Reviewing A Review Of The Sopranos
My take on their take
W.G.H
As you may have noticed, I’m fond of reflective pieces that go back to review something iconic, with some perspective. That’s why, as opposed to the many push notifications I get from google, I did not simply swipe this particular one away. The title - 10 Harsh Realities of Rewatching The Sopranos 18 Years Later - hit the right button and triggered my curiosity. What can possibly be classified as harsh reality in that context? Well, here are my thoughts on their thoughts.
The following are my takes on those harsh realities mentioned in the original piece, in order.
The Sopranos' Slow Burn Feels Even Slower Now
The Series' Pace Feels More Like a Drag
Despite this being a very subjective observation, I’d agree upfront with the premise. In a world that is dominated by short attention grabbing clips, Tweets, and such, it’s not really a hot take, that a reflective work of art will feel slower.
This might be a point on which I tend to agree, though had it been done differently, I’d estimate that the show wouldn’t have been (rightfully) held in such high regard to begin with.
Meadow and A.J. Are Even Harder to Watch Today
Teen Angst in The Sopranos Becomes Less Relatable as the Audience Ages
The fact that, as a viewer ages he finds certain characters (especially younger ones) less relatable, is not surprising or unique to The Sopranos. I never found them extremely relatable to begin with, if I’m being honest. I did however find them fitting, as in - realistic in the world they lived in. The writer credits the series in stating that “Their stories reflect the generational rot passed down from Tony and Carmela (Edie Falco)“, which in opinion is the only thing that matters in that regard. However, she follows with “but their execution can feel like narrative detours.“
In a 6 seasons, 86 episodes series, I’d say there’s a lot of room for sub plots, and as the receivers of some of the biggest direct collateral damage of Tony and Carmela, I’d say that AJ and Meadow are the natural candidates to justify such narrative detours.
The Sopranos' Ending Hurts Even More the Second Time
A Masterful Ending is Still Just as Frustrating
Hey, I’m with you on that one. One of the best ending scenes in TV history and likely the most frustrating one.
The Glamour of Crime in The Sopranos Quickly Wears Off
Rewatching The Sopranos Removes The Magic
I like the writer’s reflection on this point. If anyone had the notion that this series was about the glamour and the high life, then a good rewatch would make them realize just how far off they were. Here’s a really good quote from the original column.
“The characters are not enjoying luxury, but they are hiding from their emptiness and other problems. Tony’s money brings him no peace, only more guilt and stress. Paulie (Tony Sirico) and Silvio (Steven Van Zandt) are paranoid and joyless. Carmela is consumed by denial. Every indulgence is a mask for something deeper: fear, rage, or hollowness.“ Laila Elhenawy
The Casual Bigotry Hits Even Harder Now
The Bigotry is Jarring Despite the Social Commentary
This is my “favorite” type of criticism… it really boggles me. This is a series about bad people. It’s a show about bigoted people. These people use racial and bigoted slurs casually. It’s like the criticism of movies, books or TV shows about slavery, in which the very same people we dislike for being racist are behaving in a racist way…
I’m sorry, but we can’t have the cake and leave it whole. I find nothing jarring about a movie about men in the forties of the previous century, who talk down to a woman, or bigoted Mafiosos who use the N word. As a Jew, I don’t get my panties in a bunch, when a film about the holocaust includes Nazis using racist language (and indeed acts) against Jews. Because, the context is everything in that regard. I’d expect that Nazis behaved that way.
Trying to pacify audiences through ignoring difficult past realities, is exactly one of the biggest problems with much of written arts these past couple of decades.
Christopher Is Even More Tragic Than Cool Upon Rewatch
The Sopranos Fan Favorite Loses Admiration
Well, there must’ve been something wrong with me. I’ve never viewed Christopher as anything resembling “Cool”… To me, he was a tragic character for the exact reasons the writer mentioned in her piece.
Gender Politics in The Sopranos are Brutally Dated
Female Characters Aren't Fully Developed or Properly Represented
Leave aside my disgust with Gender politics, especially in arts, as a general statement, I completely and wholeheartedly disagree with this. Carmela Soprano and Dr. Melfi were some of the best female characters to grace our TV screens in forever. They received a full treatment, like every major character should, man or woman. Other female roles got the depth they needed to fulfill their roles, just like a phenomenal actor like Steve Buscemi did, in order to be who he needed to be.
The world of the mob is not a DEI department, and men dominated it. Trying to depict it differently, just to please the babied souls of today, would be absolutely laughable.
Some Plotlines in The Sopranos Simply Don’t Work Anymore
Characters & Arcs Disappear Without Proper Development
I’ll take the writer’s word on that.
Tony’s Therapy Ultimately Feels Like a Dead End
The Sopranos Wasted What Could Have Been a Tool for a Great Character Arc
I guess, the writer got it right in the last sentence for this point. Quoting:
Therapy was never about healing; it was another tool Tony used to justify his own selfishness.
If anyone thought, for a second, that we’re going to get a happy ending, with a mobster repenting and taking responsibility for his action, they were deluding themselves. The therapy was never going to “go anywhere”, but to show how deep seated Tony’s personality flaws were, and how selfish and manipulative he was.
Dr, Melfi on her part, did the best she could, and served as a worthy contrast with her genuine attempts to help.
The Sopranos Is a Deeply Nihilistic TV Series
There Are No Happy Endings for Any Characters
Well, as the kids say (do they still say it?) - Duh… Mobsters are nihilistic by definition. Their only loyalty is to the mechanism that feeds their nihilistic existence. As such, happy endings are not really an option. Having given any of these deeply flawed (to put it very mildly) individuals a happy end, would’ve really been depressing and frustrating.
General thoughts:
The last time I rewatched The Sopranos was about three years ago, and I still loved it. I agree with the writer of the related piece about it seeming a bit slower, though I don’t really mind it in this case. I agree that the end scene is still frustrating but very good.
I totally reject the criticism about bigotry being jarring, when watching a show about mobsters, as well as the Gender politics discussion, which should never intersect with art.
If you want to read the original piece, written by Laila Elhenawy for CBR, here is the link: https://www.cbr.com/the-sopranos-harsh-realities-rewatch/
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