The Telltale Moozadell

"The Telltale Moozadell" is the 35th episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and the ninth of the show's third season. It was written by Michael Imperioli and directed by Dan Attias, and originally aired on April 22, 2001.

Starring

• James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano
• Lorraine Bracco as Jennifer Melfi
• Edie Falco as Carmela Soprano
• Michael Imperioli as Christopher Moltisanti
• Dominic Chianese as Corrado Soprano, Jr. *
• Steven Van Zandt as Silvio Dante
• Tony Sirico as Paulie Gualtieri
• Jamie-Lynn Sigler as Meadow Soprano
• Robert Iler as Anthony Soprano, Jr.
• Drea de Matteo as Adriana La Cerva
• Aida Turturro as Janice Soprano
• Furio Giunta
• Artie Bucco
• Ralph Cifaretto

* = credit only

Guest starring

• Hesh Rabkin

Also guest starring

• Hugh De Angelis
• Rosalie Aprile
• Benny Fazio
• Jackie Aprile, Jr.
• Louis Crugnali as
  Carlo Renzi
• Andrew Davoli as
  Dino Zerilli
• Stefani Germanotta as teenage girl (uncredited; later known as Lady Gaga)^[1]
• Jason LaPenna
• Aaron Arkaway
• Gloria Trillo
• Mary De Angelis
• Matush

Synopsis

A.J. and some friends break into their high school one night and go swimming. Some of them break into a teacher's office, throw supplies into the pool, and smash the trophy case. The police trace a custom pizza left at the scene to them. There is a conference between the school principal and the football coach, and Tony and Carmela with A.J. The Sopranos are surprised, and Carmela is angry, that A.J.'s punishment is going to be suspended because of his improved academic performance, and because it is in "his best interest – and the team's" for him to continue playing football. The principal says that any punishment should now be decided by the parents; they ground A.J. for a month with extra chores, such as cleaning the gutters.

Carmela is delighted with the large sapphire ring Tony gives her for her birthday. She later asks, "Is there anything you need to tell me?"

Tony is teased, provoked, thrilled, and fascinated by

• The episode's title is a play on Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Tell-Tale Heart." Moozadell is rough Italian-American slang for mozzarella cheese (from the Southern pronunciation muzzarell') but can also be used as a derogatory name for an Italian man, according to Michael Imperioli.^[2]
• The title refers to Jackie Aprile, Jr.'s dishonest dealings with Tony and Matush.^[2]
• The title refers to A. J.'s custom-made pizza with extra mozzarella cheese—which led to him and his friends being caught for vandalizing the pool.
• The episode features repeated references to Jackie Aprile, Jr.'s paper on Edgar Allan Poe.
• The episode ends with Tony hearing a knocking sound coming from the upstairs, with Tony initially concerned about it before learning it is A. J. cleaning the gutters of the house. This mirrors how, in "The Tell-Tale Heart", the protagonist hears a knocking sound in his floorboards as a manifestation of his guilt.

Cultural references

• AJ gives Carmela a DVD of The Matrix for her birthday
• When Jackie Aprile, Jr. hears the petition of Carlo and Matush, he strikes a pose modeled on Vito Corleone, played by Marlon Brando, in The Godfather and a younger Vito Corleone, played by Robert De Niro, in The Godfather Part II
• The sapphire ring Tony gives Carmela is from Harry Winston.
• When Meadow is at home asking her parents for a car, the NPR show Car Talk is playing in the background.
• The band Fear Factory is referenced both on a poster in the Crazy Horse and on a hat worn by AJ. He also wears Machine Head and Pantera hoodies.
• Posters for Buzzcocks and Coal Chamber are in the Crazy Horse bathrooms.
• As Gloria unbuttons Tony's pants, he half-sings, "Her name is G...", referring to the Them song "Gloria".
• The questioning of the pizza shop staff by the police officers is a spoof of the old Dragnet TV series.
• While Chris is showing Adriana The Lollipop Club, he references The Stone Pony

Production

• Michael Imperioli mentions that series creator, David Chase, is an avid W. C. Fields fan, and in one scene in this episode, Tony is watching It's a Gift.^[2] Also in the season 1 episode "46 Long," Tony performs an impression of Fields from The Bank Dick.
• In real life, The Lollipop Club was once owned by
  Big Pussy Bonpensiero
  in the series.
• A.J.'s birthday present to Carmela is a copy of
  Cypher
  .
• Beginning with this episode, Iler and Sigler are listed separately in the opening credits, instead of simultaneously.