Warning: Spoilers Ahead
“Character & Relational Depth > Plot Depth” is my small sum-up of what differentiates The Sopranos from a lot of other TV shows I love. We are not here for revelation in these character’s journeys, but rather to be discomforted by their anchored, connected souls.
The opening scene to the sixth season of The Sopranos with its “Seven Souls” song may be the most aesthetically pleasing choice the show has showcased thus far. The final scene of season six though, is pretty genius as well, encapsulating the entire point of the hours upon hours that we have witnessed of Tony’s life. And ughhh… the deaths are handled so well too, although, I don’t necessarily think this makes it the best season of the show still, but it definitely is a damn fitting ending in consistency with the show’s usual quality, even with some minor slip-ups in its extended pacing.
Let’s talk about where the family leaves off in the final season though. Broadly, AJ’s downfall seems to occur because he has a father who wants him to not do what he does yet overlooks the concept that his son genetically comes from the makeup of someone who indulged in a violent, criminal lifestyle since he was a teenager. His lack of support and ambiguity of good character confused AJ into the direction we see in those final episodes, showing the fragile nature of generational success or growth into other outlets that come from corrupt initiators. Carmela’s persona has revolved around her turning a blind eye towards everything, while Tony’s psychopathic lifestyle and furthermore deceitful persona violently clashed with Carmela’s ignorance, and to raise a kid under this and the natural anxiety pretenses that come of being a Soprano was hellstorm in the making. Like Meadow too, however, they sought rebellious natures that directly went against their parents’ professions; their innocence is dead yet what motivates them. Tony has always barely been able to handle this sort of family; he is living on the iceberg, from thereon onward, and forever till he is caught.
The shows I respect the most are usually the ones that aren’t afraid to understand the most sociopathic kinds of people because while it is hard to watch, it’s important for us to rationalize the criminal environment we live in so we can learn to counteract it with a more knowledgeable approach, even in our day to day lives as a normal citizen, talking to strangers we can’t quite read. Nonetheless, inceptions are a good place to start tracking reasons for behavior.
Verdict: B+
The Sopranos Season Rankings:
#1 – Season 3
#2 – Season 1
#3 – Season 6
#4 – Season 2
#5 – Season 4
#6 – Season 5
“The Sopranos” is now streaming on HBO Max.
Burning the Celluloid 
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