Rating: 
Summary: So Good It Hurts
Review: The Sopranos second season doesn't have the straightforward narrartive of its bookend seasons -- but that's all for the best.Big Pussy is back from his mysterious disappearance -- but that might not be for the best. Dr. Melfi is still in hiding -- and that just can't be for the best. The Holy Trinity of James Gandolfini (Tony Soprano), Lorraine Bracco (Dr. Jennifer Melfi), and Edie Falco (Carmela Soprano) turn out Oscar-caliber performances each and every hour. All with increasing violence and complexity until... ...Badda boom badda bing, all the pieces come together in a final pair of shows you'll never forget. Bad clams, talking dream fish, boat trips not everyone comes home from... wow. Even tough guy Pauly Walnuts was crying at the end. Ever given a standing ovation in your own living room? You will now.
Rating:
Summary: Shakespeare - with swearing
Review: People often liken the Sopranos to the Godfather series. Certainly, it belongs in the same league. Even the characters know this. Check out Steven Van Zandt's Pacino impersonations for proof. To me though, this has all the elements of one of Shakespeare's best plays. The inner turmoil and unpredictability of the central character, the sometimes light hearted, sometimes tragic subplots, the sudden bursts of violence. Whether 'tis a tragedy or comedy is the question. The supporting cast is tremendous, with standouts including Imperioli, Sirico and the ever excellent Nancy Marchand. Let's not make any bones though. This is Gandolfini's show through and through. Simultaneously provoking reactions of horror, sympathy, amusement and affection, his presence on screen ranks alongside the best and most magnetic screen personalities in entertainment history. The dvd collections, both this and the first series are thoughtfully laid out with useful menus and synopses. The special features include a couple of featurettes and some director's commentaries. Pretty standard. Still, when you have a series that is this good - the last two episodes are worth the price of admission on their own - who cares about special features. Stated quite simply, The Sopranos is the best drama series I have ever seen.
Rating:
Summary: Totally awesome.
Review: Can't speak highly enough about this series. I missed the first two seasons on broadcast TV but caught them on DVD after the fact. I watched the entire first season in one day on DVD, completely entranced. Second season is up to same high quality of script, direction, acting. I did watch the third season on HBO...it too was excellent. "The Sopranos" most definitely is worthy of being called a modern day Godfather series.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Package
Review: Since the quality of the show has been talked about at great length, for this review, I'm just going to focus on the technical aspects of the DVD's. VIDEO:
Wow. The video quality is flat out excellent. Presented in anamorphic widescreen, colors are vivid, detail level is high and besides an expected amount of grain, the picture is crystal clean. Unlike the DVD's of the first season, aliasing is kept to a minimum. The only bad news about the transfer is that there is a noticeable amount of over edge-enhancement and blacks are some times a little off. Overall though, the video quality surpasses most current DVD releases of major motion pictures. AUDIO:
Again excellent. While the Dolby 5.1 track won't compare with one of a big budget action movie, the dialogue comes in perfectly. Since the show is dialogue driven, this is obviously quite important. Despite the heavy use of background music and scenes taking place in large public places, dialogue is never drowned out. EXTRAS
Each episode contains a clips of "previously on" and "next on" as well as a brief plot summary. There are also 4 commentary tracks. They provide some interesting insight into the making of the episodes but besides that, aren't all that special (still better then nothing). There are also two brief featurettes. Menus are well laid out (essential identical to the ones on the first season DVD's). Even at the MSRP for this set is an excellent deal.
Rating:
Summary: Look closer...
Review: With its darkly subversive wit and portrait of suburbanites trapped by the traditions and preconceptions of their own recent pasts, HBO's Mafia series The Sopranos manages to be everything that American Beauty was supposed to be and more! To say that this show is one of the most consistently brilliant series ever is an understatement and it stands as a worthy successor to the late Homicide as the best damn show on television. Its episodic television that plays out not like a movie but as a visualization of a great American novel and never is this more obvious than when one sits down and watches the series -- one episode after another without having to take a week-long break -- on DVD. All that said, it is also generally agreed that of the three seasons to premiere so far, the second is the weakest. Of course, it has to be understood that when discussing a show like the Sopranos, terms like weak and strong are relative. The weakest of the Sopranos is still stronger than anything else you're going to find. However, it is true that the 2nd season -- especially in the first few episodes -- seems to lack the strong, central thematic focuses of the first and third. It comes across as rather disorganized -- largely because the show's deceptively evil shadow (Livia, played brilliantly by Nancy Marchand) isn't an active character. Whereas in the first season, she was very much an active presence (plotting the murder of her son, Tony) and her third season death hung over that season's disturbingly dark storyline like a ghost, the second season finds Livia confined to a rest home; reduced to creating random chaos with Tony's kids but no longer an active threat. Hence, while still an excellent work of entertainment, the second season has a hard time standing on its own. However, taken in the context of the full series, the second season instead becomes an important point of transition. Much of what seems questionable in the 2nd season would surface later in the third and, for the most part, the pay-off made the questions all worthwhile. With all that said, the second season is teeming with classic moments and lines -- Alicia Witt's guest performance in the bittersweet episode D-Girl, Anthony Jr's discovery of existentialism at his confirmation, the intriguingly psychotic character of Furio, and, of course, the surprising but almost predestined conclusion of Pussy's storyline. As well, this season introduces Tony's sister Janice (brillianty played by Aida Turturro who makes Janice a character you want to both strangle and embrace at the same time) and tells the story of her own fractured relationship with Richie Aprille, perhaps one of the most disturbingly evil characters to ever appear on television. Played brilliantly by David Proval (who is nearly unrecognizable to those of us who remember him as the nicest hoodlum in the world in Martin Scorsese's Mean Streets), Richie gives the final episodes of the 2nd season a much-needed jolt and the ultimate fate of his character still comes as a nicely satisfying surprise. As for the DVD's extras, there's not quite as much as you might want but still, Sorpano fans will enjoy them. Four of the episodes feature directors commentaries and they're a mixed batch with the most interesting coming from former actor Timothy Van Patten, who proves himself to be a witty raconteur even when he's not talking about anything in particular (as well, there's something really enjoyable about the fact that Van Patten seems to be taking as much joy in watching the episode as he is in explaining it) and the worst coming from the colorless director of From Where to Eternity (ironically, considering how unintersting the commentary is, probably the most interesting show of the season).
Rating:
Summary: Been to BadaBing
Review: the second season of the sopranos is so fantastic,the best just got better.my husband and i are absolutely hooked !!
Rating:
Summary: A surprising second season.
Review: After seeing the first season of "The Sopranos", I had to ask what could be done for an encore? How could it be topped in terms of drama and surprises? Well, the second season comes pretty close to that mark. Mob boss Tony Soprano has not been faring well since the end of season one. His mother (and possible accomplice in a botched attempt on his llfe) is very much alive, his estranged sister returns, an old associate starts causing trouble, his family is going through transition, and he can't shake the feeling that one of his crew may not be as loyal as he thinks... Boasting solid performances by the cast, a few shocking moments and deaths to boot, season two of "The Sopranos" rarely falls over in the high-wire act that it is. The DVD set is solid, with several commentaries by the show's directors, and several featurettes on the show. All in all, a good package and worthwhile look by fans of great crime drama.
Rating:
Summary: join the family
Review: This show is great.
Whenever this show comes on i unplug the phone and engross myself in this great show.
The writing in this show is brilliant,we need more of these screenwriters. The storylines get better with each season.
The acting is awesome and i am continually amazed at how good these actors are.
Why the west wing beat this out for so many awards is a mystery to me.
If you get this on christmas dont watch it immediately because if you do you will want to watch the whole lot.
BUY THIS!
Rating:
Summary: The weakest of the three seasons, but well worth seeing
Review: This is the weakest of the three Sopranos seasons so far. Many magic moments, but weakened perhaps most by the overemphasis on Christopher Moltisanti and his girlfriend (hey, the series is not called "The Moltisantis", you know! Still Tony and family and Family provide you with many magic moments. The second to last episode, in which Richie finally gets his, is a magic hour.
Rating:
Summary: Better than Season One.
Review: Nagging matriarch, Mama Soprano. Sullen and boring psychobabble, Dr. Jennifer Melfi. If you liked these features of season one, a) you should have your head examined, and b)you will hate season two. Thank you, David Chase, for limiting those horrible story lines and elevating season two to a wonderful new plateau for your series. Gambling, Frank Sinatra Jr., Jon Bon Jovi (oh, wait,that was Sex in the City), and fleshed out AJ and Meadow spots highlight this season. Sure, Steve Van Zandt is as wooden as a broomhandle, but Paulie Walnuts and Nephew Moltisanti, you boys rock. And when Bavaqua gets his comeuppance, one would think there was little else that could be added to the spiciest chili mix this side of Queens. And bammo, you gotta see the finale. Buy it, do not rent it, you will be loaning it and re-watching it for years to come. I love Tony and the gang. Thank you, Mr. Chase.
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