| Series: | The Sopranos |
| Season: | 3 |
| Episode: | 6 |
| Director: | Allen Coulter |
| Photographer: | Alik Sakharov |
| Production: | 306 |
| Length: | 49 minutes |
| Prev: | Another Toothpick |
| Next: | Second Opinion |
| Season Article: | The Sopranos season 3 |
| Episode List: | List of The Sopranos episodes |
"University" is the 32nd episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and the sixth of the show's third season. The teleplay was written by Terence Winter and Salvatore J. Stabile from a story idea by David Chase, Terence Winter, Todd A. Kessler, Robin Green, and Mitchell Burgess. It was directed by Allen Coulter and originally aired on April 1, 2001.
Meadow and Noah are embracing on her bed in her room at Columbia when her unhappy roommate Caitlin comes back in. Meadow and Noah go to his room instead and they make love; it is her first time. They then try to help Caitlin; Meadow admires Noah's sensitivity. They take her out on her birthday, but an encounter with a deranged homeless woman upsets her again. When Meadow is away, Caitlin persuades Noah to let her hang out in his room. She distracts him while he is working and he is furious and ashamed at the grade he gets: "C-fucking-minus and it's all her fault!" Meadow nervously meets Noah's father; in reply to his question, she says her father is in waste management. She is taken aback when Noah says his father has taken out a restraining order against Caitlin. Then, when they are together studying in the library, Noah looks up and quietly tells Meadow he is breaking up with her, accusing her of being "too negative."
At the Bada Bing, Tony is approached by one of the pole dancers, Tracee. She reminds him that he gave her advice about her sick son, and to thank him gives him some date nut bread she has made. Tony explains that this is out of place; also, she is Ralphie's girl. Tracee later approaches him again, telling him she is pregnant by Ralphie and asking for advice; Tony says that for the sake of the baby itself and future generations, she should have an abortion. Ralphie's manic jokes offend the other mobsters. He is obsessed with the film Gladiator, and roughhouses with Georgie. Things become tense when he finds a length of chain and swings it at Georgie, injuring his eye.
Tracee misses work for three days, claiming to be sick, and stays at home with Ralphie. Silvio goes there, drags her out, and throws her into his car while Ralphie watches through a window, laughing. She later sees Ralphie at the club; he has not been in touch for three days and she insults him in front of the other mobsters. Out in the parking lot, Ralphie soothes her and she tells him she loves him. But he was humoring her, and they have a violent argument. She slaps him. He knocks her to the ground and bashes her head against a metal guardrail, killing her. Tony is furious and, although Ralphie is a made man, physically assaults him.
He speaks obliquely about the event to Dr. Melfi. "Sad when they go so young," he says.
20-year-old Bada Bing stripper beaten to death by Ralphie in the parking lot.
According to actress Ariel Kiley, who portrays Tracee, a lot of subscribers canceled their HBO service because of the episode.[1]
Listed in order of first appearance:[2]