Tuesday, October 9, 2012

TV Series of the Month – The Sopranos


This month’s TV series is The Sopranos (1999-2007).

The modern crime drama is about Tony Soprano, a New Jersey mob boss who suddenly has feelings that cause him to have panic attacks. Fearing that this could be taken as weakness putting his life in danger, he seeks the help of a therapist in secret – where he must work through personal and business related issues to get at the root cause of his attacks. Airing on HBO for six seasons, the series was created by David Chase (a veteran TV writer who also created the short-lived series Almost Grown; he is currently set to release his first feature Not Fade Away). In addition to Chase, the show had a fantastic writing staff, highlighted by Terence Winter (creator of Boardwalk Empire) and Matthew Weiner (creator of Mad Men). The show has a brilliant cast, making a star out of lead James Gandolfini. The series also starred Edie Falco, Lorraine Bracco, Michael Imperioli, Dominic Chianese, Tony Sirico, Robert Iler, Steve Van Zandt, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Drea de Matteo, Aida Turturro, and Steve Schirripa, and an impressive guest list including Steve Buscemi and Joe Pantoliano. This is one of the shows that changed television for the better (along with things like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Freaks and Geeks), ushering in the current golden age (in which TV is better than cinema). The Sopranos is a must-see for all fans of great dramas, but especially those that love crime dramas and gangster films. The writing and characters are wonderful, and still among the best ever on TV. Check out the trailer.


Available on Blu-ray, DVD (the complete series) and Streaming

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