WhenThe Sopranospremiered for the first time on July 26, 2025, it changed the landscape oftelevisionforever. Tony Soprano, played by the late greatJames Gandolfini, was a character unlike any we’d seen before.He was a ruthless gangster with a penchant for robbing, exploitation, and violence, but he was also a loving fatherwith undeniable charisma. We watched in rapture as he navigated the vicissitudes of mob life while balancing the responsibilities of being a father and husband.
The ensemble cast featured a slew of talented performers playing some of the most memorable characters in television history.Michael Imperioliplayed Tony’s hotheaded and insecure nephews who fantasized about leaving life and getting into film;Edie Falcogave us a legendary performance as Tony’s long-suffering wife, who constantly put him in his place and contemplated the guilt she endured over accepting thecrime-financedlifestyle Tony gave her;Tony SiricoandSteven Van Zandtplayed Tony’s associates Paulie and Silvio, two of the funniest and most recognizable mobster characters of all time. For six spectacular seasons,The Sopranosgave us some of the best television in history and,in this house,The Sopranosis the greatest television series of all time. This is my list of the best episodes. End of story.
The Sopranos
New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano deals with personal and professional issues in his home and business life that affect his mental state, leading him to seek professional psychiatric counseling.
10"The Fleshy Part of the Thigh"
Season 6, Episode 4
“The Fleshy Part of the Thigh"marks a crucial interregnum in the story of Tony Soprano. After suffering an accidental gunshot wound from Uncle Junior (Dominic Chianese), he falls into a coma. While comatose, Tony experiences a series of dreams that depict what his life may have been had he never joined the mob. He awakens with a softer temper, and makes friends with another patient, a physicist with whom he has a profound conversation about the nature of existence.These experiences shape Tony’s new outlook, and he leaves the hospital with a sense of gratitude and lightnessthat we’re not used to seeing from him.
…Tony experiences a series of dreams that depict what his life may have been had he never joined the mob.
The Sopranosfrequently traveled into spiritual and existential territorieswith its writing and storytelling. More than once, the series has even dabbled with the supernatural. “The Fleshy Part of the Thigh"remains one of its best and most sincere attempts at dealing with these topics. It’s a subtle and ponderous episode that features some of the series' most stunning cinematography from longtime collaboratorAlik Sakharov, whosepensive, mesmerizing shots recall the transcendental filmsofAndrei Tarkovsky. Tony’s conversation with physicist John Schwinn (Hal Holbrook) is one of the most fascinating moments in the series. Here, John explains to Tony that “nothing is separate; everything is connected”. This conversation leaves a lasting impression on Tony, who was clearly moved by it and confesses he feels they’re part of something larger. For a moment, audiences genuinely believe that Tony may actually change his ways, but as the series later reveals, this isn’t the case, making this scene all the more tragic. “The Fleshy Part of the Thigh"also includesone of the series' best plot twistsinvolving the truth about Paulie’s biological mother.
9"Whoever Did This”
Season 4, Episode 9
In “Whoever Did This”, Ralph Cifaretto (Joe Pantoliano) endures a devastating tragedy after his son is accidentally pierced in the chest by an arrow, resulting in severe blood loss and brain damage. With his only son convalescing in a hospital with little chance of a full recovery, Ralph,who’s built a reputation as one of the vilest and most irredeemable characters in television history, becomes an emotional wreck, and to an extent, a sympathetic character. But when Tony suspects that he’s responsible for the death of their prized horse, Pie-O-My, he strangles Ralph to death in a fit of rage.
The remarkable writing and outstanding acting of Pantoliano humanized one of the most monstrous characters we’ve ever seen.
Ralph is one of the most despicable characters ever portrayed. He was impossibly awful, and that’s why “Whoever Did This"is such an incredible episode. The remarkable writing and outstanding acting of Pantoliano humanized one of the most monstrous characters we’ve ever seen. Watching Ralph suffer a heinous tragedy that anyone can relate to and witnessing him come to terms with how awful he is (reaching out to Rosalie (Sharon Angela) to apologize and make amends is one of the most stunning moments in the history of the series and truly illustrates how impressive the writers and performers could be. The episode’s constant references toThe Rolling Stones'“Sympathy for the Devil” was a perfect detail that emphasizes how much thought went into this. Tony’s sudden impulse to attack and strangle Ralph was also a major point in the series. It was seen as retribution for Tracy, butit also underscored Tony’s animosity for anyone who displays an ability to change. Ralph receiving sympathy and actually realizing he needed to change was just as much motivation for Tony to kill him as the death of Pie-O-My and Tracy were.
8"All Due Respect”
Season 5, Episode 13
At the end of Season 5, Tony Blundetto (Steve Buscemi) is forced into hiding after murdering Phil Leotardo’s (Frank Vincent) younger brother to avenge the hit on Angelo Garepe (Joe Santos). New York was naturally pissed and wanted Blundetto’s head on a silver platter or else there would be hell to pay. Accepting that there was no way out of the situation, Tony makes the impossible decision of murdering Tony. B himself, to avoid Phil torturing him. As further restitution, Tony meets with Johnny Sack (Vincent Curatola) and offers Phil a stake in Tony B.’s Bloomfield Casino racket. Just as they finally resolve the issue,the feds show up and take Johnny in while Tony is forced to flee.
…Tony makes the impossible decision of murdering Tony. B himself, to avoid Phil torturing him.
Let’s just start by discussing the incredible usage ofVan Morrison’s"Glad Tidings”.“All Due Respect"introduced me to one of Morrison’s best songs, and the needledrop comes in at two beautifully timed and edited points; when Tony is about to kill Tony B. and at the very end of the episode, after Tony’s walked for miles through brush and forestry in the blistering cold to get back home after a run-in with the feds. The song’s uplifting tone and lyrics as well as thatirresistible sax line are a perfect contrast against the harsh coldnessand brutal murder of Tony B. The lyrics are a bit on the nose, but they work so well in the context of Tony B.’s murder (“we’ll send you glad tidings from New York”).The excellent pacing and editing of “All Due Respect"and the elegant way it ties up every major plot thread of the season reminds us why this show was such a powerhouse. This was unfortunately the last episode directed byJohn Patterson,who passed away in 2005. Patterson directed each of the season’s finales,all of which were incredible.
7"Long Term Parking”
Season 5, Episode 12
In the penultimate episode of Season 5, Adriana (Drea de Matteo), who was an FBI asset for several episodes up to that point, is brought in for a murder that took place in her office.The feds tell Adriana she has no choice but to wear a wire or face life in prison. She implores them to let her talk to Chris, who she believes is ready to turn state’s evidence. When Adriana reveals to Chris that she’s been working with them and needs him to join her in Witness Protection, he flips out and nearly kills her in a violent assault. Chris cools off and contemplates going to the feds with his fiancée, but he ultimately confesses to Tony the situation, and, in response, he sends Silvio to kill her.
For five seasons, we witnessed the abuse Adriana endured from Chris, only to see her betrayed so ruthlessly by Silvio…
“Long Term Parking"was one of a few episodes that permanently and drastically changed the tone and atmosphere ofThe Sopranos.The series wasnever the same after Adriana’s murder. For five seasons, we witnessed the abuse Adriana endured from Chris, only to see her betrayed so ruthlessly by Silvio, a character who audiences grew to love and appreciate due to his naturally comic demeanor and mannerisms. Silvio approached Adriana as a friend and confidante, but at the moment he pulls over and pulls her out of the car, hecompletely changes into a horrifying monsterin a jaw-dropping scene. The heaviness and the sheerintensity of this episode is rivaled by few othersin the series.
6"Whitecaps”
Season 4, Episode 13
In the finale of Season 4, Tony and Johnny Sack contemplate a hit on Carmine (Tony Lip), who refused to negotiate the Espalanade deal, Junior gets off on a mistrail, and Tony and Carmela contemplate buying a luxurious house on the shore called “Whitecaps”. The episode begins to reach its climax when Tony’s ex, Irina (Oksana Lada), calls the house andtells Carmela about how she and her cousin both slept with him, leading to a turbulent and acrimonious split between the two, and one of the most memorable spousal fights in television history.
…Carmela completely loses it, throwing Tony’s clothes out the window and airing out all her grievances. This feels well-earned.
“Whitecaps"is such a great episode because of the emotional performances of both Gandolfini and Falco, who come off undeniably authentic in theirportrayal of a plummeting marriage. Tony’s constant infidelities had long been a thorn in Carmela’s side, but she typically handles them with impressive patience and self-restraint. In “Whitecaps"she’s had enough; Carmela completely loses it, throwing Tony’s clothes out the window and airing out all her grievances. This feels well-earned. Their fight escalates when Carmela reveals her feelings for Furio (Federico Castellucio). This sends Tony over a cliff, and he responds by punching a hole in the wall, barely restraining himself from taking a swing at Carmela. Ganolfiniconveys Tony’s anger with stunning ferocity, wearing his heart on a sleeve with a piercing gaze and audible breathing that scarcely conceals a greater rage just beneath the surface. “Whitecaps"features these two leads at the top of their game.
5"Funhouse”
Season 2, Episode 13
In “Funhouse”, the finale of Season 2,Tony suffers from a bad case of food poisoning. While in the throes of puking and explosive diarrhea, he falls in and out of sleep and has haunting dreams about being at Asbury Park, near the Palace of Amusements Funhouse, where he sees several of his associates and family members. At one point, Tony finds himself near a rack of fish, and one of them starts speaking to him in Big Pussy’s (Vincent Pastore) voice, revealing that he’s been working with the feds. Taking it as a revelation from the unconscious, Tony visits Big Pussy and discovers a wire in his drawer. He and the rest of the crew take Pussy out on a boat ride where they execute him.
It’s one of the series' darkest episodes, and it marks a crucial moment in Tony’s life…
“Funhouse"is a brilliantly directed, tension-ridden masterpiece of an episode that features one of the series' most memorable deaths. Big Pussy was the first major friend/family member that Tony executed. Sure, there were deaths prior to him, but this one was starkly different. Tony saw the signs and remained adamant in his denial. It wasn’t until his fever dream that Tony finally came to terms with what he’d always known. The moment when Tony and the others lead Pussy into the quarters of the boat, juxtaposed againstFrank Sinatra’supbeat “Baubles, Bangles & Beads”,is directed with stone-heavy intensity. The final shots of the episode capture the Soprano family having a bourgeois family gathering, juxtaposed against shots of a dilapidated New Jersey and scored to “Thru and Thru"by The Rolling Stones. The scene is pitch perfect, and shots ofTony with a cigar call to mind images of the devil, a visual motif that would feature again in Season 6’s “Walk Like a Man”. It’s one of the series' darkest episodes, and it marks a crucial moment in Tony’s life; from that moment on, he’ll be forced to execute or sanction the death of more and more people he loves or cares for, and with each death he’ll come closer to fully embracing his dark side.
4"Made in America”
Season 6, Episode 21
“Made in America"is the much-reviled series finale ofThe Sopranos.The episode ties up multiple plots; Tony sanctions a successful hit on Phil with the assistance of Agent Harris (Matt Servitto), who offers up his location; Meadow (Jamie-Lynn Sigler) announces her engagement to Patsy Parisi’s (Dan Grimaldi) son and the prospect of a new job working at a law firm that represents white collar criminals; and the possibility of a former associate testifying against Tony and the Soprano crew.
The final episode is shot with a coldness that conveys loss of hope and redemption.
AsThe Sopranosmoved forward, its tone grew progressively darker, culminating in the final season. The color grading moved away from the show’s earlier warmth and included fewer yellows and reds, giving the series a distinctly gloomier appearance. Earlier episodes of the series featured warmer tones that matched the more upbeat and comical tone of the story. This was before the death of Big Pussy, Adriana, Christopher and Bobby Bacala (Steve Schirripa). The final episode is shot with a coldness that conveys loss of hope and redemption. Tony manages to stave off the wrath of Phil and New York, but indictments loom right around the corner, andwith most of his top guys dead or immobilized, Tony is almost completely alone. The controversy over the final scene initially left audiences frustrated and puzzled, but hassince led tomultiple theories regarding Tony’s ultimate fate. Some fans speculate that Tony was wacked by the man in the “members only” jacket. Others believe that the suspense-laden scene suggests that whether he dies then or later, Tony is doomed to live a life of constant paranoia. Whatever you may believe, this is a stunning episode and a fitting ending to the greatest series of all time.
3"Pine Barrens”
Season 3, Episode 11
“Pine Barrens” follows Paulie and Christopher, who go on a mission to collect some money from Valery (Vitali Baganov). Things head south when Paulie gets a physical with Valery, who promptly tries to whoop Chris and Paulie’s ass. Chris and Paulie manage to kill him (not really) and decide to bury his body in the pine barrens. Simple enough, right? Not really.When Chris and Paulie pop the trunk and realize that Valery’s still alive, they force him to bury the hole, but Valery, an interior decorator, manages to wack Chris over the head with the shovel and run away. The two men are forced to pursue Valery into the pine barrens but manage to get lost along the way.
It’s without a doubt the funniest and silliest episode of the series…
“Pine Barrens"is the fan-favorite episode ofThe Sopranos.It’s without a doubt the funniest and silliest episode of the series, and it features the most iconic imagery inSopranoshistory. Who can forget carpet-smothered Chris and Paulie in the blistering cold with snow raining down on them?Some of the most memorable lines of the seriesare featured in this episode, including that hilarious phone call Paulie has with Tony about Valery killing the 16 czechoslovakians. Paulie and Chris’s onscreen chemistry is undeniably funny. Imperioli and Sirico perform their characters withan increasing sense of delirium and hysteria that gets better with every passing scene. Aided by excellent direction from Buscemi, who would go on to shoot three more episodes ofThe Sopranos,“Pine Barrens"should rightfully be included in any list of the bestSopranosepisodes.
2"College”
Season 1, Episode 5
“College"is perhaps an essential episode ofThe Sopranosand one of the most important episodes of any series in the history of television. It follows Tony and Meadow on a trip to check out prospective colleges for her. Their plans are complicatedwhen Tony sees a former associate turned government informantand goes on a mission to exact revenge while keeping it a secret from Meadow. “College"is widely considered one of, if not the best episode of the series, and also happens to be creatorDavid Chase’sfavorite episode.
HBO execs initially pushed back on the idea of Tony ruthlessly killing the government informant…
“College"blends every element ofThe Sopranosand isthe quintessentialepisode of the series. The series is essentially about Tony balancing his responsibilities to his mob family with those of his biological family, and in no episode is this better conveyed and illustrated for the audience than in “College”.HBO execs initially pushed back on the idea of Tony ruthlessly killing the government informant due to the amount of sympathy they had built up for him. But Chase eventually got his way, thus executing one of the most memorable episodes of all time. “College"featuresgripping cinematography that utilizes point-of-view shotsand cross-cutting to elevate the tension of the plot, as well as a stunning performance from Gandolfini, who seamlessly pivots from warm, caring father, to brutal rage-driven killer. “College"is one of themost intense episodes of the series, and it’s a beautifully crafted standalone story that could’ve easily worked as a film too.
1"Kennedy and Heidi”
Season 6, Episode 6
“Kennedy and Heidi"is an essential episode that marks the final appearance of Imperioli as Chris, and perhaps Tony’s most crucial moment inThe Sopranos.“Kennedy and Heidi"begins with Chris and Tony wrapping up a meeting before the two drive back home. Chris, high off heroin, pops the soundtrack toThe Departedand starts blasting “Comfortably Numb Live in Berlin”, (easily the best version of that song). While fiddling with the sound system, Chris nearly hits a car with two young girls and veers off the road, nearly killing him and Tony. Realizing that he won’t pass a drug test, Chris implores Tony to help him, but insteadTony looks at a branch-pierced baby seat in the back and justifies suffocating Chris and calls it an accident. While the family mourns Chris' death, Tony takes off to Las Vegas, sleeps with his mistress and celebrates.
This moment symbolizes the end of any attempt by Tony to grow or become a better person.
ThroughoutThe Sopranos, Tony is forced to make several tough decisions that typically result in the death of people he loves or cares for. With each death,Tony grows colder and strays further from any potential for redemption. Tony tries to go to therapy to make sense of this and alleviate the anger and depression he feels over the horrible things he does, but he remains haunted. When he finally kills Chris, Tony accepts his nature and evil ways. This is best illustrated in the dream he has after the incident where he confesses to Dr. Melfi (Lorraine Bracco) says that he’s glad that Chris is dead, and at the moment he is in the desert after taking peyote. As the sun rises, Tony yells “I get it”. Although he doesn’t explicitly say what it is that he “gets,” we can extrapolate from his actions thathe “gets” that he’ssupposedto be a monster, a ruthless killer. When his bad gambling streak ends, he mumbles to himself “he’s dead” and laughs maniacally. It’s as if Tony attributes the end of his bad luck streak to the embrace of his ruthless nature and the erasure of any potential weakness. This moment symbolizes the end of any attempt by Tony to grow or become a better person. His arc is essentially over, and in that way we can view “Kennedy and Heidi” as the real finale toThe Sopranosand the episodes that follow in the second half of Season 6 as the epilogue.
