"The Sopranos" Pilot (1999)

Director:

David Chase

Writers:

David Chase (creator)
David Chase (written by)

TV Series:

"The Sopranos" (1999)

Original Air Date:

10 January 1999 (Season 1, Episode 1)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

A mobster passes out at a family barbecue and seeks therapy to understand why.

Plot Keywords:

Reference To Gary Cooper | Gangster | Psychiatrist | New Jersey | Mafia

Cast

James Gandolfini	...	Tony Soprano
Lorraine Bracco	...	Dr. Jennifer Melfi
Edie Falco	...	Carmela Soprano
Michael Imperioli	...	Christopher Moltisanti
Dominic Chianese	...	Junior Soprano
Vincent Pastore	...	Salvatore 'Big Pussy' Bonpensiero
Steve Van Zandt	...	Silvio Dante (as Steven Van Zandt)
Tony Sirico	...	Paulie 'Walnuts' Gualtieri
Robert Iler	...	A.J. Soprano
Jamie-Lynn Sigler	...	Meadow Soprano
Nancy Marchand	...	Livia Soprano
Michael Gaston	...	Alex Mahaffey
Joe Lisi	...	Dick Barone
John Ventimiglia	...	Artie Bucco
Jerry Adler	...	Hesh

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

Astoria, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Brad Grey Television

Trivia:

Robert Loggia was seriously considered for the role of Uncle Junior but lost out to Dominic Chianese. Loggia would appear later in the series as Michele "Feech" La Manna.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The ducks in Tony Soprano's swimming pool in the pilot episode are all female. There are several remarks about the group of ducks being a family. No male ducks are within that group.

Quotes:

[Tony after informing Carmella he's on Prozac warns her to keep it secret]
Tony Soprano: I'm serious. The wrong person finds out about this and I get a steel-jacketed anti-depressant right in the back of the head!

Movie Connections:

References The Birds (1963)

Soundtrack:

Lumina

It's a pilot,, folks

Aspiring mob boss Tony Soprano has a fainting spell and ends up in a shrink's office. It quickly becomes apparent through his chat with the shrink and a series of mostly comical flashbacks that he is a very bad man involved in some very bad stuff. You can feel the makings of a show here, obviously based on both THE GODFATHER and GOODFELLAS. Everything feels a bit rushed, but hey, it's a pilot and there's a lot to establish. Characters are not truly formed yet. Carmela is a typical New Jersey shrieker of a housewife, the kind we see in movies and hope never to meet. Sil and some of the other "boys" are only briefly glimpsed. Tony himself is not quite yet the Tony we will come to know; the gravitas is missing, if you'll pardon my use of that $100 word. But watch Tony's face as he gleefully runs down the guy who owes him money. He obviously loves the rough stuff, while feeling guilty about being both that guy and a family man with family responsibilities. By the way, the little bit of screen time Uncle Junior and Tony's mom have is worth its weight in gold, as these characters are played by two very sharp veteran actors. But just as THE GODFATHER was all about Marlon Brando, THE SOPRANOS ultimately will be all about James Gandolfini. Bring on all the guest stars you want, but without Gandolfini, there would be no THE SOPRANOS.