I have written on 'The Wire'. I have written on 'Lost'. I have appreciated the Heisenberg of 'Breaking Bad' and before my enthusiasm transports me to another avenue, I would like to pen some words on 'The Sopranos'. The TV Show that paved way for most of the daring shows we get to see on American Television and help kick-started it's current and second 'Golden Era'. Many call it the greatest ever and the nos of this 'many' are getting reduced every year for every year, we get to see at least dozens of path-breaking and absolutely unbelievable stories on TV and viewers of these TV shows have barely had any sniff of Tony Soprano's measured crimes. But I am a member of this 'many' and I concur with their label on it.
So what's so great about 'The Sopranos'? The show premiered on HBO way back in 1999 and ran for six seasons till 2007. It survived 9/11, it survived existential crisis of millennials, it survived the generation gap and then it transcended everything. And it openly ridiculed everything that we have sort of warmed up to in recent years. Gay people, Afro-American people, working class population, Italian Mother and more and more money. At various points, the intellectual in you would stand up and yell at Tony Sopranos' motley Crew of gangsters for mocking up these sociological elements but you ought not to be bothered about it for there is always a sane person around the corner who restores empathy in such scenarios.
Starting from the very first season, we see Tony Soprano, a soon to be boss of New Jersey Mafia Family, struggling with personal and professional issue. Tony Soprano is played by James Gandolfini in the show and at the end of every season, you would thank God that James said 'yes' to it. He is a giant of mob boss in literal sense and loves his food and family. He is overweight in the belly but ever so sharp in his mind and working. He doesn't let his partners openly question his decision. He makes crucial decisions in a jiffy and that's why have earned the respect of parent mafia family of New York. They see him as the next big thing and he is the next big thing. Tony is a jolly good fellow who has got a weathered history with his mother who always seemed not to love him if not hate him. And because of that, he suffers from panic attacks and takes Prozac. He sees a shrink (a Psychologist) and keeps it a secret. There I get to learn an important truth: if you are an Adult Italian Male of mid age and suffering from mental issues, your mother could be responsible for it. Indians, beware of this in 20 years time.
Tony Soprano weeds out his enemies with the precision of a surgeon. Every season, he meets an antagonist who is either a turncoat from the crew or a madman from different crime family and in between, there are important discourses over love, life, nostalgia, respect, authority and money. Tony's infidelity is a major issue as well and it torments him like hell.
There isn't only Tony in the show per SE but when he isn't there, you start wondering why isn't he? There is Chris, his nephew/cousin and designed heir of mafia kingdom; there is Paulie Gaultieri; There is Silvio; There is Pussy Bampinsaro; There is Patsy Parisi; There is Ralph Ciferrato, There is Vito Spatafore. In family, there is his lovely yet very authoritative wife Carmela, his daughter, an ivy league college goer, a spoiled son and one very strange and eccentric sister, Janice. There is his uncle, the boss of the family (in the name only) Corrado Soprano, lovingly called Uncle Junior or Jun' and he is a legend of his own making. What an actor and character. And it would be very bad if I forget to mention Lydia, Tony's mother whose mention only fills Tony with regret, remorse and anger.
The Sopranos for me only picked up during it's third season run. Like all great shows, it begins slowly and then raises the temperature to pitch maximum and it unravels like a great novel. It's the same quality that Critics associated with it's more-than-worthy successor 'The Wire'. And till this very time, these are the only two shows who have come outstandingly close to be described as 'classic literature'. I don't know what's the America's relationship like with it's gangsters and dreaded Mafia families but both these shows who revolve around these two centerpieces find conflict, empathy, human resolve and poignancy in them. May be, they are the torch-bearers because of that because no one tried to reach there where going was once nigh impossible.
And this is the reason 'The Sopranos' needs to be watched. It was the first truly great 'American' show of 21st Century and the reason we are getting to see too many following up 'Greats' now.......#AllHailTonySoprano
So what's so great about 'The Sopranos'? The show premiered on HBO way back in 1999 and ran for six seasons till 2007. It survived 9/11, it survived existential crisis of millennials, it survived the generation gap and then it transcended everything. And it openly ridiculed everything that we have sort of warmed up to in recent years. Gay people, Afro-American people, working class population, Italian Mother and more and more money. At various points, the intellectual in you would stand up and yell at Tony Sopranos' motley Crew of gangsters for mocking up these sociological elements but you ought not to be bothered about it for there is always a sane person around the corner who restores empathy in such scenarios.
Starting from the very first season, we see Tony Soprano, a soon to be boss of New Jersey Mafia Family, struggling with personal and professional issue. Tony Soprano is played by James Gandolfini in the show and at the end of every season, you would thank God that James said 'yes' to it. He is a giant of mob boss in literal sense and loves his food and family. He is overweight in the belly but ever so sharp in his mind and working. He doesn't let his partners openly question his decision. He makes crucial decisions in a jiffy and that's why have earned the respect of parent mafia family of New York. They see him as the next big thing and he is the next big thing. Tony is a jolly good fellow who has got a weathered history with his mother who always seemed not to love him if not hate him. And because of that, he suffers from panic attacks and takes Prozac. He sees a shrink (a Psychologist) and keeps it a secret. There I get to learn an important truth: if you are an Adult Italian Male of mid age and suffering from mental issues, your mother could be responsible for it. Indians, beware of this in 20 years time.
Tony Soprano weeds out his enemies with the precision of a surgeon. Every season, he meets an antagonist who is either a turncoat from the crew or a madman from different crime family and in between, there are important discourses over love, life, nostalgia, respect, authority and money. Tony's infidelity is a major issue as well and it torments him like hell.
There isn't only Tony in the show per SE but when he isn't there, you start wondering why isn't he? There is Chris, his nephew/cousin and designed heir of mafia kingdom; there is Paulie Gaultieri; There is Silvio; There is Pussy Bampinsaro; There is Patsy Parisi; There is Ralph Ciferrato, There is Vito Spatafore. In family, there is his lovely yet very authoritative wife Carmela, his daughter, an ivy league college goer, a spoiled son and one very strange and eccentric sister, Janice. There is his uncle, the boss of the family (in the name only) Corrado Soprano, lovingly called Uncle Junior or Jun' and he is a legend of his own making. What an actor and character. And it would be very bad if I forget to mention Lydia, Tony's mother whose mention only fills Tony with regret, remorse and anger.
The Sopranos for me only picked up during it's third season run. Like all great shows, it begins slowly and then raises the temperature to pitch maximum and it unravels like a great novel. It's the same quality that Critics associated with it's more-than-worthy successor 'The Wire'. And till this very time, these are the only two shows who have come outstandingly close to be described as 'classic literature'. I don't know what's the America's relationship like with it's gangsters and dreaded Mafia families but both these shows who revolve around these two centerpieces find conflict, empathy, human resolve and poignancy in them. May be, they are the torch-bearers because of that because no one tried to reach there where going was once nigh impossible.
And this is the reason 'The Sopranos' needs to be watched. It was the first truly great 'American' show of 21st Century and the reason we are getting to see too many following up 'Greats' now.......#AllHailTonySoprano
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