Why we can’t fuggedaboutit!
Two writers dissect the milestone HBO drama ‘The Sopranos’
Somewhere between seasons four and five of “The Sopranos,” Matt Zoller Seitz, then the TV critic for the Newark StarLedger, asked star James Gandolfini, who brought brutal, neurotic Jersey mob boss and family man Tony Soprano to life, if he intended to return. Calling it “the greatest part I’ve ever had,” Mr. Gandolfini indicated his desire to return, adding the caveat, “but I also don’t want to come back, because no matter how long I spend in the shower, I can’t wash the stink off me from this guy.”
When “The Sopranos” premiered on HBO in January 1999, it further elevated the premium cable network’s stature and propelled series creator David Chase and a number of previously obscure actors and writers to the upper echelon of their craft. HBO’s “Oz,” ABC’s “Twin Peaks” and NBC’s “Homicide: Life on the Street” had previously explored more complex levels of TV drama.
“The Sopranos” fully realized that potential. Without it, no “Mad Men,” “Boardwalk Empire” and “Damages” (all created by former “Sopranos” writers), “The Shield,” “Breaking Bad,” “Justified,” “House of Cards,” “Dexter” and other intricate, anti-hero-driven dramas would never have taken form.
Mr. Seitz, now New York Magazine’s TV critic, previously authored an insightful book of “Mad Men” episode recaps. Alan Sepinwall, Mr. Seitz’s successor at the StarLedger, now at Rolling Stone, penned a smartly written book recapping “Breaking Bad.” Those same high standards permeate the more elaborate “The Sopranos Sessions,” blending solid research and knowledgeable writing with new revelations and littleknown facts. For those new to the series, the season-by-season episode recaps avoid any spoilers for episodes to come.
A former writer for “The Rockford Files” and “Northern Exposure,” Mr. Chase is a presence throughout. He sat with the authors for seven seasonby-season interviews, stressing his belief his creation ran seven seasons despite HBO viewing it as six seasons, the last with two parts. Conversing with two journalists he clearly respects, he speaks openly about ideas, motivations and intentions. His meticulous attention to detail extended to having a consultant estimate Tony Soprano’s presumed real-world wealth (a shockingly modest $1.5 million).
In past interviews since the series ended in 2007, Mr. Chase alternated between openness and caginess, particularly when discussing the finale’s still-controversial cut-to-black ending and whether Tony Soprano lived or perished at that moment. He may rue the public’s continuing obsession with that final moment, yet it’s difficult to imagine the continuing interest doesn’t give him some satisfaction.
The authors’ encyclopedic knowledge enhances these dialogues. One footnote describes the late actor Greg Antonacci, who played New York mobster Butchie DeConcini in the final season, portraying a young, bumbling, wannabe wiseguy in two late 1970s “Rockford” episodes written by Mr. Chase. In one, a Jersey mob boss named Tony threatens his misbehaving namesake son with military school, 20-plus years before Tony and A.J. Soprano squared off in a similar scene.
Mr. Chase proves candid about ideas both discarded and developed. One finale concept would have unspooled the series’ iconic opening in reverse (Tony driving from Jersey to New York), ending with a fadeto-black. Early seasons featured flashbacks set in late 1960s Newark, an idea Mr. Chase reveals he expanded into a fully formed prequel. That script, the authors note, is the basis of his recently announced feature film, “The Many Saints of Newark,” about to begin production.
Concluding sections offer reprints or partial reprints of past stories filed by Mr. Seitz and Mr. Sepinwall on various topics. One is a touching memorial to veteran actress Nancy Marchand, who played family matriarch Livia Soprano. A four-time Emmy winner for her portrayal of newspaper publisher Margaret Pynchon on the 1970s drama “Lou Grant,” she brought the conniving, sociopathic Livia to life even as Ms. Marchand herself was dying of lung cancer.
Other stories profiled newly minted actors Vincent Curatola (Johnny Sack), a former Jersey contractor, and law office manager Denise Borino (Sack’s wife, Ginny). Appropriately, the final reprints are Mr. Seitz’s Vulture.com coverage of James Gandolfini’s 2013 funeral at a Catholic church in Harlem, with nearly the entire cast present and the eulogy Mr. Chase delivered at the service, written as a farewell letter.
At one point, Mr. Chase ruefully says, “The show’s gonna be forgotten, like everything. It’s not gonna have a legacy.” That may someday be the case. Nonetheless, “The Sopranos Sessions” makes an effective case as to why that won’t happen anytime soon.