Review of The Sopranos: Season 2

The Sopranos Season 2 Review

Grade: A+

Season 1 of The Sopranos was an iconic debut that changed television history forever. But with great innovation comes great responsibility, and series creator David Chase now found himself in the unenviable position of following up perfection. Thankfully, as far as TV history is concerned, The Sopranos season 2 is just as monumental as what came before.

I’m not sure if I’d say season 2 is necessarily better than season 1 overall, but it certainly displays greater artistic ambition. At the very least, it’s by far the show’s funniest installment. In fact, circa 2000, it’s probably the funniest show on TV. Nowhere is the series’ marriage of drama and comedy more evident than in these 13 episodes.

This is the year that The Sopranos fully revels in the inconsequential day-to-day moments that make up natural life. Of course, there’s still plenty of violence to keep us cretins entertained, but much of the story focuses on the in-between moments: family squabbles, marital strife, the occasional sporting goods department store bust out. The show remains extremely compelling because every bit of dialogue is hilarious, and every episode is a thought-provoking slice of life satire that will have you laughing your ass off.

It doesn’t matter what the characters are doing because we’ll watch them do anything — even nothing. Not often is a violent crime drama so comforting, but perhaps these killers are more like ourselves than we realize.

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As before, The Sopranos boasts a large stable of talented writers, directors and actors that is probably the greatest collection of talent ever assembled for a TV show. They’ve fully found their voices by season 2, and despite the unconventional narrative structure, the high quality week to week has become even more consistent. The creators are fully in control of their creations.

For instance, everyone knows that an agitated Tony Soprano is the funniest Tony Soprano, and actor James Gandolfini continues to deliver an all-encompassing performance that brings to life every aspect of Tony’s multifaceted personality. How many other actors can turn a sociopathic murderer into a relatable, realistic antihero?

Ditto for actor Michael Imperioli and his performance as Tony’s nephew/main soldier, Christopher Moltisanti. Over the course of the season, Chris goes from arrogant hothead to lovable underdog and back again, with a few unexpected spotlights that forever turn him into a fan favorite.

And that’s the true greatness of season two: the surprising detours and un-Sopranos storylines that transcend the gangster genre altogether. For instance, an acting class is the last place we’d expect this series to take us, but it’s what makes “Big Girls Don’t Cry” such a poignant classic. Likewise, “House Arrest” dispenses with violence altogether for a “nothing happens” narrative that is the most fun and easygoing episode in The Sopranos’ entire run.

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Even more unexpected is the bloody, surreal, emotional climax in the season’s final two episodes — perhaps the best concluding run to any chapter of the show (save for season 6). It’s a huge turning point in the show’s trajectory, signaling a forthcoming era of doom and darkness just around the corner.

Still, I cherish season two most of all for its comedy. It’s the series’ most rewatchable chapter simply because it’s the funniest: put on any random episode and it’s like spending time and having some laughs with old friends. These are the good times, the little things, that Tony told us to cherish. However, as the ambiguous ending shows, you don’t realize you’re in the good times until they’re gone.

As a singular work of art, season two stands as another impressively-woven tapestry from series creator David Chase, another masterpiece that is as unique as it is unforgettable, a genius work of art that is both unpredictable and unchanging.

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