The Sopranos was HBO’s masterwork. It started in 1999 and ran its 86th and final episode last night. Yeah, Tony and his family survived. The best television series ever came to an end–but you didn’t really think HBO and Chase Films was going to kill off movie sequels along with the family, did you?
Like a genuinely responsive law firm, a winning litigation strategy or a successful American political campaign, Tony and the Soprano crime family either prospered or perished–and lived or died–on the family’s “rapid response” apparatus working or not working well. Last night Tony and what’s left of his crew put it all together at the last moment.
But they were getting cocky, sloppy and slow to react.