It was seen by nearly 12 million viewers on its premiere, and critics praised the episode for its plot development, especially surrounding Tony Soprano's marital breakdown.
As they argue about money, Carmela accuses Tony of calling Italy on his cellphone, and he tells her that Furio is “a dead man” if certain people find him.
After watching The Prince of Tides with his mistress, Valentina, Tony feels driven to see Dr. Melfi again, and sends flowers and a greeting card to her office.
Feech wishes to return to work as a shy and sports bettor, which Tony and Uncle Junior permit so long as he does not compete with other operators.
Los Angeles Times critic Carina Chocano observed the episode had "variations on the big themes of trust, betrayal, strength and vulnerability" that defined The Sopranos.
Tom Shales of The Washington Post wrote: "The characters in 'The Sopranos' grow and evolve; they even learn and, in one or two cases, mature.
"[10] Robert Bianco rated this season three and a half out of four stars, describing Tony Soprano as "a character more complex, perplexing and believably real than anything a reality show can convey.
[12] Television Without Pity graded the episode an A-, regarding the clips of The Prince of Tides as "a spot-on parody of [Tony Soprano's] relationship with [Dr.] Melfi" and "subtextually relevant".
[13] For The Star-Ledger, Alan Sepinwall found tragic humor in the plotlines surrounding Tony's marital problems and affair with Dr.
[14] Tim Goodman of the San Francisco Chronicle praised the episode as foreshadowing "a season of major upheaval and emotional resonance.
"[15] For the San Jose Mercury News, Charlie McCollum rated the first four episodes of season five with four out of four stars, commenting: "The writing sparkles, the acting is unmatched and no TV series has ever been as well directed and produced.