The Sopranos (TV Series) Mayham (2006) User Reviews

Back to normal... Well, as normal as they come in this show, at least

[MaxBorg89 · 10/10 · 20 May 2008]

By simply reading the title, one would expect a particularly bloody episode. Nothing of the sort: Mayham is sad, funny, poetic and foreboding - quintessential Sopranos, in other words.

With Tony still in a coma and still trying to prove to the guys inside his mind he isn't Kevin Finnerty, Silvio is taking care of his business back in the real world, only to have an asthma attack as a result of the added stress. Meanwhile, Carmela realizes she is every bit as rotten as her husband after having a revealing conversation with Dr. Melfi, and also discovers Paulie and the others don't really care about her, as proved by the looks on their faces when they have to give her a part of their earnings. Speaking of Paulie, he puts the "fun" ingredient into the episode thanks to a scene where he beats up some people and for once gets some punches in return, a kick in the nuts proving especially painful.

Being practically the third part of a very long season opener, one that sort of puts everything in perspective and sets things in motion for the flowing episodes, Mayham is wonderful in its juxtaposition of pitch-black comedy and mature tragedy, with just a slice of Twin Peaks-like dream sequences to add some extra emotional heft, none more so than when Tony, about to wake up, is given the opportunity to choose between living and dying, and that offer is made by an unidentified waiter (Steve Buscemi) who looks a lot like his dead cousin. The metaphorical readings of that scene are numerous and not entirely easy to get, and that's for the better of it: "easy" would be a sign of creative complacency, which is exactly what The Sopranos has always conquered, episode after episode. This one is no exception.

"Have a cookie you're delirious!"

[ntvnyr30 · 10/10 · 14 April 2008]

What a great line by Paulie Walnuts, saying it to the now diet-obsessed Vito. Tony Sirico was hysterical in this episode! Some other great lines: "It was complete Mayham!" and "The doctor said I might need an ultrasound on my groin and balls!" This episode, as others have mentioned, did have everything: comedy, violence, and drama. The drama was evinced in the proverbial "light at the end of the tunnel" which Tony sees from his hotel bedroom window.

Another classic comedy bit was Silvio cracking under the pressure of being the Boss: his asthma worsened, he couldn't go the loo in peace, and he couldn't be bothered after 9 pm. The scene where Bobby goes to see Silvio--while Silvio is being transported by EMS--is priceless.

I think most of us, myself included, after watching a first-run episode of "The Sopranos" on Sunday evenings, tended to critique them too harshly. This practice seems to have started in Season 4, since the first 3 seasons, in my opinion, were truly outstanding. Season 4, I initially thought, was disappointing. But after having watched the episodes again on DVD, there are better moments than I previously thought. I think the fans and media were overly critical from Seasons 4 on. But David Chase, a paisan by the way, knew what he was doing and the entire series, in its totality, is a complete classic.

The best hour of episodic television I've ever seen...

[WillieKilligan · 10/10 · 31 October 2006]

This episode is the absolute high point of this already classic television series. Everything you could want from the series is crammed into one episode. It's violent, moving, funny, and deep. This is television as high art. So well written and acted (Edie Falco is amazing in this one). The scene at the Finnerty Family Reunion was a remarkable way to wrap up what at first felt like a weird idea (Tony in Purgatory), but turned out to be incredibly poignant. The rest of the 6th season couldn't live up to this quality, but it would difficult to expect it to. This one managed to involve almost the entire cast (although Falco owns it), without feeling too full of story. This is my favorite episode of ANY TV show EVER.

"Sometimes I go about in pity for myself, and all the while, a great wind carries me across the sky." - Ojibwe saying

Try finding material this deep and rich on Desperate Housewives or Gray's Anatomy.

An entire room full of writers and...

[snoozejonc · 10/10 · 3 February 2023]

With Tony still in hospital, some of his mob family start to show their true colours.

This is another great episode with memorable character moments.

I will not give away plot details, but the writers portray certain characters behaving in such self serving ways it would feel quite depressing if not for humour. Even non-criminal families have opportunist relatives (and friends) that seek to profit when death is potentially on the horizon and so much of this rings true.

Tony's near-death experience in limbo (or wherever it maybe) takes an interesting turn via the Buddhist characters and ends in a place of familiar faces and imagery. As ever when The Sopranos gets deep and mysterious a lot of aspects are left ambiguous, but the 'Kevin Finnerty' journey leads to a place feels very intriguing and prompts lots of questions about who we are, where we going and what happens at the end.

I also love the great humour associated with Chris hassling J. T. and the group of investors discussing the movie project.

Visually it is another great episode with strong art design and brilliant transitions between Tony's/Kevin's experience and the characters at the hospital. Little touches like the look Carmela gives Vito and Paulie work so well.

Edie Falco is awesome once more and James Gandolfini, Jamie Lynn-Sigler, Tony Serico, and Steve Schirripa are all on top form.

Not buying Tim Daly

[jodi-44528 · 9/10 · 7 February 2019]

This was a good episode, but I am just not buying Tim Daly as a drug addict. Don't get me wrong, I love this guy as an actor, but he's just not convincing in this role.

I loved Edie Falco in the last couple of episodes. I know why she went back to Tony, and it does seem like they're both trying to make their marriage better. But her reactions were real, with her husband in the hospital, most likely dying. And the fact that she looked awful, which is true to life. I could definitely sympathize with her trauma. I found myself crying along with her.

Mayham (#6.3)

[ComedyFan2010 · 9/10 · 25 March 2014]

Tony is still in the coma. His people are making money and there is a lot of arguments about how to share it. AJ is also having trouble with being prevented to get a gun and the news misquoting him. While Tony continues walking around in his dream.At the end it gets critical and he chooses between life and death.

The ending of the dream/purgatory was pretty good. They once again reminded the ones who may not have gotten it that it is about life or death when Tony again said that he lost his real briefcase and "his whole life is in it". I am just a bit confused, while we do see that he chose life by holding on to the briefcase, it wasn't his briefcase so is this supposed to represent that he chose a different life now? Well, I guess we will see more soon!

Silvio's weakness during this episode and his tenure as boss really shows how hard Tony's job was

[Neptune165 · 9/10 · 21 July 2022]

This episode is hands down one of the funniest episodes of the series. Paulie getting kneed in the nuts, Silvio being put in the ambulance while Bobby hassles him, Paulie giving Tony Tachycardia. 100% gold. I've always sympathized with Sylvio in this episode since I'm also the type of person who was always much more comfortable in the position of right hand man or second in command. His issues here also harken back to a quote he himself said earlier in the show to the effect of "some people are just better off being Number 2's." The leadership would fall apart because nobody can really take his place, and Carmela will more than likely end up like the other mob wife widows unsupported and have to fend for herself. Carmella looking back at Paulie and Vito with that naïve, goofy smile, only to find them looking forlorn at having to hand over the money, is very satisfying in a weird way. It shows how that whole life is predicated on BS and that these people are only in it for themselves. Makes you wonder how Carmella would cope once Tony was finally taken out. The entire scene of them discussing horror movies was utterly hilarious. It broke my heart when Sal went down, he is my favorite made man. Loyal till the end.

The Sopranos Review - Episode 68 "Mayham"

[MichaelMargetis · 9/10 · 2 April 2006]

Wow! Okay, The Sopranos is back in full action! Not the best episode, but has to be one of the most busy. Many things happen, like Tony getting out of his coma, Silvio having an asthma attack (hysterical), and that awesome action sequence where Paulie and his goon shot the sh*t out of those Colombians and the one kicked Paulie in the nuts. I also found that scene with Dr. Melfi and Carmela to be very interesting and added some interesting closure to some conflicting problems Carmela has had during the entire run of the show. Carmela now realizes that by staying with Tony she's just as bad as he is and she also realizes that Tony's associates don't give two shits about here. It was a harsh realization but it was absolutely 100% necessary.

I also loved the ending where Tony in his coma is forced to choose life or death. I liked Steve Buscemi's guest appearance. All in all, it was a '9' episode. Let's hope next week is as or even more exciting. My Rating: 9/10.

A mini-movie, the most drama I've seen in an hour of TV in a long time.

[blanbrn · 7 April 2006]

This episode "Mayham" is good from start to finish. Tony still is in a coma, and Silvio Dante takes over the family business in Tony's absence and things get crazy! Paulie and Vito earn a score only to have to divide the earnings per Silvio, giving T's half to Carmela. And folks a word to the wise I think Vito held some money back he's gonna get on Tony's bad side, a hint of possible things to come I think Vito will sleep with the fishes in a future episode! Paulie shows his honor by remaining a dedicated warrior, in the end this episode ends happy by Tony coming out of his coma, only I think this episode foreshadows something is about to happen with at least one character sleeping with the fishes! It goes to show never trust anyone not our enemies nor our friends it seems that all people are just in the world for themselves.

Perfect 10

[nicktusk-95591 · 10/10 · 8 September 2022]

1000 percent as Tony would say. Or aka Kevin Finnerty . If your just watching this show strap on , and buckle up ! This episode is phenomenal, deep , and well written , directed , and acted . Also had deep meaning on life and philosophy in general. " one day we will be the same as that tree" Buddhist zen philosophy The ending of the episode is unreal . " you can't bring business in here " " my whole life is in that Brief case " " you can let go , just come in hello" In my own opinion, I've just never seen better television better riding, better directing better acting Denise couple episodes of the Sopranos. I know I love pine barrens. I love the test dream. I love the pilot. I love the ending episode but right here right now this tends to be the peak of the Sopranos and there's no such thing as a downfall with this show.

The Struggle

[Solstice102 · 10/10 · 28 February 2023]

The ending of the last episode was tragic and beautifully scored with Tony sitting alone in his hotel. Re-listening the song they ended the episode with after the ending of "Mayham" really brought home the struggle Tony was going through.

Do I continue with this life where everyone wants a piece of me and even my own relatives get me in hot water. Tony flatlining when Paulie started nagging him and then being brought back by the only people that really mattered to him, his immediate family..

"When it's cold i'd like to die" is the song the previous episode ended on and it highlighted how life as a topfigure in the mob maybe isn't a life worth living. Underscored by Silvio's immediate collapse when dealing with the job in "Mayham".

There's also no way out of it as the situations of Gene and Raymond and the capture of Johnny Sack illustrate. You either die or get arrested.

The only thing keeping Tony in the struggle was the voice of his daughter begging for him to come back.

Only a moment out of the coma Christopher immediately starts pestering him to invest in the movie-project, showing the insanity is just gonna pick up where it left off.

Don't need these last 2 episodes to

[gtruex · 1/10 · 28 May 2023]

We already know that Tony's not gonna die, why drag out Tony's critical-condition hospital visit into 2 full episodes.... of dreams? Adds nothing to the show's storyline. I get this isn't the first time Tony has dodged death, so maybe the writers felt they needed to do more Dana he this time, but we don't need 2 episodes. Maybe if it was Sil or Paulie, I'd actually be more okay with it, because hat would be real suspense. Nobody would know if the writers were about to kill one of them off. But this? And the dreams were so bad. Aside from the Christopher Columbus episodes, these last 2 have been my least favorite. And missing wallet thing was so dumb too.

Please no more Keven Fartity

[johnwiu · 5/10 · 3 January 2022]

2nd episode w/ Kevin Farity farting around was enough to make me hit FFWD on the remote. I'd rather the show be half the length then have to sit through more dream sequences. Otherwise the show is great as usual.

Dream sequence episodes = garbage.

[davidhiggins-89756 · 2/10 · 11 March 2021]

Thankfully this may well be the last dream sequence garbage we get. Totally self indulgent, 3 episodes in Season 6 of multiple up to 10 min sections of dream sequence garbage. Don't want to see the FANTASY, not in this Sopranos series, I'll check out other work elsewhere for fantasy.

We even had Carmela dream sequences with Adriana La Cerva popping up in S6. E01. Totally self indulgent, riding along with the success of the show, David Chase thought he could throw anything in there. Thought any minute Bobby Ewing would step out of the shower as well.

Too arty farty, they needed to keep this series as down to Earth as possible making it a REAL as possible. Didn't work for me, so even though there were good scenes in this episode as there were in the previous Season 6 episodes it has to be a 2 star rating. (Especially when Junior shot Tony S, yea, marvellous, kept replaying that, he deserved it).

Two stars then for all the dream sequence garbage throughout the entire series. Had not given a low star rating for any episode so far because of it. It gets it all in this episode. 'Best served cold' and all that.

Still at least I got to use the x16 & x32 fast forward button. Dream sequence episodes = garbage. As bad as Star Trek Voyagers 'Holodeck novel' garbage.

What was a good idea in the 80s, it is just a lack of originality and an excuse not to strive to be creative

[angelomascaro · 3/10 · 13 December 2020]

Getting better because of some good ideas in the non-dreamlike part, especially for what happens with Sil and Paulie. Good the final scene involving Carmela and Paulie. But.. I find unacceptable to repeat over and over the old cliché of dreams while sleeping or while being unconscious. It was a great twist in "Jacob's ladder", but now it is just an expedient used by writers with no ideas or B-movies writers. I expected much more from "The Sopranos". The fifth seasons was already disappointing for 50% of it and the first three episodes of the sixth season are much worse. The Sopranos does not deserve such a low level writing.