Top 10 Sopranos Episodes
This show gave us an inside look at the life of a fictional Mafia boss as he struggles to balance his crime family with his real family. Join http://www.WatchMojo.com as we count down our picks for the top 10 episodes of The Sopranos. For this list, we're looking at the best moments from what many people consider to be one of the greatest television series of all-time.
Special thanks to our user jkellis for submitting the idea using our interactive suggestion tool at http://www.WatchMojo.comsuggest
Script written by Clayton Martino
#10: “For All Debts Public and Private”
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The premiere episode of season four sees the show take a dark turn that would mark its last seasons. With the recession affecting everyone differently, Tony comes to a harsh realization that the only way out of his criminal life is through death or jail. He believes, however, that he may be able to escape either outcome by distancing himself from the everyday family operations to avoid potential prosecution. Tony chooses Christopher to act as his buffer, and cements this promotion by giving him the location of the man who allegedly killed his father. Many consider season four to be the best season of “The Sopranos,” and this episode is where it all begins as Christopher Moltisanti changes forever.
#9: “The Blue Comet”
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The penultimate episode of “The Sopranos” truly was the beginning of the end. To start, it marked the last appearance of Dr. Melfi, who finally concludes her sessions with Tony after realizing he’s nothing but a sociopath. The war between New Jersey and New York is on, and Tony attempts to end it quickly by having New York boss Phil Leotardo whacked. A case of mistaken identity prevents this from occurring, however, and New York strikes first, murdering Bobby and putting Silvio into a coma. With two of his top guys out of the picture, Tony’s forced into hiding, where he reflects on a prophetic statement Bobby once made to him about one’s own murder:
#8: “Soprano Home Movies”
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What is it about Monopoly that sends people into fits of rage? Throw two Sopranos into the mix and you have a recipe for disaster, but the story helped nab the show the Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series. Tony and Carmela visit Bobby and Janice at their summer home, resulting in a drunken brawl between Tony and Bobby that’s about more than just a board game. After Bobby wins, we’re left wondering whether the lovable Bobby Bacala’s days are numbered as Tony has killed over way less. Instead, Tony has him commit his first murder as punishment, putting an end to Bobby’s ‘good guy’ image and setting the tone for a dark end to the final season.
#7: “Kennedy and Heidi”
Prone to violent outbursts and suffering from on-again/off-again drug addiction, the question wasn’t if Christopher was going to die; it was when. But, his death actually came when we least expected it. In this Emmy-winning episode, Chris and Tony have reconciled their differences and are driving home when Christopher rolls his SUV. Tony, who only has cuts and bruises, is about to call 911, until Christopher admits he’s fallen off the wagon again and pleads with Tony to take the blame for the accident. Instead, seeing the destroyed car seat in the back, Tony realizes that Christopher is a danger to more than just himself, and kills him with his bare hands. The rest of the show sees Tony handling Christopher’s death with anger, avoidance and eventually acceptance.
#6: “Whoever Did This”
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Just like Christopher, we all knew that Ralph Cifaretto was not going to survive the show. After Tony and Ralph’s co-owned racehorse Pie-O-My, dies in a suspicious fire, Tony visits Ralph to question him about it. Tony has turned a blind eye to a lot of Ralph’s horrible deeds in the past, but when Ralph hints that he started the fire to collect the insurance money, Tony kills him on the spot. Tony’s brutal nature is on full display in this episode, which also marks the beginning of Junior’s battle with Alzheimer’s disease, something that would become a major storyline of the series.
#5: “Long Term Parking”
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If “The Sopranos” showed us anything, it’s that things do not end well for rats. The pressure of being an FBI informant beings to weigh too heavily on Adriana in this episode, and she reveals to Christopher that she has been helping the Feds. We’ve seen for ourselves that Adriana is just trying to protect Christopher from both prosecution and Tony, and she attempts to convince Chris to run away with her. Chris wavers, but eventually chooses Tony and the family, and Adriana is killed by Silvio in what is the most heart-wrenching and difficult to watch death of the series, even though it occurs off-screen. This was a brutal, unfortunate end to a relatively innocent character.
#4: “College”
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“The Sopranos” was at its best when Tony was attempting to balance his family with the Family, and no episode did it better than this one. While on a college tour with Meadow, Tony happens to notice a rat who disappeared into witness protection sometime earlier. Eventually, Tony tracks the informant down and kills him, the first murder committed by Tony in the series. We clearly see both sides of this character – a caring father and a brutal murderer – and an iconic anti-hero is born. The side plot is fantastic as well, as Tony’s wife Carmela is shown to be aware of some of Tony’s activities and nearly cheats on her husband with a priest, helping to earn Edie Falco her first Emmy Award.
#3: “Funhouse”
If you thought Tony would spare Big Pussy Bonpensiero because of their long history, think again. Pussy was a troubled character throughout season two, struggling under the pressures of being an FBI informant against one of his best friends. In this Emmy-nominated episode, it takes multiple food poisoning-induced fever dreams for Tony to realize Pussy is a rat, and together with Silvio and Paulie, they all take one last boat ride together. They briefly reminisce and share a final drink before the trio fills Pussy’s body with bullets and dumps it into the sea to sleep with the fishes. This is arguably the toughest murder for Tony in the series, but one he has to commit to protect himself.
#2: “Whitecaps”
The season four finale contains the most brutal argument between Tony and his wife Carmela in the entire series, but balances it with a funny, much less intense side-story. Both James Gandolfini and Edie Falco won Emmys for their performances in this episode, as Carmela finally draws the line on Tony’s infidelity after one of Tony’s mistresses calls the house. This marital dispute was four seasons in the making, as Tony and Carmela let it all out at once. During this whole disaster, Tony is also trying to get his deposit back on a summer home, and Tony uses some non-physical, musical means of intimidation.
Before we unveil our number one pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- “The Sopranos”
- “Join the Club”
- “I Dream of Jeannie Cusamano”
- “Members Only”
- “Employee of the Month”
#1: “Pine Barrens”
Who would’ve thought a show about the Mafia could be so funny? This episode is pure comedic gold as we see Tony attempt to balance several elements in his life, including his affair with Gloria Trillo, which begins to spiral out of control. But perhaps more importantly is the storyline reminiscent of a Coen Brothers movie, as Christopher and Paulie get lost in the Pine Barrens after a routine collection goes terribly wrong. Directed by future cast member and frequent Coen brothers collaborator Steve Buscemi, it’s your classic fish-out-water storyline with plenty of dark humor and banter between the odd couple.
Do you agree with our list? What is your favorite “Sopranos” episode? For more great Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.
