file this under, "wha da fug jus happened!"

Yeah, yeah… I know, been buried under finishing an old project and deciding on a new one. It hasn’t left me with much time to rant but this has to be the best reason to surface in weeks. I noticed these two images and wondered if David Chase was sending a message. When HBO agreed to dip into their massive DVD Sopranos profits (Ray Liotta has to hate himself) to finance an additional season — despite the escalating costs involved in keeping everyone attached to the production — I felt Chase must have presented a master pitch to HBO execs:

FADE IN:

INT — TIME WARNER BLDG (HBO EXECUTIVE OFFICE,NEW YORK) — MIDNIGHT

SILENCE, a moment frozen in time.

A 125-foot polished Italian oak conference table (purchased for a steal from Ovitz’s AMG sell-off), a single black phone rests in its center.

At one end of the table we find two wall-mounted 50″ Pioneer HD plasma monitors, the other end –

GANDOLFINI, relaxed, hands resting on the table in front of him, one hand on top of the other, comfortable in his Tony attire, wearing his infamous smirk. Standing over his left shoulder –

DAVID “I have these muthafucks eating out of my hand” CHASE.

A door opens, a DOZEN SUITS and SKIRTS enter, taking their positions around the table. No need for words, no smiles, no direct eye-contact just simply brief glances and nods of respect in the direction of Gandolfini/Chase.

Lights dim. The two HDs come to life –

EYES FIXED on the two images a BEAT, then –

BLACK. STILL “did the city go dark again?” BLACK.

LIGHTS UP. EYES dart between OTHER EYES, not a word spoken, then all EYES in unison to Gandolfini/Chase –

The chair’s empty, both gone. Pinned to the chair –

CLOSE ON a TIME WARNER CORPORATE CHECK, payable to Mr. David Chase — it’s blank!

ANGLE ON suits and skirts, each holding their MontBlancs.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————

If Chase did pitch it as written above, he did so brilliantly thinking ahead; one image showing “the family” proudly living on in infamy, the other showing “the family” unable to look any of us in the eye as they live on in shame.

Clearly, the man who created one of the best written, cast and performed series in television history choked and fumbled the ball one step before the end zone. I give him credit for covering his ass and presenting HBO with a pitch that not only sold the additional episodes — but left Chase being the master of his own creation by writing/directing the episode — granting him final cut and his one final “FUGETABOUTIT”

file this under, "wha da fug jus happened!"

Yeah, yeah… I know, been buried under finishing an old project and deciding on a new one. It hasn’t left me with much time to rant but this has to be the best reason to surface in weeks. I noticed these two images and wondered if David Chase was sending a message. When HBO agreed to dip into their massive DVD Sopranos profits (Ray Liotta has to hate himself) to finance an additional season — despite the escalating costs involved in keeping everyone attached to the production — I felt Chase must have presented a master pitch to HBO execs:

FADE IN:

INT — TIME WARNER BLDG (HBO EXECUTIVE OFFICE,NEW YORK) — MIDNIGHT

SILENCE, a moment frozen in time.

A 125-foot polished Italian oak conference table (purchased for a steal from Ovitz’s AMG sell-off), a single black phone rests in its center.

At one end of the table we find two wall-mounted 50″ Pioneer HD plasma monitors, the other end –

GANDOLFINI, relaxed, hands resting on the table in front of him, one hand on top of the other, comfortable in his Tony attire, wearing his infamous smirk. Standing over his left shoulder –

DAVID “I have these muthafucks eating out of my hand” CHASE.

A door opens, a DOZEN SUITS and SKIRTS enter, taking their positions around the table. No need for words, no smiles, no direct eye-contact just simply brief glances and nods of respect in the direction of Gandolfini/Chase.

Lights dim. The two HDs come to life –

EYES FIXED on the two images a BEAT, then –

BLACK. STILL “did the city go dark again?” BLACK.

LIGHTS UP. EYES dart between OTHER EYES, not a word spoken, then all EYES in unison to Gandolfini/Chase –

The chair’s empty, both gone. Pinned to the chair –

CLOSE ON a TIME WARNER CORPORATE CHECK, payable to Mr. David Chase — it’s blank!

ANGLE ON suits and skirts, each holding their MontBlancs.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————

If Chase did pitch it as written above, he did so brilliantly thinking ahead; one image showing “the family” proudly living on in infamy, the other showing “the family” unable to look any of us in the eye as they live on in shame.

Clearly, the man who created one of the best written, cast and performed series in television history choked and fumbled the ball one step before the end zone. I give him credit for covering his ass and presenting HBO with a pitch that not only sold the additional episodes — but left Chase being the master of his own creation by writing/directing the episode — granting him final cut and his one final “FUGETABOUTIT”