The Sopranos (The Sopranos episode) not be picked up by HBO and, in that case, planned to ask the network for additional money to shoot another 45 minutes and turn it into a feature film. Chase was also pressured by another, completely new development deal offered to him by another network, which he kept postponing until he heard HBO's verdict on "The Sopranos". Right before Christmas of 1997, David Chase received a phone call and learned that HBO did like the pilot and ordered a full season, all of which happened about two hours before the deadline for accepting the other network's deal. Chase was
The Sopranos a spec script for the series "Mad Men" in 2000. The script was passed on to Chase who was so impressed that he immediately offered Weiner a job as a writer for "The Sopranos". 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. Other writers included Frank Renzulli, Todd A. Kessler (co-creator of "Damages"), writing team Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider (worked with Chase on "Northern Exposure"), and Lawrence Konner,