The Sopranos

splashthecash

Just got me the full boxset of the Sopranos...never watched an episode before. I am 4 episodes in now and its pretty good so far, all the characters are interesting. My question is...a year or two ago when the final episode was shown, i heard everyone going on about the last scene and decided to look at it on youtube, thinking that I'd never watch the series. So i know what happens in the last scene...will this take away from the series as a whole do you think??

Sad Professor

Not at all. The episodes are mostly standalone.

Besides, you may change your mind about what happened in that final scene after watching the whole series.

Dont be at yourself

It was the journey that made the final scene worthwhile.



See what I did there?

allprops

Even though many characters still remain by the end, it is still worth seeing TV and it is amazing how great the thing is. I loved the Wire but nothing compares to the consistently high standards that The Sopranos set for itself. It is operatic in that you could watch it without listening to the words and still enjoy it. In fact must try changing the language settings to Italian and see how it comes out.

Vim Fuego

The final scene is pretty meaningless taken out of context I think.

Enjoy it man, one of the consistently best shows ever. I think there was a dip around season 5 but everything else is excellent. Love it!

armchairninja

Just finished the boxset last night myself, having never watched an episode before! I loved every minute of it, thought that it was great TV, and having watched, and loved, The Wire before, I couldnt believe how much better this was, the depth of the characters, the dark humour, the story lines, just the whole package was quality!
I like you, also watched the last seen on youtube a few years ago, when all the hype was around, and having seen it again last night, I'm still not sure what to make of it, and have been going around all morning thinking about it!:D

Hope you enjoy the boxset, I know I did!

beanyb

Vim Fuego wrote: »

The final scene is pretty meaningless taken out of context I think.

Absolutely. I watched the whole show through knowing what the final scene was and it didnt limit my enjoyment at all. I also knew a couple of big things that I do actually wish I hadnt known, but knowing the final scene wasnt a problem. And it's a fairly ambiguous scene anyway!

adamski8

Just finished the last ep of season 4 myself last night, watching an episode a day. Heard what the last scene was as well but that doesnt bother me, dont know why it should really

slave1

Gotta be careful reading these threads as I still have the last two seasons to watch.
While they're there I have something to look forward to but after I watch them that will be it, I won't rewatch.
Saving them for the void post Lost

sprinkles

Sad Professor wrote: »

Not at all. The episodes are mostly standalone.

Besides, you may change your mind about what happened in that final scene after watching the whole series.

I wouldn't say they are necessarily standalone. I know people who have dipped in and out of the show and are completely lost at what's going on - leading me to have to explain what they missed!! So annoying.

pickarooney

allprops wrote: »

Even though many characters still remain by the end, it is still worth seeing TV and it is amazing how great the thing is.

Huh? Your metric of what makes a good show is how many characters die during it?

DazMarz

The Sopranos was easily one of the best television series ever made, without a doubt. It had everything; the best acting, the best writing, the best characters... it was an almost flawless entity. Very few television series are able to measure up to it in terms of an almost endless quality on all fronts.

It was also littered with references to pop culture, religion, mysticism and was in possession of one of the most darkly comic sense of humours of any television programme ever.

The fact that you know of the infamous ending will not detract from the brilliance of preceeding episodes. Watch from Series One onward, see the progression and development and prepare to be enthralled, glued and fixated.

Littleroo

Its the best show ever made......I cried buckets when they aired the last ep....also you will watch the box set again....its one of thoses shows u could watch again and again

MagicMarker

It's probably a good thing you know how the last episode ends, at least you won't be confused as fúck like everyone else was...

rovert

Bin the last 2 1/2 series

BrianJD

Just watched Episode 1 of Series 1. Really enjoyed it and looking forward to episode 2 tomorrow. I watched the first 3 episodes of the Wire and it just didn,t do it for me. I may go back to it but I'm def gonna give the Sopranos a good effort.

rovert

BrianJD wrote: »

I watched the first 3 episodes of the Wire and it just didn,t do it for me.

This IS the majority initial reaction to the WIRE proceed on trust me.

transylman

rovert wrote: »

Bin the last 2 1/2 series

After series 4 there was a drop in quality, but up until then top notch stuff. Shame too as the end of series 4 would have been a perfect end to the show, with the stories of both the mob family and tony's own family seemingly finished.

civis_liberalis

Finishing the boxset right now. Just about to start the last episode.

Hope it lives up to what I'm hoping for. Whether or not it beats the Wire as my all time favourite depends on it I think.

splashthecash

civis_liberalis wrote: »

Finishing the boxset right now. Just about to start the last episode.

Hope it lives up to what I'm hoping for. Whether or not it beats the Wire as my all time favourite depends on it I think.

what did you think of the series overall and the final espisode\scene?

i watched this last year and loved it - if i was to rewatch a series, it would be this

civis_liberalis

I was a bit angry after watching the episode, but with a little time to think about it now I thought it was a very good ending.

Someone mentioned watching the last scene before any of the other episodes. It really would have no impact whatsoever without understanding the back-story.

I got chills when I heard the music Tony put on. The writing was on the wall when he put on the music.

I've watched the scene again now and I'm not sure what conclusion to come to now.

Shane10

nothing will ever come close to the sopranos - ever. just watched the other night the episode where paulie and chris go to pine barrins in the snow to bury a guy and they loose him and get lost. brilliant episode.:D

Da Shins Kelly

The Sopranos is way above anything else ever shown on television, including The Wire. The depth of all the characters, the acting, the writing, the storylines are just incredible. Even the settings really add to the atmosphere. How scenes are set up really contribute to whatever is going on in the scene. The storylines, both main and sub-plots, were much more captivating for me than those in The Wire (although that's a great piece of television too).
As well as having really powerful male characters like Tony, it also features very formidable women like Carmela and Dr. Melfi. Women are not under-represented in the series, and are often more than capable of taking on the men in their lives. There's allusions to pop culture, religion, tradition, history (there's a lot of emphasis placed on the 'old country' and the traditional Italian way of life, as well as the Church). There are brilliant one-liners ('there's an old Italian saying: you **** up once, you lose two teeth' is one of my favourites), and some great cameos, particularly Steve Buscemi's appearance in season 5 as Tony's cousin. There are so many great, multi-dimensional, realistic characters that it's actually difficult to pick a favourite (although, I'd have to go with Carmela).

The last scene needs to be seen in context rather than on its own with no knowledge of the series in order to be really understood. The series is worth watching anyway. It's one of those programmes that I think everyone should see at least one episode of. It's just genuine masterpiece.

filthymcnasty

rovert wrote: »

Bin the last 2 1/2 series

Am a big fan of the show and as much as it pains me you're right.
Seasons 1-4 were some of the best TV ever made. Suffered a decline after this, the tony in a coma thing went on far too long and the show lost some of its momentum.
Bobby 'bacclala' got a more elevated status in these final seasons for some reason, despite the glut of excellent actors always found him unconvincing.
but this is trivial stuff, on the whole a fantastic show.

Sardonicat

Livia Soprano is one of the most monstrous creatures ever created and depicted on a tv show.

Benny_Cake

Man, you're lucky, I wish I could watch them all again for the first time. Pine Barrens was my favourite episode!

irishh_bob

Sardonicat wrote: »

Livia Soprano is one of the most monstrous creatures ever created and depicted on a tv show.

she reminds me of principal skinners mother in her mean spiritness

Da Shins Kelly

irishh_bob wrote: »

she reminds me of principal skinners mother in her mean spiritness

The way she manipulates Junior to try and get a hit out on Tony is pretty vile.

honkytonk52

brilliant show just finished it all off the other day...Pine Barrens is a class episode....i have to some characters were excellent like Ralphe Cipretto and Richie Aprille...unreal