When this show was on TV, I never had HBO, so I never watched it. In the last few seasons, my friends tried to get me to watch it, but I had no interest because I'd missed the first 4 seasons, and I didn't want to just jump in. I ended up buying the complete series on DVD a few months ago and just got done watching the whole thing straight through. Before it started, I figured I'd enjoy it but wouldn't really buy into the hype, but it exceeded my expectations by a mile. Though I wasn't a big fan of the ending.

What are your favorite episodes, characters, etc? Having only watched the episodes once, the one that stuck in my head the most was Pine Barrens in Season 3.

Favorite shows were probably "College" and "Boca" from season one. I also missed the first three seasons. I got the entire collection for Christmas and just love it. I did watch the last three seasons though so I really did jump in late.

My favorite characters were Paulie and Chris. But Tony Soprano might be the greatest character in television history.

FTN wrote:Having only watched the episodes once, the one that stuck in my head the most was Pine Barrens in Season 3.

I haven't seen this one, but they get stuck in the Pine Barrens in the snow? Holy crap, that place scared me shit -less once. I can't imagine being stuck there at night, let alone in the snow.

I don't know the episode title, but the episode where Dr. Melfi is raped always blows me away.

No single episode of anything puts a greater exclamation point on morality and challenges the audience to a greater degree than this one. In most other situations the audience is along for the "ride" (or vicarious shock/thrill) in experiencing the difference between what Tony & Crew can get away with versus what you and I can - but in this story, the writers challenge the audience to want Tony's freedom to break the law so desperately, despite the challenge of whether or not we should. This episode is just an absolute masterpiece of writing. The last five minutes are a mind-numbing emotional experience. I was literally breathless at the end.

Other than Pine Barrens, the one when Adrianna got shot stands out for me.

For the final episode, I actually loved the ending.

This sounds like a ripoff of "The Sopranos"

I forget where I saw it (I'll look for the link), but I read an awesome interpretation of the final episode on the web somewhere. Chock full o' symbolism and subconscious stuff going on

Woody wrote:I forget where I saw it (I'll look for the link), but I read an awesome interpretation of the final episode on the web somewhere. Chock full o' symbolism and subconscious stuff going on

This one? It greatly enhanced my appreciation of the ep.

http://www.bobharris.com/content/view/1406/1/

He never really woke up from the coma!

Grotewold wrote:

Woody wrote:I forget where I saw it (I'll look for the link), but I read an awesome interpretation of the final episode on the web somewhere. Chock full o' symbolism and subconscious stuff going on

This one? It greatly enhanced my appreciation of the ep.

http://www.bobharris.com/content/view/1406/1/

Yep, that's it. Good stuff

Woody wrote:

Grotewold wrote:

Woody wrote:I forget where I saw it (I'll look for the link), but I read an awesome interpretation of the final episode on the web somewhere. Chock full o' symbolism and subconscious stuff going on

This one? It greatly enhanced my appreciation of the ep.

http://www.bobharris.com/content/view/1406/1/

Yep, that's it. Good stuff

I've eaten at Holsten's a couple of times.

Good job, Paul.

Most of the great Sopranos episodes involved major characters getting whacked.

Maybe my two favorites--aside from "Pine Barrens," which is unreal, and the one Vox mentioned, which is also outstanding--are the ones in which they kill Big P*ssy, and the one where Sylvio does in Adriana.

The power of the Big P episode comes, one, from Tony's fever dream in which he finally puts it all together--this was a bit of deus ex machina, but it was done so well that I didn't mind--and two, how upset they all are at actually having to go through with it. That Big P keeps reappearing in spectral form (in dreams, reflected in mirrors, seen from the corner of Tony's eye) through the rest of the series, dredging up guilt and even doubt in Tony and others, lets the writers keep drawing power from that scene.

But "Long-Term Parking," Adriana's demise, is maybe my favorite of the whole series. Part of it was how terrific the actress was throughout the five seasons--I can't remember any other character on TV for whom I felt both so much lust and sympathy. But what really made it for me was the one moment where you think Christopher might turn state's evidence and go into Witness Protection with Adriana. He leaves their place to get cigarettes, and at the convenience store he sees this raggedy family in a beat-to-hell old Chevy. The father looks like he hasn't bathed in a week. The mom is overweight and unstylish, but looks like she might once have been beautiful. The kids look dead-eyed and ill cared for.

The next thing you see is Ade getting a call from Tony that Christopher attempted suicide, and that Syl would come pick her up to take her to the hospital. There's one shot after that of Adriana driving south--and you think she must have figured it out and is getting out of Dodge... but then it cuts back to her in Syl's car, and you know what's coming next.

I also really liked the second-to-last episode, in which Bobby gets killed in the hobby shop.

That writeup just changed my life.

With the Pine Barrens episode, I wonder why they didn't actually film it in the Pine Barrens. I mean, they filmed it in terrain that didn't look at all like the Pine Barrens. I suppose shooting in there poses lots of difficulties, among them perhaps lack of snow.

ep from season 1 when Tony and gang takes out most of Uncle Junior's crew and the previous episode (Tony in a slump, can't get out of bed, imagines the hot Italian chick living next door) where Tony survives the hit attempts and it ends with Cream's "I Feel Free."

my favorite characters were Paulie, Joey Pants (Ralphie), and Uncle Junior - who looks just like my gf's father.

Trent Steele wrote:This sounds like a ripoff of "The Sopranos"

it was late. fixed. douche

Pine Barrens and Funhouse are my two favorites. I also really enjoyed the last two of the series.

VoxOrion wrote:I don't know the episode title, but the episode where Dr. Melfi is raped always blows me away.

No single episode of anything puts a greater exclamation point on morality and challenges the audience to a greater degree than this one. In most other situations the audience is along for the "ride" (or vicarious shock/thrill) in experiencing the difference between what Tony & Crew can get away with versus what you and I can - but in this story, the writers challenge the audience to want Tony's freedom to break the law so desperately, despite the challenge of whether or not we should. This episode is just an absolute masterpiece of writing. The last five minutes are a mind-numbing emotional experience. I was literally breathless at the end.

I've always thought it was the moral center of gravity for the series, potential tipping point, whatever you want to call it. And all of it from that pregnant pause at the very end after Tony says, "Do you have something you want to tell me?" Knowing that Melfi could have had revenge/justice, but at the cost of falling fully into Tony's orbit, which means eventual destruction.

I absolutely cannot watch the rape scene ever again.

she actually tore her ACL during that