Rating: 
Summary: Very good first season
Review: I was impressed with the first and last few episodes of this season. It actually DOES live up to the hype. I gave it 4 stars because it got melodramatic and slow in the middle; not what I would expect from a gangster series, but I guess it was filler. All in all, it was a great set, great packaging, and the 4 episodes per disk helps you stay up all night watching it and makes you late for work the next day. I would suggest timing it so that it comes in on Friday. James Gandolfini is superb.
Rating: 
Summary: Classic!
Review: I am addicted to this series. It has so strong character develompent, it's funny, entertaining, serious and dark show about American suburb family and organized crime in America. Writing in "The Sopranos" is main attraction. It remains me on the great Russian writers, and it's almost unbelivable that something like this can pop up on TV today. First season is the best overall with some episodes that will be remebered as TV classics - "Pilot", "College", "The Legend of Tennessee Moltisanti", "Isabella" and season finale "I Dream of Jeannie Cusamano".
Rating:
Summary: Bada-Bing
Review: This is terrific television. THE SOPRANOS first season is made up of 13 self-sufficient films, all of which are attached to a story arc on a larger scale. This is the shows greatest strength. The links between the individual shows is more afterthought then the guiding force on the wonderful writing. Borrowing and acknowledging filmmakers like Scorcese and Coppola, the series builds around a dysfunctional 'family'. The show has no musical score but rather uses source music to great effect. The series has a little of everything, but that is not to say it is for everyone. It is at times violent, sexually charged and mean spirited so it wasn't created for my Aunt Joyce. But, it works for me. As a little note, I never saw an episode while playing on HBO, rather, I watched them all on DVD. This was to my benefit as it allowed me to watch what I wanted, when I wanted.
Rating:
Summary: TV AT ITS BEST
Review: Possibly the greatest fictional achievement on televbision since its birth. "The Sopranos" is brilliantly acted with riveting episodes covering the lives of the ultimate dyfunctional American family. Daddy doesn't exactly run Hallmark Cards. There is violen ce, but what the hell, that's goes with his job. But there's also literate and involving "soap opera". If the whole thing were a book, it'd be a book that you couldn't put down. How can you love such essentailly awful people? I hope it runs forever.
Rating:
Summary: The Best Show on Television
Review: In the sea of mediocrity which is television, the Sopranos series shines like a supernova. To say it is a great series is like saying that Michael Jordan was a pretty good basketball player. Brilliant writing, riveting plots, unforgettable characters, realistic dialogue, great acting, and an ironic sense of humor which pervades each episode makes it quite unique. I am amazed at the way each character(even the minor ones) are so fully and believably developed. James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Lorraine Bracco, and the rest are absolutely true to life in their portrayals. The juxtaposition of family life in suburbia with mob ultraviolence, all leavened with psychotherapy, is funny, scary, and impossible to stop watching!
Rating:
Summary: Adventures in Waste Management Consulting
Review: If there is a "holy trinity" of mafia films and television shows, then it would have to be THE GODFATHER, GOODFELLAS and now THE SOPRANOS. Each of these sagas approaches the mob from a slightly different viewpoint. The Godfather films take a romanticized approach that focuses on the organization's upper management. Goodfellas focuses on the grunts, the guys doing the dirty work. The Sopranos tends to fall somewhere in between, chronicling the mob's middle management. Goodfellas is a true story (although some names were changed). The Godfather films are almost complete fiction. Again, The Sopranos is somewhere in between; the plots and characters are fictional, albeit fiction that parallels reality with uncanny precision.For the benefit of newcomers, here is a quick introduction to the first season -- without divulging too many details, of course. Our protagonist is Tony Soprano. He is a capo and rising star in the crime family when we first meet him. He's also an extraordinarily complex character -- as sensitive as he is tough, as angst-ridden as he is ruthless. An anxiety attack in episode 1 sends him to a psychiatrist, Dr. Jennifer Melfi. Another key character in the first season is Tony's uncle Corrado "Uncle Junior" Soprano. Junior is a capo himself; years earlier he labored in the shadow of Tony's father, "Johnny Boy" Soprano. Now he watches warily as Tony rapidly rises through the ranks. It's not that Tony and Junior don't like each other; they just don't trust each other. In episode 2 we meet the family's acting boss -- Jackie Aprile Sr. Sadly, he doesn't last too long. Jackie's demise sets in motion the tension between Tony and Junior that simmers and escalates in subsequent episodes. One thing that makes The Sopranos stand out from other mafia dramas is the prominence of its female characters. We've already mentioned Dr. Melfi. Her sessions with Tony are not a screenwriter's gimmick; they define the show and give it extra gravitas. (In her first session with Tony, she asks him what he does for a living. He tells her: "waste management consultant.") Tony's wife Carmela is a compelling character herself, one who is nearly as conflicted as her husband. On the one hand, her love for Tony is unbreakable; on the other, she knows exactly how he makes a living and she feels pangs of guilt for condoning it. Last, but far from least, is Tony's manipulative mother Livia. Is she senile or just faking it? Her conversations with Uncle Junior are priceless; it's fascinating to watch her press Junior's buttons and play him like a baby grand piano. Believe it or not, this just scratches the surface of the show's richness. Other great supporting characters are Sal "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero, Paulie "Walnuts" Gualtieri and Tony's tempermental nephew Christopher (why no nickname?) Moltisanti. Yet another terrific character is corrupt detective Vin Makazian (played by John Heard) -- a "degenerate gambler with a badge," to quote Tony. According to former New York Post columnist Jack Newfield, some Soprano characters may be modeled on true-life gangsters. Some people in law enforcement say that Christopher reminds them of Nicky Scarfo Jr. (son of the former Philadelphia mob boss). Others speculate that Paulie Walnuts bears more than a passing resemblance to a Genovese family hit man named Anthony DeVingo. Coincidence? There was a real-life gangster named Anthony "Little Pussy" Russo who made his living as a cat burglar. (Hence the nickname.) Organized crime has always been fodder for films and TV. But The Sopranos proves that even a genre that seems to have been done to death is worth revisiting when someone puts a fresh and creative spin on it.
Rating:
Summary: TV is on Notice - the Bar has been Raised
Review: The best programming on televison for the past two years has been on HBO: Sex & The City, Oz, and most importantly the Sopranos. This show has spectacular writing, is visually stunning (as illustrated by the exorbanent budget), and has most of the networks shaking in their boots. (...). The Sopranos is about a dysfunctional family - except the "family" in question is the New Jersey Soprano Crime Family. It details the life of Tony Soprano as he deals with the pressures of being a father, husband, and crime boss. Tony has panic attacks, visits a shrink, and eats (what appears to be) some of the best Italian food there is to be had. I hated the God Father, I don't really like mob stories, but this show is superior to almost anything I've ever seen. I don't know anyone who has seen an episode and hasn't gotten hooked. The price is a small one to get you caught up before the next season starts. What are you waiting for?
Rating:
Summary: This series has it made!
Review: Quickie thought for those reading this: I don't get HBO, which airs The Sopranos. Occasionally it comes on for free for a weekend, but other than that I am totally premium-cable free, which suits me fine since I was (and still am with a few exceptions) under the impression that all TV programs nowadays are garbage. Of course, I may now have to reconsider my whole budget-friendly bare bones cable plan... I'm going to forego the synopsis of the plot of the series since that's already common knowledge. Let me just say this. If you don't get HBO, or don't watch TV at all for that matter, you're missing out. The Sopranos is sharp, brave television that has a wonderful underlying intelligence that becomes more apparent the more you watch it. Also, it still manages to be one of the most entertaining things you'll ever find in an episodic format. The plot has a good number of twists in it simply within the first season, and each episode is so carefully crafted that you don't quite realize how much content is actually in each one until you're done watching it. It pulls you in and moves you along at a brisk pace without ever seeming rushed or compromised, and the pacing alone is nearly worth the price of admission. Each episode plays out like a mini-movie. What really carries the series are the stellar performances by the entire cast, from the mainstays right down to the one-shot extras. The suspension of disbelief is never interrupted by sub-par acting, though you may snap out of it just long enough to think to yourself, "Wow. These people are really good!" James Gandolfini plays Tony Soprano as one of the most realistic and human people on television. Tony is NOT a stereotypical lead a la Jerry Seinfeld. This means that the show is not simply moved along by the bad things that happen to him, but by the things he (and those around him) do, and the mistakes that are made along the way. For every time we see Tony's soft or humourous side, we'll see another side that is dark and mean, constantly reminding you every time you get too comfortable who this man really is, and what he really does. Alternatley chilling and amusing (and often both), these episodes grow on you quickly. It's not uncommon to be telling yourself you'll watch "Just one more, then I'll turn it off." Before you know it, the 13 episodes of Season 1 are up, and it's time to get the next one... On the technical side, these DVD's are of solid quality. Nothing mind-blowing in the way of picture, but still better than most TV shows out there. Sound is top notch, as is typically the case with DVD, and the dialouge is all very clear, with nice separation of the background sounds. 5.1 is somewhat pointless with this being a TV show, but you'd be hard pressed to find fault with the sound for that. After all, this show was ment to be seen on a TV, not in the theatre. The bonus options are informative, and make for interesting viewing for Sopranos buffs. The first episode comes with a commentary track, and there are a few behind the scenes bits plus a lengthy (77 minute) interview with Sopranos creator David Chase. The case itself is a box holding a fold-out 4 disc holder, with the whole package done in shiny foil and looking very sharp indeed. On a side note, this case (as with all things foil) seems to be a fingerprint magnet, so don't expect it look new for very long! Anyone who's handled the X-Men DVD case should be familiar with this... All in all, top notch entertainment at what comes out to a more than fair price. Pick yours up if you haven't already.
Rating:
Summary: Never in my wildest days...
Review: .. did I think I would be able to sit down and watch 5 CD's .. one right after another. Well that's exactly what happened when we bought Season One. We watched the first episode and we were hooked! Before we knew it we were actually rooting for the good guys (or are they really the bad guys?). It's easy enough to like Tony Soprano and dislike Junior. But what about the MOTHER? Egads! Talk about a nightmare! Who's the snitch.. who's gonna get wacked and how? All these things keep you guessing from one episode to another. We eagerly look forward to Season Two coming out on DVD, so we can add it to our collection and have another Soprano marathon in early November!
Rating:
Summary: A good start to a great series
Review: The complete first season of the Sopranos on DVD is in one word amazing! This is another hit show from the HBO original series. A lot of the shows on HBO are great but none of them come close to THE SOPRANOS (with the one exception thier newest show, BAND OF BROTHERS). This show is about Tony Soprano a average man to many peoples standarders expect for one thing, he is the head hanco of the New Jresey mafia. Then there is Tony's family, Carmela: his wife that is driven by Tony's wealth, Anothny JR.: Tony's son who is always in trouble at school or at home, Meadow: Tony's daughter who is drifting futher and futher apart from the family, MOM: Tony's mom who refuses to be sensibal which creates many many problems for Tony, Uncle Junior: Tony's uncle who is getting old and very power hunrgy, The Shrink: Tony's psycyotrist who he will hide at any coast from his crew, Christopher: Tony's nephew who his life goal is to be a made man and he will let tony know this at every chance he gets. This first season is a good start, it introduces you to everybody and portrays mobster life and portrays all of Tony's sturgals and believe me he has a ton of headaches. The first season is good but the characters arent fully devloped and the storylines sometimes jump around but like any other show it gets better with time. The extras arent good because there are so few but this is a must-buy. And I can't wait for the second season to comes out on DVD and the fourth season on HBO!
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