Meadow was actually a great character. She had one of the better story arcs which was both relatable for and believable. Her character was one of the most objective and self-aware; she picked up on Tony's involvement in the mob early, was not naive to her place in the pecking order given that AJ was "the son" etc. She was an insufferable teen and woke young adult but seemed to get over that. She even handled her knowledge of Vito's indiscretion with a quiet respectful confidence that would be unusual for her age. Her revelation only came about when two much older women including here mother were engaging in gossip that she herself had stayed out of until she negotiated her own terms to enter the conversation. Meadow was smart (and yes, by seasons 4-6 she was a fucking fox too)

That she was protective/defensive of her family is also laudable; even if she disagreed herself with her family, she did it behind closed doors. Very old school.

She'd have been better suited to the DeMeo Family than AJ, that's for sure. He was a total embarrassment. As a story, he was a great symbol of what the mob has become; that's the future of the mob right there. A chubby, whiny, entitled little bitch.

If I were Tony I'd have let him stay at the bottom of the pool.