The Sopranos (season 1)

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The Sopranos
Season 1
The Sopranos S1 DVD.jpg
Region 1 DVD cover art
Starring
  • James Gandolfini
  • Lorraine Bracco
  • Edie Falco
  • Michael Imperioli
  • Dominic Chianese
  • Vincent Pastore
  • Steven Van Zandt
  • Tony Sirico
  • Robert Iler
  • Jamie-Lynn Sigler
  • Nancy Marchand
Country of originUnited States
No. of episodes13
Release
Original networkHBO
Original releaseJanuary 10 (1999-01-10) –
April 4, 1999 (1999-04-04)
Season chronology
Next →
Season 2
List of episodes

The first season of the American crime drama series The Sopranos aired on HBO from January 10 to April 4, 1999. The first season was released on DVD in region 1 on December 12, 2000,[1] and on Blu-ray on November 24, 2009.[2]

The season introduces DiMeo Crime Family Capo Tony Soprano and his family, as well as his troubled relationship with his mother Livia. Also troubled is his relationship with his Uncle Junior, who becomes locked in a power struggle with Tony after the death of the Crime Family Boss, Jackie Aprile. Tony also begins therapy sessions with Dr. Melfi after his panic attacks become more frequent. Meanwhile, Tony's daughter Meadow becomes aware of her father's true profession while preparing to get into college, and Tony's nephew Christopher attempts to write a screenplay about his crime life and anxiously awaits becoming a made man. Due to Junior's plotting of an assassination, Tony also gets embroiled in a plot against childhood friend Artie Bucco, a charming but obsequious restaurateur.

Cast[]

Main cast[]

Recurring cast[]

  • Al Sapienza as Mikey Palmice (9 episodes)
  • Joe Badalucco Jr. as Jimmy Altieri (7 episodes)
  • Drea de Matteo as Adriana La Cerva (7 episodes)
  • Jerry Adler as Herman "Hesh" Rabkin (5 episodes)
  • Tony Darrow as Larry Barese (5 episodes)
  • Oksana Lada as Irina Peltsin (5 episodes)
  • George Loros as Ray Curto (5 episodes)
  • Anthony DeSando as Brendan Filone (4 episodes)
  • John Heard as Vin Makazian (4 episodes)
  • Kathrine Narducci as Charmaine Bucco (4 episodes)
  • Paul Schulze as Father Phil Intintola (4 episodes)
  • John Ventimiglia as Artie Bucco (4 episodes)
  • Sharon Angela as Rosalie Aprile (3 episodes)
  • Michele DeCesare as Hunter Scangarelo (3 episodes)
  • Michael Rispoli as Jackie Aprile Sr. (3 episodes)
  • Frank Santorelli as Georgie Santorelli (3 episodes)
  • Matt Servitto as Agent Dwight Harris (3 episodes)
  • Sal Ruffino as Chucky Signore (3 episodes)
  • Robert LuPone as Dr. Bruce Cusamano (2 episodes)
  • Saundra Santiago as Jeannie Cusamano (2 episodes)
  • Vincent Curatola as Johnny Sack (1 episode)

Plot[]

When Tony Soprano collapses after suffering a panic attack, he begins therapy with Dr. Jennifer Melfi. Details of Tony's upbringing - including his father's influence on his choice to become a gangster, and Tony's relationship with his mother, Livia, who is vengeful and possibly psychopathic - are revealed. His complicated relationship with his wife Carmela is also explored, along with her feelings regarding her husband's Italian-American Mafia ties. Tony's children Meadow and Anthony Jr. learn about their father's dealings with the Mafia. Later, rumors of a federal investigation leave Tony's crew shaken following a conversation between a member of his organization and the FBI.

Tony's uncle, Corrado "Junior" Soprano, orders the murder of Brendan Filone and scares Tony's associates Christopher Moltisanti in retaliation for the repeated hijackings of trucks under Junior's protection. Tony defuses the situation by allowing his uncle to take over as the family boss (following the death of former boss Jackie Aprile Sr. from cancer), while Tony retains actual control over most of the business. Junior, however, discovers the ruse and orders an attempt on Tony's life. The assassination attempt fails and Tony reacts violently, confronting his mother as she is being transported to the hospital after suffering an apparent stroke. Junior is arrested by the FBI for reasons unrelated to the assassination attempt.

Episodes[]

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateU.S. viewers
(millions)
11"The Sopranos"David ChaseDavid ChaseJanuary 10, 1999 (1999-01-10)3.45[3]
Tony Soprano, a capo in the DiMeo Crime Family, begins therapy with Dr. Jennifer Melfi after having anxiety attacks. His mother, Livia, refuses to move to a nursing home. Tony's Uncle Junior wants to use Tony's friend's restaurant as a location for a murder, but Tony prevents this by having the restaurant blown up. Christopher Moltisanti, Tony's nephew, murders the representative of a Czech mob that was trying to move in on the family waste management company.
22"46 Long"Dan AttiasDavid ChaseJanuary 17, 1999 (1999-01-17)N/A
Christopher and Brendan Filone begin hijacking trucks. When they find that the owner of the trucks pays Junior for protection, their drug addictions prevent them from respecting Junior's orders to stop. Carmela asks Tony for a favor involving A.J.'s science teacher's stolen car. After one too many accidents, Tony forces Livia to move into a nursing home against her will.
33"Denial, Anger, Acceptance"Nick GomezMark SaraceniJanuary 24, 1999 (1999-01-24)N/A
The Sopranos hire the Buccos to cater a dinner party. Tony's daughter, Meadow, asks Christopher and Brendan for speed to help stay awake for SAT preparation. Tony accepts the task of securing a divorce for a Hasidic Jew's daughter. Junior unleashes retribution upon Christopher and Brendan for their truck hijackings.
44"Meadowlands"John PattersonJason CahillJanuary 31, 1999 (1999-01-31)N/A
Tony has his contact Detective Vin Makazian follow Dr. Melfi after she appears in his dreams. Christopher calls for retaliation against Junior and Mikey Palmice for the death of Brendan. The question of who will be Jackie Aprile's successor arises.
55"College"Allen CoulterJames Manos Jr. and David ChaseFebruary 7, 1999 (1999-02-07)N/A
Tony and Meadow travel to Maine to visit colleges; and they discuss the nature of Tony's "business". Carmela fights the flu, and seeks comfort from Father Intintola after finding out that Tony's secret therapist is female. Tony comes across an old associate who has joined the Witness Protection Program and tracks him down for "business" purposes.
66"Pax Soprana"Alan TaylorFrank RenzulliFebruary 14, 1999 (1999-02-14)N/A
Uncle Junior Soprano is appointed boss of the DiMeo crime family. Tony engineers a way to get Junior to extend some leniency to a close Jewish friend. Carmela and Tony's 18th anniversary dinner turns sour. The Prozac Dr. Melfi prescribes for Tony begins taking a negative toll on his libido, though his recurring dreams lead him to become attracted to her.
77"Down Neck"Lorraine SennaRobin Green & Mitchell BurgessFebruary 21, 1999 (1999-02-21)N/A
A.J. and his friends steal some sacramental wine and arrive to gym class drunk. Tony thinks little of the incident, until the school psychologist informs him that his son may have ADD. Tony reflects on his own childhood antics in therapy. A.J. is grounded and forced to regularly visit his grandmother, where he lets slip that Tony is in therapy.
88"The Legend of Tennessee Moltisanti"Tim Van PattenFrank Renzulli and David ChaseFebruary 28, 1999 (1999-02-28)N/A
The Lupertazzi Crime Family goes on the lam to avoid possible indictments from the FBI. Tony and his crew, though not including Christopher, are named as possible subjects in a grand jury investigation. Christopher is depressed by his exclusion; he has nightmares, and unsuccessfully tries to shift his focus by writing a screenplay. Livia is shocked to learn that Tony is seeing a therapist, and she passes this news on to Junior.
99"Boca"Andy WolkJason Cahill and Robin Green & Mitchell BurgessMarch 7, 1999 (1999-03-07)N/A
Parents are shocked when they find out a successful high school coach has sex with one of his teenage players. Gossip reaches Tony regarding Junior's sexual secrets. Junior is humiliated when Tony makes open references to them, and Roberta.
1010"A Hit Is a Hit"Matthew PennJoe Bosso and Frank RenzulliMarch 14, 1999 (1999-03-14)N/A
According to the suggestions of Dr. Melfi and Carmela, Tony attempts to be more social by getting to know some of his neighbors better. Christopher and his girlfriend Adriana La Cerva befriend rap mogul Massive Genius. Christopher agrees to help Adriana produce a demo for a band, though one of its members is her ex-boyfriend. Massive Genius threatens to sue Hesh Rabkin, Jewish loan shark and an advisor to Tony, for supposedly stolen music royalties.
1111"Nobody Knows Anything"Henry J. BronchteinFrank RenzulliMarch 21, 1999 (1999-03-21)N/A
A tip from Vin Makazian leads Tony to make a tough decision regarding one of his most trusted friends. Tony has Paulie Walnuts keep an eye on things. Junior, Mikey and Chucky Signore, after conferring with Livia, conspire together to consolidate power.
1212"Isabella"Allen CoulterRobin Green & Mitchell BurgessMarch 28, 1999 (1999-03-28)4.19[4]
Despite prescriptions for Prozac and lithium from Dr. Melfi, Tony falls into chronic depression. He hallucinates meeting Isabella, a beautiful Italian exchange student staying at the Cusamanos', which temporarily lifts his spirits. Junior's plan is put into action. The FBI pay a visit to the Sopranos.
1313"I Dream of Jeannie Cusamano"John PattersonDavid ChaseApril 4, 1999 (1999-04-04)5.22[3]
Junior agrees with Tony on the situation with Jimmy Altieri. Tony finds out about his mother and uncle's plot. He warns Dr. Melfi that her life may be in danger. Christopher, Paulie, and Silvio Dante take care of family business. Tony's friend Artie Bucco re-opens his restaurant.

Reception[]

Critical response[]

The first season of The Sopranos was met with wide acclaim, receiving a score of 88 out of 100 on Metacritic,[5] and a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes (with an average score of 10/10), the latter site reporting the critical consensus as, "The Sopranos smartly runs an emotional gamut, offering detailed character work and riveting suspense while displaying a flair for both comedy and drama."[6] James Gandolfini was widely hailed for his performance, with Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly praising his "magnificently shrewd, wary performance" as Tony Soprano.[7] Deseret News expressed approval for the show's clear insight into the "modern incarnations of family and mortality and ambition."[5] Marvin Kitman of Newsday wrote, "It's a great show, the best new series of the year. It's so - dare I say it? - original. It catches you off guard. Basically, it's everything I'm always looking for in drama. It's beautifully written, authentic, without the plastic Los Angeles look. The acting is marvelous. It's funny in a darkly comedic way, involving as a soap opera, and quirky. I never quite know what's going to happen, even though the subject matter is by no means unprecedented for television."[5]

Awards and nominations[]

51st Primetime Emmy Awards

  • Nomination for Outstanding Drama Series
  • Nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (James Gandolfini) (Episode: "Pilot")
  • Win for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Edie Falco) (Episode: "College")
  • Nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Lorraine Bracco) (Episode: "The Legend of Tennessee Moltisanti")
  • Nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Nancy Marchand) (Episodes: "Pilot" & "46 Long")
  • Nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (John Heard) (Episode: "Nobody Knows Anything")
  • Nomination for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (David Chase) (Episode: "Pilot")
  • Nomination for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series (David Chase) (Episode: "Pilot")
  • Nomination for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series (Robin Green, Mitchell Burgess) (Episode: "Isabella")
  • Win for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series (James Manos Jr.) (Episode: "College")
  • Nomination for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series (Frank Renzulli) (Episode: "Nobody Knows Anything")

6th Screen Actors Guild Awards

  • Win for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series (James Gandolfini)
  • Win for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series (Edie Falco)
  • Nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series (Nancy Marchand)
  • Win for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series (Entire Cast)

57th Golden Globe Awards

  • Win for Best Drama Series
  • Win for Best Actor in a Drama Series (James Gandolfini)
  • Nomination for Best Actress in a Drama Series (Lorraine Bracco)
  • Win for Best Actress in a Drama Series (Edie Falco)
  • Win for Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries, or Television Film (Nancy Marchand)

4th Golden Satellite Awards

  • Nomination for Best Drama Series
  • Nomination for Best Actor in a Drama Series (James Gandolfini)
  • Nomination for Best Actress in a Drama Series (Lorraine Bracco)
  • Nomination for Best Actress in a Drama Series (Edie Falco)

Writers Guild of America Awards 1999

  • Win for Best Drama Episode (Jason Cahill) (Episode: "Meadowlands")

Directors Guild of America Awards

  • Nomination for Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series (Daniel Attias) (Episode: "46 Long")
  • Nomination for Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series (Henry J. Bronchtein) (Episode: "Nobody Knows Anything")
  • Award for Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series (David Chase) (Episode: "Pilot")
  • Nomination for Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series (Allen Coulter) (Episode: "College")

15th TCA Awards

  • Award for Program of the Year
  • Award for Outstanding Achievement in Drama
  • Award for Outstanding New Program of the Year
  • Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Drama (James Gandolfini) (Tied with David E. Kelley for The Practice)
  • Nomination for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Drama (David Chase)

References[]

  1. ^ "The Sopranos - The Complete 1st Season". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on January 28, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2015.
  2. ^ "The Sopranos - The Complete 1st Season (Blu-ray)". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on October 15, 2015. Retrieved May 17, 2015.
  3. ^ a b "The comeback". Chicago Tribune. March 14, 2006. Archived from the original on October 13, 2008. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
  4. ^ "The Sopranos (HBO): Ratings Recap". Ratings Ryan. December 15, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
  5. ^ a b c "The Sopranos: Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  6. ^ "The Sopranos: Season 1 (1999)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  7. ^ Tucker, Ken (January 15, 1999). "The Sopranos". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 23, 2017.

External links[]

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