Sonny Corinthos Connie Corleone, which is alluded to in Kate Howard's real name, Connie Falconeri. Similarities have also been noted between Sonny and Tony Soprano from "The Sopranos" and the characters that surround them both. Vincent Pastore, who portrayed Big Pussy Bonpensiero on "The Sopranos", came on the show to portray Maximus Giambetti, father of Sonny's bodyguards Milo Giambetti and Max Giambetti. Benard has described Sonny as "unpredictable," and stated that: "You never know from one second to the next what he is thinking, feeling or planning. He's a man in personal conflict who maintains an outward appearance of calm at all
The Sopranos (season 2) Bark of "Dallas Morning News" wrote, "[It] could be the best TV series of our times. Not for everyone, no. But for what it is, The Sopranos is near magical." Steve Johnson of the "Chicago Tribune" praised the series for accurately portraying human communication, observing how the show reveals "matters of the greatest consequence stem from misunderstandings and misinterpretations." Eric Mink of "The New York Times" wrote of the show's unique writing and multifaceted characters: "The Sopranos remains a showcase for ferociously distinctive writing, inventive direction and brilliant portrayals of surprisingly, even disturbingly, sympathetic multilayered characters by a perfectly cast