The first season of the American crime drama series ''

The Sopranos ''The Sopranos'' is an American crime drama television series created by David Chase. The story revolves around Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), a New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster, portraying his difficulties as he tries to balance ...

'' aired on HBO from January 10 to April 4, 1999. The first season was released on DVD in North America on December 12, 2000, and on

Blu-ray The Blu-ray Disc (BD), often known simply as Blu-ray, is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released on June 20, 2006 worldwide. It is designed to supersede the DVD format, and capable of st ...

on November 24, 2009. The season introduces

DiMeo Crime Family The Soprano family (originally the DiMeo family) is a fictional Italian-American crime family featured in the HBO series ''The Sopranos'' and the prequel film '' The Many Saints of Newark''. Based in New Jersey, the family consists of an administ ...

''Capo''

Tony Soprano Anthony John Soprano is a fictional character and the antihero protagonist in the HBO television drama series ''The Sopranos'' (1999–2007), portrayed by James Gandolfini. Soprano is a member of the Italian-American Mafia and, especially late ...

and his family, as well as his troubled relationship with his mother Livia. Also troubled is his relationship with his Uncle Junior, who becomes locked in a power struggle with Tony after the death of the Crime Family Boss, Jackie Aprile. Tony also begins therapy sessions with

Dr. Melfi Jennifer Melfi is a fictional character on the HBO TV series ''The Sopranos''. She is the psychiatrist of Mafia boss Tony Soprano. She is portrayed by Lorraine Bracco. Character description Melfi is an Italian-American, with her father's famil ...

after suffering a panic attack. Meanwhile, Tony's daughter

Meadow A meadow ( ) is an open habitat, or field, vegetated by grasses, herbs, and other non- woody plants. Trees or shrubs may sparsely populate meadows, as long as these areas maintain an open character. Meadows may be naturally occurring or arti ...

becomes aware of her father's true profession while preparing to get into college, and Tony's nephew Christopher attempts to write a screenplay about his criminal life and anxiously awaits becoming a

made man In the American and Sicilian Mafia, a made man is a fully initiated member of the Mafia. To become "made", an associate first must be Italian or of Italian descent and sponsored by another made man. An inductee will be required to take the oa ...

. Due to Junior's plotting of an assassination, Tony also gets embroiled in a plot against childhood friend

Artie Bucco This is a list of fictional characters from the HBO series ''The Sopranos'', its video game '' The Sopranos: Road to Respect'' and its prequel film ''The Many Saints of Newark.'' Main characters Cast table Main character biographies Tony Sopran ...

, a charming but obsequious restaurateur.

Cast

Main cast

James Gandolfini James Joseph Gandolfini Jr. (; September 18, 1961 – June 19, 2013) was an American actor. For his role as Tony Soprano, the Italian-American Mafia crime boss in HBO's television series ''The Sopranos'', he won three Emmy Awards, five Screen ...

(13 episodes) *

Lorraine Bracco Lorraine Bracco (born October 2, 1954) is an American actress. Known for her distinct husky voice and Brooklyn accent, she has been nominated for an Academy Award, four Emmy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards, and three Screen Actors Guild Awards ...

as Jennifer Melfi (13 episodes) *

Edie Falco Edith Falco (born July 5, 1963) is an American actress. She is best known for portraying Carmela Soprano on the HBO series ''The Sopranos'' (1999–2007), and Nurse Jackie Peyton on the Showtime series ''Nurse Jackie'' (2009–2015). She also ...

Carmela Soprano Carmela Soprano (''née'' DeAngelis), played by Edie Falco, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series ''The Sopranos''. She is married to Mafia boss Tony Soprano. A young Carmela, portrayed by Lauren DiMario, appears in the 2021 prequel fi ...

(13 episodes) *

Michael Imperioli Michael Imperioli (born March 26, 1966) is an American actor, writer, and musician. He is best known for his role as Christopher Moltisanti in the HBO crime drama ''The Sopranos'' (1999–2007), which earned him the Primetime Emmy Award for Ou ...

Christopher Moltisanti Christopher Moltisanti, played by Michael Imperioli, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series ''The Sopranos''. He is Tony Soprano's protégé and a member of the DiMeo crime family, rising from associate to captain over the course of th ...

(13 episodes) *

Dominic Chianese Dominic Chianese (; born February 24, 1931) is an American actor, singer, and musician. He is best known for his roles as Corrado "Junior" Soprano on the HBO series ''The Sopranos'' (1999–2007), Johnny Ola in '' The Godfather Part II'' (1 ...

as Corrado "Junior" Soprano Jr. (11 episodes) *

Vincent Pastore Vincent Pastore (; born July 14, 1946) is an American actor. Often cast as a mafioso, he is best known for his portrayal of Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero on the HBO series ''The Sopranos''. Early life Pastore was born to an Italian-Ameri ...

as Sal "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero (8 episodes) *

Steven Van Zandt Steven Van Zandt (né Lento; born November 22, 1950), also known as Little Steven or Miami Steve, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor. He is a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, in which he plays guitar and mandoli ...

Silvio Dante Silvio Manfred Dante is a fictional character on the HBO TV series ''The Sopranos'', played by Steven Van Zandt. He is the consigliere and right-hand man to Tony Soprano in the DiMeo crime family. John Magaro portrays a young Silvio Dante in ...

(11 episodes) *

Tony Sirico Gennaro Anthony Sirico Jr. (; July 29, 1942 – July 8, 2022) was an American actor. He was best known for his role as Paulie "Walnuts" Gualtieri in ''The Sopranos''. He also made numerous appearances in the films of Woody Allen. Early life S ...

as Paul "Paulie Walnuts" Gualtieri (10 episodes) *

Robert Iler Robert Michael Iler (; born March 2, 1985) is an American former actor. He is best known for his portrayal of A.J. Soprano on ''The Sopranos''. His film roles include ''Tadpole'' (2002), and ''Daredevil'' (2003). Career Iler appeared in the vi ...

as Anthony Soprano Jr. (10 episodes) *

Jamie-Lynn Sigler Jamie-Lynn Sigler (born May 15, 1981) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Meadow Soprano on the HBO series ''The Sopranos''. Early life Jamie-Lynn Sigler was born in Jericho, New York, on May 15, 1981, the daughter of S ...

Meadow Soprano Meadow Mariangela Soprano, played by Jamie-Lynn Sigler, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series ''The Sopranos''. She was born in 1982. In the early seasons, Meadow is introduced as a smart but spoiled party-goer, whose over-dramatic pers ...

(12 episodes) *

Nancy Marchand Nancy Lou Marchand (June 19, 1928 – June 18, 2000) was an American actress. She began her career in theatre in 1951. She was most famous for her television portrayals of Margaret Pynchon on ''Lou Grant'' and Livia Soprano on ''The Sopranos''. ...

Livia Soprano Livia Soprano (née Pollio), played by Nancy Marchand, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series ''The Sopranos''. She is the mother of Tony Soprano. A young Livia, played by Laila Robins and later by Laurie J. Williams, is sometimes seen i ...

(11 episodes)

Recurring cast

Plot

When

collapses after suffering a panic attack, he begins therapy with Dr. Jennifer Melfi. Details of Tony's upbringing - including his father's influence on his choice to become a gangster, and Tony's relationship with his mother, Livia, who is vengeful and possibly psychopathic - are revealed. His complicated relationship with his wife Carmela is also explored, along with her feelings regarding her husband's Italian-American Mafia ties. Tony's children

and Anthony Jr. learn about their father's dealings with the Mafia. Later, rumors of a federal investigation leave Tony's crew shaken following a conversation between a member of his organization and the FBI. Tony's uncle, Corrado "Junior" Soprano, orders the murder of Brendan Filone and scares Tony's associates

in retaliation for the repeated hijackings of trucks under Junior's protection. Tony defuses the situation by allowing his uncle to take over as the family boss (following the death of former boss

Jackie Aprile Sr. This is a list of fictional characters from the HBO series ''The Sopranos'', its video game '' The Sopranos: Road to Respect'' and its prequel film ''The Many Saints of Newark.'' Main characters Cast table Main character biographies Tony Sopran ...

from cancer), while Tony retains actual control over most of the business. Junior, however, discovers the ruse and orders an attempt on Tony's life. The assassination attempt fails and Tony reacts violently, confronting his mother as she is being transported to the hospital after suffering an apparent stroke. Junior is arrested by the FBI for reasons unrelated to the assassination attempt.

Episodes

Reception

Critical response

The first season of ''The Sopranos'' was met with wide acclaim, receiving a score of 88 out of 100 on

Metacritic Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...

, and a 98% approval rating on

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...

(with an average score of 9.50/10), the latter site reporting the critical consensus as, "''The Sopranos'' smartly runs an emotional gamut, offering detailed character work and riveting suspense while displaying a flair for both comedy and drama." James Gandolfini was widely hailed for his performance, with Ken Tucker of ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cu ...

'' praising his "magnificently shrewd, wary performance" as Tony Soprano. '' Deseret News'' expressed approval for the show's clear insight into the "modern incarnations of family and mortality and ambition." Marvin Kitman of '' Newsday'' wrote, "It's a great show, the best new series of the year. It's so - dare I say it? - original. It catches you off guard. Basically, it's everything I'm always looking for in drama. It's beautifully written, authentic, without the plastic Los Angeles look. The acting is marvelous. It's funny in a darkly comedic way, involving as a soap opera, and quirky. I never quite know what's going to happen, even though the subject matter is by no means unprecedented for television."

Awards and nominations

51st Primetime Emmy Awards The 51st Primetime Emmy Awards were held on Sunday, September 12, 1999. The ceremony show was hosted by Jenna Elfman and David Hyde Pierce. It was broadcast on Fox. The comedy-drama '' Ally McBeal'' won Outstanding Comedy Series, which not onl ...

'' *Nomination for Outstanding Drama Series *Nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (James Gandolfini) (Episode: "Pilot") *Win for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Edie Falco) (Episode: "College") *Nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Lorraine Bracco) (Episode: "The Legend of Tennessee Moltisanti") *Nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Nancy Marchand) (Episodes: "Pilot" & "46 Long") *Nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (John Heard) (Episode: "Nobody Knows Anything") *Nomination for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (David Chase) (Episode: "Pilot") *Nomination for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series (David Chase) (Episode: "Pilot") *Nomination for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series (Robin Green, Mitchell Burgess) (Episode: "Isabella") *Win for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series (James Manos Jr.) (Episode: "College") *Nomination for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series (Frank Renzulli) (Episode: "Nobody Knows Anything") ''

6th Screen Actors Guild Awards The 6th Screen Actors Guild Awards, honoring the best achievements in film and television performances for the year 1999, took place on March 12, 2000. The ceremony was held at the Shrine Exposition Center in Los Angeles, California, and was tel ...

'' *Win for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series (James Gandolfini) *Win for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series (Edie Falco) *Nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series (Nancy Marchand) *Win for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series (Entire Cast) '' 57th Golden Globe Awards'' *Win for Best Drama Series *Win for Best Actor in a Drama Series (James Gandolfini) *Nomination for Best Actress in a Drama Series (Lorraine Bracco) *Win for Best Actress in a Drama Series (Edie Falco) *Win for Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries, or Television Film (Nancy Marchand) ''

4th Golden Satellite Awards The 4th Golden Satellite Awards, given by the International Press Academy, were awarded on January 16, 2000. Special achievement awards Mary Pickford Award (for outstanding contribution to the entertainment industry) – Maximilian Schell Outst ...

'' *Nomination for Best Drama Series *Nomination for Best Actor in a Drama Series (James Gandolfini) *Nomination for Best Actress in a Drama Series (Lorraine Bracco) *Nomination for Best Actress in a Drama Series (Edie Falco) '' Writers Guild of America Awards 1999'' *Win for Best Drama Episode (Jason Cahill) (Episode: "Meadowlands") '' Directors Guild of America Awards'' *Nomination for Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series (Daniel Attias) (Episode: "46 Long") *Nomination for Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series (Henry J. Bronchtein) (Episode: "Nobody Knows Anything") *Award for Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series (David Chase) (Episode: "Pilot") *Nomination for Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series (Allen Coulter) (Episode: "College") ''

15th TCA Awards The 15th TCA Awards were presented by the Television Critics Association in a ceremony hosted by Craig Kilborn Craig Lawrence Kilborn (born August 24, 1962) is an American comedian, sports and political commentator, actor, and television host. K ...

'' *Award for Program of the Year *Award for Outstanding Achievement in Drama *Award for Outstanding New Program of the Year *Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Drama (James Gandolfini) (Tied with David E. Kelley for

The Practice ''The Practice'' is an American legal drama television series created by David E. Kelley centering on partners and associates at a Boston law firm. The show ran for eight seasons on ABC, from March 4, 1997, to May 16, 2004. It won an Emmy in ...

) *Nomination for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Drama (David Chase)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sopranos (season 1)

Season 1 Season One may refer to: Albums * ''Season One'' (Suburban Legends album), 2004 * ''Season One'' (All Sons & Daughters album), 2012 * ''Season One'' (Saukrates album), 2012 See also * * * Season 2 (disambiguation) * Season 4 (disambiguati ...

1999 American television seasons