Editing The Sopranos (section)

==Production==
===Conception===
[[File:David Chase 2015.jpg|thumb|upright=0.75|David Chase, creator of ''The Sopranos'', in 2015]]
[[David Chase]] had worked as a television writer and producer for more than 20 years before creating ''The Sopranos''.<ref name="chaseHBO">{{cite web |url=http://www.hbo.com/sopranos/cast/crew/david_chase.shtml |title=David Chase profile at HBO.com |access-date=November 14, 2007 |publisher=[[HBO]] |archive-date=February 19, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120219201622/http://www.hbo.com/the-sopranos/cast-and-crew |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="vanity"/> He had been employed as a staff writer or producer for several television series, including ''[[Kolchak: The Night Stalker]]'', ''[[Switch (American TV series)|Switch]]'', ''[[The Rockford Files]]'', ''[[I'll Fly Away (TV series)|I'll Fly Away]]'', and ''[[Northern Exposure]]''.<ref name="fortwave">{{cite web |url=http://www.fortwaynereader.com/story.php?uid=674 |title=The Sopranos – "Oh Poor You!" |last=Ehrmann |first=Bert |date=March 20, 2006 |access-date=September 22, 2007 |work=Fort Wayne Reader |archive-date=March 4, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304094453/http://www.fortwaynereader.com/story.php?uid=674 |url-status=live }}</ref> He had also co-created the series ''[[Almost Grown (television show)|Almost Grown]]'' in 1988.<ref name="wgafontana">{{cite web |url=http://www.wga.org/writtenby/writtenbysub.aspx?id=2354 |title=Wiseguys: A conversation between David Chase and Tom Fontana. |last=Lee |first=Mark |date=May 2007 |access-date=November 14, 2007 |publisher=Writers Guild of America, west |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071116222056/http://www.wga.org/writtenby/writtenbysub.aspx?id=2354 |archive-date=November 16, 2007}}</ref><ref name="eagle">
{{cite news |last=Baker |first=Kathryn |title=Almost Grown: tells story of growing up |pages=9A |newspaper=Wichita Eagle |date=November 23, 1988}}</ref> He made his television directorial debut in 1986 with the "Enough Rope for Two" episode of ''[[Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1985 TV series)|Alfred Hitchcock Presents]]''. He also directed episodes of ''Almost Grown'' and ''I'll Fly Away'' in 1988 and 1992, respectively. In 1996, he wrote and directed the television film ''The Rockford Files: Punishment and Crime''. He served as showrunner for ''I'll Fly Away'' and ''Northern Exposure'' in the 1990s. Chase won his first Emmy Award in 1978 for his work on ''The Rockford Files'' (shared with fellow producers) and his second for writing the 1980 television film ''Off the Minnesota Strip''.<ref name="familyman">{{cite web |url=http://alumni.stanford.edu/get/page/magazine/article/?article_id=37319 |title=Family Man |last=Oxfeld |first=Jesse |year=2002 |access-date=September 22, 2007 |work=Stanford Magazine |archive-date=January 27, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130127093946/http://alumni.stanford.edu/get/page/magazine/article/?article_id=37319 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="chasehollywood">{{cite news |url=http://www.hollywood.com/celebrity/David_Chase/1115964 |title=David Chase at Hollywood.com |work=Hollywood.com |access-date=November 14, 2007 |archive-date=December 6, 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121206013525/http://www.hollywood.com/celebrity/1115964/David_Chase |url-status=live }}</ref> By 1996, he was a coveted showrunner.<ref name="baldwininterview"/>
{{Quote box|align=right|width=30%|quote=I want to tell a story about this particular man. I want to tell the story about the reality of being a mobster—or what I perceive to be the reality of life in organized crime. They aren't shooting each other every day. They sit around eating baked ziti and betting and figuring out who owes who money. Occasionally, violence breaks out—more often than it does in the banking world, perhaps.|source=—David Chase, creator and showrunner of ''The Sopranos''<ref name="Salon"/>}}
The story of ''The Sopranos'' was initially conceived as a feature film about "a mobster in therapy having problems with his mother".<ref name="wgafontana"/> Chase got some input from his manager [[Lloyd Braun (media executive)|Lloyd Braun]] and decided to adapt it into a television series.<ref name="wgafontana"/> He signed a development deal in 1995 with production company Brillstein-Grey and wrote the original pilot script.<ref name="vanity"/><ref name="familyman"/><ref name="pilotinterview">{{cite video |people=[[David Chase|Chase, David]]; [[Peter Bogdanovich|Bogdanovich, Peter]] |title=The Sopranos – The Complete First Season: David Chase interview |medium=DVD |publisher=HBO |date=1999}}</ref> He drew heavily from his personal life and his experiences growing up in an Italian-American family in New Jersey, and has stated that he tried to apply his own "family dynamic to mobsters".<ref name="Salon">{{cite news |url=http://www.salon.com/ent/int/1999/01/20int.html/ |title=Chasing TV |date=January 20, 1999 |last=Dougherty |first=Robin |work=[[Salon.com]] |access-date=December 6, 2013 |archive-date=September 22, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090922181315/http://www.salon.com/ent/int/1999/01/20int.html |url-status=live }}</ref> For instance, the tumultuous relationship between series protagonist [[Tony Soprano]] and his mother [[Livia Soprano|Livia]] is partially based on Chase's relationship with his own mother.<ref name="Salon"/> He was also in psychotherapy at the time and modeled the character of [[Jennifer Melfi]] after his own psychiatrist.<ref name="chaseRS">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/9448169/sopranos_creator_shoots_straight |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081108023127/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/9448169/sopranos_creator_shoots_straight |archive-date=November 8, 2008 |title="Sopranos" Creator Shoots Straight |last=Dana |first=Will |date=March 10, 2006 |magazine=Rolling Stone |url-status=dead |access-date=December 6, 2013}}</ref>

Chase had been fascinated by organized crime and the [[American Mafia|mafia]] from an early age, witnessing such people growing up. He also was raised on classic gangster films such as ''[[The Public Enemy]]'' and the crime series ''[[The Untouchables (1959 TV series)|The Untouchables]]''. The series is partly inspired by the [[Richard Boiardo]] family, a prominent New Jersey organized crime family when Chase was growing up, and partly on New Jersey's [[DeCavalcante family]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/otherviews/383832,CST-CONT-sopranos13.article |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070516045310/http://www.suntimes.com/news/otherviews/383832%2CCST-CONT-sopranos13.article |archive-date=May 16, 2007 |title=Da Jersey boys who inspired The Sopranos |date=May 13, 2007 |first=Steven |last=Malanga |work=Chicago Sun-Times |url-status=dead}}</ref> He has mentioned American playwrights [[Arthur Miller]] and [[Tennessee Williams]] as influences on the show's writing, and Italian director [[Federico Fellini]] as an important influence on the show's cinematic style.<ref name="baldwininterview"/><ref name="littleton">{{cite news |url=https://variety.com/2008/tv/news/the-sopranos-da-20855/ |title="The Sopranos": David Chase fesses up |last=Levine |first=Stuart |work=Variety |date=April 23, 2008 |access-date=November 23, 2008 |archive-date=December 16, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216131851/http://variety.com/2008/tv/news/the-sopranos-da-20855/ |url-status=live }}</ref>{{sfn|Martin|2007|p=160}}
The series was named after high school friends of his.<ref name="chaseHBO"/><ref name="chaseRS"/>
{{Quote box
|align=right
|width=30%
|quote=I said to myself, this show is about a guy who's turning 40. He's inherited a business from his dad. He's trying to bring it into the modern age. He's got all the responsibilities that go along with that. He's got an overbearing mom that he's still trying to get out from under. Although he loves his wife, he's had an affair. He's got two teenage kids, and he's dealing with the realities of what that is. He's anxious; he's depressed; he starts to see a therapist because he's searching for the meaning of his own life. I thought: the only difference between him and everybody I know is he's the Don of New Jersey.|source=—[[Chris Albrecht]], president of HBO Original Programming, 1995–2002.<ref name="vanity"/><ref name="Chris Albrecht: A former standup comic found his true calling: turning HBO into an Emmy magnet">{{cite web |url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/news-articles/chris-albrecht/83806 |title=Chris Albrecht: A former standup comic found his true calling: turning HBO into an Emmy magnet |last=Topcik |first=Joel |date=October 22, 2006 |work=Broadcasting & Cable |access-date=August 17, 2011 |archive-date=December 11, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131211121448/http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/news-articles/chris-albrecht/83806 |url-status=live }}</ref>}}

Chase and producer [[Brad Grey]] pitched ''The Sopranos'' to several networks; [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] showed interest but passed on it after Chase presented them the pilot script. According to Chase, CBS was "fine with all the break-ins and crime" but asked, "does he have to go to a psychiatrist?" They eventually pitched the show to [[Chris Albrecht]], president of HBO Original Programming, who decided to finance a pilot episode<ref name="vanity"/><ref name="familyman"/> which was shot in 1997.<ref>It was originally referred to as "Pilot" but was renamed "[[The Sopranos (episode)|The Sopranos]]" on the DVD release.</ref><ref name="hollywoodreporter">
{{cite news |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/features/e3i5caaebc3b67867e5395b97e39aa8026d |title=Sopranos signoff marks end of era |last=Flaherty |first=Michael |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=June 8, 2007 |access-date=November 11, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070921183451/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/features/e3i5caaebc3b67867e5395b97e39aa8026d |archive-date=September 21, 2007}}</ref>
Chase directed it himself. They finished the pilot and showed it to HBO executives, but the show was put on hold for several months.<ref name="vanity"/>

During this time, Chase, who had experienced frustration for a long period with being unable to break out of the TV genre and into film,<ref name="vanity"/> considered asking HBO for additional funding to shoot 45 more minutes of footage and release ''The Sopranos'' as a feature film. In December 1997, HBO decided to produce the series and ordered 12 more episodes for a 13-episode season.<ref name="vanity"/><ref name="familyman"/>{{sfn|Martin|2007|p=16}}
The show premiered on HBO on January 10, 1999, with the pilot, [[The Sopranos (The Sopranos episode)|"The Sopranos"]].

====''Baer v. Chase''====
[[North Jersey]] prosecutor and municipal judge Robert Baer filed a [[breach of contract]] lawsuit against Chase in [[Trenton, New Jersey]], federal court, alleging that he helped to create the show. Baer lost the suit, but he won a ruling that a jury should decide how much he should be paid for services as a location scout, researcher, and story consultant. Baer argued that he had introduced Chase to Tony Spirito, a restaurateur and gambler with alleged mob ties, and Thomas Koczur, a homicide detective for the [[Elizabeth, New Jersey]] police department. Chase had conducted interviews and tours with both, which strongly inspired some characters, settings, and storylines portrayed in ''The Sopranos''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2007/12/trial_hears_from_alleged_reall.html |title=Jury hears from alleged real-life model for Tony Soprano |work=New Jersey Star Ledger |author=Whelan, Jeff S. |date=December 14, 2007 |access-date=January 27, 2015 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304101846/http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2007/12/trial_hears_from_alleged_reall.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title= Introduction to Business Law |chapter=Chapter 9: ''Baer v. Chase'' |publisher=Cengage Advantage Books |edition=4th |page=152 |author1=Beatty, Jeffrey F.|author2=Samuelson, Susan S.|isbn=978-1-133-18815-5|date=February 1, 2012 }}</ref> On December 19, 2007, a federal jury found against Baer, dismissing all of his claims.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.today.com/popculture/jury-rules-favor-sopranos-creator-wbna22330362 |title=Jury rules in favor of 'Sopranos' creator|via=The Associated Press|work=Today |date=December 19, 2007 |access-date=April 10, 2019 |archive-date=April 11, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190411052719/https://www.today.com/popculture/jury-rules-favor-sopranos-creator-wbna22330362 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Casting===
[[File:SopranosKuwaitUSO.jpg|thumb|[[James Gandolfini]] (right) and [[Tony Sirico]] (left) visit the U.S. Air Force during a [[USO]] visit to [[Kuwait]] in 2010]]
Many of the actors on ''The Sopranos'' are Italian American from the [[New York metropolitan area]], like the characters they portray, and many appeared together in films and television series before joining the cast of ''The Sopranos''. The series has [[Goodfellas–The Sopranos cast overlap|27 actors in common]] with the 1990 [[Martin Scorsese]] gangster film ''[[Goodfellas]]'', including main cast members [[Lorraine Bracco]], [[Michael Imperioli]], and [[Tony Sirico]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.shortlist.com/entertainment/50-useless-but-genius-facts-about-goodfellas |title=50 genius facts about GoodFellas |work=ShortList |access-date=December 6, 2013 |date=February 11, 2011 |archive-date=December 5, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131205114330/http://www.shortlist.com/entertainment/50-useless-but-genius-facts-about-goodfellas |url-status=live }}</ref>

The casting directors were [[Georgianne Walken|Georgianne Walken and Sheila Jaffe]].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/2000/07/26/sopranos-casting-call-turns-mob-scene/|title=''Sopranos'' casting call turns into a mob scene|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|first=Ed|last=Tahaney|date=July 26, 2000|access-date=June 1, 2020|archive-date=November 13, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201113225140/https://ew.com/article/2000/07/26/sopranos-casting-call-turns-mob-scene/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2020-04-09/coronavirus-quarantine-talking-sopranos-podcast-michael-imperioli-steve-schirripa|title=How two 'Sopranos' wise guys launched a podcast from their coronavirus quarantine|website=Los Angeles Times|first=Margy|last=Rochlin|date=April 9, 2020|access-date=June 1, 2020|archive-date=May 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200527174153/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2020-04-09/coronavirus-quarantine-talking-sopranos-podcast-michael-imperioli-steve-schirripa|url-status=live}}</ref> The main cast was put together through a process of auditions and readings. Actors often did not know whether Chase liked their performances or not.<ref name="vanity"/> Michael Imperioli beat out several actors for the part of [[Christopher Moltisanti]]; he said that Chase had "a poker face, so I thought he wasn't into me, and he kept giving me notes and having me try it again, which often is a sign that you're not doing it right." Chase said that he wanted Imperioli because of his performance in ''Goodfellas.''<ref name="vanity"/>

[[James Gandolfini]] was invited to audition for the part of [[Tony Soprano]] after casting director Susan Fitzgerald saw a short clip of his performance in the 1993 film ''[[True Romance]]''.<ref name="vanity"/> Lorraine Bracco played the role of mob wife Karen Hill in ''Goodfellas'', and she was originally asked to play the role of [[Carmela Soprano]]. She took the role of [[Jennifer Melfi|Dr. Jennifer Melfi]] instead because she wanted to try something different and felt that the part of the highly educated Dr. Melfi would be more of a challenge for her.<ref name="vanityfair"/> [[Tony Sirico]] had a criminal history,<ref name="sirico1">{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-07-15-ca-379-story.html |title=A Real Tough Guy : Tony Sirico's rap sheet: 28 arrests and 27 acting jobs |work=Los Angeles Times |first=Patrick |last=Goldstein |date=July 15, 1990 |access-date=December 6, 2013 |archive-date=October 29, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029195059/http://articles.latimes.com/1990-07-15/entertainment/ca-379_1_tony-sirico |url-status=live }}</ref> and he signed on to play [[Paulie Gualtieri|Paulie Walnuts]] so long as his character was not to be a "[[informant|rat]]".<ref name="sirico2">{{cite web |url=https://www.vulture.com/2007/06/will_tony_flip_is_paulie_a_rat.html |title=Will Tony Flip? Is Paulie a Rat? 'New York' Staffers Predict the 'Sopranos' Finale, Part II |publisher=Vulture |date=June 8, 2007 |access-date=November 14, 2013 |archive-date=November 11, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141111033109/http://www.vulture.com/2007/06/will_tony_flip_is_paulie_a_rat.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Sirico had originally auditioned for the role of [[Junior Soprano|Uncle Junior]] with [[Frank Vincent]], but [[Dominic Chianese]] landed the role.<ref>{{cite web|title=How Tony Sirico's Criminal Past Prepared Him To Play Paulie Walnuts On 'The Sopranos'|url=https://uproxx.com/tv/the-sopranos-paulie-walnuts-facts/|website=Uproxx|first=Christian|last=Long|date=August 24, 2015|access-date=February 23, 2018|archive-date=August 12, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180812151400/https://uproxx.com/tv/the-sopranos-paulie-walnuts-facts/|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Dominic Chianese, Lorraine Bracco and Tony Sirico, May 2000 (2).jpg|thumb|[[Dominic Chianese]], [[Lorraine Bracco]] and Tony Sirico at the 2000 [[Peabody Awards]] ceremony.]]
Chase was impressed with [[Steven Van Zandt]]'s humorous appearance and presence after seeing him induct [[The Rascals]] into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] in 1997, and invited him to audition.<ref name=casting>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/01/the-sopranos-david-chase-interview-oral-history-james-gandolfini-steven-van-zandt-lorraine-bracco-20-year-anniversary-1202532570/|title=David Chase & 'The Sopranos' Gang Look Back 20 Years Later: Part I|website=Deadline|first=Mike Jr.|last=Fleming|date=January 10, 2019|access-date=April 18, 2020|archive-date=June 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200612192738/https://deadline.com/2019/01/the-sopranos-david-chase-interview-oral-history-james-gandolfini-steven-van-zandt-lorraine-bracco-20-year-anniversary-1202532570/|url-status=live}}</ref> Van Zandt, a guitarist in [[Bruce Springsteen]]'s [[E Street Band]], had never acted before. He auditioned for the role of Tony Soprano, but HBO felt that the role should go to an experienced actor, so Chase wrote a new part for him.<ref name="vanityfair">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2012/04/sopranos-oral-history |title=The Family Hour: An Oral History of ''The Sopranos'' |magazine=Vanity Fair |first=Sam |last=Kashner |date=April 2012 |access-date=December 6, 2013 |page=2 |archive-date=December 11, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131211115438/http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2012/04/sopranos-oral-history |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=casting/> Van Zandt eventually agreed to star on the show as [[consigliere]] [[Silvio Dante]], and his real-life spouse [[Maureen Van Zandt|Maureen]] was cast as his on-screen wife [[Gabriella Dante|Gabriella]].<ref name="vanzandt1">{{cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/a-hit-man-in-more-ways-than-one/ |title=A Hit Man In More Ways Than One |work=CBS News |date=March 18, 2007 |access-date=November 14, 2007 |archive-date=December 11, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131211224744/http://www.cbsnews.com/news/a-hit-man-in-more-ways-than-one/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="vanzandt2">{{cite web |url=https://tv.yahoo.com/person/steven-van-zandt/biography.html |title=Steven Van Zandt biography at Yahoo |publisher=Yahoo! |access-date=November 14, 2007 |archive-date=July 8, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130708071159/http://tv.yahoo.com/person/steven-van-zandt/biography.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="vanzandt3">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/10/arts/television/10cart.html?_r=1&oref=slogin |title=One Final Whack at That HBO Mob |last=Carter |first=Bill |work=The New York Times |date=June 10, 2007 |access-date=November 27, 2007 |archive-date=November 11, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141111043519/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/10/arts/television/10cart.html?_r=1&oref=slogin |url-status=live }}</ref>

The cast of the debut season of the series consisted of largely unknown actors, with the exception of Bracco, Chianese, and [[Nancy Marchand]], but many cast members were noted for their acting ability and received mainstream attention for their performances.<ref name="vanity"/><ref name="bury">{{cite magazine |url=https://ew.com/article/2007/04/06/set-sopranos-finale/ |title=Burying the Sopranos |access-date=October 7, 2007 |last=Wolk |first=Josh |date=April 6, 2007 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |archive-date=October 9, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071009041307/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20033896,00.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Subsequent seasons saw established actors [[Joe Pantoliano]], [[Robert Loggia]], [[Steve Buscemi]], and Frank Vincent<ref name="HBOcastcrew"/> join the starring cast, along with well-known actors in recurring roles such as [[Peter Bogdanovich]], [[John Heard (actor)|John Heard]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/john-heard/credits/158009 |title=John Heard Credits |access-date=December 6, 2013 |work=TV Guide |archive-date=December 11, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131211193555/http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/john-heard/credits/158009 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Robert Patrick]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/robert-patrick/bio/172325 |title=Robert Patrick Biography |access-date=December 6, 2013 |work=TV Guide |archive-date=December 11, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131211191727/http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/robert-patrick/bio/172325 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Peter Riegert]],<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/PROFILE-Peter-Riegert-From-pickles-to-Pinter-2876807.php |title=Profile: Peter Riegert |access-date=September 5, 2008 |newspaper=SFGate.com |first=Cynthia |last=Robins |date=September 18, 2001 |archive-date=November 4, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104024540/http://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/PROFILE-Peter-Riegert-From-pickles-to-Pinter-2876807.php |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Annabella Sciorra]],<ref name="HBOcastcrew"/> and [[David Strathairn]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://movies.yahoo.com/person/david-strathairn/biography.html |title=David Strathairn Biography |access-date=September 5, 2008 |publisher=[[Yahoo! Movies]] |archive-date=September 21, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120921230652/http://movies.yahoo.com/person/david-strathairn/biography.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Numerous well-known actors appeared in one or two episodes, such as [[Lauren Bacall]], [[Daniel Baldwin]], [[Annette Bening]], [[Polly Bergen]], [[Sandra Bernhard]], [[Paul Dano]], [[Charles S. Dutton]],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/movies/person/20824/Charles-S-Dutton/filmography |title=Charles S. Dutton Filmography |access-date=September 5, 2008 |archive-date=December 20, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131220221802/http://www.nytimes.com/movies/person/20824/Charles-S-Dutton/filmography |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Jon Favreau]], [[Janeane Garofalo]], [[Hal Holbrook]], [[Tim Kang]], [[Elias Koteas]], [[Ben Kingsley]], [[Linda Lavin]], [[Ken Leung]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://movies.yahoo.com/person/ken-leung/biography.html |title=Ken Leung Biography |access-date=September 5, 2008 |publisher=[[Yahoo! Movies]] |archive-date=October 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010150507/http://movies.yahoo.com/person/ken-leung/biography.html |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Julianna Margulies]], [[Sydney Pollack]], [[Wilmer Valderrama]], [[Alicia Witt]], and [[Burt Young]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-television-sopranos-idUSN0930398420070409 |title=Sopranos finale begins on downbeat note |access-date=September 6, 2008 |author=Richmond, Ray |author-link=Ray Richmond |date=April 9, 2007 |work=Reuters |archive-date=November 14, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114150837/http://www.reuters.com/article/2007/04/09/us-television-sopranos-idUSN0930398420070409 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Ray Liotta]], who was eventually cast as two of the Moltisanti brothers in ''[[The Many Saints of Newark]]'' film [[prequel]], was approached by Chase at one point to appear in the third or fourth seasons of the show, but the plan did not work out.<ref name="LiottaScreenRantInterview">{{Cite web |last=Tsang |first=Christopher |date=September 24, 2021 |title=Ray Liotta Says He Never Turned Down Role In The Sopranos |url=https://screenrant.com/sopranos-ray-liotta-role-offer-response/ |access-date=October 2, 2021 |website=[[Screen Rant]] |archive-date=September 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210925003216/https://screenrant.com/sopranos-ray-liotta-role-offer-response/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Crew===
Series creator and executive producer David Chase served as showrunner and head writer for the production of all six seasons of the show. He was deeply involved with the general production of every episode and is noted for being a very controlling, demanding, and specific producer.<ref name="chaseHBO"/><ref name="chasehollywood"/> He wrote or co-wrote between two and seven episodes per season and would oversee all the editing, consult with episode directors, give actors character motivation, approve casting choices and set designs, and do extensive but uncredited rewrites of episodes written by others.<ref name="bury"/><ref name="vanityfamily"/><ref name="supper">
{{cite video |title=The Sopranos – The Complete Series: Supper with The Sopranos |medium=DVD |publisher=HBO |date=2008}}</ref> Brad Grey served as executive producer alongside Chase but had no creative input on the show.<ref name="bradgreyHBO">{{cite web |url=http://www.hbo.com/sopranos/cast/crew/brad_grey.shtml |title=Brad Grey profile at HBO.com |access-date=July 7, 2009 |publisher=HBO |archive-date=July 8, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090708105044/http://www.hbo.com/sopranos/cast/crew/brad_grey.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> Many members of the creative team behind ''The Sopranos'' were handpicked by Chase, some being old friends and colleagues of his; others were selected after interviews conducted by producers of the show.<ref name="vanity"/><ref name="HBOcastcrew">{{cite web |url=http://www.hbo.com/sopranos/cast/ |title=HBO: The Sopranos: Cast and Crew |publisher=HBO |access-date=November 11, 2007 |archive-date=November 9, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071109100716/http://www.hbo.com/sopranos/cast/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Many of the show's writers had worked in television before joining the writing staff of ''The Sopranos''. The writing team and married couple [[Robin Green]] and [[Mitchell Burgess]] worked on the series as writers and producers from the first to the fifth season; they had previously worked with Chase on ''[[Northern Exposure]]''.<ref name="greenburgess">
{{cite book |title=Difficult Men: Behind the Scenes of a Creative Revolution: From The Sopranos and The Wire to Mad Men and Breaking Bad |last=Martin |first=Brett |publisher=Penguin Books |date=July 3, 2013}}</ref>
[[Terence Winter]] joined the writing staff during the production of the second season and served as executive producer from season five onwards. He practiced law for two years before deciding to pursue a career as a screenwriter, and he caught the attention of Chase through writer [[Frank Renzulli]].<ref name="baldwininterview">{{cite video |title=The Sopranos – The Complete Series: Alec Baldwin interviews David Chase |medium=DVD |publisher=HBO |date=2008}}</ref><ref name="Winter">{{cite web |url=http://www.hbo.com/sopranos/cast/crew/terence_winter.shtml |title=HBO: Terence Winter, Executive Producer : The Sopranos |publisher=HBO |access-date=November 11, 2007 |archive-date=August 26, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090826173157/http://www.hbo.com/sopranos/cast/crew/terence_winter.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Matthew Weiner]] served as staff writer and producer for the show's fifth and sixth seasons. He wrote a script for the series ''[[Mad Men]]'' in 2000 which was passed on to Chase, who was so impressed that he immediately offered Weiner a job as a writer for ''The Sopranos''.<ref name="nytimesweiner">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/18/arts/television/18madm.html?ex=1342411200&en=c2bc74ac3cdf6288&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss |title=In Act 2, the TV Hit Man Becomes a Pitch Man |last=Steinberg |first=Jacques |work=The New York Times |date=July 18, 2007 |access-date=November 14, 2007 |archive-date=October 17, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071017115707/http://nytimes.com/2007/07/18/arts/television/18madm.html?ex=1342411200&en=c2bc74ac3cdf6288&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss |url-status=live }}</ref>
Cast members [[Michael Imperioli]] and [[Toni Kalem]] portray [[Christopher Moltisanti]] and Angie Bonpensiero respectively, and they also wrote episodes for the show. Imperioli wrote five episodes of seasons two through five, and Kalem wrote one episode of season five.<ref name="Imperioli">{{cite web |url=http://www.hbo.com/sopranos/cast/actor/michael_imperioli.shtml |title=HBO: Michael Imperioli as Christopher Moltisanti: The Sopranos |publisher=[[HBO]] |access-date=November 11, 2007 |archive-date=November 16, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071116154655/http://www.hbo.com/sopranos/cast/actor/michael_imperioli.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hbo.com/the-sopranos/episodes#/the-sopranos/episodes/5/56-all-happy-families/synopsis.html |title=HBO: The Sopranos: S 5 EP 56 All Happy FAmilies: Synopsis |publisher=HBO |access-date=September 3, 2008 |archive-date=January 23, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100123020435/http://www.hbo.com/the-sopranos/episodes#/the-sopranos/episodes/5/56-all-happy-families/synopsis.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Other writers included Frank Renzulli, [[Todd A. Kessler]] (co-creator of ''[[Damages (TV series)|Damages]]''), writing team [[Diane Frolov]] and [[Andrew Schneider]] who worked with Chase on ''Northern Exposure'', and [[Lawrence Konner]], who co-created ''[[Almost Grown (TV series)|Almost Grown]]'' with Chase in 1988. In total, 20 writers or writing teams are credited with writing episodes of ''The Sopranos''. Of these, [[Tim Van Patten]] and [[Maria Laurino]] receive a single story credit, and eight others are credited with writing a sole episode. The most prolific writers of the series were Chase (30 credited episodes, including story credits), Winter (25 episodes), Green and Burgess (22 episodes), Weiner (12 episodes), and Renzulli (9 episodes).

Many of the directors had previously worked on television series and independent films.<ref name="HBOcastcrew"/> The most frequent directors of the series were [[Tim Van Patten]] (20 episodes), [[John Patterson (director)|John Patterson]] (13 episodes), [[Allen Coulter]] (12 episodes), and [[Alan Taylor (director)|Alan Taylor]] (9 episodes), all of whom have a background in television.<ref name="HBOcastcrew"/> Recurring cast members [[Steve Buscemi]] and [[Peter Bogdanovich]] also directed episodes of the series intermittently.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hbo.com/sopranos/cast/crew/steve_buscemi.shtml |title=HBO: Steve Buscemi, Director: The Sopranos |publisher=HBO |access-date=September 3, 2008 |archive-date=September 14, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080914030950/http://www.hbo.com/sopranos/cast/crew/steve_buscemi.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hbo.com/sopranos/cast/crew/peter_bogdanovich.shtml |title=HBO: Peter Bogdanovich, Director: The Sopranos |publisher=[[HBO]] |access-date=September 3, 2008 |archive-date=October 18, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081018022001/http://www.hbo.com/sopranos/cast/crew/peter_bogdanovich.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> Chase directed [[The Sopranos (episode)|the pilot episode]] and [[Made in America (The Sopranos)|the series finale]].<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://ew.com/article/2008/05/12/david-chase-directing-his-first-feature/ |title=Chase Directing First Feature |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=May 9, 2008 |access-date=September 3, 2008 |archive-date=October 10, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081010163802/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20198837,00.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Both episodes were photographed by the show's original director of photography [[Alik Sakharov]], who later alternated episodes with [[Phil Abraham]].<ref name="dop">{{cite web |url=http://www.hbo.com/sopranos/dpfeature/index.shtml |title=HBO: Sopranos: Behind the Scenes: Director of Photography Feature |publisher=HBO |access-date=November 14, 2007 |archive-date=November 25, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071125085258/http://www.hbo.com/sopranos/dpfeature/index.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> The show's photography and directing is noted for its feature film quality.<ref name="popmatters"/><ref name="badabye">{{cite web |url=http://tv.uk.msn.com/features/articles.aspx?cp-documentid=149727970 |title=Bada Bye To The Sopranos |last=Cooper |first=Lorna |publisher=MSN |year=2007 |access-date=November 14, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110809232416/http://tv.uk.msn.com/features/articles.aspx?cp-documentid=149727970 |archive-date=August 9, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> This look was achieved by Chase collaborating with Sakharov. "From the pilot, we would sit down with the whole script and break the scenes down into shots. That's what you do with feature films."<ref name="dop"/>

===Music===
{{Main|Music on The Sopranos|l1=Music on ''The Sopranos''}}
''The Sopranos'' is noted for its eclectic music selections and has received considerable critical attention for its effective use of previously recorded songs.<ref name="thehits">{{cite web |last=Sepinwall |first=Alan |title=The hits keep on coming |work=[[The Star-Ledger]] |date=March 8, 2006 |url=http://www.nj.com/sopranos/ledger/index.ssf?/sopranos/stories/hits_seasonsix.html |access-date=November 11, 2007 |archive-date=October 12, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012152953/http://www.nj.com/sopranos/ledger/index.ssf?%2Fsopranos%2Fstories%2Fhits_seasonsix.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="sharps">{{cite news |last=Gross |first=Joe |title=Sharps & Flats |work=[[Salon.com]] |date=January 4, 2000 |url=http://www.salon.com/2000/01/04/sopranos/ |access-date=November 11, 2007 |archive-date=October 16, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016085834/http://www.salon.com/2000/01/04/sopranos/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="musicanother">{{cite web |last=Ventre |first=Michael |title=Music another member of the Sopranos' crew |publisher=[[MSNBC]] |date=April 2, 2006 |url=http://www.today.com/id/11994702#.UqInVo2mQvo |access-date=November 11, 2007 |archive-date=December 12, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212020325/http://www.today.com/id/11994702#.UqInVo2mQvo |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="peppersandeggs">{{cite magazine |last=Browne |first=David |title=The Sopranos; Peppers & Eggs |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |date=May 18, 2001 |url=https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,281317,00.html |access-date=November 11, 2007 |archive-date=December 21, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071221031941/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,281317,00.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Chase personally selected all of the show's music with producer [[Martin Bruestle]] and music editor Kathryn Dayak, sometimes also consulting [[Steven Van Zandt]].<ref name="thehits"/> The music was usually selected once the production and editing of an episode was completed, but on occasion sequences were filmed to match preselected pieces of music.<ref name="vanityfamily">{{cite web |last=Biskind |first=Peter |author-link=Peter Biskind |title=The Family that Preys Together |work=[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]] |date=March 13, 2007 |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2007/03/chase200703 |access-date=November 11, 2007 |archive-date=October 20, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071020041840/http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2007/03/chase200703 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The show's opening theme is "[[Woke Up This Morning]]" (Chosen One Mix), written by, remixed and performed by British band [[Alabama 3]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jsonline.com/entertainment/festivals/29412814.html |title=Alabama 3 tastes some success, especially with 'Sopranos' theme |access-date=September 3, 2008 |author=Gilbertson, Jon M. |date=July 2, 2008 |work=[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606041852/http://www.jsonline.com/entertainment/festivals/29412814.html |archive-date=June 6, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> With few exceptions, a different song plays over the [[Music on The Sopranos#End credits|closing credits]] of each episode.<ref name="musicanother"/> Many songs are repeated multiple times through an episode, such as "[[Living on a Thin Line]]" by [[The Kinks]] in the season three episode "[[University (The Sopranos)|University]]" and "Glad Tidings" by [[Van Morrison]] in the season five finale "[[All Due Respect (The Sopranos)|All Due Respect]]".<ref name="musicanother"/> Other songs are heard several times throughout the series. A notable example is "[[Con te partirò]]", performed by Italian singer [[Andrea Bocelli]],<ref name="carmelasong">
{{cite book |title=The Sopranos on the Couch: Analyzing Television's Greatest Series |publisher=Continuum |author=Yacowar, Maurice |year=2003 |page=156}}</ref>
which plays several times in relation to the character of [[Carmela Soprano]].
While the show utilizes a wealth of previously recorded music, it is also notable for its lack of originally composed [[incidental music]], compared with other television programs.<ref name="articlebase">
{{cite web |url=http://findinarticles.com/asVSVjS/261452/Sopranos_-One-of-the-Most-Popular-TV-Dramas-of-All-Time_.html |title=Sopranos: One of the Most Popular TV Dramas of All Time! |last=McDonald |first=Jim |publisher=findinarticles.com |date=June 10, 2007 |access-date=November 14, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090108124026/http://findinarticles.com/asVSVjS/261452/Sopranos_-One-of-the-Most-Popular-TV-Dramas-of-All-Time_.html |archive-date=January 8, 2009 }}</ref>

Two soundtrack albums containing music from the series have been released. The first, titled ''[[Music on The Sopranos#Soundtrack compilations|The Sopranos: Music from the HBO Original Series]]'', was released in 1999. It contains selections from the show's first two seasons and reached No. 54 on the U.S. [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]].<ref name="amazonalbuma">{{cite web |title=Amazon.com: The Sopranos: Music From The HBO Original Series |website=Amazon |date=January 29, 1999 |url=https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00003A9MG/ |access-date=November 14, 2007 |archive-date=December 3, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171203222038/https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00003A9MG/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="albuma">
{{cite web |url={{AllMusic |class=album |id=r444213/charts-awards|pure_url=yes}} |
title=''The Sopranos: Music from the HBO Original Series'': Billboard Albums at Allmusic
|access-date=September 22, 2007
|website=Allmusic}}</ref>
A second soundtrack compilation titled ''[[Music on The Sopranos#The Sopranos – Peppers and Eggs: Music From The HBO Series|The Sopranos – Peppers & Eggs: Music from the HBO Series]]'', was released in 2001. This [[double-disc]] album contains songs and selected dialogue from the show's first three seasons.<ref name="amazonalbumb">{{cite web |title=Amazon.com: The Sopranos – Peppers & Eggs: Music from the HBO Series |website=Amazon |url=https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00005AR37/ |access-date=November 14, 2007 |archive-date=December 3, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171203222448/https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00005AR37/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
It reached No. 38 on the U.S. Billboard 200.<ref name="albumb">{{cite web
|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/r529963/charts-awards
|title=''The Sopranos: Peppers & Eggs (Music From the HBO Original Series)'': Billboard Albums at Allmusic
|access-date=September 22, 2007
|website=Allmusic
|archive-date=January 16, 2011
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110116040316/http://www.allmusic.com/album/r529963/charts-awards
|url-status=live
}}</ref>

The ending to the show has drawn attention and sparked controversy. The song "[[Don't Stop Believin']]" by [[Journey (band)|Journey]] plays at the end of the series finale. While Journey granted the rights to use the song in the ending of the series, their one request was that the scene not contain any violence or deaths.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hunt |first=James |date=July 7, 2019 |title=The Sopranos' Cut to Black Ending Explained |url=https://screenrant.com/sopranos-finale-ending-explained-cut-black/ |access-date=April 17, 2024 |website=ScreenRant}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hamilton Golland |first=David |date=February 24, 2024 |title="The Sopranos" finale made Journey hot again — and the timing couldn't have been worse |url=https://www.salon.com/2024/02/24/the-sopranos-finale-made-journey-hot-again--and-the-timing-couldnt-have-been-worse/ |access-date=May 8, 2024 |website=Salon}}</ref>

===Sets and locations===
{{multiple image 
| header       = 
| header_align = center
| direction    = vertical
| width        = 250
| image1       = Sopranos House 1.jpg
| caption1     = The Soprano house in [[North Caldwell, New Jersey|North Caldwell]] (2006)
| image2       = The Sopranos - Satriale's Pork Store.jpg
| caption2     = [[Satriale's Pork Store]] in [[Kearny, New Jersey|Kearny]] (2007)
| image3       = Pizza Land (North Arlington, New Jersey).jpg
| caption3     = [[Pizza Land]] in [[North Arlington, New Jersey|North Arlington]] (2021)
}}

The majority of the exterior scenes took place in [[New Jersey]] and were filmed on location, with the majority of the interior shots filmed at [[Silvercup Studios]] in New York City, including most indoor shots of the Soprano residence, the back room of the strip club [[Bada Bing!]], and [[Dr. Melfi]]'s office.<ref name="bury"/> The pork store was called Centanni's Meat Market in the pilot episode, an actual butchery in [[Elizabeth, New Jersey]].<ref name="locations">
{{cite web |url=https://www.nj.com/sopranos/stories/030401locations.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080306071105/https://www.nj.com/sopranos/stories/030401locations.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 6, 2008 |title=The Locations |last=Parrillo |first=Rosemary |date=March 4, 2001 |access-date=November 14, 2007 |work=The Star-Ledger}}</ref>
After the series was picked up by HBO, the producers leased a building with a storefront in [[Kearny, New Jersey]]<ref name="locations"/> which served as the shooting location for exterior and interior scenes for the remainder of production; renamed [[Satriale's Pork Store]].<ref name="locations"/>
After the series ended, the building was demolished.<ref name="porkstoredemolished">{{cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/sopranos-pork-store-demolished |title='Sopranos' Pork Store Demolished |work=Fox News |date=November 12, 2007 |access-date=November 14, 2007 |archive-date=August 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190821062605/https://www.foxnews.com/story/sopranos-pork-store-demolished |url-status=live }}</ref>

The strip club Bada Bing! was owned and operated by [[Silvio Dante]] on the show, and is an actual strip club on Route 17 in [[Lodi, New Jersey]].<ref name="locations"/> Exteriors and interiors were shot on location except for the back room.<ref name="locations"/> The club is called Satin Dolls and was an existing business before the show started.<ref name="locations2">{{cite web |url=http://www.nj.com/sopranos/ledger/index.ssf?/sopranos/stories/location.html |title=Location, location, location |last=Zoller Seitz |first=Matt |work=The Star-Ledger |date=January 16, 2000 |access-date=November 14, 2007 |archive-date=December 8, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071208223536/http://www.nj.com/sopranos/ledger/index.ssf?%2Fsopranos%2Fstories%2Flocation.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
The club continued to operate during the eight years that the show was filmed there, and a business arrangement was worked out with the owner.<ref name="locations2"/> Locations manager Mark Kamine recalls that the owner was "very gracious" as long as the shooting did not "conflict with his business time".<ref name="locations2"/>

Scenes set at the restaurant Vesuvio, owned and operated in the series by character [[Artie Bucco]], were filmed at a restaurant called Manolo's located in Elizabeth for the first episode. After the destruction of Vesuvio within the context of the series, Artie opened a new restaurant called Nuovo Vesuvio; exterior scenes set there were filmed at an Italian restaurant called Punta Dura located in [[Long Island City]].<ref name="locations"/> All the exterior and some interior shots of the Soprano residence were filmed on location at a private residence in [[North Caldwell, New Jersey]].<ref name="locations"/>

===Title sequence===
Tony Soprano is seen emerging from the [[Lincoln Tunnel]] out of [[Manhattan, New York|Manhattan]] and passing through the tollbooth for the [[New Jersey Turnpike]]. Numerous landmarks in and around [[Newark, New Jersey|Newark]] and [[Jersey City, New Jersey]], are then shown passing by the camera as Tony drives down the highway.<ref name="openingcredits">{{cite web |url=http://www.hbo.com/sopranos/credits/index.shtml |title=HBO: The Sopranos: Behind the Scenes: Inside the Opening Credits |publisher=[[HBO]] |access-date=November 14, 2007 |archive-date=November 9, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071109090735/http://www.hbo.com/sopranos/credits/index.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> The sequence ends with Tony pulling into the driveway of his suburban home. Chase has said that the goal of the title sequence was to show that this particular [[American Mafia|mafia]] show was about [[New Jersey]], as opposed to New York, where most similar dramas have been set.<ref name="pilotcommentary">{{cite video |people=[[David Chase|Chase, David]] |title=The Sopranos – The Complete First Season: "The Sopranos" commentary track |medium=DVD |publisher=[[HBO]] |date=1999}}</ref>

In the first three seasons, between Tony leaving the tunnel and passing through the toll plaza, the title sequence included a shot of the [[World Trade Center (1973–2001)|World Trade Center]] towers in the right side-view mirror. After the [[September 11 attacks]], beginning with the show's fourth season, this shot was removed and replaced with a more generic view.

In a 2010 issue of ''[[TV Guide]]'', the show's opening title sequence ranked No. 10 on a list of TV's top 10 credits sequences, as selected by readers.<ref>Tomashoff, Craig. "Credits Check" ''[[TV Guide]]'', October 18, 2010, Pages 16–17</ref>

A parody of the opening sequence was used in an episode of ''[[The Simpsons]]''. In "[[Poppa's Got a Brand New Badge]]", a variation on the sequence is used, with Fat Tony leaving a Springfield tunnel instead of Tony. Fat Tony then continues to drive through Springfield to the same soundtrack as the original.