The Sopranos premiered on HBO in the United States on January 10, 1999. HBO ran the six seasons totalling 86 episodes until June 10, 2007. Broadcast syndication followed in the United States and internationally. "The Sopranos" was produced by HBO, Chase Films, and Brad Grey Television. It was primarily filmed at Silvercup Studios, New York City, and on location in New Jersey. The executive producers throughout the whole run were David Chase, Brad Grey, Robin Green, Mitchell Burgess, Ilene S. Landress, Terence Winter, and Matthew Weiner. "The Sopranos" is widely regarded as one of the greatest television series of all time. The
Quality television television critics argued were "quality television", such as "The Sopranos". Claims that television programs are of higher quality include a number of subjective evaluations and value judgements. For example, Robert J. Thompson's claim that "quality television" programs include "...a quality pedigree, a large ensemble cast, a series memory, creation of a new genre through recombination of older ones, self-consciousness, and pronounced tendencies toward the controversial and the realistic" includes a number of subjective evaluations. The criteria for "quality television" set out by the US group Viewers for Quality Television ("A quality show is something we anticipate...[it] focuses more on relationships...[and]