The Sopranos: 5 Ways Carmela & Tony Were Good Together (& 5 Why She Should Have Been With Furio)
Neither Tony nor Carmela were faithful to each other, yet they had good moments. But would she have been happier with her lover Furlo?
The Sopranos examined Tony’s numerous affairs in detail but his wife Carmela had quite a complicated love life too. During her time in the series, she was involved with four men, Tony being the obvious one. Her first foray into infidelity happened when she kissed a handyman named Victor Musto.
Carmela then began seeing DiMeo crime family enforcer Furio before moving on to guidance counselor Robert Wegler. However, the man she was truly passionate about was Furio. At times, fans couldn’t help but hope that she’d leave Tony for him. But would he have been the right choice?
Tony: He Was A Good Father
Carmela often clashed with both AJ and Meadow but the children treated Tony quite differently. Meadow rarely had a problem with her father while AJ only clashed with him about four times the entire series.
AJ disappointed his parents on a frequent basis but Tony never stopped caring for him and rescued him from the pool as he was drowning. Tony was often heavy-handed when dealing with his fellow mobsters and enemies but when it came to his children, he was as nice as a father could be.
Furio: He Wasn’t A Cheater
During a night out, Furio saw Tony cuddling with one of his mistresses. He was deeply disgusted by this. Not only was he against cheating but he also felt that Carmela deserved better.
The incident almost made him murder Tony. As they were going to board a helicopter after leaving the nightclub, he considered pushing Tony towards the rotating blades but he changed his mind. Since Tony’s affairs kept hurting Carmela, being with a man who was totally against infidelity could have been good for her.
Tony: He Was A Generous Lover
Carmela couldn’t count the number of expensive earrings and necklaces that Tony had gifted her. Not to mention the dinner dates. The mobster never hesitated when it came to spending money on his wife. During her time in the series, Carmela didn’t even have to work. Tony took care of all the bills and expenses in the home.
Before their ugly fallout at the end of Season 4, he was even planning to buy her a beautiful mansion by the lake. No one likes a mean partner, so Tony gets points for his generosity.
Furio: She Had Genuine Feelings For Him
Carmela loved Furio so much that when she heard he had fled back to Italy, she almost lost her mind. The realization that she was never going to see him again was too much to bear. While he was still in America, she always looked forward to the times when he would come to the house to pick up Tony.
Like a teenage girl, every interaction that Carmela had with Furio made her very happy. And the feelings weren’t one-sided. He felt the same way. There’s no doubt that such strong love is what relationships should be built on.
Tony: She Knew Him Better
Carmela had known Tony ever since she was a high school student. The two fell in love, had children, and built an amazing home together. Carmela knew all of Tony’s weaknesses as well as his strengths.
The same can’t be said of her relationship with Furio. The DiMeo crime family soldier had only been in America for a few years after Tony plucked him out of Italy. She didn’t know about his history nor the dark moments in his life.
Furio: He Was A Gentleman
Unlike Tony, Furio was a proper gentleman. While Tony kept yelling at Carmela, Furio always addressed her respectfully and always acknowledged the fact that she was like a boss to him. He didn’t act on his feelings for her immediately by trying to sleep with her. He was ready to wait until the right time.
Tony, on the other hand, would go on to sleep with any woman that he was slightly infatuated with. He never cared about Carmela’s concerns either.
Tony: Family & Friends
A marriage is a union between two people but part of what makes it great is the extended family and friends. Carmela had a good relationship with Tony’s family, friends, and associates. Every mob member liked and respected her. The rest of the mob wives were fond of her too and often visited her.
With Tony, Carmela had a sense of belonging. She was surrounded by a group of people who loved her. Even when Tony stressed her, she could find solace in Janice, Adriana, or Rosalie.
Furio: He Was Smart
While Tony made plenty of rookie mistakes such as letting his mistresses have his house number, Furio always did things intelligently. When he was in a dilemma about Carmela, he asked his uncle for advice during a burial ceremony in Naples. His uncle told him to either kill Tony or leave America.
Furio was intelligent enough to leave America before Tony found out about him and Carmela. If he had stayed a little longer, there is a high chance he would have been killed. Before he left, Furio was also intelligent enough to stop coming to the house, knowing that his feelings for Carmela were getting out of hand.
Tony: They Were Somehow The Same
Carmela had millions of complaints about Tony but she was quite like him. She was supportive of his mob lifestyle and showed no remorse for people getting killed. She was also willing to do anything to get what she wanted, as seen when she threatened a neighbor’s sister to sign a recommendation letter for Meadow.
She also slept with A.J.’s guidance counselor Robert Wegler. Not to forget that she was in love with Furio and the handyman Victor Musto. Like Tony, Carmela was aggressive, fearless, and ruthless. Logically, two people who are alike are more likely to have a successful relationship than two people who are different.
Furio: He Could Have Given Her A Normal Life
Despite the fact that Carmela enjoyed the lavish lifestyle that came with being married to a mob boss, she was frequently sad. With Furio, it would have been different. Since he wasn’t a high-ranking member, she wouldn’t have had the expensive cars and big houses but she could have had a normal life in a small but decent home.
Furio was also a capable and hardworking man. He did manual jobs around the house and cooked. These are things that Tony would never even think of doing.
