It’s worth acknowledging that without James Gandolfini’s star-making turn as Tony Soprano the New Golden Age of Television we now enjoy may never have happened.
The Sopranos was not HBO’s first stab at original programming: there were horror anthologies (Tales from the Crypt), comedies (Arli$$), and kids programming (Fraggle Rock). Some programs had received critical acclaim but little public love (The Larry Sanders Show). There had even been ambitious, multi-character dramas featuring terrible people doing despicable things, redemption nowhere nearer each week (Oz).
But The Sopranos was the first series to break through to the mainstream. It sparked water-cooler conversations, prompted buzz, won awards, racked up viewers, and made HBO a must-have for the cultural elite....