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The Sopranos, Season 1, Episode 1 (Patreon)

Published:
2024-04-17 23:07:35
Imported:
2026-06
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Content

"Pilot" - Kevin checking this out for the first time on his own.

Comments

Yannick Denis-Trudel

You're perhaps NOT the only one in North America that hasn't seen The Sopranos... Neither have I! So this is my "1st time" as well

Jonathan

I haven’t seen it as well, just because I never got a nudge to watch it but it has been on my watchlist. I’ll be excited to check it out with you.

Weird Magic

I have not seen this either - so I'm game to stick around until you're done!

Chris

Best show of all time!

MrRuss50

awesome you both gonna try the wire as well. thats the best show ever made IMO . Early 2000s HBO had amazing show runners like the the David Trio... David Chase The Sopranos... David Simon The Wire... and David Milch Deadwood

nj

glad you enjoyed it, and hope you keep watching on the channel. i caught something new on this viewing that i found pretty funny, although i don't know if it was at all intentional on the part of the writers. in the scene where tony tries to convince artie to go on the cruise, he says the tickets were given to him, in his capacity as the administrator of a kitchen workers health & welfare plan, by a couple of dentists as thanks for the plan's business. if true, that would likely violate a criminal statute. title 18 u.s.c. 1954 provides, in relevant part: Whoever being— (1)an administrator . . . of any employee welfare benefit plan . . . ; receives or agrees to receive . . . any fee, kickback, commission, gift, loan, money, or thing of value because of or with intent to be influenced with respect to, any of the actions, decisions, or other duties relating to any question or matter concerning such plan or any person who directly or indirectly gives or offers . . . any fee, kickback, commission, gift, loan, money, or thing of value prohibited by this section, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both: Provided, That this section shall not prohibit the payment to or acceptance by any person of bona fide salary, compensation, or other payments made for goods or facilities actually furnished or for services actually performed in the regular course of his duties as such . . . administrator . . . of such plan . . . . nerd humor.

Jeff

I'm so glad you're watching this! I understand that Joe has already seen it, and that his schedule prevents him from watching with you, but I do have a suggestion: maybe after every few episodes, or at the end of the season, the two of you record a conversation about everything you've seen. While I enjoy watching you react alone, the thoughtful discussions between the two of you about these shows bring a lot to the experience.

Ash Rahman

Contrary to your observation, this series is quite episodic. David Chase mentioned in interviews that there was pressure from HBO executives to make the show more serialized and he resisted it. His approach to the show was making each episode like a one-hour movie and you'll find that to be the case. Matthew Weiner wrote for The Sopranos starting Season 4 and he got the job after David Chase read the pilot of Mad Men which wasn't made till much later. Not to take away from how Mad Men has a unique storytelling style but you can tell the blueprint really came from The Sopranos.

JVTrickypants

Just trivia-wise, they wanted Lorraine Bracco to play Carmela but since having done basically a similar role in Goodfellas she asked to be the therapist.

JVTrickypants

David Chase wanted Steven Van Zandt for a role in the show, but Steven refused because he didn't want to take a job away from a "real" actor. So Chase wrote Silvio specifically for him and said the character wouldn't exist if Van Zandt didn't take the role.

Actuarial Lurker

Kevin- glad to see you do this given the writing link to Mad Men. Michael Imperioli is "Spider" from Goodfellas, Lorraine Braco from Goodfellas is Dr Melfi, Junior Soprano is of course Dominic Chianese who played Johnny Ola from The Godfather, Paulie Walnuts played by Tony Sirico who was an ACTUAL low level mobster arrested 28 times and did time in Sing Sing for extortion and other crimes before going legit and becoming an actor...he was Tony Stacks n Goodfellas, Silvio Dante- the Consigliere is Steven Van Zandt the guitarist and mandolinist from Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band....I will not spoil the whole host of superstar guest appearance actors....the Priest that you will meet is of course the Hobo from the first season's Hobo Code flashback from Mad Men Season 1....I had mentioned that in your Mad Men reactions....I've seen the show 5 or 6 times and there definitely are several reactors who have done or are doing The Sopranos so you should add to your subscriber base by doing the series

Actuarial Lurker

Kevin- the show is loosely based on a REAL Elizabeth and Newark NJ area DeCavalcante Mob family-that was loosely affiliated with the Gambino family most famously led by John Gotti

JVTrickypants

Also, actor who played Hesh you just saw play Toby's Dad on The West Wing.

JVTrickypants

Chase insisted everything was shot in New Jersey (or New York) so yeah, everything was on location...even the indoor scenes were in a studio there.

JVTrickypants

Yes, same restaurant (Artie's)...which is why the waiter said "It's been months since we've seen you..."

JVTrickypants

Last bit of trivia, The West Wing won the Best Drama Emmy four years in a row (The Sopranos always losing out as their first years coincided). I think after the fourth time James Gandolfini said something like, "I don't even know why we bother coming to this fucking thing." Joshua Malina, being the smart ass he is, said in response, "I thought he played Tony Soprano, not Big Pussy." LOL

JVTrickypants

Even though I was a massive West Wing fan and didn't watch The Sopranos until years later (everybody was talking about it so being a contrarian I refused to watch it for quite a few years), this show is right up there with The West Wing in overall brilliance. Regarding TWW winning the Emmy's, I think there was also an existing bias against shows that weren't on networks at the time. This was basically only the second drama HBO did after the prison show Oz, which also starred Edie Falco.

JVTrickypants
>>135497775

I have to throw another vote in for Deadwood whenever a slot opens up. I really liked the first season of The Wire, but for some reason couldn't get into season 2 even after multiple attempts. I will definitely give it another shot when you guys starting watching though.

JVTrickypants

To add along with the podcast The West Wing Weekly after you finish that show, you guys HAVE to check out the podcast Talking Sopranos. It is Michael Imperioli (Christopher) and Steve Schirripa (Bobby Baccalieri - comes on beginning of season 2). They of course have everybody on, but one of my personal favorite parts of it is that Steve Shirripa used to be a talent executive at a Vegas casino and he does....not....give...a fuck....about telling you who the biggest cheapskates, assholes, and scumbags are in the entertainment world, including the biggest names. I enjoy that honesty lol.

heheheheheh

Ok, now I definitely can't leave this Patreon :) Mad Men, The Wire and The Sopranos being my 3 favourite tv shows.

Brian Harris

So glad you’re checking this out. I think it is THE most important pop cultural artifact of its era. I don’t know that there’s another piece of fiction that more accurately portrays American life at the turn of the century. Its influence is hard to overstate. The thing I love about it is it defies expectations at every turn. David Chase absolutely gave the finger to convention episode after episode and season after season. It’s never quite what you expect. And these performances! Gandolfini’s work in this was huge for me as an actor. I play a lot of the same kinds of parts he does, so he’s inspirational for me. I rip him off all the time, especially his rage.

Skinny_Obelix

aargh the playback speed is massively different from mine, impossible to watch :(

Youtalkingtome
>>135515411

It was clear many of the shots were on location. That's great, because you really get the feel of the setting in those great wide shots.

Youtalkingtome
>>135525201

He displayed so much depth in this one episode, and much of it non-verbal. His inner-turmoil and discomfort in the therapy sessions really are a master class.

Chris

The guy Tony and Christopher beat up at the beginning is Burt Peterson from Mad Men.

Skinny_Obelix
>>135531595

Let's just say I'm working on a solution, but I can't talk about it. Completely unrelated... Black Sails is a great and underrated show.

Youtalkingtome
>>135516391

The network-versus-cable differences between the two shows, including in how they were received, is worthy of a dissertation.

Youtalkingtome
>>135514042

So far, he is perfect in the role, too. I know it's a short sample size, but he completely fits the part.

Actuarial Lurker
>>135515411

Satrioli's Pork Store where Christopher shot the guy snorting coke is a real store. It is based loosely on the Ravenite Social Club. They used to give Sopranos tours, don't know if they still do of a Strip Club and various other hangouts and the real house that Tony lives in- sort of like the Hollywood Tours

Actuarial Lurker
>>135516391

Also the subject matter- with the nudity, close-up violence, cursing. It was sort of the Game of Thrones style pseudo porn of the time. I laughed when you wondered if Tony cheats and then got introduced to his Ukrainian girlfriend. Since you are watching Mad Men too- Tony has sex with more women who aren't his wife in a few episodes than Don Draper has in the 5 and 2/3 seasons you and Joe have watched so far....on youtube you can find a comedy sketch where The Sopranos has been syndicated onto the Christian cable channel Pax World, and the 48 minute episode lasts 2 minutes after edits.

Actuarial Lurker
>>135514942

There are the 5 families in real life fictionalized for The Godfather. There are a bunch of satellite mobs in NJ, Phillie, KC, Chicago of course. The interesting thing is that the NY mob views the NJ mob as a joke. In real life the Gambinos probably had 400-500 members in the Gotti era while this real DeCavalcante family probably had 30-40

Sarah P
>>135531595

If it’s an issue of which streaming you’re using, please let me know if the workaround . . . doesn’t.

Roland Cooke

I watched four, maybe five of the six seasons when it was first on, don't remember why I didn't tune in for the final season(s), probably just life got in the way. I remember enjoying the pilot (officially "The Sopranos", but semi-officially "Pilot"), but I hadn't appreciate until this re-watch just how immense it is. I'll definitely be joining you and the rest of the Watch This! crowd for the (re)watch, not least to understand the fuss about the ending, this is such a great community. P.S. The actress that plays Meadow is now 42 years old....

Roland Cooke

That half-smile from Livia (Tony's mother) in the car at the end....chilling. :O Not an uncommon Italian name obviously, but it wouldn't surprise me if it was a shout-out to Livia from I, Claudius. Roman Livia is the kind of lady who if bitten by a viper...it would be the viper that would die of poisoning. Here's her giving a...ahem....pep talk to some gladiators: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-prpMKQboA Livia Soprano...well, wait and see. :) + The performance from the guy that plays Uncle Junior is superlative, doesn't get enough love because his character is just so aggravating, simply brilliant acting. :D

Roland Cooke
>>135640023

Ha! I just listened to the podcast and Michael Imperioli confirmed the origin of the name! 🤣🤣🤩🤩

Joy M
>>135640023

Uncle Junior was played by Dominic Chianese. He’s 93 years old now. He also played Johnny Ola in the Godfather II. He is also a dead ringer for my Italian grandfather.

Roland Cooke
>>135640023

I totally missed that he was Johnny Ola, thanks for that info. And I love that he looks like your grandpa! 🤩

CB

I've been hoping that you would do this! Every time you two talked about The Sopranos and you said you had never seen it I was thinking you should watch it here. I also thought it was hilarious that you didn't recognize Burt Peterson, lol! But seriously this is one of my favorite shows of all time. The acting and writing are superb. I think you will enjoy the ride, and I know that your insightful commentary will do it justice and enhance my viewing experience as well.