Long Term Parking (S05E12)
Airdate: May 23rd 2004
Written by: Terrence Winter
Directed by: Tim Van Patten
Running Time: 56 minutes
By its fifth season, The Sopranos had firmly established a narrative tradition: the penultimate episode of each season would deliver seismic shifts in its arc, irrevocably altering the show’s trajectory. True to form, Long Term Parking—the penultimate instalment of Season 5—unleashes a cascade of pivotal developments that redefine relationships, loyalties, and the very survival of its characters. What distinguishes this episode, however, is the sheer magnitude of its consequences, surpassing even the series’ own high standards for dramatic upheaval.
The episode’s emotional core lies in the tragic resolution of Adriana La Cerva’s (Drea de Matteo) agonising duality as an FBI informant and Christopher Moltisanti’s (Michael Imperioli) fiancée. Her undoing stems not from direct involvement in mob activities but from a peripheral drug deal gone awry. When minor dealer Matush murders disgruntled customer Gilbert X. Nieves at Adriana’s club, the FBI—already monitoring her—seizes the opportunity to tighten their grip. Recorded on CCTV aiding Matush in disposing of evidence, Adriana is coerced into flipping Christopher, a desperate gambit that backfires catastrophically.
Christopher’s initial reaction—nearly strangling her—gives way to a fleeting illusion of escape via witness protection. Yet, in a gut-wrenching climax, loyalty to the DiMeo family prevails. Christopher’s betrayal seals Adriana’s fate, culminating in her execution by Silvio Dante (Steven Van Zandt), orchestrated by Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini). This arc masterfully underscores the mafia’s ruthless pragmatism: Adriana, despite her innocence relative to the family’s brutality, becomes collateral damage in a world where survival eclipses sentiment.
Parallel to Adriana’s tragedy, Tony grapples with fallout from his cousin Tony Blundetto’s (Steve Buscemi) unsanctioned hit on Phil Leotardo’s brother. Promising Johnny Sack (Vincent Curatola) Blundetto’s head to placate New York, Tony’s resolve wavers as Johnny’s smug demands grate on his pride. The resolution of the Lupertazzi civil war—with Little Carmine (Ray Abruzzo) abdicating—removes Tony’s incentive for compromise. His defiant refusal to surrender Blundetto not only strains relations with New York but sets the stage for the escalating bloodshed that dominates the final season. This subplot highlights Tony’s fatal flaw: an inability to separate personal vendettas from strategic imperatives. His decision, driven by wounded ego and familial loyalty, exemplifies the self-destructive machismo that pervades the series.
Tony’s reconciliation with Carmela (Edie Falco) is less a romantic rekindling than a cynical negotiation. Their separation ends not with emotional reckoning but financial bartering: Carmela secures $600,000 for a real estate venture, while Tony retains the façade of domestic stability. This arrangement mirrors earlier compromises—such as Carmela’s silent acceptance of Tony’s infidelities in exchange for monetary freedom—emphasising the transactional rot at their marriage’s core. The haunting final scene, where the couple surveys woodland purchased with “blood money,” juxtaposes Adriana’s grim fate with Carmela’s complicity in Tony’s world. The symbolism is stark: the land, like their reconciliation, is tainted by violence and moral compromise.
Widely lauded as one of the series’ finest hours, Long Term Parking earned Emmys for Terence Winter’s writing and standout performances by Imperioli and de Matteo. Yet its acclaim is tinged with context. Preceded by the comparatively lacklustre The Test Dream, the episode’s impact is amplified by contrast. Moreover, Adriana’s death—a narrative gut-punch—reinvigorated a series some critics accused of predictability, sparking fervent fan debates and conspiracy theories that creator David Chase and cast members later debunked.
The episode’s brilliance is occasionally marred by contrivance. Matush’s return—despite being persona non grata at the Crazy Horse—strains credulity, as does Adriana’s naivety in aiding a murder cover-up. Yet these flaws are mitigated by deft misdirection. Red herrings—Adriana’s deteriorating health, suicidal ideation, and a surreal daydream of escape—keep viewers off-balance, rendering her eventual fate all the more devastating.
Notably, the script exposes universal stupidity and incompetence: Adriana’s ill-advised confession to Christopher, Johnny Sack’s undiplomatic ultimatums, Tony’s reckless defiance and the FBI’s baffling failure to protect their most valuable informant. Only Little Carmine—a figure previously mocked for his malapropisms—emerges with pragmatic clarity, withdrawing from a “fucking stagmire” of retaliation.
The episode’s title operates on multiple levels. Literally, it references Christopher abandoning Adriana’s car at an airport parking lot—a futile attempt to erase her existence. Metaphorically, it signifies the enduring guilt Christopher “parks” within himself, a psychological burden that haunts his subsequent arc.
Long Term Parking remains a landmark episode, its emotional resonance and narrative audacity cementing The Sopranos’ legacy. While not without flaws—occasionally contrived plot mechanics, arguably excessive red herrings—its exploration of loyalty, betrayal, and moral decay transcends these quibbles. Adriana’s death, a visceral reminder of the mafia’s indiscriminate brutality, reshapes the series’ trajectory, proving that even in its fifth season, The Sopranos retained the capacity to shock and devastate. Yet, for all its strengths, the series had delivered subtler, more psychologically nuanced moments elsewhere. What elevates this episode is its unflinching confrontation with the consequences of a world where survival demands the sacrifice of humanity itself.
RATING: 7/10 (+++)
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