The end of the Sopranos.
Discuss (except TZ, who wil just tell us the show sucked).
*** Update ***
Worst finale ever.
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by John Cole| 87 Comments
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guyermo
aww, nothing about Joe Lieberman saying that we need to bomb Iran? if anything qualifies for a Connecticut for Lieberman Stupidity tag, this is it.
Rob
Never saw it.
ThymeZone
Thanks, John, your kind attention to me is always appreciated.
In this case, I’ve seen every episode save a couple, and I am sure I have raved about Edie Falco as a reason, all by herself, to watch this show. Don’t know that I’ve ever really criticized the show here. But, who’s worrying over trifles of fact, among friends, when Hot Air is so much more entertaining?
World news lately is just one appalling shock after another, but we live in the land of All Paris All The Time.
Bomb, bomb Iran? Like I said months ago, if these assholes start a war with Iran, yours truly is going to march on Washington, hopefully not by himself.
demimondian
What Sopranos are we talking about? I hope the choir isn’t hurt too much by their deaths…
Rome Again
Well, I know that if i contributed to this site (which I’ve never done, but considered once I was making enough money to do so, I might) I wouldn’t be so flattered to have the site owner always picking on me. Is this the way a patron of the site is supposed to be treated? What purpose did it serve to put TZ’s name in the post? And he likes the Sopranos, hmmm, don’t you feel like an ass now?
That kinda sucks, so now why would I want to give you money John?
Rome Again
My voice may be dead, but I’m still alive. Thanks for asking demi.
The Other Steve
I’ve never watch Sopranos… so I’m quite certain it sucks.
ThymeZone
I’m a celebrity, like Paris Hilton. Just a mention of my name, and it draws a crowd.
I’d explain more, but I am expected at a carwash opening this afternoon ….
srv
Because there’s alot of history, and they can’t let go. Besides, TZ loathes The Wire, so it’s close enough.
Rome Again
TZ doesn’t like The Wire, so TZ doesn’t like any other show John decides to talk about? Ummm, what logical fallacy is that again, oh yeah, I think they call that the slippery slope?
Mary
Is this the tobogganing thread? I love tobogganing. I can’t wait for tobogganing weather to come back again. Beats all this sweating and sticking to chairs weather.
Tony: Carmela, in the media room, with a dish of ziti.
Krista
RA, that’s sweet that you’re sticking up for TZ. I think, though, just from what I’ve seen over the years, that whatever John dishes out to him, TZ dishes back…with the kind of interest that would make payday loan companies pee themselves.
I pretty much lost touch with the Sopranos, unfortunately. So I think I’d be completely lost trying to watch the finale. In other news, though, sometimes protesting does actually work. CBS is bringing back Jericho.
At any rate, it’s summer, and it’s light out until almost 10pm. Why spend time watching TV?
jake
OK. First we have to be ready to bomb Iran because “they”
might be killing (or contributing to killing??) U.S. soldiers in Iraq. Within a minute this pusillanimous schmuck says we have to bomb Iran to stop their nuclear program.
(I’m sure we all remember Joe “I-Con” Lieberman shrieking that we needed to open fire on North Korea when they tested a nuke.)
For his next act, Joelie will declare we have to get Iran for “Looking at us in a funny way.”
Would it be wrong to move to Connecticut just so I could vote against his venomous little arse?
Andrew
Maybe we can just drop seasons 2-4 of The Wire on Iran, and then they will see that we produce the best TV in the known universe and will surrender thusly to their media betters.
Or we can drop season 1 on them as punishment, but that may be illegal under the Geneva Conventions.
mrmobi
Well, I really have enjoyed this show over the past, what, 7 years? Have to say I think it was better the first few years, but I admire the writing a lot, and I compliment the writers for not trying to make the characters, who are in fact mostly murderers, more likable.
This season, the back and forth between Tony and Dr. Melfi has been tough, and, I think, more like what therapy is really like.
I think it’s time for the ending, though. My favorite show of the past three years is Deadwood. For me, three seaons was just not enough. I’m awaiting the 2, 2-hour movies that Mr. Milch has promised with great anticipation.
mrmobi
I love the “Clue” reference. Reminds me that tonight the story I’m most interested in is what happens to Carmela? Edie Falco is a wonderful actress. I’ll miss her Carmela most of all.
mrmobi
You’re going to have lots of company on that trip, TZ. When are the Senate Democrats going to tell Holy Joe to take a flying leap? Why are they catering to this Republican in Independents’ clothing, exactly?
Rome Again
Krista, I appreciate what you’re saying. I’m fully aware that TZ dishes it back much better than John ever could. I am not here to defend TZ, I’m truly wondering why someone who is a financial contributor to the site (I’m not) gets such treatment because to be quite honest, I was considering contributing. This kind of treatment makes me want to consider not contributing at all. I have been on this site for two years, using it for free, and sincerely, I would like to pay for the space I take up here, but under those conditions, I probably won’t.
Rome Again
They like the fake beauty of Gold Lame`? Have you ever seen what happens to that material when it comes out of the wash? Unwearable!
ThymeZone
In my non-defense, it’s been a long time since I did that. Since BJ joined PJM, actually, and John stopped asking for support.
However, if he did ask for support, I would do it again. This is the best blog in town and has been for a long while.
Otto Man
That’s blasphemy, son. Season 1 of The Wire had some amazing moments, but you need look no further than Bunk and McNulty’s crime scene investigation where they say nothing except variations on “fuck.” Pure genius.
chopper
i think you’re taking it way too seriously, RA.
ThymeZone
My hatred of The Wire is not your plaything!
.
heh.
Rome Again
I did not realize the pointing out of logic and lack thereof was only supposed to be used for political argument, sorry, my bad!
Andrew
That was cute for 15 seconds, then tedious for 3 more minutes.
It’s would more believable if they just sat at their desks looking as a picture of Baltimore and said “fuck” repeatedly.
I still cannot get over the fake modem sounds during the pager intercepts.
The Shield is far superior.
ConservativelyLiberal
RA, you don’t have to worry one bit about donating to John. I recently donated $50.00 to him and he has continued to blissfully ignore me. Didn’t hurt a bit either, it was just like throwing money into a black hole… ;)
Not that I have ever wanted any recognition though…lol! I would be amazed if anyone actually reads anything I write in the first place. I like to picture myself as the peanut in the gallery, tossing out my observations while everyone else ignores me. Makes for less stress, no need to top the last thing I posted about. ;)
Regarding the Sopranos, never watched it, never will. I have never watched ‘the’ current show that is all the rage. No American Idol, no Seinfeld, no Sopranos, no 24, nothing of the sort. We were even a Neilsen family for a time but I think they dropped me as I did not give them the results they were looking for. Too much of a political, comedy and music junkie.
Talking about music, time to pull out the axe and shred for a few before taking my final Java exam. Relieving some of the stress of studying prior to tests seems to make it go smoother. I guess it is going from brain stuffing, then to head banging, and finally the brain dump that does it for me.
;)
Otto Man
I’m a fan of the Shield too, but the Wire has it beat.
I do find it funny that the unrealistic modem noises on The Wire make you hate the show, but the byzantine plotlines on The Shield are no problem? Riiight. If realism is your standard, maybe the show in the fictional L.A. neighborhood isn’t the best place to look.
Whatever. Two of the best shows on TV. And as much as I’m looking forward to tonight’s big climax, both of them are better than that mob show.
Tim
“Worst finale ever.”
Too limiting. Worst finale to the ends of time in both directions.
Equal Opportunity Cynic
Worst finale ever.
Oh, so you opted for the basketball then?
Nikki L
That finale hurt me. I actually thought my TV was f’ed up.
Big Pussy wasn’t dead last week either. It was Bobby! I thought BP was already dead.
Mary
I loved it. Dread, dread, dread all through the final scene, just a taste of what Tony has to live with for the rest of his life. Then the cut to black yanks us out of their lives again, or else it meant that Tony got whacked in that instant: “You never see it coming.”
Beej
RA,
I believe John’s comment was what is known in common parlance as a “dig”. “Digs” are, for the most part, a form of friendly insult, widely used by those of us who like to see how creative our insults can get. Childish, I grant you, but not intended to be taken seriously. Am I wrong, John? If so. . . . never mind.
ThymeZone
You are one fun sumbitch, amigo!
No Seinfeld? To paraphrase a clique of drunken miscreants:
Best show evah!
Mel Torme singing to Kramer? Funniest fucking thing ever on television.
Maybe the dingo took your sense of humor!
Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
Mary
#spanks John#
ThymeZone
You are one fun sumbitch, amigo!
No Seinfeld? To paraphrase a clique of drunken miscreants:
Best show evah!
Mel Torme singing to Kramer? Funniest fucking thing ever on television.
Maybe the dingo took your sense of humor!
Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
Flatlander100
OK, deep-meaning analysts, what was with the girl not being able to parallel park the car? Can you tease some significance out of that, beyond a director realizing he’s 41 seconds short, and saying “ok, have her screw up parking the car a few times….”
Beats the hell out of me.
PaulW
I’m sorry, I know David Chase doesn’t like pat resolutions, but in this case he went the entire effing different direction and in the process left us with… what? I’m hearing reports now that half of the East Coast was calling their cable company thinking the cable had gone out at the worst possible moment. That wasn’t an ending. That was a cheap copout after toying with us for 15 minutes. GGGGAARRRRGGGHHH
grumpy realist
From what I’ve read in the NYT, the finale was more realistic than anything else they could have done. Life goes on–it isn’t bound up in these neat finales where all the loose plot threads get resolved.
I think half of the US’s problems stem from the fact we’ve been trained to think in terms of Hollywood movies. World doesn’t work that way.
The Other Steve
I watch them before they are cool, bitch about them when they are cool, and then get caught up in the reruns.
Haven’t seen Sopranos though, cause I have no HBO. So it’s like Band of Brothers and Sex and the City. I’ll catch it in reruns on some other channel I do have.
Bob In Pacifica
I’m watching the show on Netflix and I’m only through the second season, so if everyone would keep quiet for the next fifty or so episodes.
The Other Steve
The Dingo got my baby!
chopper
i think some things are just an attempt at an inside joke. it’s no big deal.
Vlad
I didn’t see the finale yet, but no WAY was it worse than the last episode of Seinfeld.
tBone
I agree with Mary – great ending. The sudden cut to black leaves it up to our imaginations. Maybe it was Tony getting wacked by the shifty guy who went into the bathroom. Maybe it was the sudden impact of a cleaver being lodged in Tony’s head by a vengeful Zombie Christophuh. Or maybe the camera ran out of film and they just said fuck it.
Personally, I was hoping they’d end it by having Tony giving in completely to his sociopathy. The episode would end with Tony 1) raping and killing Dr. Melfi 2) smearing Paulie with tuna and tying him up in a small locked room with the cat and Christopher’s picture, and 3) returning home and drowning AJ in the pool and cutting up Carmella’s credit cards.
In the final scene, he fires up the grill, lights a cigar, and then waits poolside with a shotgun for the ducks to return. Fade to black.
Dug Jay
This blogger has it about right:
I also think Tony had it right when he told Paulie that ThymeZone sucked.
ConservativelyLiberal
TZ, between my family, school and hobbies, not much time left for TV. Regarding comedy, I probably have one of the largest collections of humor (CD/DVD/Video) of anyone I know (or have ever known). I prefer humor to anything else in visual media. Seinfeld? Eh, never cared for his humor (or voice for that matter). Jason Alexander as Duckman? I have every single episode. I do have standards, ya kno… ;)
I may not watch much TV, but I have a close-knit family, a 3.88 GPA, a nice Mustang that I rebuilt and customized from the ground up, a nice motorcycle I did the same to and a collection of guitars that I do my own maintenence and repairs/upgrades on (same with my wife’s violins).
On top of that I run a home network with seven computers, two of them are rackmount servers that host three forums and a game server. I am busier than a one legged man in an ass kicking contest.
I will save the TV for retirement, I am too busy for it now…lol
BTW, while you peeps watched Sopranos, I aced my C++ final and ended the term with 102.4% (extra credit pays…lol) in that class. I hope to do likewise with Java…
Zifnab
I think you’re confusing Sopranos with The Wire, which TZ hates with a passion that burns like a thousand suns when I pee.
Score. Go CL.
Lee
The final episode was what I expected and I enjoyed almost all of it.
The final abrupt cut to black was very film school. He could have done better.
Anyone here think that the cut to black means Tony got killed?
I do not.
Tsulagi
That ending sucked ass. Not going with the supposedly artsy ending, leaving it to your imagination BS. Seemed its main purpose was just to set up a future movie. It sucked.
Otto Man
Were people really expecting some sort of grand resolution? If so, you’ve been watching the wrong show all these years. David Chase loves to leave loose ends out there — remember Pine Barrens? — and there was no way in hell he was going to end the show with Tony’s death or imprisonment.
Instead, he brought the series full circle, with Tony bitching to a new female therapist, and feeling besieged from all sides. The final meet with Uncle Junior showed him that his current power and status was fleeting, and the show ends with two threats hanging over him — the looming indictments and the menace of a hit from the guy in the Members Only jacket. Rather than ease out of the series, Chase just cut it in mid-dread. I thought it was pretty fitting.
And there’s no way they make this into a movie. What’s two more hours going to do after the several dozen we’ve already had?
Zifnab
Kinda gives it that “some people never learn” motif. Which, if I understood the show correctly, was a rather central theme from the start.
MaryS
“OK, deep-meaning analysts, what was with the girl not being able to parallel park the car? Can you tease some significance out of that, beyond a director realizing he’s 41 seconds short, and saying ‘ok, have her screw up parking the car a few times….'”
Soemone posted this possible explanation at another forum and it sounds plausible to me.
If the Soprano gathering at the diner shows that “life goes in” full of the usual denial and corruption that each of the family members has engaged in forever, Meadow’s inability to park symbolize her back-and-forth approach to her family life.
On the one hand, she’s NOT in denial, she knows it’s all “bullshit”, she talks about wanting to do something different (law school). However, she’s involved with a man who is also tied to the same lifestyle and there is potential her life goes on the same way her mother’s did if she allows herself to accept or settle for that. The back-and-forth parking is her life, teetering back and forth between acceptance and rejection of her own potential life paths and her feelings about the corruption and denial of her family.
In the end, she opens the door to the diner presumably to join her family and is the last face Tony sees before fade to black. Whether the fade to black = Tony getting whacked, or just “life goes on”, Meadow appears to have made her choice.
Andrew
I think I’d rather stare at my TV during a power outage than take a test on C++.
ThymeZone
Oh, it’s much worse than that. I don’t like it so much, I won’t watch it.
Shocking, I know, that a tv viewer would deign to exercise that kind of personal power. Almost more than the moath-foaming dogs of mob compliance here can stand!
But since the show has piss-poor ratings, I guess I am just here representing a majority of viewers who would rather eat a worm that sit through the two seasons’ worth of depressing shit that Wire fans claim it takes to “get” the show.
Yes, it’s lonely here at the top. Here in the clear air of rectitude, which most of you can only dream about.
(I think I get points for following Zif’s gag with “piss poor ratings.” Really, was that clever, or what?)
Mr Furious
I have no dog in this fight, as I have never watched The Sopranos, but I read this write-up this morning on a Red Sox blog of all places and it made me wish I had, and made the ending seem fitting if not perfect:
I am looking forward to watching DVDs of “The Wire” on the treadmill. Maybe I’ll get around to The Sopranos, but it’s an intimidating commitment.
I watched two seasons of “The Shield”—fantastic show. Second best cop show ever to “Homicide.”
Worst finale ever? Seinfeld.
ThymeZone
Unless you live in a world of vacuum tubes, home networks run themselves. At least mine does.
Of course I didn’t build it from parts out of a Cracker jack box.
ThymeZone
How many people do you know, exactly? I’ll need affidavits.
I don’t need a big humor collection. I just read your posts and laugh my ass off.
Besides, I’m naturally funny. Jokes and laughs squirt out of me like milk out of a dairy cow.
RSA
One of my life’s goals is never to have to program in C++ (again).
Lee
I only watched the last episode once but…
I thought she was interviewed by a criminal defense firm?
And isn’t her thing protecting the little guy?
norbizness
I hated the ending of the Godfather Part One. I mean, WHAT’S GOING ON BEHIND THAT DOOR THEY CLOSED? They TOTALLY RIPPED ME, THE ENTITLED VIEWER, OFF!
The Other Steve
Ok, after reading this blog and several other blogs and all the various comments. It actually is a pretty good ending. Quite possibly on par with the Mash finale.
I’m just saying this because… Everybody is talking about it, trying to analyze it and understand.
demimondian
Don’t plan on working for Google, then. They do all their back end programming in C++.
On Linux. (ick).
ThymeZone
That’s the surest sign that something is important!
I think John teaches that in his class on the first day.
The Other Steve
If it was a BF2 game server, that would be impressive.
That’s like the time in college when I aced the final for the COBOL exam.
ThymeZone
The vacuum tubes of information technology.
BTW, have you seen the trailers for Sicko?
Moore on a boat, with a bullhorn, toward Gitmo:
“We need medical attention … I don’t want any more than you’re giving Al Qaeda!”
Jesus, I love that guy. THAT is fucking funny.
The Other Steve
I used to do C development, and after looking at C++ I was like ewww, and vowed never to try to figure it out.
It was sometime later that I found out most everybody claiming they were doing C++ were just doing C development with comments prefixed by // instead of /*.
RSA
I think the last programming language exam I took was in Pascal (UCSD Pascal, if I recall correctly, which is doubtful).
ThymeZone
Is there anything sadder than object tools being used to create non-object software?
Okay, saying ‘axe’ instead of ‘ask’ is sadder.
Doubting Thomas
I love how everyone is claiming what a “brilliant” ending it was because they can’t admit they were had by Chase. He gave us all blue-balls when we wanted to come! I don’t know if that’s brilliant or just sick, but it was a totally unsatisfying ending for me.
srv
Wait until he gets a job supporting 20 other peoples interpretation of object-oriented.
If only. I’m convinced 70% of coders don’t know procedural programming very well, so their C++ code is always quite a trip. And then you always have to throw in one numbnut who is in some constest to alias the most classes.
Which tells you they’re going to have major growing pains someday. All those geniuses supporting that code? Ha. Every new developer is just going to rewrite.
You can only get so big without process.
Zifnab
I’ll drink to that. I mean, seriously, I think they weren’t even trying.
I love C++, but only because I’ve developed alternately in Perl and VBScript. One is like being handed a sheep and told to make a sweeter, the other is exactly like being handed a project that’s 90% complete but with the world’s worst documentation.
Bleh. Bleh on both your houses.
The Other Steve
Trying to use non-object tools to do object-oriented development?
srv
Hey, Tim, when are you going to write about that Organic Budweiser?
http://www.thedailygreen.com/2007/06/11/organic-isnt-always-organic/2427/
Organic now means hops sprayed with pesticides! Woo who! Thanks George!
Andrew
God, we’ve totally devolved into a geek-stravganza.
BTW, if I can’t do it in MATLAB, I’m not interested.
The Other Steve
The interesting thing is the article you linked doesn’t claim that. In fact it provides virtually no detail.
It’s simply claiming Hops is not an organic ingredient. No explanation as to why, and I find it baffling, considering hops grows on plants.
This reminds me of the time i went to a wine tasting, and the wine guy there said that wine could never be considered organic, because per California law they would have to use natural sulfur. Given sulfur comes out of the ground with a bunch of other nasty things, using natural sulfur would be hazourdous to peoples healths.
True or not, this story and it’s lack of support for moronic claims just feeds those myths.
The Other Steve
Stick with COBOL.
RSA
Learn as many programming languages as you can, in particular the way experts in each language use it.
Fwiffo
Anyone remember the finale to Twin Peaks?
canuckistani
Worst Finale Ever? What about The Prisoner?
Tony Alva
In case you missed it for some reason, it was a fantastic seemingly cryptic ending.
“…“when it happens, you don’t even hear it.”
The whole entire last scene was from Tony’s POV. The suspicous guy at the counter came back out of the bathroom and shot Tony in the head. Abrupt blackness and silence just as Bobby had said. It was no cruel “cable went out” joke, it was Tony’s lights going out from his POV.
Congratulations to whomever picked Tony to get off’ed in the pools, he was shot in the head. That’s how the series ended.
ThymeZone
And Jericho?
Leave ’em hanging, and then cancel the show.
Now that’s a finale!
ConservativelyLiberal
Amen to that. I find computer languages fascinating, and program logic is fun to hash out. The first computer language I learned was Fortran 77 back in 1982, and I have been into them ever since. I decided to go to college last year as I can’t continue in my line of work (marine mechanic/electrician) due to an accident and the subsequent seventeen operations that ended in half of my neck being fused together. I read coding forums all of the time, but I am still in the input stage of programming (learning), so I don’t output much right now. ;)
TZ, granted a network pretty much runs itself, but maintaining 6 APC units (batteries, of which another set just failed!), the kids computers (you should see what our son can do to a pc), taking the computers apart to clean out the power supplies, fans & cases every three months (we live on the coast, and our dust bunnies are more like dust T-Rexes), doing backups of the forum and game server databases every other day (backups are automated, but I keep copies on other systems as a fail-safe) and the endless other little things that go with a network, I somehow keep busy enough.
Cracker Jack box? Naah, I went high tech. I built them out of Chinese take out containers and used condoms, much more reliable. And versatile!
The other day I was bored so I wrote a George W. Bush ‘virus’. It pops up a message saying:
I have a long way to go in OOP (object oriented programming for the geek challenged), but I am having fun doing it. That is all that matters to me…
RSA
Coincidentally, this is my history as well, down to the year. Language learning history: Fortran (1982); Pascal (1983); C (1983); Lisp (1984). . . Hmm, I’m a dinosaur. I’ve dabbled in other general purpose languages, to the extent of modifying others’ code, but that’s it. (On the other hand, the general feeling in the computer science departments I’ve spent time in has been that a good student who’s learned a couple of representative languages should be able to pick up others on his own without too much difficulty. That’s not entirely true, but it’s a good goal.)
cleek
wading through other people’s mess is what i like least about being a programmer. i’m in the middle of a project that’s at least a decade-old, written in a near-dead language, with 1000+ source files. some days it feels like i’m being punished.
chopper
dem bones, dem dry bones…
Jill
Best Finale Ever. I hate tidy endings and pat resolutions. Six Feet Under ruined the whole series by their finale that went ahead in time and showed what would happen to every character. The Sopranos’s finale was great! Only small minds need neat and tidy endings.
zmulls
I was one of those people going “Whaaaaaa????” thinking the TV or cable had fritzed out. But sober reflection has me in the “brilliant ending” camp.
David Chase is sitting there thinking, “How best to end this — what would be fitting and neither a cliche or a copout?”
Tony goes into witness protection? I wouldn’t buy that. Where does Carm live? What happens to Meadow’s career? AJ in witness protection? It’s all too messy and doesn’t make sense. Also Tony isn’t a quitter. Look at the crap he gave Carmine about “leaving.”
Tony has obviously thought about ratting to the feds, but has decided against it.
Tony just goes on as before? Maybe. But his crew is gone. He’s weak. Who’s he got besides Paulie and Patsy? Weak links. Paulie turns him down for an assignment — so now what? Vultures are circling.
Tony gets indicted? Maybe. Maybe he beats the rap, maybe he goes to prison. You want to see an ending with Tony in prison? Unsatisfying.
Tony gets whacked. That makes sense. There are plenty of people with motive. And the entire last season has been one of foreboding. All his chickens (ducks?) coming home to roost. He *deserves* it, really, he’s gotten away with, well, murder.
So how do you show it? You want the big ending? You want the guy to step out of the bathroom going “ba-BANG”? You want to see the body tumble over to the table? Do you want — or need — to see/hear Carm scream “Tony, oh god, TONY???” Do you really want to see or hear AJ’s reaction? Meadow’s? Do you want to see Melfi laying flowers on his grave?
Bullshit on all those cliches. Chase told you over and over how it was going to go down.
Phil gets shot in the head — he doesn’t see it coming. It just goes black for him, in mid-sentence.
Bobby says “You don’t see it coming.” at the beginning of the season, and they *repeat* it in the penultimate episode.
The final show opens with Tony lying there as if he were in a coffin, in a tight shot.
The last scene is all about build. The guy at the counter. Meadow racing as if to get there before something bad happens. Suspicious characters.
Final shot of Tony. Black out — silence. He’s dead.
How did the shooter take him totally by surprise? Meadow walked in at just that moment. He looks up, distracted by Meadow at the door, and the shot comes. End.
The more I think about it the more this is the only explanation that makes sense. Chase whacked him and looked for a “different” way to do it.
It works for me.