The Sopranos: The Complete Fourth Season

Reviewed by:
Paul Ulane

For the many fans who piled on the “Sopranos sucks” bandwagon last year, Season 4 on DVD offers a deserved second look. Skip the tedious yakking and concentrate on the goods: Christopher losing his habit, Ralphie losing his head, and Tony losing his couch (and wife). It may not atone for the disappointing body count (and otherwise disappointing special features), but combined with writer commentary, it does reveal how meticulously each episode is constructed. Michael Imperlioli (Christopher) walks through the episode he wrote like a college lit professor, stressing themes over whackings. (More importantly, he reveals that Steve Buscemi will be a major character next season.) Two more writers, Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess, discuss how they devised Ralphie’s final breakfast—and whether or not it was justified. But the big hit here is series creator David Chase’s commentary on the season finale, which splits time between Tony and Carmela’s deteriorating relationship and Chase’s defense against those who found the season “lacking because not enough people were killed.” Big mouths. They should be careful what they wish for.

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