Every passionate follower of television could spend hours discussing different layers of Tony Soprano’s personality with their glasses on and a cup of coffee in their hand – akin to Dr. Jennifer Melfi.
In 1999, David Chase-created The Sopranos hit the television scene and introduced fans to what would go on to become one of the most complex characters of all time. The crime drama series ended in 2007 but it remains popular to this day largely due to the genius (and very entertaining) way in which Chase unraveled the character episode by episode. However, he’s now struggling to deal with the culture of dumbing down content.
Why The Sopranos Creator Thinks TV Shows Are Dying
On the surface, The Sopranos is a story about the Italian-American mafia head based in New Jersey and his struggles to maintain a grip on his family and criminal life.
However, David Chase set the tone for his nuanced vision for the show by opening it with Tony’s therapy session with Dr. Jennifer Melfi after he suffered a panic attack. From thereon, we steadily learn about his work, mental health, messed up family dynamics, and his obsession with his therapist. Chase also didn’t hide away from exploring the influence Tony’s father and mother had on his emotional health.
The creator of the series trusted the sensitivities and sensibilities of his viewers and didn’t dumb down the storyline for them. Much to his delight, he was also backed by the producers.
However, it appears Chase doesn’t see the same backing for such ideas now, as he has criticized streaming executives for making the medium less sophisticated.
“We are more into multitasking,” he said in an interview with The Times. “We seem to be confused and audiences can’t keep their minds on things, so we can’t make anything that makes too much sense, takes our attention and requires an audience to focus. And as for streaming executives? It is getting worse.”
The 78-year-old also mentioned the streaming platforms are going to have commercials, noting: “We’re going back to where I was.”
Chase revealed that he tried to get to a project made about a high-end escort and was “told to dumb it down.”
Not everyone is going to vehemently agree with Chase’s point, especially during the awards season, wherein Succession, one of the most compelling series of recent times, has been rewarded for its brilliant work. When the interviewer mentioned the Brian Cox-led show, Chase remarked it was greenlit many years ago.
How James Gandolfini Made David Chase’s The Sopranos Special
Apart from Chase’s genius, a big reason behind The Sopranos’ success is the captivating performance of the late James Gandolfini. It was his acting prowess that convincingly brought all of Tony’s complex emotions to the fore.
In order to deliver the perfect take, Gandolfini often went to extreme lengths. It’s understood (via IMDb) that for some of the breakfast scenes, the actor would stay awake all night to achieve the famous exhausted Tony look, which only pushed his wife and children away from him.
Gandolfini’s portrayal was so authentic that he was often contacted by real-life “wise guys” for compliments. His acting was also well received by critics, leading to him winning three back-to-back Emmys for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.
