The last nine episodes of The Sopranos begins airing this Sunday (why on Easter I don’t know; there’s got to be some symbolism there but I’m not going to try to figure it out).
I don’t have HBO, so I’ve watched all the episodes on rented DVDs from Blockbuster. There are 4-6 episodes on a disc, and on many a Friday and Saturday night (pre-baby), we’d put one in and end up watching all of them. The only drawback to these Sopranos marathons was that we’d get a little desensitized to the language and talk like Tony and the boys all weekend (“Hey, asshole, pass me the fucking butter.”).
I’m no TV critic, but this show is so addictive, so well-written, so smart. It is, by far, my favorite show and I can’t imagine that anything will ever be better. Every episode was like a mini-movie—in fact, better than most movies.
I’m in awe of the writers for creating and developing characters and stories that are so complex, dark and human. The writers have always assumed the best about their viewers rather than talking down to us. While Hollywood has usually resorted to turning mobsters into caricatures, the writers of The Sopranos never failed to show you the many facets of each character, and never included violence just for shock value. Everything was a vital part of the story.
While you never really root for Tony (you’ve seen him do too many horrible things), you also don’t want to see him lose (self-destruct, get divorced, get whacked). You end up having a complex relationship with him, and all the characters. This is, after all, a show about guys who regularly cheat on their wives and hang out at a strip club, and—oh, yeah—kill people. And yet. Good stuff.
Yes, it’s violent. Yes, it’s misogynistic. But damn, is it good.
*What Would Tony Soprano Do?—bumper sticker seen on a car with Jersey plates.
I don’t have HBO, so I’ve watched all the episodes on rented DVDs from Blockbuster. There are 4-6 episodes on a disc, and on many a Friday and Saturday night (pre-baby), we’d put one in and end up watching all of them. The only drawback to these Sopranos marathons was that we’d get a little desensitized to the language and talk like Tony and the boys all weekend (“Hey, asshole, pass me the fucking butter.”).
I’m no TV critic, but this show is so addictive, so well-written, so smart. It is, by far, my favorite show and I can’t imagine that anything will ever be better. Every episode was like a mini-movie—in fact, better than most movies.
I’m in awe of the writers for creating and developing characters and stories that are so complex, dark and human. The writers have always assumed the best about their viewers rather than talking down to us. While Hollywood has usually resorted to turning mobsters into caricatures, the writers of The Sopranos never failed to show you the many facets of each character, and never included violence just for shock value. Everything was a vital part of the story.
While you never really root for Tony (you’ve seen him do too many horrible things), you also don’t want to see him lose (self-destruct, get divorced, get whacked). You end up having a complex relationship with him, and all the characters. This is, after all, a show about guys who regularly cheat on their wives and hang out at a strip club, and—oh, yeah—kill people. And yet. Good stuff.
Yes, it’s violent. Yes, it’s misogynistic. But damn, is it good.
*What Would Tony Soprano Do?—bumper sticker seen on a car with Jersey plates.
1 comment:
ya think?
After his mother died (not the CGI mother), it wasn't nearly as good for me. It became all about the violence - and you can see that anywhere.
Personally, I'm waiting for the spin-off starring 'Meadow'. I'm sure it will be a hit.
LOLLLLLL. I kill me.
...though Jackie Apriel Jr was H-O-T-T.
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