HBO Wouldn’t Dare Make ‘The Sopranos’ Today
“Welcome to the world. People are garbage.” ~Tony Soprano
Today, we take for granted premium cable channels and streaming services creating their own content. In the late 1990’s, this was a brand new concept, one that many people in the film and television industry had little or no faith in.
HBO took a big gamble with The Sopranos — and they hit the jackpot.
The show was a resounding critical success and connected deeply with viewers. It garnered and audience of around 11 million viewers an episode, including most viewers for a season premier with 22.6 Million in 2001[1].
What’s more, the show is seeing a resurgence and garnering a new generation of fans. The show’s creator, David Chase, attributes this to the prequel movie, The Many Saints of Newark, as well as views stuck in quarantine discovering the show via HBO’s streaming service, HBO Max[2].
I’m one of the new viewers to which Chase is referring. I have friends and family members who’ve been long time Sopranos fans. Many of them have recommended the show over the years. However, it wasn’t until this year that I sat down and began watching it.
