The strength of the Sopranos lies in its central character, the monstrous yet empathetic Tony Soprano. Tony has a family to feed, a mistress to entertain, an elderly mother to look after and a stressful all-hours job - the twist is that he earns his money from criminal activities, and comes from a generation of men that don't like to talk about his personal problems. Just as Tony has his biological family to take care of, he also has loyalties to his brotherhood of fellow earners in the "Waste Management business", as he euphemistically calls his occupation. The real drama comes when his two worlds collide - his cantankerous Uncle Junior is the gang's official leader, yet Tony must undercut him to ensure his own survival.
There are some brilliant performances here from old hands from mobster movies, as well as Steve Van Zandt (of the E Street Band fame!), but James Gandolfini ultimately shines as the formidable ball of anger that is Tony Soprano. This is a criminal drama with a heart, about personal problems, psychiatry and family headaches as well as the seedy crime world that Tony and his colleagues thrive in. As Season 1, this boxset also serves to set up an epic storyline in the overall, continuing drama - although (arguably) later seasons are not as tightly plotted or as well-written as this first offering.
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