Finally finished The Sopranos. Is it a good show? Absolutely. Is it for everyone? No.
My wife and I as well as our company watched Oceans 8, and I wasn't that interested. My wife caught my sarcasm, but our company did not. My wife picked up on my displeasure of the dishonest con artist nature portrayed in the movie, and she spoke of how I hold honesty in the utmost highest regard. But later she asked the question how I can feel that way about Oceans 8 and still watch The Sopranos (hinting about the justification of the fictional Jersey mob's actions). But truth is, I can't justify it. The amount of times average innocent people get screwed, railroaded, hurt, and killed on the show by the Soprano crew is staggering. It bothers me. It's because their criminal business model is taking cuts from local businesses run by both average people and mob affiliates and allies. And when someone doesn't do what it takes to pay up what the mob says they have to have, there are supreme consequences. Sometimes it's also a person who's with a mob target or enemy, or an unwitting witness. In the Soprano world, just don't witness any of their activities, even though it's easier said than done. Basically their business is built on dozens or more little money making operations constantly ongoing, and every single one is important in the entire scheme of things. The Godfather trilogy has never bothered me because the Corleone's business strategy is one or two massive operations where they have their own infrastructure and cooperative relationships with relevant entities to keep it going. No innocent people are involved, and everything is built to keep on the up and up. It's still wrong on some levels, but for the most part, the only offended groups would be senators and the FBI. Also, when you look at the family history of the Corleones, they have been the innocents at the hands of an evil and ruthless organization, so why would they turn into the same to someone else?
I don't justify it at all, but the Soprano dynamic adapted to a society that doesn't stay constant for very long. With the tools and resources law enforcement has, big long operations can't stay for very long. It's their reality even if they don't like it.
Despite the brutal by nature of their business model, the other things that make the show unique and good is that Tony has a family, is a suburban dad, seeks to send his kids to college, is involved in their school and extra curricular activities, takes care of extended family, has depression and a mid life crisis, and is seeking therapy....................who happens to be the boss of a New Jersey organized crime family. Also the love-hate relationship between him and his mother and the the Ally one moment and enemy the next relationship between him and his Uncle is quite entertaining. The shop has some very colorful characters with surprising moments of compassion despite the ugliness.
By the way, I'm not going to speculate on the ending. Do what the creator says "don't read into it more than what you see." In fact, he mentions that all it is is a ending snapshot that life goes on, but the audience won't be there to see it anymore.
