Paulie and Chris had great chemistry together as characters. Tony was kind of like Chris' father figure, but Paulie was like an uncle and was responsible for helping Chris along once he was a made guy, but Paulie also took advantage of that relationship.
It is in this context that Tony instructs Paulie to make a collection from Valery, a Russian, on behalf of an ailing Silvio, and Paulie somewhat resents it. While in Valery's apartment, Paulie needlessly provokes Valery, Paulie and Valery fight, and Chris joins in because he rather has to. They hit Valery very hard with a lamp, and now they have to dispose of the body or somebody may be disposing of them. They wrap the body in a rug and drive out to the titular Pine Barrens in South Jersey. But once there, they discover Valery is not dead. Paulie once again decides it would be "a cunning plan" to have Valery dig his own grave, but Valery hits Chris with a shovel and runs away. They try to shoot him as he runs out of sight. Maybe they got him, maybe they didn't, but as they follow in the direction Valery went and find no body, they discover that they are lost in the woods.
From this point forward, the episode almost takes place in another world, as the two mafioso's find themselves way out of their depth.. There is the whole mystery of the almost super-human Valery who has escaped death and the viewer is waiting to find out if he pops up again. The comedy in just the idea of two gangsters lost in the woods is great, but the writing is hilarious as well and the characters' delivery being on point. You also see two men who are always carrying themselves with the upmost confidence slowly morph into panic and despair as they begin to wonder if they will die together as time runs out and they face freezing to death.
And then they get back to where they THINK their car was parked and it's gone. Did Valery swipe it or are they just lost again? This episode is the beginning of Paulie and Tony not liking each other very much. There is a very nice touch at the end where Tony points out some mayonnaise that Paulie has on his chin, and the way that he says it and the look he gives, you just realize that Tony's esteem for Paulie has fallen a good deal.
As for that Russian and whether he is actually dead or resurfaces - I'd say watch and find out.
