Post by TheGoodMan19 on Jan 10, 2019 20:23:52 GMT
Never been a show that was so consistently fantastic in every episode, in every facet. The music. Sure, there was a couple clunker episodes. The one with Johnny Boy's ex, Fran something or other. Yuck. And both the Sopranos kids were irritating as fuck at certain times. But no show can ever hold a candle to it, as far as consistency. Lost painted itself into a corner. Breaking Bad was phenomenal, but the first season wasn't up to the others. The last season of The Wire didn't have the best material.
And no show could kill of a character better. Death was a treat on The Sopranos. Pussy, Adrianna, Bobby. Even minor characters. Mustang Sally who got whacked by Bobby Bacala Sr. Fucking epic.
The death of Ralphie, to me, was one of the most brilliant things they ever did. Sopranos had its share of scumbags but nobody was as deplorable as Ralphie. He was just a vile character, through and through. Yet that one episode, "Whoever Did This" I believe it was called, starts out with his son getting critically injured and the next 20 minutes or so feature Ralphie becoming human. He cries for his son, seemingly yearns for something else in life, complete reverse character assassination.
For the first time, you actually feel for him as a character and then boom, he reminds you that he's a completely shitbag and then he's gone a minute later. Just brilliant stuff. That episode floored me the first time I saw it, had me holding my breath for what seemed like days afterwards.
Upon reflection, every death in the show was very well done. Chucky Signore (Tony hiding the gun in the fish), Matt Bevilaqua "Because that sugarless motherfucker, it's the last fucking drink you're ever gonna have!". The Canadian that Bobby shot (the bullet rattling in the dryer, what a fucking great touch). Fat Dom (still cracks me up, Silvio smashing him with the Dustbuster), the sound cutting out when Gerry Torciano was shot in front of Silvio, Vito (Phil coming out of the closet, another bit of pure gold).