to find the Sopranos flipping hard going?

[Lottapianos]

Ok, I know that devoted fans will probably be horrified. Let me explain

The good:
James Gandolfini. Fabulous portrayal of an extremely unlikeable, at times downright hideous, character
Edie Falco
Some very funny, sharp dialogue
Unflinching look at greed, self-interest, narcissism, unchecked patriarchy
Uncle Junior aka the most miserable git on the planet (but quite funny with it)
The Adriana-Christopher relationship - really upsetting at times but gripping and really well done. You cannot understand what she sees in him but she can't see a way out.

The bad (IMHO):
Lorraine Bracco. Dear god - wooden doesn't even describe it. She's always been utter rubbish. I wish they could have had an actor who was as good as JG so they could really spark off each other.
Every woman seems to be gagging to jump into bed with Tony. I know he's got a bit of an alpha male charisma going on but please, enough now.
The stupid Paulie subplots. Another wooden actor and I don't care about his mother or any of his other madcap escapades. Go away.
The number of episodes that seem to be filler. I'm halfway through season 5 and about 90% of it has been filler so far.

I am watching it as a box set so sometimes watch 2-3 episodes in an evening, but I am finding the relentless greed and ripping people off and threatening people and maiming people and general willy-waving a bit exhausting. I will stick with it to the end but TBH I do find it over-rated and I don't think it's something I will ever watch again.

Share your thoughts, got my hard hat on!

Love both Sopranos and The Wire. The Wire has the edge for me though. I literally can't fault it and yes I know I sound like a caricature of a north London media type and don't care

The portrayal of characters like Omar and Stringer Bell in the Wire: gangsters presented in three dimensions, was a revelation. I could watch it on a loop for the rest of my life.

I thought Lorraine Braco was great as the psychotherapist too, she is not meant to show emotion but was getting more and more pulled in

James Gandolfini was amazing so horrible yet at times vulnerable and likeable amazing actor :(

I like Broadwalk Empire not as much as The Sopranos and The Wire is my all time favourite

Spot on quesadilla. I go all Guardian-tosser about lots of things it too. And I've never seen so many gorgeous looking men in one programme in all my days! Yowza

Omar Little is my favourite TV character of all time.

I fantasise about having Omar and Dexter Morgan as my best friends and then no one would give me shit - or if they did, they'd be sorry

me too Omar Little is an amazing character

Omar Little and Dexter Morgan as your best friends, i may have to join that fantasy but kick you out of it

Lottie quite. A lechfest for Guardian readers.
I think my ultimate fantasy would involve a threesome with Stringer Bell and McNulty.

I am horrified it is fantastic.

Nurse Jackie is excellent LaurieFairyCake. Underrated in my opinion, Edie Falco is such a great actress.

Big fan of Boardwalk Empire too although don't like Nucky much.

Couldn't really get into The Wire for some reason. I found it a bit dull. Not sure why, but I did dip in and out of it from start to finish.

Oh, and I'm very much in love with Silvio in the Sopranos (before I knew who he was in real life). I almost cried when I thought what was going to happen to him at the end of the series

The Wire dull

I'd do Tony
I loved everything about it.
Except Tony's Ma. I wanted to smoother her.

I absolutely love The Sopranos. The interesting thing about Tony is that he is often so awful and yet he's a real animal lover. When he's going off on one at Sal 'Pussy's wife, she looks visibly afraid and tries to stop her dog jumping up at him but the appearance of the dog seems to calm him right down.

I love Edie Falco too - so believable in her role and yes the relationship between Christopher and Adriana is very compelling but we all know how that one ends

Silvio is definitely more likable than the rest but I'll never be able to forgive him for killing Adriana.

She was awful wasn't she cocole . It's rare that an old person is portrayed as being so vile in American shows. Brilliant actress.

me again...

It is an amazing portrayal of the horror of living a life where you can trust literally no one. Where all the people are constantly acting - feigning affection and loyalty, but where they know deep down that each member of their 'family' would kill them in a heartbeat if it would get them some advantage and they could get away with it! They are having to maintain the pretence every hour of every day. No wonder they are all messed up.

People like Christopher would always have been rotten, no matter what but in other circumstances he wouldn't have the power to do harm. Tony's tragedy is that he could have been a decent man but his life was predetermined from childhood and survival meant being violent.

I really liked the dream sequences - especially the ones Tony has after he is shot. His accent is different in those.

Sorry Freudian. I just really struggled with it. Don't even know why as it should have been right up my alley!

use subtitles

i couldnt do the wire

I have only recently started watching the Sopranos. So far, we have watched 2 series, dh has seen them all. I loved the Wire, (Idris Elba obviously helped, and Omar, such a fantastic character) found it very easy to watch, but find the Sopranos a bit samey at times. We are having a bit of a break, whilst watching Breaking Bad. I do like the Sopranos, but so far, the Wire has the edge.

But sorry, Dh, I hated what i saw of 24 and The West Wing. You will never convince me to watch any more.

I really find Lorraine Bracco fascinating, but the way her hair changes length constantly is very distracting (is it a wig?). Dh admits he used to fancy LB.

Boardwalk Empire- really liked the first series, couldn't get past a couple of episodes of the second. But by then, we'd discovered Breaking Bad/Game of Thrones/The Walking dead- and there are are only so many hours in the day

Damn I keep meaning to buy the boxset of the West Wing. Havebonly heard good stuff about it but I enjoy politics.

I would watch it just for the theme song and opening credits...pure brilliance

raahh you have to get to the end of Boardwalk Empire series 2. I will say no more.

Oh I loved the Sopranos, some brilliant points made in this thread. Another fan of the Wire here too. I don't think the acting in the Wire can be topped. Utterly superb. Series 2 with the Sabotka's was my favourite.

Currently on episode 5 of Series 3 of Boardwalk Empire. That Gyp Rosetti!!! Oh my god, talk about fucked up!

And i'm afraid no one in life will ever come close to Jimmy Darmody. The things I would do to him...

laurie you have to watch Nurse Jackie. It's fantabulous. And it's got the priest from the Sopranos, Gyp Rosetti from Boardwalk and someone from Six Feet Under, whose name I can't remember, but basically he's Dr Coop

limited - I will give it another go - eventually!!