"University" | |
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The Sopranos episode | |
Episode no. | Season 3 Episode 6 |
Directed by | Allen Coulter |
Story by |
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Teleplay by |
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Cinematography by | Alik Sakharov |
Production code | 306 |
Original air date | April 1, 2001 |
Running time | 49 minutes |
Guest appearance(s) | |
see below |
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see below
"University" is the forty-nine minute episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and the sixth of the show's third season. The teleplay was written by Terence Winter and Salvatore J. Stabile from a story idea by David Chase, Terence Winter, Todd A. Kessler, Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess. It was directed by Allen Coulter and originally aired on April 1, 2001.
* = credit only
One afternoon at the Bada Bing, Tony receives a "thank you" gift from one of the strippers, 20-year-old Tracee. She thanks Tony for advising her to take her sick son to the doctor. When she presents Tony with some homemade datenut bread, he explains that he cannot accept gifts from employees, since strippers are not supposed to make friends with their bosses, and because Ralph is carrying on an affair with her.
Meanwhile, at Columbia University, Meadow is becoming closer to her boyfriend, Noah Tannenbaum. As they draw close to becoming intimate, Meadow's roommate, Caitlin, walks in and interrupts. Meadow asks if she needs to use the room, but Caitlin says she was feeling lonely and scared after seeing a horror film, Freaks, with friends, exhibiting something similar to the Mean World Syndrome. Meadow and Noah try to calm her down and remind her that she has been warned in the past not to see things that frighten her. Caitlin proceeds to pull her hair out as a sign of nervousness. Noah makes up an excuse to leave, and after a few moments of discomfort between Caitlin and Meadow, Meadow decides to go up to Noah's room, making sure she takes her X-Acto knife in case Caitlin grows more depressed. Noah empathizes with Caitlin and suggests they be patient with her. Meadow thus comes to adore Noah even more and loses her virginity to him. Later, Noah and Meadow plan to cheer Caitlin up by taking her out for her birthday. After an evening out with Caitlin, they spot a homeless woman babbling, which induces Caitlin to give her money. As she approaches the woman, Caitlin discovers that she is using a newspaper as an undergarment. Caitlin is more shocked and upset than ever and sobs in the dorm room. Meadow becomes tired of Caitlin's growing homesickness and seeks solace at the Soprano home. She tells her mother that she is in love with Noah and subtly hints that she has been intimate with him. Meanwhile, Caitlin visits Noah and pesters him for company. He is irked by this, as he is writing a term paper, for which he eventually receives a C-. Noah attributes his poor grade to repeated interruptions by Caitlin. Meadow tries to console him about it, but his father, being furious about his son's poor grade, has already filed a restraining order against Caitlin. Meadow meets Noah's father, Len, for dinner one evening and they discuss his profession and that of her father. The following day, Noah breaks off his relationship with Meadow, telling her that she is too negative and cynical. Meadow is genuinely shocked and becomes extremely upset.