The Sopranos, writer-producer-director David Chase's
extraordinary television series, is nominally an urban gangster
drama, but its true impact strikes closer to home: Like 1999's other
screen touchstone, American Beauty, the HBO series chronicles
a dysfunctional, suburban American family in bold relief. And for
protagonist Tony Soprano, there's the added complexity posed by
heading twin families, his collegial mob clan and his own, nouveau
riche brood.
The series' brilliant first season is built around what Tony
learns when, whipsawed between those two worlds, he finds himself
plunged into depression and seeks psychotherapy--a gesture at odds
with his midlevel capo's machismo, yet instantly recognizable as a
modern emotional test. With analysis built into the very spine of
the show's elaborate episodic structure, creator Chase and his
formidable corps of directors, writers, and actors weave an
unpredictable series of parallel and intersecting plot arcs that
twist from tragedy to farce to social realism. While creating for a
smaller screen, they enjoy a far larger canvas than a single movie
would afford, and the results, like the very best episodic
television, attain a richness and scope far closer to a novel than
movies normally get.
Unlike Francis Coppola's operatic dramatization of Mario Puzo's
Godfather epic, The Sopranos sustains a poignant, even
mundane intimacy in its focus on Tony, brought to vivid life by
James Gandolfini's mercurial performance. Alternately seductive,
exasperated, fearful, and murderous, Gandolfini is utterly
convincing even when executing brutal shifts between domestic comedy
and dramatic violence. Both he and the superb team of
Italian-American actors recruited as his loyal (and, sometimes,
not-so-loyal) henchmen and their various "associates" make this mob
as credible as the evocative Bronx and New Jersey locations where
the episodes were filmed.
The first season's other life force is Livia Soprano, Tony's
monstrous, meddlesome mother. As Livia, the late Nancy Marchand
eclipses her long career of patrician performances to create an
indelibly earthy, calculating matriarch who shakes up both families;
Livia also serves as foil and rival to Tony's loyal, usually
level-headed wife, Carmela (Edie Falco). Lorraine Bracco makes
Tony's therapist, Dr. Melfi, a convincing confidante, by turns
"professional," perceptive, and sexy; the duo's therapeutic
relationship is also depicted with uncommon accuracy. Such grace
notes only enrich what's not merely an aesthetic high point for
commercial television, but an absorbing film masterwork that deepens
with subsequent screenings. --Sam Sutherland
Anthony Soprano, a
capo in the
DiMeo Crime Family, begins therapy with Dr.
Jennifer Melfi after having anxiety attacks. His mother,
Livia, refuses to move to a nursing home. Tony's
Uncle Junior wants to use Tony's friend's restaurant as
a location for a murder, but Tony prevents this by having
the restaurant blown up.
Christopher Moltisanti, Tony's nephew, murders the
representative of a Czech mob that was trying to move in on
the family waste management company.
Christopher and
Brendan Filone begin hijacking trucks. When they find
that the owner of the trucks pays Junior for protection,
their drug addictions prevent them from respecting Junior's
orders to stop.
Carmela asks Tony for a favor involving
A.J.'s science teacher's stolen car. After one too many
accidents, Tony forces Livia to move into a nursing home
against her will.
The Sopranos hire the
Buccos to cater a dinner party. Tony's daughter,
Meadow, asks Christopher and Brendan for
speed to help stay awake for
SAT
preparation. Tony accepts the task of securing a divorce for
a Hasidic Jew's daughter. Junior unleashes retribution upon
Christopher and Brendan for their truck hijackings.
Tony has his friend
Detective Vin Makazian follow Dr. Melfi after she
appears in his dreams. Christopher calls for retaliation
against Junior and
Mikey Palmice for the death of Brendan. The question of
who will be
Jackie Aprile's successor arises.
Tony and Meadow travel to
Maine to visit colleges; and they discuss the nature of
Tony's "business". Carmela fights the
flu, and seeks comfort from
Father Intintola after finding out that Tony's secret
therapist is female. Tony comes across an old associate who
has joined the
Witness Protection Program and tracks him down for
"business" purposes.
Uncle Junior is appointed boss of the
DiMeo crime family. Tony engineers a way to get Junior
to extend some leniency to a close Jewish friend. Carmela
and Tony's 18th anniversary dinner turns sour. The
Prozac Dr. Melfi prescribes for Tony begins taking a
negative toll on his
libido, though his recurring dreams lead him to become
attracted to her.
A.J. and his friends steal some
sacramental wine and arrive to gym class drunk. Tony
thinks little of the incident, until the school psychologist
informs him that his son may have
ADHD. Tony reflects on his own childhood antics in
therapy. A.J. is punished by being grounded and forced to
visit his grandmother, Livia, on a daily basis for three
weeks.
The
Lupertazzi Crime Family goes on the lam to avoid
possible indictments from the
FBI. Tony and his
crew, though not including Christopher, are named as
possible subjects in a grand jury investigation. Christopher
is depressed by his exclusion; he has nightmares, and
unsuccessfully tries to shift his focus by writing a
screenplay. Livia learns of news that shocks her and passes
the news to Junior.
Parents are shocked when a successful high
school coach commits a terrible crime. Gossip reaches Tony
regarding Junior's sexual
secrets. Junior is humiliated when Tony makes open
references to them, and
Roberta.
According to the suggestions of Dr. Melfi and
Carmela, Tony attempts to be more social by getting to know
some of his neighbors better. Christopher and his girlfriend
Adriana La Cerva befriend rap mogul
Massive Genius. Christopher agrees to help Adriana
produce a demo for a band, though one of its members is her
ex-boyfriend. Massive Genius threatens to sue Hesh for
supposedly stolen music royalties.
A tip from Vin Makazian leads Tony to make a
tough decision regarding one of his most trusted friends.
Tony has
Paulie Walnuts keep an eye on things. Junior, Mikey and
Chucky Signore, after conferring with Livia, conspire
together to consolidate power.
Despite prescriptions for Prozac and
lithium from Dr. Melfi, Tony falls into chronic
depression. He hallucinates meeting Isabella, a beautiful
Italian exchange student staying at the
Cusamanos', which temporarily lifts his spirits.
Junior's plan is put into action. The FBI pay a visit to the
Sopranos.
Junior agrees with Tony on the situation with
Jimmy Altieri. Tony finds out about his mother and uncle's
plot. He warns Dr. Melfi that her life may be in danger.
Christopher, Paulie, and
Silvio Dante take care of family business. Tony's friend
Artie Bucco re-opens his restaurant.
