By Solé Scott
Editor-in-Chief
Cover poster for “The Sopranos.”
I am currently rewatching “The Sopranos” in my dorm and can nothelp but to thank the lord for this series being created.
“The Sopranos” premiered on HBO on January 10, 1999, to less than four million people tuning into history and being introduced to Tony Soprano and his world.
“It’s good to be in something from the ground floor. And I came too late for that, I know. But lately, I’m getting the feeling that I came in at the end. The best is over,” Soprano said.
If you have not watched the show yet then you are living under a rock and I am sorry to say, but this show is too old for anyone to feel like I spoiled it. I mean, let’s be real where were you from 1999- 2007?
Tony is a crime boss who shields his illegal business lifestyle with a garbage company he owns and operates. He is married to Carmela and they have two children, a daughter, Meadow and a son, A.J.
Livia Soprano is Tony’s mother with dementia and Junior is his uncle and their relationship is intense due to Junior not feeling respected in the organization and not being made boss, yet he had seniority.
Livia Soprano annoyed the living hell out of me the first two seasons because she was always nagging and an evil villain. In the end of season two, we see her and Junior unite in force to take down Tony.
Livia almost got him killed on two occasions. The first was when Tony’s best friend, Artie, threatens to shoot him with his rifle due to finding out information from Livia that Tony was the one who burned down his restaurant. The second was when Tony was almost assassinated by two hitmen, as he entered his car.
One of my favorite episodes was in season two when Tony’s sister Janice shot and killed her husband Richie after he punched her in the face during a domestic violence incident.
“We buried him on a hill. Overlooking a little river with pinecones all around,” Soprano said.
Throughout all six seasons of the show, I believe P***y’s death was the most tragic. There was a lot of death on the show, but nothing has come close to that scene on the boat in the last episode of season two where everyone knows P***y has to die due to Tony finding out he was working with the FBI and wearing a wire for months.
P***y was a mob enforcer and a close friend to Tony, Paulie and Silvio. He betrayed the family’s trust and unfortunately had to go.
“Not in the face, okay,” P***y said.
I really enjoyed the scenes where Tony would be in therapy and talk about everything. He was too embarrassed and prideful to say things out loud. Throughout these sessions, we learn that he is depressed, but he does not accept it.
I find this ironic because his son A.J was severely depressed in season six and try to kill himself by tying cinderblocks to his legs as he jumped into the pool. The emotion I had in that fast-paced scene was so heartfelt and made me cry because it showed vulnerability for both characters.
This is the type of program I like to watch. You know a little bit of drama, laughs and gore sprinkled to give it pizzazz.
The legacy and influence will never be replicated as they released a PlayStation 2 game, books and two soundtracks. Also, a popular podcast that has been downloaded over five million times and won a Webby award in 2021 and a movie called “The Many Saints of Newark” that added background into the shows history and takes place in the 60s and 70s when Tony was a child leading into adulthood.
This article did not even cover the entirety of the show. I would suggest downloading Max and watching season one episode one through season six episode 21. Be prepared to be on a long and excruciating journey.
