Meadow | The Sopranos Character Analysis

Analysis of the character Meadow Soprano from The Sopranos. While she doesn't have the violent temper her father Tony Soprano does, she can still be selfish and hypocritical like him. I discuss examples of Meadow's selfish and hypocritical behaviour in several episodes, with an emphasis on the way she treats Finn DeTrolio in the episode Unidentified Black Males.
#thesopranos #tonysoprano #movieanalysis
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[@iam_the_obiwan_ginmex8028]

Meadow through out the series shows her downfall. First she is critical of the mob life , then by Jackie Jrs death she becomes defensive. Then by the end she’s completely unbothered by the life and even wants to do a career defending sleazebags in court. To Carmella Meadow was her redemption her hope that if she raised a doctor and did good to people that it would redeem her for their mob life only for Meadow to become just like Carmella

[@justinktobin]

And the look on Carmella's face when she found out that Hunter was going to medical school. Hunter, the one Carmella thought was a bad influence on Meadow.

[@zeeski7454]

Greed is a deadly sin after all

[@SuperStella1111]

@@justinktobin my mother world have reacted like that. Carmella is pure narcissist.

[@sole__doubt]

Meadow's philosophy is solipsism.

[@pfazza19]

Whoa you missed the biggest point. By gossiping about Finn's sighting of Vito Meadow effectively signs his death warrant. Remember she likely knows or unconsciously recognises the Mafia code relating to homosexuality

[@matthiasheartman1342]

You are right, that is a no-go.

[@sundaylass6828]

Same as Carmella telling Tony about Uncle Jun "whistling through the wheat fields"

[@cl5470]

Meadow is selfish, but the fact that people hate her more than Tony, who is pure evil, says more about the viewer than it does about her. She is what her parents made her.

[@nanoporto5282]

Now watchers evil analysis 😂

[@nancyvillines4552]

Everyone is selfish in one way or another. As a 66 year old woman I make it a point to be selfish sometimes. I learned that in my 40's. If you aren't, at least sometimes you will just resent never taking care of your needs.

[@MutedGrowl]

Meadow, more so than any other character, had a positive growth arc. The Meadow in season 6 is a much more mature and thoughtful person than season 1 Meadow.

[@user-ws1bs4ns7h]

Not really. Meadow actively attacks friends and her fiancé for anything bad mentioned about her mob families origins. She starts of critical but long into adult hood she makes a active decision to basically romanticize the mob. A good example is when her fiancé admits genuine fear of the crooks around him she starts rattling some smug bullshit about mobn history and authority systems in absence of power. More angry at his admissions than her fathers friends and life style putting her fiancé in danger. Because he was in danger and she ignores that. She ignores this too regarding her fiancé Veeto scenario. She dosen't do anything to protect her fucking FIANCE, instead she turns it into an argument about what SHE WANTS, defends the mob again and gaslights him effectively. She only spills the beans on the veeto issue way later as a gossip piece. This, by the way, puts her fiance in the sights of these crooks who could of had any reaction. Maybe even resenting him and wanting to punish him for keeping his mouth shut and not alerting them earlier of the mans sexuality. Meadow is a piece of shit. Tony also being a piece of shit dosen't decounter people hate of her. It vindicates it. Tony started to change and as viewers we are in a rollercoaster with him before he downward spirals into a true piece of crap. Tony is much more a construct of his parents than meadow. Meadow had multiple times of being away from her parents, their past, their nature. She could of easily escaped and worked against the mob, making her own life. She had the intellgience, the resources, the inspectiveness and the introspection to do it. Trony was groomed from a young age to adopt mob values and be a monster, ontop of the accepted abuse and vileness of his mother. Meadow has none of those excuses. She was not groomed, she was kept relatively distant from the mob world. She acts as the "good one" INTENTIONALLY to protect them, to smoke screen these thugs. Tony tries to escape and fails, and in this everyone despondently and rightfully refers to him as a crooked scumbag, albeit with a tragic tale of failed change. Meadow didn't even have to change...she just had to not tolerate the mob in her life. To keep herself and her loved ones distant from it. Something thats possible because even TONY the actual BOSS manages to do this to an extent with meadow. She had every chance to move out, work far away and just not interact. Instead, she not only fights for them on social grounds but attacks "outsiders", including her fiance for it. Meadow considers herself to be a part of the mob already and she chose it...every step of the way. The problem here is that you measure a characters...disposition in the viewers eyes purely by how they are hated. Not by analysis or despondence, disappointment or even investment.

[@sole__doubt]

Tony is affable and he also has done some good things. In many ways he's as good as he is bad, which is why he resonates with people since this is how successful criminals often are. Meadow is far more one dimensional and unlikable, she never accomplished anything and helped no one.

[@Dominus564]

I was really annoyed with her after Jackie's death. How she kept playing that card over and over, even though the guy cheated her and they only dated for 3 months. Then I realized that she was just trying to use sadness as a manipulation tactic, just like Tony does.

[@valeria122]

Always felt bad for Finn, Meadow was such a hypocrite.

[@TheVanillatech]

Shaggy? He was punching WAY out of his league. Don't feel bad for him.

[@persephoneszeliga]

I felt bad for Finn too.

[@sole__doubt]

Shes into solipsism its all about her.

[@sparksdrinker5650]

A rich pretty teenage girl is selfish? Knock me over with a feather.

[@justinktobin]

In one of Tony's therapy sessions, he's talking about Carmella's family being physically small people. He's like, "Her father, you could knock him over with a feather."

[@sole__doubt]

One who is being raised by selfish criminal parents, yeah thats not much of a shock.

[@I.AM.JUPITER]

⁠@@justinktobin you PARTIALLY WRONG - Meadow is the only one that had an ARC - 6B By her telling her parents what they said was racist was her looking outside of her self - standing up for the people who can’t stand up for themselves. You are WRONG about her She did not say she was gonna take that job make it 170,000 a year. Patryck said that. You are missing the Meadow Grew - She went to her parents and said something is wrong with AJ.

[@hellomate2405]

I think her problem was how everything was handed to her in a silver platter, but she kept bitching about how she was always the worst treated person on planet earth

[@TheVanillatech]

Season 1-4 Meadow was just fire. That scene at Adrianas engagement party .... oh my god.

[@lofimamiiASMR]

meadow was hypocritical being on a moral highground and going into law bc she saw how her sociopath father was treated by the FBI, correlating how he was treated with simply being italian american. if she really had seen the gruesome and straight up evil things her dad was responsible for, literally destroying families and lives, i don't think she would've been so protective of this life she grew up in and she could've actually become a person helping the most marginalized while also holding space for the reality that her upbringing was based on a lot of other peoples suffering. she was purposfully oblivious to her fathers crimes because she was desperate for his love.

[@GCKelloch]

Meadow's behavior after being dumped has nothing to do with her class, but everything to do with being a typical teenage girl on the verge of breaking down. Rather than conveniently condemn a teenage girl, you all should also consider what you would do in the same circumstances.

[@I.AM.JUPITER]

Agreed, and you know what Meadow is the only one that had an arc she changed in 6B

[@I.AM.JUPITER]

Agree, I can see that this guy is misogynist. His his video on Tracy said that she wanted to be taken care of. That’s what men think. They think that that’s all we wanted to be taken care of. That girl wanted to be loved.

[@I.AM.JUPITER]

3:42 she does not holler, she is going to be an attorney and that woman didn’t have any basis. Because Jackie Junior was not in the mafia. She does really know Meadow corrected her correctly.

[@OrangeGeemer]

Your videos are perfect for listening while working, your slow pace and smooth way of talking aren't distracting and even help me focus on my current task. Thanks.

[@justinktobin]

Thanks! Glad you like ‘em. But hopefully they’re not boring you and forcing you to focus on something else. Haha.

[@jerriotglencamp7562]

"Peeps is a nickname"😂

[@jasonisaacs6069]

Also... You failed to mention that she ends up marrying into the mafia via Patsy's son.

[@I.AM.JUPITER]

Meadow had an arc guys, she changed 6 B

[@smacwhinnie]

Jackie jr was shot by his own cousin. Surprised they didn’t get a black guy to do it. The parade float really stood out in that hood

[@justinktobin]

He was shot by the housing projects though, so people just assumed it was drug related. Don't think I knew Vito and Jackie Jr. were cousins.

[@smacwhinnie]

@@justinktobin the episode when Vitos brother was in the hospital when Mustang Sally teed off on his head kzbin.info/www/bejne/mpKoZYipnauXndUsi=kTJk1jkeq8U6YJ4M

[@sergiogarzon8634]

How could Jackie not see Vito in his peripheral vision? He literally passed right by Vito walking down the hill.

[@Iconoplastt]

"Peeps - it's a f**king nickname" was my favorate line - 1.4k Justin, can't keep up with your own success - Great stuff brother!

[@justinktobin]

Thanks man! Haha, yes, that line's awesome. The writers sure know how to bring levity to a funeral scene.

[@smacwhinnie]

Justin’s dyslexic

[@jerriotglencamp7562]

Me too ❤

[@brundlefly45]

So glad your channel was recommended to me, keep it up with these analyses!

[@justinktobin]

Thanks! And thanks to whoever recommended it.

[@brundlefly45]

@@justinktobin that would be the algorithm!

[@justinktobin]

@@brundlefly45 In that case, thank you, KZbin. Haha.

[@aidanofferman4384]

3:48 seeing the way meadow responds in this scene reminds me of the episode College when Tony accuses her of being bigoted towards Italians when she asks if he’s in the mafia, like it’s been ingrained in her by him

[@justinktobin]

Good catch! Thanks for that insight. I know the scene but never put the two together like that.

[@I.AM.JUPITER]

But she does not go to the mafia. Meadow is the only one that survives. Meadow had an ARC 6B - that is why she did not die. She had an ARC SHE CHANGED

[@jackwalsh6758]

5:30 They're gonna re-do it, fuckin' Jason, he's dyslexic.

[@putaindenoix]

great video idk why you dont have more subs/views

[@faisalkamal4319]

peeps it's a f nickname 😂😂😂

[@erics362]

Tony's lucky that Noah didn't kick his ass.

[@justinktobin]

😆

[@brettmajors69karaoke]

Meadow soprano has a higher body count than the five families of New York. And that pigmy thing in jersey.

[@paulgardner5079]

I always found MEadow to be less likeable than AJ

[@IrishYobbo07]

Same a lot of people give you hate for that though.

[@I.AM.JUPITER]

Meadow is the only one out of the family that had GROWTH She changed in 6B. That is why she was not murdered. 2:27 telling them that what they said was racist. It’s her looking out for other people. People.

[@sole__doubt]

Meadow is a virtual clinic on Solipsism.

[@stupendous1068]

I had the biggest crush on Jamie-Lynn Sigler back in the day.

[@staringatthesun861]

Terrific video that deserves more views. I have subscribed.

[@justinktobin]

Thanks! Appreciate that.

[@powasjington4262]

I remember watching the show when I was in High school and having a crush on Meadow, but now when I watch it she just seems spoiled, selfish and annoying.

[@Boatmain]

Hey Justin, this is going to sound strange. I remember watching your RSV 2nd catholic edition bible review like last year in February, and I really liked the video.

[@justinktobin]

Not strange at all. Thanks for watching it! I still have that bible too.

[@I.AM.JUPITER]

Meadow had an ARC 6B - that is why she did not die. She had an ARC

[@djinnmagik2003]

This was a very honestly in-depth characterization of Meadow. I totally agree as I have had women in my life who were just like her.

[@I.AM.JUPITER]

Well, then, I guess you have been very lucky. Because she’s the only character that changed in that show. Watched the last three episodes. She started working at the law center, she wanted to help people. She was the one who told her parents something is wrong with AJ. She became humble. Only one that had an arc

[@kreshoma6407]

Nice analysis

[@justinktobin]

Thanks.

[@thelizardkingdc]

Nice vid!

[@nickcara97]

The over sensationalism of this character has always been my main issue with this show’s fanbase in general. On one side there’s the shameless romantics who are too transfixed with the actress’s appearance to see how much of a pretentious fraud the character really is. And on the other you have the whataboutists who feel the need to constantly compare meadow to other more nefarious characters in an effort to trivialize and even justify her consistently poor behavior. As if it’s not possible to judge a character based upon their own merit. Between the popular reputation of her and a few others like Charmaine Bucco, I think a lot of Sopranos fans struggle with a problem in which they’ve become so deluded and isolated by their passionate fandom that they’ve allowed their own moral standards to overly assimilate with those of the fictional world to the point of considering anyone who remotely expresses disapproval of the mob life as a vindicated angel, regardless of their methods or actions in that stead. Barring the guiltiness of tangible crimes, those two are still demonstrably awful people by any remotely normal comparison, and no one in good conscience should want to be associated with anyone like that in their own lives. The fact that this lesson is lost on many, continues to be disconcerting. People need to remember that this show isn’t just about the mobsters themselves, but also those that willfully chose to remain associated with them for their own benefit, and how they then rationalized such moral compromises to themselves and others.

[@user-ws1bs4ns7h]

Comparison of character within the framework of their world in fiction, especially when that world is based on our reality itself is a common issue. A good example is SAW. Saw is about a total psychopath who kills people in horrible ways, while providing a "fighting chance" with some thought into poetic punishment and personal development. But he's still a total psycho and I've seen the jigsaw killer get ranked as a "better" or "sane" person because of that personal code of ethics/ honor. Not realizing that jigsaw is just a blood thirsty lunatic and his admirable character traits can be respect, while still contributing to him as an evil person. One of the flaws of seeing evil and good as binary representation of a person value, I think.

[@PrankCallFan845]

Paula Garces looked amazing in those scenes

[@AlexRoivas]

10:09 Little Paulie is related to Paulie so attacking him with the bottle is not the smartest thing, he might not be a made man but he has family that are.

[@xax2952]

he insulted a made guy, that is a bigger problem

[@nykia31]

Tony says in season 2 that Meadow is all him.

[@I.AM.JUPITER]

I think she changed after she worked at the poverty law center

[@gp-1542]

To me We either blame the apple or the tree

[@mondoseguendo6113]

It’s the seed’s fault.

[@timothyslaughter476]

Jersey Shore

[@I.AM.JUPITER]

⁠​⁠PARTIALLY WRONG - Meadow is the only one that had an ARC - 6B By her telling her parents what they said was racist was her looking outside of her self - standing up for the people who can’t stand up for themselves. You are WRONG about her She did not say she was gonna take that job make it 170,000 a year. Patryck said that. You are missing the Meadow Grew - She went to her parents and said something is AJ

[@robertlee4172]

Medoe learned to manipulate and gaslight from Livia. At the dinner table, Medoe rolls her eyes at her grandma, but heads over to her house to get cash off of her. She throws a party, destroys her dead grandma's house, but blames someone's "azzo" friends. She behaves all pouty and depressed in front of her therapist, but lights up at the suggestion of traveling through Europe. She buys her mother a birthday gift, with Carmela's credit card, a day at the spa, but bought a session for herself. Medoe uses people for her own benefit.

[@I.AM.JUPITER]

Wrong wrong wrong - the only one in the family that had growth. 6B.

[@robertlee4172]

@@I.AM.JUPITER Learning to gaslight and manipulate from her elders IS growth.

[@I.AM.JUPITER]

@@robertlee4172 she is hero Of the series - You obviously don’t understand personal growth meadow changed. You must’ve passed up her episodes and scenes

[@I.AM.JUPITER]

@@robertlee4172 why would you just say, oh I don’t remember her storyline. Maybe I should watch it again.

[@robertlee4172]

​@@I.AM.JUPITER Wha-a-at?! So, a 16-year-old transitions to college, then onto adulthood in 6 years. Whoah! What a leap. Then at 22, decides to get into the "family business". Kind of, defense lawyer for the downtrodden mezzogiorno. The criminally accused. Ya you could say she had personal growth. But she did send her dad to avenge her crushed ego, by the Coco nut. He said a few nasty words, then lost his teeth. Ya, that's justice.

[@Chickenbone263]

She definitely inherited some of her behaviours from Livia not just tony

[@mondoseguendo6113]

From her mom too.

[@herefordmsv]

The realities of human nature are plainly visible in The Sopranos.... and in the comments. Good and bad exists in all of us.

[@Jrh-rp7np]

Meadow is the perfect characterization of a spoiled girl from a rich suburban family… She goes from a teenage girl and grows into a young woman.. I mean she seems pretty normal if you ask me for a girl who grows up in that environment…

[@jamesgpevans9421]

Tony was like a very angry😡😡😡 baby 👶👶

[@donnagant6575]

Her acknowledging her parents racism when her dad is sick is not a bad thing.. thinking that is a bad thing is something a racist person would believe

[@justinktobin]

Thinking it's racist to state a fact is something a feeble minded person would believe. Fact, Tony ate at an Indian restaurant. Fact, those who aren't used to eating certain exotic foods are highly likely to get sick because their digestive systems aren't conditioned for it yet. Fact, you eat a spicy burrito and get the s***s the next day, it's reasonable to suspect it was the burrito. Is drinking a quart of Scotch, throwing up the next morning and then blaming it on the Scotch racist towards Scottish people?

[@donnagant6575]

@@justinktobin haha keep trying to rationalize racism you know that's not wht she meant.. she was trying to imply that indian food and Indian ppl are dirty and make others sick.. the amount of contempt in her voice when she said "jndian" was obvious, and she is definitely not known for her progressive beliefs.. but if you want to bury your head in weak scotch or Scottish or whatever ridiculous comparisons, (which you know are ridiculous by the way, your not fooling anyone) all it does is add to racism by not even trying to Apologize for blatant racist behavior but try to justify it.. that is the same way that ppl who are complacent with genocide are.. casually racist and you are sad and terrifying..

[@seagat9582]

@@donnagant6575 I agree with you. We all know how Carmela is thru out the show, in Contrast to Artie, who shows up and explains to them why it couldn't be his food and how Indian is cooked with a type of butter.

[@razoblicavanje4231]

Narration voice is a *straight line of death*.

[@donnagant6575]

Haha i dont think this guy realizes hes defending tony soprano just to bash a girl whom he made that way.. sounds like someone has some experience with trying to pass the blame.. just like tony.. you guys seem to have alot in common

[@johndong7524]

What's with your narrative voice? Sound off like you got a pair.

[@justinktobin]

Like Tony would say to Sal: "What the f*** did you just say, John?" Sounds off like I got a pair?

[@johndong7524]

@@justinktobin Your narration voice is too weak and lacks confidence. Just talk like you normally would at work or at home.

[@justinktobin]

Nah, the generic, unnatural excited voiceovers are not my thing. I have too much testosterone for that. Maybe you can share one of your videos though so I can get inspired.@@johndong7524

[@sundaylass6828]

​@@johndong7524I find the voice soothing.

[@johndong7524]

@@justinktobin no, you don't. Your testosterone level iz is low with that voice.

[@GCKelloch]

Dude, is she naïve or willfully ignorant? One can't be both about the same issue. Oh, and take it down a notch. Don't get so excited.

[@toads5200]

Meadow was the worst character in the series, at least Aj had his depression and was some what relatable.

[@notray4802]

AJ was worse than meadow lol. Depression doesn't excuse being a selfish shit who doesn't barely mourns in hospitals. Meadow at least had her manners and head on straight.

[@I.AM.JUPITER]

Meadow had an ARC 6B - that is why she did not die. She had an ARC SHE CHANGED

[@I.AM.JUPITER]

Meadow had an ARC 6B - that is why she did not die. She had an ARC SHE CHANGED