Is Tony Soprano dead or alive?

I didn’t see the show but apparently some folks are unhappy with the ambiguous ending. Who walked through the door? Meadow or a hitman? Did the whole family get whacked or do they live to carry on as ever – conflicted, suspicious, always slightly on edge?

I think I like the ambiguity of it, but it probably would have been just as satisfying for some to see the whole family taken out, which I’m going to assume is what happened, unless I hear differently.

Last year I wrote:

Commenters…are offering up their own ideas. One smart suggestion is that the series will end at Meadow’s wedding, with Tony receiving guests, ala The Godfather, which is clever. But this is opera. In Opera, Tony Soprano must die.

Wouldn’t it be great to see an opera made of this show? Tony and his shrink and their flirtatious duets, Tony and Carmella screaming at each other? Carmella and Furio’s passionate, dolce sotto voce asides. Adriana as a faux-operatic Miss Adelaide and Christopher and Paulie Walnuts in loud pinstripe suits? All of the men at the BadaBing singing en corps? Bada Bing! Bada Boom! Where da bad-asses loom, and da T-an’-A fly allll dayyyyyyy

I still like that idea…but it could not end in similar ambiguity – not in opera, no. We like the death arias.

Ed Morrissey is feeling unsatisfied.

Also writing:
Sister Toldjah
Charmaine Yoest

Also writing: