The Sopranos Series Review

The Sopranos (1999-2007)

Season 1 - 13 episodes (1999)
Season 2 - 13 episodes (2000)
Season 3 - 13 episodes (2001)
Season 4 - 13 episodes (2003)
Season 5 - 13 episodes (2004)
Season 6 Part 1 - 12 episodes (2006)
Season 6 Part 2 - 9 episodes (2007)
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Created by: David Chase
Starring: James Gandolfini, Lorraine Bracco, Edie Falco, Michael Imperioli, Dominic Chianese, Steven Van Zandt, Tony Sirico, Robert Iler, Jamie-Lynn Sigler
Rated: TV-MA
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Plot
New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano deals with personal and professional issues in his home and business life that affect his mental state, leading him to seek professional psychiatric counseling.

Verdict
We delve into the life of a mafia boss, analyzing his work, family, and insecurities. Despite his power and influence, life can be overwhelming. There's a fascination in seeing a modern mafia family, but it's also surprising to see a crime boss frequently so vulnerable. That makes this a very human story, but we see that through Tony who is hedonistic and unapologetic. He tells his therapist his version of events, and that's biased. It's an amazing show with rich characters, focusing on their personal lives first and their work in the mob second. The quality remains consistent throughout, and while only six seasons long, seeing his kids grow up makes it seem like we spent much more time with these characters. It's a show that ends before it can decline.
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Review
This is considered to be one of the most influential series because it marked a new Golden Age in television with a focus on serialized, heavy drama, character focused stories. This new wave also included Six Feet Under (2001), The Wire (2002), Mad Men (2007), and Breaking Bad (2008).

Despite the mafia family premise, this show delves into the characters. Nearly all of them get some amount of development. Seeing their faults and regrets makes them very human. The focus is Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) and his family, as well as his cousin Chris Moltisanti (Michael Imperioli) and his therapist Dr. Jennifer Melfi (Lorraine Bracco ). Despite this mob lifestyle, the characters encounter a lot of levity, as Tony struggles with family, workplace issues, and employees. The stress of his life isn't that much different from a typical person, which is a surprise initially since this is the mafia.

Season 1
The first season set the bar, not only for this show but for television in general as it inspired a wave of shows focused on conflicted characters and their complex entanglements. While it may not seem as unique now, it was revolutionary in 1999.

Tony Soprano is a mob boss with a therapist due to panic attacks from family and work stress. So many shows use voice over or exposition to delve into a character's thoughts. This show has a legitimate reason for the character to tell us what's on his mind and it works with the story. In his first meeting with Dr. Melfi, Tony dismisses the panic attack as a blackout. He works as a 'waste management consultant.' Work and his mother wear him down. Even gangsters are subservient to their mothers, but Tony's keeps creating problems.

S1E1: James Gandolfini plays Tony Soprano

While gangsters are often romanticized, Tony has the same problems as anyone else. It's just a different scale and location as a crime boss. Instead of being a one dimensional mafioso, he has emotions and feelings. He's enamored with the ducks in his pool. He knows he needs help, but he's also defensive and embarrassed about therapy. He doesn't want his guys to think less of him. With the death of the local big boss, Tony pushes for his uncle Junior (Dominic Chianese) to take the spot, but that's more so he can pull the strings.

In episode five, Tony balances a life of crime with being a father when he takes Meadow (Jamie-Lynn Sigler) on college visits while also chasing down an informant he plans to kill. His son AJ (Robert Iler) is at an age where he begins wondering what Tony's job actually is. Tony wonders what his kids think about his work while also dancing around the topic. He doesn't want them in the same occupation, hoping they can do more. While he's not ashamed of his job, it's also not something he can be open about in public. Tony felt pride his father was connected, and he wonders what AJ thinks of him.

Tony's nephew Chris feels neglected. He's rash and impulsive. While the family is in the news, Chris's name hasn't appeared. He questions his importance and in turn takes out his frustrations on a baker, holding him at gunpoint when he picks up pastries.

Tony and Junior are so petty, always trying to upset the other. It's a power struggle. Neither of them can stand to look weak, so they always push boundaries. In episode ten, Tony is ashamed when he realizes the guys in his neighborhood only have an interest in him due to his mob ties. He's just a curiosity to them. He plays a practical joke on one of them.

Tony thinks one of his friends is working with the cops. He thankfully discovers it's not who he suspected. Junior realizes that Tony is running the family and meeting behind his back. At that injustice, he organizes a hit on Tony. With the attempt on his life, Tony spirals, walking through the world dazed and out of it.

In the final episode with his mother deteriorating and Junior gunning for him, Tony admits to his captains that he's seeing a therapist. While he was concerned at what they might think, Paulie (Tony Sirico) admits he also saw a therapist. Additionally, Tony discovers his mother pushed Junior to take out Tony, while enraged he stops before going too far.

Season 2
Tony and his therapist try to find the underlying issue for his panic attacks. This season also explores Dr. Melfi and her side of this relationship. Does she retain him as a client despite the danger for the thrill of it or the brush with power? Tony's children are beginning to realize he's a mobster, and what that means. While they claim not to approve of his business, his family benefits from the work and happily accept the gains.

To start the season, Tony's sister Janice (Aida Turturro) arrives in town. She creates problems, and Tony thinks she's back just for money. Junior gets out of jail for medical reasons. It's a joke but allowed. The FBI pursued him since he was named head of the family.  Meanwhile Chris is a 'stock broker' running a boiler room scam.

Tony and his crew travel to Italy on business. Paulie doesn't fit in as well as he'd like while Chris spends his time getting high. It's the first step on a downhill slide for him. He's also trying to get his movie made, going outside the lines. His movie doesn't seem very good either, but he's taking acting classes to learn about the industry.

Melfi had stopped meeting with Tony, but she worries about what could happen to him if untreated. She takes him back, but she's conflicted. He's violent and petulant. Melfi's own therapist suggest she gets a thrill from it.

Tony is selfish. He takes advantage of his friend Scatino by letting him into a high stakes gambling game. Scatino loses everything, and Tony takes his car and gives it to Meadow. She's beginning to realize what her father is about. Tony plans to leverage the business and leave Scatino bankrupt.

In episode 7 Chris gets connected to Hollywood and Jon Favreau. Chris thinks he has an in until he discovers Favreau is using him. Since Chris has been neglecting his duties, Tony forces him to choose between the family and Hollywood. Chris also proposes to Adriana (Drea de Matteo).

Richie Aprille (David Proval) is out of prison and causing problems. Tony doesn't like him, and he especially doesn't like that Richie is dating Janice. Tony also spurns Richie's gift of a leather jacket. On top of that, Richie proposes to Janice. Tony's stress increases with what's going on, withdrawing and staying in his office all day. Tony's wife Carmela (Edie Falco) begins reeling over Tony's infidelities. She wonders how she ended up where she is. Richie suggests he and Junior eliminate Tony. Junior rejects the idea, but also uses it to earn grace with Tony. He knows Richie isn't the guy to take over.

Tony ponders what to do with Richie while Richie's facade with Janice drops. She doesn't take to his abuse, taking care of Tony's Richie problem and beating him to the punch.

With the final episode, through a fever dream, Tony realizes that one of his good friends is an informant. He was mad he was passed over for a promotion. Informants don't last long in this business. Tony tried to send his mom away and that comes back to bite him, leading to an FBI warrant.

Season 3
Carmela considers her involvement with Tony and how she benefits from his illicit activities. She wants approval for doing the best she can but doesn't always get it. She wants all of the praise and none of the blame. Up and comer Jackie Aprille has a shortened trajectory, too eager to get a promotion. Ralphie (Joe Pantoliano) toes the line better, showing how far you can go while not being liked.

The FBI attempt to bug Tony's house in the first episode, encountering a few obstacles along the way. That includes a ruptured water heater and one of Tony's guys that wants to kill him but chickens out. When he shows up the FBI doesn't know whether to stop him or not, watching in terror as he approaches Tony's house. He could end the entire operation.

S3E4: Lorraine Bracco, James Gandolfini play Dr. Jennifer Melfi, Tony Soprano

Tony's mother dies and he expresses relief before rebuking himself. This is a woman that made life difficult, that always criticized him. She bred resentment, but Tony felt an obligation to his mom. He also realizes a connection between his father and the violence he witnessed as a kid.

Chris becomes a made man in the third episode, finally getting the promotion he's been craving. 

Dr. Melfi is victim of a tragic incident in episode four, leaving her feeling powerless. She considers involving Tony to get justice. In the fifth episode Tony feels bad about getting a cop fired, though Tony isn't used to having to consider consequences. He tries to make it up to the cop who has no interest in bending the law. Restaurant owner Artie has a crush on Adriana who is working for him. It's either mid-life crisis, delusion, or both. Time and again we've seen Artie wanting to be of part of this world but not having the stomach for it. He thinks since Tony frequents and finances his restaurant that he has more clout than he does. That or his ego is artificially inflated.

Ralphie is a loose cannon, but he's also made which grants him privilege. When he beats a stripper to death, Tony loses it and attacks him. He's saddened at the senseless death of someone so young.

Carmela sees a therapist who tells her she is an accomplice to all Tony has done. She needs to take a stand or accept it. It's easy for her to decry Tony's actions while also reaping the benefit. It's more difficult to reject the riches she's accrued.

Tony begins dating one of Melfi's patients, Gloria, a car salesman. Meanwhile Meadow dates Jackie Aprille Jr. Initially receptive, Tony doesn't like Jackie Jr. for Meadow once he gets to know him. Jackie is young and ready to make a name for himself. He's taking liberties and advantage. We know it's going to come back to bite him.

An undercurrent all season has been Tony's feelings about his friend Big Pus. Being an informant typically leads to an untimely demise. That doesn't stop Tony from feeling regret. In episode ten a big mouth singing bass keeps reminding Tony that Pus is gone, causing him to lash out and react violently. Tony's relationship with Gloria unravels after the infatuation fades. She even threatens to tell Tony's wife and daughter if he breaks up with her. Tony doesn't like being trapped, and she isn't letting go.

S3E11: Michael Imperioli, Tony Sirico play Christopher Moltisanti, Paulie Walnuts

Episode eleven might be the funniest of the series with Chris and Paulie in the snowy woods. They get lost and reach a breaking point.

Jackie Jr. wants to make a name for himself and takes a chance by robbing a poker game. Tony doesn't want to deliver the punishment, but that's what his actions merit. It's severe.

AJ's misdeeds and trespasses have been constant all season. After yet another incident Carmela finally relents to Tony's suggestion of military school. AJ has had too many chances, but AJ's panic attack cancels his sentence. Tony sees it as a deficiency, blaming himself as AJ suffers from the same thing. The season ends with Jackie Jr.'s funeral.

Season 4
Tony and Carmela's marriage suffers as Carmela becomes increasingly unhappy. Adriana and Chris also face difficult times for different reasons.

After last season, Tony is thinking about the future and decides Chris should take over for him. Carmela also considers the future and how she'll survive without Tony. Chris gets a promotion, but he's doing a lot of drugs and that's not going to help him. Adriana's new best friend is an undercover agent, and she doesn't realize it. They're both slowly spiraling, unaware of how close to the edge they are.

Meadow reels from Jackie Jr's death, planning to take a year off from school. Ralphie creates a mess wherever he is, but his relationship with Janice is coming to a close. Paulie is out of prison, mad that Tony never contacted him. He talks out of turn to Johnny Sac, and I wondered where that would go. In this line of work, loyalty is valued.

Episode eight highlights Carmela and Furio's unspoken attraction. They're both imagining what could be. She's indulging it, and he knows he's about to cross a line. Ultimately he returns to Italy. Due to that, in part, Carmela and Tony reach a stalemate. He knows she took money from his stash, and she knows he cheated again. Carmela wants a change.

Paulie deals with his mom not making friends at the retirement home. He strong arms  people, forcing them to be her friends. Junior plays at dementia during his trial to get out of it, but he may actually be suffering from it.

We've seen throughout the series that Tony has an affinity for animals. When Ralphie burns down the stable for the insurance money, Tony is mad that he's lost his horse. That and he's never liked Ralphie anyway. Chris's drug use reaches a breaking point with his friends staging an intervention and urging him to go to rehab.

To close out the season, Tony makes a grand gesture of buying a beach house for the family. He sees it as a way to bring the kids back even if they move away. That's undercut when Carmela gets a call about Tony's infidelities. She's had it with his philandering, tired of the double standard. She's wanted to stray but never did. Tony never seems to hesitate. This season focused on Tony and the family's future. What would they do if he's gone becomes what happens when he leaves the house. While Tony conceded trusts for financial security, he's always done what he wants. He even states in the last episode that was always the deal. Carmela tells him she could have lived with that if he showed any interest in her or the family.

Season 5
Plenty of new character this season, all of them getting out of prison.Tony's cousin Tony Blundetto (Steve Buscemi) is welcomed back. There's some friction between them, but Tony offers Tony B. a spot on his crew. Instead, Tony B. wants to become a masseuse. Tony is living in his mother's house since he and Carmela separated. That contributes in part to Tony's irritation when a declining Junior keeps commenting at a family dinner how Tony was never varsity athlete material.

S5E11: Steve Buscemi, James Gandolfini play Tony Blundetto, Tony Soprano

In episode four Carmela points out that Tony has no friends. He has employees he pays to placate him. He tests that and finds out it's true. He also doesn't like the recently released Feech who doesn't laugh at his jokes. Tony sets up Feech to get rid of him. The guy was too much of a wild card.

Tony has a moment with Adriana but doesn't act on it. It's a breakthrough Melfi tells him. When Tony and Adriana get in a car accident, false rumors swirl and lead to a face off between Chris and Tony. As Tony states it's not true, but Chris responds he has to live in a world with those rumors.

Cousin Tony is working hard to be a masseuse, but he's slipping into his old ways when he gets a windfall of money. It has the potential to derail his dreams. He realizes he can't live a lavish life as a masseuse. In episode nine, Tony reveals that he almost ended up in jail with Tony B., but a panic attack that night diverted his plans.

Carmela likes AJ's guidance counselor. They hit it off, but he accuses her of using him. She rebuffs the idea, blaming it on Tony and the way people perceive him. The guy may not be wrong. Carmela pushed him to get AJ a passing grade.

S5E12: James Gandolfini, Michael Imperioli play Tony Soprano, Chris Moltisanti

A lengthy dream sequence helps Tony work through issues. The reason the varsity athlete comments irritated him is that he took the easy way out and didn't work hard. There's also a moment where he's riding a horse and Carmela tells him he can't come back if he's going to bring a horse into the house. The horse is Tony's life and hedonistic tendencies. Carmela just sees the mess it creates.

Chris's friend he met in rehab relapses, and part of it is Chris and his associates. This should be a message to Chris and how precarious his sobriety is, if he realizes it. Later the Tonys mock his sobriety, frustrating him. That's when Adriana presents a plan of moving away and starting over. We know what's behind that. She's an informant, and Chris doesn't know. Episode twelve brings them to a difficult moment.

Phil Leotardo is out for revenge and that's because Tony B. couldn't stay away from the life. Melfi and Silvio tell Tony he's too partial to his cousin. He refuses to admit it, but finally relents. Tony realizes that if Phil gets to Tony B. it will be much worse.

Season 6
The season opens with different people in Tony's crew reporting to the feds, and one of those wanting to move to Florida and getting rebuffed. Junior isn't doing well, and that has a direct affect on Tony. he doesn't want to put him in a nursing home, feeling guilty about the same thing with his mom. Soon he wishes he had.

Tony ends up in the hospital, his family distraught. He had a lengthy dream while in a coma about being mistaken for someone else. My memory of watching this the first time years ago was that Tony's dream sequence was much longer and drawn out. It's shorter than I recall, and nowhere near as bad as I thought. His crew is quick to imagine he won't make it, dreaming of running things or getting a bigger cut.

Tony recovers, but refuses to talk about what happened between him and Junior. Instead he tries to fake being okay by picking a fight with his bodyguard who has to submit to the boss. 

Chris gets back in the movie business, pivoting to a horror movie. He pitches Ben Kingsley his script. Paulie gets shocking news about his mother, having to reconcile blood, family, and difference between them.

Tony's legitimate business front is on the brink of getting sold after the son inherits it and doesn't understand the arrangement. They come to an understanding. Tony buys Janice a house, admitting he's hard on her due to childhood transgressions.

Vito is spotted in a gay club and goes into hiding. It's a multi-episode arc. Tony doesn't have a problem with Vito, plus he was a top earner. Paulie has a huge issue with it. The crew confirms it's true, and Vito hides out in a small town, deciding to stay there. He quickly tries of small town life and returns. Not everyone is happy, especially his brother in law Phil.

Artie always oversteps. His restaurant is declining and he refuses to change. He runs his mouth but can't leave well enough alone and ruins the reprieve.

AJ has been living at home like a king, above his means. He's trying to impress his friends by living like a mobster and paying for everything. He feeds the ideas that he has power. It ends up with him being arrested. Tony is frustrated with his lack of drive.

Chris breaks his sobriety, in large part because the crew gives him a hard time about it. As expected, it's the beginning of a spiral. That's after having just gotten married.

This season is split into two parts, the first one ends with Tony and his family celebrating Christmas at his house.

To start part two, Tony is back to being insolent. He's mad at Janice and gets into a fight with Bobby who later concedes Tony should have won. That's the perks of being the boss. Tony begins betting money recklessly, chasing the high of winning. He gets into a fight with Carmela when she sells her spec house, and he demands a cut. She states it's her money, but he responds he bought the house, materials, and greased the inspector.

Chris didn't completely fall off the wagon, but he feels left out since he's sober. As he states, Tony tells him he understands while punishing him for it. Chris and Paulie get in a disagreement. Trying to make up for that and fit in, he drinks and we know where that goes. It leads to a huge moment in the show's narrative.

AJ matures a lot this season, becoming more aware and compassionate. Part of that has to be a reaction to his father and the violent family business.

Melfi wonders if she's helped Tony at all after reading a study that therapy doesn't work for sociopaths. It allows them to refine their deception, becoming another enterprise or means of validation. Tony has frequently accepted what he likes and rejected the rest.

Tony and Phil Leotardo's tensions only increase with Phil ordering a hit on Tony, Silvio, and Bobby. Tony retaliates, but his guys don't get Phil, forcing them into hiding.

In the final episode of the series, Tony takes care of Phil and goes to a restaurant with his family. Tony sees a man at the bar, eyeing him. The scene cuts between Tony at the table, the guy at the bar, and Meadow parking. There's even a flashback where Bobby mentions to Tony that you'll likely never hear it coming. That sets up the final moments where Tony looks up from his table and the screen cuts to black. Did he see Meadow or one of Phil's guys out to get him?

We could see it as the threat always present in Tony's life, but it's a finale both for the series and character. Since most of the mafia bosses are gone and their power diminished, it's logical that someone would go after Tony. That or it could just be one of the many people he's wronged. The fact that this includes a flashback about not hearing it coming is a distinct acknowledgement that the end of the episode and series is also the end of Tony. While it's initially frustrating, the creators wanted to leave his fate up to the audience. Upon reflection, I appreciate the bold choice.

This show delivers one quality season after another. I respect that it went out on top, but I'm also going to miss the show. Tony's such an interesting character, this powerful man that's haunted by so many demons. He was selfish yet charismatic, and that's what made him interesting. He had a fascination with animals but never hesitated to screw someone over if he could make a dollar. The first episode has him withering at reproach from his mother. We watch his children grow up and his marriage dissolve. It's not until the end of the series that his dangerous business catches up to him.