Mr. and Mrs. John Sacrimoni Request...

Starring

* = credit only

Episode recap

John Sacrimoni, despite the opposition from the prosecution, is granted a six-hour supervised release from prison in order to attend his daughter Allegra's wedding ceremony. His release comes with several conditions, including heavy security paid for exclusively by Johnny. Even from prison, Johnny lords over the planning of the event and tries to keep his family focused on the big day.

Although still recovering from his gunshot wound, Tony is ready to go back to work. He has a new bodyguard and driver, Perry Annunziata, a former bodybuilder whom Tony calls "Muscles Marinara." Tony notices Perry's large arms on their first trip together and tries to impress him with tales of his previous athletic prowess. The bodyguard nearly accosts two truck drivers who cut him off and swear at him, but Tony calms the man down without incident.

Tony is welcomed back by Dr. Melfi to her office for their first psychotherapy session since his shooting recovery. Melfi inquires about his physical and mental condition and his position towards Junior Soprano, but Tony says he never again wants to talk about his uncle after he tried to kill him for the second time. They then talk about A.J., and Tony says he is disappointed in his son flunking out of college and working a petty job. Nevertheless, Melfi makes him admit there are worse ways to make money "than stocking the shelves at Blockbuster."

Junior and his new public defender are summoned before the judge. He decides Junior's mental condition has deteriorated to the level where he should be held and treated in a psychiatric facility while awaiting his retrial. After checking into a mental center, Junior passionately tells his attorney that he is innocent: "He's my nephew, goddammit! Why would I shoot him? Why?" he asks. He also says it was a "gun malfunction" and woefully begs to go home.

Tony's first day back at work mostly involves playing cards at Satriale's and being waited on by his crime family. Tony proudly displays his surgery scar on his stomach to them, prompting Christopher Moltisanti to show his own, which he got from the Sean Gismonte and Matthew Bevilaqua assassination attempt. Tony starts telling the mobsters in detail about the surgical procedures he underwent, but they seem to get uncomfortable and change the subject. Phil Leotardo arrives and seeks a private talk with Tony. Phil informs Tony that Johnny "Sack" wants him to take care of killing New York capo Rusty Millio, fearing that with him in prison, Rusty may find himself another "puppet" to control and wage another power struggle, much like he did with Little Carmine; Tony refuses the request. Before Tony arrives home, Carmela walks down the driveway to fetch the Star-Ledger newspaper (as Tony has done in previous episodes) having been informed by Rosalie Aprile of the headline touting Junior Soprano's "cushy psych lockup." She throws that section in the trash before Tony can see it. Her husband returns home exhausted and has to take a nap.

At the Bada Bing, Ahmed and Mohammed pay Christopher for credit card numbers and security codes. The pair ask him about getting some Tec-9 semi-automatic weapons for their "family troubles".

As Allegra's wedding approaches, Tony asks Meadow about when she's getting married and giving him grandchildren. Tony tells her the shooting has changed the way he looks at things.

At the wedding, when asked by U.S. Marshals to remove his shoes at a security check point near the church's entrance (after he sets off the metal detectors), Tony collapses and seems embarrassed when guests jump to his aid. After the bride and the groom give their vows before the priest, the wedding reception party follows in another venue. There, Tony accepts an envelope of cash from Vito Spatafore from his latest successful venture and is later able to talk to Johnny "Sack" for the first time since Johnny was arrested. As a personal favor, Johnny asks Tony to perform the hit on Rusty. Surrounded by U.S. Marshals, Tony and Johnny join Johnny's father and elderly relatives at a large table and discuss the situation in code, to the bewilderment of Johnny's folks. Reluctantly Tony agrees to the hit. Johnny mentions to Tony the price tag for the wedding is $425,000, but says such an occasion is worth it as, in the end, days like these are what they (mobsters) "grind" for during their lives. Later, when Tony talks to Christopher about handing the Rusty Millio job to partners in Italy, Chris, to Tony's frustration, disagrees, saying they should keep the job in-house. Christopher also mentions that Johnny asking this favor is just like "the movie" (The Godfather) and Tony can not refuse since it is Johnny's daughter's wedding day. Tony corrects Christopher, explaining that in the movie the situation is reversed, that people ask the father of the bride for a favor. Chris suggests Tony should ask John to not have him make the hit.

The guests wine and dine at the wedding party to live music and the newlyweds perform traditional games and customs, including the bride's dance with her father. Johnny "Sack" is ecstatic but his mood is soon ruined when the Marshals inform him his time has run out and it is time to return to jail. Just as Allegra and her husband leave for their honeymoon, their departure is interrupted by the Marshals pulling up to return Johnny to prison. An emotional Johnny tears up and cries openly in front of all in attendance as Marshals haul him away. Attendees are angered by the treatment of Johnny, and Johnny's wife Ginny faints. After "Sack" is gone, members of Tony's crew discuss the scene with Phil and members of the New York family. Phil says he lost respect for John and that Johnny is weak and questions whether he can be made to talk by the government. Christopher sides with Phil, again disagreeing with Tony, who defends Johnny's display of emotion. Returned to custody, Johnny is back in his orange prison jumpsuit.

After an early departure from the wedding reception and once home, Vito informs his wife he's heading out to make collections, but instead goes to a gay club. Sporting leather fetish motorcycle garb, Vito dances with a bare chested man in nipple rings, and offers to buy him a drink right before kissing him, but on the way to the bar counter he runs into two New York associates who are there making collections. Although Vito tries to play it off as a joke, they call him a "fag" and leave. Vito returns home, gets a gun from his bedroom, a few thousand dollars hidden in a paint can, and checks into a motel. He makes a 3 AM call to a sleeping Silvio Dante to ask if everything is okay. Vito makes no further contact with anyone and does not return subsequent calls from Tony.

Tony talks to Dr. Melfi about his crime family members and their perception of him. "People misinterpret, they think you're weak, they see an opportunity," Tony complains. Melfi comments Tony tries to project himself as an alpha male. She suggests he should act as if he is fine, and do something to let the subordinates know he remains a decisive leader. Tony arrives at the pork store and sees the crew sunning themselves and playing basketball. Inside, Tony tries to bait Perry into a confrontation under the pretext that he slammed the refrigerator doors but he does not respond. With his crew looking on, Tony sucker punches his bodyguard, starting a one-sided fight that ends with Perry bleeding on the floor and Tony defiantly walking away, seemingly unscathed.

After the altercation, Tony retreats to the bathroom and vomits blood. Leaning on the bathroom sink and looking at himself in the mirror, Tony gives himself a twisted, satisfied smile. The moment is short-lived, however, as Tony violently vomits again in the toilet.

First appearances

Final appearance

Production

Music