The 12 Defining Scenes From ‘The Sopranos’ | Video Essays | The Ringer

Ringer contributor Adam Nayman revisits 12 key scenes from ‘The Sopranos’ that prove how funny, profound, and gut-wrenching the show could be. While YOUR personal favorite may not have made the cut (poor you), this list reflects the range of one of the small screen’s very best series.
Subscribe to our channel: therin.gr/5te1wFL
CONNECT
Shop: theringer.com/shop
Website: theringer.com
Twitter: / ringer
Facebook: / ringer
Instagram: / ringer
KZbin: / @theringernba

[@squishymcsquisherson]

The fight between Carmella and Tony in "Whitecaps" is still the most real, chilling, goosebump inducing and well acted spousal confrontation in TV history.

[@XMesandidge]

She looks genuinely scared after he punches through the wall.9:25

[@DazDc]

Sopranos are the best ever tv drama and probably we will never see anything better ever. I personally can't watch ant TV drama because all looks lame and cheap compared to Sopranos. It's my curse.

[@zoloftzambuki2271]

2-million % agree :). Testament to what a combo they were.

[@smellsuperb1]

@@XMesandidge I think the scene called for him to hit her and James decided to change it up. I'm pretty sure I read that somewhere 🤔

[@Boobalopbop]

Oh yes! I’ll never forget that feeling. I was shook! I was in my early 20s and had no idea what it was like to be in the shoes of a person like Carmela, but OMG she took me there. I don’t know how many times I rewatched that scene.

[@MrGittz]

Paulie under the bed realizing Minn Matrone can see him is one of the funniest things in TV history. “Minn, ya car was gone”…god this show is comedy gold

[@mullaoslo]

I still blame min.. She knew what and who Paulie was and all she needed to do was keep quiet until he left

[@tricky92x]

@@mullaoslo She was an asshole until the very end.

[@litedawg]

Wrap up the rolls for us and give us some extra butter! I’ll pay for parking.

[@alejandrogonzalez2421]

OOOFFF Marone, the scene where Paulie keeps talking to Tony while he remains in a coma and he needs to get out because of how upset he kept making him even unconscious, that was priceless.

[@abskorditis1232]

You missed 1 very important moment in army of one: When Furio falls Tony and Silvio immediately stand up to help him. And even Ralph goes after them, but Paulie doesn't, he just stays at the table, sulking. It really shows how selfish Paulie really is.

[@russsnyder2026]

The scene where the catholic priest is shaking down Pauline and Patsy over the festival is a good one. Also where Patsy can’t shake down corporate America at the coffee shop. Shows a reversal of things

[@keldonmcfarland2969]

The coffee shop, which is obviously Starbucks, was brilliant. Paulie and Patsy are stunned, left to wonder "what's happening with the neighborhood."

[@amandamarklandyoga]

@@keldonmcfarland2969 also in Season 1 when AJ’s teacher’s car is stolen, they reference Starbucks and similar giant coffee conglomerates when the car theives are identified because one of them had a staff shirt on from “that coffee place….’Buttfuck’s.’” 😭😝 Don’t ask me why I felt the need to comment this. Most likely because whenever coffee is mentioned on The Sopranos I think of this scene and I still refer to Starbucks as Buttfucks…especially if there is someone in earshot who will get the joke.

[@milano13able]

“One thing you can never say, you have never been told” Brilliant.

[@otomicans6580]

Melfi's rejection of Tony's offer for help at the end of "Employee of the Month" was definitely an excellent character-defining moment. We all would have wanted the rapist to get squashed like a bug, but what would it have meant? It would have meant Melfi would have conspired to commit murder and would be forever tainted as a result. Everyone in the show that gets directly involved with the mafia is corrupted / doomed as a result. Melfi wouldn't have been an exception and it was a relief to see her, despite being a traumatized victim, able to make it out with her integrity intact.

[@keldonmcfarland2969]

Dr Melfi is the only major character who did not cross the point-of-no-return morality line.

[@SouthOfSanity79]

I don't necessarily disagree with you but I believe that there is a certain level of vigilante justice AKA frontier Justice that shouldn't necessarily be looked down upon. There are a lot of people out there that have done horrendous shit to people raping children things like that and they don't go to prison and they don't pay for it. Perhaps in a karmic way they do eventually. I don't know.. I dated a girl once that was molested for multiple years by her uncle. I read a lot of the court paperwork and he got let off on a technicality. It did a lot of damage to her emotionally and psychologically. The only reason I didn't end his life is because I have children that I need to be around for. They come first.

[@secondcomingofbast9908]

And her decision in the real world would have almost certainly led the way to at least one more rape victim.

[@freebee8221]

I still think that was a wrong choise from melfi not to have Tony take care of that guy. He most likely keeps on raping and the next victim(s) wouldv been saved.

[@secondcomingofbast9908]

@@freebee8221 Not to mention one of his future victims may have been murdered

[@jules1469]

i think there’s a defining moment in the show. christopher: “you ever feel like nothing good was ever gonna happen to you?” paulie: “yeah, and nothing did. so what?”

[@toneriggz]

The most important scene- The Jacket!!!!!!

[@squishymcsquisherson]

DeMeo had the reputation of being the toughest guy in Essex County.

[@mcgurkryans]

“You’re FLEEXXXing!!”

[@gt-gu7rb]

Janice shooting Richie is my favorite. Totally caught me off guard when I first saw it. Encapsulated the random acts of violence the Sorpranos did so well. Essence of the show. White Caps is excellent also

[@litedawg]

He hit her one time and the fact that she made a decision like that so cool and calm was horrifying and yet real. She envisioned a life of violence w Richie so she nipped it in the bud.

[@KirkWilcox]

Melfi is the only redeemable character in the entire show. Her refusal to use Tony to enact revenge, along with her cutting off Tony upon realizing she was complicit in his behavior, set her apart from everyone else.

[@joedellamora378]

What about arties wife? She was a beacon

[@jpVari]

Evidently chicken Town is my favorite musical cue for sure, and it's hard to pick a more resonant funnier moment than the intervention. Great video, almost brought me to tears. I love this show.

[@budnbob08]

“I said my piece” Silvio 😂😂 Bloody cops

[@frankjames3197]

When I first saw Heidi and Kennedy, I perceived Tony to shout “I did it” - not “I get it”. Finally being able to shout into the void that he killed Christopher and get it off his chest.

[@jubsjobs90]

Stage 5, although a brilliant and important puzzle piece to that season, I believe is critically important to the indication of the end times. With An inevitable war with NY on the horizon the viewer is left salivating at what’s next to come. It’s also my favorite episode. RIP Frank Vincent

[@kdizzle901]

Employee of the month is one of the best endings

[@Fidozo15]

I wanna add something to the video: The intervention scene sums EVERYTHING in the show and I'll explain. It already stablishes who is everyone: Tony demanding him to sit down already shows who's the boss. Chris questioning Adriana hints the toxicity in the relationship. Carmela saying that he was high at her *mother in law's* wake, and then Tony saying *my mother's wake* tells already she's his wife. Silvio writing something already hints he can take orders, so he's the calm one, and Paulie just insulting him tells he's crazy. The desperation in Chrissy's mom while she says "Good, finally someone will smack some good sense into him" tells you that he always had a toxic life. And everyone beating him around just reminds you that this is a crazy ass show that you should watch

[@nocuh]

“Put universal remote back in docking station”

[@danwalsh6728]

Great List! One the funniest exchange was Paulie and Christopher in Pine Barrens! “Guys an interior decorator “ “His apartment looked like shit”!

[@alextrevino7304]

Adriana confessing to being an informant is one of the best of the whole series.

[@aliensconfirmed3498]

I looked up for meaning of the song Evidently Chickentown town and it said the song is expressing futility through excessive use of profanity. And futility or pointlessness was exactly the same feeling that Phil was expressing there. Not just that but the scene then cuts to Tony and Chris with their broken relationship which is again saying like they tried to work it out but it didn't, everything was futile. These 3 minutes are quite easily the best 3 minutes I have seen on television. It's simply perfect in every aspect.

[@espy0824]

Absolutely wonderful. Thank you for putting this together.

[@maeday6]

Carmella and the therapist scene is the most haunting and fantastic moments in the show. That and Vitos death will always be the most raw, realistic moments to me.

[@traviscoates6878]

In 2008 my girlfriend got me the Sopranos DVD Box Set. The entire series on DVD with the entire soundtrack on 2 separate CD’s. I still listen to that soundtrack today. The music on The Sopranos was superb! Always a great musical choice for the bigger scenes...

[@barringtonbing393]

Excellent choice of defining Sopranos defining scenes. The one scene that highlights the hypocrisy of the mob is the killing of Adriana by Silvio. There's no honour among thieves.

[@FalloutSurvior]

Hypocrisy How?

[@MelanCholy2001]

Ade was a rat. There's no hypocrisy in that: they clipped Pussy for that, and arguably loved Puss more than Chris ever could love Ade.

[@jayjones9225]

Great compilation and analysis of one of the best shows ever

[@senshibarone]

you really describe every scene as i pictured it. And i love how you analyze every word they said or actions they have done :)

[@lisachauvin]

Brilliant compilation. Thank you

[@keldonmcfarland2969]

@7:45 Firstly, she came at Paulie with a chainsaw! He had a right to protect himself. Secondly, that wasn't his kid she was carrying. Thirdly, she wasn't a made man's wife, sister or compare.

[@hotgun2469]

I can't even count how many times I ended an episode of the sopranos, let out a really wide sigh and said to myself, "Wow, that was amazing:"

[@kdizzle901]

So many episodes lol same with The Wire

[@devinpoitras321]

What about the final conversation between Tony and Junior? Can’t believe you left that one out. One of my favorites.

[@jafarohlala9936]

Amazing analysis, a rare treat in Sopranos-youtube! My favorite scene IS in this video, it being Christopher's intervention!

[@joemckim1183]

The best scene ever is Finn at Satriale's telling about Vito.

[@christophernaumann7145]

Catching, not pitching 🙄

[@hankgonzalez6074]

He’s gotta GO!!

[@cousinzeke4888]

AIDS?!

[@hankgonzalez6074]

NOBODY’S GOT AIDS, AND I DON’T WANNA HEAR THAT WORD IN HERE AGAIN!!

[@ricardorivera2047]

Melfi not wanting to treat Tony anymore was huge too. My favorite series of all time.

[@mikes380]

The acting in The Sopranos is all time brilliant

[@chriscash7779]

Solid video!! Do a Part 2. There's a few more I can think of..

[@MrShasakynoch]

God everyone so wanted the Dr to tell Tony what happened to her, who knew how powerful it would be to deny the audiance that, Sopranoes is top quality.

[@mortenkristianhansen-ha6715]

Brilliant! Really enjoyed that

[@rs-hf8mz]

love this great analysis

[@SKREVR]

After Christopher gets his ass kicked at his own intervention he ends up at the hospital and Tony tells the nurse he fell spraying for ants while wearing socks. I think I spit beer out of my nose at the time

[@ryandonovan5205]

Great video buddy the sit-down with Paulie and Ralph is my all-time favorite scene in The Sopranos. Left him sitting outside his house like an a****** 11° weather LOL

[@jamestrickingtonIII]

This was excellent.

[@DeathGrip1202]

I know this is supposed to stir controversy, but I really would have like to see you talk about the episode "college". That episode, the end stuff specifically, was the whole thesis of the show imo

[@davita4436]

Agreed. That early episode made a deliberate point that Tony was not gonna be some comical bad guy, but a cold-blooded criminal able to murder with his bare hands. A horrifying depiction, but a true defining moment for the series,

[@paulasoto126]

Great video!!!

[@quinnrollen]

You nailed it with this video

[@smellsuperb1]

I grew up in Newark New Jersey, which is a heavy heroin use area to this day. Michael imperioli exuded pure addict energy in the intervention scene, so much so that I really thought he was fighting addiction.

[@drewlavay]

Can we get a Ringer Sopranos podcast?

[@mattwallace6873]

Not to be a naysayer about the Paulie-Ralphie sit down but this sets the stage paulie to open up a sewing-circle with John when he's in the can

[@tylerhonsel8136]

Incredible list!

[@HiimFieldy]

this was a awesome video tbf

[@arthurw8054]

Brilliant, thanks.

[@thebatman2837]

Great analysis...

[@bzenga5981]

god every scene here makes me want to slot all 86 sopranos eps into a random number generator and rewatch em, and i only just finished em 2 months ago!

[@zaphyra-]

the narrator sounds like trent reznor

[@guatemalantomcat]

All of the moments u chose were amazing

[@marquesjohnson6359]

I always appreciate videos like these since the sopranos is still one of my favorite shows some defining moments or at least some of the moments that stuck out to me was the whole pine barrens episode that's still comedy gold, when Adriana confessed to being an informant , when it was discovered Vito was gay , when tony ,sil and Paulie killed pussy , when Janice killed Richie because I didn't see it coming , when junior shot tony for the same reason , the epic fight between tony and Carmela at the end of season 4 , when tony killed Ralph , and when livia died because she was such a huge presence on the show on in tony's life

[@ajayyadav6728]

Amazing analysis.

[@chriskelly4477]

Wow ! Fantastic ! Extremely Insightful analysis! Auto- follow & notification

[@zachausler-rawle3773]

The best and most impactful scene in the show for me is Adriana’s death tied in with her fight with Chrissy and his realisation of the “regularness of life” that he would experience if he were to go into the witness protection program outside of the gas station. Long term parking is the best hour of television ever and I would’ve like to see an inclusion, but I understand the premise of this video. Great video at that btw

[@eternalcowboy224]

Yes, Adam, the sacred and the propane. Good eye.

[@adrianberlenbach568]

Great video. But did you know that uncle philly spend 20 years in the can?

[@irishmacky8773]

Without a peep

[@smellsuperb1]

I did not 🤔

[@adamgumushian5468]

the ringer out here trying to get a sopranos popcorn headline, heh heh!

[@polzuy5004]

great video sir

[@ucha10]

Wow great video

[@AustrianCitizen]

What a show.

[@diarrhea_splatter]

These were all great scenes and like with everyone else, there's many more too. Just to show how great this show was

[@MrGittz]

Honestly this list is perfect. The only addition I might make is swapping out “Army of One” with the psychic encounter in “From Where to Eternity”. Or Valentina getting caught on fire in “Test Dream”

[@Haundo421]

I think June paused and cried simply because he does love Tony.

[@yurielcundangan9090]

A certified h00d classic

[@myman8278]

Just finished this show for the first time about a week ago, the shows just too fucking good

[@soxfanization]

The scene of Gloria Trillo as Melfi in the office with Tony still makes me laugh. "To the moon Alice! "Right in the kissa!" Tony spitting out his drink Brilliant!

[@soxfanization]

My favorite season.

[@kenairockband]

I never caught the “poor you” line. Nice one

[@luckylarry71]

I think you've nailed it, and yet the show is so packed with amazingly written and acted beyond reproach, that it is still hard to 100% agree with those 12 as the most deserving of being the absolute top. Although not my favorite, but neverthelss in my opinion worthy of at least the top 10, iwhen Tony was chasing Phil, while the iconic 'Rock the casbah' was blasting from his car. They way how the Clash's lyrics blend with the "shah's" escape attempt is peak commedy for me.

[@jeffreybernstein3628]

love how you bassically admit your just trolling

[@Marshall56781]

Melfi not telling Tony pissed me OFF!!!

[@SolidMikeP]

2:26 the hand holding the chair always gets me

[@singalong535]

???

[@SolidMikeP]

@@singalong535 between his legs, look between his legs when he starting to fall back.

[@frelopermanboy7426]

@@singalong535 do you not see it? Lmfao

[@singalong535]

......Solid Mike, watched again, seen it now ...............thanks 😊

[@trevmac8362]

I went from Saturday Morning Cartoons as a kid to watching The Sopranos as an adult and I didn't realize how desensitized I had become until 10 minutes after Paulie smothered Minn .. I realized i was laughing harder when he killed that old woman than i did when i used to watch Bugs Bunny

[@schrisdellopoulos9244]

No misses here paisan. These are truly some of the most impressive scenes in a TV drama that never failed to impress. You did ask us about "TMSON" though. It is a complete failure, trying to use the present moment in a prequel that was billed as exploring the past. A poetry slam on an episode of The Sopranos? Liotta really playing a twin of a major character who was murdered inexplicably in the first ten minutes? How many tough mafiosis have been killed by bashing their heads on a steering wheel? The last scene, when the payoff is supposed to be that Dickie was whacked by Junior for a minor insult? The dissappointing cast of supposed major characters in their youth reduced to parody? Syl was never supposed to be bald. That trope was already used on Ralphie! It was a horrible movie. We watched it almost three times to see if we were wrong. We weren't. Now pass the red peppers. I got a bet on the Lions. Everyone knows they play every Thanksgiving.

[@Bw899804]

We’re with the vipers

[@mdc1342]

THE GREATEST SHOW OF ALL TIME.

[@davidmansfield5832]

My favorite scene is the ending of the episode where at Satureles the crew an f agent Harris hear a car accident and react in summary by saying " look at this asshole" and resume their meeting

[@PYRO-ON]

Great 👍🏻 stuff….U DEFINITELY EARNED UR MONIKER “The Ringer” ……great vid….very allegorical! Ohhhhh!

[@movieman6456]

That Virgin Mary scene too. Gives me the heeby jeebies. Also the “I get it” is one of the most haunting depictions of perverted enlightenment I’ve seen.

[@king_supreme1102]

Idk why they made it out like they weren’t picking popular scenes. Many of these are some of the most memorable of the series lmao

[@2kbk926]

Historically, Borko always said the Ringer is nothing more than a glorified crew.

[@smoogy2164]

I'm surprised you didn't make the connection between the Paulie/Ralphie sit-down and Paulie suffocating the old broad? He did that because the poor financial results from the sit-down jeopardized keeping his mom at Green Grove.

[@chriskelly4477]

Oh the lone Manor with the voice of Meadow in the trees and the dark figure at the door....SCARY !

[@rightknowledgeman]

The episode Paulie thought the floor was a remote control docking station

[@smellsuperb1]

The scene where confused Junior gets kicked out of the former mob hangout was filmed on Grove Street in Newark near the Irvington border. You can see the old Pabst brewery in the background.

[@budnbob08]

My favorite scene is when Tony tells Carmella he likes his orange juice with “no pulp” not “some pulp”. And I’m not joking that’s how much I love the show. 2nd favorite..evidently chickentown..majesterial

[@terryhaircastle5702]

Anyone else like Boardwalk Empire? For me it provided some decent closeness to the magic of Sopranos, feeling authentic and gritty - with dashes of Buscemi's comedic talent thrown in which lift it exactly when and as needed

[@orourkeda]

Whitecaps is the best episode. There was a brief glimpse where he punches the wall where it looked like she was ACTUALLY afraid of him

[@JonathanJVela]

Is this the best KZbin video ever made?

[@bigdaddychacha]

I agree with most of the list, except the final entry. That scene, and most of that episode with the Vegas and drugs and all with Tony, well…I, unlike Tony, did not get it. I strongly agree with the Junior nature documentary/dementia scene, the Phil Leotardo speech scene, and the Employee of the Month ending line, however. All three of those scenes still give me goosebumps and your analysis was spot on.

[@singalong535]

One of my personal favourites is when Johnny Sack goes to see Big Carmine about ordering a hit on Ralphie because of his offensive remark about his wife.

[@ishshah31]

You never had the makings of a varsity athlete

[@toolbag-sy9ij]

I didn't see anything in "many saints" that came close to the best show ever made. I'd rather watch the episode "christopher" than the prequel movie again.

[@TheTriforce100]

There's a scene after AJ gets suspended for vandalizing the school where Tony makes 2 big ice cream sundaes for him and AJ. On my 2nd watch through I couldn't help but think how ignoring his own issues and letting AJ's troubles slide without confronting the real problems. They both end up dead.

[@thesaintkimo]

Does AJ end up dead?

[@blacki4268]

"IT WAS A JOKE"-Vito dancing in a gay club

[@nighthawkviper6791]

Sopranos, Ray Donovan, The Wire, Boardwalk Empire = Best Television