"To Save Us All from Satan's Power" is the 36th episode of the

HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...

original series ''

The Sopranos ''The Sopranos'' is an American Crime film#Crime drama, crime drama television series created by David Chase. The series follows Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), a New Jersey American Mafia, Mafia boss who suffers from panic attacks. He reluct ...

'' and the 10th of the show's third season. It was written by

Robin Green Robin Green (born July 31, 1945) is an American writer and producer. She was a writer and executive producer on the HBO series ''The Sopranos'' and was the co-creator and executive producer of the CBS series '' Blue Bloods''. In the 1970s, Gre ...

and

Mitchell Burgess Mitchell Burgess is an American writer and producer. He was a writer and an executive producer on ''The Sopranos''. He was a creator and executive producer for '' Blue Bloods''. He frequently works with his wife Robin Green. Career ''The Sopra ...

, and directed by

Jack Bender Jack Bender (born September 25, 1949) is an American television and film director, television producer and actor best known for his work as a director on '' Lost'', ''The Sopranos'', ''Game of Thrones'', and '' From''. Biography Bender grew up ...

, and originally aired on April 29, 2001. The episode follows Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) as he feels stress and misery during preparations for Christmas with his family.

Starring

James Gandolfini James John Gandolfini (; September 18, 1961June 19, 2013) was an American actor. He was best known for his portrayal of Tony Soprano, the Italian-American American Mafia, Mafia crime boss in HBO's television series ''The Sopranos'' (1999–2007 ...

Tony Soprano Anthony John Soprano, portrayed by James Gandolfini, is a fictional character and the protagonist of the HBO crime drama television series ''The Sopranos''. He is a member of the American Mafia, Italian-American Mafia and, later in the series, ...

Lorraine Bracco Lorraine Bracco (born October 2, 1954) is an American actress best known for her performance as psychiatrist Jennifer Melfi on the HBO crime drama series ''The Sopranos'' (1999–2007) and for her breakthrough role portraying Karen Friedman Hil ...

Dr. Jennifer Melfi Dr. Jennifer Melfi is a fictional character on the HBO TV series ''The Sopranos''. She is the psychiatrist of Mafia boss Tony Soprano. She is portrayed by Lorraine Bracco. Character description Melfi is an Italian-American, with her father's fa ...

Edie Falco Edith Falco (born July 5, 1963) is an American actress. A prominent figure in American television, she is known for her roles both on stage and screen and has received numerous accolades including four Primetime Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe A ...

Carmela Soprano Carmela Soprano (''née'' DeAngelis), played by Edie Falco, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series ''The Sopranos''. She is married to Mafia boss Tony Soprano. A young Carmela, portrayed by Lauren DiMario, appears in the 2021 prequel fi ...

Michael Imperioli Michael Imperioli (born March 26, 1966) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Christopher Moltisanti in the HBO crime drama series ''The Sopranos'' (1999–2007), which earned him the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Suppor ...

Christopher Moltisanti Christopher Moltisanti, portrayed by Michael Imperioli, is a fictional character of the HBO TV series ''The Sopranos''. He is Tony Soprano's protégé and a member of the DiMeo crime family, rising from associate to captain over the course o ...

Dominic Chianese Dominic Chianese (; ; born February 24, 1931) is an American actor, singer, and musician. He is best known for his roles as Corrado "Junior" Soprano on the HBO series ''The Sopranos'' (1999–2007), Johnny Ola in ''The Godfather Part II'' ( ...

as Corrado Soprano, Jr. *

Steven Van Zandt Steven Van Zandt (né Lento; born November 22, 1950), also known as Little Steven or Miami Steve, is an American musician and actor. He is a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, in which he plays guitar and mandolin. He has appeared i ...

Silvio Dante Silvio Manfred Dante is a fictional character on the HBO TV series ''The Sopranos'', portrayed by Steven Van Zandt. He is the consigliere and right-hand man to Tony Soprano in the DiMeo crime family. John Magaro portrays a young Silvio Dante ...

Tony Sirico Genaro Anthony Sirico Jr. (; July 24, 1942 – July 8, 2022) was an American actor. Often cast as a mobster, he portrayed Paulie Gualtieri in ''The Sopranos''. Born in Brooklyn to an Italian-American family, Sirico had a tumultuous early life ...

Paulie Gualtieri Peter Paul "Paulie Walnuts" Gualtieri is a fictional character portrayed by Tony Sirico on the HBO series ''The Sopranos'', one of the chief henchmen of series protagonist Tony Soprano. Sirico auditioned for the role of Junior Soprano, Uncle Jun ...

Jamie-Lynn Sigler Jamie-Lynn Sigler (born May 15, 1981) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Meadow Soprano on the HBO series ''The Sopranos'' from 1999 to 2007. Early life Sigler was born in Jericho, New York, on May 15, 1981, the daughter ...

Meadow Soprano Meadow Mariangela Soprano, portrayed by Jamie-Lynn Sigler, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series ''The Sopranos''. In the early seasons, Meadow is introduced as a smart but spoiled partygoer, whose over-dramatic personality and tendency ...

Robert Iler Robert Michael Iler (; born March 2, 1985) is an American actor. He is best known for his portrayal of A.J. Soprano on ''The Sopranos''. His film roles include '' Tadpole'' (2002) and '' Daredevil'' (2003). Career He made his debut in 1995 as ...

Anthony Soprano, Jr. Anthony John Soprano Jr. is a fictional character on the HBO television series ''The Sopranos'', portrayed by Robert Iler. He is the son of Carmela and Tony Soprano and the younger brother of Meadow Soprano. Biography Anthony was born July 15 ...

Drea de Matteo Andrea Donna de Matteo (born January 19, 1972) is an American actress who is best known for her role as Adriana La Cerva on the television drama ''The Sopranos'' (1999–2006), for which she received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Sup ...

Adriana La Cerva Adriana La Cerva is a fictional character on the HBO TV series ''The Sopranos'', portrayed by Drea de Matteo. She is the long-time girlfriend and, later, fiancée of Tony Soprano's protégé, Christopher Moltisanti. For her performance, de Ma ...

* *

Aida Turturro Aida Turturro (born September 25, 1962) is an American actress. She is best known for her portrayal of Janice Soprano on the HBO drama series ''The Sopranos''. Early life and education After graduating from high school, Turturro earned a Bachelo ...

Janice Soprano Janice Soprano Baccalieri is a fictional character in the HBO television drama series ''The Sopranos'' and in the film '' The Many Saints of Newark''. She is the eldest sibling of the show's protagonist, Tony Soprano ( James Gandolfini). On t ...

John Ventimiglia John Ventimiglia (, ; born ) is an American actor. He portrayed Artie Bucco in the HBO television series ''The Sopranos'' and had a recurring role as Dino Arbogast, an Organized Crime Control Bureau Chief for the NYPD, on the American police pr ...

Artie Bucco This is a list of characters from the HBO series ''The Sopranos'', and its prequel film '' The Many Saints of Newark.'' Main characters Cast table Main character biographies Tony Soprano Jennifer Melfi Carmela Soprano Christopher Moltisant ...

Kathrine Narducci Kathrine Narducci (; born November 22, 1965) is an American actress, known for her role as Charmaine Bucco, Artie Bucco's wife, on the HBO crime drama series ''The Sopranos'' (1999–2007). Her film credits include ''A Bronx Tale'' (1993), ''C ...

as Charmaine Bucco * Steven R. Schirripa as

Bobby Baccalieri Robert Baccalieri Jr., portrayed by Steve Schirripa, is a fictional character on the HBO series ''The Sopranos''. He is nicknamed "Bobby Bacala". A third-generation gangster, Bobby is first shown as a soldier and then later top aide to Corrado ...

Federico Castelluccio Federico Castelluccio (; ; born April 29, 1964) is an Italian-born American actor. He is best known for his role as Furio Giunta on the HBO series ''The Sopranos''. Early life Born in Naples, Italy, Castelluccio moved with his family to Paterso ...

Furio Giunta This is a list of characters from the HBO series ''The Sopranos'', and its prequel film ''The Many Saints of Newark.'' Main characters Cast table Main character biographies Tony Soprano Jennifer Melfi Carmela Soprano Christopher Moltisanti ...

* Robert Funaro as Eugene Pontecorvo ''* = credit only''

Guest starring

Jerry Adler Jerry Adler (born February 4, 1929) is an American theatre director, producer, and film and television actor. He is perhaps best known for his films '' Manhattan Murder Mystery'', '' The Public Eye'', '' In Her Shoes'', and ''Prime'', and for hi ...

Hesh Rabkin This is a list of characters from the HBO series ''The Sopranos'', and its prequel film '' The Many Saints of Newark.'' Main characters Cast table Main character biographies Tony Soprano Jennifer Melfi Carmela Soprano Christopher Moltisant ...

Also guest starring

* Vitali Baganov as

Valery Valery () is a male given name and occasional surname. It is derived from the Latin name '' Valerius''. The Slavic given name Valeriy or Valeri is prevalent in Russia and derives directly from the Latin. Given name * Valery Afanassiev, Russian ...

* Joe Badulucco as Jimmy Altieri ('' flashback sequences'') *

Jason Cerbone Jason Cerbone (born November 2, 1977) is an American actor. He played Jackie Aprile Jr. on the HBO series ''The Sopranos'', Lorenzo Desappio in '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' (2012–2016), and Mikey O in ''Paper Soldiers'' (2002). Earl ...

as Jackie Aprile, Jr. * Matthew Cerbone as Young Jackie Aprile, Jr. (''flashback sequences'') * Andrew Davoli as Dino Zerilli * John Fiore as Gigi Cestone (''flashback sequences'') *

Dan Grimaldi Dan Grimaldi (born March 7, 1946) is an American actor and mathematics professor who is known for his roles as twins Philly Parisi, Philly and Patsy Parisi on the HBO television series ''The Sopranos'', various characters on ''Law & Order'' (1991& ...

as Patsy Parisi * George Loros as Ray Curto *

Vincent Pastore Vincent Pastore (; born July 14, 1946) is an Italian American actor. Often cast as a mafioso, he is best known for his portrayal of Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero on the HBO series ''The Sopranos''. He also made notable appearances in the HBO ...

Big Pussy Bonpensiero This is a list of characters from the HBO series ''The Sopranos'', and its prequel film ''The Many Saints of Newark.'' Main characters Cast table Main character biographies Tony Soprano Jennifer Melfi Carmela Soprano Christopher Moltisanti ...

(''flashback sequences'') *

Turk Pipkin Turk Pipkin (born July 2, 1953) is an author, actor, comedian and director. He is the co-founder of The Nobelity Project, a non-profit organization which seeks to find solutions to global problems, and which advocates for basic rights for children ...

as Aaron Arkaway *

Michael Rispoli Michael Rispoli (born November 27, 1960) is an American character actor. He was a contender for the role of Tony Soprano in the HBO television series ''The Sopranos,'' but was ultimately cast as Jackie Aprile Sr., Jackie Aprile, a recurring ch ...

Jackie Aprile, Sr This is a list of characters from the HBO series ''The Sopranos'', and its prequel film ''The Many Saints of Newark.'' Main characters Cast table Main character biographies Tony Soprano Jennifer Melfi Carmela Soprano Christopher Moltisanti ...

(''flashback sequences'') *

Alik Sakharov Alik Sakharov (born May 17, 1959) is a film and television director. A former director of photography, he is an active member of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC). Career Sakharov entered the US film scene when he began sharing the ...

as Agron *

Maureen Van Zandt Steven Van Zandt (né Lento; born November 22, 1950), also known as Little Steven or Miami Steve, is an American musician and actor. He is a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, in which he plays guitar and mandolin. He has appeared in ...

Gabriella Dante This is a list of characters from the HBO series ''The Sopranos'', and its prequel film ''The Many Saints of Newark.'' Main characters Cast table Main character biographies Tony Soprano Jennifer Melfi Carmela Soprano Christopher Moltisanti ...

* Joe Pucillo as Beppy Scerbo (''flashback sequences'') * Frank Ciornei as Slava Malevsky

Synopsis

Tony Tony may refer to: People and fictional characters * Tony the Tiger, cartoon mascot for Frosted Flakes cereal * Tony (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Gregory Tony (born 1978), American law enforcement officer * ...

is on the

Asbury Park Asbury Park () is a beachfront city located on the Jersey Shore in Monmouth County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's population was 15,188, a dec ...

boardwalk, where he is going to meet Paulie. While waiting, he remembers another meeting there five years ago, in 1995, with

Pussy ''Pussy'' () is an English noun, adjective, and—in rare instances—verb. It has several meanings, as slang, as euphemism, and as vulgarity. Most commonly, it is used as a noun with the meaning "cat", or "coward" or " weakling". In slang, ...

and Jackie Aprile, Sr. At the time there was a dispute between Jackie and

Junior Junior or Juniors may refer to: Aircraft * Ekolot JK-05L Junior, a Polish ultralight aircraft * PZL-112 Junior, a Polish training aircraft * SZD-51 Junior, a Polish-made training and club glider Arts and entertainment Characters * Bowser Jr., ...

, and Pussy had been in

Boca Raton Boca Raton ( ; ) is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population was 97,422 in the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and it ranked as the 23rd-largest city in Florida in 2022. Many people with a Boca Raton Address, ...

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

arranging a sitdown. However, Pussy did not go to the sitdown, and Tony thinks that was when the

FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...

flipped him; he believes they had him wear a

wire file:Sample cross-section of high tension power (pylon) line.jpg, Overhead power cabling. The conductor consists of seven strands of steel (centre, high tensile strength), surrounded by four outer layers of aluminium (high conductivity). Sample d ...

when he dressed up as Santa. Now they need a new Santa and

Bobby Bobby or Bobbie may refer to: People *Bobby (given name), a list of names * Bobby (surname), a list of surnames * Bobby (actress), from Bangladesh * Bobby (rapper) (born 1995), from South Korea * Bobby (screenwriter) (born 1983), Indian screenwrit ...

is compelled to play the part. He is shy, unhappy, and gauche. When Tony is visiting Janice she starts complaining about a pain in her wrist, which might need an operation, caused by the Russian thug who came to take back

Svetlana Svetlana () is a common Orthodox Slavic languages, Slavic feminine given name, deriving from the East Slavic languages, East and South Slavic languages, South Slavic root ''svet'' (), meaning "light", "shining", "luminescent", "pure", "blessed", ...

prosthetic leg In medicine, a prosthesis (: prostheses; from ), or a prosthetic implant, is an artificial device that replaces a missing body part, which may be lost through physical trauma, disease, or a condition present at birth (congenital disorder). Prosthe ...

. Tony obtains his name and place of work, and he and Furio beat him up and throw him through the glass window of a store's Christmas display. Though badly shaken at first when she sees on TV what Tony has done, Janice is also grateful, and immediately wants to write a song about brotherhood. Charmaine, newly separated from

Artie Artie is usually a masculine given name, it is also usually a diminutive of Arthur. Notable people with the given name include: People * Artie Bettles (1891–1971), Australian rules footballer * Artie Butler (born 1942), American popular music ...

, looks glamorous at Nuovo Vesuvio. Tony compliments her, but she responds by blaming him for changes in Artie's character. He angrily walks out, along with

Christopher Christopher is the English language, English version of a Europe-wide name derived from the Greek language, Greek name Χριστόφορος (''Christophoros'' or ''Christoforos''). The constituent parts are Χριστός (''Christós''), "Jesus ...

and Silvio. They go to a strip club. Jackie Jr. is there, getting a lap dance. Enraged, Tony takes him to the bathroom and beats him up. He confiscates the gun

Ralphie Ralphie is a masculine given name, often a diminutive form (hypocorism) of Ralph. It may refer to: * Ralphie May (1972–2017), American stand-up comedian and actor * List of The Sopranos characters#Ralph Cifaretto, Ralph "Ralphie" Cifaretto, a ch ...

gave him, and knees him in the groin, leaving him on the floor. On Christmas morning, the Sopranos are opening their gifts when Jackie arrives with presents from his mother, and his own present for

Meadow A meadow ( ) is an open habitat or field, vegetated by grasses, herbs, and other non- woody plants. Trees or shrubs may sparsely populate meadows, as long as they maintain an open character. Meadows can occur naturally under favourable con ...

, an engraved necklace. She ostentatiously embraces and kisses him, while he glances at Tony. Alone with Tony, Jackie tells him he has flunked out of

Rutgers Rutgers University ( ), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a public land-grant research university consisting of three campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's College and was aff ...

but believes he can be a serious student of men's fashion. He says, "I'm sorry," again and again. Tony says, "I haven't decided what to do with you." After Jackie leaves, Tony has to fake amusement when Meadow gives him her present, a

Big Mouth Billy Bass Big Mouth Billy Bass is an animatronic singing prop, representing a largemouth bass, invented by Gemmy Industries on December 16, 1998; sold beginning January 1, 1999; and popular in the early 2000s. Gemmy Industries Gemmy () is an American n ...

Title reference

* The episode's title is taken from a verse of the Christmas carol "

God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen", also known as "God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen", is an English traditional Christmas carol. It is in the Roxburghe Collection (iii. 452), and is listed as no. 394 in the Roud Folk Song Index. It is also known as "T ...

Cultural references

*Tony switches on the television. Seeing '' It's a Wonderful Life'' is on, he quickly switches it off, saying, "Ah Jesus. Enough already." *Pussy mentions that he flew with '90s budget airline

ValuJet ValuJet Airlines was an ultra low-cost airline in the United States that operated from 1992 until 1997, when it was rebranded as AirTran Airlines after joining forces with AirTran Airways. It was headquartered in unincorporated Clayton County ...

. *Christopher states that there is significant money in the ''

Grinch The Grinch is a character created by children's author and cartoonist Dr. Seuss. He is best known as the titular main protagonist of the 1957 children's book ''How the Grinch Stole Christmas!'' He has been portrayed and voiced by many actors, i ...

'', and references the choice to cast

Jim Carrey James Eugene Carrey (; born January 17, 1962) is a Canadian and American actor and comedian. Known primarily for his energetic slapstick performances, he has received two Golden Globe Awards, in addition to nominations for BAFTA Awards and ...

as the Grinch. *The OJ Simpson trial is shown throughout the 1995 flashback scenes. *The Russians mention that Russian Christmas doesn't occur until January. He also mentions IBM

ThinkPad ThinkPad is a line of business-oriented laptop and Tablet computer, tablet computers produced since 1992. It was originally designed, created and manufactured by the American IBM, International Business Machines (IBM) Corporation. IBM Acquisit ...

s. *Janice is taking

Percodan Oxycodone/aspirin (trade name Percodan) is a combination drug marketed by Endo Pharmaceuticals. It is a tablet containing a mixture of 325 mg (5 Grain (unit), grains) of aspirin and 4.8355 mg of oxycodone, oxycodone HCl (equivalent t ...

(oxycodone/aspirin) for her wrist injury.

References to prior episodes

* The

, including the song "Take Me to the River", was previously featured in the episode "

Second Opinion A second opinion is an opinion on a matter disputed by two or more parties. Law In legal cases, a second opinion which contradicts the opinion of a jointly retained expert may be disregarded as not being impartial. Consumer rights In cas ...

". * The

boardwalk A boardwalk (alternatively board walk, boarded path, or promenade) is an elevated footpath, walkway, or causeway typically built with wooden planks, which functions as a type of low water bridge or small viaduct that enables pedestrians to ...

in winter, along with the view of the sea closing the episode, was previously featured in "

Funhouse A funhouse or fun house is an attraction found in amusement parks and funfair midways, equipped with various devices designed to surprise, challenge, or amuse visitors. Unlike thrill rides or dark rides, fun houses are participatory attractio ...

Production

* Recurring series

cinematographer The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the recording of a film, television production, music video or other live-action piece. The cinematographer is the chief of the camera ...

makes a cameo appearance as Agron, accountant of the Russian money laundering business.

Music

*The song played over the end credits is "I've Got a Feeling" by the American Sacred Steel gospel group,

The Campbell Brothers The Campbell Brothers are an American Sacred Steel gospel group from Rush, New York, composed of three brothers and one son. The ensemble features prominent pedal steel guitar and began as the house band for a House of God Keith Dominion cong ...

with Katie Jackson. *During the 1995 Christmas flashback at Satriale's, the jukebox was playing "

The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late) "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)" is a 1958 novelty Christmas carol written and recorded by Ross Bagdasarian (under the stage name of David Seville). Bagdasarian sang the Christmas carol, varying the tape speeds to produce high-pitc ...

", by

The Chipmunks Alvin and the Chipmunks, originally David Seville and the Chipmunks and billed for their first two decades as the Chipmunks, are an American animated virtual band and media franchise first created by Ross Bagdasarian for Novelty records in ...

. * The song Silvio has turned off in the Bada Bing is "The Cycle" from

Virgos Merlot Virgos Merlot was an American hard rock band formed in 1998. Prior to the formation of Virgos Merlot, many of the band members were in the group The Devine, which later disbanded. After formation, their first album, '' Signs of a Vacant Soul'', ...

's ''

Signs of a Vacant Soul ''Signs of a Vacant Soul'' is Virgos Merlot's first and only album. It was released on March 2, 1999 by Atlantic Records. The album's only single, "Gain," had moderate radio play and reached #40 on the U.S. Mainstream Rock chart. The band later ...

'' album. * "Funky Drummer Boy", a remixed version of "

The Little Drummer Boy "The Little Drummer Boy" (originally known as "Carol of the Drum") is a popular Christmas song written by American composer Katherine Kennicott Davis in 1941. First recorded in 1951 by the Austrian Trapp Family, the song was further popularized ...

" from

Thornetta Davis Thornetta Davis (born August 11, 1963) is an American Detroit blues and rhythm and blues singer. She has opened for Bonnie Raitt, Gladys Knight, and Etta James, and sang backing vocals on Bob Seger's 1991 album, '' The Fire Inside''. She also wor ...

plays at the rival strip club where Tony beats up Jackie Jr. * The song playing while Bobby Baccalà is playing Santa is "

Santa Baby "Santa Baby" is a song performed by American singer Eartha Kitt with Henri René and His Orchestra and originally released in 1953. The song was written by Joan Javits and Philip Springer, who also used the pseudonym Tony Springer in an attemp ...

" by

Eartha Kitt Eartha Mae Kitt (née Keith; January 17, 1927 – December 25, 2008) was an American singer and actress. She was known for her highly distinctive singing style and her 1953 recordings of "C'est si bon" and the Christmas novelty song "Santa Baby" ...

. * The song playing while Tony, Silvio, and Paulie are eating in Vesuvio is " White Christmas" by

The Drifters The Drifters are an American pop and R&B/soul vocal group. They were originally formed as a backing group for Clyde McPhatter, formerly the lead tenor of Billy Ward and his Dominoes in 1953. The second group of Drifters, formed in 1959 and ...

References

External links

"...To Save Us All from Satan's Power"
at

* {{DEFAULTSORT:To Save Us All From Satan's Power The Sopranos season 3 episodes American Christmas television episodes 2001 American television episodes Television episodes directed by Jack Bender