The Sopranos (The Sopranos episode)
"The Sopranos", also known as "Pilot", is the first episode of the HBO television drama series, The Sopranos, which premiered on January 10, 1999. It was written and directed by the series creator and executive producer David Chase.
"The Sopranos"
Season 1
Episode 1
David Chase
David Chase
Joanna Cappuccilli
S101
January 10, 1999
60 minutes
Synopsis[edit]
In the summer of 1998,[1] New Jersey mobster Tony Soprano, a capo in the DiMeo crime family, is referred to a psychiatrist, Dr. Jennifer Melfi, after having a panic attack. Tony tells Melfi he is a waste management consultant, but she knows who he actually is. After Melfi establishes what will and will not fall under doctor-patient confidentiality, Tony begins to partly open up.
Tony has recently been dealing with tensions between his wife Carmela and teenage daughter Meadow, as well as trying to keep his nephew, Christopher Moltisanti, in check. Tony's uncle, Corrado "Junior" Soprano, resents Tony for rising in the family hierarchy while he himself is in decline. Tony also has a strained relationship with his mother, Livia, who is resisting his advice to move into a retirement home.
A confrontation with Livia triggers another panic attack, causing Tony to return to Melfi. He tells her about a family of ducks that were living in his swimming pool, but left when the ducklings fledged. Guided by Melfi, Tony realizes he is sad to see them go because he dreads losing his own family; to his consternation, this makes him cry.
A Czech-American criminal organization is bidding against Tony for a waste management contract. Christopher unilaterally murders one of the Czechs, Emil Kolar, resulting in the Czechs withdrawing their bid.
Junior wants to kill turncoat "Little Pussy" Malanga in a restaurant he frequents, owned by Tony's lifelong friend Artie Bucco. Thinking the murder would ruin the restaurant's reputation, Tony unsuccessfully tries to persuade Junior to carry out the hit at a different location. He then tries to get Artie to close the restaurant for three weeks by offering cruise tickets, but his wife Charmaine refuses them. Finally, Tony has his right-hand man Silvio Dante bomb the restaurant; Artie's reputation will not be damaged, and he will be able to claim insurance compensation.
Mahaffey, an HMO employee and "degenerate gambler," is in debt to Tony and Hesh Rabkin, an old Jewish friend of Tony's father. While driving with Christopher, Tony spots Mahaffey and runs him down, breaking his leg. He then concocts a scheme for Mahaffey's company to make insurance claims payable to non-existent clinics in order to pay off his debts, with which Mahaffey is forced to comply.
At a birthday party for Tony's adolescent son A.J., Christopher, frustrated about not receiving recognition for killing Kolar, tells Tony he is thinking of turning his life story into a Hollywood script, which Tony angrily forbids.
As he drives Livia to the party, an embittered Junior says, "Something may have to be done about Tony." Livia doesn't say anything, but shows a hint of a smile.
Awards[edit]
David Chase won the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Drama Series for his work on this episode and a Primetime Emmy Award for Joanna Cappuccilli for Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series. It was also Emmy-nominated for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series and Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for David Chase. James Gandolfini and Nancy Marchand both submitted this episode for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series & Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, respectively. Nancy Marchand additionally submitted the next episode, 46 Long.
$_$_$DEEZ_NUTS#5__descriptionDEEZ_NUTS$_$_$
$_$_$DEEZ_NUTS#6__titleDEEZ_NUTS$_$_$
$_$_$DEEZ_NUTS#6__descriptionDEEZ_NUTS$_$_$
$_$_$DEEZ_NUTS#1__titleDEEZ_NUTS$_$_$
$_$_$DEEZ_NUTS#1__descriptionDEEZ_NUTS$_$_$
$_$_$DEEZ_NUTS#2__titleDEEZ_NUTS$_$_$
$_$_$DEEZ_NUTS#2__descriptionDEEZ_NUTS$_$_$
$_$_$DEEZ_NUTS#4__titleDEEZ_NUTS$_$_$
$_$_$DEEZ_NUTS#4__descriptionDEEZ_NUTS$_$_$
$_$_$DEEZ_NUTS#5__titleDEEZ_NUTS$_$_$
$_$_$DEEZ_NUTS#0__titleDEEZ_NUTS$_$_$
$_$_$DEEZ_NUTS#0__subtextDEEZ_NUTS$_$_$
$_$_$DEEZ_NUTS#7__titleDEEZ_NUTS$_$_$
$_$_$DEEZ_NUTS#7__subtextDEEZ_NUTS$_$_$
$_$_$DEEZ_NUTS#3__titleDEEZ_NUTS$_$_$
$_$_$DEEZ_NUTS#3__subtextDEEZ_NUTS$_$_$