"The Strong, Silent Type" is the 49th episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and the 10th of the show's fourth season. Its teleplay was written by Terence Winter, Robin Green, and Mitchell Burgess from a story by David Chase. It was directed by Alan Taylor and originally aired on November 17, 2002. Starring James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano Lorraine Bracco as Dr. Jennifer Melfi Edie Falco as Carmela Soprano Michael Imperioli as Christopher Moltisanti Dominic Chianese as Corrado Soprano, Jr. Steven Van Zandt as Silvio Dante Tony Sirico as Paulie Gualtieri Robert Iler as Anthony Soprano, Jr. Jamie-Lynn Sigler as Meadow Soprano * Drea de Matteo as Adriana La Cerva Aida Turturro as Janice Soprano * Federico Castelluccio as Furio Giunta Vincent Curatola as Johnny Sack Joe Pantoliano as Ralph Cifaretto ** * = credit only ** = voice only Guest starring Synopsis A week after Ralphie's "disappearance", there is still no word of him. At a dinner with Silvio and Patsy, Albert voices the crew's suspicions that Tony killed Ralphie because of a horse. At a meeting, Johnny demands that Tony let New York in on the HUD scam. When Tony refuses, Johnny threatens him. Tony calls a meeting of key family members and asserts that Johnny had Ralphie killed over the HUD scam. He stresses that no action should be taken until they have proof. At a session with Dr. Melfi, Tony tearfully expresses his pain over losing Pie-O-My. Melfi comments that he seems to grieve more for animals than for humans. The portrait of him and the horse is delivered to the Bada Bing; Tony angrily orders it destroyed. But when Paulie sees Benny and Little Paulie trying to burn the painting he rescues it, over-valuing it and saying it would be an honor to have it in his house. He hangs it in his living room but later takes it down to have it modified to garb Tony in a "Napoleon-like" uniform. Paulie hangs it up again and sits with his back to it while watching television, but Tony's eyes are still on him. Furio returns with gifts for A.J. and Meadow but, to her disappointment, nothing for Carmela. He still declines to enter the house with her. Carmela again finds a pretext to visit him at his home, again taking her unwilling chaperone A.J., who is beginning to understand the situation. Carmela confides