subject: Poker tables, gangsters and strip clubs: characters of The Sopranos Pt. 1 [print this page] Author: Kasan Groupe Author: Kasan Groupe
The Sopranos is one of the most successful and legendary television shows and was one of the first HBO series' to take storytelling to a new level. It won numerous awards and was integral in helping the careers of James Gandolfini, Edie Falco and Jamie-Lyn Sigler. Here is a quick rundown of some of the most important characters on the Sopranos, none of them easily categorized in terms of good or evil, they are human who may spend too much time at the poker tables, strip club or mistress' house but they are essentially products of their environment, not rotten to the core. Tony Soprano Wonderfully played by James Gandolfini in a role for the ages, Tony is the long suffering patriarch of the Soprano family and for a large part of the television show he is the de facto Boss of the DiMeo Crime Family in northern New Jersey. At the very beginning of the show we see that Tony has been dealing with panic attacks and fainting frequently and has been advised to see a psychiatrist to help him deal with the attacks. Both charming and fearful, Tony can switch personalities at a moments notice, making him an aggressive and harsh leader. Through his often strained relationship with his wife Carmela and his liberal daughter Meadow and slacker son Anthony Jr., we gain more insight into what makes Tony tick throughout the show. He will go down in history as one of the most interesting television characters of all time. Carmela Soprano The deeply Catholic religious Carmela often feels conflicted about the life she leads as the wife to a crime family boss, and also how it is going to affect her children. Carmela is unfilled both emotionally and physically by her husband and has had chances to cheat on him but her religion and her family duties largely pull her back. She is often see as showing deep sympathy and love for Tony but has difficulty getting through to him and her efforts at trying to make him a more religious man often are met by anger and arguments. About the Author:
