20 years since the debut of The Sopranos

[Webster]

Still my favorite show of all time.

I think that “College” in Season 1 is among the best episodes of TV. And “Whitecaps” to end Season 4 is pretty close.

 

[Just the facts ma am]

So that's why HBO is marathoning the series this month. Started watching a random episode yesterday, and watched it for hours until it went off. I had forgotten how good the writing was and was surprised how well it has held up over the years.

 

[Just the facts ma am]

David Chase on ‘The Sopranos,’ Trump and, Yes, That Ending

 

[hondo]

My favorite moments in the series are when the characters show just how really dumb they are, Tony included. Such as Bobby confusing Quasimodo with Nostradamus and the scene in the restaurant with Paulie and Silvio about dinosaurs being killed by meteors.

And Nos. 1 and 1A in my mind:

Christopher: "Gary Cooper was gay?"

And when Dr. Melfi informs Tony that A.J.'s dark moods and obsession with death at one point means he's discovered existentialism. To which Tony responded: "****in' internet."

 

[Webster]

My favorite comedic scene is the intervention for Christopher

 

[outofplace]

My favorite moments in the series are when the characters show just how really dumb they are, Tony included. Such as Bobby confusing Quasimodo with Nostradamus and the scene in the restaurant with Paulie and Silvio about dinosaurs being killed by meteors.

And Nos. 1 and 1A in my mind:

Christopher: "Gary Cooper was gay?"

And when Dr. Melfi informs Tony that A.J.'s dark moods and obsession with death at one point means he's discovered existentialism. To which Tony responded: "****in' internet."

I caught an episode yesterday with Tim Daly as a Hollywood type who is in a program for substance abusers with Chris. Chris gets him into a high-stakes poker game and Daly's character loses big. He doesn't realize how serious it is that he can't pay up until Chris shows up with another guy and beats the crap out of him.

A few days later, Chris finds out that Daly's character is using drugs again and goes to help.

"Why didn't you call your sponsor before you used?"
"I couldn't get him."
"Why didn't you call me?"
Daly, his face still bruised and cut from the beating by Chris, just gives him this incredulous look.

Sure, it's stupid that Chris doesn't understand why Daly wouldn't come to him, but it also shows how skewed his perspective of the world has become. The beating doesn't mean he isn't the guy's friend any more. He owed money and didn't pay, so he gets a beating. It is all business, not personal. There is no reason the friendship can't resume the next day in Chris's mind.

 

[BitterYoungMatador2]

Pine Barrens will always be my favorite episode based on the laugh out loud lines.

The one where Janice killed Richie was one where I cheered out loud.

David Chase made it okay to go to work on a Monday and talk about what happened to ***** last night.

 

[poindexter]

I caught an episode yesterday with Tim Daly as a Hollywood type who is in a program for substance abusers with Chris. Chris gets him into a high-stakes poker game and Daly's character loses big. He doesn't realize how serious it is that he can't pay up until Chris shows up with another guy and beats the crap out of him.

A few days later, Chris finds out that Daly's character is using drugs again and goes to help.

"Why didn't you call your sponsor before you used?"
"I couldn't get him."
"Why didn't you call me?"
Daly, his face still bruised and cut from the beating by Chris, just gives him this incredulous look.

Sure, it's stupid that Chris doesn't understand why Daly wouldn't come to him, but it also shows how skewed his perspective of the world has become. The beating doesn't mean he isn't the guy's friend any more. He owed money and didn't pay, so he gets a beating. It is all business, not personal. There is no reason the friendship can't resume the next day in Chris's mind.

That's funny, i watched that same scene yesterday.

 

[Steak Snabler]

Interesting theory on the end (thread):

 

[Webster]

The reverse of that scene is with Davey Scantino and Tony. Scantino is the one who compartmentalizes his gambling debts.

 

[Webster]

Interesting theory on the end (thread):

I like that a lot. I've always wondered what Chase was trying to say with Phil Leotardo's death scene or the motorcycle crash from the prior episode.

 

[justgladtobehere]

I caught an episode yesterday with Tim Daly as a Hollywood type who is in a program for substance abusers with Chris. Chris gets him into a high-stakes poker game and Daly's character loses big. He doesn't realize how serious it is that he can't pay up until Chris shows up with another guy and beats the crap out of him.

A few days later, Chris finds out that Daly's character is using drugs again and goes to help.

"Why didn't you call your sponsor before you used?"
"I couldn't get him."
"Why didn't you call me?"
Daly, his face still bruised and cut from the beating by Chris, just gives him this incredulous look.

Sure, it's stupid that Chris doesn't understand why Daly wouldn't come to him, but it also shows how skewed his perspective of the world has become. The beating doesn't mean he isn't the guy's friend any more. He owed money and didn't pay, so he gets a beating. It is all business, not personal. There is no reason the friendship can't resume the next day in Chris's mind.

I agree mostly but it's not friendship; it's a relationship in 12 step program so the joke is more about Christopher's understanding of the program, which leads to an absurd, but in his mind, rationale result.

 

[outofplace]

I agree mostly but it's not friendship; it's a relationship in 12 step program so the joke is more about Christopher's understanding of the program, which leads to an absurd, but in his mind, rationale result.

That makes sense. I haven't watched all of it in a long time and I only caught that episode from the beating through the end.

 

[Chef2]

I still remember the Sopranos ending like it was yesterday.

Unbelievably awesome.

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

Interesting theory on the end (thread):

He and BYH's wife are the only ones to get it right.

 

[Chef2]

Meadow still hasn't learned how to parallel park.

 

[Cosmo]

RIP Pie-O-My

Related: RIP Ralph.

 

[CD Boogie]

Last night's final Jeopardy question in the category of TV Dramas: "So that viewers wouldn’t think it was about opera, the “R” in this show’s logo was turned into a gun."

One person said Mozart in the Park or some ****. Another guy had no answer. The returning champion answered correctly.

 

[Webster]

For me, his best adversaries were Richie and Johnny Sack. David Proval was so good as Richie -- I'll never understand why he hardly had a career since Mean Streets.

 

[Webster]

And I've said this before, but as great as the intervention scene is, the line that Tony is going to die of a heart attack when he's 50 is such a downer