Few TV shows are as revolutionary or as iconic asThe Sopranos. This groundbreaking series followsTony Soprano (played to perfection by James Gandolfini)as he tries to balance his family life with his role as the boss of a New Jersey crime family. The show’s exceptional writing, memorable characters, and stellar performances madeThe Sopranosmust-watch television for millions of viewers. Fans got hooked as they rode the New Jersey Turnpike with Tony Soprano in the opening credits, while “Woke Up This Morning” by Alabama 3 played in the background.
The Sopranos
Like any passionate fandom,The Sopranosdevotees love to discuss and analyze every detail about their favorite show. And they also love to debate. Certain topics have become triggers within theSopranoscommunity. These subjects continue to be hotly discussed, nearly 20 years after the show’s finale. Readers beware: there are plenty of spoilers below if you haven’t seenThe Sopranos.
Let’s now take a look at some of the fiercest, never-ending debates amongfans ofThe Sopranos.
10Was Tony in Purgatory After Getting Shot?
Tony falls into a catatonic state after getting shot by Uncle Junior (Dominic Chianese). While his comatose body lies in the hospital, his mind seems to have traveled to another place. In this world, Tony Soprano is no longer Tony Soprano. He’s now a traveling salesman named Kevin Finnerty, whose life seems as ordinary as his voice (Kevin doesn’t share Tony’s thick New Jersey accent). In this place, Kevin becomes stranded in Costa Mesa, California.
Sopranosfans have different interpretations of these scenes. Is it all simply a dream, a reflection of Tony’s mental state during his coma? Or has Tony’s spirit left his catatonic body and found itself in purgatory or limbo?
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‘The Sopranos’ might be different from the ‘Godfather’ trilogy, but the HBO show has numerous references to the three popular mob movies.
9Who Is the Least Likable Character?
The Sopranosis littered with detestable characters. Throughout the show, we come to share Tony’s contempt for many of the people he interacts with. But which of them is actually the worst?
Is it Uncle Junior’s errand boy, Mikey Palmice (Al Sapienza) from season 1? Tony’s irritably free-spirited sister, Janice? Or is it one of her former lovers, Richie Aprile from season 2 or Ralphie Cifaretto? Or maybe the answer is Phil Leotardo (Frank Vincent), Tony’s nemesis from the later seasons. Depending on who you ask, you’re bound to get a different answer.
8Did Ralphie Kill Pie-O-My?
As we mentioned, Ralphie Cifaretto is one of the most hated characters onThe Sopranos.But the straw that broke the camel’s back – or rather, what persuaded Tony to finally kill Ralpie – is the death of their beloved horse, Pie-O-My. After the horse dies in a fire, Tony believes that Ralphie killed Pie-O-My to earn the insurance money. Things escalate when Tony confronts Ralphie with this accusation.
Ralphie denies killing Pie-O-My, though it’s not enough to convince Tony – or stop him from killing Ralphie. At one point, Ralphie does respond to Tony’s accusations with, “But so what if I did?! My kid’s in the hospital!” Many fans interpreted this to mean that Ralphie did, in fact, set the fire that killed Pie-O-My. Other fans, however, aren’t as convinced.
7Did Tony Have Psychic Abilities?
The Sopranosis very much grounded in reality, and yet,the show features a surprising amount of supernatural phenomena. Ravens and cats come across as foreboding omens, while ominous messages are delivered to characters from beyond the grave. But one of the most prominent and recurring supernatural events in the show is…Tony Soprano’s psychic abilities?
There have been numerous instances where Tony seemingly demonstrated psychic powers, most often in the form of dreams and visions. The most notable example is in the season 2 finale, “Funhouse.” Tony experiences fever dreams that hint at the idea of his close friend and associate, Big Pussy (Vincent Pastore), being an FBI informant, even though he’s seen very little evidence to suggest it. And of course, his hunch turns out to be right. Did Tony actually have psychic abilities? Or did the writers just enjoy sprinkling supernatural elements throughout the show?
6Should Dr. Melfi Have Told Tony About Her Assault?
Tony’s relationship withhis psychiatrist, Dr. Melfi (Lorraine Bracco), was a major plot point that set off a chain of events during season 1. The two shared a fraught and complicated relationship for the rest of the show, going back and forth between liking each other and hating each other. One of the major plot points of season 3 was when Dr. Melfi was savagely assaulted by a stranger. She pursued justice afterwards through the criminal system – but nothing came from it. The rapist got away with his crime, scot-free.
At the end of the episode, Dr. Melfi shows up visibly bruised to her therapy session with Tony. She suddenly breaks down during their session, prompting Tony to ask, “You wanna say something?” you may see the gears turning in Dr. Melfi’s head as she looks at Tony, debating whether she should tell him what happened. “No,” she says firmly – and then the episode ends. Dr. Melfi’s decision divided many fans. Some people wanted her to come clean on what happened, so Tony could avenge Dr. Melfi and deliver the justice that sadly eluded her. Other fans feel like this would’ve been out of character and would’ve corrupted Dr. Melfi. To this day, it remains a hot button topic among fans.
5What Happened to the Russian?
The “Pine Barrens” episode is one of the best and most famous episodes ofThe Sopranos.Here, Paulie (Tony Sirico) and Christopher (Michael Imperioli) take a Russian adversary into the snow-covered woods to dispose of his body – only to find that he’s still alive. The Russian, a trained commando, manages to escape, leaving Paulie and Christopher stranded in the woods. The episode ends on an ominous note, with Tony warning Paulie and Christopher that the Russian will be their problem should he ever resurface.
For the next three seasons, audiences waited for the Russian to return and tie up this loose storyline. But for whatever reason, the writers never brought the character back, leaving his status an open-ended mystery. With no resolution,fans were left to debate and figure out what happened themselves. Did the Russian simply die in the woods? Did he make it out alive and go into hiding? We’ll never truly know.
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Questions still remain about what happened, and David Chase keeps adding to the confusion by both confirming and denying that Tony Soprano died.
4Which Is the Best Season?
It’s no surprise that the greatest shows come with incredible seasons of television. Many of them, though, also include some not-so-great seasons. Despite its critical acclaim,The Sopranosis no exception. Every fan knows that seasons one through three are peakSopranos,the very best the show has to offer. The later seasons…not so much.
But which season ofThe Sopranosis truly the best?Is it the first season, the one that introduces us to this zany cast of characters? Is it season 2, which introduces Richie Aprile (David Proval) and Janice Soprano (Aida Turturro)? Or perhaps it’s season 3, which introduces Ralphie Cifaretto (Joe Pantoliano) and Jackie Jr. (Jason Cerbone)? It’s a friendlier and simpler debate than others on our list, but it’s still a debate that fans ofThe Sopranoslove to engage in.
3Which Is the Best Episode?
For many fans, debating the best season ofThe Sopranosisn’t enough. They need to dive deeper anddebate the show’s greatest episode as well. The answer to most arguments is the 11th episode of season 3, the iconic “Pine Barrens” episode (more on this one later). For others, it’s the series finale, “Made in America” (more on this episode later, too).
Or if you go by IMDb, the highest-rated episode ofThe Sopranosis the 12th episode of season 5, “Long Term Parking” – the one where Adriana (Drea de Matteo) is murdered. What doyouthink?
2Did Tony Die?
You knew we had to cover this one. “Made in America” is the polarizing series finale ofThe Sopranos.Back in 2007, no one knew how things were going to end with Tony Soprano. Would he die? Would he live? Well, we never really got a straightforward answer. The final minutes of this episode feel like an eternity. Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin'” plays in the background, as Tony waits for his family to join him at the restaurant. We find ourselves at the edge of our seats, following the camera’s every movement, biting our nails whenever a new character enters the frame. Tony looks up just as his daughter, Meadow (Jamie-Lynn Sigler), walks into the restaurant, and then – that’s it. Cut to black, the episode ends.
So what the hell just happened? Did Tony die or what?Viewers have been debating this question for nearly 20 years. Die-hard fans have analyzed every little detail and nuance to discern what happened, looking. Most of them believe that Tony was murdered by the man in the “Made in America” jacket, pointing to the episode’s title and the trail of breadcrumbs that the writers left throughout the season. There are even claims that the show’s creator, David Chase himself, admitted that Tony was killed. But other fans just shrug their shoulders, unsure of what to truly believe.
1Do You Like the Finale?
Every single viewer checked their cable boxes when the finale cut to black. When it became clear that the episode, and subsequently the show, really was over, a rift formed in the fanbase. Some people loved the finale’s ambiguity and how it left Tony’s fate open to interpretation. Others were enraged by the lack of resolution, a common theme throughout the show’s run.
Hate it or love it, the finale ofThe Sopranoshas become one of the most iconic endings on TV and continues to be hotly debated to this day, nearly 20 years later.
