Image Credit @zacharyarmbrust via Pinterest
I avoided The Sopranos for years because honestly a mob show about a guy in therapy sounded like a slog. Then a friend basically forced me to watch the pilot last winter, and I burned through all six seasons way too fast. It is wild how a show from 1999 still feels sharper than most stuff dropping on streaming today. Here is why people keep calling it the greatest TV show ever made, and why I totally get it now.
A Mob Boss In Therapy Was A Wild Idea
It was a new idea for a place to put it and an almost laughable concept on the page. It was watching Tony cry on a couch one minute and threaten someone the next that really captured my attention right off the bat.
James Gandolfini Carries Every Single Scene
I am not exaggerating when I say Gandolfini does career-best work in basically every episode of the show. He makes Tony funny, terrifying, and weirdly relatable all at once, which is a pretty rare combo.
The Women On This Show Are Not Sidekicks
Carmela and Dr. Melfi are written with the same depth as Tony, and the actresses absolutely deliver. Edie Falco and Lorraine Bracco both pull off performances that hold the whole show together when Tony is offscreen.
It Basically Invented Prestige TV As We Know It
Nearly all the great dramas that followed, take a page from its book. Tony Soprano is the person who gave the flawed antihero to us in shows like Breaking Bad, Mad Men, Succession and Game of Thrones.
The Side Characters Get Their Own Stories
What surprised me was how much screen time the show gives to people who are not Tony at all. Paulie, Christopher, Silvio, and even random side characters get full arcs that feel just as important.
The Storytelling Takes Real Risks
Episodes take unexpected turns and not all subplots work out as a TV show needs them. There are moments where it feels like it’s a short film, and the show depends on you holding up your seat for the weirdness.
The Finale Is Still The Most Debated Ending Ever
I will not spoil it for you, but talk will have been heard about the final scene for years. It is the most talked about ending in TV history or not, you can’t say.
The Humor Sneaks Up On You
I was in with a lot of drama, and I laughed so hard, I didn’t think I would. The crew arguing over pop culture or each other while eating dinner, is some of the funniest stuff ever shot.
It Holds Up Way Better Than You Expect
Many of the older programs sound old hat when you look back on them, but that’s not the case with this one. The dialogue is modern, as is the pacing of the show, and even the music selections are up to date, though the show premiered in 1999.
It Is Worth The Six Season Commitment
Eighty six episodes sounds like a lot, but the show earns every single minute of your time. If you have never watched it, do yourself a favor and start the pilot tonight, you will not regret it.
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