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 pilot episode which was shot in 1997. Chase directed it himself. They finished the pilot and showed it to HBO executives, but the show was put on hold for several months. During this time, Chase considered asking HBO for additional funding to shoot 45 more minutes of footage and release "The Sopranos" as a feature film. In December 1997, HBO decided to produce the series and ordered 12 more episodes for a 13-episode season. The show premiered on HBO on January 10, 1999 with the pilot episode. "The Sopranos" was the second hour-long television drama series produced by HBO, the