HBO’s The Sopranos remains a beloved television series, paving the way for other hit series like Mad Men and Breaking Bad, changing the world of television forever. More than two decades after its final episode aired, The Sopranos continues to be discussed, rewatched, and passed down to new generations of fans, cementing its status as a quintessential series that is more than just a gangster show.
The series ran successfully for six seasons, but the first season will always hold a special place in fans’ hearts 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 walks into Dr. Melfi’s office to his intense confrontation with his annoying mother, here’s every episode of the first season of The Sopranos, ranked.
When Christopher Moltisanti (Michael Imperioli) arranges a meeting with famous rapper, Massive Genius (Bokeem Woodbine) and Hesh Rabkin (Jerry Alder) regarding outstanding royalties, fans get to learn more about Rabkin’s past in the music industry as well as his shrewd and fierce negotiating skills. The meeting with Massive Genius also leads to Chrissy’s girlfriend, Adriana La Cerva (Drea de Matteo), making her way into the music world, but it quickly becomes clear that the rapper has something else in mind.
Some fans either loved or hated season 1, episode 10, ‘A Hit is a Hit’, but either way, it was a solid filler episode that gave Heshy more depth and a painful dynamic in Chrissy and Adriana’s relationship. While the episode may not advance the main plot, it does flesh out some of the characters who have been sidelined and isn’t a completely useless episode.
Season 1, Episode 2, ’46 Long,’ has a lot of dark humor revolving around Tony’s frustration with his mother, Livia (Nancy Marchand), as well as Paulie Walnuts (Tony Sirico) and Big Pussy (Vincent Pastore) being sent on a futile chase to find the stolen car of science teacher AJ (Rober Ilers). Between Tony and Livia’s constant bickering and Paulie’s obsession with America stealing Italian cuisine, the episode is a bit lighter than other episodes of the season.
The second episode of the first season features the show’s only cold open and is also memorable for its comedic rendition of Silvio Dante (Steven Van Zandt) from the Godfather films (“Sil, cheer me up, baby!”). For its second episode, ’46 Long’ does a great job of building up each of the main characters without losing sight of the main conflict between Tony and Livia, which played a major role in the first season.
