HBO’s The Sopranos remains to be a beloved drama that paved the world for other hit series such as Mad Men and Breaking Bad, changing the world of television forever. Over two decades later, since the final episode aired, The Sopranos continues to be discussed, rewatched, and passed down to new generations of fans, solidifying itself as a quintessential series that is much more than just a show about gangsters.
The series ran for a successful six-season run, but the first season will always have a special place in the hearts of fans as it introduced us to some of the most unforgettable characters and moments in television history. From meeting Tony Soprano for the first time as he steps into Dr. Melfi’s office to his intense confrontation with his unbearable mother, here is every episode of the first season of The Sopranos, ranked.
13“A Hit is a Hit”
Season 1, Episode 10
When Christopher Moltisanti (Michael Imperioli) sets up a meeting with famous rapper, Massive Genius (Bokeem Woodbine) and Hesh Rabkin (Jerry Alder) regarding owed royalties, fans get a look into Rabkin’s past in the music industry as well as his savvy, cutthroat negotiation skills. The encounter with Massive Genius also leads to Chrissy’s girlfriend, Adriana La Cerva (Drea de Matteo), branching out into the music world, but it’s quickly made apparent that the rapper has something else in mind.
Some fans either like or hate season 1, episode 10, ‘A Hit is a Hit,’ but either way, it is a solid filler episode that gives Heshy a bit more depth as well as the tormentuous dynamic of Chrissy and Adriana’s relationship. Even though the episode might not move the main plot along, it still adds to certain characters who have been on the sidelines and isn’t a completely useless episode.
12“46 Long”
Season 1, Episode 2
Season 1, episode 2, ’46 Long,’ has a great deal of dark humor surrounding Tony being fed up with his mother, Livia (Nancy Marchand), as well as Paulie Walnuts (Tony Sirico) and Big Pussy (Vincent Pastore) being sent on a wild goose chase to find AJ’s (Rober Ilers) science teacher’s car that was stolen. Between Tony and Livia’s relentless bickering and Paulie’s obsession with America stealing Italian cuisine, the episode is a bit more lighthearted compared to other episodes in the season.
The second episode in the first season features the show’s only cold opening and is also memorable for Silvio Dante’s (Steven Van Zandt) hilarious impressions from The Godfather movies (“Sil, cheer me up, babe!) For a second episode, ’46 Long’ does an effective job at building on the main characters individually without losing sight of the main conflict between Tony and Livia, which plays a major role in the first season.
11“Down Neck”
Season 1, Episode 7
After Meadow (Jamie Lynn-Sigler) confirms Tony’s suspicion that she knows what he truly does for a living, Tony begins to wonder if AJ knows and if he should tell him the truth himself or wait for his son to come to him. The inner conflict leads to Tony reflecting on his childhood, specifically when he first discovered that his father was in the mob and how it affected him, wondering if AJ would have the same reaction or not.
Season 1, episode 7, ‘Down Neck,’ is the first episode that involves a series of flashbacks to Tony’s childhood and also touches on the true nature of his mother for the first time during his session with Dr. Melfi (Lorraine Bracco). While the episode gives more insight into Tony’s upbringing, it also presents an interesting comparison between the father and son and how Tony begins to wonder if his son’s flaws and issues are a result of him.
10“Meadowlands”
Season 1, Episode 4
Season 1, episode 4, ‘Meadowlands,’ is a vital turning point in the first season of the series and involves the tragic death of Jackie Aprile, which presents a conflict between Tony and Uncle Junior and a potential power struggle. The episode is also a key moment for AJ, who, thanks to Meadow, finally learns the truth about Tony and what he does for a living, forever changing his view of his world and those around him.
Compared to the previous episodes, ‘Meadowlands’ doesn’t have much action, but it’s still a crucial episode that showcases several characters experiencing a significant change in their lives. The first three episodes gave audiences a lot of information and scenarios, and ‘Meadowlands’ carefully sifts through what audiences should give attention to as the show progresses and ends with a strong final scene, which is one of many references to Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather.
9“Pilot”
Season 1, Episode 1
The formula of the pilot episode is unique and diligently breaks down the people in Tony’s life, as well as his unconventional career choice, played out in the modern world. While the episode lays out the necessary players and setting, it also introduces the family of ducks that made their home in the Soprano’s backyard, which becomes a crucial element in Tony’s life and his initial panic attack.
Throughout the series, the ducks are a recurring theme that symbolizes Tony’s family and his fear of losing them, which is beautifully established and explored by Dr. Melfi, adding a deeper meaning to the premise of the show than just having people whacked. While it introduces a love-to-hate New Jersey mob boss and his family and friends, it also touches on a deep, genuine emotion, ultimately setting The Sopranos apart from other gangster shows.
8“Pax Soprana”
Season 1, Episode 6
After the death of Jackie Aprile (Michael Rispoli), Tony recommends that his uncle, Junior Soprano (Dominic Chianese), take over as boss, but unbeknownst to Junior, Tony still intends on running things behind his back. While everyone gathers to celebrate Junior’s promotion, Tony’s sex life plummets as a result of his new medication, causing him more stress and tension with his wife, Carmela (Edie Falco), and his mistress (Oksana Lada).
Season 1, episode 6, ‘Pax Soprana,’ showcases Tony’s strategic tact as he manages to make everyone happy while sacrificing his uncle as a potential fall guy if any federal indictments happen. This also speaks to how callous and cold Tony can be, especially when it comes to business matters. That being said, it’s not as though Junior doesn’t hold back against his nephew either. While the overall episode is great, the final scene is easily one of the show’s best, which brilliantly reveals the FBI’s active investigation, setting the stage for potential trouble ahead.
7“The Legend of Tennessee Moltisanti”
Season 1, Episode 8
Season 1, episode 8, ‘The Legend of Tennessee Moltisanti,’ is one of the first episodes centered around Christopher and his inner struggle with self-discovery and feeling as though he has no purpose in the world. As suspicions of federal indictments circulate, Christopher becomes depressed about not being specifically mentioned by the media or any of the guys as a potential target and turns to writing a screenplay, believing it will be his ticket to recognition.
‘The Legend of Tennessee Moltisanti’ dives deep into Christopher’s unwavering desire for fame and acknowledgment from the world, as well as the media stereotypes of Italians and Italian Americans, which ironically correlates with how Christopher came to have unrealistic expectations of life in the mob. While other episodes surpass ‘The Legend of Tennessee Moltisanti,’ it is one that effectively conveys the downside of someone trying to base their life on their favorite movie or television show, which is a major, ongoing conflict for Christopher to come to terms with throughout the show.
6“Boca”
Season 1, Episode 9
Season 1, episode 9, ‘Boca,’ touches both a serious subject and a juvenile one involving Uncle Junior and his business in the bedroom. While Tony relentlessly breaks his uncle’s balls about going down on his girlfriend, he’s infuriated to learn that Meadow’s soccer coach has been secretly sleeping with Meadow’s friend and star of the team. Initially, Tony, Silvio, and Artie (John Ventimiglia) want to teach the coach a lesson, but after Artie’s wife, Charmaine (Kathrine Narducci), talks some sense into him, the guys let the law run its course.
‘Boca’ is an episode that has an interesting blend of comedy and drama and also marks one of the few times Tony refrains from taking matters into his own hands. Aside from the situation surrounding the coach, the episode intimately centers around Uncle Junior and his personal life, which, of course, bursts into flames thanks to Carmela and Tony’s childish behavior. Prior to the episode, the show hadn’t revealed very much about Junior’s personal life. While things don’t end well for him, it’s nice to see Junior in a more sensitive, humorous light, which brings genuine human emotion to the old-school mafioso.
5“Denial, Anger, Acceptance”
Season 1, Episode 3
While Tony tries to cope with Jackie Aprile’s inevitable death, he makes a deal with the head of a Hasidic Jewish family, Shlomo Teittlemen (Chuck Low), to get his son-in-law to agree to a divorce in exchange for a percentage of Teittlemen’s hotel. Unfortunately, the son-in-law, Ariel (Ned Eisenberg), firmly stands his ground, taking several beatings from Paulie and Silvio, who, by the end, are kind of impressed with his resiliency.
Season 1, episode 3, ‘Denial, Anger, Acceptance,’ is one of the funniest episodes that softens the slow demise of Tony’s friend, Jackie, who is cooped up in a hospital just waiting for the Grim Reaper. The episode showcases Tony’s considerate side as well as his ruthless side as he tries to cheer Jackie up with a woman from the Bada Bing and gets rough with Teittlemen. It’s fascinating to see both sides of Tony Soprano, almost like a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde concept that eventually takes on a life of its own throughout the series.
4“Nobody Knows Anything”
Season 1, Episode 11
When Detective Vin Makazian (John Heard) informs Tony that Big Pussy is wired for sound, Tony begins to panic and tries to confirm if it’s true or not. As Makazian tries to get proof for Tony, he and the guys do their own investigation but fail to find any sufficient evidence. After Makazian is busted in a raid on a local brothel, he abruptly decides to take his own life, taking any hope of Tony confirming if Big Pussy flipped with him.
Season 1, episode 11, ‘Nobody Knows Anything,’ is a hell of a cliffhanger episode that also concludes Heard’s guest appearance on the show, which earned him an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. Between Makazian’s shocking header off the bridge to Big Pussy’s sudden disappearance, ‘Nobody Knows Anything’ leaves audiences on pins and needles and is one of the first episodes to convey an immense amount of suspense and intensity.
3“College”
Season 1, Episode 5
When Tony and Meadow go look at a few colleges, Tony recognizes a former DiMeo family associate, Febby Petrulio (Tony Ray Rossi), who became an FBI informant and provided information that resulted in several guys being locked up. Suddenly, colleges aren’t on Tony’s mind, and as he tries to keep up appearances for his daughter (who immediately knows what’s going on), he manages to confirm the man’s identity, resulting in the character’s first on-screen hit.
According to creator David Chase, HBO had an issue with Tony killing someone, feeling as though fans would turn against him, but Chase accurately pointed out that this is a show about the mob, and if Tony didn’t kill anyone, they would lose their audience. Thankfully, HBO let Chase have it his way, and in season 1, episode 5, ‘College,’ viewers witness Tony take a life for the first time, which is, without a doubt, incredibly brutal and intense. Even though Chase could have opted for a less graphic execution, it wouldn’t have had the same impact, and anything less would have failed to reveal Tony’s genuine savage nature.
2“Isabella”
Season 1, Episode 12
Season 1, episode 12, ‘Isabella,’ is one of the first episodes that have a deep plot twist involving Tony and a foreign exchange student, Isabella (Maria Grazia Cucinotta), who is staying at the Cusamano’s house while they’re away. Despite Isabella’s obvious beauty, Tony surprisingly feels no physical attraction to her and instead sees her as a nurturing, motherly figure. When the Cusamanos return home, Tony asks Dr. Cusamano (Robert LuPone) about Isabella, but he is met with a strange, confused look. After a little investigating, Tony realizes that Isabella was a figment of his imagination and, according to Melfi, a result of his subconscious trying to tell him the truth about his mother.
‘Isabella’ is a climatic episode that is full of unpredictability and symbolism, showcased in an array of noteworthy scenes. While Tony’s hallucination of Isabella is a tad outlandish, it still fits the narrative surrounding Tony’s conflict with his mother and trying to come to terms with the kind of person she truly is. The assassination attempt is also a nail-biting scene as Tony struggles with his attackers and barely gets out alive. Similar to Tony’s initial mood, the episode starts with a mellow, dream-like tone but soon takes a shocking turn that jolts Tony’s system as well as the audience’s.
1“I Dream of Jeannie Cusamano”
Season 1, Episode 13
Shortly after his near-death experience, Tony meets Melfi, who bravely tries to tell him that Livia suffers from Borderline Personality Disorder, which doesn’t go over well. Melfi’s thoughts are eventually reinforced when Tony meets with the FBI, who play him a series of tapes of conversations between his mother and Junior, confirming not only that Junior was responsible for the hit but that his own mother tried to have him whacked.
Season 1, episode 13, ‘I Dream of Jeannie Cusamano,’ is an epic season finale and, without question, the best episode in the first season of The Sopranos. Everything the season had been slowly leading up to comes to a shocking head as Tony finally realizes the true nature of his mother, which is both devastating and heartbreaking for any child to learn. According to Chase, he originally had written the episode to end with Tony actually smothering Livia, but when Nancy Marchand was diagnosed with cancer, she asked him to let her keep working, resulting in him changing the final episode.
