OT: Sopranos Prequel

[navery12]

It's amazing, I'm jealous that you have the chance to watch it all. I've gone through it a few times, the last viewing I realized it's one the greatest comedies ever.

I started watching it last year and then it came off Hulu after I finished episode 1 so never kept going. Think I'll have to start it up again soon

 

[Mr. French]

Maybe I'll get around to actually watching the series now before this comes out

Do it.

I love the discussion of flawed characters with The Wire, and I think The Sopranos is very very similar. Tony had TONS of likeable, human elements. But he was a mobster. That was the conflict. You found yourself relating to him in ways and despising him in others.

If a show or movie just has straight up good guys and bad guys, it's probably not that deep. And I'm not always that deep, but the show has to have some layers and character development. Walter White is exactly the same thing.

I'm a bit confused about the discussion of whether or not to "root" for these guys. It's not a basketball game.

 

[JB75]

Can’t wait. Miss all those great hbo shows from early 2000s Thru 2010

 

[superjohn]

Spoilers

The Wire or the Sopranos what's the better show? I don't know but for me they're the two best. The Wire- You're dealing with hardcore people, dealing with hardcore stuff. It's a cops and robbers show, most of those type shows are good v. evil. Not the Wire, the entire time you vassilate between rooting for law enforcement and rooting for the criminal. As you watch it play out you realize some dudes in the drug game and some in the law enforcement game aren't that much different, you have to make decisions on who is redeemable. Nothing is cut and dry and the line between cops/robbers, good/bad is razor thin. It makes you truly think about about circumstance and what separates the people who "make it.' Between all of that they have a bunch of true heroes on both sides of the law and the backdrop is "Bubbles." A hardcore drug addict street surfer who floats in and out of homeless criminality for a buck wherever he can get it, sometimes as a law enforcement narc. Everyone on the show, cops and robbers knows the streets but the one guy who knows it from both perspectives better than all of them is "Bubbles." That little homeless guy is the heart, heartbeat, and the conscience of the show.


Sopranos- It's brilliant but I'm not sure it carries the same depth. Tony is probably the most complex character I've ever seen, tv or film but he's the show, or so much of it that it's kind of overwhelming. Deeply bruised and battered which explains so much of his internal struggle- the family drama, panic attacks, his fits of rage, and that weird "overwhelming mother son dynamic" that made him seek out professional help. In between Tony being Tony there's just so many great characters. Paulie Walnuts is an all-time terrifying tough guy but he's also so much of the comedic backbone of the show. He's a walking talking ridiculous caricature of a person but that type of guy exists in real life and if you think he's a joke do so at your own peril, Don't cross him or it's lights out for you. So many characters to delve into but again, it's a show about Tony and holy did he become the guy. His headstone should read- Tony Soprano played by James Gandolfini.

Not making light of the man's death or career but I don't think anyone in the history of the acting game ever became the character and was associated with the role the same way he was. He was the menacing guy in True Romance and had a couple of other nice roles but he ate up the screen as Tony Soprano. RIP.

 

[ZooCougar]

I watched the Wire and I don’t remember much of it. It just didn’t get much traction with me,

I thought Gandolfini nailed the Leon Panetta role in Zero Dark Thirty.

 

[Deadrody]

I'm done with shows that want you root for bad people.

Hilarious. The media is busy trying to get you to root for bad people every minute of every day

 

[storrsroars]

I watched the Wire and I dson’t remember much of it. It just didn’t get much traction with me,

I thought Gandolfini nailed the Leon Panetta role in Zero Dark Thirty.

My one gripe with The Wire was I found the drinking scenes unbelievable. Weird take, I know, but for some reason I found those gratituous, over the top, and silly.

My favorite non-Tony roles were Winston Baldry in "The Mexican" and Albert in "Enough Said".

 

[BoukofJames]

My favorite non-Tony roles were Winston Baldry in "The Mexican" and Albert in "Enough Said".

Mine was Kevin Finnerty

 

[Dogdeacon]

Spoilers

The Wire or the Sopranos what's the better show? I don't know but for me they're the two best. The Wire- You're dealing with hardcore people, dealing with hardcore stuff. It's a cops and robbers show, most of those type shows are good v. evil. Not the Wire, the entire time you vassilate between rooting for law enforcement and rooting for the criminal. As you watch it play out you realize some dudes in the drug game and some in the law enforcement game aren't that much different, you have to make decisions on who is redeemable. Nothing is cut and dry and the line between cops/robbers, good/bad is razor thin. It makes you truly think about about circumstance and what separates the people who "make it.' Between all of that they have a bunch of true heroes on both sides of the law and the backdrop is "Bubbles." A hardcore drug addict street surfer who floats in and out of homeless criminality for a buck wherever he can get it, sometimes as a law enforcement narc. Everyone on the show, cops and robbers knows the streets but the one guy who knows it from both perspectives better than all of them is "Bubbles." That little homeless guy is the heart, heartbeat, and the conscience of the show.


Sopranos- It's brilliant but I'm not sure it carries the same depth. Tony is probably the most complex character I've ever seen, tv or film but he's the show, or so much of it that it's kind of overwhelming. Deeply bruised and battered which explains so much of his internal struggle- the family drama, panic attacks, his fits of rage, and that weird "overwhelming mother son dynamic" that made him seek out professional help. In between Tony being Tony there's just so many great characters. Paulie Walnuts is an all-time terrifying tough guy but he's also so much of the comedic backbone of the show. He's a walking talking ridiculous caricature of a person but that type of guy exists in real life and if you think he's a joke do so at your own peril, Don't cross him or it's lights out for you. So many characters to delve into but again, it's a show about Tony and holy did he become the guy. His headstone should read- Tony Soprano played by James Gandolfini.

Not making light of the man's death or career but I don't think anyone in the history of the acting game ever became the character and was associated with the role the same way he was. He was the menacing guy in True Romance and had a couple of other nice roles but he ate up the screen as Tony Soprano. RIP.

Comparing The Wire to the Sopranos isnt a fair fight, the latter is just a great tv show & never intended to be profound. The Depth of the wire & societal commentary surpasses every other show IMO. It may not be the best show entertainment wise or everyone’s cup of tea, but it artfully showed as much truth of systemic city problems as any fictional book, show or movie ever.

 

[ZooCougar]

My one gripe with The Wire was I found the drinking scenes unbelievable. Weird take, I know, but for some reason I found those gratituous, over the top, and silly.

My favorite non-Tony roles were Winston Baldry in "The Mexican" and Albert in "Enough Said".

Oh yeah he was great in “The Mexican”. Did he ever do a bad job?

 

[BoukofJames]

 

[M.S.G.]

I wish this was a series, loved the trailer!

 

[storrsroars]

With all the 'what are you binge watching' thread responses, I don't think I saw Lilyhammer mentioned once. For those needing a Sopranos fix, you might find Lilyhammer a fun watch. Little Steven as a fish out of water mob informant in witness protection in Norway. It's played as a comedy. Paulie Walnuts and others have cameos. Was one of Netflix's first series. I enjoyed it. YMMV

 

[Pudge]

loved Lilyhammer