The Sopranos is consistently regarded as one of the most influential shows of all time. The groundbreaking series that commenced the Golden Age of Television ran for six seasons on HBO (86 episodes) from 1999-2007. David Chase shares the inspiration, decisions, adjustments, stress, and luck that go into creating a series for the ages. The documentary hits the high points of that journey while not glossing over the troubles that resulted from pressure and fame, particularly the toll it took on James Gandolfini. Wise Guy: David Chase and the Sopranos is a must-see for Sopranos‘ fans.
In an effective and appealing nod to the show’s legacy, Chase puts himself in the chair in Dr. Melfi’s office. He’s the one being questioned and feeling awkward just like Tony Soprano. He realizes his work ethic and passion made him difficult to work with at times. He reflects on how he incorporated many sites and people from his New Jersey upbringing into The Sopranos, no one more so than his mother. Nancy Marchard played Tony’s crazy mother, Livia, in one of the show’s many priceless supporting roles. Chase’s life is interspersed among clips from the series as are the auditions for the pilot. Taped auditions always bring laughs and revelations. The auditions of James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Lorraine Bracco, Michael Imperioli, Drea de Matteo, Steven Van Zandt, and more (including rejects) are the sweetest moments of Wise Guy.
HBO took a huge risk with The Sopranos; they weren’t prestige television yet. TV was supposed to make you feel good. Chase wanted you to feel uncomfortable. A mob boss and a family man. Darkness and humor. The series broke every rule in the book: nudity, language, brutal acts of violence, and killing off beloved characters. He carried that unconventional approach all the way through to the finale, didn’t he? Now for the inevitable question. What did you think of the ending? I liked it. After I recovered from my initial WTF reaction, I thought it was a brilliant way to go out. In the doc’s closing scene when asked about the ending of the series, Chase says, “well, the truth is…” You know what happens next. You’ll want to watch the series all over again.
(Wise Guy premiered on HBO on September 7, 2024, and is now streaming on Max. It’s a two-part documentary, about 1:20 each.)
(For more Sopranos check out the The Many Saints of Newark. The 2021 prequel film, co-written by Chase, and starring Alessandro Nivola and Michael Gandolfini as Tony Soprano, is uneven, but a worthwhile companion piece.)
D² Rating: ◼◼◼◼☐
Trivia: David Chase wrote episodes for what quirky series that ran on CBS from 1990-1995?
Trivia: Who performed, “Woke Up This Morning,” the Sopranos‘ theme song?
Answers below
Answers: Northern Exposure (A favorite of mine) and the British band Alabama 3
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