Ah, The Sopranos. Did you ever have more love for such a despicable group of conmen, thieves, and murderers? Tony, Carmela, Christopher, Uncle Junior, Janice, Silvio, Paulie Walnuts, Artie, Dr. Melfi… OK, come to think of it, there are a couple of players in there who aren’t conmen, thieves, or murderers, but they are few and far between, and their complicated relationships with the mobsters they know (and sometimes love) help to layer the dense world of the iconic series created by David Chase.Binge It! HBO’s Rome Was Big-Budget TV Before Game of Thrones
The thing about Tony Soprano is that the character, as personified by the late, great James Gandolfini, is so identifiable to regular folks in so many ways that it’s often difficult to not get behind him, even when he’s committing craven acts. He’s a family man grappling with kids who are growing up, parental figures who are growing elderly, work pressures, mid-life crises, and so much more. He’s us! But he also is very much not us.
And that’s where the thrill of the show comes in, as we get to take a glimpse into the seedier side of his existence, where the scams, the violence, and the sex are just another day at the office. Along the way, figures like the amazing Edie Falco’s Carmela edge ever deeper into complicity with Tony’s life of crime. Wagging a finger at her husband while using the perceived threat of that same husband’s line of work to get your kid into an Ivy League college just don’t jibe, Carmela.
Of course, much has been said about how Tony Soprano spawned a Golden Age of antihero TV leads, from Walter White to Don Draper to Vic Mackey and beyond. And it’s true. But The Sopranos would not be the same without the ever-expanding roster of supporting characters and new players who showed up over the course of its six seasons. Each new year introduced a variety of faces, some of whom had been referenced or mentioned before as part of the intricate continuity of the show. (Yes, Sopranos World has an interconnectivity that is perhaps as complicated as the MCU, if not more so.) Characters like Ralph Cifaretto (Joe Pantoliano), Tony Blundetto (Steve Buscemi), Richie Aprile (David Proval), Gloria Trillo (Annabella Sciorra), Feech La Manna (Robert Loggia), and more would come in and out of Tony’s life, leaving their mark without a doubt, whether in the form of a multi-season arc or just a handful of episodes.
Over 20 years after its debut, The Sopranos still feels as fresh and exciting as it did then. It’s endlessly binge-able for rewatches, but also highly recommended viewing for fans of Peak TV who have never seen it before. It’s one in a million.
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Home>>Arts>>The iconic HBO series only gets better with age. This is why you should binge The Sopranos.
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