User reviews

The Sopranos is arguably the greatest show in Dramatic Television history.

Its hard to think of another series that boasts so much intelligence, sublime writing or first rate performances.

Across its epic scope it produces fresh and iconic characters and a constant level of high quality. Centering around the life of one Tony Soprano, a man who lives in two families. One is the conventional wife and two kids nuclear family the other a huge New Jersey Mafia group, of which he is the boss of both. Played by James Gandolfini, of True Romance and The Mexican fame, Tony is a fascinating, scary but also likable guy. Full praise must be given to Gandolfini for making a womanising and horrifically aggressive brute a genuinely identifiable and perfect leading man. Contemporay American drama has never had such an arresting and iconic figure as Tony.

The cast of hundreds never boasts a flat performance and such stand out characters like Paulie Walnuts and Ralph Cifaretto will stick in your memory for ever.

The true genius of this tale however, is the creator and writers bravery and revolutionary take on a conventional drama series. Twenty minute long dream sequences, powerful and original use of symbolism and metaphorical imagery and truly shocking scenes of violence. Yet all this style is met by truly touching themes of love, honour and respect for family. The series never becomes cold hearted or gratuitous.

With TV now competitive and often poor The Sopranos stands tall above the rest as America's most original and compelling drama. Forget Family Redifined. This is Television Redifined.

The Sopranos is universally thought of as one of the best tv shows of all-time and is at the top of every "best ever" list ever created for a reason...because it is! It follows New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) as juggles the problems he has to deal with both running his mob family and his own family. He starts having panic attacks which makes him talk to a therapist about his problems. This show is The Godfather of television. Every seasons had such high expectations, as much as any show I can remember, but it not only continued to meet those expectations but exceeded them season after season. There's nothing I can say about this incredible tv show that hasn't already been said. All you have to do is read through the reviews to see how loved this show really is. It's absolutely perfect!

What can be said about The Sopranos that hasn't been said? It's absolutely one of the best tv shows of all-time. I just rewatched it all the way through again 15 years after it ended and it still holds up today as one of the best shows ever. The writing and acting is what makes this show so special. The entire cast is perfect for their roles, especially James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano. If it winning a million awards isn't enough for you to watch it then all you have to do is ask anyone who's ever seen it and I guarantee they'll say go watch it immediately. So, if you're one of the few people who hasn't seen this amazing show yet then do yourself a favor and go watch it as soon as you can. I promise you won't be disappointed.

What can you possibly say about a show of this magnitude? "The Sopranos" has literally redefined television as we know it. It has broken all rules, and set new standards for television excellence. Everything is flawless, the writing, directing, and for me, most of all, the acting. Watching this show you'll find yourself realizing that these characters are NOT real. The acting tricks you into thinking there is a real Tony Soprano, or any character. This show is also very versatile. Some people don't watch the show because it's violent, it's not all about the violence, it's about business, family, and many deeper things that all depend on what you, as a fan see. For me, I don't like when people refer to the show, a show about the Mafia. For me, it's a show about family. A family who, through generations, happen to be apart of the mob. Overall this is a masterpiece of a show. This is what television should be. Right here. Complex characters from stunning acting, magnificent story lines from brilliant writing, and what do you get when you mix these ingredients together? A show that defines excellence, and dares to be different.

I ve just finished watching "The Sopranos" for the 4th time. I think its flawless. I wouldnt change anything about it. Cant wait to watch it for the 5th time.

I can't believe that it took me this long to get around to seeing "The Sopranos". I had heard a lot about it, but I can affirm that with this show, "Six Feet Under" and "Game of Thrones", HBO revolutionized TV in the 21st century. A gritty look at a mob boss and how he tries to balance his work life and family, this show pulls no punches. One of the points that it makes is that there aren't really any "good" or "bad" characters. People do what they think best serves the family.

I don't know if I would go so far as to call it the greatest show ever - my personal fave of HBO's series is "Six Feet Under" - but the writing, acting and direction combine to make something that you won't get on the networks or basic cable. If you want to understand some of the best that TV can provide, then you owe it to yourself to watch "The Sopranos". Great show.

Too bad that James Gandolfini, Nancy Marchand and the recently deceased Frank Vincent are no longer with us.

Simply the best writing, and the best acting... I've seen it five times and it never gets old... I'm an absolut tv and movie geek, thousands of hours invested in this "lifestyle" and still nothing beats The Sopranos... And nothing will ever beat it... James Gandolfini steals every second of his screen and non-screen time, makes you wish these guys would still be in the 20th seasson if James would be alive! Can't wait for The Saints of Newark... Johnny Boy Soprano played by Jon Bernthal OMFG!!

This is The Godfather of TV series. I've rewatched all 86 episodes a few times and it's quite amazing how they'd kept up the quality over so many episodes. Aside from the great acting and writing, the directing is incredible - there are many scenes where nothing special happens, yet the atmosphere makes these scenes unforgettable. Character development at its best: I felt like I was there, experiencing their world throughout the series. A masterpiece.

The only show on T.V. worth watching in a sea of bad. Great acting, excellent music, intriguing storylines, and even hilarious situations are combined with HBO's no-holds-barred content. James Gandolfini is mesmerizing as Tony Soprano, a lynchpin in the Italian Mafia. However, instead of seeing Tony as just a one-dimensional thug, we see that he has a life outside of his criminal activities, and that's what makes this show different from it's competition. It's a different side to the story of criminals, that they have normal lives when not breaking the law. The entire supporting cast is brilliant, especially Edie Falco, as Tony's wife Carmela, a deeply religious woman who stands behind her man despite all of his sins and Lorraine Bracco, as Dr. Jennifer Merlhi, Tony's psychiatrist; a woman who fears him when she is giving him therapy, but secretly is attracted to him when they're apart. This is indeed "the show that revolutionized T.V." See it!!!

THE SOPRANOS (1999-2007)

Number 1 - Television Show of all Time

Everyone thought this would be a stupid thing that wouldn't go past a pilot episode. The Sopranos has become a cultural phenomenon and universally agreed as one of the greatest television shows of all time.

James Gandolfini plays the enigmatic New Jersey crime boss, Tony Soprano, accompanied by a stellar cast. Edie Falco is superb as the worrying, loving upper-middle class mother; Tony Sirico is tremendous as a superstitious, greying consiglieri who is often very funny.

While the show has often been criticised for the negative stereotype of Italian-Americans as mafiosi, and to an extent this is undeniable, I can see so many positives from the show. The portrayal of strong family values, friendships, love and compassion; could this be present in a coarse television show about gangsters? Yes. Furthermore, other burning issues are discussed such as terrorism, social inequality and injustice, homosexuality, drugs etc. This is no shallow, dull show about tough guys and violence. It has so much more. Many of the issues we see on the show are very real.

The writing which has been pretty much great has infused so successfully current issues and managed to imbred them within the characters' lives, which makes the whole thing more interesting.

Credit must go to David Chase who has created an excellent television treasure and to James Gandolfini, for envisioning, television's most complex and enigmatic character.

Simply exceptional.

10/10

Name any other show you like, I've watched it. And the other great ones, all of them. Numerous times. Loved them, even. But this is the best thing ever made, bar none. This is not Goodfellas Godfather shlock. This is the finest character study ever filmed. And James Gandolfini is the most mesmerizing protagonist in television history. Come at me.

This show is as overrated as it gets to me. 9.2/10? No.

Maybe in 2000 this was really something, I never had a chance to see it then and now 18 years later, I gotta say this is really dull in a lot of parts, cringey in others (S1 E10 with the music business crap) and watchable in the rest.

Edgy people like to say the Wire is overrated, this amuses me, as the Wire was infinitely more impressively flowing, culminating and devoid of headache causing cringe (beside the last disappointing season) than this show was.

I get how certain people would find this amazing and more so back in 2000, but I just don't watching, and I guess late to the party but.

Meh

The Sopranos is one of the best TV-shows I have ever seen. If you like gangster/mobster/mafia movies, I can strongly recommend "The Sopranos". The show is mainly about Anthony "Tony" Soprano and his life as a father, husband and leader of a mob in the 21st century. The show is (as far as I know) realistic, compared to many other mafia shows and movies I have seen. The actors fit like a glove to their parts. This show made me realize how good many of these actors are in other shows and movies. This show has it all; humor, action, drama, good music, good actors, good "behind the camera" people and a good plot. The show displays all sides of the mob business; "buisness", private life, the cops/FBI point of view, the victims side of the story and much more.

This came up as 'recommended' for me a few weeks ago and I'm so glad it did!! Obviously I don't live under a rock and have heard of The Sopranos before but being a young Aussie I didn't see how I would click with a show like this at all. Somehow it got me, I haven't finished yet but am about half way through and the more I watch the better it keeps getting. The storyline, acting, dialogue and chemistry between all the characters never misses and I am never bored. I could watch this show for days straight without loosing interest. I think it'll live on forever as one of the best shows ever made!! Tell me why in 2023 I am so intrigued my mob life in the Italian-American community ? Who knows but who cares! Long love the Sopranos.

Take note streaming producers, this is how you make a television show. Storytelling of this nature is meant to be confrontational and not play into making a statement.

Watching this again on a streaming service, certainly makes me appreciate how great this is. Which to be honest I didn't truly appreciate it the first time around.

If you don't like the gangster/wise guys narrative, move along.

When everyone is telling you how great a show is, it is possible to expect too much. Not in this case. While both subtle and sublime, it also is very violent at times. And while it was playing at HBO and therefor was allowed to do anything it liked to do (nudity and violence/blood), it never did anything just because it could do it. If you had bare breasts, it was at a strip club. If there was violence it occasionally lingered upon it, but sometimes cut away from it too.

But let's get to where the show is great: It's acting cast. I had seen quite a few movies with James Gandolfini, but it's a real eye opener seeing him as Tony Soprano. He uses a special "voice", that he made up for the character. And it suits him and the story. The show as it is, is trying not to judge too much. It leaves quite a lot of things open for interpretation. It does ground the Gangsters into reality, but it also lets you know that, there is more to some of them than meets the eye.

Of course the charismatic portrayal by Gandolfini might lead to impressions that were not entirely intended (just as Pacinos Scarface wasn't meant to be an idol either). But you can't fault the actor or the filmmakers for conclusions other people reach about their creation.

Having said that, the first season did seem a bit dated decorations wise, when looked upon in 2011 or '12 for that matter. But it does not take anything away from the show. And while I will still state that "West Wing" is my favorite TV show (the first 4 seasons were superior, the latter 3 not as good), the Sopranos is consistently good throughout it's 6(.5) seasons!

Another great thing about the show is, that it builds upon the story it set out. So there are strands of the story that will be explored later. But as in real life, some things might go unnoticed forever. You never know with the Sopranos what i's going to be. And it's a very good thing.

I drew my own conclusions concerning the ending, but I'm sure there other interpretations out there .. and the ending couldn't have been anything else. It just couldn't!

Actually watched 'The Sopranos' for the first time just before the final season was about to end, when at the age where watching 15 plus certificate films and shows was allowed. It left a big impression on me even then, back when my knowledge of film and such was actually pretty limited (am still learning). Especially for the very much missed James Gandolfini, the unyielding storytelling (if by late teens standard a little too much at times) and the complexity of the writing.

'The Sopranos' is often on lists of the greatest shows ever made and one of the few to be near-universally acclaimed everywhere, and it is a distinction that is richly deserved. It really is that masterful and it not only is every bit as wonderful as remembered but also even better, due to understanding more of the material and themes and appreciating uncompromising approaches to tough subjects a lot more. Watching 'The Sopranos' feels so much more than watching a television show, it's like watching an epic grand opera and there is really not much to add to what has already been said.

Gandolfini plays an enormous part in what makes 'The Sopranos' so brilliant. He is absolutely masterful as one of the most iconic and most complex TV characters to have ever existed, full of chilling intensity but also equally powerful nuance. All the cast are fabulous in their fascinatingly written, compellingly real roles as well, coming over as real people with strengths and flaws and not caricatures. The chemistry scintillates throughout between the whole cast, every emotion in all the universal and relatable issues covered embodied.

Writing is also of exceptionally high quality, very hard boiled with a lot of gritty edge but with enough subtlety to avoid heavy handedness. It never felt soap operatic or heavy in melodrama, and the crackling energy of it and the amount of thought probing and emotional complexity there is is non stop. The storytelling is consistently transfixing in one of the few shows to exist to not have a bad season or an episode that disgraces the show, faltering only a little with the abrupt feeling latter stages of the final episode which was not enough to ruin what was absolute perfection up to then. The atmosphere never holds back and hits hard while not being in your face or gratuitous, nothing feels glamourised or sugar-coated.

Production values are tremendously stylish and cinematic worthy, while the music fits beautifully throughout. Direction is pacey and tight, while sympathetic enough in more intimate parts.

Summing up, one of the greatest shows ever made and a work of art. One of the easiest 10/10s given so far this year.

Best writing , Best characters , best drama , best crime , best of comedy . The best tv show ever

This is the greatest show of all time. Nothing compares. James Gandolfini is absolutely outstanding. I could write a novel on how good The Sopranos is. Absolutely fantastic.

The Sopranos is a terrific show. It may be violent, racist, sexist, and bad to the bone, it is also funny, melodramatic and cool. The characters are very well done and the acting is some of the best I've seen in years. It is also pretty keen for creator David Chase to pick Northern New Jersey as the set piece for his opus of crime life. I have liked this show alot since it aired on HBO in January of last year and I will keep on watching it because of the intrigue and drama.

The entire series had some very bad flaws and had poor writing off and on. I am not on the Soprano bandwagon. There were so many side stories which were just a complete waste of time. The longer the series went on the worse it got.

I really dislike watching things which are not that great but some people insist are the "best ever" or "flawless". It's an attraction to people until they actually see it for themselves. This show had many parts to it which were designed to hook certain demographics to the show. What is funny is that these same people now state that if you don't get the show then you are not up to par with them. Excuse me but you are the ones who are manipulated and don't even realize it.

The show was mediocre with some good characters and acting at times. There was some good writing at times as well. There were however some episodes which were not needed. This series could have been done much better in half the time. I would not recommend this show to anyone.

Every season kind of runs together . You could watch the first season only and have everything you need to know about the entire series. Every time someone was about to get killed there would be several clues it was about to happen . What was surprising to me that someone was getting killed almost every episode but no one ever thought they could be killed and of course they were never prepared for it . Not sure why so many people rated this as high as they did . It was so so at best for me .