What was the fcuking big deal about the Sopranos?

rob316 · 12-01-2019 10:58pm

I'm an idiot who knows nothing.

It the greatest drama of all time IMO and Tony soprano is one of the greatest tv characters. Television was looked down on by Hollywood until the Sopranos, now it's as big as the movies.

I rewatch the entire series every year without fail. The depth and quality of gandolfini's acting brought Tony Soprano to life. You felt you knew him, you loved him, you hated him.

Sopranos wrote the blue print for all the shows we enjoy today.

buried · 12-01-2019 10:59pm

I'm an idiot who knows nothing.

Potential-Monke wrote: »

The Sopranos? Kinda watched it on and off while it was coming out on TV. Never sat down and binged on it.

The Wire? Half way through the first season I had to give up. Some may say that's not enough time, but if something doesn't catch me in the first few episodes, I'm out. Ain't nobody got time to wait for something to get good these days, i've too much other stuff to watch/play!

Give em both another go, definitely get The Sopranos boxset. I felt the same the first watch of The Wire myself and shut it down, but went back to it and got into it real deep. The second season of The Wire is really brilliant modern day storytelling, its total gold, try give it another go!

Necro · 12-01-2019 11:05pm

rob316 wrote: »

It the greatest drama of all time IMO and Tony soprano is one of the greatest tv characters. Television was looked down on by Hollywood until the Sopranos, now it's as big as the movies.

I rewatch the entire series every year without fail. The depth and quality of gandolfini's acting brought Tony Soprano to life. You felt you knew him, you loved him, you hated him.

Sopranos wrote the blue print for all the shows we enjoy today.

Ha me too. Sopranos boxset is one of my most cherished. Still love collecting TV boxsets for easy rewatching, even though I know I could put them all onto a hard drive. Have loads of TV Show boxsets and rewatch most every year at some point.

buried · 12-01-2019 11:34pm

I'm an idiot who knows nothing.

There is just so much cool $hit layered into the entire work. Even the usage of music at the end credits is genius. They play this track at the end of season three, the episode titled "army of one"

The usage of that track in the credits at the end of that season is pure genius, the sound of the dark, modern day gloom.

After what happens to young Jackie Jnr in that episode, you get the sense, the game is up for these murdering hoors, or will soon be up, the violence, the hypocrisy and the lies won't last and will only go one way, the end for it all

and the use of that track was total genius to let you half know its on the way.

Feckin brilliant stuff all over the shop.

Dyr · 12-01-2019 11:39pm

I'm an idiot who knows nothing.

buried wrote: »

There is just so much cool $hit layered into the entire work. Even the usage of music at the end credits is genius. They play this track at the end of season three, the episode titled "army of one"

The usage of that track in the credits at the end of that season is pure genius, the sound of the dark, modern day gloom.
After what happens to young Jackie Jnr in that episode, you get the sense, the game is up for these murdering hoors, or will soon be up, the violence, the hypocrisy and the lies won't last and will only go one way, the end for it all
and the use of that track was total genius to let you half know its on the way.

Feckin brilliant stuff all over the shop.

The story was that David Chase wanted to have different opening title music for every episode but HBO refused so he got them agree to let him change the end title music

buried · 12-01-2019 11:42pm

I'm an idiot who knows nothing.

Bambi wrote: »

The story was that David Chase wanted to have different opening title music for every episode but HBO refused so he got them agree to let him change the end title music

Class B man, I never knew that! Probably worked out better in the end for it though!

Nodster · 12-01-2019 11:59pm

We were on a visit in 2002 to the bro-in-law who ran a sports bar in California. One midweek night we were having a few brewski's when he said "Y'know this place will empty in 30 minutes" As the Soprano's was on HBO, the place soon emptied and they all returned after the show, naturally everyone chatting about that episode. Think that was the first time I heard of the series.

"With due respect" we loved The Soprano's

[Deleted User] · 13-01-2019 1:00am

I'm an idiot who knows nothing.

The Wire and The Sopranos are simply the best TV ever made in my opinion. Better Call Saul is modern TV's closest from what I've seen, though I haven't been watching much new stuff from the last three years.

Why? People have explained their reasons here better than I could. But they're shows about people and their relatable troubles. The plots of each of them are merely a vehicle for that exploration.

Not surprised so many don't like them. They're not particularly easy entertainment, and I wouldn't always be in the mood for them. Can't wait to rewatch them again when I get the urge.

Strumms · 13-01-2019 1:10am

I'm an idiot who knows nothing.

I think the depth of the characters, the fantastic acting, the gritty realism, the unpredictable nature of the show, the fact that most of them were wànkers but somehow some reason you could empathize with them at times. It wasnt predictable at all, it was almost not made to entertain yet it did... I don’t ever recall a show that had the absolute capacity to shock, entertain, repulse, make you laugh out loud, cry, almost **** yourself and all in a single episode. Still to be surpassed.

batgoat · 13-01-2019 1:15am

I'm an idiot who knows nothing.

Ads by Google wrote: »

The Wire and The Sopranos are simply the best TV ever made in my opinion. Better Call Saul is modern TV's closest from what I've seen, though I haven't been watching much new stuff from the last three years.

Why? People have explained their reasons here better than I could. But they're shows about people and their relatable troubles. The plots of each of them are merely a vehicle for that exploration.

Not surprised so many don't like them. They're not particularly easy entertainment, and I wouldn't always be in the mood for them. Can't wait to rewatch them again when I get the urge.

I think there's another gem Six Feet Under, the characters are superb and they were ahead of their time in many respects in terms of how it handled topics. Also, I rave about my adoration for Twin Peaks but you'd never have gotten those dream sequences in The Sopranos without. You had a few shows that really raised tv to the level where it was comparable to great cinema.

Women without Makeup · 13-01-2019 1:25am

Ads by Google wrote: »

The Wire and The Sopranos are simply the best TV ever made in my opinion.

hAVE YOU seen NIP/Tuck or the Mentalist?

AndrewJRenko · 13-01-2019 1:26am

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Silentcorner wrote: »

Above all else the soundtrack was superb in my opinion

Check out this compilation from the early series - some amazing music. It turned me on to Kasey Chambers, Tindersticks and more. Lovely tracks from Nils Lofgren and Keef

https://www.amazon.com/Sopranos-Peppers-Eggs-Music-HBO/dp/B00005AR37

Even Uncle Jun got in there, showing his musical roots

batgoat · 13-01-2019 1:29am

I'm an idiot who knows nothing.

Women without Makeup wrote: »

hAVE YOU seen NIP/Tuck or the Mentalist?

Nip/Tuck would never have come about if it weren't for The Sopranos, it's highly entertaining but it's closer to the soap opera bracket of tv. The Mentalist is nothing special.

Women without Makeup · 13-01-2019 1:30am

batgoat wrote: »

Nip/Tuck would never have come about if it weren't for The Sopranos, it's highly entertaining but it's closer to the soap opera bracket of tv. The Mentalist is nothing special.

What's the connection between Nip/Tuck and the Sopranos?

Necro · 13-01-2019 1:33am

Women without Makeup wrote:

What's the connection between Nip/Tuck and the Sopranos?

The mob fund all plastic surgery clinics.

Duh.

AndrewJRenko · 13-01-2019 1:33am

I'm an idiot who knows nothing.

Billy86 wrote: »

In a queue right now so I'll be brief, but it basically changed the story structure from being inherently inferior to movies to being inherently superior, by ending the need for 24 or 48 minute plots and replacing it with multiple overlapping arcs lasting dozens, even hundreds of hours that when done right bring a sense of realism and depth to the stories and characters that just simply is not possible to do in the 1.5-3 hours a movie lasts. Most top tv shows follow this formula now, but nobody was even really entertaining it before Tony visited Dr. Malfis office.

Chase says that he was trying to do a mini movie each week, and wasn't really into the continuing story line
https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/tv-radio-web/david-chase-on-the-sopranos-donald-trump-and-yes-that-ending-1.3751168

batgoat · 13-01-2019 1:45am

I'm an idiot who knows nothing.

Women without Makeup wrote: »

What's the connection between Nip/Tuck and the Sopranos?

You had Oz which was the initial edgy tv show, that got on moderately well the point where The Sopranos seemed worth taking a risk on. The success of The Sopranos opened the gates to a far more adult generation of tv. It became worth taking the risk.

troyzer · 13-01-2019 1:47am

I'm an idiot who knows nothing.

Women without Makeup wrote: »

Dare I say, how did it end up being considered the best show of all time by so many. Is it just that anything about mafia is always considered good tv? Do people pretend to like to look cool... like the way people pretend to think Brando was a good actor. I can't say I've watched the entire series from start to finish. And is it just a coincidence that anyone who likes it also likes 'The Wire'.

I get that there's the shock factor of the way they just murder some poor innocent fellow or the street and then laugh about. I mean that would grab anyone's attention, but it doesn't make it good drama. Especially when you always know who's going to get killed. When Christopher kicked the **** out of a fella in acting the acting class, I could see it coming a mile away.

I can a lot of people who know me well telling me "you'd definitely like it". All I think to myself is "you're so poor at understanding people if you don't if see that someone like me wouldn't be into that".

NOTE TO MODS - PLEASE REMOVE THAT POLL QUESTION. I DIDN'T PUT IT THERE

This fūcking guy.

SlowBlowin · 13-01-2019 1:55am

I'm an idiot who knows nothing.

rob316 wrote: »

It the greatest drama of all time IMO and Tony soprano is one of the greatest tv characters. Television was looked down on by Hollywood until the Sopranos, now it's as big as the movies.

I rewatch the entire series every year without fail. The depth and quality of gandolfini's acting brought Tony Soprano to life. You felt you knew him, you loved him, you hated him.

Sopranos wrote the blue print for all the shows we enjoy today.

Me too, I have watched the full set at least a dozen times.

I have never known a TV show with such depth, I enjoy the last viewing as much as the first.

As I watch more and more Carmella increasingly comes out as the true villain of the family...

SB

Sardonicat · 13-01-2019 2:00am

I'm an idiot who knows nothing.

^^^^^
Really?
Always thought that was Jackie.
The only truly decent human being was the shrink Carmella went to once. Ade was probably most guilty of being as thick as two planks but she knew where Chris' money came from. The cops were just as ruthless.

Ah, I'm gonna have to watch it all again.

Strumms · 13-01-2019 2:01am

I'm an idiot who knows nothing.

SlowBlowin wrote: »

Me too, I have watched the full set at least a dozen times.

I have never known a TV show with such depth, I enjoy the last viewing as much as the first.

As I watch more and more Carmella increasingly comes out as the true villain of the family...

SB

She starts of as a victim to an extent but becomes clearly the chief enabler of Tony and while not at the coalface of the dirty goings on she is enabling for her own wants and desires for the most part.

5uspect · 13-01-2019 8:59am

I'm an idiot who knows nothing.

I’ve heard it said that the Sopranos is Shakespearean while the Wire is Dickensian. Both are incredible works of story telling.

Recent Guardian article on the Sopranos.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jan/13/the-sopranos-glorious-pioneer-of-todays-tv-golden-age?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

mr_edge_to_you · 13-01-2019 9:14am

The Sopranos is the best TV show ever - incredible acting, characters, story lines, music, humour. The Wire is up there too but I think they're very different though.

I find that I can watch one-off episodes of Sopranos and get great satisfaction from them - I would watch Pines Barrens every couple of weeks. That episode alone is an outstanding piece of art.

However I don't think I could do that with the Wire. The Wire requires a bit of investment. In saying that if you take the Wire as a complete series from 1-5 it too is masterpiece.

Fiftyfilthy · 13-01-2019 9:19am

Ursus Horribilis wrote: »

I see. So there have been no decent TV shows made in the 20 years since?

I tried watching it 5 years ago, gave up after the 3 episode.

Didn’t know if it was supposed to be serious or a comedy and in both categories it failed in my opinion

Found it very boring too

People told me to stick with it and it gets better, I’ve already wasted 3-4 hrs on it.

Similar With the wire, I watched this to the end and found it ok

I would never have watched it when on tv as one episode was mcnulty drunk trying to assemble his kids bunk beds

troyzer · 13-01-2019 9:52am

I'm an idiot who knows nothing.

Special mention to the West Wing which has also doubled as escapism therapy since January 2017.

smurgen · 13-01-2019 9:59am

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tritriagain wrote: »

I tried to watch sopranos 2 or 3times and couldn't get into it. I watched breaking bad and loved it. Then tried to watch the wire and didn't like the 1st couple told me to watch first few with subtitled on to get the lingo. Did this and Wow what a series. Then went and watched sopranos and now if you asked me to pick between the wire and sopranos the answer could be different every day. 2 remarkable shows and i have yet to see better.

I watched all and found breaking bad to be terrible.too cartoonish,it seemed to be made for teenagers or those in early 20's while sopranos was more mature.
bb always went for the cheap thrills or easy/predictable storylines while sopranos was just more understated in that respect.prime example of this was the death or christopher.i was expecting an all guns blazing scenario.such fantastic story telling and it unfolds a little bit more with every watch.

Dyr · 13-01-2019 10:26am

I'm an idiot who knows nothing.

Necro wrote: »

The mob fund all plastic surgery clinics.

Duh.

imagine, gettin' a face lift and one week later you're in jail!

McMurphy · 13-01-2019 2:08pm

I'm an idiot who knows nothing.

Sopranos is way ahead of the wire by a country mile, I watched both series from beginning to end, and both are excellent series.

However, I watched the wire, and enjoyed it immensely, but never watched it again, whereas I'd guess I've binge watched sopranos from beginning to end on at least a dozen times at this stage..

Another show to get an honorary mention from me now would have to be Narcos. Especially when it featured Pablo, some pretty complex characters in that show too, another series I've decided to rewatch from front to back again.

The Enbalmer · 13-01-2019 2:18pm

A load of crap. It reminds me of the Godfather in that everybody feels they "have" to like it.
Generally if you tell people you don't like the sopranos or the Godfather,they will try to explain to you why you're wrong.

Family guy did it very well.

The Enbalmer · 13-01-2019 2:20pm

For anybody who thought the Wire was a good show check out Gomorrah La Serie on Sky Atlantic.

What was the fcuking big deal about the Sopranos?

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