same here. i could have sworn she was in at least three. felt like half a season. im starting to feel JR soprano, am i losing my mind>? can i have some ice cream?
When Tony kills Ralph he says "She was a beautiful innocent creature, what did she ever do to you?" On the surface we are led to believe that Tony was referring to Pie-O-My the horse. But at the end of that episode he's at the Bing and sees a picture of Tracee on a mirror which has lead many to conclude that he killed Ralph because of her death at Ralph's hands. At the start Tony didn't regard Tracee at all but by the end he started seeing her like a daughter. That's why there are comparisons made between Tracee and Meadow.
I think it's deeper than that. It's that Tony we know cares for Animals and children. Essentially the vulnerable and innocent. Pie-O-My and Tracee are the same. They are both innocents that were victimised by Ralph and by extension Tony and the Mafia. I don't think it is a dismissal of Pie-O-My as simply symbolism for Tracee, as it seems Tony recognises Animals as living beings with thoughts, feelings, consciousness and so on. I think instead it's that they both were failed by Tony and his life choices and victimised by Ralph.
lol Tony did not kill Ralph because of Tracy...only the sentimental type think that because they want the happy endings...they want the pine cones on the little hills....in reality she was a whoaa, and tony was an animal lover
That scene where Ralph beats Tracee to death is one of the most horrifying and unpleasant scenes ever put to TV. It really reinforces how terrible a group of individuals they all are collectively but in particular how vicious and unhinged Ralph is. David Chase deserves credit for going as dark as he did without self-censoring...
I literally binge watched the series of The Sopranos a month ago. I started on a Friday and finished the whole series on Monday. The show has been out for YEARS, but I'm a first-time watcher here in 2023. Out of all the disturbing scenes I saw....THAT ONE bothered me the most. It was so senseless....I actually had to take a break for a couple of hours after watching it. It was just straight up brutal.
@@300thNPCWhich is hilarious. People watch a tv show about the mafia. Mafia members act like scum by beating and degrading women. People watching the show: “shocked pikachu face 😮”
That's why I loved Ralphie. He was true to himself and didn't act like "this thing they had" was anything more than a ragtag little pack of sadistic scumbags in Jersey.
This particular episode was so dark, the horror and sadness of it stayed with me for years. Girls like Tracee are in every city, please take care of your kids.
The episode was useful for reminding the viewers that the Mafia is NOT a good organization, and the people in it are vile and not to be admired; thing is, watching the show, the false mystique surrounding the characters lulls you into a false sense of familiarity and security because you're vicariously living through their lives, but what happens to Tracee and how those same characters respond to her being beaten to death make it very clear that if you were to actually get involved with any of these characters in any kind of meaningful way, they'd do the exact same thing to you and feel NOTHING.
Exactly..FF Coppolla felt the same way about "The Godfather"-yes, these mafia guys are sometimes capable of human emotions..but down deep they are psychopaths
This reminds me how I remember watching this while in grad school, and a classmate (Italian-American) once remarked that her parents made sure she had no connections or interactions with the parts of her family involved in crime. I thought that I couldn't relate to that until a few months later I attended one of my cousins bachelor party. The guy who supplied the evening's "entertainment" was a scary looking, gun carrying pimp. I asked one of my relatives who and where did they find this guy, and my cousin remarked..."that guy is your cousin on your mothers side! He's known you since you were a toddler, but your mother and father made sure you had no interactions with that crazy side of the family when you were growing up!"
@juniorjames7076 As someone who is not American, or one of Italian heritage, I have always wondered what Italian Americans thought of the mafia and whether or not the portrayal of Italian Americans through shows like The Sapranos and movies like The Godfather would bode well with them.
@@hagdore Actually, there is a character in the Sopranos who addresses that very issue: Dr. Melfi's husband. When he discovers that his wife is treating a Mob boss, he voices his opinions regarding how they besmirch the Italian reputation. There's clips on YT that have him in it, if you're interested.
This is not just one of the saddest Sopranos videos I've ever seen, but one of the saddest videos I've seen in general. One big theme I love about the Sopranos is Tony deep down realizing the mafia is a degenerate, horrible lifestyle, but being unable to change his ways and giving into it.
Tony has projection problems too. He compulsively gambles yet he calls others "degenerate f-ing gamblers." He seemed like he wanted to be in with his neighbour and his pals by joining the golf club, but it was obvious they were just using him as novel entertainment. It's things like that that keep Tony in the mafia lifestyle.
The whole point of the episode “University” is that Tracee is the same age as Meadow. Some girls get the privilege of a first rate university education, some girls are victimised by the mafia. I think this episode is an important part of the moral jigsaw puzzle of the series and that it such tragedy and ugliness are exposed in one of the episodes that glamorises the mafia so much
The cut between Tracee and Meadow's roommate tells us Tracee is someone's daughter, sister, friend - different traumas, different opportunities, different endings. If Meadow was reduced to desperation on a stripper's pole, Tony would have torched the entire neighbourhood rescuing her. Tony's subsequent actions against Ralph for killing Tracee, suggest he was aware of this, was unable to control himself or live with the outcomes enough to stop being the problem that caused them. Which the whole series in a nutshell.
The deeper truth being, we are often immune to the suffering of others as long as it isn't our life/family/ home. All people are deserving of love, peace, safety and fulfillment. What is not acceptable for our own child is no more acceptable for anyone else. May we all awaken to deeper truths.❤
Tracy was a vulnerable girl who just continued to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. I'm not 100 sure that she was wanting a relationship with Tony as much as she is drawn to him in a way that she really respects him. She's just too inexperienced in those settings and it comes off strange. If she seems to come on to Tony, i believe that she just incorrectly thinks that is what she needs to do.
Vulnerable? We're all vulnerable to someone or something, much like her child was whom she put cigarettes out on. I'm 100% sure that a child with a mother like that is better off without her alive. And for what it's worth anyone that would treat a child like that deserves whatever they get. Only a monster can empathize with that, so all that's left is sympathy and I would reserve that for the child with cigarette burns.
@@timorthelame1 I really don’t think you’ve put much thought into this comment. You’re operating based on your emotions, and it’s irrational, silly, and pretty ignorant.
@@dewilew2137 I sort of agree, though. Torturing a child is truly despicable. This is never shown on screen, but it's an important factor in her character assessment. If we saw her burning a sobbing child with cigarettes, we wouldn't feel so bad for her. She would be like Ralphie, essentially, and we'd want to see her comeuppance. A much more sympathetic "got involved with the wrong crowd and paid the price" character was Adrianna.
@@thomasbrennan6303 People who understand cycles of abuse and how they are perpetuated wouldn’t be affected by that information. This is what early childhood trauma and abuse can do when the child isn’t doesn’t get the chance to work through that pain in therapy. It’s jarring, but it’s not like she did it because she’s a sadist. The psyche is complex. Hers was damaged. What she did is horrible, but you can’t blame a sick person for the symptoms of their disease.
It's been about 14 years since I watched the Sopranos....I am completely stunned that Tracee was only in one episode. If you asked me without prompting I would have guessed two or three. Excellent writing and acting for all concerned..
When he says that to Ralph he very well could have been letting out pent up rage over Tracee. And “thoroughbred” which she was called is used to describe horses too.
don't forget this affected Tony enough that when he suspected Ralph of killing "their" horse, it's was Ralph's identical defense of his actions that prompted tony to kill him
@@dannysdailys No, it was more of the horse being the final straw. Tony definitely wanted to kill Ralph over Tracee, but couldn't because of the rules of "this thing". He still technically couldn't kill him over the horse either which is why he tried so hard to cover it up. But after the horse thing, Tony was just thinking about all the screw-ups Ralph made, including killing Tracee, and simly said "eff the rules" and killed him. There are even some people that theorize that when Tony was strangling Ralph and said something like "she was a sweet, innocent creature" that he wasn't talking about the horse, but rather about Tracee.
During which Tony yells “She was a beautiful, innocent creature, what’d she ever do to you?” Purposefully ambiguous if referring to Tracee or the horse
I really felt for her. It’s like she wasn’t even a person. Her death scene was kinda hard to watch. I think because even though she wasn’t perfect, she was naive and almost innocent. Ralph got off easy for what he did to her
Ralph had that plot armor working over time, committing a homicide that could get an entire crew attached to it just because of the nature of everything going on that night. Sure maybe 1 would've taken the fall, but just for that risky behavior/coke habit that close to so many people deserved death.
It's interesting, the actress Ariel Kiley is now a life coach and yoga instructor. It's almost as if the experience of this character somehow enlightened her.
But you have no idea the type of person she was beforehand. She could have been doing yoga her whole life. It’s interesting how people project ideas onto women they don’t know.
@@dewilew2137 That wasn't what I was implying at all. I know I don't know this woman. I was just stating the stark difference between the character she played and what she does in real life.
There's a later episode where Tony asks sil "You think Ralphs a little weird about women?" And sil reminds him he beat a woman to death for reasons he can't remember.
Tony showed empathy, even cried in therapy, when talking in code about her "work related death." But Ralph seems full-on psychopath in this episode. Only time Ralph showed empathy in the series is when his son is hospitalized from an arrow.
He also cried for a horse. It was the "whores" and "horse" confusion - they called her a thoroughbred. He saw her, as you describe in the video, as a means, not a person. Later, in his memory with Dr. Malfi, he remembered her as little more than a helpless animal, which exploited for his own gain - like the horse. Ralph killled the horse. Ralph killed the whore. When Tony killed Ralph and was screaming about how Ralph killed a helpless little animal, was he describing the horse or Tracee? I think it was both - they were interchangeable in his calculations of value and the horse had more emotional pull from him than a young girl.@@justinktobin
This was definitely one of the most powerful episodes. It demonstrated how incredible of a show this was, to make a single episode character into one of the heartwrenching tragedies in the series.
She's looking for the loving father she never had, for the good, kind man that doesn't exist, for sweetness and empathy that isn't there, for all the things that make us human but have been eroded away by greed, indifference and cruelty. It's not just about Tracy, it's about how America has lost it's soul and corrupted us all.
I have to disagree with your take on her wanting Tony in a romantic/sexual way. I believe it was obvious she respected him and wanted to get closer to Tony in a more of a “daughter father” type of dynamic, she obviously admired him and their interactions were always innocent. Women can have feelings of respect for a man without it being sexual.
It was definitely sexual - She came to Tony with her nips out, a suggestive smile on her face. Tracee obviously respected him as a man of authority, maybe even a father figure, but that doesn't preclude sexual attraction. Abused/abusive women often pursue this dyanmic.
Thanks! She's definitely important. There's some foreshadowing too. Silvio calls her a thoroughbred, which what people say about horses. And it seems Tony killed Ralph over a horse. "She was a beautiful innocent creature. What did she ever do to you?" Tony could have very well been talking about Tracee.
@@justinktobin Absolutely, the horse, tracee parallels are great and I'd say the death of Ralph is one of the most savage and brutal due to the length of the ordeal, really primal
@@Iconoplastt Which is definitive proof, in my opinion, that Ralph’s death had nothing to do with Tracee or the horse. The writers always trick us into believing that Tony has some plausible moral justification for doing horrific things. The fact of the matter is that he doesn’t. He killed Ralph for calling him a hypocrite, for challenging Tony’s perception of himself. That’s it. There’s absolutely no proof that that fight occurred for any other reason.
This subplot in the series stuck with alot of us. I spent 21 years in the military and saw plenty of horrible things, but this episode was very hard to watch, both the "backroom" scene where she was crying and when Ralphie beat her to death. Sopranos got really dark at times with scenes. I do seem to remember in a later episode when Ralphie and Tony fought over the racing horse that both co-owned. When Ralphie set fire to the stable and burned the horse to death, that set Tony over the edge. When they were fighting and Tony was beating on Ralphie, I seemed to remember Tony thinking of Tracy and choking Ralphie harder for it. I might've remembered it wrong, but I was hoping he was getting revenge for Tracy.
Súper well put consideration of Tracee. I didn’t realize she was only for one episode, I believed like 3 episodes. Such a well written and impactful character for an episode. I like this show because Chase didn’t really glamorize mobs but pictured as miserable people.
Ralphie's obsession with gladiator pictures was ironic, considering that the gladiators were treated as disposable meat puppets to be humiliated or killed for the entertainment of the powerful, not unlike Tracee.
I believe that Ralph's obsession with gladiators was because they are the opposite of what he is, they are strong men who fight to the death, but deep down he is a coward.
Let's face it, we all know what the big underlining problem with Tracee was: huge, unresolved "daddy issues"! This is a rather common thing with women who reluctantly end up in the sex industry, to the point it's pretty much a cliché even in fiction, though Sopranos handed her character with much empathy. The reason why Tracee was so looking up to Tony was not lust or power but because he was the most "fatherlike" of all the guys she was around all the time, the 'daddy' she never had and dreamed of having but was never meant to be. Tony figured that out too in the end and that's why Tracee came to his mind when he looked at his own daughter.
...as if women aren't masters of their own destiny in this day and age. Gimme a break. She could be anything she wanted to be, but chose what she did because it was easy. The character is a social commentary on modern women and manipulation...the banana nut bread was broadly interpreted as a "nice" gesture, but let's see it for what it was...it was the character's easiest intro into a prospective relationship with a potential alpha male. Manipulation...it's more than just a word in a dictionary.
@@anonymousplanetfambly4598 It’s kinda crazy that you think this is a “modern woman” commentary. That occupation is literally ancient. 😂 Maybe you’re just using this video to address some other baggage. Living one of the most undesirable and shortest lifestyles in existence is not exactly something I would call an “easy” way out.
@@anthonyf616 It’s not easy at all. It’s hard on the body, and you don’t get health insurance. In college, you just sit on your butt and memorize information for four years. You’re not getting beaten to death by criminals and pimps. 😂 There’s no barrier to entry. But many barriers to survival. People often confuse the two.
I dont believe she wanted Tony romantically or to be one of his girlfriends. I think she felt like she didnt have many people in life that she could talk to. I dont think she felt like she had any real friends. Tony was the guy that everyone looked up to so naturally she would be drawn to him. I think Tracee looked at Tony as a big brother type for her. I think she wanted his guidance and protection. After Ralph killed Tracee Tony for the rest of the series always regretted how he dismissed Tracee and hated Ralph for what he did to her. It was the best revenge for Tracee what Tony did to Ralph
Tracee was tortured by her mother, so she visited it on her baby. While the action is probably unforgivable, it's certainly understandable from a mental health POV. When she taunted him for hitting her, that was as good as suicide, though I doubt she understood that. What's also notable is they talk over her body then walk away. As the camera gives a wider shot you can see her corpse laying there next to garbage that had been thrown over the guard rail. It symbolises what she was to them: discarded garbage.
Nah some of the guys actually really liked her and Tony saw her as something like a daughter. The only one there who really thought she was garbage was Ralph. He truly gave no fucks about her and it's showed by how he treated her.
@@raulquiroz7492 When the guys were complimenting on how she talked to Ralph, they were 'breaking his balls', as they call it. I didn't see Tony-daughter thing there. Just because he didn't treat her the same as Silvio did, it didn't mean he felt any affection for her. All that concerned Tony was the disrespect Ralph showed to the club, not what he'd done to the girl. The order to "cover *that* up" spoke volumes about how they viewed her. To them she was disposable, like all garbage. A marvellous scene, in terms of depth and dialogue.
@@raulquiroz7492he definitely did not see her as a daughter…that’s giving Tony way too much credit. He may not have killed Tracee but he was definitely capable of killing women, even women he slept with if they stepped out of line.
IDK, I think you're being too hard on him here. We know he could kill a woman if she threatened his life/freedom/etc, but I don't think he was the kind of person to beat a woman to death in an argument. In all honesty, that's a different kind of fucked up psychopath. Or a drunk. But even the mafia aren't the kind of people who kill women for no reason while sober. The kind of person who does that is a completely non-functional psychopath. I think Chase was trying a bit too hard to shock us here. @@marissavallejo2987
Tracee was a sympathetic character. She still had that innocent sweetness but she was being used by a degenerate. And then to have Ralphie kill her and their baby, the whole thing was horrible.
Thanks for the sub and the nice comment! I'm currently working on a video about Ralph, the next video of the many Sopranos commentary/analysis videos to come.
Tracee and the situation she’s struggling so hard to live through is one of the main reasons why “University” remains my favorite episode of The Sopranos. A brilliant, funny and tragic storyline all told in one episode.
Thanks for this video, that was quite captivating. I agree with the person who said no one else in the sopranos / RUclips ecosphere has covered Tracee. Great production values really nice video, thank you.
The character of Tracee was just so tragic and you just feel so much sympathy for her, she was a young warm-hearted woman who got mixed up with cold-hearted killers
The killing of Tracee was about the most brutal and sad thing on TV. Yeah, she was young and dumb and was portrayed having issues as a teenage mom and no education, but in no way did she deserve what happened.
Ralphie was a piece of shit the moment he was introduced lol other than a small amount of comedic relief, his character made the rest of the mafia look way less crazy.
9:38 someone did a brilliant breakdown of this scene so I'm gonna repost that comment here: "This is an excellent scene for a few reasons IMO: Tony finally starts to see the influence of parents on their children, which is cool because deep down Tony didn't want to be a gangster and he feels a lot of resentment at his dad for bringing him into it. Take for example when Tony has the dream about his high school football coach and the coach says he amounted to nothing, to which Tony replies he has "the big house, million two you know" and talks about being the boss, etc. Tony's coach, which is really nothing but Tony's subconscious, says he could have been so much more. Tony goes to shoot his coach but his gun is out of bullets, because deep down Tony knows it's how he really feels. So when Tony sees Carmella and then Meadow doing the exact same thing, it clicks for him and humanizes the previously just gray strippers and victims of organized crime. He also at some level feels inadequate and is projecting that on to Meadow. Meadow is a 20 year old female from Jersey, the same as Tracee, but that's where on the surface their connection ends. But not for Tony, who realizes that it could easily be reversed. That for all the talk of Sopranos genes, and Italian pride, that if Tracee as a child was put into Tonys house that she'd be the one in Colombia and Meadow would be the stripper, especially seeing as it's strongly implied Meadow paid her way in. Such as the fact that she didn't think she could get into UCLA(With an acceptance rate of ~25%) but somehow could get into the top tier of the Ivy league. The $50,000 donation got Meadow in. Meadow is smart, but she is in the same tier as Tracee mentally. The only difference is upbringing. And then whatever guilt Tony can feel hits him, as he realizes, perhaps at a deeper level, about how many Tracees have to suffer so that the Meadows of the world can live lifes that are better than they're supposed to. Because deep down, the mafia is deeply dysfunctional. They're the dreggs, the criminals. If we lived in ancient times where the punishment for stealing was death these guys would be living in huts. They're the leeches of society, and Tony knows it. Silvio, Chrissy, Carmine Jr., all of them are shown at some point as mumbling dumbasses. There is no reason that a guy like Carmine Jr should live in a house worth $1 Million+ and drive a Bentley. Which is perhaps why Tony's story is the greatest tragedy of all: The Sopranos didn't have to do this. Tony could have been a success in a straight life. Same with his whole family. His father almost took an opportunity that would have ended with him being a legitimate millionaire, but he didn't because of his Tony's mother. Tony B's IQ was 160 for crying out loud. And Tony in the end succumbs to it, too. He gets a little less human each season and eventually it comes full circle. His generation won't break the cycle, neither will his kids. Meadow ends up with freaking Pat Parisi's son. AJ ends up as a less functional Jackie Jr. And Tony himself likely ends up dead, with little to nothing to show for it all. Because at the end, Tony's famous "you're born into this" line doesn't refer to mob life, it refers to a dysfunctional family."
To whoever made that comment, good analogy! Thanks for posting that, I enjoyed reading it. You can tell there are times Tony dreads the life he chose, and tries to justify it with "they were crooks and kills too" or "maybe I'd be selling patio furniture." The cognitive dissonance is there.
I just realized that in addition to the dozens of things in the Sopranos that was influenced by Goodfellas, what happens to Tracee is just like what happens to Spider and Ralphie is actually a lot like Tommy. Tracee gets slighted and insults Ralph in front of his friends just like Spider insulted Tommy in front of his friends and it is because of the friends' reaction that sets Ralph off just like Tommy
I've watched Goodfellas and this episode many times, and I've never consciously recognized the similarity of the two scenes. Tommy's friends all laughed too, just like Ralph's "friends."
Tony was mad as hell over Ralphs beating Tracy to death.When Ralph burned down the stable and with it Tony's horse,he balanced things out.Adios slimeball Ralphy.
Great vid, mate. Very well written and edited. This was an amazingly written episode of The Sopranos. Strippers, hookers and escorts are constantly around the mafia guys, and are essentially part of their day to day lives (when they're hanging around the Bing every day and stuff like that). It was these women who Lucky Luciano thought were "just wh*res" that eventually spied for the FBI and gave evidence against him in court, because he didn't feel the need to hide any of his business being spoken about in their presence). They brought down arguably the most powerful and important member of the American Mafia perhaps ever. Those women he called _"just wh*res"_ not only convicted him but made him be deported back to Italy, where he died. The US Government didn't even allow him back after his help in WW2, which was substantial and played a crucial role in the liberation of Sicily and Italy, where Luciano's information (the Italian Mafia hated Mussolini's fascist Italy, who waged their own war on the Mafia, and a lot of hitmen who cam from Italy in the 20s and 30s were on the run for taking out dozens of fascist scumbags - like two of Al Capone's famous hitmen John Scalise and Albert Anselme, made their names, an their "bones" offing Mussolini's men). Ralph was a detestable character, and one you loved to hate. He was really well-written. An important scene , I though, at the end of the episode was a bunch of the dancers/escorts, getting their makeup on in the Bing and they're discussing what happened to Tracee - "I heard she went into that parking lot with Ralph and hasn't been seen since", like being disappeared one night for doing the wrong thing to upset their "bosses" are just part of the job description/come with the territory. It doesn't warrant them saying they should have it investigated or anything. They know it's best to let sleeping dogs lie (or anything the mafia puts to sleep, to pardon the pun)., because it's futile and dangerous to them but, lastly, and probably most sad, that, although it most likely isn't a regular occurrence, it's still an occurrence nonetheless that happens from time to time (when happening once, is happening too much). One last thing - when Sil and Tony are talking and Sil calls her a thoroughbred, I think he's meaning more that her body is perfect and doesn't need work, except for her teeth (rather than that she looks like a thoroughbred because she has horse-teeth).
Great comment. I didn’t know anything about these things. 😮 I guess you should never underestimate the potential someone has to destroy you, if given the opportunity.
@@LoneWulf278 Thanks very much. And you're right. That's why we should always be pleasant to those around us, because some people are just waiting for ammunition to take you down and the worst part is that you can never be sure who. What you can be sure of is that true betrayal can only come from someone you trust.
Now that I’m older than “Tracee” was, this episode makes me even more sad than it did previously. I want to jump through the screen and protect her. I fast forward the parts where she’s topless or when she’s being exploited sexually, because it makes me feel uncomfortable. 😔 I hope the actress was treated with respect. This may have just been a portrayal of a character, but she was extremely young, and this was a particularly dark episode.
@@brandybaker5940 I’m just saying if she hit you first, you have a right to put hands on her. Equal rights means equal rights. I’m being honest here. I never understood the philosophy of if she hits you, and your a male, you walk away. Nah. I say smack her back. Don’t beef to be a mike Tyson punch. Just a joe Pesci slap to the face usually does it.
I wish to find a lady this loyal to me ! Sadly my fiancé died 09/2022, she was only 37 😢 Now that I miss her every day still, how do you come back from this ?? Finding loyal ladies like my Lia or Tracy here in the show, is like finding a needle in a haystack, It just cannot be done again for me at my age. Where are the Tracy’s that are still single looking for long term relationships instead of just a one night or one month stand ?? I felt sorry for her in this show, all she wanted was a-good man to treat her like a lady, same thing I am still looking for 😢
Sorry to hear that but Tracee was not loyal, she is just a prostitute and prostitute can't be a loyal woman. My girlfriend was a junkie but was beautiful and inocent just like Tracee, they even look identical but she cheated me fucked and kissed few guys behind my back.She even send pictures how they were fucking here just to crush my heart. I wish I gave her a Ralph treatment, because she didn't deserved any better.
@@timorthelame1 This show was masterful at walking a fine line of sympathy for utterly despicable people. When Ralphie is crying over his son in the hospital, you feel for him for a moment. It reminds you that horrible humans are still human.
Her death truly sat with Tony. When she was referred to as a "thoroughbred" for me it made a subtle call to how Tony while a awful person has a very soft spot for animals. They are innocent things that just show love to him which is why he took it so hard when Ralph ultimately killed Pie-O-My for insurance money. When he kills Ralph he screams "She was a beautiful, innocent creature". For me that was always about Tracee. The twin "thoroughbreds" that Ralph ruined.
It’s episodes like this made this great series a one time only thing for me. I can’t imagine watching them all again. It’s just too much. That, and the fact that Tony’s the scariest character I’ve ever watched.
I cannot watch Christopher's story again, that whole thing was way too upsetting. I have never appreciated a piece of media that I absolutely never plan to rewatch like that before.
really great analysis from one of the best shows ever created. They director and team did such a great job showing how heartless and cruel these guys are to a young girl surrounded by bad people using her for her looks and body. She's an object to them. that is all. Tony's fake caring at the end when he could have helped here earlier shows his dark side. He tries to convince himself that he cares, but he doesn't. He's greedy and only motivated by money and power.
Thanks. I agree with you, but I think Tony sincerely felt bad over her death. Even when he’s taking his rage out on Ralph over the horse, there are some lines he says that could very well be about Tracee. And at the end of that same episode we see a photo of Tracee at the Bada Bing.
wow justin this was so put together you told the story excellent. dam shame i met a woman like that she still be alive poor soul sometimes a fork in the road you have to choose wisely.
One of the best parts of Sopranos, is that they constantly remind us that Tony and the guys are ruthless criminals but often times it's so mundane that we overlook it.
She put cigarettes out on her kid. She was pretty disgusting as a person all around really. She was in her element being involved with the wrong crowd.
The problem with the romanticisation of the Marfia is it distracts us from the fact that most Corporations use the same MO, they are just more subtle about it. This a problem because of the size of US Corporate empires. When Corporations kill, they wipe out whole towns, entire generations, entire nations, in broad daylight. And they often walk away with zero consequences.
Justin, mate, you had laid out everything with a surgeon precision back there! I was very pleased to hear every word of yours. I mean it, sir. Way to go! I do bow and applause.
8:52 - "Then Ralph goes overboard and beats her to death." That's not what happened at all, dude. Tracee slipped. They were arguing. I dunno, she fell.
She was too hot looking for the role. Tony rejecting her seemed out of place for one thing. Also her not having better options than Ralph was incredible.
You would be surprised. Years ago I dated some strippers and you’d be shocked how stupid they behave and who they surround themselves with. They are literally a moth to a flame. So sad
Justin, I think you missed the final, final scene where they show the location of Tracee's death from the perspective of the gutter runoff. There is a bunch of trash and things around. A terrible place to die yet there she lies dead.
I didn't miss it, but it would have been worth mentioning in the video. Maybe the writers did that to show that her employers saw her as something disposable, like trash.
I little thing I notice about her character is that she kind of covers her mouth with her hand when she smiles or talks. Like she's embarrassed of her braces or teeth. Just shows her characters insecurity.
I always felt that Tracee was looking to Tony as a father figure, not a potential husband/boyfriend/partner type. Hence the flashback to her when he looks at Meadow.
Sad? She put cigarettes out on a child. Someone like that wouldn't be a sympathetic character if she wasn't a hottie. Imagine a man doing that and then think about how you would see her.
Ive met a girl that remebers me a lot of her. 25, with a daughter and history of being abused, and dumb as a box of rocks. Like Tracee she has a pretty face i couldnt resist, we dated for a couple months, i was falling for her but i ended up going away because she was incredibly self absorbed, she was struggling to pay rent and raise her daughter and i was starting helping her but i couldnt stand how selfish she was, i ended up understanding she didnt loved me, she rejected most of my help so i cant say she was using me for money but she didn't loved me. i like to think because of her abuse history (Her ex husband beat her to the point she ended up in hospital, broken ribs and shit) she was unable to engage in a relationship again. Another darker theory i had is that i was good to her and i cared for her and she just didnt knew how to reciprocate because she only knew assholes on her life.
Narrator: Tracee, who's a minor, but her character is 20 years old. Whaaat!? Cuts video off. 😂😅 Kidding, I enjoyed the video. Today's mentality in all ppl are gut-wrenching, and it was sad what happened to Tracee. Honestly, nobody wants to say it but, they were all monsters; I'd say in the exception some of their more humane moments. She was a sweet girl who only wanted love. I know that feeling from a male's perspective. This breaks my heart seeing this episode again. I think her death stayed with all of us through the whole show.
Tracey was such a reminder of how cruel fate can be. Meadow and her college roommate think they have real problems and don’t well feed, well taken care of, and privileged to get a college education . While poor Tracey with real problems and a victim of circumstances. As usual such a well acted and well written Sopranos episode ❤RIP James G and other fellow cast members who have departed
I just wanted to clear the air I never seen The Sapranos when it aired let me explain I was only one year old. But now especially now (2023) I'm on season three so far I enjoy it.
Great video; I’m also shocked that Tracee only appeared in one episode. It seemed like several episodes. The other thing was the fallout. The big issue after wasn’t that Ralph had beaten a girl to death, but that Tony had a hit a made guy. They all kept saying, “she was whore.” Of course, what ultimately happens to Ralph is tied to Tracee as well. It wasn’t just the🐎
A powerful representation of the tragedy of life. There are millions of Tracy's out there struggling.
There are and it's sad.
Shes just stupid. She shouldve gotten married, instead of being a stripper and a singlemom who goes after married mafia guys.
Her name is “Tracee”.
I have known many of them , most of them are careless and make trouble for themselves .
There's are lots of tragic men too.
The most surprising thing for me was to hear Tracee was in only on epidosde. Her death stuck in my mind so much that I assumed she was in several.
Same!
same here. i could have sworn she was in at least three. felt like half a season. im starting to feel JR soprano, am i losing my mind>? can i have some ice cream?
Amazing writers for the show. They make us feel like we've known her for longer.
Didn't even think of it, lol, her character really exposes the other characters in such a profound and disturbing way.
When Tony kills Ralph he says "She was a beautiful innocent creature, what did she ever do to you?" On the surface we are led to believe that Tony was referring to Pie-O-My the horse. But at the end of that episode he's at the Bing and sees a picture of Tracee on a mirror which has lead many to conclude that he killed Ralph because of her death at Ralph's hands. At the start Tony didn't regard Tracee at all but by the end he started seeing her like a daughter. That's why there are comparisons made between Tracee and Meadow.
And who-ah and horse sound similar. Ralph relegates her to a who-ah status. And with Pie O My, said “it was a f***ing horse!”
I think it's deeper than that. It's that Tony we know cares for Animals and children. Essentially the vulnerable and innocent. Pie-O-My and Tracee are the same. They are both innocents that were victimised by Ralph and by extension Tony and the Mafia. I don't think it is a dismissal of Pie-O-My as simply symbolism for Tracee, as it seems Tony recognises Animals as living beings with thoughts, feelings, consciousness and so on. I think instead it's that they both were failed by Tony and his life choices and victimised by Ralph.
Eh, while I think Tracee was one of several straws, Pie Oh My was the straw that broke the camel's back
@@justinktobinExactly. "Whore" and "Horse" are similar words, and the writers knew exactly what they were doing.
lol Tony did not kill Ralph because of Tracy...only the sentimental type think that because they want the happy endings...they want the pine cones on the little hills....in reality she was a whoaa, and tony was an animal lover
That scene where Ralph beats Tracee to death is one of the most horrifying and unpleasant scenes ever put to TV. It really reinforces how terrible a group of individuals they all are collectively but in particular how vicious and unhinged Ralph is. David Chase deserves credit for going as dark as he did without self-censoring...
I literally binge watched the series of The Sopranos a month ago. I started on a Friday and finished the whole series on Monday. The show has been out for YEARS, but I'm a first-time watcher here in 2023. Out of all the disturbing scenes I saw....THAT ONE bothered me the most. It was so senseless....I actually had to take a break for a couple of hours after watching it. It was just straight up brutal.
It was so groundbreaking for its time some people were threatening to cancel their membership because they were so angry.
@@300thNPCWhich is hilarious. People watch a tv show about the mafia. Mafia members act like scum by beating and degrading women. People watching the show: “shocked pikachu face 😮”
I think the guy who plays Ralph is the second best in the entire show. An incredible portrayal of a sociopath
That's why I loved Ralphie. He was true to himself and didn't act like "this thing they had" was anything more than a ragtag little pack of sadistic scumbags in Jersey.
This particular episode was so dark, the horror and sadness of it stayed with me for years. Girls like Tracee are in every city, please take care of your kids.
Has the best ending song, though. "Living on a thin line".
And the contrast, as Tracee is Meadow's age.
I think Tony realized Tracy is around Meadows age and she was just a child. That’s why Tony was upset
The episode was useful for reminding the viewers that the Mafia is NOT a good organization, and the people in it are vile and not to be admired; thing is, watching the show, the false mystique surrounding the characters lulls you into a false sense of familiarity and security because you're vicariously living through their lives, but what happens to Tracee and how those same characters respond to her being beaten to death make it very clear that if you were to actually get involved with any of these characters in any kind of meaningful way, they'd do the exact same thing to you and feel NOTHING.
Exactly..FF Coppolla felt the same way about "The Godfather"-yes, these mafia guys are sometimes capable of human emotions..but down deep they are psychopaths
Yeah, those guys are arseholes.
This reminds me how I remember watching this while in grad school, and a classmate (Italian-American) once remarked that her parents made sure she had no connections or interactions with the parts of her family involved in crime. I thought that I couldn't relate to that until a few months later I attended one of my cousins bachelor party. The guy who supplied the evening's "entertainment" was a scary looking, gun carrying pimp. I asked one of my relatives who and where did they find this guy, and my cousin remarked..."that guy is your cousin on your mothers side! He's known you since you were a toddler, but your mother and father made sure you had no interactions with that crazy side of the family when you were growing up!"
@juniorjames7076 As someone who is not American, or one of Italian heritage, I have always wondered what Italian Americans thought of the mafia and whether or not the portrayal of Italian Americans through shows like The Sapranos and movies like The Godfather would bode well with them.
@@hagdore Actually, there is a character in the Sopranos who addresses that very issue: Dr. Melfi's husband. When he discovers that his wife is treating a Mob boss, he voices his opinions regarding how they besmirch the Italian reputation.
There's clips on YT that have him in it, if you're interested.
This is not just one of the saddest Sopranos videos I've ever seen, but one of the saddest videos I've seen in general. One big theme I love about the Sopranos is Tony deep down realizing the mafia is a degenerate, horrible lifestyle, but being unable to change his ways and giving into it.
Tony has projection problems too. He compulsively gambles yet he calls others "degenerate f-ing gamblers." He seemed like he wanted to be in with his neighbour and his pals by joining the golf club, but it was obvious they were just using him as novel entertainment. It's things like that that keep Tony in the mafia lifestyle.
A parent who put cigarettes out on a child got their just due. What's so sad about that?
He never realized that at all. Did we watch the same show?
@@timorthelame1 She was damaged though. I can't imagine what Tracee's parents did to her.
I remember this episode...tragic beautiful girl, very vulnerable.
The whole point of the episode “University” is that Tracee is the same age as Meadow. Some girls get the privilege of a first rate university education, some girls are victimised by the mafia. I think this episode is an important part of the moral jigsaw puzzle of the series and that it such tragedy and ugliness are exposed in one of the episodes that glamorises the mafia so much
I figured that’s what it was. Some girls are in a good position in life and some not so much
The bada bing was Tracee's "school" and unfortunately she didn't get the chance to graduate 😭
The cut between Tracee and Meadow's roommate tells us Tracee is someone's daughter, sister, friend - different traumas, different opportunities, different endings. If Meadow was reduced to desperation on a stripper's pole, Tony would have torched the entire neighbourhood rescuing her. Tony's subsequent actions against Ralph for killing Tracee, suggest he was aware of this, was unable to control himself or live with the outcomes enough to stop being the problem that caused them. Which the whole series in a nutshell.
she was a whooah
The deeper truth being, we are often immune to the suffering of others as long as it isn't our life/family/ home. All people are deserving of love, peace, safety and fulfillment. What is not acceptable for our own child is no more acceptable for anyone else. May we all awaken to deeper truths.❤
Tracy was a vulnerable girl who just continued to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I'm not 100 sure that she was wanting a relationship with Tony as much as she is drawn to him in a way that she really respects him. She's just too inexperienced in those settings and it comes off strange.
If she seems to come on to Tony, i believe that she just incorrectly thinks that is what she needs to do.
That’s exactly what I thought as well.
Vulnerable? We're all vulnerable to someone or something, much like her child was whom she put cigarettes out on. I'm 100% sure that a child with a mother like that is better off without her alive. And for what it's worth anyone that would treat a child like that deserves whatever they get. Only a monster can empathize with that, so all that's left is sympathy and I would reserve that for the child with cigarette burns.
@@timorthelame1 I really don’t think you’ve put much thought into this comment. You’re operating based on your emotions, and it’s irrational, silly, and pretty ignorant.
@@dewilew2137 I sort of agree, though. Torturing a child is truly despicable. This is never shown on screen, but it's an important factor in her character assessment. If we saw her burning a sobbing child with cigarettes, we wouldn't feel so bad for her. She would be like Ralphie, essentially, and we'd want to see her comeuppance. A much more sympathetic "got involved with the wrong crowd and paid the price" character was Adrianna.
@@thomasbrennan6303 People who understand cycles of abuse and how they are perpetuated wouldn’t be affected by that information. This is what early childhood trauma and abuse can do when the child isn’t doesn’t get the chance to work through that pain in therapy. It’s jarring, but it’s not like she did it because she’s a sadist. The psyche is complex. Hers was damaged. What she did is horrible, but you can’t blame a sick person for the symptoms of their disease.
It's been about 14 years since I watched the Sopranos....I am completely stunned that Tracee was only in one episode. If you asked me without prompting I would have guessed two or three. Excellent writing and acting for all concerned..
"She was a beautiful innocent creature, what'd she ever do to you? You fuckin' killed her! You killed her, you fuckin' killed her!"
When he says that to Ralph he very well could have been letting out pent up rage over Tracee. And “thoroughbred” which she was called is used to describe horses too.
He was talking about a horse not Tracee.
don't forget this affected Tony enough that when he suspected Ralph of killing "their" horse, it's was Ralph's identical defense of his actions that prompted tony to kill him
Beat a woman to death? That's okay, but don't touch the horse, huh?
@@dannysdailysExactly! Glad to have you onboard!
@@dannysdailys No, it was more of the horse being the final straw. Tony definitely wanted to kill Ralph over Tracee, but couldn't because of the rules of "this thing". He still technically couldn't kill him over the horse either which is why he tried so hard to cover it up. But after the horse thing, Tony was just thinking about all the screw-ups Ralph made, including killing Tracee, and simly said "eff the rules" and killed him. There are even some people that theorize that when Tony was strangling Ralph and said something like "she was a sweet, innocent creature" that he wasn't talking about the horse, but rather about Tracee.
During which Tony yells “She was a beautiful, innocent creature, what’d she ever do to you?” Purposefully ambiguous if referring to Tracee or the horse
@@mayjay5820 lol tony beat women all the time...him saying she was a beautiful creature was him talking about the horse
Nobody really mentions the actress who did a phenomenal job. She played the naive girl in trouble PERFECTLY.
Poor Silvio. He went out of pocket for her orthodontia and Ralphie never made that right.
The true tragedy to this story .
A pint of blood, is worth more than a gallon spilt.
Khe sera sera 🙂
In reality not only would Ralph have to pay off the $3000, he would owe Silvio for disrespecting the Bing.
@@cbxxb4841 true. He has to pay what she owes from her shaved twot. He’s a good earner though. He can make up for that set back.
I really felt for her. It’s like she wasn’t even a person. Her death scene was kinda hard to watch. I think because even though she wasn’t perfect, she was naive and almost innocent. Ralph got off easy for what he did to her
Ralph had that plot armor working over time, committing a homicide that could get an entire crew attached to it just because of the nature of everything going on that night. Sure maybe 1 would've taken the fall, but just for that risky behavior/coke habit that close to so many people deserved death.
Gawd. Traci was impactful for such a small part.
Thank you for remembering Tracee. Her death was brutal! 😞
It's interesting, the actress Ariel Kiley is now a life coach and yoga instructor. It's almost as if the experience of this character somehow enlightened her.
Yes! She seems nothing like the character she played. And this is one of her few acting roles.
Perfect example of the truth being stranger than fiction.
But you have no idea the type of person she was beforehand. She could have been doing yoga her whole life.
It’s interesting how people project ideas onto women they don’t know.
@@dewilew2137 That wasn't what I was implying at all. I know I don't know this woman. I was just stating the stark difference between the character she played and what she does in real life.
Loved her interview. She could enlighten alot of people.
There's a later episode where Tony asks sil "You think Ralphs a little weird about women?" And sil reminds him he beat a woman to death for reasons he can't remember.
Hahaha. Yes, that line is dark comedy for sure.
To be fair, Ralph never truly tells them why he killed her. Sil really didn’t know.
For me, that was one of the most difficult episodes of the Sopranos to watch. It certainly made me less empathetic toward many of the mob guys.
Tony showed empathy, even cried in therapy, when talking in code about her "work related death." But Ralph seems full-on psychopath in this episode. Only time Ralph showed empathy in the series is when his son is hospitalized from an arrow.
@@nothereanymore2000 I’m glad she’s dead. That little hoowahh
And you ever had empathy for the mob? Wow.
@@dannysdailys mobsters are hard workers. Show some respect.
He also cried for a horse. It was the "whores" and "horse" confusion - they called her a thoroughbred. He saw her, as you describe in the video, as a means, not a person. Later, in his memory with Dr. Malfi, he remembered her as little more than a helpless animal, which exploited for his own gain - like the horse. Ralph killled the horse. Ralph killed the whore. When Tony killed Ralph and was screaming about how Ralph killed a helpless little animal, was he describing the horse or Tracee? I think it was both - they were interchangeable in his calculations of value and the horse had more emotional pull from him than a young girl.@@justinktobin
This was definitely one of the most powerful episodes. It demonstrated how incredible of a show this was, to make a single episode character into one of the heartwrenching tragedies in the series.
"Caulk Zucker was way out of line, T." "That poor girl just had her 20th birthday."
"That too." This was one of the best lines of the series tbh
This was the first episode of the Sopranos I saw that really shook me, just left me frozen by the end.
She's looking for the loving father she never had, for the good, kind man that doesn't exist, for sweetness and empathy that isn't there, for all the things that make us human but have been eroded away by greed, indifference and cruelty.
It's not just about Tracy, it's about how America has lost it's soul and corrupted us all.
Well, if she thought she'd meet that man in The Bing, she's already beyond help lol
yup @@dukebaloof2540
@@dukebaloof2540 There's Bobby lol
He would've crushed her to death when they fucked, same general outcome @@SynValorum
It's a tragedy that we've lost it. @@Dhardy316
She put cigarettes out on her toddler. She isn’t a good person. No one on the show is.
Thank you. Finally a voice of reason.
The guy who waddled away screaming "oh shit!" from Phil Leotardo was a good person.
Exactly. All the dumb simps and karens in this comment section... 🤦
She did. That merits jail time though, not being beaten to death with her head slammed onto a guardrail and then discarded like garbage.
Not to excuse her, but she obviously was abused/neglected as a child. A very lost person.
I have to disagree with your take on her wanting Tony in a romantic/sexual way. I believe it was obvious she respected him and wanted to get closer to Tony in a more of a “daughter father” type of dynamic, she obviously admired him and their interactions were always innocent. Women can have feelings of respect for a man without it being sexual.
It was definitely sexual - She came to Tony with her nips out, a suggestive smile on her face. Tracee obviously respected him as a man of authority, maybe even a father figure, but that doesn't preclude sexual attraction. Abused/abusive women often pursue this dyanmic.
@@chico9805 i thought she was just proud and excited to show off her braces. she just happened to be topless.
Great stuff Justin,Tracee needed this deep dive, haven't found anyone putting this attention to a very important character in regard to Tony and Ralph
Thanks! She's definitely important. There's some foreshadowing too. Silvio calls her a thoroughbred, which what people say about horses. And it seems Tony killed Ralph over a horse. "She was a beautiful innocent creature. What did she ever do to you?" Tony could have very well been talking about Tracee.
@@justinktobin Absolutely, the horse, tracee parallels are great and I'd say the death of Ralph is one of the most savage and brutal due to the length of the ordeal, really primal
@@Iconoplastt Which is definitive proof, in my opinion, that Ralph’s death had nothing to do with Tracee or the horse. The writers always trick us into believing that Tony has some plausible moral justification for doing horrific things. The fact of the matter is that he doesn’t. He killed Ralph for calling him a hypocrite, for challenging Tony’s perception of himself. That’s it. There’s absolutely no proof that that fight occurred for any other reason.
She’s maggot food.
This subplot in the series stuck with alot of us. I spent 21 years in the military and saw plenty of horrible things, but this episode was very hard to watch, both the "backroom" scene where she was crying and when Ralphie beat her to death. Sopranos got really dark at times with scenes. I do seem to remember in a later episode when Ralphie and Tony fought over the racing horse that both co-owned. When Ralphie set fire to the stable and burned the horse to death, that set Tony over the edge. When they were fighting and Tony was beating on Ralphie, I seemed to remember Tony thinking of Tracy and choking Ralphie harder for it. I might've remembered it wrong, but I was hoping he was getting revenge for Tracy.
Súper well put consideration of Tracee. I didn’t realize she was only for one episode, I believed like 3 episodes. Such a well written and impactful character for an episode. I like this show because Chase didn’t really glamorize mobs but pictured as miserable people.
Ariel was & still is gorgeous 😍
I agree.
Ralphie's obsession with gladiator pictures was ironic, considering that the gladiators were treated as disposable meat puppets to be humiliated or killed for the entertainment of the powerful, not unlike Tracee.
I believe that Ralph's obsession with gladiators was because they are the opposite of what he is, they are strong men who fight to the death, but deep down he is a coward.
@@danielmartinezmayoral6959they were usually the lowest people in society being forced to fight
Her "you serious?" was a little heart breaker.
It is, like she never had anybody act humane to her before.
Let's face it, we all know what the big underlining problem with Tracee was: huge, unresolved "daddy issues"!
This is a rather common thing with women who reluctantly end up in the sex industry, to the point it's pretty much a cliché even in fiction, though Sopranos handed her character with much empathy.
The reason why Tracee was so looking up to Tony was not lust or power but because he was the most "fatherlike" of all the guys she was around all the time, the 'daddy' she never had and dreamed of having but was never meant to be. Tony figured that out too in the end and that's why Tracee came to his mind when he looked at his own daughter.
...as if women aren't masters of their own destiny in this day and age. Gimme a break. She could be anything she wanted to be, but chose what she did because it was easy. The character is a social commentary on modern women and manipulation...the banana nut bread was broadly interpreted as a "nice" gesture, but let's see it for what it was...it was the character's easiest intro into a prospective relationship with a potential alpha male. Manipulation...it's more than just a word in a dictionary.
@@anonymousplanetfambly4598 It’s kinda crazy that you think this is a “modern woman” commentary. That occupation is literally ancient. 😂 Maybe you’re just using this video to address some other baggage.
Living one of the most undesirable and shortest lifestyles in existence is not exactly something I would call an “easy” way out.
@@LoneWulf278 she was a stripper, right? Pretty easy compared to college
@@anthonyf616 It’s not easy at all. It’s hard on the body, and you don’t get health insurance. In college, you just sit on your butt and memorize information for four years. You’re not getting beaten to death by criminals and pimps. 😂
There’s no barrier to entry. But many barriers to survival. People often confuse the two.
@@LoneWulf278 pretty sure you can find a club not run by mobsters
I dont believe she wanted Tony romantically or to be one of his girlfriends. I think she felt like she didnt have many people in life that she could talk to. I dont think she felt like she had any real friends. Tony was the guy that everyone looked up to so naturally she would be drawn to him. I think Tracee looked at Tony as a big brother type for her. I think she wanted his guidance and protection. After Ralph killed Tracee Tony for the rest of the series always regretted how he dismissed Tracee and hated Ralph for what he did to her. It was the best revenge for Tracee what Tony did to Ralph
Agreed. She didn't make any comments that would lead one to think she wanted anything more than friendship with Tony.
Honestly, man when he killed Ralphy I swear that was one of THE most satisfying deaths in the entire series.
💯💯
No way, Ralphie was a made guy, not his fault Tracee fell.
Father figure*
Tracee was tortured by her mother, so she visited it on her baby. While the action is probably unforgivable, it's certainly understandable from a mental health POV. When she taunted him for hitting her, that was as good as suicide, though I doubt she understood that.
What's also notable is they talk over her body then walk away. As the camera gives a wider shot you can see her corpse laying there next to garbage that had been thrown over the guard rail. It symbolises what she was to them: discarded garbage.
Nah some of the guys actually really liked her and Tony saw her as something like a daughter. The only one there who really thought she was garbage was Ralph. He truly gave no fucks about her and it's showed by how he treated her.
@@raulquiroz7492 When the guys were complimenting on how she talked to Ralph, they were 'breaking his balls', as they call it. I didn't see Tony-daughter thing there. Just because he didn't treat her the same as Silvio did, it didn't mean he felt any affection for her. All that concerned Tony was the disrespect Ralph showed to the club, not what he'd done to the girl. The order to "cover *that* up" spoke volumes about how they viewed her. To them she was disposable, like all garbage.
A marvellous scene, in terms of depth and dialogue.
@@kasegiyabu5030 agree
@@raulquiroz7492he definitely did not see her as a daughter…that’s giving Tony way too much credit. He may not have killed Tracee but he was definitely capable of killing women, even women he slept with if they stepped out of line.
IDK, I think you're being too hard on him here. We know he could kill a woman if she threatened his life/freedom/etc, but I don't think he was the kind of person to beat a woman to death in an argument. In all honesty, that's a different kind of fucked up psychopath. Or a drunk.
But even the mafia aren't the kind of people who kill women for no reason while sober. The kind of person who does that is a completely non-functional psychopath.
I think Chase was trying a bit too hard to shock us here. @@marissavallejo2987
Tracee was a sympathetic character. She still had that innocent sweetness but she was being used by a degenerate. And then to have Ralphie kill her and their baby, the whole thing was horrible.
this is not an analysis this is a summary
Do you really think his audience knows the difference?
@@LPno.9I noticed ☝🏽
@@LPno.9 alrite settle down.
@@ennuiblue4295 Say something actually intelligent, and I will.
If not for Tracee, we’d have never been introduced to the greatest line in Sopranos history: “A. She was a Hoo-wah.”
Please make more Sopranos content! This video essay was amazing. You just earned yourself a new subscriber; really well done.
Thanks for the sub and the nice comment! I'm currently working on a video about Ralph, the next video of the many Sopranos commentary/analysis videos to come.
Tracee and the situation she’s struggling so hard to live through is one of the main reasons why “University” remains my favorite episode of The Sopranos. A brilliant, funny and tragic storyline all told in one episode.
Thanks for this video, that was quite captivating. I agree with the person who said no one else in the sopranos / RUclips ecosphere has covered Tracee.
Great production values really nice video, thank you.
I could have sworn I’ve seen at least one video that covers Tracee.
@@dewilew2137 actually you are correct, sopranos blueprint did one from one year ago. The algorithm sent that to me after I had watched this one.
The character of Tracee was just so tragic and you just feel so much sympathy for her, she was a young warm-hearted woman who got mixed up with cold-hearted killers
Tracee’s death honestly was the one that moved me the most in the entire show.
The killing of Tracee was about the most brutal and sad thing on TV. Yeah, she was young and dumb and was portrayed having issues as a teenage mom and no education, but in no way did she deserve what happened.
I really hated ralphie after this.. never could forgive him.
Ralphie was a piece of shit the moment he was introduced lol other than a small amount of comedic relief, his character made the rest of the mafia look way less crazy.
Why would she be a sympathetic character to you? Did you forget how she put cigarettes out on her child? Were you able to forgive her?
Yeah first he disrespected the Bing and second he never paid Sil the 3 grand he spent to fix Tracee's teeth.
A. She was a whoah
9:38 someone did a brilliant breakdown of this scene so I'm gonna repost that comment here:
"This is an excellent scene for a few reasons IMO:
Tony finally starts to see the influence of parents on their children, which is cool because deep down Tony didn't want to be a gangster and he feels a lot of resentment at his dad for bringing him into it. Take for example when Tony has the dream about his high school football coach and the coach says he amounted to nothing, to which Tony replies he has "the big house, million two you know" and talks about being the boss, etc. Tony's coach, which is really nothing but Tony's subconscious, says he could have been so much more. Tony goes to shoot his coach but his gun is out of bullets, because deep down Tony knows it's how he really feels. So when Tony sees Carmella and then Meadow doing the exact same thing, it clicks for him and humanizes the previously just gray strippers and victims of organized crime.
He also at some level feels inadequate and is projecting that on to Meadow. Meadow is a 20 year old female from Jersey, the same as Tracee, but that's where on the surface their connection ends. But not for Tony, who realizes that it could easily be reversed. That for all the talk of Sopranos genes, and Italian pride, that if Tracee as a child was put into Tonys house that she'd be the one in Colombia and Meadow would be the stripper, especially seeing as it's strongly implied Meadow paid her way in. Such as the fact that she didn't think she could get into UCLA(With an acceptance rate of ~25%) but somehow could get into the top tier of the Ivy league. The $50,000 donation got Meadow in. Meadow is smart, but she is in the same tier as Tracee mentally. The only difference is upbringing.
And then whatever guilt Tony can feel hits him, as he realizes, perhaps at a deeper level, about how many Tracees have to suffer so that the Meadows of the world can live lifes that are better than they're supposed to.
Because deep down, the mafia is deeply dysfunctional. They're the dreggs, the criminals. If we lived in ancient times where the punishment for stealing was death these guys would be living in huts.
They're the leeches of society, and Tony knows it. Silvio, Chrissy, Carmine Jr., all of them are shown at some point as mumbling dumbasses. There is no reason that a guy like Carmine Jr should live in a house worth $1 Million+ and drive a Bentley.
Which is perhaps why Tony's story is the greatest tragedy of all: The Sopranos didn't have to do this. Tony could have been a success in a straight life. Same with his whole family. His father almost took an opportunity that would have ended with him being a legitimate millionaire, but he didn't because of his Tony's mother. Tony B's IQ was 160 for crying out loud.
And Tony in the end succumbs to it, too. He gets a little less human each season and eventually it comes full circle. His generation won't break the cycle, neither will his kids. Meadow ends up with freaking Pat Parisi's son. AJ ends up as a less functional Jackie Jr.
And Tony himself likely ends up dead, with little to nothing to show for it all.
Because at the end, Tony's famous "you're born into this" line doesn't refer to mob life, it refers to a dysfunctional family."
To whoever made that comment, good analogy! Thanks for posting that, I enjoyed reading it. You can tell there are times Tony dreads the life he chose, and tries to justify it with "they were crooks and kills too" or "maybe I'd be selling patio furniture." The cognitive dissonance is there.
she was a HOOOER!
The way Ralph says it is very unique to me. She was a who-ah. Maybe that's the phonetic spelling?
@@justinktobinits a New Jersey accent.
Shes a avarage woman these days 😂😂
@@rumbleman65Unfortunate, but very true.
@@rumbleman65Incel moment
I just realized that in addition to the dozens of things in the Sopranos that was influenced by Goodfellas, what happens to Tracee is just like what happens to Spider and Ralphie is actually a lot like Tommy. Tracee gets slighted and insults Ralph in front of his friends just like Spider insulted Tommy in front of his friends and it is because of the friends' reaction that sets Ralph off just like Tommy
I've watched Goodfellas and this episode many times, and I've never consciously recognized the similarity of the two scenes. Tommy's friends all laughed too, just like Ralph's "friends."
Wow. With the music, your tone of voice, and insight this episode becomes a lot more unsettling.
Broken woman ❌
Exploited woman ✅
Tony was mad as hell over Ralphs beating Tracy to death.When Ralph burned down the stable and with it Tony's horse,he balanced things out.Adios slimeball Ralphy.
Great vid, mate. Very well written and edited. This was an amazingly written episode of The Sopranos. Strippers, hookers and escorts are constantly around the mafia guys, and are essentially part of their day to day lives (when they're hanging around the Bing every day and stuff like that). It was these women who Lucky Luciano thought were "just wh*res" that eventually spied for the FBI and gave evidence against him in court, because he didn't feel the need to hide any of his business being spoken about in their presence). They brought down arguably the most powerful and important member of the American Mafia perhaps ever. Those women he called _"just wh*res"_ not only convicted him but made him be deported back to Italy, where he died.
The US Government didn't even allow him back after his help in WW2, which was substantial and played a crucial role in the liberation of Sicily and Italy, where Luciano's information (the Italian Mafia hated Mussolini's fascist Italy, who waged their own war on the Mafia, and a lot of hitmen who cam from Italy in the 20s and 30s were on the run for taking out dozens of fascist scumbags - like two of Al Capone's famous hitmen John Scalise and Albert Anselme, made their names, an their "bones" offing Mussolini's men).
Ralph was a detestable character, and one you loved to hate. He was really well-written. An important scene , I though, at the end of the episode was a bunch of the dancers/escorts, getting their makeup on in the Bing and they're discussing what happened to Tracee - "I heard she went into that parking lot with Ralph and hasn't been seen since", like being disappeared one night for doing the wrong thing to upset their "bosses" are just part of the job description/come with the territory. It doesn't warrant them saying they should have it investigated or anything. They know it's best to let sleeping dogs lie (or anything the mafia puts to sleep, to pardon the pun)., because it's futile and dangerous to them but, lastly, and probably most sad, that, although it most likely isn't a regular occurrence, it's still an occurrence nonetheless that happens from time to time (when happening once, is happening too much).
One last thing - when Sil and Tony are talking and Sil calls her a thoroughbred, I think he's meaning more that her body is perfect and doesn't need work, except for her teeth (rather than that she looks like a thoroughbred because she has horse-teeth).
I think he called her a thoroughbred because he could see into Ralph's future and was being ironic.
Great comment. I didn’t know anything about these things. 😮 I guess you should never underestimate the potential someone has to destroy you, if given the opportunity.
@@LoneWulf278 Thanks very much. And you're right. That's why we should always be pleasant to those around us, because some people are just waiting for ammunition to take you down and the worst part is that you can never be sure who. What you can be sure of is that true betrayal can only come from someone you trust.
@@raoulduke344 Wise words.
Awesome video! The background music made it even better. Bravo! 👏🏿
amazing analysis justin. a new suscriber ova here
Thanks a lot!
Now that I’m older than “Tracee” was, this episode makes me even more sad than it did previously. I want to jump through the screen and protect her. I fast forward the parts where she’s topless or when she’s being exploited sexually, because it makes me feel uncomfortable. 😔
I hope the actress was treated with respect. This may have just been a portrayal of a character, but she was extremely young, and this was a particularly dark episode.
I want to jump in too,……
To assist Ralph in the fight.
That’s a really good point, and speaks well of you as a human to think of the person portraying her. I agree, it can’t have been easy.
@@brandybaker5940 I’m just saying if she hit you first, you have a right to put hands on her. Equal rights means equal rights.
I’m being honest here. I never understood the philosophy of if she hits you, and your a male, you walk away. Nah. I say smack her back. Don’t beef to be a mike Tyson punch. Just a joe Pesci slap to the face usually does it.
@@Incel_81hope she pew pews you honestly.
@@Incel_81 "Equal rights...means equal lefts." Greetings Mr Malaprop.
I wish to find a lady this loyal to me ! Sadly my fiancé died 09/2022, she was only 37 😢
Now that I miss her every day still, how do you come back from this ?? Finding loyal ladies like my Lia or Tracy here in the show, is like finding a needle in a haystack, It just cannot be done again for me at my age. Where are the Tracy’s that are still single looking for long term relationships instead of just a one night or one month stand ?? I felt sorry for her in this show, all she wanted was a-good man to treat her like a lady, same thing I am still looking for 😢
Sorry to hear
Sorry to hear that but Tracee was not loyal, she is just a prostitute and prostitute can't be a loyal woman.
My girlfriend was a junkie but was beautiful and inocent just like Tracee, they even look identical but she cheated me fucked and kissed few guys behind my back.She even send pictures how they were fucking here just to crush my heart.
I wish I gave her a Ralph treatment, because she didn't deserved any better.
When I was younger, there was a younger girl that looked just like Tracy that lived two doors over from me. She was very fun to hangout with😊
i guess her tragic story, pitiful life and violent death struck me the most in the sopranos
how i wanted Ralph to be tortured and killed after
Why would she be a sympathetic character to you? Did you forget how she put cigarettes out on her child?
@@timorthelame1 This show was masterful at walking a fine line of sympathy for utterly despicable people. When Ralphie is crying over his son in the hospital, you feel for him for a moment. It reminds you that horrible humans are still human.
holy guacamole, just watched this on my lunch break.. this analysis was deep and great. good shit
Thanks!
Very in-depth and insightful analysis of Tracee. You left out one thing though. SHE WAS A WHOWAAAA!!!
Also... that kid she was carrying wasn't Ralph's.
@@brucetucker4847 Typical baby trapping female. Thank goodness more states are making maternal fraud a crime.
FWIW - the film they are watching is Spartacus with Kirk Douglas (directed by Stanley Kubrick). I believe the black actor is Woody Strode.
Great vid i felt so sad for her watching the episode.
Thanks. Her death was very tragic. One of the few people Tony cried over.
@@justinktobin yea it stuck with a long time after watching, ty for your efforts
Her death truly sat with Tony. When she was referred to as a "thoroughbred" for me it made a subtle call to how Tony while a awful person has a very soft spot for animals. They are innocent things that just show love to him which is why he took it so hard when Ralph ultimately killed Pie-O-My for insurance money. When he kills Ralph he screams "She was a beautiful, innocent creature". For me that was always about Tracee. The twin "thoroughbreds" that Ralph ruined.
Great character analysis. I hope you do more Sopranos characters!
Thanks. I uploaded one yesterday about Meadow.
It’s episodes like this made this great series a one time only thing for me. I can’t imagine watching them all again. It’s just too much. That, and the fact that Tony’s the scariest character I’ve ever watched.
I cannot watch Christopher's story again, that whole thing was way too upsetting. I have never appreciated a piece of media that I absolutely never plan to rewatch like that before.
really great analysis from one of the best shows ever created. They director and team did such a great job showing how heartless and cruel these guys are to a young girl surrounded by bad people using her for her looks and body. She's an object to them. that is all. Tony's fake caring at the end when he could have helped here earlier shows his dark side. He tries to convince himself that he cares, but he doesn't. He's greedy and only motivated by money and power.
Thanks. I agree with you, but I think Tony sincerely felt bad over her death. Even when he’s taking his rage out on Ralph over the horse, there are some lines he says that could very well be about Tracee. And at the end of that same episode we see a photo of Tracee at the Bada Bing.
The way they say HOOOER 😂❤
wow justin this was so put together you told the story excellent. dam shame i met a woman like that she still be alive poor soul sometimes a fork in the road you have to choose wisely.
Thanks Thomas.
Her story broke my heart.
Nobody asked you, Kathryn.
Tony in a bad mood
Literally the entire the series
One of the best parts of Sopranos, is that they constantly remind us that Tony and the guys are ruthless criminals but often times it's so mundane that we overlook it.
Thanks again for sharing your views on one of my favorite episodes of the sopranos series. Don't stop believing.
this comes from a page with just over 1,000 subscribers? WOW. This was great. Liked and Subbed.
Thanks man! Happy you like it.
The scene where Ralph is laughing while Sil smacks Tracee around 😂😂😂😂
Her beating was the most brutal scene in the show.
And although Coco lived, his beating was pretty brutal too.
The rape of his therapist was brutal. Whole episode was.
Tracy was one of the few genuinely good people in the entire series. It shows that being involved with the wrong crowd can be lethal.
For decent guys too
She put cigarettes out on her kid. She was pretty disgusting as a person all around really. She was in her element being involved with the wrong crowd.
@@timorthelame1and the simps can't handle that. She's vile.
Good to torture your child because you were tortured by your Mom? Not innocent.
I don't think "good" is accurate. Dimly naive, maybe.
Thanks Justin great video 👍🏼
The problem with the romanticisation of the Marfia is it distracts us from the fact that most Corporations use the same MO, they are just more subtle about it. This a problem because of the size of US Corporate empires. When Corporations kill, they wipe out whole towns, entire generations, entire nations, in broad daylight. And they often walk away with zero consequences.
Justin, mate, you had laid out everything with a surgeon precision back there! I was very pleased to hear every word of yours. I mean it, sir. Way to go! I do bow and applause.
Just found your channel! Great analysis!
Thanks! I should have another one up this week. Plan to start uploading weekly or every fortnight.
8:52 - "Then Ralph goes overboard and beats her to death."
That's not what happened at all, dude. Tracee slipped. They were arguing. I dunno, she fell.
very well made vid, i enjoyed it!!
Thanks!
She was too hot looking for the role. Tony rejecting her seemed out of place for one thing. Also her not having better options than Ralph was incredible.
You clearly never saw her teeth.
@@bldbar118the receptionist at that garbage office was way worse.
This is the same TV show where Johnny Cakes is immediately attracted to Vito.
You would be surprised. Years ago I dated some strippers and you’d be shocked how stupid they behave and who they surround themselves with. They are literally a moth to a flame. So sad
They didn’t want her cuz she was crazy. I think she would abuse her kid , burning the kid with a lighter
This is one of the greatest series I’ve ever watched,sad that James Gandolfini passed
Justin, I think you missed the final, final scene where they show the location of Tracee's death from the perspective of the gutter runoff. There is a bunch of trash and things around. A terrible place to die yet there she lies dead.
I didn't miss it, but it would have been worth mentioning in the video. Maybe the writers did that to show that her employers saw her as something disposable, like trash.
I little thing I notice about her character is that she kind of covers her mouth with her hand when she smiles or talks. Like she's embarrassed of her braces or teeth. Just shows her characters insecurity.
I always felt that Tracee was looking to Tony as a father figure, not a potential husband/boyfriend/partner type. Hence the flashback to her when he looks at Meadow.
I'm guessing Tony felt like a father figure for her. I'm not too sure about Tracee though. Maybe a bit of both.
Bro knew exactly what he was doing with that thumbnail 😂
“Shes a minor”
😳
“But significant character.”
😅
Good stuff.
Well done, sir!
Thanks!
Sad ending but girls like these are too gullible and fall easy to the glitz and glamor of crime
Many are very gullible and broken, like the women who do degrading **** for a lousy 1000 bucks a scene.
Sad? She put cigarettes out on a child. Someone like that wouldn't be a sympathetic character if she wasn't a hottie. Imagine a man doing that and then think about how you would see her.
Ive met a girl that remebers me a lot of her. 25, with a daughter and history of being abused, and dumb as a box of rocks. Like Tracee she has a pretty face i couldnt resist, we dated for a couple months, i was falling for her but i ended up going away because she was incredibly self absorbed, she was struggling to pay rent and raise her daughter and i was starting helping her but i couldnt stand how selfish she was, i ended up understanding she didnt loved me, she rejected most of my help so i cant say she was using me for money but she didn't loved me. i like to think because of her abuse history (Her ex husband beat her to the point she ended up in hospital, broken ribs and shit) she was unable to engage in a relationship again. Another darker theory i had is that i was good to her and i cared for her and she just didnt knew how to reciprocate because she only knew assholes on her life.
Probably a mix of the latter, and her not being very attracted to you.
What is the piano tune in the background? Sounds very sad, yet good in its own way
Narrator: Tracee, who's a minor, but her character is 20 years old. Whaaat!? Cuts video off. 😂😅 Kidding, I enjoyed the video. Today's mentality in all ppl are gut-wrenching, and it was sad what happened to Tracee. Honestly, nobody wants to say it but, they were all monsters; I'd say in the exception some of their more humane moments. She was a sweet girl who only wanted love. I know that feeling from a male's perspective. This breaks my heart seeing this episode again. I think her death stayed with all of us through the whole show.
I mean anxiety problems are a good reason to cry. But, I get the point you’re trying to make.
Tracey was such a reminder of how cruel fate can be. Meadow and her college roommate think they have real problems and don’t well feed, well taken care of, and privileged to get a college education .
While poor Tracey with real problems and a victim of circumstances.
As usual such a well acted and well written Sopranos episode ❤RIP James G and other fellow cast members who have departed
I just wanted to clear the air I never seen The Sapranos when it aired let me explain I was only one year old. But now especially now (2023) I'm on season three so far I enjoy it.
Great video; I’m also shocked that Tracee only appeared in one episode. It seemed like several episodes. The other thing was the fallout. The big issue after wasn’t that Ralph had beaten a girl to death, but that Tony had a hit a made guy. They all kept saying, “she was whore.” Of course, what ultimately happens to Ralph is tied to Tracee as well. It wasn’t just the🐎
Thanks. Yes, what Tony says to him on the kitchen floor could very well have been about Tracee.
really great video
Thanks!