Toodle Fucking-Oo

“Toodle Fucking-Oo”
The Sopranos episode
	File:Ep16 silvio.JPG
Episode no.	Season 2; Episode 16
Guest stars	see below
Written by	Frank Renzulli
Directed by	Lee Tamahori
Production no.	202 (2-3)
Original airdate	January 30, 2000 (HBO)
Episode chronology
"Do Not Resuscitate"	"Commendatori"
	Episode chronology

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"Toodle Fucking-Oo" is the 16th episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos. It was the 3rd episode of the show's second season. The episode was written by Frank Renzulli and was directed by Lee Tamahori. It originally aired on Sunday January 30, 2000.

Guest starring roles

Episode recap

Richie Aprile, the late Jackie's brother, is paroled from prison after being incarcerated 10 years prior. In his first few days out of jail, Richie manages to reunite and cause problems with old acquaintances and to put his message out to the other associates that he has returned. The first man Richie pays a visit to is respected pizzeria owner Beansie Gaeta, who was once partnered with Richie for drug dealings and crime. Richie states to Beansie that he wants respect and what is owed to him. Beansie feels threatened and tells him to back off which angers Richie; he smashes a coffee pot over Beansie's head, throws a chair at him and hits him several times.

Meanwhile Tony Soprano is informed by the West Orange police that his daughter, Meadow, threw a party at Livia's house. In addition to the house being trashed, there were several different designer drugs and alcohol found at the scene, explaining the overdoses of several partiers. Since the officer owed Tony a favor, he agreed not to expose what really happened at the party. Meadow and Hunter are then driven home and interrogated by Tony. Meadow quickly defends herself with a flimsy excuse. At home, Carmela expects an explanation, but Meadow just runs up the stairs when questioned. When discussing a punishment, Tony replies to Carmela, "Hey let's not overplay our hand, because if she finds out that we're powerless, we're fucked!" Meadow later comes clean, but she selects her own punishment by allowing her parents to take away her Discover Card.

Janice is initially in support of the punishment decision, a sign that Meadow is growing independent. Carmela asks Janice nicely to not invade in her parenting of her daughter. However, when Janice discovers the mess at Livia's house, stained walls and vomit on the hardwood floors, she thinks that Meadow is getting away too easily. This annoys Tony, who curtly tells Janice to stop intruding on how they raise their kids. Tony then leaves when Carmela yells, "Mind your fucking business, keep your mouth shut when it comes to my kids!" A hurt Janice then leaves the house.

While eating dinner at an elegant Italian restaurant, Jennifer Melfi shares a bottle of wine with some friends. As they are leaving the restaurant, Melfi sees Tony and asks how he has been. Tony says that he is fine and exchanges the question with her. Melfi recommends a dish on the menu and Tony asks if they are now making small talk. Melfi then leaves saying, "Toodle-oo." At a session with her therapist, Dr. Elliot Kupferberg, she is annoyed at her behavior and because she feels that she acts differently when she is around Tony. The following night, Melfi has a dream that Tony suffers a car accident after running out of Prozac. As Tony crashes the car, music from The Wizard of Oz plays in the background. An alarmed Melfi wakes up from her dream and writes it down in her notebook.

Tony throws Richie a "welcome home" party after his long prison term. At the party, Richie's supporters all pay him homage with envelopes of money, except for Beansie Gaeta. When Richie asks if Beansie is present, Tony tells him to lay off Beansie. Hours after the party, Richie tracks down Beansie and attempts to shoot him for not showing up to the party. Beansie escapes and when he feels it is safe, he returns to his car, only to find Richie waiting. Richie runs over Beansie, severely injuring him. Tony later visits Beansie in the hospital where his wife becomes very confrontational over his injury. Beansie's doctor has minimal hope that he will walk again.

Tony later tells Richie that Beansie will never walk again and asks if he has any remorse. Richie reminds Tony that no one ever went to see him in jail—especially Beansie—and that he deserved what happened. Tony angrily reminds Richie that he is the boss and that Richie should respect his decisions. Richie then changes the subject by asking how Tony's sister Janice is doing. Earlier, Richie had seen Janice at yoga class, where they reminisced and talked about their recent past and current status. Richie then tries to win Janice over by bringing a bouquet of flowers to Livia's bedside. Over sodas, Janice told Richie that they are both in very different places but Richie insisted that they give their relationship another chance.

When Tony goes to change the locks at Livia's, he discovers Meadow scrubbing the floors and tidying up the house as part of her punishment. Tony turns away from the house and puts his arms on his hips, clearly cogitating something. The episode ends with a closeup of his confused face.

First appearances

Richie Aprile: The late Jackie Aprile's brother who is paroled from prison after a 10-year sentence.
Peter "Beansie" Gaeta: a former mafia associate of Richie Aprile.
Dr. Elliot Kupferburg: Dr. Melfi's colleague and therapist.
Dr. Douglas Schreck: Junior Soprano's family physician.

Title reference

"Toodle-oo" is a common form of "good-bye". An annoyed Melfi adds her own twist on the saying while mulling over her run-in with Tony.

Production

Although the episode aired third in Season 2, it was the second to be produced.
David Proval (Richie Aprile) originally auditioned to play the role of Tony Soprano. He was turned down because creator David Chase felt he looked "too right," for the part. He is credited within the main cast for Season 2.

Connections with future episodes

When meeting with Tony at the mall, Richie reminds Tony that he helped him and his brother, Jackie, get a "pass" after robbing the card game of a mob capo from the 1970s named "Feech" La Manna. This is the first reference to the story, which is retold with more details in later seasons. Feech La Manna is released from prison and becomes a pivotal character in Season 5.