Bruce Altman joins the pod to share his Sopranos story on the legendary 'Whitecaps' episode, sharing the screen with James Gandolfini, and insights on other all-time career highlights with iconic actors, directors and creators he's collaborated with over the years.

Poda Bing is an Alternate Thursdays production created by Vik Singh (@helloimvik)
Follow @podabing on IG, Twitter or wherever tf
All archived episodes are available, for free, at https://podabing.show and anywhere you listen to podcasts.

054: Bruce Altman

A podcast that rigorously examines The Sopranos through deep dives, streams of consciousness, conversations, interviews, trivia and NBA analogies. Produced by Alternate Thursdays. Created and hosted by Vik Singh.

TV & Film

Poda Bing runs it back on "The Legend of Tennessee Moltisanti".
Note: Poda Bing Redux is also on YouTube.

01:11 The connection between Christopher and espresso machines
02:07 The art of iconic opening shots
02:56 Merz b. Schwanen vs. Members Only
04:32 Espresso machine symbolism?
05:09 Opening shots across cinema
08:07 The art of iconic opening fits
08:45 What Christopher's dream said about Adriana
10:45 On going places we don't want to
14:31 Tony's "spring cleaning"
17:14 Christopher's writing travails
20:02 Christopher wants a NIL deal
21:11 Another installment of Vik's Legal Corner
21:55 Understanding derogations
 26:29 Joan Didion's could have helped Christopher
26:54 Writer distractions
28:43 Establishing shots and *possibility* of conflict
29:31 (Some more) thoughts on the final Soprano sequence
30:04 How Vito got made
32:18 Some "sweeping" tactics
33:44 The lengths one must go to to get Livia to eat lunch
35:20 The art of working in tight spaces
36:57 Chris and Paulie have a moment
39:10 Shlomo would have had something to say about arcs, too
42:49 Noah's "arc"
43:42 On the matter of where the bodies are buried
45:26 Richard's "two tickets to paradise"
46:45 Tony understands, it just takes time
49:03 The elite-ness of Agent Harris
52:00 Comparing and contrasting a Melfi family dinner with a Soprano one
52:48 What Columbus and Meucci have in common
53:29 Melfi's payment policy laid bare
54:06 Livia's semi-annual meeting of "Mothers Betraying Sons"
55:10 On receiving *that* phone call that spurs us to action
56:10 The different prisms of therapy on the show
56:37 Therapists with a flair for storytelling
58:15 Outro

-Poda Bing is an Alternate Thursdays production created by Vik Singh (@helloimvik)
-Follow @podabing on IG, Twitter or wherever tf
-All archived episodes are available at https://podabing.show or anywhere you get podcasts.

Redux 1.08

Poda Bing runs it back on "Down Neck".
Note: Poda Bing Redux is also on YouTube.

00:00 Intro
01:53 Sacramental wine 101
04:45 Hoopers portrayed in cinema
06:06 Call the Union! 
09:54 The art and science of Gandolfini 
11:58 Soprano math
12:49 Cross talk stagecraft 
17:43 The hold of "The Holdovers"
19:36 Scene dimensions
21:18 (One of the reasons) why Tony keeps us coming back
22:16 Like father like son
24:22 The "wisdom"  of crowds
26:03 Is it all just a big nothing?
26:45 What would Tony think of generative AI?
28:44 Feech shoulda hired Clarence Darrow
30:00 What if Tony got that electric organ?
32:06 Better halves
33:52 How to receive bad news from across a table
34:23 Carmela distinguishes herself
35:01 The best therapy

-Poda Bing is an Alternate Thursdays production created by Vik Singh (@helloimvik)
-Follow @podabing on IG, Twitter or wherever tf
-All archived episodes are available at https://podabing.show or anywhere you get podcasts.

Redux 1.07

Poda Bing runs it back on "Pax Soprana".
Note: Poda Bing Redux is also on YouTube.

00:00 Intro
01:00 The importance of skin care in this thing of ours
02:25 The importance of proper Italian delis
03:27 Bridge awe (again)
04:16 Sinatra all over Tony's shirt
05:09 Melfi's flirt meter
06:28 Best part about coffee dates
08:38 The power of Melfi's non-answers
10:41 The Elia Kazan-ness of certain shots this episode
12:39 Junior and David Stern
14:00 The respect for everyday characters in the show
14:30 Choice cuts
18:59 Would Tony be a fast texter?
21:25 An idea for Dua Lipa
22:03 The surgical precision of Johnny Sack's introduction
23:56 People at tables waiting
24:52 General writing nerdery
25:56 The ritual of garage conflicts
28:36 How not to court someone
30:45 Chase and Kandinsky connection
31:47 I miss "Flight of the Conchords"
35:11 Tony's path to coming clean to Melfi
39:39 How to handle being a witness to a crime perpetrated by O.C.
43:32 The notion of intermediaries and how Livia is *not* a good one
48:04 "Hesh's Horses" and Vik's quotation book
50:05 The sweet & sour of this episode

Poda Bing is an Alternate Thursdays production created by Vik Singh (@helloimvik)
Follow @podabing on IG, Twitter or wherever tf
All archived episodes are available, for free, at https://podabing.show and anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Redux 1.06

Poda Bing runs it back on "College".
Note: Poda Bing Redux is also on YouTube.

Poda Bing is an Alternate Thursdays production created by Vik Singh (@helloimvik)
Follow @podabing on IG, Twitter or wherever tf
All archived episodes are available, for free, at https://podabing.show and anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Redux 1.05

Poda Bing runs it back on "Meadowlands".
Note: Poda Bing Redux is also on YouTube.

Poda Bing is an Alternate Thursdays production created by Vik Singh (@helloimvik)
Follow @podabing on IG, Twitter or wherever tf
All archived episodes are available, for free, at https://podabing.show and anywhere you listen to podcasts.

054: Bruce Altman

Download our free app to listen on your phone