With the recent oversaturation of critically acclaimed TV, are younger generations forgetting The Sopranos? Three millennials -- Jarod Backens, Drew Madden, and Josh Fink (who has never seen the show!) -- unpack each episode to determine if The Sopranos should still be considered the best show of all time. This millennial’s love letter is the perfect companion as you watch or re-watch the series.
Episodes
Monday Aug 17, 2020
Monday Aug 17, 2020
"I Dream of Jeannie Cusamano." The season finale! Jarod, Drew, and Josh dive into the last episode of the season that changed TV forever. They ponder if Tony's real family or mob family are more important to the story. Is this the best first season in TV history?
Links:
Occam's razor on Wikipedia
Drew Madden Art Website
Josh Hasn't Seen The Sopranos on Twitter
Questions or comments? Reach out on www.jarodbackens.com
Monday Aug 10, 2020
Monday Aug 10, 2020
"Isabella." Do heroes always get the worst assassins? Jarod, Drew, and Josh reflect on Tony hitting rock bottom and the tendency of characters in the show and people in real life disguising their emotions. Drew thwarts a dream bear from entering his tent.
Links:
"40 Hours a Week" Dumb and Dumber Clip
The Rascals Hall of Fame Induction Speech by Steven Van Zandt YouTube Video
Drew Madden Art Website
Josh Hasn't Seen The Sopranos on Twitter
Questions or comments? Reach out on www.jarodbackens.com
Monday Aug 03, 2020
Monday Aug 03, 2020
"Nobody Knows Anything." Is Livia Soprano the most powerful person in New Jersey? Jarod, Drew, and Josh rave about the show's ability to alter the audience's expectations on what's true and what's not. Josh believes Tony is a good leader as he navigates who the rat is in his crew.
Links:
Game theory on Wikipedia
Giancarlo Esposito Emmy Nomination Video on Twitter
Your Jordans Are F***ed Up! Video of Giancarlo Esposito in Do the Right Thing
Fear City (Netflix Documentary) on IMDb
Drew Madden Art Website
Josh Hasn't Seen The Sopranos on Twitter
Questions or comments? Reach out on www.jarodbackens.com
Monday Jul 27, 2020
Monday Jul 27, 2020
"A Hit Is a Hit." As the show shifts from the main season arc, Jarod, Drew, and Josh reflect on the versatility and wide range of themes of The Sopranos. Like Christopher, none of them can explain what makes a "hit." Do the heavy themes of The Sopranos make the show less approachable than other series?
Links:
Rich vs. Wealthy Chris Rock Standup Clip
Spike Lee Breaks Down His Film Heroes YouTube Video
Buffett's Bet with the Hedge Funds Article on Investopedia
Don't Keep Your Day Job Podcast
The Peter Attia Drive Podcast
BiggerPockets Podcast
Drew Madden Art Website
Josh Hasn't Seen The Sopranos on Twitter
Questions or comments? Reach out on www.jarodbackens.com
Monday Jul 20, 2020
Monday Jul 20, 2020
"Boca." Is The Sopranos a high quality soap opera? Jarod, Drew, and Josh attempt to define justice in terms of Tony and Artie's decisions in this episode. Josh thinks the series has reached the point of the entrée in a fine dining restaurant. Drew prefers his raft guiding blunders to the stresses Tony faces in his daily life.
Links:
Yes, Mad Men Is a Soap Opera The Atlantic Article
The Strange Brain of the World's Greatest Solo Climber Nautilus Article
Drew Madden Art Website
Josh Hasn't Seen The Sopranos on Twitter
Questions or comments? Reach out on www.jarodbackens.com
Tuesday Jul 14, 2020
Tuesday Jul 14, 2020
"The Legend of Tennessee Moltisanti." For this meta episode of The Sopranos, Jarod, Drew, and Josh reflect on the kinds of TV characters they like watching. They also have an unqualified discussion around the duty of a therapist when treating a mobster patient. Do contemporary audiences prefer characters with subtle arcs (like Don Draper) or more extreme arcs (like Walter White)?
Links:
The Oral History of Seinfeld's 'The Contest' Vulture Article
Antonio Meucci on Wikipedia
Uncover The History of Pasta PBS Article
Drew Madden Art Website
Josh Hasn't Seen The Sopranos on Twitter
Monday Jul 06, 2020
Monday Jul 06, 2020
"Down Neck." In the lone episode of the series directed by a female (Lorraine Senna Ferrara), Jarod, Drew, and Josh discuss whether shows like The Sopranos perpetuate toxic masculinity. As the episode explores Tony's past, our hosts realize his nostalgia for the time may be unfounded. Are current TV audiences dumber than they've ever been, or do they just have shorter attention spans?
Links:
Rotten Tomatoes "Greatest HBO Original Series" Bracket (our motivation to end recency bias)
Psychologist vs. Psychiatrist Article
Snatch directed by Guy Ritchie on IMDb
Peter Jackson on IMDb
The Seventh Seal directed by Ingmar Bergman on IMDb
Once Upon a Time in the West directed by Sergio Leone on IMDb
Seven Samurai directed by Akira Kurosawa on IMDb
The Hidden Fortress directed by Akira Kurosawa on IMDb (Jarod misspeaks and calls it "The Last Fortress")
Roma directed by Alfonso Cuarón
Certified Copy directed by Abbas Kiarostami
Monday Jun 29, 2020
Monday Jun 29, 2020
"Pax Soprana." As Jarod, Drew, and Josh examine the episode, they speculate as to why the United States is infatuated with the mob; Josh believes the mob is as American as apple pie. Another online "best TV series" poll infuriates Jarod for its recency bias and Drew falls victim to recency bias when naming his top four NBA players.
Links:
Rotten Tomatoes "Greatest HBO Series" Bracket (riddled with recency bias)
Why Do We Admire Mobsters? by Maria Konnikova Article
Top NBA finals moments: West's buzzer-beater in 1970 NBA.com Article
Save the Last Dance for Me - The Drifters Song on YouTube
Gunga Din on Wikipedia
Drew Madden Art Website
Josh Hasn't Seen The Sopranos on Twitter
Questions/comments? Contact us on www.jarodbackens.com
Monday Jun 22, 2020
Monday Jun 22, 2020
"College." All modern anti-heroes may exist because of this one hour of TV. Jarod makes the point that this episode was as important as "The Chinese Restaurant" was in Seinfeld. Drew and Josh have very different experiences kayaking.
Links:
How Seinfeld Truly Embraced Nothingness in "The Chinese Restaurant" Vulture Article
How to poach an egg (for millennials and centennials)
Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin on Goodreads
I Am Not Your Negro Documentary on IMDb
Get Out: Script by Jordan Peele on Goodreads
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou on Goodreads
Tony Gwynn's Legacy Is Stronger Than Ever FiveThirtyEight Article
What I Know for Sure by Oprah Winfrey on Goodreads
Drew Madden Art Website
Josh Hasn't Seen The Sopranos on Twitter
Questions/comments? Contact us on www.jarodbackens.com
Tuesday Jun 16, 2020
Tuesday Jun 16, 2020
"Meadowlands." Why do millennials feel the need to spoil TV? Jarod, Drew, and Josh explore the inevitability of each generation holding onto power past their prime. Drew loses a "fight" in school, while Josh wins one.
Links:
John Cleese Autobiography on Goodreads
What Kobe did the day after 60 was almost as crazy as his last game Article
Drew Madden Art Website
Josh Hasn't Seen The Sopranos on Twitter
Did we miss anything? Contact us at www.jarodbackens.com