The Sopranos Review: The Show That Changed Television
10/10 — The Sopranos (1999)
Pros
- Gandolfini's career-best work
- Layered, ambitious writing
- Superb ensemble
Cons
- Meandering pace in places
- Divisive ending
New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano, played by James Gandolfini, juggles the pressures of organised crime and his family, and starts seeing a therapist after panic attacks. Over six seasons, the show merges gangster film tropes with a family drama.
What works
Gandolfini is extraordinary, making Tony monstrous and sympathetic at once. The writing, with its surreal dream sequences and bleakly funny asides, is brilliant, and Edie Falco, Lorraine Bracco and Michael Imperioli are exceptional. It paved the way for prestige TV.
Where it falters
The pacing can meander, and a few mid-run storylines are weaker. The controversial finale still divides viewers.
Verdict
Landmark television, as rich and surprising now as when it first aired.
