The ‘Sopranos’ Episode That Changed the Show Forever

The Sopranos is one of the most influential television dramas in history because it perfected an anti-hero character. Before television audiences got to know, love, and hate characters like Mad Men’s Don Draper (Jon Hamm) or Breaking Bads Walter White (Bryan Cranston), James Gandolfini proved that just because a protagonist made terrible decisions didn’t mean they weren’t compelling. Although Tony Soprano commits a number of terrible deeds over the course of The Sopranos, Gandolfini brought such specificity to his performance that it was hard to not root for him a little bit. The Sopranos was a masterpiece of television because its lead character was as ruthless as he was vulnerable. Although the Season 2 finale “Funhouse” explores Tony’s mental health issues in a way that evokes empathy for the character, it does not shy away from the violence that he is capable of committing.

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