He was the one likable psycho on the show. He was believable as a stonecold mobster, while also being really charismatic. Richie Aprile veered too far into the psychotic killer territory, Ralphie was a little too over the top to be believable as a top level guy. Mikey was a badass and really believable as a modern day soldier.

It's too bad they don't have a telethon for fuckfaceitis. lol

Loved his character.. loved Tony fucking with him. .

Yeah, he was the best character in the series imo.

Staples. "That was easy".

That is great acting by Al Sapienza. He's got a swagger as the boss's wheel man, lighting up that cigarette like he can just hear Cab Calloway in the background, probably comparing himself to Lucky in his early years. Just seconds later, Tony sneaks up and shatters his fantasy. Insults him in a way that a boss's wheel man wouldn't expect to be insulted. He's pretending not to be angry when it's obvious he is. The forced laugh. "Yeah, I'm alright...you alright?". Just perfect. Everyone involved with this show brought out their best. They focused more on the little things than commercial tv would ever allow. We're all lucky for David Chase and HBO.

Mikey wasn't just a pissboy though. He was, at this point, Junior's top Soldier and executioner, and then Junior's Consulieri. He was a more level headed wiseguy than Tony.

Tony barely respected Junior, so you could imagine what he thought of Junior's "top soldier", especially someone as pompous as Mikey Palmice.

Are you kidding? Easily in top 5 of my fav characters.

I loved this character.

A lot of very strong characters didn't last long enough on this show though.

I think Mikey should have lasted another season.

Would have been interesting to know why Tony hated Mikey Palmice so much.

Maybe it was just because he was Juniors number 2 and that he was abit of a wise ass.

But the way Tony talked down to him, have they found a cure for fuckfaceitis lol.

Plus when he puts the staple gun in him for Brenden Filone. Was Mikey a made guy at this point ?

I guess with Jackie on his death bed, Tony could do pretty much anything he wanted, he was running things by this point.

I think there was just a general dislike for Mikey. After Tony gives him a beating when he meets with the other captains Ray Curto says, Mikey has been a problem since he was a little kid, implying he grew up in an OC family and was known to be jerk essentially until he was murdered

Could it have also been a bit of jealousy on Tony's part? Junior was more of a father to Tony than his own father but he never really got the love he wanted from Junior. "He never had the makings of a varsity athlete." Maybe seeing this asshole, who was about his age, being his Uncle's main guy, someone Junior clearly respected more than Today, hurt his feelings in some way, or being a dick to Mikey was a (subconscious) way of getting at Uncle Junior.

Hijack by Jack!

I heard he got too attached to that suit...

I see what you're saying, Tony was that vain where he would project that kind of subconscious aggression. I still think it really had nothing to do with Junior. Tony held no ill-will towards anyone else in Junior's crew, he broke Bobby's balls for being the only guy fatter than Tony same as he did Vito. He had Philly Spoons killed for spreading rumors. That being said, the hate for Mikey seemed like it was shared by all. There certainly was nobody who ever praised him while he was still alive.

Also, I can't imagine there was any jealous in regards to Mikey being Junior's #2, Tony got Johnny Boy's entire crew, realistically bigger and more profitable than Junior's. Tony had New York's ear, as well as every other captain. In honesty I really don't think any of it was jealous towards Junior, however I like your thoughts that the general disrespect could easily be attributed to that, it may not be jealousy but I'm sure Mikey being affiliated with Junior makes him that much more unlikeable to Tony versus if he were Ray Curto, Larry Barese, or Jimmy Altieri's #2. In that scenario Tony would likely smile through his teeth at Mikey but definitely not disrespect him in the same fashion as he does as Junior's right hand.

Especially considering Tony had NY's endorsement of him running the family behind Junior's back, adding insult to injury that Junior would be the one who took the heat from law enforcement since he was the boss on paper, and he did. Like I said, Tony barely respected Junior and played him like a fiddle, so having Junior's "number one soldier" Mikey whacked was an easy decision that came with no consequence, other than Chrissy being haunted by him in his morphine hallucinations.

I thought Season 1 had some great performances by characters who were killed off or didn't appear again: Mikey Palmice, Master P, the soccer coach on Meadow's team, and Pork Chop Boy Jimmy Altieri.

I know John Heard made a cameo in "The Test Dream," but having Makazian off himself was a little anti-climatic.

How did I forget about Makazian? He was a miserable prick, but I agree that offing himself was a bit much for the legal bind he was in. There as a scene where Tony caught Makazian taking a leak in the Green Grove parking lot. I always thought his suicide has as much to do with his gambling addiction/debts as anything. Would've been an interesting touch had Makazian shot or hung himself at Green Grove.

The actor who played Palmice, Al Sipienza, had a decent role in "House of Cards." Although there are so many characters on that show, the minor ones tend to be marginalized and quickly forgotten.

Micky was one of my favorite characters from Season 1 he was killed of far too early for my liking.

+1

Massive Genius, aka "Massive G", played by Bokeem Woodbine. He was in a few so-so '90s hood flicks. Finally hit the big time just last year as Mike Milligan in Fargo.

Massive G was a great role. It's too bad Woodbine's career didn't take off after that. Despite the obvious animosity between the mafia and blacks, you got the feeling that Tony's crew actually liked G, sans probably Paulie. He understood business, believed in making money for everyone and gave the impression he would kill if he had to. Just imagine him being Italian and not black. Tony would have brought him in and probably put him above Chrissy.

Thank God for David Chase.