Doesnt appear to be a thread for this… although I am sure there will be. Ive not searched back too far, because I dont want any spoilers.

Having missed it first time round, i decided to take advantage of it being run from the beginning on Sky Atlantic.

Series 1 started very slow. By the end of it, it was enjoyable.
I stuck with it solely because of the amount of times i hear it credited as being the 'best ever' and all the awards etc etc.


Just watched S2 Ep 1 last night (think I have Ep 2 ready to go).
Whilst it is very enjoyable… and I look forward to watching it… i am not blown away by it.

Its not like 24 or Dexter or Lost that we're absolutely addictive viewing.
Granted, after about 5 series' of 24 and Lost… the appeal wained a bit.

Just wondering why all the high praise and plaudits?

Found it a slow burner through series 2 but build in series 2. It is series 3 is where it gets going IMO.:

"Pine Barrens" in series 3 is as good as TV gets again IMO.

Got to agree with that , its a modern day classic, and ive watched it loads of times.
The series just get better and better, by the end , you really have a connection with the characters, Paulie Walnuts and Johnny Sack are two of my favourites.
I dont think it will ever be bettered, and when you compare it with the drivel we are served up with from BBC and ITV, you have to give the yanks a bit of credit.

This or the Wire are the best series ever to be screened on t.v.

Stick with it, you will not be disappointed.

I've been doing the same Zimmerman, missed it first time round too. Been enjoying it but like yourself not must see TV yet anyway. I have about 5 episodes to watch so am a little behind. Pleased to hear it gets better, I guess I will probably catch up now that the footy is winding down.

There are 86 episodes, watched all of them, most on a DVD box set, the last series on TV. I had no problem staying with it, though, a few episodes were odd, generally enjoyed the series.

Some unexpected twists to come

The best?

Personally, I found Deadwood the 'best' from HBO.

I'd never seen The Sopranos till about 2 months ago. But it's got to Series 2 Episode 2 before I can say that I'm hooked

Generally I'm not a huge fan of cop shows and especially not anything out of the US besides comedies, but just started watching The Wire and it is just unbelievably good. Probably the best thing I've seen on a screen. Rattled through 3 and a bit seasons in two weeks. Sheeeeeeit, I'm tired

If The Sopranos genuinely deserves to be spoken in the same breath then it will be my next download.

It certainly does, but IMHO you'd have been better off starting with The Sopranos as that set a new standard in modern TV drama that was subsequently eclipsed by The Wire. As you say, tedbull, the later quickly becomes a sleep-depriving addiction.

After coming out of Wire rehab, I'm now looking forward to Treme. While realising that there is little, or no chance, that it will top The Wire - I'm sure that it will still be great viewing in its own right.

Sorry you're looking forward to what ?

EDIT I've googled it now - you know when it starts on Sky Atlantic?

We just finished Series 4 on the complete Box Set yesterday. I do like the Sopranos a lot, but it is a very different pace from The Wire, and the odd episode has events quite out of the blue that really don't make much sense in my eyes - sort of one episode events that really don't add much to the central storyline threads.

Personally I found The Wire more enjoyable, and definitely more addictive. They are both a different class from the likes of 24 and Lost IMHO, which really are just simple old-school cliff-hangers for my money.

Any Soprano first timers still watching on Atlantic?
Think it was S5 Ep 2 this week;

When the fook did Tony's sister get married? Was it just us, or did that not get mentioned till now?

I'm still watching, although haven't seen the last two yet.

She wasn't married in any I've seen so far.

Still enjoying it, good telly.

I'm watching it weekly on Sky Atlantic too - not seen the last episode yet

Is there a similar thread for The Wire - I'm 3 episodes into that

thats not a spoiler by the way.

It seems an insignificance in the show…. its just dropped into conversation.

The only thing it spoils is you and your mrs looking at each other, pausing it and saying have we missed an episode?

Yep, we thought (and did) exactly the same.

I know time is meant to have moved on between the end of Season 4 and the start of Season 5 but it seemed a bit odd that the fact that they're now married was only mentioned in passing.

Same here, both of us wondering how we missed Janet getting married.

Bit of a jump from eating the pasta made by the deceased wife scene.

In the previous episode there was a scene where she lost her wedding ring in the rubbish bin after she cooked dinner for Tony and the rest of the family. So she was married then. That was the first episode of a new series maybe that had something to do with it.

You guys up to date, you watched this week's episode yet?



The weirdest (and most pointless) episode ever!

Yep watched it and thought it was easily the weakest episode I've seen so far.

It started well but as soon as the dream sequence kicked in things went rapidly downhill...

Season 5 finished, last couple of episodes have been excellent.

Just season 6 to go; although I think it's much longer than the other seasons.

Some brilliant characters. Really enjoying it. Will be sorry to finish it.

Still some unexpected story lines to come Zim

I obviously wont tell you the ending, I'll just say I was disappointed.

Season 6 starts next week on Sky Atlantic if anyone's interested.

Still haven't managed to watch the Sopranos. Three or four times I've tried and never been able to get past the tedium of the first two episodes.

How long is it before it gets interesting? If its season 3 as suggested above then I probably can't be bothered.

Just started Breaking Bad last night. Now that's how a show should start!

I've been watching the soprano's since it started on sky Atlantic and have really enjoyed it - apart for the odd weird dream episode, as someone else stated on here they don't seem to add much, one of the writers must be a psychologist?!

A friend recommended it to me a year or two ago but I couldn't get into it, not sure what changed this time round, it's definately a slow burner but I look forward to each new episode with excitement!

It's never massively action packed edge of your seat stuff, for me it's more characters that you get to "know" and like. Some of the characters are excellent and really well played.

I'm also on with Breaking Bad (about 3 episodes into Season 2).

Enjoyed the last couple of episodes but kinda glad there's only one more season to go...

Anyone else know that Silvio was/is actually a musician (part of Bruce's band (I've refrained from making any "Boss" gags)).

Real name Steven Van Zandt (shares my birthday too).
Ms Z was watching America Idol the other night and he was on it.

I remember watching the first few episodes and thinking I had seen him before somewhere.
Had to google it. Not bad for his first acting job.
He was carrying quite a bit of timber since the 'Born to Run' days.

It is impossible to limit a sprawling, 70+ hours TV drama to one central theme, but for me The Sopranos is mainly about the de-glamourization of the mob life. Tony, his pals, and his gang rivals have a great deal of money and power. They can buy whatever they want and get pretty much anything they want. Nothing, however, can hide the fact that they are largely ignorant thugs. Tony is a fairly obvious sociopath with extremely limited feelings for anyone else and Paulie is a pure sociopath. We are never given the sense that they experience anything resembling true happiness or fulfillment. The emptiness of their lives is apparent and unattractive. That is why Goodfellas, not The Godfather, is the film that appears to have inspired it.

Another thing I like about The Sopranos is the way it holds all the institutions and professions of the modern world up to merciless ridicule. They portray lawyers, politicians, police, the Catholic church, the FBI, and of course the psychiatric profession as either selfish, immoral, corrupt, hypocritical, incompetent or hopelessly naive. Absolutely nothing escapes the satirical sword of this series. The writing is brilliant, it is often hysterically funny and as someone mentioned about the Pine Barrens episode is one of the best ever to appear on TV, although the one where Tony and Meadow go college shopping is also terrific.

As a Jersey boy from Essex County my highlight came in the episode after his mom, who is some piece of work, died, and Tony and Janice started going through the things in her basement. Tony pulled his high school letter for playing football out of a box and my jaw dropped as I realized it was from West Orange High School. MY high school. I still have my two identical letters as a varsity athlete in track and cross country. Yes, I went to high school with Tony Soprano! Sort of. Lets just say there were a couple of big Italian kids who were always after my lunch money.

Watched Pine Barrens episode for the third time the other night definitely great TV have watched all the sopranos series twice highly recommended