So been plowing through Sopranos again last few days, through Season 4 now. First time I really didn't get into it because all the irrational dunderhead characters bothered me, but its been better this time around (with an eye towards the symbolism...scenes with meat, the Tony/animal empathy, generational differences, etc).

Still my main problem is that I hate literally all the characters, but I suppose that's the point. It's interesting to try to rank the least likeable characters between Christopher, Janice, A.J (notwithstanding Livia who was basically a 2 dimensional foil for Tony's issues, and the other minor characters like Ralph, Jackie Jr., Bevilacqua, etc).

Then again, I can't deny that there are some great characters (especially Junior) and some of the scenes/plot points are hilarious (e.g., the Paulie and his mom's nursing home bullying storyline). Think my favorite episodes in S 1-4 are when Tony and Meadow go to Bowdoin, the Chris and Jon Favreau episode, and when Tony goes to Italy

Did you guys see HBO's hour-long special on Gandolfini?

BigEd76 wrote:Did you guys see HBO's hour-long special on Gandolfini?

Watched today on the DVR......really good

Started watching from the beginning. Before this, maybe saw a handful of episodes. Started season 3 last night.

Ace Rothstein wrote:

BigEd76 wrote:Did you guys see HBO's hour-long special on Gandolfini?

Watched today on the DVR......really good

no, but i know the ending

Has anyone watched Steven van Sandt's Lilyhammer show on Netflix? I watched season 1, it was pretty good. I've never watched Sopranos.

(Zandt). and No.

cartersDad26 wrote:Has anyone watched Steven van Sandt's Lilyhammer show on Netflix? I watched season 1, it was pretty good. I've never watched Sopranos.

Just got done with season 2....meh it was ok, nothing great to me but kept my interest enough to watch it....the finale was pretty good

Saw the rape episode the other night. Yikes.

I wish they'd come out with a version that edits out all of Meadow's scenes. Can't stand her.

she's dreamy

I've been re-watching one show each night as hbo shows one a night starting from the beginning (I know I can watch on hbogo but this pace works for me). It's obviously a good show, but I don't know if the Wire or BB has unduly influenced me or it just didn't age well (some of the episodes are now 15 years old) or what but I'm downgrading it.

The cast after you get beyond Tony and Carm is basically awful. I mean I know that they intentionally went authentic and the like, but it's such a broad cast and so many of them aren't any good at acting. This is probably also the case with the Wire by the way.

The stuff with the mother and AJ/Meadow is just painful in a non-entertaining way.

Nobody's any good. I think Joe touched on this and I get that no one is purely good in real life, but they've made it cartoonish in the other way.

I'm watching every night, so it obviously isn't terrible but...

Finished up last night. Agree with the cartoonish comment. I know Chase said about how he wasn't trying to do meta, but come on.

AJ Soprano is an amazing character. you need to be a millennial to understand...

I think it's probably common for a groundbreaking show not to age well. If one measure of a show's aging well is continued popularity in syndication, even noting that it's tougher for dramas in syndication than comedies, think about how shows that were path breaking at the time are never seen in syndication--Homicide, Hill Street Blues, even LA Law and 30 Something were pathbreaking and popular but as far as I know have never been widely syndicated.

One of the things about the show I thought was interesting is that unlike most "mafia" movies and shows, I found myself rooting for Tony et al to get arrested and convicted. I also figured Meadow would ultimately be the one to take over the family business.

Sticking with my earlier comments about Meadow. Least favorite character. So annoying.

http://reason.com/archives/2014/01/22/t ... golden-age

How HBO came about, and a look at what created this "Golden Age"

kruker wrote:I wish they'd come out with a version that edits out all of Meadow's scenes. Can't stand her.

janice does seem more like your type

The last season gets a lot of shit. Just watching Heidi & Kennedy. What a great episode along with Blue Comet. Frank Vincent was great in the final run.

kruker wrote:Sticking with my earlier comments about Meadow. Least favorite character. So annoying.

Hot enough to offset the annoying elements.

I thought AJ was the weak character. He did improve some, but hardly a worthy fruit of the loin. Tony shoulda had a couple of bastard Jon Snow types.