Sopranos Are Back with a Vengeance

For many, last Sunday was a family day. A time to sit and relax with loved ones for the Easter holiday.

But amid the lavish feasts, Easter egg hunts and the Phillies game, there was a sense of anticipation in the air.

Television's number one Mafia family was back, as HBO ran the first of the final episodes of The Sopranos.

The popular television drama, which began airing in 1999, has gained the undivided attention and critical acclaim of its viewers for its uncensored, often graphic look into the Mafia lifestyle and the relationships of its characters.

The final season of the show is split into two parts. The first twelve episodes concluded with episode "Kaisha" in June 2006, and this past Sunday marked the first of the nine remaining episodes.

Episode 78, titled "Soprano Home Movies," began with Tony Soprano getting arrested for possession of a firearm. No worries yet, however. The charges were supposedly dropped.

Most of the show focused on Tony and Carmela's visit to the lake house of sister Janice and her husband Bobby. Throughout the episode, tension arises between Bobby and Tony, as their differences in character are brought to light.

While out on a boat, Tony talks business with Bobby, noting that Bobby hasn't got his feet wet yet in terms of murder and hinted that if anything were to happen to him, Bobby would be next in line to take over the North Jersey family.

After a long night of celebration and heavy drinking, conflict arises when Tony jokingly bad mouths his sister, and in her defense, Bobby punches Tony.

The next day, all is forgiven but not forgotten, when Tony asks his brother-in-law the "small" favor of taking somebody out. Bobby reluctantly agrees and carries the crime out for his boss, shooting a young father in cold blood in a laundry room. The victim grabs a piece of Bobby's shirt before Bobby staggers off, dropping the gun.

And yes, by the end of the episode, the charges for Tony's arrest are still standing.

The show concluded on this dramatic note, as usual, leaving audiences wanting more.