The Sopranos- Season 1 Review

 Season 1

 

 

 Watched. My rating: 8.5/10. 

  I think I've cursed myself. Ever since I've watched Breaking Bad, I know that any show I pick up is not going to give me that same level of high that B.B did. Now I can't help myself but compare any show I watch with B.B. So lets just get some similarities and differences between the two shows out of the way.

 Similarities- 

*Both stories first episodes involve a birthday i.e implying the subtext of a new beginning.

*Both involve the protagonist's life changing due to a medical condition.

*Both Walter White and Tony Soprano worry about their families.  

 Differences- 

*Walter White was infatuated with the future but Tony Soprano is in love with the past.

 *Walter White's family loves him but Tony Soprano's family doesn't.

 

 

 

  Masculinity and the society's expectations of what masculinity means and how it defines it is obviously a big thing here. Tony doesn't think very highly of femininity; a sign of weakness.

  

 Tony thinks he and his generation are doomed for failure. Stuck in the past with the greats like Al Capone and his own dad.  He even thinks the younger generation is disrespectful of his generation even though he is doing the same thing to his elders.

 

 Its great to see Michael Imperioli from Goodfellas (1990) to shine as one of the main characters in this. That reminds me of that jaw-dropping cameo by Martin Scorsese himself in the 2nd episode. 

 

 Its a good setup, lets see where the following seasons lead.