Janice Soprano - A Deep Dive Through Her Story

Let's talk about Janice Soprano, sister of Tony and Barbara. There's quite a lot to say, and in this video, I take a deeper dive into her story throughout the series. I hope you enjoy it and would love to hear your thoughts on Janice/Parvati and anything else related to The Sopranos!
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[@Katinahat293]

Janice turned into her mother. She turned into what she hated most

[@davidmajer3652]

Janice was a piece of clay for the writers. She originally was not supposed to come back after moving back to Seattle, but the mother died, and they needed a new female character. She did not move as a character but as the plot needed her. It never made any sense that she moved away from mob life for so long and then suddenly wanted to totally blend into it. Once a hippy for decades then suddenly the most materialistic mob wife. Every time I watch this show I look for some reason she transitions so wildly, and it is not there. In life the characters drive the plot. in fiction the plot drives the characters.

[@Aivottaja]

Her hippie phase was just that. A phase. I think they integrated her changing "spiritual" outlooks well into her character.

[@SopranosBlueprint]

I think it was also part of what David Chase seemed to imply through various characters-not just Janice, but also Richie, Gloria, and even some others-that you can preach all the mindfulness and yoga and Buddhist principles/things like that, but that doesn’t mean those people can or will actually put those principles into practice or benefit from things like that if they are full of rage and other resentments deeply ingrained in them.

[@Aivottaja]

​@@SopranosBlueprint Like the Tao says: you gotta shut one door before another opens.

[@louistracy6964]

@@SopranosBlueprint The story of Tony S, and of course that animal, Tony B.

[@SopranosBlueprint]

Right?! Isn’t that wild to think about…the many “what-ifs” in terms of if Nancy Marchand hadn’t gotten sick and passed when she did.

[@ginarow820]

I love Janice. Brilliantly written and acted.

[@SopranosBlueprint]

Absolutely! And Aida Turturro is such a wonderful person, as well! 💗💗

[@davidrubel6295]

Aida Turturro was fantastic as Janice

[@SopranosBlueprint]

Absolutely!!! Such a tremendous addition to the show!

[@Gigibaby88]

Yes it's hard to imagine anyone else play her so brilliantly.

[@TooLooze]

Janice was the only character that didn't need no stinkin' arc.

[@WhyDoYouExistX]

Nor did Uncle Paulie. In his very first scene, he was just a half a wise guy; in his final scene eight years later, he was still just a half a wise guy. But you know who did have an arc? Noah

[@fishymhx1365]

You know who had an arc? Noah.

[@SopranosBlueprint]

That happens. The more of them you do, the better you’ll sleep. I had one prick for months in my dreams!

[@wingsofheartproblems6400]

We're talking about her stomach 😂

[@goldengirl8355]

@@fishymhx1365lol

[@daltonstephenson7669]

Under da boardwalk . . .

[@greghersperger5285]

Wit his schlong in Jan’s mouth….👊🏼

[@shaudajohnson4356]

😂

[@stevengodoy6896]

You Sopranos, ya go too far!

[@SopranosBlueprint]

We play the free parking rule. It adds a whole new level of excitement to the game.

[@acb723]

"Under the boardwalk, down by the seaa.. you'll always be my babyy.... under the boardwalk with his shlong in Jan's mouuthh. "🎶😎😎😎 " you blew guys under it"😂

[@frankmarx8997]

Great video, Janice took over as antagonist to Tony after Nancy Marchands death.

[@SopranosBlueprint]

Thank you! And yes, absolutely. She became that Soprano female that could give it to Tony just like he gave it to her. She grew up with him and knows alllll about the baggage and dysfunction that came with that house being “dog eat dog.”

[@lestermitchell4368]

Brilliant character. Aida Turturro is exceptional in a group of very talented actors

[@SopranosBlueprint]

Absolutely!!! Truly an abundance of riches in talent, and she really left her mark. 🔥🔥

[@louistracy6964]

Svetlana was the show;s most likeable character, brava, Alla Kliouka. Yes, also a crush.

[@SopranosBlueprint]

I love her “That’s the trouble with you Americans…” speech to Tony. “You expect nothing bad ever to happen, while the rest of the world expects only bad to happen, and they’re never disappointed.”

[@stevengodoy6896]

It's probably cause of WW2, whatever happened there.@@SopranosBlueprint

[@louistracy6964]

@@SopranosBlueprint So much💘

[@louistracy6964]

@@SopranosBlueprint Goodbye, Livushka was heartfelt.

[@ryanstratton5895]

Love this seep dive. I fcking love janice. She is the hardest working lazy person ever. Furniture mover and many others. The amount of work she puts in to get bobby was spectacular. Her immmediate transformation from rebel hippie to italian homemaker is just great. We need a spinoff prequel of Janice and Eugene in europe.

[@SopranosBlueprint]

Thank you so much!! Appreciate the comment - haha - “I’ve never begged a day in my life!” “Parvati, she’s a cheese now?” A spectacular addition to the Soprano family dynamic 🔥🔥🔥

[@ryanstratton5895]

@@SopranosBlueprint oh yeah! She was parvati i totally forgot about that hahahahaha

[@williedynamyte]

Janice was one of my favorite characters on the sopranos. Outwardly she is positive but underneath she's cruel, spiteful, conniving, and ruthless. Anything to get what she wants. Aida Turturro played her perfectly.

[@SopranosBlueprint]

@@williedynamyte Absolutely! She did such a phenomenal job and Janice knew how to play the game for sure…I always laugh when the FBI agents are talking about Richie Aprile and Agent Grasso says, “No doubt, the cartel had him whacked.” LOL - the Janice Soprano cartel😂

[@eligalvan8515]

People think Livia is the worst person on the show. But people overlook janice hard-core. She is self centered. Selfish. And a user of people. Look at what she did to bobby and Ritchie. She abused tonys power. And is just over all a shitty person

[@br3akstuff]

True but what chance did she have, with Livia as a mudda?

[@romacechina]

On my rewatch of Sorpanos now at S2 where adult Janice first appears as Parvati. I truly have to say Aida really manages to make her one of the most compelling characters of the series. As even a Parvati, we can see the dark side of Janice hungering through with how right away she steps on toes with her younger brother, playing the hipster aunt to Meadow and AJ, while also eyeing Livia's house and also Livia. Yet despite everything that makes Janice, all the lack of work ethic, Livia's traits she has and sneaky traits that Junior relates every time. Abandoning her son to the streets and encouraging Ritchie to potentially do a coup against her brother. We can also see just how much she clearly got put through by her own mother, how Richie was hitting and dating on her when she was a teen and he was already in his 20's according to birth dates that I have seen for both and Livia seemed to have no issue with other than Richie playing loud music or likely Johnny Boy. That and the fact we see in S2 of the abusive elements, power/gender imbalance with the gun to the head, hitting her before the ring goes on. Along with that Jancie also makes great points on the hypocrisy of the mob culture of the wives, women expecting to remain the Virgin Mary outside of birthing yet the males can put their dicks into everything. I can understand why she decided to get the fuck out of there when she could. Something Tony could have done as well if he truly wanted to, but in the end he wanted the power, respect and lack of work the mob life afforded him, which dragged Jancie back in in the long run.

[@SopranosBlueprint]

Appreciate your comment and agree 💯💯💯💯 your last note about coming back home makes me think of Janice when she mentioned at the engagement party that she didn’t know what made her think she was gonna “find anybody halfway decent in some ashram in pradesh. But i found him, right here, at home.” And Meadow does the same thing in a way by coming back home despite her original desire to have the whole North American landmass between her and Tony & Carmela.

[@louistracy6964]

@@SopranosBlueprint Baby, it's cold outside.

[@kbraker510]

Reprehensible but important character….shes lucky to have a brother like she does…

[@Rome274]

People so hard on Janice, she had a horrible life with narcissistic abuse just like Tony. She went one way and Tony went the other.

[@NotQuiteFirst]

One of those subtle links they throw in (though this is actually showing Carmela's character more) is in s2 Carmela criticises Janice for having a lack of work ethic. Then in s4 when Carmela is ready the newspaper at the beginning about the "bribery" court case in Italy, she tells AJ with pride how this _"raccommendazione, the Italian custom of seeking special treatment from people in power"_ is their equivalent of the Protestant work ethic.

[@louistracy6964]

The bribery and the hard work often go together, for sure not always; sometimes you can use connections (or cash) to get where you want to be. But often, in Greece, where I know, the bribe (sfinaki) or the 'raccommendazione' (meson) is the only way to get a job, or a service, or even a consultation with a doctor. With jobs, you still have to work.

[@robertlee4172]

Something to do with a couple of cases of fish, if 'm not mistaken. Bureaucrats with their hands out. No different from what we're seeing these days. Only on a larger scale. Millions instead of boxes of fish.

[@hithere4719]

Good point. Carmella’s “work ethic” was her ability to live off of Tony’s blood-money without complaining about his constant philandering. Janice didn’t even make it that far and killed her meal ticket.

[@SopranosBlueprint]

And when she says to her parents, “I earn it. You two get a free pass.” 😅😅

[@swampghost72]

Carmella was one of the biggest hipoctites on the show..

[@costalamb3065]

Janice? She was a leech.

[@louistracy6964]

Terrific deep dive, Blue. I'd forgotten that Janice had angled for Tony to go away. Will watch this in two instalments.

[@SopranosBlueprint]

Thank you!! Thrilled to hear that!

[@swampghost72]

In a lot of ways the shows characters change but they stay the same..I call it contradictory change.If anything they reveal more of their true nature over the seasons..Janis isnt any different..Its what makes the characters complex and the show so great..

[@Aivottaja]

She'll snag mob husband number 3 in a couple of years.

[@IrishYobbo07]

Yeah she hooks up with Paulie 😂

[@robertlee4172]

Tony says to Barbara, that one time, in Livia's kitchen, "Don't listen to the manipulation." That's all we've been seeing from Janice. Manipulation. From the minute we meet Janice, to the last scene we see her, at the former Sacrimoni house, she's scheming to make her next move. Janice latches on to someone, or something, she can benefit from. After Bobby dies, Sophia is Jan's next target. Those two girls are in for some horrific shit.

[@unerevuese]

Janice has to be one of my favorite characters in the Sopranos honestly.

[@SopranosBlueprint]

She was such a fabulous addition to the show - one of the only characters who wasn’t afraid to get up in Tony’s face and knew allllll about the Soprano family history and everything it entailed. I love when she talked about Livia’s mindset in terms of “the illusion of control” - Janice was one hell of a character!

[@UBZUKki]

Blowin' ROADIES?... 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@NolanHawkeyeAnthony]

I can’t believe Bobby chose Janice. Sure there may have been some benefits, but the red head chick was way hotter and more feminine

[@SopranosBlueprint]

I think it’s because she had that special ability to manipulate that she learned so well from her parents.

[@LucienJosephy-bs9eu]

That story of her life jab from Livia might have been the coldest thing said the entire show

[@thepalatrpro]

I can’t stand Janice.

[@rmcq1999]

Probably the funniest character of the series next to Paulie.

[@SopranosBlueprint]

Absolutely hilarious from the very beginning…”I think they still have me on their enemy radicals list” 🤣🤣

[@talkindurinthemovie]

Theres a.lot I could say write now that im not

[@SopranosBlueprint]

Shame? Oh, I’ve got plenty of shame. Belieeeeve me. You don’t even wanna hear what I’m ashamed of.

[@kingoneil4644]

No clue where harpos eating his sunday dinner

[@terrymedeiros6155]

Molto bene.....Aida did such a great job playing Janice......Janice.....oh poor Janice....."you're just here to pick the friggin bones....." Tony was correct here.....such dysfunction......sad but true....carry on, my Superfan...😎✌️🇮🇹

[@SopranosBlueprint]

Thank you, my friend!! 😃✌️😊🤗 She really did…you’d think they were siblings in real life with how naturally and realistically Aida and Jim played sister and brother.

[@osbaldohernandez9174]

Those records are close to me my ass Janice just wants to sell them for money

[@SopranosBlueprint]

“Janice only does acts of Janice.” 😂

[@justinrowland5191]

No scraps for janice in my scrapbook. Ritchie Aprile was a friggin kid for christsake.

[@GuidoLuzzi]

there's men in the can bettah lookin than Janice

[@rickykeim2005]

Jeeze That Interaction between Ralph and Janice made Ralph look like the Stable One. He apologizes for not taking off his shoes and She Yells and pushes him down the stairs. I think Janice was just angling to Make herself as comfortable as Possible. I don't know if she actually Cared about any of the People she was involved with.

[@nichobee]

Nah I don't think she did, she was a narcissist like her mother. She used everyone as appliances.

[@br3akstuff]

It's not very nice of her lol

[@civotamuaz5781]

It's crazy how one part of Sopranos plays like a shonen in one very specific way, people who want to kill Tony at first later stay as companions.

[@SopranosBlueprint]

Right?! It's kind of wild when you think about it...when you see Tony later on with Janice and Junior...in Janice's case, I wonder if/how much Tony knew Janice was involved in egging Richie on in S2.

[@HoodBoy426]

Superb, Ms Blueprint! 💯

[@SopranosBlueprint]

Thank you, my friend!! Appreciate it!! 😊😊

[@mikaelmilnikov]

I love your videos but could you please work on the playback for some of these clips? They sound choppy

[@davemoss9505]

Dang. Joyce Van Patton looks really different. Great actress.

[@talkindurinthemovie]

Hate the way she treated that baby

[@SopranosBlueprint]

Yeah, I didn’t like when she scolded the baby and said, “Nica, take care of your things.” Just because she was irritated with Tony didn’t mean she needed to take it out on the baby.

[@swampghost72]

I think Carmella is the most contradictory character on the sopranos..

[@jameseglavin4]

Janice is basically The Soprano’s answer to Yolanda, Wee-Bay’s girl

[@JBrooksNYS]

Why do your videos always skip and pop and click?

[@SopranosBlueprint]

Sorry that it’s doing that for you! I don’t tend to hear it on my end but I may be using devices that aren’t quite as sophisticated as the ones on which you’re listening. With that said, I appreciate you letting me know, as I always want to make improvements for a better viewing experience.

[@JBrooksNYS]

@@SopranosBlueprint Look at 11:22 and the following 30 seconds ... the video isnt skipping and audio crackling for you? I notice it on many of your videos. I like the videos tho.

[@hankgonzalez6074]

I’m in no mood……..

[@SopranosBlueprint]

That didn’t end well for Richie!

[@BlakeGildaphish76]

i can't STAND Janice. "She's a real snake in the grass!"

[@swampghost72]

I dont think her supposed son harpo ever existed..

[@SopranosBlueprint]

I’m not sure he did, either. When Livia says, “Someday, I hope you have children of your own, and they treat you like this” - Not sure if that was just an accidental slip-up in the writing, but odd that Janice never contradicted that, though I guess maybe she didn’t mention it cause she was embarrassed over not having custody. In any case, I agree with you in having doubts myself.

[@strollic5162]

@@SopranosBlueprint Janice slips back into her rage when Tony starts provoking her about Harpo. I don't think it would've affected her that much if Harpo had never existed.

[@davemoss9505]

Bobby was a fool. Jojo was way better looking.

[@anthonymaslow798]

Janice and Livia are hands down the funniest characters in the show. It's dark humor, but holy fuck do they make me crack up every single time they are on screen. More than anyone else in the show.

[@randomhuman19]

my issue with Janice was always the casting. While AT is a great actress, I couldnt buy her in the Janice role. Janice as a character is hideous on the inside. Yet, the show has Janice being desired by many males. But the casting has Janice not being very attractive on the outside either. I think someone like the actress who played Artie Buccos wife would have worked better and could understand why men desired her at least physically.

[@sladen3884]

Aida. Much like Jerry Stiller.. it's always fun to watch someone you know to be a warm lovely talented person playing a total cantankerous a hole lol. Janice always stuck out to me as someone who showed the massive struggle to not be like your parent. In many ways, Janice is much more a complete person than Livia.. Yet the 'dna' always shows up at the worst possible time to complicate even the most simple interactions.

[@SopranosBlueprint]

Yess!!! 100% to your comment. Aida is such a lovely individual!! And she sure knew how to give it right back to Tony Soprano as Janice Soprano - “the real gangster” in many ways, as Tony referred to Livia (like mother, like daughter!) 😎

[@doctormalleycat]

Janice only had one story arc she was just there to pick the bones

[@alsaunders3937]

Janice had a hard role to play and is THE best actor on the show along with VanZant altho I hate NJ trash Bruce

[@James_Price79]

Eat your eggs, baby.

[@SopranosBlueprint]

He’s 19 and he can go all night! 🤣

[@James_Price79]

@@SopranosBlueprint 🤣🤣🤣 Tony's face when she says that is hilarious

[@liziv.6537]

Always remembered how she put her hand on her hip, it was so weird lmaoo

[@James_Price79]

@@liziv.6537 lol Ace Garage! 😆

[@Yolduranduran]

Janice is horrible.

[@vgcq02]

There is a lot I could say right now that I am not going to say.

[@SopranosBlueprint]

Go ahead, ma. Spit it out. Never you mind…just remember what we talked about last week…

[@dudethebagman]

I don't remember anything about Janice and Bobby having a baby.

[@br3akstuff]

Well maybe you should rewatch lol

[@thisgirlisoverit]

i actually think Janice was funny but she was definitely Livia’s child 😳

[@SopranosBlueprint]

Ohhh, she totally was!! So many times I could hear Livia right in her voice.

[@lhzook]

Hi all

[@mikaelmilnikov]

How do we really know she actually has a son and it’s not a lie?

[@SopranosBlueprint]

We really don’t know for sure. When Livia makes the comment that “Someday, I hope you have children of your own, and they treat you like this” and Janice doesn’t say anything, I’m like hmmm 🤔 though Idk if that was just an oversight by the writers or if it was meant as a hint that there may be no Harpo in the first place.

[@strollic5162]

@@SopranosBlueprint She wouldn't have reacted as she did when Tony provoked her if her son wasn't real, imo.

[@rogfusionkid]

I know people like Janice always hanging around ready to scoop up whatever they can get their hands on. Even if it's from the ruins of other peoples lives.

[@SopranosBlueprint]

I’m gonna be five grand lighter before she rain dances back to the commune…

[@costalamb3065]

She’s just there to pick through the friggin bones.

[@Iamspacemountain]

She had the makings of a varsity athlete 😅

[@SopranosBlueprint]

“She was a real gangster” just like Livia 😅😅

[@kaiwancallender2761]

No, will be couldn’t be like Tony couldn’t be a mop, your leader, and a hippie

[@kaiwancallender2761]

And soprano had one victory she could join them like all the family

[@robertprice5243]

....awe ,he was?

[@xxxCyber24xxx]

I really wanted Jojo and Bobby to be a thing

[@Aivottaja]

Don't we all. Jojo is the hottest mob wife on the show.

[@shovedhead]

I wonder did she find Livia's money?

[@SopranosBlueprint]

Don’t think so…talk about a big job for a contractor…lol

[@Gigibaby88]

My thoughts on Janice-a very complicated character who was very well acted and written.

[@BobHooker]

What can Janice do? Tony is dead at the end, nobody in the family can stand her or has any loyalty to her. She would sell the house and move her kids back to Seattle or something. It would be fun to see a sequel where she tries to take over the family with the aid of Tony's kids but that would be silly.

[@SopranosBlueprint]

Thanks for the comment! With Janice, that’s a bit of a wild card. Perhaps she’d go back to some “ashram in Pradesh” looking for her next soulmate…though I think it’d be easier for her to stay in NJ logistically speaking given Nica…then again, he says, when it comes to backs (and The Sopranos), nobody knows anything really 😎 I could also see her temporarily moving in with Carm and the kids for them all to be together after the Holsten’s chaos. Not that it would necessarily be a healthy dynamic.

[@victorsforza6213]

​@@SopranosBlueprintwhadd I tell you Janice, don't mess with the Serbians.. HEHEHE

[@nipplepinchycrackisgreat7873]

Janice was her mother.

[@SopranosBlueprint]

The cycle of family dysfunction through the generations…