As y'all know, with poker taking a back seat at the moment, I've made TV drama reviews the main focus of my blog these days; that is until The Experiment kicks in, in the new year. (I reckon a four month break should be enough for me to get the magic back.) With 5 of the 24 TV series reviewed thus far it is Dexter - Season #1 leading the way with Lost and Sherlock coming in a close equal second. Let's see how our latest contender fairs:
To a lot of fans of TV drama, The Sopranos doesn't really need any introduction. Along with The Wire, it's considered the dog's bollocks of small screen drama but does this live up to the hype and can I (with the plump and fully-fleshed out bulbous buttocks) agree with such sentiments? Let's read on and find out...
For the uninitiated, The Sopranos follows the trials and tribulations of Tony Soprano; a mob boss who lives in the leafy suburbs of New Jersey with his wife and two kids. The series generally tracks the stresses and strains of Tony's life in two ways: (1) via the interaction among the members of the mafia organisation around him and (2) through his family life and all the usual baggage associated with bringing up kids and keeping a marriage together.
The fascination with The Sopranos therefore, and the reason why it really is such compelling viewing, lies in the way Tony Soprano has to manage both a network of volatile criminals and who is forced to deal with those typical family issues that we can all identify with. Tony Soprano's family and work problems are not really that dissimilar from the everyday man, it's just that the work issues are on a slightly different scale and he does lean more towards having to deal with anger-management issues than most people. Unlike lesser TV series', although highly dramatic, events in The Sopranos are believable and you always have the belief that the actions of the characters really are something that those people would do. It is this element that gives The Sopranos that class that it has over others of this ilk.
It is made clear as the series develops, that these mobster are really not very happy people. True, they have the same kind of vulnerabilities and weaknesses as Mr Joe Average but it's their own macho-culture, along with their own violent methods of serving out their own form of justice, that ends up eating at them internally and destroys them. Along the way, we get an insight into how the mob operates: how they appear to be so loyal on the surface yet are prepared to stab each other in the back underneath; how appearing to lose face or to back down is a major form of weakness; how certain taboos that exist within the mafia are frowned upon or ridiculed. All it seems addressing issues of what it means to be a "real man" in those circles and how friendships are jeopardised and lost as a result.
Each episode begins with that car drive from Lincoln Tunnel to the New Jersey suburbs while the stirring "Woke Up This Morning"" by Alabama 3 is played in the background. But it's a different regular feature - his visits to the psychiatrist, Dr Melfi - that allows the story to unravel effectively. The whole season begins with an exchange between these two and it's through their meetings that we're reminded of key moments in Tony's life but also where we're given insights into what is really going on inside Tony Soprano's head. As we see, the more that is revealed and the more that the problems pile up, the more we begin to realise that life of the mobster is not all that glamorous or enviable after all.
Episodes, which usually last around 50-60 minutes, often have two main story-lines or strands running through. For example in Episode 2 ("46 Long") there is the story of how Tony tries to get his mother placed in a retirement home running alongside Christopher's hot-headed plans to hijack Tony's Uncle Junior's trucks. Episode 5 ("College") follows Tony's travels with his daughter as she visits various colleges while the secondary story follows the sexual tension between his wife and the priest as he spends the evening with her. Then there is Episode 9 ("Boca") where we hear of Junior's sexual exploits (to the amusement of the rest of the mob) and also follow the developments of the career of Meadow's school football team coach. (Or should that be soccer?) Some episodes, in the middle of the season, like Episode 7 ("Down Neck") fill out details of Tony's childhood in the 1960s and give us details of key events regarding his dad and his dodgy dealings as well.
All these scenarios are as gripping as a grappling hook and will envelope you like a warm quilt on a cold night. The script is as sharp as a razor and the dialogue as tight as a snazzy drum. Personally, I did feel the need to have sub-titles running occasionally in the early episodes to make sure I "got it" and I also hit the pause button once in a while to mull over some of the key exchanges but I am very glad that I did. Although this can kill the immersion-factor at times, I felt it was a small investment to make for future enjoyment. I was also struck with the amount of Italian slang that the characters throw into conversations as well, a fact that kind of past me by first time round when subtitles were off. It's a useful tool though, if you care to take the time to google the word, for finding the meaning of such words. Incidentally, based on the viewing of Episode 1 of a certain rival series, all this is not as hard work as The Wire which certainly does require ongoing subtitles and far more pauses for the significance of certain dialogues to properly sink in. (I'll no doubt write about these sorts of demands - pros and cons - that are put on the viewer when I come to review The Wire.)
Here are my impressions of the main characters (Minor spoiler alert):
When you consider that he's a violent leading member of the mob who uses intimidation and threats to get what he wants, it may be strange to say that there is something that makes us warm to the man. Perhaps it's the fact that even though he knows he has to be seen to be in control, he acknowledges his vulnerabilities and weaknesses by opening up to his psychiatrist. I felt so much on his side by the later episodes that during the life-threatening "car-jacking" scene I was shouting at the screen and rooting for him all the way!! Despite the set-backs he also has a great sense of humour and I loved the way he was cracking jokes right after recovering from that threat on his life in Episode 12.
I suppose if you're the wife of the capo of the mob and you are aware that your dearly beloved has committed murderous deeds, you have to have some inner strength of some kind. Now although Carmela is certainly a strong character and has done well to keep the family functioning with some degree of success, I do reckon she overuses her ball-busting qualities just a bit too freely. The long-suffering Tony gets it in the neck constantly even when it's clear he's stressed out and needs her to lay off a bit - but she also seems a bit pushy with her kids as well. Lightning up and having a sense of humour wouldn't go amiss either.
You have to question the motives behind why anyone would choose to counsel a capo of the mafia but Melfi is the one who steps into those shoes. Her main connection with Tony is the Italian heritage, but she is often a victim of his wrath and is threatened with physical assault on more than the odd occasion. She often explores issues regarding his mother and his family and it's these home-truths that usually gets him angry - particularly as he feels guilt about putting her mother in a retirement home. She has some odd facial expressions and her lines are delivered in odd ways at times but she's an essential and central character.
The mischievous, manipulative and creepy Livia Soprano is Tony's mother. At first I was undecided what her agenda was but by the end of the season you realise that she just likes to get a kick out of stirring up trouble among her family and that her "woe is me" act early on really is just a way of winding Tony up. She has more say in how her brother, Junior, runs the show than he'd like to admit. Towards the end, in Episode 12 ("Isabella"), her act really becomes quite comical as she turns on the water-works more and more after "putting her foot in it" once again. On a serious note though, playing chess with peoples' lives doesn't sit too well with our Tony - check out the way he picks up that pillow in the final episode!!
Last but not least, the final main lady in Tony's life is his young teenage daughter, Meadow. Unlike her brother, AJ, Meadow is academically minded and has thoughts of extending her education beyond high-school. She is aware of her father's business dealings and, during Episode 5 "College", confronts him about whether he's in the mafia. Although he doesn't come right out and say it, he does reveal that he deals with "certain types" - and this truthful revelation does bring a level of trust to their relationship. Meadow has a lot of integrity and is a likeable member of the family.
AJ is only just becoming aware of who his dad is. He generally has a low profile in this season and apart from the cancelled fight in the playground in Episode 4, his main contribution was in the episode where he got drunk on the sacramental wine and was forced to visit his grandma at the nursing home while expelled. Other than this and dropping the odd F-bomb now and again (and having his parents responding with a disapproving "Hey!" every time) - there's not really much else of note to say about this young chap. Unless his kind of vacant nature and totally unacceptable haircut is worth mentioning. He does becomes much more prominent in later seasons however.
With those huge glasses and that "butter wouldn't melt in his mouth" manner, the uncle of Tony Soprano looks like a sweet and innocent old man. Like Melfi, some of his facial expressions make him look comical, even as he always appears to be angry and hard-done-by - but like all capos, under that exterior, a dark side lurks beneath. After the death of Jackie Aprile, Tony submits to Junior and allows his uncle to become boss without a struggle. However Junior still believes he is being undermined and after hearing from the conniving Livia that Tony is seeing a psychiatrist, uses this knowledge as an excuse to exact justice.
Although referred to as the nephew of Tony Soprano and with a strong bond between them, he is actually a cousin of Carmela and so not a blood-relative. Self-absorbed and tormented with the idea that the mob owes him something the hot-headed Christopher likes to take risks and is a bit of a loose cannon - check out his attack on the shop-assistant. He is driven by the desire to gain some sort of fame and recognition and is ecstatic when he sees his name in the paper. He has desires to be a writer for the screen (even though he is either illiterate or dyslexic). His self-interest and short-temper makes him an unpleasant and unlikeable character.
Paulie and Silvio are Tony's right hand men. They are his advisors and run the most important errands but are also always willing to be first in line to whack someone if necessary. They are very loyal to their boss and you feel they wouldn't cross Tony for anything. We get a flavour of Paulie's negotiating skills in Episode 3 ("Denial, Anger Accceptance") when he uses a small receptionist's bell repeatedly smashed to the head as part of his persuasive technique. Paulie is a more prominent figure than Silvio and is given a little more screen-time.
Silvio Dante is Tony's rock and always appears to be sniffing at a strong smell that's lingering in the air. He also always seems to like to take the stance or posture of an intimidating doorman when standing around. His swept back hair is ridiculous and seems to get higher and higher as the seasons progresses. Like AJ, Silvio just doesn't seem to play a very prominent role in this season, just being the guy that's just there at Tony's side but not really doing anything greatly meaningful or interesting.
Sal, or Big Pussy for short, is the third member of Tony's immediate circle and who seems to help out with the financial side of the business. Like Silvio, he doesn't have a big role to play or feature very heavily in the story strands until, that is, Tony's insider in the police force warns Tony that in the past Sal has been hitched up to a wire. Shortly after this, Sal starts to suffer severe back pains and is not seen again in the final two episodes - which does him no favours at all.
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To conclude, The Sopranos certainly does live up to the hype that you may have read. It is a truly riveting series and the only time I felt there was any hint of filler was during the final episode when Artie Bucco, the chef, went to see the priest. But even that was very brief and only seemd to drag because they are two minor characters. This is nit-picking really.Other nit-picking aspects might include some skewy editing and continuity errors during some scenes in Melfi's office along with some bizarre editing when Artie Bucco visits Livia in the hospital in the final episode. Also in the final episode I do find it hard to believe that Tony would tell Melfi about those FBI tapes AND that she would later let him back in while concealing a pair of scissors(!) for protection; not exactly very professional. However, these moments are so minor and serve more as an exercise in trying hard to find fault in a season that is essentially all positive throughout. Season #1 of The Sopranos is Class with a capital "C".
19
20 (EXCELLENT)
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