Personally I like to think Tony eventually falls and somehow it carries onto his family.

I think one of the best things about the Sopranos is how much relaity is played into family alone. Think of all the things Tony and AJ have been saying lately. Tonight AJ said "You always with the drama!" just like Livia. I think one of the series biggest points is how family is passed down, whether they're good or bad things, and with AJ loving the fire of his car, I think he's going down the path of a sociopath.

I think Chase overall tried to use this series simply to convey ideas. He conveyed his own feelings (He was in clinical depression, sleeping 18 hours a day and playing drums, similar to AJ), and his views on the world. Think of Luxury Lounge where all the expensive stuff was free, and how it tempted Chris into movies.

I think Chase put a lot of himself into it, especially AJ's rant about us being distracted by fantasies. I don't think it was meant to be like some of his favorite films like The Public Enemy where there's a rise and fall. I think he simply used a series to show a slice of life and ideas, with no definite end.