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:
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Article comments
1 - d alper
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.
2 - Victor Lana
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.
3 - Patrick
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.
4 - Victor Lana
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).
5 - Russ
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.
6 - Patrick
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.
7 - J.J. Hunsecker
"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.
8 - TV and Film Guy
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9 - niggaP Nitch
man the russian did survive, he kept running after being hit by paulie walnuts. if u notice as they first enter the snow capped pine forest, just before they get the russian to dig his grave, that the russian looks up. later after he escapes and is shot seemingly in the head by paulie, we see the camera look down from the trees, as if suggesting the russian has climed up a tree and is spying on them. and also when thay get back to the picnic sight they realise that their car is missing- obviously the russian took it. what david chase says of the final episode (ie tony gets shot fade to black) rings true here- its all there! the season that grows on you the most is definately season 6 prt 1 and 2, the more u watch it the clearer and more amazing and complexly interwoven it is. it is pure genious of writing and filming. the feel is different, the surrealism, tonies last chance to make a change- the foreshadowing of death and purgatory-the religious themes, and afterlife analogy. the philosophies of evolution vs creation are superbly written and achieved- vito, christopher and tony are all tragic semi-sociopathic figures in this one and there are great performances from vito especially as the most unlikely anti-hero. Dr.Melfi though is calous and not a well rounded ending for her character- i feel her advice to tony gets poorer and poorer as the seasons progress and what she tries to acheive with him falls flat -her acting gets worse as later scenes in the psych office are not well drawn out- maybe to reflect that he is incapable of change and she is too selfish to let him go although the justifies it in a martyre like way- also i thought season 5 although great, flys fast on false adrenalin- why does tony get so ragefull over things he would in previous seasons not care about?- ie the slap from janice- riding his cousin for fat jokes, attacking AJ for backchatting him about drinking., its just too over the top ie the feech lamata stuff is great but a case in point of too much unecessary rage however effective seems misplaced and unjustified- i think they deliberately amped things up- season 5 is good but not great infact i think they are taking a big dump on tv conventions in season 5- is it all a big joke are they taking the piss? deliberately rushing up the pace of the show as a play on tv shows that start to decline so they introduce new flashy chartacters with a lot of loud dialogue and noise ,they repeat themselves with new vilians that are really just repetitions from earlier seasons eg- from mummy and uncle junior in season one, S2 janice and Richie are the nemises, season 3 its ralphie, in 4 its ralphie and army of one paulie needs pulling into line.in season 5 phil retardo and cousin of tony blundeto the gambler massage therapist who tony wierdly has to kill when we know he should kil phil not his cousin tony gets mean in this season and unlikable and dumber dont the writer get him anymore they have dumbed him down a bit. season 5 is raqther a conumdrum (a jumping the shark season a joke in or not perhaps.the most complete season interms of production and story and directing misensance was season 4 was funny and interesting in terms of how we learn more about the mafia as a business and all the fingers in the pies etc, Season 3 was gritty and touched some unpleasent yet thrilling topicws- ie university and another toothpic were phenomonel episodes- the violence taken to a new level-ie "next time i shall sceam four": -the golf club bashing and bobby's old man's final mission are so well written and filmed you would think they could not beat it but they did.
CHristtopher is so stupid and tragic-why does he always go against tony at first and never listens to hinm- he cant shut up when speaking to johnny sacks the ego maniac who by season 5 wants it all after carmine pops it. season 1 is great as a stand alone epic film, and it could b e viewed that way= season 2 is great with pusssy the last enemy to be smokesd and richie april the actor who played tony so well in Mean Streets-great scorsese film check it out. Ultimatle y i wll say thay my fav in order is season 6 all together, season 2, season 1, season 3 and four beijg on par- the butter head stuff was great-Noah the entertainment freakish father.byefor now and keep it real i am an original gangster says deano jackies buddy who gets his face blown off and the black girl who plays a mean chess game= look how shes developing her knights says dad as she slaughers a given up jackie jnr who is on the lamb in ng land awaiting the bullet from vito via the dumb ralph who doesnt have the balls to give the kid a pass= great stuff from season 3.
10 - Me and me and him
Season 4 is one of the worst seasons and if u ask me season 3 is like a selection of pop videos glossed with guns for the kids ... Season 1 2 are the best quite easily .......... Fact !!!!