The Sopranos, a groundbreaking HBO series, is widely acclaimed for its complex characters, clever storylines, and visually striking scenes. It has influenced more of thebest gangster dramassince its airing. Throughout its six seasons, the show delivered numerous episodes that are consideredmasterpieces in prestige television storytelling. These episodes, often celebrated for their exceptional writing, acting, and thematic depth, showcase the series' ability to blend dark comedy, drama, and crime elements into a gripping narrative.
From the shocking and intense"Whoever Did This"to the emotionally charged"Whitecaps,“the episodes that rank among the best represent the pinnacle ofThe Sopranos' writing. They explore the complexities of relationships, the moral dilemmas faced by characters, and the consequences of their actions. Whether it’smajorSopranoscharacter deaths, the unraveling of a complex plot, or the exploration of a character’s inner turmoil, these episodes offer agroundbreaking viewing experience.
All 8 Characters Tony Kills In The Sopranos (& Why)
As a ruthless mob boss, Tony Soprano orders the deaths of many gangsters during The Sopranos, and he had some substantial kills in the show.
10The Sopranos Season 4, Episode 9
“Whoever Did This”
With an impressive IMDb rating of 9.3/10,The Sopranosepisode“Whoever Did This” is marked by two significant deaths. In the episode, Ralphie is the likely culprit for two different acts – on one end of the antagonism spectrum, the petty act of prank calling Paulie’s mother, and on the other, causing the death of the belovedSopranosracehorse Pie-O-My. The latter finally tips Tony over the edge, earning him the death that was a long time coming for the love-to-hate character. His reaction makes the episodeone of the most intense and satisfying in the show.
Tony strangling Ralphie with his bare hands emphasizes his primal rage over the death of Pie-O-My, as well as the mounting list of terrible actions by Ralphie.Animal symbolism comes up a lot inThe Sopranos,and Pie-O-My represents the more compassionate side of Tony’s character. Significantly, it is not Tracee’s death undeniably by Ralphie that goes a step too far, it’s the probable indirect murder of a horse. The show has Tonyfeels more strongly about animalsthan human beings at multiple points in the show, including Christopher’s intervention when he learns how“little Cosette”the dog died.
9The Sopranos Season 4, Episode 13
“Whitecaps”
Like“Whoever Did This”, The Sopranosepisode“Whitecaps”is rated highly on IMDb. Its greatness can be attributed to the writing in this emotionally intense episode. Theactor performances of Edie Falco and James Gandolfinido the dialogue justice in some of the best dramatic moments inTony and Carmela’s relationship inThe Sopranos. While there are a few narrative threads in the episode, such as Christopher returning from rehab and immediately being tasked with a hit, the core of the episode is the mounting conflict between Tony and Carmela.
The core of the episode is the mounting conflict between Tony and Carmela
Carmela’s vitriol in their epic confrontation is a long-awaited boil-over and includes some of her best lines in the show, and the height of theirmutual resentment being fired back and forthis so well-written. The catharsis of Carmela finally revealing her feelings about Furio is palpable to the audience. The double meaning of the episode title is also clever – as well as the name of the beach house the Soprano family wants to buy, it refers to the crest of a wave as it breaks into foam, which wonderfully mirrors the breaking point of the marriage.
8The Sopranos Season 2, Episode 12
“The Knight in White Satin Armor”
Janice did some terrible things inThe Sopranos, but her decision in the highly-rated episode“The Knight in White Satin Armor”is one of her best. The episode title is a reference to an awkward misphrasing by Irina earlier in the show, and also toJanice’s satin wedding dressshe tries on when shopping with Carmela. As well as Richie and Janice’s engagement, other brilliant plotlines are happening in this episode. Some of these make it a cultural time capsule, like Christopher’s“Pokeyman card”heist, highlighting Chris as a character who thinks he has his finger on the pulse.
By far the highlight of the episode that makes it rank so highly is the hit on Richie by none other than Janice, who unintentionally takes the opportunity from Silvio in a heated moment. Like Ralphie,Richie Aprile is a character that has it coming. The conversation between them about his son resulting in him punching Janice is a shocking moment well played by David Proval and Aida Turturro and Richie’s sheer disbelief in his final moments is believable in his expression. This makes the moment even more satisfying and one of the best kills in the show.
7The Sopranos Season 5, Episode 5
“Irregular Around the Margins”
“Irregular Around the Margins”is such a brilliant episode ofThe Sopranosdue to theunexpected tension between two central characters. This is a masterful piece of writing because the feelings between Tony and Adriana seem to come out of nowhere, which would be easy to write badly. However, the pair bonding over medical concerns makes it more believable. Especially because while Christopher only makes fun of Adriana’s IBS in the show –“my smelly Valentine,”for instance – Tony seems to sympathize.
Tony and Adriana get into a car crash on the way to pick up drugs, the story of which gets distorted on the way to Chris. The build-up of theconflict and misunderstandingmakes the episode compelling to watch, especially as it’s between well-established characters. Drea de Matteo rightfully earned an Emmy for her role in the episode, as did Michael Imperioli. The episode’s pacing is high-octane and successfully portrays the complicated dynamic between the characters.
Drea de Matteo, who played Adriana La Cerva inThe Sopranos, also played Detective Tess Nazario inShades of Blue(2016).
6The Sopranos Season 5, Episode 13
“All Due Respect”
“All Due Respect”ranks among thebest episodes ofThe Sopranosseason 5according to IMDb. The episode title is a common refrain by the members of the mob, usually before saying something particularly candid, and this is certainly the case in this episode. Silvio dares to confront Tony about something he sees as a key flaw in his character –his problem with authority. This is a key theme in the show – both regarding Tony’s paranoia about threats of usurpation and his struggles with isolation in an authoritative role.
The episode also features one of the most exciting scenes in the show – Johnny and Tony running away from the FBI, resulting in Johnny’s arrest. The whole episode builds up to this moment withan atmosphere of unease. The era of the“two Tonys”coming to an end is also a marker of Tony’s descent. Another compelling aspect of the characters’ downward slide in the episode is Carmela asking Christopher where Adriana has gone and then turning her focus to her spec house – Adriana’s fate that Carmela seems to know subconsciously is an important part of her deep denial.
The Sopranos: 10 Saddest Things About Carmela
Carmela is one of the saddest characters to watch on The Sopranos as she never gets to live her dreams and she can never seem to break free of Tony.
5The Sopranos Season 6, Episode 21
“Made in America”
The series finale“Made in America”is a contentious episode among viewers, withThe Sopranos’cut to blackbeing a Marmite ending. In this abrupt conclusion to one of the most groundbreaking TV shows in history, Tony and his family’s fates are uncertain at the height of the New York mob war, with the diner scene ending suddenly. Many of the characters are at this pointshadows of their former selves– the most poignant example of this is Uncle Junior. In his advanced state of dementia, he does not understand the news of Bobby Bacala’s death.
Junior doesn’t remember Bobby, and he also no longer knows who Tony is. When told of his former mafia glory –“You and my Dad. You two ran North Jersey”– he simply replies that that’s“nice”. This brings everything full circle to season 1 when Tony is lamenting to Dr Melfi that theromanticized golden age of both the mafia and America is over. If Uncle June no longer has his legacy in memory, it raises the question of what it is all for. This is given tragic irony when AJ repeats Tony’s advice near the end,“remember the good times.”
4The Sopranos Season 6, Episode 20
“The Blue Comet”
The episode“The Blue Comet”is the penultimate episode ofThe Sopranosseries and follows a familiar pattern. Throughout the show, it’s often the penultimate episode of a season that packs the biggest punch. Nowhere is this truer than in“The Blue Comet”.Phil’s warmongering with the Sopranos family has come to a head andSilvio is shot multiple times, leaving him in a medically-induced coma. The writers do a great job of conveying in the episode thatthings are ramping up drastically.
“The Blue Comet”also marks the ending of one of the most meaningful relationships of the show – the client-therapist relationship between Tony and Dr Melfi. This transpires because Dr Melfi is alerted to a study suggesting sociopaths use therapy to enable their actions. She uses this information to strengthen her resolve to discontinue his therapy, which leads up to the ending overall. There are alsothought-provoking references to endings– for example, the magazine Tony rips a page from in the waiting room is called“Departures”and when discussing the weather, Agent Harris calls it“ready for the rapture.”
3The Sopranos Season 2, Episode 13
“Funhouse”
The Sopranosepisode“Funhouse”is one of the greatest episodes because of its fever-dream narrative. This is a feat of writing becauseusing dreams to further the plot of a show can easily go wrong.The Sopranosshowrunners use this device sparingly when Tony has to make big decisions and weave it into the overall focus on Tony’s psychology, which is established from the very first episode. Thefever dream inThe Sopranos’ “Funhouse”episode uses dream symbolism to trigger Tony’s realization that his close friend Pussy is a rat, which he has previously been in denial about.
The use of surreal imagery, especially in the boardwalk scene, is part of what elevates the show, a trailblazer in making television irreversibly cinematic. Thecinematography emphasizes the bleaknessof the betrayal realization and the decision Tony is forced to make, and the talking fish voiced by Pussy maintains consistency withThe Sopranosbeing a dark comedy, referring to the phrase“sleeping with the fishes”. The title“Funhouse”also emphasizes the atmosphere of unsettling confusion that permeates the episode, especially as the symbol of the funhouse implies that there is only one path through the situation, establishing Tony’s ruthlessness.
2The Sopranos Season 5, Episode 12
“Long Term Parking”
Theepisode“Long Term Parking”is one of the best but most painful episodes of the show because ofThe Sopranos’ Adriana’s season 5 death. It was rated the best episode ofThe SopranosbyEmpire.Her death offscreen isone of the most horrifying kills, despite the brutality being omitted. What makes it particularly shocking is that the audience is drawn into Adriana’s exhausted early morning mood by the shots of her looking out of the car window. This makes the real purpose of the drive as shocking to the viewer as it is to Adriana.
Watching the scenery get gradually more woodsy is horrifying, as is watching Adriana crawl away from Silvio. Without any use of gore, the showrunners manage toconvey Adriana’s hit as one of the most despicable. Hauntingly, Tony’s last words to Adriana on the phone, when he is setting up the ruse of the hospital visit, are“I’ll see you up there.”This is even spookier in retrospect if the viewer believes the implication that Tony dies at the end.
1The Sopranos Season 3, Episode 11
“Pine Barrens”
“Pine Barrens”, which aired at the height ofThe Sopranos’popularity, is not only the best episode of the show. It has even been named the best TV episode of all time (GQ). The background of it coming from one of the writers’ dreams makes it even more brilliant. It has provoked one of the biggest unanswered questions for viewers regardingwhat happened to the Russian inThe Sopranos. Although the episode does not move the plot forward very much, it is perhaps especially enjoyable for this reason, along with its sheer silliness andexcellent slapstick comedy writing.
The background of it coming from one of the writers’ dreams makes it even more brilliant.
The plot of the episodecould even be enjoyed as a standalone, which makes the episode the best because it’s so rewatchable – its premise is essentially to throw two hilarious characters into the snowy woods and see what happens. There is also brilliant behind-the-scenes trivia about the episode – for example, Tony’s laugh when he sees Bobby Bacala in his offroading getup is genuine from Gandolfini because the actor Steve Schirripa had strapped something vulgar to himself offscreen (The Chase Lounge). Overall, the episode is the best example ofThe Sopranos’comedic side.
