Since I don't watch the show for its blistering plot, this doesn't bother me, but it's the complaint most frequently leveled against the season.
Richie is another entitled Mob male like Tony to Carmela at that point, tripe or no tripe.
Chase often took a more cynical view of our enjoyment of the show, perhaps because he wanted to make a simple family drama and kept having to include mob stuff to keep the audience around.
It's a great episode of the show, but it's not the sort of one you'd pull out and mention immediately when talking about the show's very finest hours.
Moments later, Janice shoots Richie dead.
We're forced to look at everyone in a new light, to determine just what is important to them and what they're willing to live without.