‘Sopranos’ cheat sheet: Facts from the series to prep you for the prequel movie
Moltisanti translates to “many saints”
In this world of the fictional New Jersey Mafia, there is no bloodline more revered than that of the Moltisantis — although until now, only Christopher Moltisanti had appeared as a major on-screen character.
Throughout the show, Christopher (Michael Imperioli, below left) is treated to wild stories about his father, Dickie Moltisanti (Alessandro Nivola, left), who led Tony’s crew before he was murdered, when Christopher was a baby. In “Many Saints,” we finally meet the legend.
Abuse is rampant in the Moltisanti clan
On “The Sopranos,” Christopher struggles with drug addiction, and lashes out at fianceé Adriana La Cerva (Drea de Matteo, near right). Eventually, the beatings get so bad that Adriana’s uncle Richie Aprile (David Proval) intervenes and threatens Christopher’s life if he continues to strike her.
“The Many Saints of Newark” helps us understand how Christopher developed this appetite for violence.
Therapy is taboo within the Mafia
In the mob, blowing off steam is often firing a few rounds into someone’s skull.
Tony Soprano, however, is unique: He seeks mental health treatment because he suffers from debilitating panic attacks.
When Tony’s mother finds out he’s seeing a shrink (Lorraine Bracco, left), she conspires to have him taken out.
As viewers will see in the prequel, secrets about mental health within the mob were even more tightly guarded back in the day.
Tony could never please his mom
The only thing more difficult than running a crime family is winning over a bitter mother. Mom Livia (Nancy Marchand, left) is impossible to please, but even after Tony learns his mother conspired to have him killed, he still yearns for her approval.
But at least in adulthood he found ways to keep his distance from his wackadoo mother — as a kid, he wasn’t so lucky. After a lifetime of Livia, it’s no wonder Tony landed on a therapist’s couch.
The mob guys don’t see themselves as evil
Tony sees himself as a soldier: “Soldiers don’t go to hell. Everybody involved knows the stakes, and you gotta do certain things,” he says.
Tony (James Gandolfini, below center) & Co. use this logic to distinguish themselves from those who they deem “twisted and demented psychos,” including cannibals, child molesters and dictators Adolf Hitler and Pol Pot. “Those are the evil f - - ks that deserve to die,” Tony says.
— Alex Mitchell