I been watching the reruns on HBO for a few weeks now.
I saw them when it originally was made and shown 1999 to the end.
Soprano was a somewhat complex sympathetic character in the first few seasons with a conscience. But toward the end they had him losing it and he became just another no-self controlled bully as Pauli had always been.(Beating up on civilians for little reason)
By the end I wanted him shot but more-so I wanted someone to beat the living daylights out of that asswipe Pauli and when he made it untouched I was disappointed.
After the last season was over I realized that none of the main characters had any redeeming qualities.
Meadow was sweet though. The only one I would have liked to have got to know. Great looking too.
I picked up the first three seasons on DVD sets. Was watching it real time as well.
What I realized was that they were making the audience feel sympathetic towards a criminal who could order people to be murdered, who dealt in just plain nasty business.
It was actually quite skillfully done; you see the main character with the psychiatrist, pouring out his problems, etc., his “normal” family life - hey, he’s just a Jersey guy who loves his wife and kids, after all (except for the multiple affairs with his girlfriends) - who goes to work every day to provide for his family; now, the fact that that “providing” involved murder, narcotics, prostitution, etc., never mind - they made you overlook all that find a reason to like the guy.
Sort of like how in “Angels With Dirty Faces” form the 30s you liked Cagney’s character, even though he was a crook. But back then, “crime doesn’t pay” was the message - as he was going to the electric chair; you knew that’s where it would end up.
Now, in this time and era, evidently, crime DOES pay, is the message, and not does it pay, it pays well.
To Jim Gandolfini’s credit, he played the part well and OWNED it - and that is what every actor strives for.
His other movie and TV roles are what they are, but like Stallone with his Rocky/Rambo characters, Travolta with Vinnie Barbarino and Saturday Nite Fever, Jim Gandolfini will ALWAYS be Tony Soprano to folks, because that is where his on-screen impact was made on hearts and minds.
Sorry to lose him at such a young age. He appeared to be a really decent guy. Prayers out for his family.
I kinda liked Paulie but I really wanted to see him suffer when in a last season (I think, I may just have caught it later) episode he extorted and assaulted some poor bastard who really didn’t deserve it and in no way legitimately owed Paulie any money (he inherited his father’s business or something, I don’t remember).
Meadow seemed on to way to becoming a lawyer for terrorists. Very hot though.