The Sopranos
The Taking of Pelham 123
October 13, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
The remake of The Taking of Pelham 123 opened in theaters this past summer. The film stars three actors who got their big breaks on the small screen.
Denzel Washington.
In Pelham, Washington plays Walter Garber, a New York City civil servant who becomes the link of communication to hostage takers on a subway train.
Washington was part of the terrific ensemble cast of St. Elsewhere. In this 1980’s NBC drama set in a Boston hospital, Washington plays the Yale-educated Dr. Phillip Chandler.
His breakthrough movie was Glory, a 1989 film set during the Civil War. Washington earned on Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
John Travolta.
In Pelham, Travolta plays Ryder, the leader of the hostage takers.
Travolta exploded onto America’s consciousness as dim-witted, girl-crazy, and self-involved high school student Vinnie Barbarino in Welcome Back, Kotter.
Kotter premiered in 1975. In the space of three years, Travolta’s career became hotter than a supernova. On the silver screen, he starred in 1977’s Saturday Night Fever and 1978’s Grease.
For the most part, notoriety subsided during the 1980’s. Travolta signaled his comeback in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction in 1994.
James Gandolfini.
In Pelham, Gandolfini plays the Mayor of New York City. If managed properly, the hostage crisis can be good for the politics business. Or very bad.
After highly significant roles on Broadway and supporting roles in films, Gandolfini got the role for which he will forever be identified.
Henry Winkler has Fonzie.
Alan Alda has Hawkeye.
And James Gandolfini has Tony Soprano, the main character in The Sopranos.
Gandolfini’s emotions as the New Jersey mafia don range from the tender to the explosive. He reveals a touching side when talking about or interacting with animals, like his racehorse, Pie-Oh-My.
There is a flip side. Disloyalty, betrayal, and disrespect trigger rage, violence, and an underlying fear of a weakened position in the Soprano mob family.
In 1973, Morton Freedgood wrote the novel The Taking of Pelham 123 under the pseudonym John Godey.
A year later, the story hit the big screen for the first time with Walter Matthau as Garber, Robert Shaw as Ryder, and Lee Wallace as the mayor.
The film accurately captures the aura of violence, fear, and despair surrounding New York City in the 1970’s. Riots. Crime. Financial turmoil. They all contributed to the pressure.
The feeling permeates the film. Walter Matthau’s Garber is in the middle -- a civil servant trying to do his job. On this particular day, it is an ordinary job under extraordinary circumstances. Matthau perfectly fits the role of the rumpled Garber.
The ending of this version of Pelham is an excellent example of a setup and payoff. Something occurs early in the story that recurs at the end.
Hector Elizondo and Earl Hindman play two of the hostage takers. Elizondo later starred in Chicago Hope and played supporting roles in a deep roster of films that include The Flamingo Kid, The Princess Diaries, and Pretty Woman.
Hindman’s face is not recognizable from his signature role -- Wilson, the neighbor on Home Improvement. The running gag on the show was the hiding of Wilson’s face behind the backyard fence and other objects.
Jerry Stiller plays a policeman working with Matthau. Maybe the hostage crisis was a source of sorts for Frank Costanza’s anger.
david@davidkrell.com
The remake of The Taking of Pelham 123 opened in theaters this past summer. The film stars three actors who got their big breaks on the small screen.
Denzel Washington.
In Pelham, Washington plays Walter Garber, a New York City civil servant who becomes the link of communication to hostage takers on a subway train.
Washington was part of the terrific ensemble cast of St. Elsewhere. In this 1980’s NBC drama set in a Boston hospital, Washington plays the Yale-educated Dr. Phillip Chandler.
His breakthrough movie was Glory, a 1989 film set during the Civil War. Washington earned on Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
John Travolta.
In Pelham, Travolta plays Ryder, the leader of the hostage takers.
Travolta exploded onto America’s consciousness as dim-witted, girl-crazy, and self-involved high school student Vinnie Barbarino in Welcome Back, Kotter.
Kotter premiered in 1975. In the space of three years, Travolta’s career became hotter than a supernova. On the silver screen, he starred in 1977’s Saturday Night Fever and 1978’s Grease.
For the most part, notoriety subsided during the 1980’s. Travolta signaled his comeback in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction in 1994.
James Gandolfini.
In Pelham, Gandolfini plays the Mayor of New York City. If managed properly, the hostage crisis can be good for the politics business. Or very bad.
After highly significant roles on Broadway and supporting roles in films, Gandolfini got the role for which he will forever be identified.
Henry Winkler has Fonzie.
Alan Alda has Hawkeye.
And James Gandolfini has Tony Soprano, the main character in The Sopranos.
Gandolfini’s emotions as the New Jersey mafia don range from the tender to the explosive. He reveals a touching side when talking about or interacting with animals, like his racehorse, Pie-Oh-My.
There is a flip side. Disloyalty, betrayal, and disrespect trigger rage, violence, and an underlying fear of a weakened position in the Soprano mob family.
In 1973, Morton Freedgood wrote the novel The Taking of Pelham 123 under the pseudonym John Godey.
A year later, the story hit the big screen for the first time with Walter Matthau as Garber, Robert Shaw as Ryder, and Lee Wallace as the mayor.
The film accurately captures the aura of violence, fear, and despair surrounding New York City in the 1970’s. Riots. Crime. Financial turmoil. They all contributed to the pressure.
The feeling permeates the film. Walter Matthau’s Garber is in the middle -- a civil servant trying to do his job. On this particular day, it is an ordinary job under extraordinary circumstances. Matthau perfectly fits the role of the rumpled Garber.
The ending of this version of Pelham is an excellent example of a setup and payoff. Something occurs early in the story that recurs at the end.
Hector Elizondo and Earl Hindman play two of the hostage takers. Elizondo later starred in Chicago Hope and played supporting roles in a deep roster of films that include The Flamingo Kid, The Princess Diaries, and Pretty Woman.
Hindman’s face is not recognizable from his signature role -- Wilson, the neighbor on Home Improvement. The running gag on the show was the hiding of Wilson’s face behind the backyard fence and other objects.
Jerry Stiller plays a policeman working with Matthau. Maybe the hostage crisis was a source of sorts for Frank Costanza’s anger.
The Ultimate TV Network
July 21, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
If I created the ultimate television network, the prime time program lineup would probably look like this:
On Sunday, I would start with the legends. I Love Lucy at 8:00pm followed by The Jack Benny Program at 8:30pm.
The pairing makes sense since Lucille Ball and Jack Benny were not only show business icons, but also neighbors in real life. They lived next door to each other on North Roxbury Drive in Beverly Hills.
Then, we turn to the rural heavyweights. The Andy Griffith Show at 9:00pm and The Beverly Hillbillies at 9:30pm.
Sunday nights should be nice and easy, after all. And what's nicer and easier than our friends in Mayberry and the hillbilly transplants to the land of Rodeo Drive?
At 10:00pm, The Sopranos.
On Monday nights, I would pair The Dick Van Dyke Show and Mary Tyler Moore in the 8 o'clock hour, followed by M*A*S*H and Murphy Brown in the 9 o'clock hour.
At 10:00pm, St. Elsewhere.
Tuesday nights would start with family comedy. The Cosby Show and Family Ties 8:00pm and 8:30pm respectively.
Everybody Loves Raymond at 9:00pm and Two and a Half Men at 9:30pm.
At 10:00pm, Law & Order.
Wednesday nights would start with sophistication.
Frasier at 8:00pm and The Odd Couple at 8:30pm. I'm sure Felix Unger would have enjoyed talking wine, opera, and art with the Crane brothers.
The 9 o'clock hour would consist of You'll Never Get Rich starring Phil Silvers as Sergeant Bilko and The Twilight Zone.
At 10:00pm, Hill Street Blues.
Of course, Thursday nights would truly be Must See TV with Cheers, Taxi, Seinfeld, and Friends followed by ER at 10:00pm.
Friday night would be another family-friendly night, starting with The Brady Bunch at 8:00pm and The Wonder Years at 8:30pm.
At 9:00pm, Friday Night Lights, a depiction of a west Texas town obsessed with high school football.
At 10:00pm, The Wire.
Saturday night begins with cartoons.
The Simpsons at 8:00pm and King of the Hill at 8:30pm.
The Honeymooners at 9:00pm and Curb Your Enthusiasm at 9:30pm.
At 10:00pm, Homicide: Life on the Street, an undervalued, underrated, and underwatched program during its tenure on NBC in the 1990's.
Reasonable minds can differ.
Should Happy Days be in the lineup instead of The Brady Bunch?
What about L.A. Law, thirtysomething, Scrubs, or All in the Family?
What's the standard for making the linuep?
All good questions.
For now, it's merely instinctive.
Programs can be replaced.
Or I can start another network.
david@davidkrell.com
If I created the ultimate television network, the prime time program lineup would probably look like this:
On Sunday, I would start with the legends. I Love Lucy at 8:00pm followed by The Jack Benny Program at 8:30pm.
The pairing makes sense since Lucille Ball and Jack Benny were not only show business icons, but also neighbors in real life. They lived next door to each other on North Roxbury Drive in Beverly Hills.
Then, we turn to the rural heavyweights. The Andy Griffith Show at 9:00pm and The Beverly Hillbillies at 9:30pm.
Sunday nights should be nice and easy, after all. And what's nicer and easier than our friends in Mayberry and the hillbilly transplants to the land of Rodeo Drive?
At 10:00pm, The Sopranos.
On Monday nights, I would pair The Dick Van Dyke Show and Mary Tyler Moore in the 8 o'clock hour, followed by M*A*S*H and Murphy Brown in the 9 o'clock hour.
At 10:00pm, St. Elsewhere.
Tuesday nights would start with family comedy. The Cosby Show and Family Ties 8:00pm and 8:30pm respectively.
Everybody Loves Raymond at 9:00pm and Two and a Half Men at 9:30pm.
At 10:00pm, Law & Order.
Wednesday nights would start with sophistication.
Frasier at 8:00pm and The Odd Couple at 8:30pm. I'm sure Felix Unger would have enjoyed talking wine, opera, and art with the Crane brothers.
The 9 o'clock hour would consist of You'll Never Get Rich starring Phil Silvers as Sergeant Bilko and The Twilight Zone.
At 10:00pm, Hill Street Blues.
Of course, Thursday nights would truly be Must See TV with Cheers, Taxi, Seinfeld, and Friends followed by ER at 10:00pm.
Friday night would be another family-friendly night, starting with The Brady Bunch at 8:00pm and The Wonder Years at 8:30pm.
At 9:00pm, Friday Night Lights, a depiction of a west Texas town obsessed with high school football.
At 10:00pm, The Wire.
Saturday night begins with cartoons.
The Simpsons at 8:00pm and King of the Hill at 8:30pm.
The Honeymooners at 9:00pm and Curb Your Enthusiasm at 9:30pm.
At 10:00pm, Homicide: Life on the Street, an undervalued, underrated, and underwatched program during its tenure on NBC in the 1990's.
Reasonable minds can differ.
Should Happy Days be in the lineup instead of The Brady Bunch?
What about L.A. Law, thirtysomething, Scrubs, or All in the Family?
What's the standard for making the linuep?
All good questions.
For now, it's merely instinctive.
Programs can be replaced.
Or I can start another network.
Michael Jackson
June 25, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
In the 1980's, three revolutions took place in the entertainment industry.
Steven Bochco and Michael Kozoll changed a major production techniques of television drama with their show Hill Street Blues. They favored story arcs instead of self-contained episodes. Producers continued that technique with Hall of Fame television dramas -- St. Elsewhere, L.A. Law, thirtysomething, ER, The Shield, The Sopranos, and Rescue Me.
Television networks went the conglomerate route. Loews, GE, and Capital Cities took over Network Row as they incorporated CBS, NBC, and ABC respectively into their massive corporate families. Gone were the days of network chiefs like William Paley, David Sarnoff, and Leonard Goldenson being synonymous with the networks they founded.
And Michael Jackson, for all intents and purposes, made the marriage of music and television complete with his numerous music video plays on MTV. Before he danced on a car and made a mockery of court proceedings concerning child molestation allegations, before he underwent massive plastic surgery that drastically altered his appearance, and before his deep money troubles, Michael Jackson had it all -- fame, money, adoration of fans.
Jackson's 1982 album Thriller gave him terrific fodder for music videos. He defined the genre by creating visual stories to match the songs. He set the bar higher for bands and singers who wanted rotation on MTV. And he formed the center for USA For Africa's We Are the World in 1985 by singing the first chorus. Forty-five singers comprised an inspirational unit to sing this song that raised money for Ethiopian famine sufferers, but Michael Jackson was arguably a keystone to the song's success.
It all happened back in the day described eloquently by Bowling For Soup in its song 1985: Way before Nirvana, there was U2 and Blondie and music still on MTV.
david@davidkrell.com
In the 1980's, three revolutions took place in the entertainment industry.
Steven Bochco and Michael Kozoll changed a major production techniques of television drama with their show Hill Street Blues. They favored story arcs instead of self-contained episodes. Producers continued that technique with Hall of Fame television dramas -- St. Elsewhere, L.A. Law, thirtysomething, ER, The Shield, The Sopranos, and Rescue Me.
Television networks went the conglomerate route. Loews, GE, and Capital Cities took over Network Row as they incorporated CBS, NBC, and ABC respectively into their massive corporate families. Gone were the days of network chiefs like William Paley, David Sarnoff, and Leonard Goldenson being synonymous with the networks they founded.
And Michael Jackson, for all intents and purposes, made the marriage of music and television complete with his numerous music video plays on MTV. Before he danced on a car and made a mockery of court proceedings concerning child molestation allegations, before he underwent massive plastic surgery that drastically altered his appearance, and before his deep money troubles, Michael Jackson had it all -- fame, money, adoration of fans.
Jackson's 1982 album Thriller gave him terrific fodder for music videos. He defined the genre by creating visual stories to match the songs. He set the bar higher for bands and singers who wanted rotation on MTV. And he formed the center for USA For Africa's We Are the World in 1985 by singing the first chorus. Forty-five singers comprised an inspirational unit to sing this song that raised money for Ethiopian famine sufferers, but Michael Jackson was arguably a keystone to the song's success.
It all happened back in the day described eloquently by Bowling For Soup in its song 1985: Way before Nirvana, there was U2 and Blondie and music still on MTV.
Our Family Honor
April 13, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
Before The Sopranos, ABC tackled the challenge of depicting a mob family.
In 1985, the network debuted Our Family Honor. Ultimately short-lived, the show presented the Danzigs, a New York City mob family, and the McKay family, a blue-blooded New York City clan.
Blue-blooded as in New York City police blue. The McKay family is headed by Commissioner Patrick McKay. His nemesis is mob boss Vincent Danzig, played by Eli Wallach.
Our Family Honor may not have lasted a long time, but it enjoys a rich and deep roster of actors with credits perhaps more noticeable.
Before audiences discovered him in Goodfellas, Ray Liotta played Officer Ed Santini.
Tom Mason played one of the McKay children, a year before his role in Jack and Mike, an ABC show about a yuppie couple where he starred opposite Shelley Hack.
Michael Madsen played one of the Danzig children. He found more significant roles in Thelma & Louise, The Natural, Donnie Brasco, Reservoir Dogs, Free Willy, Species, and Kill Bill.
Of course, Eli Wallach is part of Hollywood’s historical A-list of actors. From Here To Eternity, The Misfits, Nuts, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, and The Deep. Wallach revisited a mob godfather role in The Godfather III where he played Don Altobello, a friend of Michael Corleone’s who turned out to be a foe.
Additionally, Michael Woods played another Danzig child who wanted out of the family business. Woods starred in two other short-lived series deserving of better chances than they received.
The film noirish 1950’s setting of Los Angeles didn’t draw viewers to NBC’s Private Eye starring Woods and a young Josh Brolin in the late 1980’s.
In 1990, ABC tried an ensemble drama set in a Washington, D.C. newspaper office with Capital News. Despite a talented cast including William Russ, Lloyd Bridges, and Woods, the show only lasted a few weeks.
Sheree J. Wilson belonged to the Danzig clan in Our Family Honor. She found later fame on the long-lasting series Walker, Texas Ranger as Assistant District Attorney Alex Cahill.
Our Family Honor certainly won’t make the cut for successful ABC shows of the 1980’s, like Spenser: For Hire, Moonlighting, or thirtysomething.
But the show did have a good cast of veteran actors and actresses, and those who hadn’t quite made their mark yet.
Our Family Honor certainly used elements familiar to drama, including a romantic Romeo & Juliet angle between a Danzig man and McKay woman. We’ve seen similar plot lines on Dallas.
And Our Family Honor certainly won’t be easily remembered, even by the most hardcore of television buffs.
But Our Family Honor made an honorable, valiant, and laudatory effort. And the cast it gave us deserves a mention in the annals of television history.
After all, not every show survives cancellation during or after its first year. But that doesn’t mean the show wasn’t a good product.
In retrospect, a television show with this kind of powerful cast probably deserved a second look.
Well, if it ever comes out on DVD, give Our Family Honor a chance, if for no other reason than the cast.
david@davidkrell.com
Before The Sopranos, ABC tackled the challenge of depicting a mob family.
In 1985, the network debuted Our Family Honor. Ultimately short-lived, the show presented the Danzigs, a New York City mob family, and the McKay family, a blue-blooded New York City clan.
Blue-blooded as in New York City police blue. The McKay family is headed by Commissioner Patrick McKay. His nemesis is mob boss Vincent Danzig, played by Eli Wallach.
Our Family Honor may not have lasted a long time, but it enjoys a rich and deep roster of actors with credits perhaps more noticeable.
Before audiences discovered him in Goodfellas, Ray Liotta played Officer Ed Santini.
Tom Mason played one of the McKay children, a year before his role in Jack and Mike, an ABC show about a yuppie couple where he starred opposite Shelley Hack.
Michael Madsen played one of the Danzig children. He found more significant roles in Thelma & Louise, The Natural, Donnie Brasco, Reservoir Dogs, Free Willy, Species, and Kill Bill.
Of course, Eli Wallach is part of Hollywood’s historical A-list of actors. From Here To Eternity, The Misfits, Nuts, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, and The Deep. Wallach revisited a mob godfather role in The Godfather III where he played Don Altobello, a friend of Michael Corleone’s who turned out to be a foe.
Additionally, Michael Woods played another Danzig child who wanted out of the family business. Woods starred in two other short-lived series deserving of better chances than they received.
The film noirish 1950’s setting of Los Angeles didn’t draw viewers to NBC’s Private Eye starring Woods and a young Josh Brolin in the late 1980’s.
In 1990, ABC tried an ensemble drama set in a Washington, D.C. newspaper office with Capital News. Despite a talented cast including William Russ, Lloyd Bridges, and Woods, the show only lasted a few weeks.
Sheree J. Wilson belonged to the Danzig clan in Our Family Honor. She found later fame on the long-lasting series Walker, Texas Ranger as Assistant District Attorney Alex Cahill.
Our Family Honor certainly won’t make the cut for successful ABC shows of the 1980’s, like Spenser: For Hire, Moonlighting, or thirtysomething.
But the show did have a good cast of veteran actors and actresses, and those who hadn’t quite made their mark yet.
Our Family Honor certainly used elements familiar to drama, including a romantic Romeo & Juliet angle between a Danzig man and McKay woman. We’ve seen similar plot lines on Dallas.
And Our Family Honor certainly won’t be easily remembered, even by the most hardcore of television buffs.
But Our Family Honor made an honorable, valiant, and laudatory effort. And the cast it gave us deserves a mention in the annals of television history.
After all, not every show survives cancellation during or after its first year. But that doesn’t mean the show wasn’t a good product.
In retrospect, a television show with this kind of powerful cast probably deserved a second look.
Well, if it ever comes out on DVD, give Our Family Honor a chance, if for no other reason than the cast.
The Sopranos
April 07, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
We miss The Sopranos.
The show about a North Jersey mobster ended its run on June 10, 2007.
And we miss it terribly.
We miss the meetings in Satriale’s, the Bada Bing, and Tony’s basement.
We miss the malapropisms.
Sacred and the propane.
Senator Sanatorium.
And Carmine Lupertazzi’s statement -- There’s no stigmata connected with going to a shrink.
And we miss Tony Soprano.
His anger captivated us.
His ruthlessness scared us.
His affection softened us.
As head of the DiMeo crime family, Tony Soprano faced tremendous struggles to keep the organization afloat.
First, Tony’s uncle tried to have him killed with the express approval of Tony’s mother.
Second, business associates did their best to undermine Tony, sometimes unwittingly.
Richie Aprile wreaked havoc after he was released from prison because he wanted to be boss.
Cousin Tony Blundetto killed Billy Leotardo and inspired a bloodlust in Billy’s brother Phil.
And the New York family bosses were tough negotiators for profit skimming, no-show jobs, and construction bids.
Third, the elephant in the room -- the ever present threat of family members ‘flipping’ and singing to the Feds in exchange for witness protection.
As head of the Soprano family, Tony also faced struggles familiar to any suburban dad.
Teenage daughter Meadow frequently rebelled while basking in a luxurious home in North Caldwell, New Jersey.
Wife Carmela relied on Tony for household chores, like getting the food for barbecues, a staple of life in the Soprano household.
And mother Livia needed Tony to look out for her, despite her malicious feelings towards him.
In some respects, Tony was no different than the first television dad to show life at work and at home.
Of course, I’m talking about Rob Petrie, expertly portrayed by Dick Van Dyke on The Dick Van Dyke Show.
Rob dealt with a tough, emotional, and high-strung boss -- Alan Brady.
Tony dealt with a tough, emotional, and high-strung mob boss -- Phil Leotardo.
Rob had a broker in keeping peace with Alan Brady – Mel Cooley, Alan’s brother-in-law and producer of The Alan Brady Show.
Tony had several brokers to keep peace between families, including Carmine Lupertazzi, Junior or Little Carmine.
And when life got unbearable for Laura Petrie, she would cry out Oh, Rob!
When life got unbearable for Carmela Soprano, the cry of Tony! would not be far behind.
The Sopranos broke ground for the television medium, pushing the edge of the envelope in the areas of language, violence, and storytelling.
Language. We heard the C-word used in every day conversation.
Violence. We saw people beat to death, not merely stabbed or shot. First, Ralphie did it to his pregnant stripper girlfriend Tracy. Then Tony did the same to Ralphie.
We never saw a clear connection, though, between the two incidents.
Storytelling. We enjoyed storylines that were never quite tied up.
Did the Russian survive the ordeal in the Pine Barrens with Paulie and Christopher?
Did Dr. Melfi’s rapist ever get caught?
And finally, what happened when the screen cut to black in the final scene?
Did Tony get killed?
Did Tony get arrested?
Or did life merely go on with Tony looking over his shoulder more than ever before?
As Junior Soprano once told Tony, All good questions.
david@davidkrell.com
We miss The Sopranos.
The show about a North Jersey mobster ended its run on June 10, 2007.
And we miss it terribly.
We miss the meetings in Satriale’s, the Bada Bing, and Tony’s basement.
We miss the malapropisms.
Sacred and the propane.
Senator Sanatorium.
And Carmine Lupertazzi’s statement -- There’s no stigmata connected with going to a shrink.
And we miss Tony Soprano.
His anger captivated us.
His ruthlessness scared us.
His affection softened us.
As head of the DiMeo crime family, Tony Soprano faced tremendous struggles to keep the organization afloat.
First, Tony’s uncle tried to have him killed with the express approval of Tony’s mother.
Second, business associates did their best to undermine Tony, sometimes unwittingly.
Richie Aprile wreaked havoc after he was released from prison because he wanted to be boss.
Cousin Tony Blundetto killed Billy Leotardo and inspired a bloodlust in Billy’s brother Phil.
And the New York family bosses were tough negotiators for profit skimming, no-show jobs, and construction bids.
Third, the elephant in the room -- the ever present threat of family members ‘flipping’ and singing to the Feds in exchange for witness protection.
As head of the Soprano family, Tony also faced struggles familiar to any suburban dad.
Teenage daughter Meadow frequently rebelled while basking in a luxurious home in North Caldwell, New Jersey.
Wife Carmela relied on Tony for household chores, like getting the food for barbecues, a staple of life in the Soprano household.
And mother Livia needed Tony to look out for her, despite her malicious feelings towards him.
In some respects, Tony was no different than the first television dad to show life at work and at home.
Of course, I’m talking about Rob Petrie, expertly portrayed by Dick Van Dyke on The Dick Van Dyke Show.
Rob dealt with a tough, emotional, and high-strung boss -- Alan Brady.
Tony dealt with a tough, emotional, and high-strung mob boss -- Phil Leotardo.
Rob had a broker in keeping peace with Alan Brady – Mel Cooley, Alan’s brother-in-law and producer of The Alan Brady Show.
Tony had several brokers to keep peace between families, including Carmine Lupertazzi, Junior or Little Carmine.
And when life got unbearable for Laura Petrie, she would cry out Oh, Rob!
When life got unbearable for Carmela Soprano, the cry of Tony! would not be far behind.
The Sopranos broke ground for the television medium, pushing the edge of the envelope in the areas of language, violence, and storytelling.
Language. We heard the C-word used in every day conversation.
Violence. We saw people beat to death, not merely stabbed or shot. First, Ralphie did it to his pregnant stripper girlfriend Tracy. Then Tony did the same to Ralphie.
We never saw a clear connection, though, between the two incidents.
Storytelling. We enjoyed storylines that were never quite tied up.
Did the Russian survive the ordeal in the Pine Barrens with Paulie and Christopher?
Did Dr. Melfi’s rapist ever get caught?
And finally, what happened when the screen cut to black in the final scene?
Did Tony get killed?
Did Tony get arrested?
Or did life merely go on with Tony looking over his shoulder more than ever before?
As Junior Soprano once told Tony, All good questions.