I've never watched The Sopranos before until this month. I'm currently on the 3rd season, and I've watched bits on YouTube, so in some ways I've slightly spoiled myself on later details. But that's okay because I've managed to keep everything I've seen in perspective.
Tony Soprano is no Vito Corleone. Doesn't share the same life, the same timeline, the same manerisms, but his position and duties can be similar. He looks more like an average joe, which is so much easier to pull off in the 1990s. At times he can be quite an asshole, but he can be remarkably giving and demonstrates great restraint. He delegates and understands what is too far.
Though some chronic TV bingers may find the subject matter abrasive and extremely violent, the show didn't come without cleverness. This isn't a early 20th century Don wearing a "Don Fannuci" hat and suit that sticks out. This is a 40ish Italian descent man with a wife, two teenage kids, severe mother issues, anxiety and depression, struggles with therapy..........who happens to be a boss or the boss of a New Jersey crime family.
I could be wrong, but my impression is that there are more people hurt or "whacked" during the show's timeline than in all the Godfather movies combined. More restraint and trust in Vito's world? Maybe. It could be the fact that in the world of The Sopranos, there are a lot more investigative tools in the 1990s, including flipping members to get high ranking members on record about their crimes. But the organization has their own ways of figuring out who's being an informant. Plus there are lots people who don't agree with how Tony runs things, and people who run their mouths. Then there is Tony's mom, who a) conspired with Tony's uncle (fellow capo and Boss) to have Tony whacked, and b) fed Uncle Junior information that nearly had Tony whacked when that information was fueled by early onset dementia. Tony's mom is a completely negative person who transfers her bleak outlook on life onto her children and other associate people, then practically revels in their failures.
Though Uncle Junior nearly had Tony whacked, twice, he got his head on straight and realized that the information motivating removing Tony was absolutely false, and corrected his path. I like Uncle Junior, but Tony at times gives him little respect. But he knows he can get away with it because Uncle Jun knows Tony has the intelligence and balls to rule the family.
Those are my thoughts so far. More will be written as time goes by.
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