WRITTEN BY: David Chase
DIRECTED BY: Allen Coulter
Things seem to be going well for the Soprano family; both of them. Meadow is attending college at Columbia University in New York City, AJ is skipping class, and Carmela is learning tennis. As for Tony and his crew, well, it seems that the only problem they have is that Patsy Parisi, twin brother of a man Tony had killed, has become depressed on his 50th birthday.
At FBI headquarters, they have decided that their turncoat, Sal "Big Pussy" Bompensiero, is probably dead. Deciding that they need to wiretap the Soprano home, the Feds stake out the house. They find an hour on Tuesdays when they can definitely enter the house. Waiting for the right moment, they scout the home and videotape all possible items. While watching it, they crack jokes at the food they have stored and the fact that the Sopranos own a faulty water heater. But most importantly, there is a lamp in Tony's basement (where Tony mainly discusses his business) that they can duplicate and put a bug inside.
Gigi informs Tony that Patsy has been drinking very heavily, and at one point had told someone that he knows who killed his brother. Both are nervous, since Tony had ordered Gigi to do it. Silvio suggests that maybe Tony kill Patsy, but Tony refuses. He meets with the man instead and makes him get over the loss of his brother.
While the Feds are waiting for the right moment, an agent on Carmela calls off the investigation as she is quickly headed home... due to their water heater exploding.
So yet another Tuesday rolls around, and Carmela is taking tennis lessons. Tony is at the strip club, Meadow is hanging out with roommate Caitlin and old friend Hunter, and AJ is skipping school. The Feds sneak inside the Soprano home and finally put the bug lamp inside the home. The next morning, they hear the rather debilitating information that Tony needs more roughage in his diet.
It's a start.