Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

The Sopranos: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie Review

Woke up this morning, got myself a gun...

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown October 23, 2014

Where would television be without The Sopranos? Creator/executive producer David Chase's critically acclaimed six- season mafia drama was much more than HBO's second original hour-long drama (the first being Oz). It intensified an already seismic shift in the television landscape; a historic shift that, over the last fifteen years, has radically changed the way networks approach, develop and produce a series, altered what viewers expect and even demand from their favorite shows and most memorable protagonists, and drastically accelerated the blurring of the line between cinema and the small screen. Were it not for The Sopranos, Breaking Bad, Mad Men, The Wire, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Boardwalk Empire, Masters of Sex, Hannibal, Battlestar Galactica, House of Cards, The Shield, True Detective, Homeland, Fargo... the shows you love (and the shows you love to hate) might not even exist. And that isn't being hyperbolic. At the very least, television would be a very different place. Still stuck in the past, still trying to prove itself, still without one of the most compelling and captivating TV series to ever grace HBO, or any other network, broadcast or cable, for that matter.

Heavy is the head...

For six seasons, millions of viewers loyally tuned in to HBO to watch the drama unfold as modern-day mob boss Tony Soprano juggled responsibilities between his family and his... "family." Hailed as "a remarkable achievement" by the Wall Street Journal and "the greatest show in TV history" by Vanity Fair, David Chase's drama stars three-time Emmy winners James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano and Edie Falco as Tony's wife Carmela, plus Lorraine Bracco as therapist Dr. Jennifer Melfi, Emmy winner Michael Imperioli as Tony's nephew Christopher Moltisanti and Dominic Chianese as Uncle Junior. Other series regulars include Robert Iler as Anthony Soprano, Jr., Jamie-Lynn Sigler as Meadow Soprano, Tony Sirico as Paulie Walnuts, Steven Van Zandt as Silvio Dante, Aida Turturro as Tony's sister Janice, Steven R. Schirripa as Bobby "Bacala" Baccalieri, John Ventimiglia as Artie Bucco, Vincent Curatola as Johnny Sack, Frank Vincent as Phil Leotardo and Ray Abruzzo as Little Carmine. When The Sopranos debuted in 1999, it was like nothing TV critics and viewers had ever seen. The series went on to win more than twenty Emmy Awards throughout its run, including wins for its cast members, among them James Gandolfini and Edie Falco.

The 28-disc Blu-ray release of The Sopranos: The Complete Series features 6 seasons (86 episodes), 25 audio commentaries, and several small featurettes spread across 27 BD-50 discs. A 28th disc offers all new high definition bonus content as well, including a 46-minute retrospective, two round table discussions between David Chase and members of his cast and crew, a 2-part interview with Chase, and deleted scenes for all 6 seasons of the series. The discs are housed in 8 Blu- ray cases, which fit snuggly inside a simple, no-frills outer sleeve. The seasons break down as follows:

• Discs 1-4: The Complete First Season
• Discs 5-8: The Complete Second Season
• Discs 9-12: The Complete Third Season
• Discs 13-16: The Complete Fourth Season
• Discs 17-20: The Complete Fifth Season
• Discs 21-24: Season Six, Part 1
• Discs 25-27: Season Six, Part 2
• Discs 8: Exclusive Bonus Features

Additional notes: The Complete First Season was originally released on Blu-ray via a 5-disc set in November 2009. In The Complete Series, Season One is a 4-disc set. Season Six, Part 1 and Season Six, Part 2 were originally released in December 2006 (with 4 discs) and October 2007 (also 4 discs) respectively. Each featured a VC-1 encode and LPCM 5.1 surround track. In The Complete Series, Season Six, Part 1 is a 4-disc set presented with an AVC encode and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track. Season Six, Part 2 is a 3-disc set also presented with an AVC encode and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track. Despite these differences, each season's AV quality is virtually identical to its predecessor. (Further details can be found below.)

The Sopranos: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Sopranos: The Complete Series is presented with a 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation that, while largely faithful to the series' original photography and frequently rewarding, suffers from a handful of ongoing problems; eyesores that are at their absolute worst in the first season but that thankfully recede -- and recede quite quickly -- as the show progresses.

As was the case in 2009, Season One is notably, sometimes frustratingly inconsistent and underwhelming. So much so that it falls far short of expectation. Smearing, erratic clarity, ringing and the side effects of overbearing artificial sharpening are visible throughout, colors slide from vibrant and oversaturated to dusty and muddy as the episodes roll out, fleshtones are often unnatural, crush is an issue, delineation is mediocre, and noise tends to surge and relent from scene to scene (sometimes shot to shot). Likewise, detail, though greatly improved since the days of DVD, is just as unreliable and unwieldy. It isn't uncommon to encounter mushy faces, textureless skin, or shots in which detail is blotted away by one issue or another. That said, the first season hails from 1999, which suggests age, budget and the limitations of the source are the culprits here, rather than a flawed encode.

However, Season Two boasts a dramatic improvement, though edge enhancement, persistent halos and some color/contrast/clarity irregularities still take a (smaller) toll. The series' palette is more satisfying, with more carefully adjusted saturation, more convincing hues, and more revealing detail. Not perfect, mind you. But closer to the mark. Season Three through Six follow suit, and then some; steadily reducing or eliminating the anomalies and unsightly aspects of the earliest seasons. Colors become more pleasing, faces less flushed and more lovely, black levels more impressively resolved, grain more even and filmic, edge definition more crisp, fine textures more refined, and the overall impact of the series' presentation more remarkable. It helps that substantial compression issues, macroblocking, banding, aliasing and the like are either kept to a bare minimum or disappear altogether after the first season. (Artificial sharpening and crush are the last to die unfortunately, and still hold onto their last breath well into Season Six, Part 2, even though each one is less glaring and intrusive.)

Some armchair videophiles will cry foul, flooding the forum with suggestions that HBO could have done more. But most of the grumbling that will accompany The Complete Series should serve as a reminder as to how spoiled we've all become. Stunning HD television releases have been the norm for years, especially when it comes to HBO. With each season of The Sopranos -- yes, even the first -- it's crucial to distinguish between subjective taste and objective analysis. The show itself, particularly in its first three seasons, isn't all that striking, at least as far as high definition scrutiny is concerned. Time hasn't exactly been kind to the original prepped-for-TV source, the aforementioned artificial sharpening was most likely applied well before the episodes were aired, and there just isn't precedence to draw the conclusion that HBO would release anything but the best product it could. We're not dealing with a Universal catalog title. HBO is that rare studio I'm still willing to offer the benefit of the doubt.

Where does that leave The Sopranos: The Complete Series? Squarely in the middle of those willing to accept the show's presentation despite its inherent flaws (key word: inherent) and those convinced something is amiss. I hope most consumers fall into the first camp, judging the presentation with measured expectations rather than the idea that the series could ever look much better than it does here. Don't get me wrong, I'm not about to write off the possibility. But I strongly suspect this is as good as it gets, and that isn't a bad thing. The Sopranos isn't the most dazzling TV release I've reviewed by any means, but its AVC-encoded presentation is solid enough to warrant a purchase, and a confident purchase at that.

• The Complete First Season: screenshots 6-10
• The Complete Second Season: screenshots 11-15
• The Complete Third Season: screenshots 16-20
• The Complete Fourth Season: screenshots 21-25
• The Complete Fifth Season: screenshots 26-30
• Season Six, Part 1: screenshots 31-35
• Season Six, Part 2: screenshots 36-40

The Sopranos: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Take a minute, catch your breath and rest easy. The Complete Series' DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track isn't nearly as problematic as its video presentation. While the first season once again offers the least impressive mix in the set, it nevertheless impresses. And it only gets better from there. Dialogue is clean, intelligible and smartly prioritized throughout, as are each episode's more subtle ambient effects. Threats, pleas and cries for mercy cut through the soundscape beautifully, with very few instances of hiss, ADR mishaps or other sound design incidents. Interior spaces and outdoor environment are believable and enveloping too, courtesy of pinpoint directionality, engaging rear speaker activity, slick pans, excellent dynamics and weighty LFE support. Whether it's the thrumming of music through the Bada Bing's walls, the shuffling of cards in the back room, the hum of Jersey's streets, the cramped trunk of a car, the hustle and bustle of Nuovo Vesuvio, the roar of traffic, the silence that precedes a hit, a heated argument between Tony and, well... anyone, the series' sound design and HBO's lossless track doesn't falter. And the songs that pepper the episodes? Full and fully supported, without exception. I continually scribbled notes about the series' video presentation, going back and forth as to how to evaluate it and present my review. Not so with the audio mix. I listened, nodded, smiled and knew that all was as it should be.

The Sopranos: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

At first glance, the 28-disc Blu-ray release of The Complete Series offers a wealth of supplemental content. Upon closer inspection, though, there isn't as much to get excited about, especially since most of the material has been ported over from the show's previous DVD releases. The bulk of the seasons' extras are audio commentaries, but 25 commentaries for 86 episodes isn't as extensive as it might first seem. The commentaries are also extremely hit or miss, with a few highlights nestled among a string of decent but dry tracks. The biggest treasure trove of content is found on the set's 28th disc, detailed below. The HD retrospectives, round tables and interviews are more engaging and entertaining in three hours than in nineteen hours of commentaries.


The Complete First Season: Discs 1-4

• Audio Commentary: In a strangely awkward commentary for the series' pilot, filmmaker Peter Bogdonavich (Dr. Elliot Kupferberg) plays host to writer/creator David Chase. Unfortunately, it's a dry, underwhelming chat that doesn't go anywhere, as Chase seems downright annoyed by some of Bogdonavich's questions and struggles to elaborate on many of the topics he addresses.
• Interview with David Chase by Peter Bogdonavich (SD, 77 minutes): This meandering discussion between Chase and Bogdonavich is a bit better, but covers a lot of the same ground. However, like the commentary, Chase is either incredibly uncomfortable with the setup or bothered by answering pedestrian questions.
• Family Life (SD, 4 minutes): The first of two chummy, long since outdated featurettes.
• Meet Tony Soprano (SD, 4 minutes): And... the second, which doesn't improve matters.

The Complete Second Season: Discs 5-8

• Audio Commentaries: Four cast and crew commentaries are available: "Commendatori" with director Tim Van Patten, "From Where to Eternity" with director Henry Bronchstein and producer Ilene Landress, "The Knight in White Satin Armor" with Landress and producer Allen Coulter, and "Funhouse" with director John Patterson.
• The Real Deal (SD, 5 minutes): A small group of critics, screenwriters, professors and real investigators, retired detectives and former mobsters sing the series' praises and discuss its authenticity and humor.
• A Sit-Down with The Sopranos (SD, 14 minutes): The late James Gandolfini and other key members of The Sopranos cast discuss what drew them to the show, its appeal and quality, the characters and performances, the saga thus far, and more.

The Complete Third Season: Discs 9-12

• Audio Commentaries: Three cast and crew commentaries are available: "The Telltale Moozadell" with writer/actor Michael Imperioli, "Pine Barrens" with director Steve Buscemi, and "Amour Fou" with showrunner David Chase.
• Behind the Scenes Featurette (SD, 4 minutes): Another throwaway EPK comprised of quick-hit interview snippets with power players in front of and behind the camera. No real insight is gained, although fleeting glimpses of the actors on set at least offer a tease.

The Complete Fourth Season: Discs 13-16

• Audio Commentaries: Four cast and crew audio commentaries are available: "The Weight" with writer Terence Winter, "Everybody Hurts" with writer/actor Michael Imperioli, "Whoever Did This" with writers Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess, and "Whitecaps" with showrunner David Chase.

The Complete Fifth Season: Discs 17-20

• Audio Commentaries: Five cast and crew audio commentaries are available: "All Happy Families..." with director Rodrigo Garcia, "Sentimental Education" with director Peter Bogdanovich, "In Camelot" with director Steve Buscemi, "Cold Cuts" with director Mike Figgis, and "Long Term Parking" with actress Drea de Matteo.

Season Six, Part 1: Discs 21-24

• Audio Commentaries: Four cast and crew audio commentaries are available: "Join the Club" with actors Edie Falco, Robert Iler and Jamie-Lynn Sigler, "Luxury Lounge" with writer Matthew Weiner, "The Ride" with writer Terence Winter and actors Michael Imperioli and Tony Sirico, and "Kaisha" with showrunner David Chase.

Season Six, Part 2: Discs 25-27

• Audio Commentaries: Four final audio commentaries round out the series proper: "Soprano Home Movies" with actor Steven R. Schirripa, "Remember When" with actor Dominic Chianese, "The Second Coming" with actor Robert Iler, and "The Blue Comet" with actors Steven Van Zandt and Arthur Nascarella.
• The Music of The Sopranos (SD, 17 minutes): David Chase, Steven Van Zandt and Dominic Chianese discuss the series' music, how and when various soundtrack songs are selected, and the challenges of pairing and heightening dramatic and comedic moments with those songs.
• Making Cleaver (HD, 8 minutes): In this amusing in-character behind the scenes featurette, Christopher (Michael Imperioli), Carmine Lupertazzi Jr. (Ray Abruzzo) and other power players who financed, developed and shot Cleaver talk about the film, what it means to them, and what Christopher was and wasn't able to accomplish with his big foray into Hollywood.

Additional Bonus Features: Discs 28

• Defining a Television Landmark (HD, 46 minutes): "It was the beginning of this new wave of American television." Creator/executive producer David Chase, executive producer Brad Grey, producer Ilene Landress, filmmakers Steven Soderbergh and Andrew Dominick, actor/writer Michael Imperioli, critics Elvis Mitchell, Dorothy Rabinowitz and David Bianculli, professor Paul Levinson, and numerous others sit down in this excellent retrospective that attempts to answer a very densely packed question: what was it that made The Sopranos such a resonant, multifaceted success? The participants tackle a wide array of subjects, from the genesis of the series to its pilot, early years, thematic and narrative layering, casting and performances, story progression, critical success and, more to the point, the manner in which it changed the way Americans watched television and networks produced original programming.
• Supper with The Sopranos (HD, 75 minutes): Next up? My favorite feature in the set. Showrunner David Chase is joined by two groups of guests for two lengthy, engaging dinner conversations. In Part 1, producer/writer Terence Winter, director Allen Coulter, and actors Dominic Chianese (Junior), Rober Iler (AJ) and Aida Turturro (Janice) waste little time, beginning at the end with the series' controversial final moments. After a wonderful dissection of the scene, its impact, its inspirations and influences, they move rapidly from subject to subject -- the unforgettable episodes that defined the show, the decision-making process behind the deaths of several main characters, fan reaction to various shocks and surprises, concepts and ideas that were abandoned early in production, and much, much more -- in what amounts to a breezy, smartly edited round table that proves captivating and informative.
  
  In Part 2, Chase sits down with executive producer/writer Matthew Weiner, producer Ilene Landress, director Alan Taylor, and actors Edie Falco (Carmela) and Steven Van Zandt (Silvio). Familial dynamics, the Sopranos children, Carmela and her role in the series, the interplay between the writers and directors (and the manner in which it changed over the course of the show), Falco's audition and casting, Van Zandt's headlong dive into acting and his demand to have a shot at murdering someone (as Silvio of course), Chase's creative impulses and influences, the characters' varied reactions to death, and more. And it all comes full circle, with a second, equally entertaining discussion about the series' final scene.
  
  Frankly, I couldn't get enough. The anecdotes alone make the round tables worth watching, and takes away some of the sting of the relatively slim supplemental packages that accompany each season. I grinned, laughed... the two suppers totaled 75 minutes and I still wished they were longer, which is exactly the feeling you want to have coming away from a retrospective.
• Interview with David Chase (HD, 43 minutes): As if that weren't enough, self-proclaimed series fan Alec Baldwin interviews David Chase in two parts, going into great depth about the series and its creator. Part 1 finds Chase revealing where he was before The Sopranos (his childhood right on through to his pre-Sopranos career), his approach to writing, autobiographical elements in the series, his research into and experience with the mafia and the historical contraction of the mob, working with consultants to attain the highest level of authenticity, working with HBO (in Season One and beyond), his creative might, and his singular focus. In Part 2, they continue on, talking about Chase's hands-on approach to all manners of running a show, the casting of James Gandolfini, the complexities of Tony and Carmela, Chase's take on actors, the avalanche of actors that fell into place after Gandolfini, plot developments concerning Christopher and Adriana, Steven Van Zandt and his colorful contributions to Silvio, and other memorable performances and characters. Good stuff; far better than anything Chase offers on the set's DVD-era commentaries.
• Lost Scenes (HD, 22 minutes): Deleted scenes are available from each season. Episodes include "The Sopranos" (1.1), "Guy Walks" (2.1), "Do Not Resuscitate" (2.2), "The Happy Wanderer" (2.6), "To Save Us All From Satan's Power" (3.10), "Christopher" (4.3), "Where's Johnny?" (5.3), "Members Only" (6.1), "Johnny Cakes" (6.8), "Cold Stones" (6.11) and "Soprano Home Movies" (6.13).

The Sopranos: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Bubbling over with the kind of writing, performances, casting, cinematography, music, relevance and resonance any series would kill for, The Sopranos proved itself a revolutionary masterclass in original programming that lasted for six seasons and never once released its grip on its audience. Even today, some fifteen years after it debuted, The Sopranos remains one of the finest shows ever produced; a classic in every sense of the word that has as much power today as it ever did. HBO Home Entertainment's 28-disc Complete Series release doesn't quite live up to the show itself, but should still prove very tempting this holiday season. With a solid video presentation (not entirely free of flaws but satisfying nonetheless), an excellent DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, and an assortment of supplements (including 25 audio commentaries and, more importantly, three hours of all new HD retrospectives), fans will find their money has been well spent. Could there be more content? Sure. But the full series is available in high definition. The supplements are just the creamy filling in the cannoli.