The Sopranos: The Top Ten Episodes
Published June 07, 2007
By way of summarizing The Sopranos, I’m going to go through my top ten episodes of the series. It’s a lot tougher to do that with The Sopranos than with a lot of others, say Buffy the Vampire Slayer or even Six Feet Under, since every episode is at such a consistently high level, and the show doesn’t usually use the build to a big mythology/finale episode structure of a lot of series. Every episode is so good that it’s mostly the weaker ones that stand out. But, there are still better and worse episodes, and I shall delve into them.
Notably, there are no Season One episodes on my list. A lot of people will tell you Season One is the show’s best season, and it is fantastic, but I don’t think it’s as layered and complex as the later years. Looking at that season now, none of the characters are as developed as they are in the later years. Adrianna is just a pretty girl, because the show's creator David Chase didn’t know at this point what she’d become, and the same is true of Paulie and Pussy. From a plot level, it’s probably the tightest season, but it’s also the most “TV” in the sense that it’s got more obvious standalone stories and a clear arc throughout the season.
While the later seasons are messier, they feel more real and more character centered. It’s the character hooks that make the series so wonderful, and that’s the reason that Season Five is my favorite season of the entire series. There, they used less serial plotting than in the previous seasons, instead focusing in depth on one or two characters each episode. This meant that each episode gave us a ton of development and much to ponder and discuss.
Also, I watched the first four seasons on DVD, then watched the fifth and sixth as they aired. So, it’s harder for me to separate those early seasons into individual episodes — they all sort of bleed together — while the latter are separated in my mind. I’d stand by these picks regardless, but it’s possible if I’d watched those earlier seasons separately, they’d be more distinguished.
Anyway, on to the Top Ten, in chronological order:
D-Girl (2x07) — This episode is the culmination of Christopher’s first flirtation with the film business, putting him and Pussy at a crossroads between serving Tony and pursing their own interests. I loved Christopher’s interest in film because it was a dream, a way out of the world. In him and Adrianna, I always saw hope, the chance to escape this world and not become like Tony. This episode plays that conflict, for a moment it seems that he can be successful and move on to something better, but, as with the Vito storyline, he finds out that it’s tough to play by civilian rules, to actually have to work for what you want, not just get it. It’s a prescient episode because it contains all the central themes of Season Six, the way that these people will give up what they really want for the easy life of the mafia.
- The Sopranos: The Top Ten Episodes
- Published: June 07, 2007
- Type: Opinion
- Section: Video
- Writer: Patrick
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Patrick, I tip my hat to you. Nicely done all the way, except that "The Blue Comet" was definitely one of the best episodes ever. I know you thought about that one and even mentioned it, but it should be there.
Oh, and Kevin Finnerty is more important that I think any of us realized at the time. I think we will all find that out tomorrow night.
AJ's arc is actually quite well developed over the course of the series. One of the toughest moments to watch in the entire series is when AJ is forced to wear the military school uniform in the third season finale and just breaks down crying. There, Tony says something like "What are we going to do to save this kid?" That's the core of season 6B, what will happen to him? So, that collapse is critical to setting up the theme of Tony's genes as a curse he's passed on to his son.
I think there's a lot of good stuff with Melfi, but she's mostly only interesting in relation to Tony. I was contemplating putting "Employee of the Month" on the list becuase it is an incredibly powerful episode, but it didn't quite make it.
The Italy episode was up there for me too, it's a really fun episode. Carmela's infatuation with Furio in season four was a great arc, and a great way to show the differing attittudes this world has when it comes to male and female infidelity. The moment where Furio almost pushes Tony into the helicopter blades was one of the tensest in the series.
Yes, that scene with Furio was powerful. Great reaction from Tony too, like "What the...?" and almsot knowing. LAter when Carmela tells him about Furio, it all comes together.
One thing you didn't mention (and I didn't mention in my piece either) is the power of Livia Soprano. Nancy MArchand still haunts this series and rightly so.
When Tony/Kevin doesn't go into the "reunion" I thought it was because he didn't want to see all his victims (Ralph, Pussy, Jackie Jr., etc.) but then I realized it's Livia he is afraid of (has always been too).
Very nicely done Patrick, however, I have to disagree with you on Season I - it is perhaps the single greatest season of any series in television history, IMO.
I am also one of those people who once believed the "dream sequences" greatly detracted from the series. For example, I recall feeling very strongly that season II would have been much better served had it ended one episode earlier. I now realize how wrong I was.
Your insight and comments help bring further meaning to some of the dream episodes I once despised. Thanks for the list.
I like the dream sequences on one level simply because they let the series do really interesting visual stuff. While I've got some issues with "The Test Dream," visually, it's amazing. But, dreams also work together with the Melfi scenes to give us insight into Tony's subjective mental space. Everything in those dream sequences is indicative of the way Tony views the world, and we can understand better what he thinks of other characters by how they're portrayed there. I love that kind of stuff, and I think it's a large part of what makes the show more than just a typical mafia story.
"People who consider the Russian a loose end completely miss the point, it's like saying Pulp Fiction sucked because we never found out what was in the briefcase."
The Russian being alive isn't a loose end. Obviously he never made it back because he would have told Slava what happened. Part of the problem is that Tony made it such a big deal because the Russian mob would have come at them. Was the reason Tony stopped laundering money through them ever dealt with? If they had made that clear, it would have straightened things out.
"While I'm obviously not happy that Nancy Marchand died"
Neither is she.
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Awesome job! I'd like to know your take on the episode when AJ collapses. Now, we, the audience suddenly realize, that this affliction T's been dealing with has a "face" ie it is passed along to his son and its another cross Tony has to bear. Also you barely mention Melfi? There were some extraordinarily cutting edge scenes with her. I thought the whole rape arc was something never before seen on episodic TV. And finally would enjoy your feedback on the a) Furio character and b) the episode when they all went to Italy. Thanks and great job.