Posted on: Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Who's who as 'Sopranos' begins reruns
By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service
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Dominic Chianese, left, as Uncle Junior and James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano in a scene from "The Sopranos." A&E network has begun reruns of the New Jersey mob drama series from the beginning, airing at 7 and 8 p.m. Wednesdays.
ADVERTISER LIBRARY PHOTO | 2002
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'THE SOPRANOS'
7 and 8 p.m. Wednesdays A&E
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If you're a newcomer to "The Sopranos," now that A&E is airing reruns (episodes 3 and 4 are on tonight), you might need a roster. Here's a look at the key characters in early episodes. Some of the background information is from "The Sopranos: A Family History" (2000, New American Library); quotes are from interview sessions in 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2006:
Tony Soprano is emerging as a New Jersey mob boss. James Gandolfini, who plays him, compares him to an old Jackie Gleason character: "Tony's appeal is just like Ralph Kramden's appeal. ... It's like this moron is trying to do the best he can and he just keeps screwing up. ... He's trying to do what makes sense to him."
Carmela Soprano is Tony's wife, savvy and (sometimes) forgiving. "I think she is completely devoted to her husband and to her family," said Edie Falco, who plays her. The rest is overlooked, at first. "I guess it's called denial," Falco said.
Meadow and Anthony Jr. ("A.J.") are their kids. She's the bright one, he's not, but they both seem fairly normal — for now.
Dr. Jennifer Melfi is Tony's psychiatrist. Don't expect any quick cures, said Lorraine Bracco, who plays her. "Do you think Tony got better? I mean, it's job security that he doesn't."
Livia Soprano is Tony's mom. She's a tough one.
Christopher Moltisanti is a distant relative. Tony calls him a nephew and sometimes treats him like a son, despite mistakes. "Christopher, when he started, was really like a kid," Michael Imperioli, who plays him, said in 2006. "He's had, over the years, more and more adult responsibilities and adult experiences."
Adriana La Cerva is Christopher's girlfriend. She's hot in looks and temper but not terribly wise.
Herman "Hesh" Rabkin supplies some equal-opportunity crime. He's the show's token Jewish criminal. Once an associate of Tony's dad, he is now sometimes a mentor.
Corrado Soprano Jr., known as "Uncle Junior," has spent most of his life being second. He was behind the late Johnny Boy Soprano, Tony's dad. Now Junior is the boss, but his faculties are slipping.
Tony's chief back-ups are Silvio Dante, the consigliere, and Paulie "Walnuts" Gualtieri, the Capo. His early soldiers will include Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero, Gigi Cestone, Patsy Parisi, Brendan Filone, Matthew Bevilaqua and Sean Gismonte. Don't expect to see them forever.
Then there are the competing mobsters, plus the federal agents, girlfriends, boyfriends and flings.
Old characters will keep dying and new ones will keep arriving. Most important are the arrivals in the second and third seasons, including Ralphie Cifaretto, Furio Giunta and Janice Soprano, Tony's angry sister.
The last nine episodes of the series begin airing on HBO on April 8.
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