I have never been a fan of television. I cannot name one sitcom or drama show on regular networks that I have ever even considered mildly amusing. For a long time when I was younger I considered TV to be a wasteland of bad people pleasing commercial crap. The biggest problem with television (and this still exists to a large extent) is that I was never able to identify with anyone on TV because they were all caricatures. There was no such thing as character development on TV for a very long time. Most shows were either about one liners or plot procedural. Even acclaimed dramas such as Law and Order never really explored the people trying to solve the case or the victims. It was all just a bunch of situations with no real drama and you knew that everything would be solved by the end of the episode. There were no carry over plots from previous episodes. In short there was never much to care about on standard television. Shows were made to be pleasing in short little segments that you would soon forget about by the following episode and be amused by the situations anew again. This all still goes on, but to a lesser extant than in the past. TV is still playing it safe, but there are some cable networks like FX, Showtime, and even TNT that are taking chances and refusing to play it safe. But there is still one cable network that reigns above the rest and has been consistently taking chances since the moment it decided to produce original material for television - HBO. HBO has had such huge hits such as Sex and the City, Six Feet Under, Deadwood, Big Love, and now True Blood. Each of these shows has been daring in their own right and broken new ground for television. But there is one show that broke all the rules and in my mind changed television forever - The Sopranos.The Sopranos premiered in January of 1999. I was 13 years old and going through the second half of eighth grade when the show came out. I remember seeing the previews on HBO for The Sopranos and thinking to myself that I absolutely had to see this show the very first night. I already had a thing for mob movies. My dad had introduced me to The Godfather a few years earlier and I had stayed up late and watched Goodfellas by myself one night. The Sopranos looked to be covering similar ground so of course I was interested. I will never forget watching that first episode on January 10th 1999. My parents were already in bed watching the news. I was upstairs in my loft curled up in a blanket with the sound down low awaiting what I knew would be an interesting and fun night of television. I wasn't prepared for just how good the show would be though. I found myself laughing hysterically through the pilot, but at times being completely silent and astonished by what I was watching. The productions values, the plot, the acting, the writing, and the direction were all Hollywood level. I was floored. I had never seen anything like this on TV. And not only that but the amount of profanity and violence was definitely shocking. But what kept me hooked from that first episode and on was the sense of character and family. I could connect with these people. I would watch Tony Soprano fight with his wife and joke with his kids and yell and get depressed. And it was then that I realized that I wasn't just watching a mob show. I was watching the life of a family and even for all their differences they were a lot like me.
My boyfriend recently bought me the complete series of The Sopranos on DVD as a graduation gift. I've wanted to have the series for a while now, but could never manage to scrap together to cash to obtain it. Now that I have it I can't stop watching again. I'm like that thirteen year old boy sitting under a blanket upstairs in his loft sneaking episodes all over again. And now that I am older I can appreciate what exactly the show accomplished even more than when I was that age. I've always known how groundbreaking and important it was. I watched from day one all the way up until the controversial series finale in the summer of 2007. The Sopranos has been a big part of my life and now I am getting the opportunity to relive it all over again. It's an exhilarating experience and because of this I have decided to put together a retrospective that will cover all of the seasons. What you are reading is the first part of that retrospective. And introduction if you will. I plan on talking about the shape of the show, the different directions it took from season to season, not to mention specific episodes and characters. It's going to be a rather large project, but I figure what better way to get this blog up and running again? So sit back, read, and enjoy. There will be much more to follow shortly.
SEASON I: CAST OF MAJOR CHARACTERS
Tony Soprano - James Gandolfini
Carmella Soprano - Edie Falco
Meadow Soprano - Jamie-Lynn Sigler
Anthony Soprano Jr. - Robert Iler
Corrado Junior Soprano - Dominic Chianese
Livia Soprano - Nancy Marchand
Dr. Jennifer Melfi - Lorraine Bracco
Christopher Moltisanti - Michael Imperioli
Paulie Walnuts Gualtieri - Tony Sirico
Steve Van Zandt - Silvio Dante
Big Pussy Bonpensiero - Vincent Pastore
Artie Bucco - John Ventimiglia
Adriana Le Cerva - Drea De Matteo
SEASON I: EPISODE GUIDE
January 10, 1999: Sopranos: Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) sees a therapist (Lorraine Bracco) about panic attacks, and tries to move his mom (Nancy Marchand) to a retirement home; and Uncle Junior (Dominic Chianese) plans to conduct business in a restaurant owned by Tony's friend. Meanwhile, Carmela (Edie Falco) and her daughter Meadow (Jamie-Lynn Sigler) butt heads.
January 17, 1999: 46 Long: Christopher (Michael Imperioli) and Brendan hijack a truck owned by a company Uncle Junior is paid to protect; Livia nearly loses her home to fire, but still refuses to move into a retirement facility; Tony's pals search for a car once owned by Anthony Jr.'s (Robert Iler) teacher.
January 24, 1999: Denial, Anger, Acceptance: Hesh (Jerry Adler) helps Tony convince a Hasidic man to sign divorce papers; and Meadow and Hunter (Michele DeCesare) ask Christopher for drugs to help them study. Also: Arty (John Ventimiglia) has trouble getting insurance money for the fire; and Charmaine (Kathrine Narducci) has surprising news for Carmela.
January 31, 1999: Meadowlands: In an attempt to ease his fears about seeing a shrink Tony looks into Dr. Melfi's personal life. After some comments made at school Anthony Jr. discovers his father's other family. Also: Mob boss Jackie Aprile (Michael Rispoli) dies and Tony helps put Uncle Junior in charge.
Feb 7, 1999: College: When Tony and Meadow visit colleges in Maine, they discuss his business; and he runs into a former colleague. Also: Father Phil (Paul Schulze) keeps an ill Carmela company, and she confesses her guilt about Tony's line of work after learning his therapist is a woman.
February 14, 1999: Pax Soprana: Carmela's jealousy of Dr. Melfi continues — and with good reason — despite Tony's decreased libido; and Uncle Junior flexes his muscle and makes some changes, including taxing Hesh's business and disposing of one captain's biggest earners.
February 21, 1999: Down Neck: After Anthony Jr. misbehaves and is tested for attention deficit disorder, Tony recalls his own childhood — and wonders how much the boy is affected by his line of work. Also: Livia learns that Tony's in therapy.
February 28, 1999: The Legend of Tennessee Moltisanti: The gang does some "spring cleaning" in preparation for indictments that are expected to fall on everyone; Christopher is haunted by one of his victims; Dr. Melfi's family worries about her association with a mobster.
March 7, 1999: Boca: Tony and other dads try to strong-arm a lame-duck soccer coach (Kevin O'Rourke) to stay, but plot to get rid of him after they learn he's been having an affair with a player. Also: news of Junior's sex life spreads after a trip with his lover (Robyn Peterson).
March 14, 1999: A Hit Is a Hit: A rapper (Bokeem Woodbine) whose aunt is owed music royalties by Hesh asks Christopher to arrange a sit-down, and he does — in exchange for a career opportunity for Adriana (Drea de Matteo). Also: Tony and Carmela hobnob with country-club types, who later grill Tony about mob life.
March 21, 1999: Nobody Knows Anything: Tony considers taking grave measures when Vin (John Heard) tells him Pussy (Vincent Pastore) is wearing a wire for the Feds; and Junior learns Tony's crew has meetings in Livia's retirement community. Also: personal problems take their toll on Vin; and Carmela confronts Livia.
March 28, 1999: Isabella: A deeply depressed Tony finds it hard to get out of bed, but when he does he's targeted by Junior's hired guns. Also: Tony fantasizes about his neighbor's exchange student (Maria Grazia Cucinotta); and Dr. Melfi increases his medication.
April 4, 1999: I Dream of Jeannie Cusamano: Dr. Melfi suggests Livia was involved in the hit on Tony, but he doesn't believe it until he hears the Feds' tapes of conversations between Livia and Junior. Meanwhile, Livia tells Artie about the restaurant fire; and Carmela learns she's not Father Phil's only close friend.
January 17, 1999: 46 Long: Christopher (Michael Imperioli) and Brendan hijack a truck owned by a company Uncle Junior is paid to protect; Livia nearly loses her home to fire, but still refuses to move into a retirement facility; Tony's pals search for a car once owned by Anthony Jr.'s (Robert Iler) teacher.
January 24, 1999: Denial, Anger, Acceptance: Hesh (Jerry Adler) helps Tony convince a Hasidic man to sign divorce papers; and Meadow and Hunter (Michele DeCesare) ask Christopher for drugs to help them study. Also: Arty (John Ventimiglia) has trouble getting insurance money for the fire; and Charmaine (Kathrine Narducci) has surprising news for Carmela.
January 31, 1999: Meadowlands: In an attempt to ease his fears about seeing a shrink Tony looks into Dr. Melfi's personal life. After some comments made at school Anthony Jr. discovers his father's other family. Also: Mob boss Jackie Aprile (Michael Rispoli) dies and Tony helps put Uncle Junior in charge.
Feb 7, 1999: College: When Tony and Meadow visit colleges in Maine, they discuss his business; and he runs into a former colleague. Also: Father Phil (Paul Schulze) keeps an ill Carmela company, and she confesses her guilt about Tony's line of work after learning his therapist is a woman.
February 14, 1999: Pax Soprana: Carmela's jealousy of Dr. Melfi continues — and with good reason — despite Tony's decreased libido; and Uncle Junior flexes his muscle and makes some changes, including taxing Hesh's business and disposing of one captain's biggest earners.
February 21, 1999: Down Neck: After Anthony Jr. misbehaves and is tested for attention deficit disorder, Tony recalls his own childhood — and wonders how much the boy is affected by his line of work. Also: Livia learns that Tony's in therapy.
February 28, 1999: The Legend of Tennessee Moltisanti: The gang does some "spring cleaning" in preparation for indictments that are expected to fall on everyone; Christopher is haunted by one of his victims; Dr. Melfi's family worries about her association with a mobster.
March 7, 1999: Boca: Tony and other dads try to strong-arm a lame-duck soccer coach (Kevin O'Rourke) to stay, but plot to get rid of him after they learn he's been having an affair with a player. Also: news of Junior's sex life spreads after a trip with his lover (Robyn Peterson).
March 14, 1999: A Hit Is a Hit: A rapper (Bokeem Woodbine) whose aunt is owed music royalties by Hesh asks Christopher to arrange a sit-down, and he does — in exchange for a career opportunity for Adriana (Drea de Matteo). Also: Tony and Carmela hobnob with country-club types, who later grill Tony about mob life.
March 21, 1999: Nobody Knows Anything: Tony considers taking grave measures when Vin (John Heard) tells him Pussy (Vincent Pastore) is wearing a wire for the Feds; and Junior learns Tony's crew has meetings in Livia's retirement community. Also: personal problems take their toll on Vin; and Carmela confronts Livia.
March 28, 1999: Isabella: A deeply depressed Tony finds it hard to get out of bed, but when he does he's targeted by Junior's hired guns. Also: Tony fantasizes about his neighbor's exchange student (Maria Grazia Cucinotta); and Dr. Melfi increases his medication.
April 4, 1999: I Dream of Jeannie Cusamano: Dr. Melfi suggests Livia was involved in the hit on Tony, but he doesn't believe it until he hears the Feds' tapes of conversations between Livia and Junior. Meanwhile, Livia tells Artie about the restaurant fire; and Carmela learns she's not Father Phil's only close friend.
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