Widely regarded as one of the best TV shows by many, The Sopranossprang into our lives in 1999 and ran for a total of six seasons until concluding in 2007 after 86 episodes.
When it launched in the late '90s, it was an instant classic. The New York Times said after 'its start that it may have been the greatest work of American pop culture of the last quarter century'.
20 years after its premiere the show still continues to be popular, and have a kind of cult following of people who love the American Mobster Crime genre. Like many, I finally caught on this past year and have been watching reruns on my Amazon Prime TV after finishing the series in less than 2 weeks.
There is something great about this show, and it was extraordinary from the beginning. The 60-minute pilot, which was created by David Chase, is one of the finest hours of television I have ever watched. Usually, pilot episodes are something that the series can be improved on, but The Sopranos first episode was a superb introduction.
It starts with what you think would be a joke: a prominent New Jersey mob boss visiting his therapist's office. We meet Tony Soprano amidst a mid-life crisis opening up to Dr. Melfi about the problems he is coping with. This first encounter can leave the viewer asking many questions, but these questions are both literally, in conversations between Tony Soprano and Melfi, and explored more indirectly, in scenes that show Tony going about his business with his associates in the mob or with his family at home.
Tony is experiencing anxiety attacks and is trying to figure out why he is having them. Over the course of the show, Tony converses many of his secrets as he tries to cope with the fact that despite his power, at times, he can't control his own mind. He keeps the sessions secret from his family and especially his crew. He is ashamed to admit he is attending therapy sessions in fear of judgment from his peers. Tony is The Don of the DiMeo crime family and does not want to show any weaknesses.
A great thing that David Chase does with Tony Soprano has paved the way for anti-hero television characters like Don Draper (Mad Men) and Walter White (Breaking Bad). The Sopranos changed television because before the show aired there really weren't any roles like this. David Chase created a villainous character that the audience felt sympathy for and actually wanted to root on behalf of. It is inevitable for the audience to like Tony Soprano because we are amused by his satirical attitude, and interested by his felonious acts.
The Sopranos is widely credited with having raised the standards of TV. The show is categorized as being very "cinematic," which has something to do with very high production values. While first viewing this show I could definitely tell that the directors and producers wanted to set the bar very high, and I believe they did attain that goal. Being a television mobster crime drama, the show resembled scenes of The Godfather. For example, the high-contrast lighting and the excellent cinematography really did resemble the 1972 film.
Another great thing about the show is its comedic relief that is provided along with the real-life problems of American gangsters. Mafia henchmen, Paulie and Silvio, are a comedic duo as they provide witty jokes even though sometimes, they are dealing with a stressful situation. Junior Soprano (Tony's uncle) also provides a comedic element because as he ages, he still has aspirations of being the head of the family. This makes him seen as the typical old man that wants you to "get off his lawn".
At the start of a new century, The Sopranos changed television for the better by providing the viewer with a combination of dark humor and the birth of the anti-hero. Tony is not the only character that is seen in this light, there is a whole cast of mobsters that portray the characteristics that resemble Tony's. I found myself for the first time rooting for the bad guy and interested to see how the doings of the Italian mob worked. The show also depicts how the hierarchal system works within a mob family. Twenty years later the show is still thriving, and being talked about by many. It is a must watch.
