The Sopranos his familywife Carmela, daughter Meadow, son A. J., and mother Liviawith those of the Mafia family he controls. Because he is prone to bouts of clinical depression, after a fainting spell (triggered by a panic attack), Tony's physician refers him for treatment from psychiatrist Dr. Jennifer Melfi (Lorraine Bracco), in the show's first episode. She treats Tony to the best of her ability despite the fact that they routinely clash over various issues. Melfi is usually thoughtful, rational and humane—a stark contrast to Tony's personality. Tony, a serial womanizer, occasionally divulges his sexual attraction to Dr. Melfi; Melfi harbors some
The Sopranos popular culture of the last quarter century." In 2007, Roger Holland of PopMatters wrote, "the debut season of "The Sopranos" remains the crowning achievement of American television." "Time Out New York" 's Andrew Johnston had high praise for the series, stating: "Together, Chase and his fellow writers (including Terence Winter and "Mad Men" creator Matthew Weiner) produced the legendary Great American Novel, and its 86 episodes long." Johnston asserted the preeminence of "The Sopranos" as opposed to "The Wire" and "Deadwood" in a debate with television critics Alan Sepinwall and Matt Zoller Seitz, both of whom would later include "The