The Sopranos may be gone..but it is British drama that sleeps with the fishes
IT has been three weeks now and the series link function on my Sky HD box has remained sadly neglected (apart from its use in my wife's devotion to Strictly Come Dancing) because the fact is, nothing really compares to The Sopranos.
After six seasons, eighty-six episodes and numerous whackings the greatest TV show of all time is now 'sleeping with the fishes'.
I will miss the shoulder-shrugging of Silvio, the temperamental Paulie, the musings of Dr Melfi and the whining of Anthony Jr....
But most of all I will miss the angst, charm, brutality, wit, greed, chauvinism and gluttony of Tony Soprano - surely the most multifaceted character ever to appear on television.
The end of The Sopranos has left a void in my life that is yet to be filled.
Not even the flavour of the month show 'Heroes' has done the job. Despite being fairly compelling and original, it does give me the feeling that the producers and writers are making it up as they go along, which makes me feel conned.
I had the same feeling with Lost which I eventually lost interest in half way through the second season.
A friend of mine who works in television says that series such as Lost and Heroes are the future; TV dramas that don't really progress.
They are scripted and structured as such that you feel that the characters are developing and the plot is progressing but it actually isn't really going anywhere.
They will go on and on and on, as TV executives sell more and more adverts but in the end the finality offered by a film is never there.
The Sopranos side-stepped this problem by having several strands and mini stories within the show running simultaneously.
Plots such as Tony's best friend, Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero 'ratting' on the crew, and Tony's authority being challenged by rivals such as Ralph Cifaretto and Richie Aprille were successfully introduced and concluded - in memorable fashion - as each season progressed.
However, Lost and Heroes are both entertaining and well produced enough, as are other American dramas such as 24, Grey's Anatomy, House and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip - to name just a few.
It would be wonderful to think that a British drama could fill the void left by The Sopranos - but this seems unlikely.
American dramas trounce British ones in many ways; from the quality of script-writing to the amount of money spent on the sets to the calibre of actors signed up.
Unfortunately, going into TV is seen by British actors as career death wish.
If Keira Knightley were to take a break from Hollywood to star in Bad Girls her career would be finished.
I tried to get into 'edgy' British dramas such as Hustle, Spooks and Bodies but the acting always seems a bit hammy and the writing a bit cliched.
Is there a vacuum of original ideas in the creative departments of British TV?
Perhaps the BBC could give Jonathan Ross a year off, take the £6 million salary he reportedly pockets, use it to poach HBO's sharpest thinkers and give us a drama series we deserve!
Until then I will have to make do with watching season one repeats of The Sopranos.
Amar - I am in the US and I feel your pain about the end of the Sopranos. I don't know if your Sky HD box (whatever that is???) allows you to view the Showtime network in the UK. If so, you should check out a few shows there. "Brotherhood" is an amazing drama set in Providence Rhode Island and centers on the exploits of an Irish-American family. One brother is a state representative and has his "crooked" moments as only a career politician can. His brother is a out right gangster. The characters are wonderfully written and beautifully acted. Check it out if you can.
Another great Showtime drama is "Dexter". He's a blood splatter expert for the Miami PD and he also happens to be a serial killer. He only kills the bad guys so I guess he can be considered to be a hero serial killer. Good writing and acting all around
Lastly a half hour comedy of sorts. It's called "Weeds". It's about a newly widowed Southern California mom who becomes a pot dealer in order to keep her family in the comfy middle class suburb where they live. Funny and unexpected things happen to her and the family all the time.
Hope this can help you with your Sopranos withdrawal. It worked for me. Though I do catch a Soprano rerun from time to time.
Posted by: Peg | 13/11/2007 at 04:04 PM
Great!
It's not enough that the US already has, shall we say an 'influence' on British politics (Iraq etc); a stranglehold on the food we eat (McDs, Starbucks etc); the music we listen to (Madonna, Puff Daddy or whatever he calls himself these days); but now we're creating a big rigmarole in an effort to further Amercanise British TV.
Let's get a grip people, forget about TV and hit the gym, go for a walk, take up a sport. Otherwise we're all going to end up looking like a nation of Bobby "Bacala" look-alikes. Just like our 'Brotherhood' and 'Dexter' watching American friends.
Long live Only Fools and Horses!!!
Posted by: Indian Lawyer | 15/11/2007 at 09:57 AM
"Unfortunately, going into TV is seen by British actors as career death wish."
Helen Mirren & Judi Dench may not agree! In fact it has been the American actors who have been traditionally more wary of going near TV.
I love US dramas, in fact the only UK TV I watch is Spooks. However I could never enjoy Sopranos. The violence and swearing bored me quite quickly. Sopranos was definitely Bloke TV - no thank you!
Posted by: Gillian Anderson | 15/11/2007 at 03:07 PM
Responding to Gillian Andrersons posting on behalf of all appalled British female Sopranos fans - Bloke TV indeed!
The Sopranos was so much more than a violent, profane drama, that was only one facet of a series that was complex, intriguing, funny, cool, terrifying, touching and so, so much more. Gillian, treat yourself to Series 1-6 box set and introduce yourself to the last of a dying breed of alpha males you will not regret it!
I am in mourning, Italian styleee.......
Posted by: Wendy K | 15/11/2007 at 04:53 PM
Hi Amar
You are in luck. If you are able to purchase of find the first season (last year) of INTELLIGENCE, a CBC crime drama production, it would be worth your while. I am a great fan and viewer - we are now into the sixth or seventh episode of the second season.
INTELLIGENCE has all the intrigue machiavellian finagling you could desire in a modern setting with modern trappings.
It is by Chris Haddock, an innovative, brilliant producer and creator of this series whos previous work included "da Vinci's inquest" I think it was sold to some European television companies as well as showing on the CBC ... give it a try.
http://www.cbc.ca/intelligence/
Mary from Vancouver
Posted by: mj | 15/11/2007 at 06:09 PM
Well said!!!
I loved every minute of the Sopranos. The ending was brilliant, but
I refuse to believe it's really all over for Tony and the "Boys".
I think David Chase was leaving us a little message at the end with the music he chose- "Oh the movie never ends, it goes on and on and on and on..don't stop believin..." What about Guy Ritchie doing a Tv series a la Snatch or Lock, Stock...? Think abboudit.....
Posted by: Jenni | 15/11/2007 at 11:27 PM
the sopranos was a brilliant programme...
ive seen it all since day one and enjoyed it throughly
however...its not the the best programme to ever hit TV!
that title my friend belongs to PRISON BREAK!
this show is in one word....AMAZING
the story is fantastic if at first lazy (man trying to break brother out of prison) but this story explodes with interest as the series progresses, the characters (michael scofield, T-BAG and brad bellick to name a few) are intricate characters that actually input an emotion into your body when you see them, for example, whenever you see bellick your mind instinctively knows to hate him because of his bad nature and maverick ways.
now i didnt get into this program from day one, fact is I actually got into it when season 1 was ending. So i got the boxset, watched the whole thing and was gobsmacked at how the story developed. I then became addicted by when I started watching season 2 and now that season 3 is in motion, im a diehard preacher for this show!...the writers strike in america has really annoyed me because the show has gone on hiatus till january because of it and i feel like prison break is a drug and i need my fix...watch this show my friend and you'll be an addict aswell!
Posted by: Gurdev Singh | 30/11/2007 at 01:52 AM