No Show

"No Show"
The Sopranos episode
Episode no.	Season 4 Episode 2
Directed by	John Patterson
Written by	David Chase Terence Winter
Cinematography by	Alik Sakharov
Production code	402
Original air date	September 22, 2002 (2002-09-22)
Running time	57 minutes
Episode chronology
← Previous "For All Debts Public and Private" Next → "Christopher"
The Sopranos (season 4)
List of episodes

"No Show" is the 41st episode of the HBO television series The Sopranos and the second episode of the show's fourth season. Written by David Chase and Terence Winter, it was directed by John Patterson and originally aired on September 22, 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
• Federico Castelluccio as Furio Giunta
• Steven R. Schirripa as Bobby Baccalieri
• John Ventimiglia as Artie Bucco
• Joe Pantoliano as Ralph Cifaretto

* = credit only

Guest starring[]

Synopsis[]

Meadow's recent lack of drive, caused by Jackie Jr.'s death, continues to worry Tony and Carmela. She reveals that she hasn't registered for classes because she hopes to travel to Europe with her friend Misty. Tony discusses the problem with Dr. Melfi, who recommends a psychologist, Dr. Wendy Kobler, specializing in adolescents. Kobler encourages Meadow's plans. This prompts a protracted family argument where Meadow confronts Tony with the truth about his profession; Tony claims that he did everything he could to save Jackie. She leaves the house and her parents fear she has left the country, but she has instead returned to her classes at Columbia University.

Carmela begins flirting with Furio as he makes his morning visits to pick up Tony. Ralphie and Janice's relationship continues, despite Tony's disapproval.

Christopher is appointed acting capo of Paulie's crew; Patsy resents this, having been a made man longer than Chris. Silvio suspects that Chris is starting to usurp his place in Tony's inner circle.

Chris visits a construction site where crew members have no-work jobs. There are some valuable fiber optic cables; Chris indicates to Patsy that they can be removed. Tony rebukes Chris for this, angry because the thefts might bring unwanted attention to their involvement there. Despite Tony's orders, Sil and Patsy then steal floor tiles from the site. Jack Massarone complains to Tony; Sil deflects Tony's anger. An infuriated Chris drives to the site and has a violent confrontation with Patsy.

At a party, with all the crew present, Ralphie makes an off-color joke about Johnny's wife Ginny, drawing laughter from all. Visiting Paulie in prison, Little Paulie repeats the joke, laughing. Paulie doesn't laugh.

Adriana now treats Danielle as her close friend and confidante. One evening at Adriana's club Chris, high on cocaine, is sitting on a sofa with the two women. As he kisses Adriana, he puts a hand on Danielle's thigh. Adriana is furious; he claims Danielle took the initiative. Adriana chooses to believe him and tells Danielle she will never see her again.

The FBI decides to bring Adriana in and reveal Danielle's true identity as Agent Ciccerone. She is taken to meet with Chief Frank Cubitoso who threatens her with long imprisonment for drug possession, or perhaps punishment by Tony Soprano, if she does not co-operate. Adriana vomits all over herself, the table, and the agents.

Title reference[]

• The title refers to the way the mob assigns paid jobs at a construction site to workers who never have to show up but continue to be paid.
• The phrase refers to Meadow's not going to any of her summer internship interviews, and also to her thinking of suspending her college education.
• The phrase, used by airlines, also alludes to Meadow's decision not to fly to Europe.

Production[]

• Robert Funaro (Eugene Pontecorvo) is no longer billed in the opening credits although he continues to appear on the show.

Connections to prior episodes[]

• Silvio, Patsy, and Little Paulie discuss the no show and no work jobs for Paulie's crew. In "...To Save Us All From Satan's Power", Paulie tells Tony that Tommy Angeletti, a contractor for Ralphie's Esplanade Project, owes him $100,000 from betting on college basketball. Since Ralphie held out Angeletti for more money, he is unable to pay back his debt. Paulie requests that Tony give him the jobs as compensation.
• When Chris and Patsy get into a fight at the construction site, Chris warns Patsy that he didn't forget about his sniffing Adriana's underwear. Patsy responds that it wasn't him. This is a reference to the incident in "Second Opinion", wherein Paulie and Patsy barge into Chris and Adriana's apartment demanding their cut of Chris' score of designer shoes. While searching around, Chris spots Paulie, not Patsy, sniffing Adriana's underwear.
• While talking to Dr. Kobler, Meadow mentions that she was irritated by Junior's singing Italian ballads at Jackie Jr.'s wake, and the attendees' sentimental reactions (in "Army of One").
• Tony makes reference to Richie Aprile while talking to Janice, reminding her that "...I had to haul your last boyfriend out of your kitchen – in a Hefty bag." Tony had Christopher and Furio remove Richie's body from the kitchen of Janice's home after she had murdered him in "The Knight in White Satin Armor"

Other cultural references[]

• At Albert's party, the Harry Potter books are mentioned.
• When Tony visits Janice at her house, the video he picks up is Faces of Death. He comments, 'Was The Sound of Music already rented?'
• Chris pulls up to the construction site singing Tim Hardin's "If I Were A Carpenter," substituting the word 'lady' with 'douchebag'.
• When a black construction worker starts calling the police, Patsy calls him Ralph Bunche—an African American diplomat.
• Meadow has N*Sync and Hole posters up in her room at the Soprano home.
• At Christopher and Adriana's house, Adriana watches Everybody Loves Raymond on television as Christopher gets high on heroin.
• Christopher shows Adriana some diamonds he got from a Harry Winston jeweler and says they "have more carats than Bugs Bunny."
• During an argument with Meadow about traveling to Europe, Meadow mentions the travel website CheapTickets having a good package available.
• While Ralphie clips his toenails on the bed, Janice is reading The Origin of Satan by Elaine Pagels.
• Meadow explains that a friend of Misty's received an honorable mention at the .

Music[]

• The song played over the end credits is an instrumental remix of the title track off Radiohead's 2000 album Kid A.
• Robert & Johnny's "We Belong Together" (1958) can be heard in the background as Tony and Christopher discuss the fiber-optics theft.
• The live rock band playing (and lip-syncing) their original song "You" in Adriana's club is the real-life Jersey group The Swingin Neckbreakers.^[1]

Notes[]

External links[]

• "No Show" at HBO
• "No Show" at IMDb