Mr. Ruggerio's Neighborhood

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“Mr. Ruggerio's Neighborhood”
The Sopranos episode
File:Sopranos ep301.jpg
Episode no. Season 3
Episode 27
Guest stars see below
Written by David Chase
Directed by Allen Coulter
Production no. 302 (3-1)
Original airdate March 4, 2001 (HBO)
Episode chronology
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"Funhouse" "Proshai, Livushka"
Episode chronology

"Mr. Ruggerio's Neighborhood" is the 27th episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos. It was the first episode for the show's third season. The episode was written by David Chase and was directed by Allen Coulter. It originally aired on Sunday March 4, 2001.

Table of contents

Guest starring roles

Episode recap

After the FBI loses another informant, Agent Lipari recalls that Tony takes his associates down to his basement to discuss private matters. If the FBI were to obtain a search warrant, they would be able to maintain a high level of surveillance on the Soprano home. Agent Cubitoso and Harris go to obtain the court order but are warned by the judge not to linger there for too long. The FBI discover a one hour and forty-five minute period each Tuesday when nobody is home. When the Sopranos leave for their activities on Tuesday and the maid goes to English lessons and a picnic with her husband, the FBI then "breaks into" the Soprano home to look around. They discover in the basement a lamp which could serve as a decoy for a hidden microphone. They then hurry and plan to come back the following Tuesday to plant the device. However, the Sopranos as well as the FBI are soon shocked when their water heater explodes and the basement is flooded. They are then forced to gather old relics and boxes before they are destroyed by the water. Tony then calls on Mr. Ruggerio to ask him to fix the mess. The following week, after the water heater is fixed and the basement was put back in order, they plant the new lamp and quickly leave before the maid arrives back from lunch.

Meanwhile, Meadow is adjusting to life at Columbia University where she meets her very energetic but homesick roommate, Caitlin. AJ is cutting classes to smoke cigarettes with friends. Carmela begins taking tennis lessons with Adriana. She is soon upset when she discovers the coach she had expected is moving away and has been replaced with a woman who has more of an interest in Adriana.

Tony is still running the DiMeo crime family and is concerned about a possible garbage war involving his company, Barone Sanitation. He then gathers with his friends at Satriale's where he finds a still distraught Patsy Parisi mourning over his deceased twin brother. Tony acts as if he does not know what actually happened but Patsy knows Tony had something to do with it. The following day while the FBI watches, Patsy aims a gun at Tony from the pool patio. He then puts the gun down and pees in the pool instead.

First appearances

The episode marks the first appearance of:

Title reference

  • Mr. Ruggerio is Tony's neighborhood plumber.
  • Like Tony in this episode, real-life Mafioso Angelo Ruggiero had his house bugged by the FBI, yielding crucial evidence that led to the indictment of John Gotti.
  • The title is also a reference to the children's television show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.

Trivia

  • Although this episode aired first, "Proshai, Livushka" was the first to be shot.
  • The episode was part one of a two-hour season premiere when it originally aired in 2001.
  • Federico Castelluccio (Furio Giunta) is now billed in the opening credits as part of the main cast, but only in episodes in which he appears.
  • Features Theme from Peter Gunn and Every Breath You Take.
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