Keith Houchen Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 6 minutes ago, FelatioLips said: Season 4 has been a slog at times with all the cutaways to Christopher shooting up heroin Ah, the intervention though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperBacon Posted January 24, 2023 Share Posted January 24, 2023 56 minutes ago, Keith Houchen said: Ah, the intervention though. "I said my piece Chrissy" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Carbomb Posted January 24, 2023 Paid Members Share Posted January 24, 2023 Absolutely love this series, some of the best TV ever written. Spoiler The decline of Uncle Jun is a particularly powerful arc as well, because he's as awful as the rest of them, yet, for all their protestations of family and sticking together with blood, they essentially leave him to rot - yes, he shot Tony, but for some reason none of them ever point out that he had fucking dementia and didn't realise Tony wasn't Pussy Malanga. (BTW, the name "Pussy Malanga" is particularly funny to us, because "malang" is Mauritian creole for "dirty".) I was annoyed at myself for not recognising Frankie Valli when he showed up in it. Fairly distinctive look, should've spotted it. One of the other mini-stories that amused me was Spoiler the fed who essentially has some variant of Stockholm syndrome (or is just perhaps too impressed with Tony at the start) and helps him, even saying "we're actually gonna win this" when the Jersey crew are at war with Phil Leotardo's lot. I think it's fairly indisputable that Livia is one of the best characters in the series. Even my dad, who isn't into American TV usually, mainly because he has trouble with any accent stronger than a standard East Coast one, found her hilarious. My little sister regularly mentions the bit when Tony says to her "A room in the retirement community just opened up", and her response is "Of course it did! Somebody died!". Another bit that's now a part of our regular phrasing is to call someone a "one-shoe cocksucker/motherfucker". Amazing episode, that one. Somebody earlier said Bryan Cranston said that, without Tony Soprano, there would be no Walter White. That's true, but I would also recommend watching The Shield - it was that series, along with The Sopranos and Six Feet Under, that back in 1999 kick-started this golden age of TV we've been in the past twenty years. I would argue that Vic Mackey is just as complex, confusing, and fascinating a character as Tony Soprano. Basically, if you love The Sopranos and are looking for something that matches it in terms of the quality of writing, The Shield comes pretty close, in my opinion. It's probably grimmer, but it's a hell of a watch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Factotum Posted January 24, 2023 Share Posted January 24, 2023 I think why I will always put The Sopranos as number 1 is because of Gandolfini's performance. Its absolutely astonishing when you watch it back. His transformation into a snarling beast of a man in the later seasons is just tremendous. It is also one of the funniest shows ever, with a supporting cast that is top notch all over. I rewatched it during lockdown and had more of an appreciation of the AJ character then I did before. That kid is rightly fucked up with parents like that. I used to think he was just a bad actor, but he's so much better than I thought. Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members FLips Posted January 24, 2023 Author Paid Members Share Posted January 24, 2023 15 minutes ago, Carbomb said: I think it's fairly indisputable that Livia is one of the best characters in the series. Even my dad, who isn't into American TV usually, mainly because he has trouble with any accent stronger than a standard East Coast one, found her hilarious. My little sister regularly mentions the bit when Tony says to her "A room in the retirement community just opened up", and her response is "Of course it did! Somebody died!". Somebody earlier said Bryan Cranston said that, without Tony Soprano, there would be no Walter White. That's true, but I would also recommend watching The Shield - it was that series, along with The Sopranos and Six Feet Under, that back in 1999 kick-started this golden age of TV we've been in the past twenty years. I would argue that Vic Mackey is just as complex, confusing, and fascinating a character as Tony Soprano. Basically, if you love The Sopranos and are looking for something that matches it in terms of the quality of writing, The Shield comes pretty close, in my opinion. It's probably grimmer, but it's a hell of a watch. I'll admit that nearing the end of season four now, I do miss Livia Soprano. We despised her as she was in it but it's like that old phrase, you don't know what you have until it's gone. "Please Lord take me now" has been adopted into our household. I love The Shield and binge-watched the whole thing about 10 years ago when it was on Netflix. The self destruction of the Strike Team when their backs are against the wall is just outstanding to watch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members TheBurningRed Posted January 24, 2023 Paid Members Share Posted January 24, 2023 I agree with The Shield. I watched it for the first time in late 2020/early 2021. A fantastic show. The last few episodes are heartbreaking for the characters involved. One of the rare shows that’s get it right in the final season/final episode. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Chest Rockwell Posted January 24, 2023 Moderators Share Posted January 24, 2023 I just went through all the pain of splitting out the Sopranos chat checking every post one by one. You better not start taking about the fucking Shield now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members gmoney Posted January 24, 2023 Paid Members Share Posted January 24, 2023 Oz is a cracking series, isn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Houchen Posted January 24, 2023 Share Posted January 24, 2023 2 minutes ago, gmoney said: Oz is a cracking series, isn't it? It’s no The Wire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Chest Rockwell Posted January 24, 2023 Moderators Share Posted January 24, 2023 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperBacon Posted January 24, 2023 Share Posted January 24, 2023 23 minutes ago, Factotum said: I think why I will always put The Sopranos as number 1 is because of Gandolfini's performance. Its absolutely astonishing when you watch it back. His transformation into a snarling beast of a man in the later seasons is just tremendous. It's the greatest acting performance of all time. He was the best and I genuinely miss him. The way the other speak about him, especially Robert Iler and Jamie Sigler, speaks volumes. A wonderful man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members LaGoosh Posted January 24, 2023 Paid Members Share Posted January 24, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, Carbomb said: I would argue that Vic Mackey is just as complex, confusing, and fascinating a character as Tony Soprano. You could definitely argue it, but unfortunately you would be wrong. I don't think there's a character as complex, detailed and well realised in any form of medium, let alone just telly, than Tony Soprano. You even know what food, movies and music he likes. The weird thing with the whole anti-hero debate though is that really all of the so called anti heroes are basically evil. Tony Soprano has some good qualities but he is ultimately an evil character. I think that's why the final season was thought lesser of at the time because it basically goes all in on presenting the reality of Tony, he's a blackhole that sucks in everyone around him, ruins their lives and destroys anything good about them. Most underrated character is definitely Artie Bucco. Always love watching his weird, nervous hand mannerisms. Something else I love about the show is that despite being about the mafia most of the actual crime stuff is mostly kept on the sidelines. They never really go into any huge or real amount detail about how it all works and where the money comes from. You'll just catch the occasional hints or snippets. Some of the capos are barely even in the show. Albert Barese is one of Tony's top earners and you never learn anything about him but in the few scenes he is in he feels like a fully fleshed out character (fleshed out character). Edited January 24, 2023 by LaGoosh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members gmoney Posted January 24, 2023 Paid Members Share Posted January 24, 2023 18 minutes ago, LaGoosh said: Some of the capos are barely even in the show. Albert Barese is one of Tony's top earners and you never learn anything about him but in the few scenes he is in he feels like a fully fleshed out character (fleshed out character). Ha, funnily enough he was in an episode I watched yesterday and I was struggling to remember who he was. You're right about the crime aspect not being a big focus. I really like how it dips in and out of stuff. You'll get a strong whiff of what they're doing with the stock scam for example, but you never follow it through, it might just get referenced again a couple of times in passing. The characters are the main focus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members TheBurningRed Posted January 24, 2023 Paid Members Share Posted January 24, 2023 26 minutes ago, LaGoosh said: Most underrated character is definitely Artie Bucco. Always love watching his weird, nervous hand mannerisms.  Always found Artie irritating. He should’ve got more of a hiding than he did over the course of the show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members FLips Posted January 24, 2023 Author Paid Members Share Posted January 24, 2023 I like Artie. He seems like an inherently good character that just happens to have grown up with Tony and so by association is more willing to put up with his shit. He's had his moments so far but most of his bad luck stemmed from them blowing his restaurant up, leading eventually to his marraige crumbling. Between him and Davey Scatino, who admittedly is a little more flawed, Tony essentially takes two decent people, both successful business owners and both apparently his friends and he fucks them over for personal gain. I'm 100% with Artie when he tells Tony he knew what would happen with his loan and how he knew he could use it to wipe his own debt at the restaurant. Artie's best moment so far is practicing his tough guy act in the mirror, going to the guy's house and actually repeating it line for line, then getting walloped. That and almost shooting Tony in the car park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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