The Sopranos: Sympathy for the Devil
James Keown
Writer and producer David Chase created a television revolution when The Sopranos hit our TV screens over 20 years ago. The rise in the morally complex anti-heroes in our shows, like Walter White, Dexter Morgan, and even Bojack Horseman, indicate how drawn many of us are towards cruel and corrupt characters. Two decades later, The Sopranos has become renowned as one of the greatest TV shows of all time.
The plot can be summed up in a few simple words: a mobster walks into a psychiatrist’s office. This dynamic is what the entire show is framed through. The set-up provides the show infinite possibilities and avenues to explore. Through the relationship of Tony Soprano and his doctor, Jenifer Melfi, we discover a mobster’s deeply rooted issues with his mental health, family, and crew. It is genius to see how the show balances the growing relatability and empathy we have for Tony with how repugnant he can be. The core narrative of The Sopranos is a man born into darkness who attempts to find a way to drag himself into the light.
As Tony’s doctor begins to strip away at his defences, we find that he is a man at conflict with himself and society. He benefits from the struggle of the working class, yet respects, and strangely envies, their minimalistic existence. He has a natural leaning to care for animals, yet is a sadistic criminal who will murder people as a day-by-day career.
The show tackles contemporary American society by commenting on conservative family values and how these develop through the generations. The Sopranos is not just about a group, or even an individual, rather it manipulates this idea of the ‘American Dream’ and gives the viewer a genuine perspective of what it is like being a man in our contemporary society. The concept of the ‘American Dream’ is flawed, which is portrayed through Tony’s life. He may have a successful business, an abundance of wealth, and well-educated children, but in the end, he is still unhappy, arguably even more so.
The Sopranos tends to comment on the perceived idolisation of the mafia, whilst never shying away from the gritty nature of crime films, like Scarface or The Godfather, whether intentionally or unintentionally glorifying the mobster. The saying “no honour amongst thieves” has never been more applicable here, with the characters touting their loyalty to each other before soundly breaking it when the going gets tough.
Overall, The Sopranos is a show that cements itself in our contemporary society, laying the groundwork for the golden age of television and still standing defined. From influencing renowned TV shows like Mad Men and Breaking Bad, The Sopranos pushed innovative and moral boundaries, trailing audience expectations behind it. And now it continues to influence an abundance of supreme TV that arises in its wake.
James Keown is a Master’s student in Journalism at Ulster University Coleraine.