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in: Season Six, Episodes, The Sopranos episodes

Moe n' Joe

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"Moe n' Joe" is the 10th episode of Part 1 of Season 6 of the HBO original series The Sopranos. It is the 75th overall episode of the series. Written by Matthew Weiner and directed by Steve Shill, it originally aired on May 14, 2006.

Episode cast[]

* = credit only

Guest starring[]

Episode recap[]

Facing a mountain of evidence, Johnny considers making a plea agreement with the FBI. Since such a deal would involve the confiscation of most of Johnny's assets, he sends his brother-in-law Anthony Infante to ask Tony to convince two brothers from New Orleans, who have Johnny as a silent partner in their heavy equipment leasing company, to sell it so he can get his share. Tony reluctantly agrees to the meeting, but one of the brothers, Paul Calviac, is unwilling to give up the potential profits from post-Katrina government funds and walks out of the dinner. Janice appeals to Tony to make Bobby a capo and accuses her brother of treating her and Bobby unfairly, and blaming them for his shooting by Junior. Carmela pressures Tony again to meet with the building inspector and have the work-stopping order lifted on her spec house project. Tony finally hands the job to Silvio.

In therapy sessions with Dr. Melfi, Tony sees the spec house as a distraction for Carmela. He describes their reconciliation as an understanding: if he backs her project, she turns a blind eye to his work and infidelity. He also admits that he is cruel to Janice and Bobby and takes pleasure in their misfortunes. Melfi points out that Tony has never gotten along with his sister. He then recalls moments of Janice standing up to his abusive mother Livia, which he respected. He also recalls Janice using a tape recording of him fighting with his sister Barbara to painfully extort favors from him for a whole month. Melfi suggests to Tony that Janice's "misery" reminds him of Livia, to which Tony admits he is mistreating her in revenge for leaving him alone to deal with his mother for many years.

While making collections in a particularly dangerous section of Newark, Bobby is mugged by a gang of African-American youths. After they take his money and gun, one of them fires it into the pavement in front of Bobby and sends concrete fragments into his right eye. Paulie calls Tony to deliver the news, and also reveals that he is having radiotherapy for early stage prostate cancer. Tony's initial reaction is to criticize Bobby in front of the crew, despite Bobby's passing on his payments through Carlo, but stops when Silvio gives him a look. Later, Tony visits Bobby at his and Janice's home and watches a New York Giants game. Tony observes Janice's commanding presence at the house, aggressively handling her husband and Bobby, Jr.

Janice greatly admires Ginny's house when she comes to visit with friends. Tony proposes that he will guarantee the brothers will sell their company, and in exchange, Tony will take a light cut and Johnny will sell his house at a discounted price to Janice and Bobby. Johnny reluctantly agrees, realizing he has few options left. Tony finds a distressed Meadow, and is uncomfortable discussing her concerns about her souring relationship with Finn. Tony makes the mistake of telling her she is "living in sin" with a man, which prompts her to curse at him and storm off. Elsewhere, Tony tells Silvio to not speak to Carmela's building inspector after all. Tony falsely tells Carmela that Silvio had a fruitless meeting with the building inspector, and tells her it is time to walk away and sell the spec house. Carmela is dissatisfied.

Johnny's lawyer negotiates with the prosecutor over the assets that would be left for Johnny's family and how much prison time he would get for a plea deal. Johnny learns he would also have to enter an allocution. In an agonizing decision, he chooses the plea deal and his family's continued support over the oath of omertà. He receives a 15-year sentence and publicly admits that he was a part of a New York chapter of La Cosa Nostra. His statement is met with disdain by the New York mobsters, especially by Phil, who stoically served 20 years in prison himself without ever pleading guilty. Tony and Silvio similarly regard Johnny with disgust, although defend him when talking in the presence of a gardener. Chris is furious when a U.S. Marshal takes the Maserati Coupé that Johnny sold to him.

Landscaper Sal Vitro has been taking care of the gardening at Johnny "Sack"'s house for free for over two years as payment for being allowed to continue working for his existing customers. At the beginning of the episode, Tony denies Sal's request to remove this obligation, citing the dire straits faced by Johnny's wife Ginny, while her husband is in prison, and derides him for being selfish. At the end of the episode, Sal is released from the obligation by Tony, after Johnny's trial plea.

Meanwhile, at Dartford, NH, Jim discovers Vito Spatafore (known as Vince to him) is not really a sports writer, and Vito confesses he left a family and a job in "contracting" in Jersey. Their relationship develops further, Vito moves in with Jim, helps his firefighter team on one rescue operation and gets a job working as a local handyman. In his home life, Vito starts cooking Italian food and says how much he misses it. He also seems to miss the faster pace of nightlife - while he is at the bar with Jim, everyone leaves to go home early when he is ready to gamble, drink and stay up. The following morning, Vito tries to stay focused at his handyman job, but is frustrated when he finds only an hour has passed. The morning after, Jim wakes up to find Vito has left with his belongings and car.

Drinking vodka and teary while driving, Vito rounds a blind corner on a wooded country road and crashes into a parked Jeep Wagoneer. When the owner refuses to take cash as compensation and walks towards his home to call the cops, Vito shoots him in the back of the head and drives away. Soon, he is back in New Jersey and slowly drives through the old neighborhood, stopping momentarily in front of Satriale's before speeding off.

The gift from Tony of being able to buy the Sacrimoni house cheaply leaves Janice in tears of gratitude when she visits her brother to thank him. Tony remains unemotional.

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Title explanation[]

  • The title's name comes from Bobby's special Lionel model train car of characters Moe and Joe (blue-collar workers) who can unload lumber.
  • Possible Interpretation: Bobby uses the Moe & Joe model train to unsuccessfully try and find a connection to his son Bobby Jr.; the episode title could refer to similar failed attempts to establish a relationship: Janice tries to talk to Tony but angrily says there is only DNA that is common between them, Vito gets fed up trying to build a new life in Dartford, New Hampshire and leaves back for Jersey, Meadow emotionally complains about not finding common ground with Finn and Tony fails to comfort her.
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