Adriana La Cerva: Innocent or Naive? A Sopranos character evaluation

[@PureKino]

I voted innocent but thats because I'm a simp for Adriana

[@bullywhispers9544]

Lots of people in that group!

[@CornelioLazarus-sg4gx]

I wonder if Cineranter will make an appearance?

[@PrestonVance-k9v]

she’s drop dead gorgeous

[@Mr_Man_7803]

Didn’t age too well imo See her in the first season of Sons Of Anarchy

[@skollandhati9961]

A perfect example of the stupid hot girl stereotype.

[@daveyboy_]

Ladies, don't smoke

[@jpmnky]

She’s dead alright.

[@traviskeck3138]

*was

[@ITIsFunnyDamnIT]

So many people make this mistake in real life thinking they can talk their way out of trouble not realizing that every word you say can and will be used against you. you cant talk your way out of an arrest. Adriana was not smart at all. I couldn't believe she didn't know to lawyer up being around the kind of people she was, no one ever had a conversation with her telling her if she ever gets in trouble with any law enforcement ask for a lawyer and keep your mouth shut. She was very naïve definitely not innocent.

[@nancyvillines4552]

The FBI is so stupid in her case. If they would of just treated her better, as naive as she was, talked about life and even made up family stories with her, she would of been a goldmine of information. Probably not even realizing she was doing it. Actually the FBI weren't the brightest bulbs in the room. So, there's that.

[@plaidchuck]

Well the FBI treated snitches and informants as a dime a dozen which they actually are in real life. There’s always another one around the corner you can try to extract the most information out of.

[@nancyvillines4552]

@@plaidchuck true. As Tony said, family values c*cks*cker mf's. I'm all for the FBI. But at what point do they become so jaded that getting people killed is part of the job? Real life and fiction.

[@carlitobrigante330]

True. Adriana gushed like a fountain within minutes of meeting 'Danielle'.

[@zachausler-rawle3773]

She was naive and too nice. She called Matush “a good guy” which could stand in for the excuse she’s used her whole life with Tony and Chrissy etc. She should be held accountable for the illegal things she took part in or was aware of, however her death broke me emotionally and is the greatest moment in the greatest episode of the entire show for me. Her arc was so well-written and the fact that this debate is even being had, speaks to that. Its important to see both sides

[@ndogg20]

The Sopranos by design never showed sympathy or empathy for the murdered victims. It was to see the mob through the murderer's eyes and how they justify it all. Adriana's murder was the closest the series ever got to showing empathy.

[@zachausler-rawle3773]

@@ndogg20 yeah and that’s what I appreciate about the show so much. Adriana’s death - along with Sarah Lynn - affected me the most across any piece of fiction

[@timorthelame1]

@@ndogg20 Who did she ever show empathy towards except for her own dog and her own boyfriend? She was a toxic person through and through.

[@steves1015]

I think most people have empathy with her just because she is pretty. If it was identical role, but was someone like Carmela or a guy, then people wouldn't be so quick to defend her. She is naive for sure, but nice? She willing took possession of stolen items (e.g. the shoes - her only disappointment being they were the wrong size), and even covered up a murder. She knew who Chris was but still stayed with him. Also she says that she would have killed Chris if he was in a similar situation to her (alone with Tony in the car going to find coke). She knows deep down what these guys are like but fools herself into thinking they are "good". It was this naivety (stupidity) that got her so deep in the FBI and then think Chris would go with her.

[@zachausler-rawle3773]

@@steves1015 that’s why I said she should be held accountable. And I think Carmela is absolutely beautiful lol so idk what ur on about there. It’s how well-written the show is, you can’t say you don’t love these characters no matter how bad they are

[@ShellNSMBDS]

I don't think Vito wanted her I think he was just using her as a cover. The fuckin parade float.

[@FencingMessiah]

She's neither. She's a willing participant with motivated amnesia. She is just a younger carmella

[@Frank_D]

You have to be careful with your assessment of characters in the Sopranos. The show goes out of its way to humanize cold blooded killers. Even the information Melfi receives in the final season, regarding how mobsters can use therapy to become better criminals, can be seen as a warning to the audience to be careful whom you trust. Adriana is a honey pot. The show wants us to feel bad for her because she's beautiful, and tries to make her appear blameless. The truth is she knows who these people are, how they make their living, and how her fiance affords the lifestyle they enjoy. She grew up with them and others like them. Most importantly, she knows full well the consequences of betraying these people. She's neither innocent, nor naive. She has too much knowledge of their workings to be naive. If anything, she believed that she was special. That she wouldn't be treated the same way they treated every other traitor. That was stupidity on her part. Did she deserve to die the way she did? Doesn't matter. She played with fire and got burnt.

[@schrisdellopoulos9244]

His characterizations are never ignorant to the fact that these people are criminals. You have no basis for that comment Sleepy.

[@Frank_D]

​@@schrisdellopoulos9244 I should be more clear. I brought up the fact that the show goes out of its way to humanize cold blooded killers as a known example of how the show tries to play with audience perceptions of characters. Since we know that these characters are criminals, and that the show is doing its best to make us love them, we should be on high alert to any and all characters being depicted, even characters like Adriana. Specific to this discussion, the show tries to portray Adriana as innocent and/or naive. However when one digs deeper, it becomes clear that Adriana knows the world she's chosen to inhabit, and she knows full well the rules of that world.

[@charlesquinn8860]

This guy doesn't get the first thing about the show

[@craigcavaliere6744]

Excellent post, @Frank_D. I am so sick of KZbinrs letting her off the hook because "all she wanted was to have a good life with Christopher, the love of her life."

[@NoBody13153]

It absolutely matters. so many criminal characters in the show were given chances after chances to change their path but they didn't(Esp christopher).Others were devils but they didn't pay and all their actions went unpished (Esp Tony and paulie). Adriana had a chance to leave and she took it if it was with the only man she ever wanted and she paid the ultimate price. Even her mother doesn't know where her daughter is and she was forgotten as she never existed. This was definitely unfair

[@laurenpeterson9510]

Waiting for this one

[@newthrash1221]

Most unrealistic part of the Sopranos is that none of the wives or gf’s were thuroughly coaxed on what to do if they’re ever questioned or threatened by the cops. She would 100% have known to call her Chris’ lawyer and what to say to any cops.

[@schrisdellopoulos9244]

Do you know what "suspension of disbelief " is Slappy? Google it. Learn something today.

[@charlesquinn8860]

Lol, like you have any idea what you're talking about

[@Irish_Georgia_Girl]

​@@charlesquinn8860Where's he wrong?

[@DavidRomero-y6s]

That was an excellent analysis, the best I've seen on Adriana. I really liked the way you countered the arguments that were presented by the FBI. You shoot down pretty much everything. Good job.

[@dougbowns9035]

I saw another channel recently do a Sopranos Award Show with awards like best sidekick, best one season character, etc. That video only had about 4 categories though. It would be awesome if you did something similar but expanded it to more categories.

[@charlesquinn8860]

Why? He doesn't understand the first thing about the show

[@Irish_Georgia_Girl]

​@@charlesquinn8860Well then why are YOU on his channel if you think that?

[@5011TIMEZ]

Excellent post. Keep these analogies coming. 💯 Percent.

[@Void7.4.14]

Always felt it was a mix of the two. She knew but I don't think she really grasped the depths of it. And it was VERY normalized in her life, her whole family and most of her friends were connected to LCN in some way, shape, or form. For her Chrissy getting made was almost like a promotion at work for most people. As somebody from the streets that spent many years active I can tell ya your relationship to these things changes dramatically when you're born and raised in and/or around it as The Wire touched on pretty well and ya see to some degree in different Oz characters, namely Miguel Alvarez. She was so very clearly naive in so many ways, she never seemed to actually understand what Christopher and the rest were actually involved in or what it entailed, and seemed like a genuinely good person in many ways. When she was helping that dude cover up the murder it was more a person wanting to help a friend in need AND battered woman syndrome where the fear of Christopher's reaction to finding out he'd been there trumped everything else. It's really odd that most people neglect the psychological elements at play in a show where that component is so central and she definitely displayed the signs, so much so even her handler acknowledged it after the car accident. It's very complicated in some cases but with her I find it to be both and I'm not really sure how anyone can say she's one without being the other. Her naive nature keeps her innocent and her innocence breeds more naivety.

[@rockyaoki8929]

FBI handled informants like i handled maths in school (Tip: Not good)

[@theblackknight5716]

I love the new commentary. It's exactly what I'm thinking about watching her interrogation.

[@schrisdellopoulos9244]

Well goodness, we just watched "He Is Risen." Great episode, but Adriana isn't really in it. She does stifle a laugh at the Soprano dinner table when Tony tosses a piece of food at Janet's Evangelical sleepy boyfriend Aaron. So good observations on her character, we don't see any arguments. She is naive, yet she's also not innocent. Btw, her execution scene in "Long Term Parking" is the most shocking of the entire series, even though it is offscreen. I remember watching it when it first aired (yes, I am that old & that much of a fan!) and I was moved. It was very sad.

[@kevinfrank8164]

I was not expecting the shrinkage clip at all!!

[@cyrusamaria]

If Adriana’s mom told Tony that Chris manhandled her there would have been hell to pay

[@BookshelfQBattler]

Tony knew everyone knew.

[@James_Wisniewski]

Aide would have been well served by Michael Weston's advice: if you suddenly click with a random stranger, find you have everything in common, and feel like you could have been friends with them your whole life, chances are, they've just planted a bug somewhere to find out everything about you and it's a set-up. Especially if you're into shady shit. Too bad Burn Notice wasn't out back then.

[@JS-wp4gs]

More likely in that situation you've just met some BPD sociopath. Thats exactly the kind of behavior you get from them

[@James_Wisniewski]

@@JS-wp4gs Point being, if it feels too good to be true, it probably is.

[@prophetmargin7497]

Ade wasn't no babe in the woods, and her brilliance was leading the Feds on a wild goose chase which lead no way. The reason she didn't lawyer up is because she was trying to keep Chris out of it and buy more time until she could develop an exit plan, which unfortunately never happened!

[@schrisdellopoulos9244]

Not lawyering up was not strategy. It never is. People need to call an attorney anytime they are contacted by LEO. I speak from experience and it DOES work in our favor. You don't know what you're talking about Flippy.

[@JS-wp4gs]

@@schrisdellopoulos9244Anyone that paranoid about lawyering up is always guilty. All you'll do is make yourself look more guilty and make things worse for yourself. Innocent people don't obsess over lawyers

[@prophetmargin7497]

@@schrisdellopoulos9244 You have to remember, this is a tv show and not real life dickwad and David Chase's direction he ultimately took this character, (as tragic as it might have been), was designed to reinforce the notion, that getting involved in that life has its consequences!

[@prophetmargin7497]

@@JS-wp4gs The Feds had nothing on Ade, it was all hearsay, did they have any video of the incident or any of the coke as evidence? If so, they would have presented it to her right there and then, the same way they showed Big Pussy the evidence of his heroin trafficking activity, in that deleted scene, which got him to flip!

[@slimdiddyd]

@@JS-wp4gsspotted the cop.

[@TimParker-Chambers]

1:49 Tony would not know that...

[@castlezayden1673]

Do a video..... About what would happen if Dickie.M lived and the impact. On Chris life and Tony

[@pyroAdapt]

She reminds me alot of Juice from Sons of Anarchy which is funny because she is also in that show. But both Adriana and juice want to be loyal to the crime outfits rhey are tied to but are put in loae lose situations that rhey are unable to get out of or fiz rheir mistakes. Both arent blameless either. They are both just scared and dont have what it takes to survive the life rhey live and are easily prayed upon by the police who ultimately get them in trouble by manipulating them and black mailing them. Its sad and conflicting because you wanna root for rhem but there is no way to save them while also honoring the code of silence these criminals live by. In that world if you rat you die. :(

[@hardboiled2987]

Shes naive but ABSOLUTELY NOT innocent. She knows very well about what her boyfriend does for a living.

[@hardboiled2987]

didnt expect that poll result lol

[@TimParker-Chambers]

0:26 That was just talk for the guys so they wouldn't think he preferred men 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@bullywhispers9544]

I know. Thanks for watching!

[@JamesRDavenport]

Wow Bully must have a wire tap on my brain. I was just thinking about Adriana this week. Does anyone know the song that's playing in Silvo's car before he pulls her over? (Before Barracuda.)

[@valerielay8210]

leaving california by shawn smith. i know it got stuck in my head too. now whenever i listen i think of her

[@JamesRDavenport]

@@valerielay8210 Thank you!

[@54321dmsk]

Being beautiful doesnt make you innocent. That's sexism. (Shout to Mike from Breaking Bad here.) She knew what her man was all about. She knew this is how he treats people. She made her money working with these guys. She just didn't think it would happen to her. Sure that makes her naive but most of the victims on the Sopranos were naive. She got what she deserved, she's complicent, sorry.

[@Irish_Georgia_Girl]

I agree with everything you wrote up until you said she "got what she deserved"! She did NOT deserve that. She was very naïve to the point of being slow.

[@54321dmsk]

​​@@Irish_Georgia_GirlYeah, I probably went too far there. She "deserved" it the way Beanie deserved getting run over by Richie. They were involved with these guys, and profited, then got burned. But she wouldn't have done the same to Christopher, she is certainly a better person than many characters on this show

[@colethompson6914]

I had literally never noticed that part where Chrissy shoves adriana’s mother and then proposes 😂 class up with with covering your lighter indoors. I did’ent 🤤

[@nitoduzit]

Ade was naive and not fully understanding the rabbit hole she dove into and blinded by the trappings Christopher’s lifestyle brought. You can tell she had been with the criminal element before but just not like this. She was ignorant to the laws which allowed her to be manipulated by the Feds. Chris left her out to dry by not schooling her as well. Ade was truly a victim in more ways than one when all she wanted was Christopher’s love.

[@samuelesfandyari7786]

Would you ever consider doing videos on Mad Men?

[@bullywhispers9544]

Yes, but I would have to give it a rewatch first and I am finishing up Peaky Blinders right now, so it would have to be a bit later down the road. Thanks for watching!

[@samuelesfandyari7786]

yes i see. thanks for the reply, keep up the great vids!

[@tacitus6384]

She wasn't completely innocent, but she did NOT deserve to go out that way. I cannot imagine a more awful ending for her, knowing that the man she loved ripped her heart out through his betrayal, before crawling and begging and sobbing while crawling away on your hands and knee's as someone you used to think of as a friend mercilessly shoots you in the back of the head. It was a brutal reminder of what scumbags Tony and co are.

[@mikeroman5208]

As if she didn't know what happens to snitches in that "community" LOL!

[@wades9327]

Definitely not innocent. She was a better hearted Carmela, but still she never cared where the shoes and clothes came from. I dunno, maybe having to screw her head sideways to kiss underneath that canopy made the blood run too far from her brain.

[@murraykelm5691]

She knew how to play both sides ,she ratted her friend out because,the friend was getting to flirty with Chris.

[@creepinwhileyousleepin]

One of the last scenes when shes talking about being relocated with Chris and living a normal life. It is naive and she should have left him well before that but her willingness to give up the lifestyle just to be with him, I think said a lot. You know Carmela and most other mob wives couldn't handle working a straight job and struggling like everyone else. She did look the other way when money and things were coming in so shes not completely innocent but honestly I think she was more innocent than Carmela in the grand scheme.

[@saulwalle]

They don't have to give her a lawyer because she's not under arrest or being charged. If she asks for a lawyer then they make the arrest official and Tony and Christopher would possibly find out about the whole thing

[@Irish_Georgia_Girl]

You have a lawyer present even IF you're not under arrest! They were threatening her with arrest.

[@chrise8275]

KRISTUFFHA!!!

[@trevoravery9270]

CHRISSTOFUUR !!!

[@pancakes40051]

Honestly I think Ade was traumatized from a young age. Did not have a caring father figure. Was often forced to take on the role of a parent due to her mother's drinking problem. Which made her a poor judge of character especially with the men in her life.

[@Irish_Georgia_Girl]

I couldn't agree more!

[@chrisbuck96]

I’m sorry but I know it’s a show and all I get it I do…but when your someone like Chris…Adrianna should have been coached if a situation were to arise…I don’t blame Adrianna at all think of how stressful that can be she’s never been arrested she don’t have experience with any of that

[@BlakeGildaphish76]

"i was in the pool!" 😆😂

[@kaljic1]

The FBI made SOOOO many errors in their conduct to Adianna.

[@craigcavaliere6744]

Neither.

[@PrestonVance-k9v]

hot 🔥

[@actuallynotsteve]

More of a "wanted it both ways" and it doesn't work like that. She sure is fine though.

[@bartisreallykewl]

Woah back up my guy, if Chris had under any circumstances iced artie than tony would absolutely do the same to Chris. The one constant thing we learn over and over is that Artie is Tony’s only real friend. More importantly Artie is Tony’s connection to the real world he’s a very symbolic character. I mean tony iced Chris for less is all I’m saying.

[@BookshelfQBattler]

I don’t think they had a case. At best she shuts up and does a little time. Doing time and shutting up is a cost of business in mob life. Blundetto, Phil, all did time and shut up and weren’t killed.

[@AnnieBananie316]

Christopher mentions getting diarrhea on account of all the baby laxatives in in the cocaine he used to do in season 6’s “The Ride”. He also stated Ade had diarrhea while she was doing Coke with Tony. I guess her hook up in Dover was ripping her off.

[@Irish_Georgia_Girl]

She had diarrhea because she had Colitis.

[@robertenleed-q3r]

She knew he BF was in the mafia, she is guilty just as much. She tried to hide under luxury to convinced herself she is innocent, but she deserved her faith. She knew what the Mafia did for business acitivies.

[@lizardpeople]

Let me tell you a couple three things Adriana never had the makings of a varsity dog parent

[@johnw574]

dog owner

[@mike902]

I lost it over this

[@Irish_Georgia_Girl]

"Tree tings"....A coupla TREE TINGS"! 😂

[@Boobalopbop]

Exactly right. Naive, but not innocent. She desperately wanted to marry Chris, not because of his looks, intelligence, charm or how he treats her… She wanted to be a mob wife. She wanted to be from, crime, violence and murder. She’ll take abuse, disrespect and infidelity as long as she has her mob guy and some diamonds, fancy cars and big house like Carmela.

[@Galvatronover]

No I’m pretty sure she also really loves Chris if that were the only case she could just marry another gangster

[@BookshelfQBattler]

Ehhh…she really did love him though…misguided as that was and sad as she could have had anyone

[@thelargesmoke4791]

3:20 You... You passed the bar ?

[@Irish_Georgia_Girl]

No he said he has NOT passed the bar.

[@thelargesmoke4791]

@@Irish_Georgia_Girl You forgor the 🤓emoji...

[@XanderShiller]

😅naive. She assumed that Tony, like most older married men, couldn't uhhh... Prozac.."Cehnssah bump'...Bingo! I think she blew Penn Gillette but only bc she was already down there picking up darts.

[@rocsti5402]

When you run a business and have drugs you can automatically be charged with distribution

[@ilikethiskindatube]

Definitely wasn't innocent, she didn't just want a Hyundai and a simple gold heart on a chain.

[@kingoneil4644]

Phil leotardo wanted alot but he compromised

[@justpeachy4851]

Chris left her open & unprotected/uneducated. He was responsible for her

[@timorthelame1]

It's just like a woman to pretend that men should be responsible for them. That's some basic ish. I feel really bad for the men in your life.

[@bullywhispers9544]

I was going to mention that I thought Chris bringing her into the fold by putting her in charge of a mob club was a dumb idea, but seemed a bit too far off course for the episode. Thanks for watching!

[@timorthelame1]

@@bullywhispers9544 She didn't care much like she didn't care where the money came from. Simply put, she was a very bad person and an accessory after the fact to so many heinous crimes.

[@trevoravery9270]

Yup, all the mob guys made sure their wives were "educated" in the lifestyle, what to say/not say etc, Chrissy failed in that aspect, one might say he was weak, outa control and become an embarrassment to himself and others.

[@alyssarichardson2544]

@@timorthelame1 for normal people yeah. but they're in the fucking mafia. Mob guys are absolutely responsible for their wives...

[@06dking]

Very unrealistic that her and Tony drove from Northern Jersey to Dover Delaware for coke

[@valerielay8210]

i thought the same thing lmao but there’s actually a dover, NJ and i think that’s where they were going

[@06dking]

​@@valerielay8210lol that makes more sense

[@Goodlaw86]

I don’t think she is innocent. If she wanted to be part of Christopher’s life, she could’ve done what the other mob wives did and just did her thing. She chose to getting involved in criminal activity.

[@kaljic1]

Adriana is in a serious condtion of DENIAL.

[@203-g7w]

she was a rat… and the intent to distribute was because of the amount. it was considered (according to them) too much to be personal use. but hey…it doesn’t really matter i guess. she would’ve flipped either way

[@ShahPhilLeotardo]

She should have stayed at home and cooked Christopher’s dinner.

[@jameshagan2832]

Gay men who are also apparently her cousin want her

[@naswiipp]

Anyway.....$4 dollars a pound.

[@alinm4844]

It's a TV progrum. A movie.

[@erickennedy8534]

Ade was stupid , native and was in love. She should ask for a lawyer , the most she would had break it off from Chris , Mush thing she was dumb because she should never let him use the phone in her office.

[@JS-wp4gs]

Asking for a lawyer would have been the stupidest thing she could have done in that situation. That would mean paperwork, processing and the FBI having to start making things official and on the record with charges, which would have gotten back to christopher and tony pretty quickly and when the details about who she brought around them got out she'd be dead real fast

[@Irish_Georgia_Girl]

​@@JS-wp4gsUmm...nooo

[@pegcity4eva]

What a body

[@illmatic1026]

She was naive.😌

[@lifeisstr4nge]

Adriana was one of the few nice people in the Sopranos.

[@JohnMoog-ug6bk]

Was she damaged goods due to an abortion?

[@plaidchuck]

In the mafia world yeah. Men in the show didnt even stay faithful to their wives who had their children. Although Tony defended her on this issue which is surprising, but that might have been more to keep Chris stable than anything else.

[@natedogg890]

Her actress has an OnlyFans now, do with that what you will

[@Gigibaby88]

I was one of the few people who voted her as innocent. My reason being that to me whether someone is an innocent person or not has nothing to do with if they do drugs or even who they surround themselves with necessarily. I was given pause when you mentioned her helping to cover up the murder at the club but then I thought back to the reasons she gave as to why, to help protect the guy who did it (I forget his name) because she views him as a good person who had his reasons for doing what he did. Even the way she describes him reeks of innocence to me. How he stops 5 times a day to kneel and pray because he's so religious and how she was "very moved by that." That kind of sums her up to me, she sees the good in people to a fault, and to her own detriment due to the fact that she's a naturally innocent, trusting person. She is very child like in her thinking, esp in her interactions with others. When she meets "Danielle" she's so excited to make a new friend and immediately they're besties the way little kids are & she ends up entrusting her w/ her deepest darkest secrets because of how innocent & trusting she is. And w/ Christopher, no matter how terrible he is to her, beating her, killing her dog when he's high, etc she just refuses to see anything but the good in him, it's almost like she's not capable of it. It reminds me of a child who is being abused by their parent but still loves & adores them and sees the best in them. Her view of Christopher is extremely child like & innocent to me. Even the way she speaks whether it be when she's happy like in Carmella's dream & excitedly says "look I found Cosette!" Or w/ the FBI in the scene you were referencing where she's deeply upset and seems almost surprised to realize that the FBI workers don't care about her as a person, her voice & manner of speaking always sounds child like & innocent to me. In fact I actually think the opposite of what most who voted do, I don't actually find her to be particularly naive, I just find her to be more innocent. I guess she's both in some ways but if I had to choose I'd say she's more innocent. Naive to me describes someone who hasn't been exposed to much debauchery in their lives and isn't even necessarily aware it exists but Ade is surrounded by that & more constantly. She lives in a world where drugs, crime, and violence are built into the every day fabric of her life so she's certainly not naive to any of it IMO. Yet despite thst she manages to hang onto this very child like innocence in her world view and at the very core of who she is so that's why I see her that way. Sorry for the long comment but I was sort of putting my feelings into concrete thoughts as I wrote & rambling helpa me lol. And since you asked I wanted to give a well thought out answer. Interesting topic btw. She's absolutely one of my favorite characters, she was such a light in the show because of who she is and after her death the show def got much darker and I really missed her.

[@charlesquinn8860]

"Innocent" is not a legal term

[@charlesquinn8860]

You haven't passed the bar anywhere dude

[@charlesquinn8860]

Innocent or naive? What distinction do you draw there? Also, "even a gay man was interested in her?" You don't get why he would've said that. You shouldn't be making videos about this show, you don't get it at all

[@johnw574]

Calm down

[@skippyjones2291]

You got issues my brother

[@BAEHELPFUNY]

she was stupid 1st 😂😂