Bust Out (The Sopranos episode)
Encyclopedia
"Bust Out" is the twenty-third episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos
and the tenth of the show's second season. It was written by Frank Renzulli
, Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess
, directed by John Patterson and originally aired on Sunday March 19, 2000.
killing who identifies Tony Soprano
from a book of suspect photos. He didn't get a good look at Pussy, but describes the second man as "a husky accomplice". Tony is panicked when word of the case reaches him, and he makes plans to flee until the witness can be identified and dealt with. He gives a sports bag full of cash to his lawyer, Neil Mink, to provide for his family. Luckily for Tony, the witness realizes (via a newspaper article) that the murder relates to the Mafia
, and is not a drug-related dispute as the detectives had let him believe, and he urgently contacts the police department to retract his statement.
Tony and Richie Aprile
squeeze money out of David Scatino's store, ordering Ramlösa
bottled water, coolers, airline tickets, and sneakers on the store's credit and selling the merchandise on the street. They inform Davey the squeeze will continue unless he is able to pay the money he owes them. Davey is distraught over his situation and at one point, he lies on a pool table in his basement while pointing a pistol into his mouth. When his wife enters the room he hides the weapon in the ceiling tiles and claims to be fixing a light. Later, his wife and Carmela Soprano
have lunch at Nuovo Vesuvio and she expresses concern about Davey's gambling, mentioning that the sporting goods store is in her name. Artie Bucco serves them the mineral water that Tony had Davey order, mentioning that he got a great deal on the price.
Unhappy with the cut he is getting from Davey's store and the deal he has with Barone Sanitation, Richie discusses with Junior Soprano
the possibility of getting rid of Tony. When Junior admonishes him, Richie reminds him of Junior's plan to kill Tony the previous year.
After imploring Tony to stop cheating on her in the previous episode, Carmela is attracted to a new handyman, Victor Musto. Musto is the brother of Davey's wife, who is also a widower. He and Carmela share a passionate kiss, and then realize the futility of the situation. However, when he calls her, she invites him over for a "discussion" and gourmet meal, which she prepares herself. In the meantime, he learns of Tony's involvement with his brother-in-law (Davey) and sends an assistant to meet her instead of arriving himself.
Tony tries to get closer to A.J.
and Meadow
, but does not succeed until Tony takes A.J. on his boat at the end of the episode, where they crank the boat up to full power and capsize two men in a canoe
.
The Sopranos
The Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
and the tenth of the show's second season. It was written by Frank Renzulli
Frank Renzulli
Frank Renzulli is an American film actor, writer and producer.As an Emmy nominated writer and Golden Globe winner, Renzulli has written teleplays for The Sopranos, mainly in the first two seasons, and another Emmy nominated episode in the third season of the highly acclaimed television show...
, Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess
Mitchell Burgess
Mitchell Burgess is an Emmy Award-winning writer and producer. He worked extensively on the HBO hit-series The Sopranos. He was a creator and executive producer for Blue Bloods. He frequently works with his wife Robin Green.-Career:...
, directed by John Patterson and originally aired on Sunday March 19, 2000.
Starring
- James GandolfiniJames GandolfiniJames J. Gandolfini, Jr. is an Italian American actor. He is best known for his role as Tony Soprano in the HBO TV series The Sopranos, about a troubled crime boss struggling to balance his family life and career in the Mafia...
as Tony SopranoTony SopranoAnthony John "Tony" Soprano, Sr. is an Italian-American fictional character and the protagonist on the HBO television drama series The Sopranos, on which he is portrayed by James Gandolfini. The character was conceived by The Sopranos creator and show runner David Chase, who was also largely... - Lorraine BraccoLorraine BraccoLorraine Bracco is an American actress. She is best known for her TV roles as Dr. Jennifer Melfi on HBO series, The Sopranos, and Angela Rizzoli on the TNT series, Rizzoli & Isles...
as Dr. Jennifer Melfi - Edie FalcoEdie FalcoEdith "Edie" Falco is an American television, film and stage actress, known for her roles in Oz as Diane Wittlesey, as Carmela Soprano on the HBO series The Sopranos, and as the titular character on the Showtime series Nurse Jackie...
as Carmela SopranoCarmela SopranoCarmela Soprano née DeAngelis, played by Edie Falco, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. She is the wife of Mafia boss Tony Soprano and the program's most prominent female character.-Character biography:... - Michael ImperioliMichael ImperioliJames Michael Imperioli , commonly known as Michael Imperioli, is an American actor and television writer. He is perhaps best known for his role as Christopher Moltisanti on The Sopranos for which he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2004. He also...
as Christopher MoltisantiChristopher MoltisantiChristopher "Chris" Moltisanti, played by Michael Imperioli, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. He was Tony Soprano's protégé and a Capo in the Soprano crime family.-Biography:...
* - Dominic ChianeseDominic ChianeseDominic Chianese is an American film, television and theatre actor, perhaps best known for his role as Corrado "Junior" Soprano on the HBO TV series, The Sopranos.-Early life:...
as Corrado Soprano, Jr.Junior SopranoCorrado John Soprano, Jr., played by Dominic Chianese, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. Usually referred to as "Junior" or "Uncle Jun", he is the mentor and surrogate father for capo Tony Soprano. A younger Corrado sometimes appears in flashbacks and is played by Rocco... - Vincent PastoreVincent PastoreVincent Pastore is an Italian-American actor, often cast as a mobster and best known for the role of Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero on The Sopranos.-Early life:...
as Pussy Bonpensiero - Steven Van ZandtSteven Van ZandtSteven Van Zandt is an Italian-American musician, songwriter, arranger, record producer, actor, and radio disc jockey, who frequently goes by the stage names Little Steven or Miami Steve...
as Silvio DanteSilvio DanteSilvio Manfred Dante, often referred to as "Sil", played by Steven Van Zandt, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. He is the consigliere to Tony Soprano in the Soprano crime family. Silvio has one of the lowest profiles on the show. He is usually a behind the scenes figure...
* - Tony SiricoTony SiricoGenaro Anthony "Tony" Sirico, Jr. is an American character actor who is most famous for his role as Paulie Gualtieri in the television series The Sopranos.- Background and career :Sirico was born in Midwood, Brooklyn...
as Paulie GualtieriPaulie GualtieriPeter Paul "Paulie Walnuts" Gualtieri played by Tony Sirico, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. He is a caporegime and later underboss in the Soprano crime family.-Plot details:... - Robert IlerRobert IlerRobert Michael Iler is an American actor, known for his portrayal of A.J. Soprano on The Sopranos which aired on HBO from 1999-2007....
as Anthony Soprano, Jr.Anthony Soprano, Jr.Anthony John "A.J." Soprano, Jr. , played by Robert Iler, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. Usually just called "A.J.", he is the son of Carmela and Tony Soprano. He is a prototypical underachiever and is a constant source of stress and anxiety for his parents... - Jamie-Lynn SiglerJamie-Lynn SiglerJamie-Lynn Sigler is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her role as Meadow Soprano on the HBO television series The Sopranos.-Early life:...
as Meadow SopranoMeadow SopranoMeadow Mariangela Soprano , played by Jamie-Lynn Sigler, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos.-Character:Meadow is the first-born child of Tony and Carmela Soprano... - Drea de MatteoDrea de MatteoDrea de Matteo is an American television actress, perhaps best known for her roles Joey Tribbiani's sister Gina on the NBC sitcom Joey, as Angie Bolen on ABC's Desperate Housewives, and as Adriana La Cerva on the acclaimed HBO TV series The Sopranos, a role for which she won the Primetime Emmy...
as Adriana La CervaAdriana La CervaAdriana La Cerva played by Drea de Matteo, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. She is the long-time girlfriend and, later, fiancée of Tony Soprano's protégé, Christopher Moltisanti.-Character history:...
* - David ProvalDavid ProvalDavid Aaron Proval is an American actor, known for his roles as Tony DeVienazo in the Martin Scorsese film Mean Streets opposite Robert De Niro and Harvey Keitel and as Richie Aprile on the HBO television series The Sopranos .-Biography:Proval was born in Brooklyn, New York, of Jewish heritage,...
as Richie AprileRichie AprileRichard 'Richie' Aprile, Sr., played by David Proval, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. Richie was a capo and the older brother of former DiMeo crime family acting boss Jackie Aprile, Sr... - Aida TurturroAida TurturroAida Turturro is an American actress probably best known for playing Janice Soprano, sister of New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano, on the HBO TV series The Sopranos .-Personal life:...
as Janice SopranoJanice SopranoJanice Soprano Baccalieri, played by Aida Turturro, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. She is Tony Soprano's elder sister. A young Janice has appeared in flashbacks, played by Madeline Blue and Juliet Fox.-Biography:... - and Nancy MarchandNancy MarchandNancy Marchand was an American actress, whose career encompassed both stage and screen. She appeared in various theatre productions throughout the early 1950s, before being offered roles on film and television....
as Livia SopranoLivia SopranoLivia Soprano , played by Nancy Marchand, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. She is the mother of Tony Soprano. A young Livia, played by Laila Robins and later by Laurie J. Williams is sometimes seen in flashbacks... - * = credited only
Also Guest Starring
- Robert PatrickRobert PatrickRobert Hammond Patrick, Jr. is an American actor, known for his leading and supporting roles in a number of films and television shows....
as David Scatino - Joe PennyJoe PennyJoseph Edward Penny, Jr., credited as Joe Penny is an actor best known for his role as Nick Ryder on the detective series Riptide from 1984 to 1986 and for his role as Jake Styles in the CBS television series Jake and the Fatman from 1987 to 1992.-Early life:Penny was born in London, England to an...
as Victor Musto - Lillo Brancato, Jr.Lillo Brancato Jr.Lillo Brancato, Jr. is a Colombian-born American actor, known for his performance as "Calogero Anello" in Robert De Niro's 1993 directorial debut, A Bronx Tale. He also played Matthew Bevilaqua, a young mobster on The Sopranos. In December 2005, Brancato was charged with second-degree murder for...
as Matt Bevilaqua - Louis LombardiLouis LombardiLouis Lombardi is an American actor.Lombardi was born in The Bronx, New York City, the son of Louis Lombardi, Sr. On television, Lombardi had a recurring role on The Sopranos as Agent Skip Lipari, and guest starred on such shows as Entourage, Heroes and CSI. He was a cast member of a 1990s...
as Skip Lipari - Federico CastelluccioFederico CastelluccioFederico Castelluccio is an Italian-American actor and professional visual artist, who is best known for his role as Furio Giunta on the HBO TV series, The Sopranos.-Early life:...
as Furio GiuntaFurio GiuntaFurio Giunta, played by Federico Castelluccio, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. He was an Italian mobster working for Tony Soprano.-Biography:... - Paul HermanPaul HermanPaul Herman is an American actor. His appearances in movies include Once Upon a Time in America and Analyze That. He also had a recurring role on The Sopranos as "Beansie" Gaeta, as well as another HBO series, Entourage, as Vincent Chase's accountant, Marvin...
as Beansie Gaeta - David MarguliesDavid MarguliesDavid Joseph Margulies is an American actor.Margulies was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Runya , a nurse and museum worker, and Harry David Margulies, a lawyer. Margulies graduated from City College of New York. Immediately afterward, he made his stage debut in the off-Broadway play Golden 6...
as Neil Mink - Marissa Redanty as Christine Scatino
- Janis Dardaris as Karen
- Mitch HollemanMitch HollemanMitch Holleman is an American child actor who is most notable for his portrayal of Jake Hart on the TV sitcom Reba. In the show he is the son of Reba Hart played by country music singer Reba McEntire.-Life and career:...
as Boy at Mall - Adrian Martinez as Ramone
- Olga MeredizOlga MeredizOlga Merediz is an American Broadway, TV, and film actress. Merediz is probably best known for originating the role of Abuela Claudia in the Broadway musical In the Heights...
as Fran - Chuck Montgomery as Larry Arthur
- Antone Pagan as Detective Ramos
- Katlin Pota as Lilliana
- Matt ServittoMatt ServittoMatt Servitto is an American actor, probably best known for his role on The Sopranos as FBI agent Dwight Harris. He also appeared on all 3 seasons of the Peabody Award-winning series Brotherhood as Rep. Donatello and had a guest appearance on Sex and the City as Carrie Bradshaw's editor...
as Agent Harris - Vince Viverito as Detective Giardina
Episode recap
It's now May, and the police locate an eyewitness to the BevilaquaMatthew Bevilaqua
Matthew Bevilacqua, played by Lillo Brancato Jr., is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos.-Background:Matthew Bevilacqua, a.k.a. Matt Drinkwater, was Sean Gismonte's partner-in-crime and an associate in the Soprano Crime Family. Matt and Sean were from West Orange, New Jersey....
killing who identifies Tony Soprano
Tony Soprano
Anthony John "Tony" Soprano, Sr. is an Italian-American fictional character and the protagonist on the HBO television drama series The Sopranos, on which he is portrayed by James Gandolfini. The character was conceived by The Sopranos creator and show runner David Chase, who was also largely...
from a book of suspect photos. He didn't get a good look at Pussy, but describes the second man as "a husky accomplice". Tony is panicked when word of the case reaches him, and he makes plans to flee until the witness can be identified and dealt with. He gives a sports bag full of cash to his lawyer, Neil Mink, to provide for his family. Luckily for Tony, the witness realizes (via a newspaper article) that the murder relates to the Mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
, and is not a drug-related dispute as the detectives had let him believe, and he urgently contacts the police department to retract his statement.
Tony and Richie Aprile
Richie Aprile
Richard 'Richie' Aprile, Sr., played by David Proval, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. Richie was a capo and the older brother of former DiMeo crime family acting boss Jackie Aprile, Sr...
squeeze money out of David Scatino's store, ordering Ramlösa
Ramlösa
Ramlösa is a brand of carbonated mineral water from a source in Ramlösa Brunnspark in the southern part of Helsingborg, Sweden. Ramlösa goes back to the year 1707 when a health spa around the source was founded by Johan Jacob Döbelius....
bottled water, coolers, airline tickets, and sneakers on the store's credit and selling the merchandise on the street. They inform Davey the squeeze will continue unless he is able to pay the money he owes them. Davey is distraught over his situation and at one point, he lies on a pool table in his basement while pointing a pistol into his mouth. When his wife enters the room he hides the weapon in the ceiling tiles and claims to be fixing a light. Later, his wife and Carmela Soprano
Carmela Soprano
Carmela Soprano née DeAngelis, played by Edie Falco, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. She is the wife of Mafia boss Tony Soprano and the program's most prominent female character.-Character biography:...
have lunch at Nuovo Vesuvio and she expresses concern about Davey's gambling, mentioning that the sporting goods store is in her name. Artie Bucco serves them the mineral water that Tony had Davey order, mentioning that he got a great deal on the price.
Unhappy with the cut he is getting from Davey's store and the deal he has with Barone Sanitation, Richie discusses with Junior Soprano
Junior Soprano
Corrado John Soprano, Jr., played by Dominic Chianese, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. Usually referred to as "Junior" or "Uncle Jun", he is the mentor and surrogate father for capo Tony Soprano. A younger Corrado sometimes appears in flashbacks and is played by Rocco...
the possibility of getting rid of Tony. When Junior admonishes him, Richie reminds him of Junior's plan to kill Tony the previous year.
After imploring Tony to stop cheating on her in the previous episode, Carmela is attracted to a new handyman, Victor Musto. Musto is the brother of Davey's wife, who is also a widower. He and Carmela share a passionate kiss, and then realize the futility of the situation. However, when he calls her, she invites him over for a "discussion" and gourmet meal, which she prepares herself. In the meantime, he learns of Tony's involvement with his brother-in-law (Davey) and sends an assistant to meet her instead of arriving himself.
Tony tries to get closer to A.J.
Anthony Soprano, Jr.
Anthony John "A.J." Soprano, Jr. , played by Robert Iler, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. Usually just called "A.J.", he is the son of Carmela and Tony Soprano. He is a prototypical underachiever and is a constant source of stress and anxiety for his parents...
and Meadow
Meadow Soprano
Meadow Mariangela Soprano , played by Jamie-Lynn Sigler, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos.-Character:Meadow is the first-born child of Tony and Carmela Soprano...
, but does not succeed until Tony takes A.J. on his boat at the end of the episode, where they crank the boat up to full power and capsize two men in a canoe
Canoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
.
Title reference
- A "bust out" is a common tactic in the organized crime world, wherein a business' assets and lines of credit are exploited and exhausted to the point of bankruptcy. Richie and Tony profit from busting out Davey Scatino's sporting goods store in this episode.
Connections to future episodes
- When asked by Davey why Tony let him get into debt, Tony replies that he knew Davey had the store and other assets he could take, and instinctively saw an opportunity for profit. In a similar situation with Artie in season four, Tony reacts angrily when Artie accuses him of that line of thinking.
- Junior's warnings to Richie of Janice's dishonesty foreshadow Richie's eventual murder by Janice.
Music
- The piano instrumental playing at Nuovo Vesuvio during lunch with Carmela and Christine Scatino is "Cast Your Fate to the WindCast Your Fate to the Wind"Cast Your Fate to the Wind" is an American jazz piece written and originally recorded by Vince Guaraldi, with lyrics later added by Carel Werber. It won a Grammy Award for Best Original Jazz Composition in 1963...
". - The song "Con te partiròCon te Partiró- History :The song's original single release by Polydor Records was not commercially successful in Italy, and received little radio airplay there. Elsewhere, however, it was a massive hit. In France and Switzerland, the single topped the charts for 6 weeks, earning a triple Gold sales award. In...
" by Andrea BocelliAndrea BocelliAndrea Bocelli, is an Italian tenor, multi-instrumentalist and classical crossover artist. Born with poor eyesight, he became blind at the age of twelve following a soccer accident....
appears for the third time this season, played as Carmela thinks about and receives a phone call from the handyman. This song was especially prominent in "Commendatori", playing (among other places) when Carmela and her friends discussed hoping to be free of their husbands. - The music playing during the scene wherein the witness realizes the murder victim was a Mafia associate is the second movement from Anton WebernAnton WebernAnton Webern was an Austrian composer and conductor. He was a member of the Second Viennese School. As a student and significant follower of Arnold Schoenberg, he became one of the best-known exponents of the twelve-tone technique; in addition, his innovations regarding schematic organization of...
's Variations for PianoVariations for piano (Webern)Variations for piano, op. 27, is a twelve-tone piece for piano composed by Anton Webern in 1936. It consists of three movements:# Sehr mäßig # Sehr schnell # Ruhig fließend...
, Op. 27. - When Carmela is preparing the food for her lunch with Vic Musto, "You're Still the OneYou're Still the One"You're Still the One" is a song by Canadian singer Shania Twain. It was the third country single from Shania Twain's 1997 album, Come on Over, while it was the first to be released to pop and international markets. Released in 1998, the single peaked at number two becoming Twain's first top ten...
" by Shania TwainShania TwainShania Twain, OC is a Canadian country pop singer-songwriter. Her album The Woman in Me , brought her fame and her 1997 album Come On Over, became the best-selling album of all time by a female musician in any genre, and the best-selling country album of all time. It has sold over 40 million...
is playing in the background. - The song played over the end credits is "Wheel in the Sky" by JourneyJourney (band)Journey is an American rock band formed in 1973 in San Francisco by former members of Santana. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between the 1978 and 1987, after which it temporarily disbanded...
; this song was also heard in the scene wherein painters were painting the Sopranos' living room. Another Journey song, "Don't Stop Believin'Don't Stop Believin'"Don't Stop Believin is a popular song by the American rock band Journey, originally released as a single from their 1981 album Escape, which became a #9 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 on its original release. It re-entered the UK Singles Chart in 2009 as a result of increased prominence of digital...
," would be featured in the series finaleMade in America (The Sopranos)"Made in America" is the twenty-first episode of the sixth season of the HBO television drama series The Sopranos and the series finale. It is the eighty-sixth overall episode of the series and the ninth episode of the second part of the sixth season, which was broadcast in two batches with a break...
.
Trivia
- The witness reads Anarchy, State and Utopia by Robert NozickRobert NozickRobert Nozick was an American political philosopher, most prominent in the 1970s and 1980s. He was a professor at Harvard University. He is best known for his book Anarchy, State, and Utopia , a right-libertarian answer to John Rawls's A Theory of Justice...
in the scene where he realizes that the murder he has witnessed is a mafia hit. - Carmela reads Memoirs of a GeishaMemoirs of a GeishaMemoirs of a Geisha is a novel by American author Arthur Golden, published in 1997. The novel, told in first person perspective, tells the fictional story of a geisha working in Kyoto, Japan, before and after World War II...
by Arthur GoldenArthur GoldenArthur Golden is an American writer. He is the author of the bestselling novel Memoirs of a Geisha .Golden is a member of the Ochs-Sulzberger family . He was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, grew up on Lookout Mountain, Georgia, and attended Lookout Mountain Elementary School in Lookout Mountain,...
in bed. - Many items from the bust out appear throughout the episode, especially the water (at Artie's restaurant and Uncle Junior's house) and the red coolers (Carmela offers one, ironically, to Davey's brother-in-law, Vic Musto). The airline tickets would cause Tony problems later on, as he gives a pair to his mother, only to have her and her sister detained at the airport for attempting to use the stolen tickets.
- The "Easy Does it" sign along the stairwell of Davey's basement is popular among twelve-step programs, such as Alcoholics AnonymousAlcoholics AnonymousAlcoholics Anonymous is an international mutual aid movement which says its "primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety." Now claiming more than 2 million members, AA was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio...
, Narcotics AnonymousNarcotics AnonymousNarcotics Anonymous is a twelve-step program modeled after Alcoholics Anonymous describing itself as a "fellowship or society of men and women for whom drugs had become a major problem," and it is the second-largest 12-step organization...
and, in Davey's case, Gamblers AnonymousGamblers AnonymousGamblers Anonymous is a twelve-step program for problem gamblers. GA began in Los Angeles on September 13, 1957. As of 2005 there were over 1000 GA meetings in the United States and meetings established in the United Kingdom, Spain, New Zealand, Australia, Brazil, Israel, Kenya, Uganda, Korea and...
. - The soap operaSoap operaA soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Uncle Junior was watching was CBSCBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
's The Bold and the BeautifulThe Bold and the BeautifulThe Bold and the Beautiful is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS Daytime. It premiered on March 23, 1987....
.