Watch The Show

As an Italian-American it always saddens me how The Sopranos is always viewed and critiqued as a show about Italian-Americans and the Mafia when it is, at its core, a show about Italian-Americans and family.

If simply going on "several of the clips of the show" that one has seen, it is feasible to assume that, “The show is about sex, profanity, gambling and violence.” If one actually watches the show, one would find that that is a gross generalization. If you tune out after seeing AJ yelling and cursing at his parents you will miss the types of moments as seen on last weeks episode when AJ is affectionately talking to his hospitalized father, who was recently put into a comma by his delusional Uncle Junior, all the while crying and confidently proclaiming that he will not die, that he will get through this. So AJ yells at his parents, he is a teenager. And to say that that is wrongly portraying an Italian American household is ludicrous because you obviously have never been in my house.

If The Sopranos does not portray Italian-Americans as we really are, then how are we really? Yes, the majority of Italian-Americans are not in the Mafia, but are we all lawyers, teachers, doctors, or sportscasters? No. Watch the show and one would see the abundance of Italian-Americans who exist outside the confines of organized crime. There is Tony's psychologist Dr. Melfi, Tony's neighbor the successful doctor, the characters frequent profitable restaurants and delis owned by Italians, and Tony's own daughter Meadow is in the process of deciding whether to go to law or med school. There is no way, and never will be a way, to portray an entire ethnic group of people completely on screen. But what The Sopranos does do a good job at is portraying what is at the core of many Italian-American families: family.


Family, family, family. That is what this show centers around, not organized crime. The mob ties present in the show are simply the means by which they are able to convey their message of family. If this show were simply about the ins and outs of organized crime and the Mafia there is no way it would have as broad of an appeal as it does. What draws people into the idea of the Mafia is not that killing or other illegal acts, but rather the closeness and loyalty that it breeds and The Sopranos does a fine job of showcasing how, as Italian-Americans, we practice that mentality in every aspect of our lives. Watch the show and you will have a hard time calling any of the characters presented, well maybe besides Pauly Wallnuts, cartoons. These are characters who are richly drawn and experience the wide range of human emotion and experience. It was hard to miss Tony shedding a tear during his daughter's choral concert during one of the first seasons.

To simply say “The show is about sex, profanity, gambling and violence” is, excuse the cliche, judging a book by its cover. As in with any movie or tv show or book or play (and where are the articles complaining about the perpetuation of the negative stereotypes in The Godfather movies and the heralding of them as some of the best movies ever made?), when being marketed and sold to the mass public, the most dramatic and heightened aspects of the given piece of art will be used to draw people in. But once they are in, it is the quieter moments that keep them there.

Are all housewives desperate? Are all jews neurotic like Larry David? Are all 20 somethings vapid airheads? Are all white, bald, blue eyed police officers in LA cop killers?

Is it more discriminating to have a television show like The Sopranos centered around an ethnic group who happen to feed into some widely accepted stereotypes yet being the central figures are able to show the varying shades of their lives and be presented as people rather than cartoon characters or is it better to have a show like The Shield display ethnic groups in passing, as supplemental throw away characters, who perpetuate the negative stereotypes yet never have a chance to tell their story, never have a chance to be portrayed as actual people.

Watch the show and you may catch an episode like the one dealing with the controversy over the celebration of Columbus Day as an Italian-American holiday.

Watch the show and you may catch Dr. Melfi discussing with her psychologist the negative stereotypes she faces as being an Italian-American.

Watch the show and you will see how countless times, despite their many problems, the central Soprano clan congregate at the dinner table or a bb-q and show genuine concern for and clossness with each other.

Watch the show, and then rather than complaining about how it negatively portrays Italian-Americans, educate people on the reality of what it does portray. Do not simply perpetuate the stereotype by pointing it out but rather draw people’s attention to the positive aspects of the show rather than harping on the negatives.