Knight in white satin armor - The Knight in White Satin Armor (2.12)

I now see that Irina will also end badly.

The argument that Chase makes more and more stridently throughout the series is that by enabling the show, we're enabling Tony.

Indeed, Melfi's final break with Tony will come when she realizes that he's likely a sociopath, an idea that is first raised by Kupferberg here.

Deadwood had a few moments like this, and Mad Men has found a way to turn out some of them, as well, but most serialized dramas operate within a certain range of possibilities.