The Sopranos: Masterpiece of An Era

Introduction

The Sopranos is an HBO tv series created by David Chase. The story depicts the life of mob boss Anthony Sopranos and his battle with panic attacks and depression. Anthony went to a psychiatrist to get to the bottom of the solution. Still, for almost six years and even at the end of the season, he struggled with depression. It was mainly of what he was and not some mental health problems.

There are a lot of elements in this show that are so mundane but, at the same time, so complex. Tony’s (Anthony’s) family, friends, deeds and business played a significant role in the story’s development over six seasons. I am not going into the details of any plot details and only focusing on the elements that I found interesting about this anti-hero journey that made us felt waiting for his redemption, which (spoiler alert) never came.

More than a Mafia Story

The beauty of Sopranos is that it captures the ordinary in the extraordinarily messed up life of the mob boss whose cruelty is not matched in the hood. His love for his family could be inspiring in some way. Nonetheless, Tony is a mob boss, and there’s nothing good one can expect from him throughout the show; viewers can find the anti-hero vibe of Tony shifting and showing it’s the actual colour of the villain he is in reality.

A sociopath, a selfish gangster with a boss status but a tangible symbol of a truly evil person. Tony’s struggle is the by-product of his nature and personality. No matter how hard he tries to cure it through therapy, he can never find a way to escape his true self. He gets multiple chances at life during the show. Even though he changes, he only becomes more resentful of the life given to him. 

Psychology Justified, Morality Declined

To get to the bottom of his depression, Tony went to a psychologist. In the earlier stages of the therapy, his psychologist was curious to get to the root of the situation for the entire show. But, in the end, every reason to justify his position of Tony was nothing but himself. He was not a good person, and that’s it. He had no morality; even though he was Catholic, he was the farthest one could be from the good.

Moreover, the continuous effort of the psychologist over this long period has not affected the mental health of Tony. It is evident that with therapy, Tony became more disgusting in his actions. This idea of curing evil through treatment is not the answer, as evil lies in their activities of Tony, and no therapy can prevent his actions, so there were no improvements in his mental health during the show.

Ups and Downs of Family

In his mind of Tony, he had two families, one where he worked (the mafia) and one in his real family (wife and children). He spends most of his time doing business, but Tony has no limits regarding his family. He can indulge to any extent to protect his family and their well-being.

But this is not one way; Tony’s family knows his power, and on occasions, each one of them will use that power to get some benefits in their own lives. Even the occasional dislike for Tony by his family does not mean they dislike his management and positions. It just shows the underlying hypocrisy of Tony’s family.

Change is not Constant.

The show has many characters and their development over the years, but one thing stays the same: there is no change. Each season has new characters and arcs, but nothing changes in the people. It shows the true nature of the human soul. We have the potential for change, but only some are willing to commit to the necessary steps.

For example, the demons of Tony Soprano from the first season lies were still in the show’s last episode. This is true for almost eighty per cent of the characters. They are either dead or the same broken people from the very beginning.

Depression from Forgiveness

What makes the character of Tony so favourite is that he knows deep inside that he is the wrong person, and no matter how hard he or anyone else tries, he can’t change. Therefore he has to live with the fact that he is the vessel of tragedy. But, of course, this can’t sustain joy and happiness because, for that, he had to leave the line of work, and he can’t do that because he craves his power and reputation.

Instead, he is a sociopath who wants to fix himself by moulding the reality around him, while this should be reversed as one can change facts. During the entire show, he is depressed and does terrible stuff, and somehow he survives, making his suffering more tortuous because, in his mind, he should be dead for what he had done.

Conclusion

The Sopranos is one of the most brilliant shows ever created. It has many themes that can be further broken down into various domains of human rationality, psychology and even theology. For example, the show follows a simple pattern to tell a tale of a bad guy getting what he deserves and how his true nature is bestowed upon us as the show continues. 

It is a highly recommended series for anyone who loves watching the complexity of Morality because this show delivers on that aspect the most.

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