copy was part of Devin's father's record collection
• "Ballin' Out Of Control" - Jermaine Dupri, Featuring Nate Dogg
• "Em'Ma" - Manu Dibango
• "Tout Simplement" - Bibie
• Billy Joel's "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" is played in a scene near the end, where Tony, Carmela, and their guests have a meal at an Italian restaurant, presumably following the Billy Joel concert
• The song played over the end credits is "Take Me for a Little While" by Dave Edmunds

External links

• "Everybody Hurts" at HBO
• "Everybody Hurts" at IMDb
• "Everybody Hurts" at TV.com