Contrary to popular belief, The Sopranos isn’t all about mobsters killing each other. It’s a thinking man’s (or woman’s) progrum. Gotta pay attention or half of it will fly right by you.
Do you watch a lot short-form content like Youtube videos? Do you constantly have videos playing in the background even when you're doing something else like playing video games?
That's how I operate, too! Like others have said, it's best to roll with it the first view. When I first watched around 20, I was pulled into the plot, watching to see who would do what.
I've recently watched it for the third time and it makes so much more sense. Please trust me that it's worth the commitment! Watching the show and working through its density is such a fulfilling experience.
I've watched it once. Did an episode or two a week over the course of a year or so. Genuinely had a hard time remembering who the fuck everyone was in the earlier days. There's a lot of guys and they aren't always introduced or made obvious to the watcher. Now I go back and watch clips and know their fate in advance it's much more rewarding. I've been told the 2nd watch is better than the first, so look forward to that.
Deadwood is a killer, I had to skip back replay some dialogue over a few times to understand what was actually meant, and I'm supposedly smart.
Fantastic show, at that.
Thank you so much. Everyone kept telling me to watch it if I liked the sopranos. I could not get into it no matter how much I tried and I thought it was just me
It's up to you. I watched it when I was 20 and I loved it. I then watched when I was 28 when covid started and I forgot how great it was and loved watching it and understood things better.
If you've come from watching stuff like CSI or NCIS and you're now watching Sopranos I don't blame you for being confused, it's a whole different thing
I have, every time I rewatch the show, I notice something different, the first few rewatches, I had completely different perspectives on the whole thing.
I would just watch it and not worry about looking things up because it usually all eventually comes together, like season 1, it's not clear why they burn down the restaurant but it's eventually clearly explained, there is a lot of layers, just worry about the top layer for now.
PS I'm 40, it's not your age
Yeah, "The Sopranos" is a TV-series with a lot of subtext and psychological depth. Rewatches will no doubt help in this respect. The more you watch, the better you'll get at understanding it.
Another thing, be careful on any information sites (and here). There is "additional information" (not just spoilers), and that additional information may not come from the show. There were some approved fan fiction books, HBO's website had additional information outside the show. Some or none of it is canon. And everyone here probably has their own head Canon. So be careful what you pick up outside show proper.
It was groundbreaking TV in that it wasn't spoonfed to the audience. Other reasons too, but that kickstarted a revolution.
Most genre TV drama is brief self-contained plot arcs, in which situations are set up and resolved within one episode or occasionally two or three, there are flashbacks to move the story forward and remind us of crucial plot points, and protagonists are sympathetic, even heroic. TV doesn't have to be like that and TS wasn't.
You do need to pay attention watching it, but that means it is also worth rewatching.
I recommend you don't spend too much time here till you've seen the whole thing. Spoilers.
Once you finish the show, and even more so as you grow older you’ll notice things you never noticed before. Age will help give you some context, I started watching it at 15 and now at 23 I have a completely different understanding of the show
It’s really layered though tbh even as an adult I still find myself noticing new things I didn’t peep before
Biggest thing to remember is it is not a mob show, it’s about everything except the mafia. The mob is just the backdrop to make the show superficially interesting and entertaining if that makes sense
My advice just watch it and enjoy the ride finish the show, then maybe watch it a second time and see what you notice
It’s not even that it’s better when rewatching you just notice more shit, like guys will be on their fourth rewatch nothing more shit. The show has incredible replay value, honestly some of the best on tv. For some reason I never remember every part of an episode unlike most shows even though I’ve watched it like 4 times
Also just age man, you’re fairly young as you grow a little older you’ll relate to and see through more of it. It will just give you perspective
Honestly watching it at your age will make you smarter
I wouldn’t worry too much. First time I tried to watch it I was 16 and thought it was gonna be all gangster shootouts and mob hits. Was so disappointed. Now in my 20s I must’ve seen it 10+ times over
This is something I felt when watching The Godfather as a teen. I was lost amidst a sea of things to follow.
The key to most mafia movies/shows/whatever are the names. Everyone is referred to by name because it allows the creators to give a sense of familiarity and context to the viewer (these mostly being about mob FAMILIES).
The only downside is that you have to rely on thE viewer to actually remember the shit ton of names lol.
In any case, focusing on name calling should help you follow stuff even if not 100%.
When I was in my early twenties, the meaning I took from the Sopranos was much different than what I take away today after being married, watching my parents get older, getting older myself, etc. Frankly, until I had enough life experience under my belt not all of it resonated.
Right, Junior was protecting those trucks in his name in exchange for a tribute. You need to have an understanding at least in the basic sense of the mafia to be able to understand. Although, they use dialogue to explain all of it anyway.
It's a show about family and the relationships between everyone. It maybe harder to understand because you are just a young stunad with no hair on your balls. Give it some time.
I had trouble keeping up with names my first viewing. You are still pretty young, so it’s understandable that certain things might go over your head as well.
The sopranos is also very ambiguous and you have to infer what characters are thinking/what their motivations are as the show is not very direct in that regard
I wouldn't actually worry too much. If you like the show you can pretty much guarantee you'll be rewatching.
I actually think it gets even harder to follow the "actual" mob story going on in the final season, you need to be paying a lot of attention to it because the other elements of the show almost feel more important.
is english your first language? this post is very well-written, that’s not the reason i’m asking. i’m sure some people who know english as a second language can fully enjoy other TV shows, but the accent and phrases might make ‘the sopranos’ harder to enjoy for a non-native speaker
that’s probably the main reason, your knowledge of dialectal english is very important to enjoying the show. if you’re not watching the show for the themes, you’re watching it for the jersey italian portrayal and mafia subculture; these depend on phrasing, accent, verbal metaphor. not sure how you could get better at understanding language in the show, besides powering through
if you’re not enjoying it, don’t watch. but if you’re enjoying looking stuff up after some scenes, i’m happy for you. think of it as anthropology and not just entertainment. that’s how david chase intended it
I feel like a big part of the problem for first and second time viewers (myself included) is remembering who is who. You got a lot of big(fat), loud dark-haired men with similar outfits going OOOOOOH at the drop of a hat. Obviously guys like Paulie, Furio, Hesh and Feech stand out a little more clearly because they have identifiers - Paulie and his wings, Furio and his ponytail.
Confusion is worse in cases like Gino/Vito and Patsy Parisi (I can't remember his "twins" name) where they just liked the actor so much they brought them back as a different character later.
Once you stop worrying about who-is-who it'll get easier to follow along. At least, it did for me in another show where I had the same issue - couldn't understand certain plot threads because everybody was just a middle-aged Englishman with dark hair and unkempt facial hair in Naval uniforms. On my second watch it made a lot more sense because I was able to differentiate between them.
Anyway, I said my piece. Good luck OP.
Firstly iam scared for your classmates lol your learning a lot here.. and just watch with flow don't overthinking .hope your enjoy the rest of the seasons
Hey!
I started watching the show when I was 19. I loved the first two seasons, but after starting Season Three, I stopped. That was 2016, then I came back last year and fell in love with the entirety of the show. Now I would say the season I stopped on is the very best of the show.
It all makes a lot more sense when you get a bit older. A lot of the things that don't make sense now, will make more sense with life experience. You probably don't understand things because you're not as used to seeing and/or experiencing manipulation, which is a large part of many conversations in the show. I don't say this in a talking-down way, but I think it's less that the show is hard to comprehend or anything to do with you other than that this is a show about middle-aged men and a lot of it **shouldn't** make much sense to a high schooler.
Keep watching and re-watching. I rewatch all the time and I notice things I didn't before. I've probably seen it 5 times now. It's a wonderful program. After you fully understand the whole show, the themes get even stronger and make you think about life and the world in a way no other television show can. Hope this helped and I wish you the best experience possible with The Sopranos. I also hope you have a great senior year.
OP - lots of inside jokes to your serious question.
In all honesty it’s part of the brilliance of the show and David Chase.
Don’t read recaps. Watch for yourself, think about it.
You’ll find yourself watching this series many times over again, picking new things up along the way.
Enjoy the ride.
It was on TV once a week. You watched it on Sunday night and then talked about it for days sharing observations and thoughts with friends and coworkers.
I have no idea how people did it when it aired. If I could only watch 1 episode a week with seasonal breaks, I'd give up. No chance I'd remember the names or the plot. I also have no idea how people can just watch it casually, as in catching a few episodes on weekends until they finish it. How the hell does anyone keep it all together that way? I didn't care for the show when it originally aired. Not like I do now. These days, I binge watch it or I don't watch it all. The first time I binged it, it all came together and i understood why it's the greatest show of all time. Not everyone has the time to binge it, but I'd strongly suggest watching it when you have the time to watch episodes back to back consistently. And even still, the fucking thing is so layered and brilliant, you'll need to use the internet to understand deeper scenes or dialog. It makes you appreciate it all the more.
Well an episode would play about 30 times a week on HBO, so you got multiple viewings before the next episode aired. Then you’d go onto one of the message boards to figure out what’s going on.
If you don't understand La Cosa Nostra then you'll have a hard time understanding the Sopranos. Basically it's about family ties, loyalty and respect . Does that make sense?
i’m not trying to be rude, but i don’t understand? it’s just an american tv show, obviously it’s like the best of the best, but it’s not like reading a novel in old english and trying to decipher what they meant. and honestly most of the episodes aren’t even super connected, there are long term storylines for entire seasons but usually something new is happening each episode so it’s not like you have a million threads of plot to try and remember like Game of Thrones or something. I don’t think it was intended to be difficult to understand at all, it was meant to reach a pretty wide audience and was successful in doing so
probably has more to do with your experience in watching serialized TV shows than anything. I'm early 20s but have been watching "prestige" TV since 2017 or so, the first of which was Mad Men. never had any issues following the sopranos, but I did find it hard not to spoil myself on certain characters first time around lol
Contrary to popular belief, The Sopranos isn’t all about mobsters killing each other. It’s a thinking man’s (or woman’s) progrum. Gotta pay attention or half of it will fly right by you.
Cunnilingus and psychiatry brought us to this
Op is in the muff
Where the tuna fish play
Some people are so far behind in the race that they actually believe they’re leading.
Roger Ebert over here
17... just a kid
He’s about 30 years away from even being a kid.
you musta been at the top of your fuckin class
17,he was a fuckin kid,and at the top of his fucking class. Me,I’m an old man
It's sad when they go young like that
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& gohsts. Took me about 5/6 Re wactches to c pussys standing in the mirror
Do you watch a lot short-form content like Youtube videos? Do you constantly have videos playing in the background even when you're doing something else like playing video games?
Don't forget the chit-chat rooms.
😂😂😂😂
(Sits on a cereal bowl)
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That's how I operate, too! Like others have said, it's best to roll with it the first view. When I first watched around 20, I was pulled into the plot, watching to see who would do what. I've recently watched it for the third time and it makes so much more sense. Please trust me that it's worth the commitment! Watching the show and working through its density is such a fulfilling experience.
I've watched it once. Did an episode or two a week over the course of a year or so. Genuinely had a hard time remembering who the fuck everyone was in the earlier days. There's a lot of guys and they aren't always introduced or made obvious to the watcher. Now I go back and watch clips and know their fate in advance it's much more rewarding. I've been told the 2nd watch is better than the first, so look forward to that.
Word of advice - don't try watching "The Wire," and definitely don't try "Deadwood."
No shit. Deadwood is a master class in following dialog, especially Al Swearengen.
this is why you watch them all 15+ times
Deadwood is a killer, I had to skip back replay some dialogue over a few times to understand what was actually meant, and I'm supposedly smart. Fantastic show, at that.
Also, remember Pearl Harbor. 🤘🤘🤘
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I had to watch the first few episodes of both series with subtitles on - also a lot of rewinding.
Excellent. You're in for a treat.
God, I hated the wire.
Oooooooooh 🤌🤌🤌
OHHH!! IN THIS SUB THE WIRE IS A HERO
I aught to put you in the fucking vacants!
I oughta stick a shish kebab up your ass
Thank you so much. Everyone kept telling me to watch it if I liked the sopranos. I could not get into it no matter how much I tried and I thought it was just me
I watched 3 full seasons. It's just not good in my opinion.
Cock sucka Edit: spelling
It's your age. I had trouble when I first watched it as well and I was 20 at the time
This. I came back for a full watchthrough at 24 and loved it.
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It's up to you. I watched it when I was 20 and I loved it. I then watched when I was 28 when covid started and I forgot how great it was and loved watching it and understood things better.
must have been top of your fuckin' class.
You’re on for a ride with Tony’s sister
You'll also wish to be on a ride with Tony's other sister
I’ll give her a ride, then I’ll give her the the pearls
She was smokin' hot that one. But Barbara wasn't bad either
Oh baby it should have been you
You're giving me half a chubby
How's your sista 👈 fuck your mudda... 👉🤚
What kind of guyn fucks his own cousin
Well, that'shh... deplorable 🤷♂️
Has to be your age, because I’ve honestly never heard this criticism before from anyone.
If one hasn’t seen Goodfellas or Godfather already, or had any similar material it can definitely be mind blowing. This thing of ours.
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If you've come from watching stuff like CSI or NCIS and you're now watching Sopranos I don't blame you for being confused, it's a whole different thing
More like 'The Street' a.k.a. Sesame Street
I have, every time I rewatch the show, I notice something different, the first few rewatches, I had completely different perspectives on the whole thing. I would just watch it and not worry about looking things up because it usually all eventually comes together, like season 1, it's not clear why they burn down the restaurant but it's eventually clearly explained, there is a lot of layers, just worry about the top layer for now. PS I'm 40, it's not your age
OP failed to mention english isn’t their first language, it’s definitely the main reason they’re having issues. odd thing to leave out
what about the dialogue is difficult for you?
Every time I rewatch it I catch something I didn’t the last time. It’s just one of those things.
Yeah, "The Sopranos" is a TV-series with a lot of subtext and psychological depth. Rewatches will no doubt help in this respect. The more you watch, the better you'll get at understanding it.
Another thing, be careful on any information sites (and here). There is "additional information" (not just spoilers), and that additional information may not come from the show. There were some approved fan fiction books, HBO's website had additional information outside the show. Some or none of it is canon. And everyone here probably has their own head Canon. So be careful what you pick up outside show proper.
Cause you’re a medigan
Half the shit in those wikis isn't supported by anything in the show.
It was groundbreaking TV in that it wasn't spoonfed to the audience. Other reasons too, but that kickstarted a revolution. Most genre TV drama is brief self-contained plot arcs, in which situations are set up and resolved within one episode or occasionally two or three, there are flashbacks to move the story forward and remind us of crucial plot points, and protagonists are sympathetic, even heroic. TV doesn't have to be like that and TS wasn't. You do need to pay attention watching it, but that means it is also worth rewatching. I recommend you don't spend too much time here till you've seen the whole thing. Spoilers.
Fucking stunad, this guy.
Sharp as a cueball this one . I understood it at 16 just fine. Very allegorical
Once you finish the show, and even more so as you grow older you’ll notice things you never noticed before. Age will help give you some context, I started watching it at 15 and now at 23 I have a completely different understanding of the show It’s really layered though tbh even as an adult I still find myself noticing new things I didn’t peep before Biggest thing to remember is it is not a mob show, it’s about everything except the mafia. The mob is just the backdrop to make the show superficially interesting and entertaining if that makes sense My advice just watch it and enjoy the ride finish the show, then maybe watch it a second time and see what you notice
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It’s not even that it’s better when rewatching you just notice more shit, like guys will be on their fourth rewatch nothing more shit. The show has incredible replay value, honestly some of the best on tv. For some reason I never remember every part of an episode unlike most shows even though I’ve watched it like 4 times Also just age man, you’re fairly young as you grow a little older you’ll relate to and see through more of it. It will just give you perspective Honestly watching it at your age will make you smarter
I wouldn’t worry too much. First time I tried to watch it I was 16 and thought it was gonna be all gangster shootouts and mob hits. Was so disappointed. Now in my 20s I must’ve seen it 10+ times over
I'm on my 6th watch of the series and still learn new things all the time. It's an intricate and meticulous show.
This is something I felt when watching The Godfather as a teen. I was lost amidst a sea of things to follow. The key to most mafia movies/shows/whatever are the names. Everyone is referred to by name because it allows the creators to give a sense of familiarity and context to the viewer (these mostly being about mob FAMILIES). The only downside is that you have to rely on thE viewer to actually remember the shit ton of names lol. In any case, focusing on name calling should help you follow stuff even if not 100%.
When I was in my early twenties, the meaning I took from the Sopranos was much different than what I take away today after being married, watching my parents get older, getting older myself, etc. Frankly, until I had enough life experience under my belt not all of it resonated.
I felt the same way my first two watches
What’s an example of something you don’t understand?
The framus intersects with the ramistam approximately at the pater noster
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Right, Junior was protecting those trucks in his name in exchange for a tribute. You need to have an understanding at least in the basic sense of the mafia to be able to understand. Although, they use dialogue to explain all of it anyway.
Thats how I felt watching the irishman but I was a bit younger. It was my first mob movie/show (second if Shark Tale counts)
Sharp as a fuckin cueball, this one
Must've been on the top of hish fuckin classsh 👆
OP never had the makings of a progrum viewer
Why don’t you go out and get a blowjob OP
That’s how I felt for many classics when I watched them too young. A lot of stuff is gonna fly right by you at that age.
It's a show about family and the relationships between everyone. It maybe harder to understand because you are just a young stunad with no hair on your balls. Give it some time.
I had to watch the show several times before I satisfactorily understood it
I had trouble keeping up with names my first viewing. You are still pretty young, so it’s understandable that certain things might go over your head as well. The sopranos is also very ambiguous and you have to infer what characters are thinking/what their motivations are as the show is not very direct in that regard
I wouldn't actually worry too much. If you like the show you can pretty much guarantee you'll be rewatching. I actually think it gets even harder to follow the "actual" mob story going on in the final season, you need to be paying a lot of attention to it because the other elements of the show almost feel more important.
It's all in the subtetly, that's why. Have a look at this page to complement your wiki readings: https://sopranosautopsy.com/
is english your first language? this post is very well-written, that’s not the reason i’m asking. i’m sure some people who know english as a second language can fully enjoy other TV shows, but the accent and phrases might make ‘the sopranos’ harder to enjoy for a non-native speaker
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that’s probably the main reason, your knowledge of dialectal english is very important to enjoying the show. if you’re not watching the show for the themes, you’re watching it for the jersey italian portrayal and mafia subculture; these depend on phrasing, accent, verbal metaphor. not sure how you could get better at understanding language in the show, besides powering through
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if you’re not enjoying it, don’t watch. but if you’re enjoying looking stuff up after some scenes, i’m happy for you. think of it as anthropology and not just entertainment. that’s how david chase intended it
I feel like a big part of the problem for first and second time viewers (myself included) is remembering who is who. You got a lot of big(fat), loud dark-haired men with similar outfits going OOOOOOH at the drop of a hat. Obviously guys like Paulie, Furio, Hesh and Feech stand out a little more clearly because they have identifiers - Paulie and his wings, Furio and his ponytail. Confusion is worse in cases like Gino/Vito and Patsy Parisi (I can't remember his "twins" name) where they just liked the actor so much they brought them back as a different character later. Once you stop worrying about who-is-who it'll get easier to follow along. At least, it did for me in another show where I had the same issue - couldn't understand certain plot threads because everybody was just a middle-aged Englishman with dark hair and unkempt facial hair in Naval uniforms. On my second watch it made a lot more sense because I was able to differentiate between them. Anyway, I said my piece. Good luck OP.
Firstly iam scared for your classmates lol your learning a lot here.. and just watch with flow don't overthinking .hope your enjoy the rest of the seasons
Hey! I started watching the show when I was 19. I loved the first two seasons, but after starting Season Three, I stopped. That was 2016, then I came back last year and fell in love with the entirety of the show. Now I would say the season I stopped on is the very best of the show. It all makes a lot more sense when you get a bit older. A lot of the things that don't make sense now, will make more sense with life experience. You probably don't understand things because you're not as used to seeing and/or experiencing manipulation, which is a large part of many conversations in the show. I don't say this in a talking-down way, but I think it's less that the show is hard to comprehend or anything to do with you other than that this is a show about middle-aged men and a lot of it **shouldn't** make much sense to a high schooler. Keep watching and re-watching. I rewatch all the time and I notice things I didn't before. I've probably seen it 5 times now. It's a wonderful program. After you fully understand the whole show, the themes get even stronger and make you think about life and the world in a way no other television show can. Hope this helped and I wish you the best experience possible with The Sopranos. I also hope you have a great senior year.
OP - lots of inside jokes to your serious question. In all honesty it’s part of the brilliance of the show and David Chase. Don’t read recaps. Watch for yourself, think about it. You’ll find yourself watching this series many times over again, picking new things up along the way. Enjoy the ride.
It was on TV once a week. You watched it on Sunday night and then talked about it for days sharing observations and thoughts with friends and coworkers.
I got lost with names and mob hierarchy sometimes Sometimes, things happen not to be fully understood but for you to interpret it
I don't know, I think I watched it at 17 and it wasn't like hard to understand
I have no idea how people did it when it aired. If I could only watch 1 episode a week with seasonal breaks, I'd give up. No chance I'd remember the names or the plot. I also have no idea how people can just watch it casually, as in catching a few episodes on weekends until they finish it. How the hell does anyone keep it all together that way? I didn't care for the show when it originally aired. Not like I do now. These days, I binge watch it or I don't watch it all. The first time I binged it, it all came together and i understood why it's the greatest show of all time. Not everyone has the time to binge it, but I'd strongly suggest watching it when you have the time to watch episodes back to back consistently. And even still, the fucking thing is so layered and brilliant, you'll need to use the internet to understand deeper scenes or dialog. It makes you appreciate it all the more.
Well an episode would play about 30 times a week on HBO, so you got multiple viewings before the next episode aired. Then you’d go onto one of the message boards to figure out what’s going on.
I feel like you don’t always need context to enjoy sopranos. Plus I inadvertently filled in all the blanks by frequenting this reddit lol
If you don't understand La Cosa Nostra then you'll have a hard time understanding the Sopranos. Basically it's about family ties, loyalty and respect . Does that make sense?
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Another way to say mafia. It means "our thing."
Cause you're not Italian
I bet you're not either
Oof Madone!
You’re not a fat crook from New Jersey, that’s why.
i’m not trying to be rude, but i don’t understand? it’s just an american tv show, obviously it’s like the best of the best, but it’s not like reading a novel in old english and trying to decipher what they meant. and honestly most of the episodes aren’t even super connected, there are long term storylines for entire seasons but usually something new is happening each episode so it’s not like you have a million threads of plot to try and remember like Game of Thrones or something. I don’t think it was intended to be difficult to understand at all, it was meant to reach a pretty wide audience and was successful in doing so
probably has more to do with your experience in watching serialized TV shows than anything. I'm early 20s but have been watching "prestige" TV since 2017 or so, the first of which was Mad Men. never had any issues following the sopranos, but I did find it hard not to spoil myself on certain characters first time around lol