The Sopranos (season 1) latter site reporting the critical consensus as, ""The Sopranos" smartly runs an emotional gamut, offering detailed character work and riveting suspense while displaying a flair for both comedy and drama." James Gandolfini was widely hailed for his performance, with Ken Tucker of "Entertainment Weekly" praising his "magnificently shrewd, wary performance" as Tony Soprano. "Deseret News" expressed approval for the show's clear insight into the "modern incarnations of family and mortality and ambition." Marvin Kitman of "Newsday" wrote, "It's a great show, the best new series of the year. It's so - dare I say it? - original. It catches you
Whitecaps (The Sopranos) "Entertainment Weekly" placed "Whitecaps" #3 on their list of the 10 greatest "The Sopranos" episodes; "TIME" placed it at #4. Whitecaps (The Sopranos) "Whitecaps" is the 52nd episode of the HBO television series "The Sopranos", and the 13th and final episode of the show's fourth season. Written by the series creator/executive producer David Chase, and executive producers Robin Green, and Mitchell Burgess, it was directed by longtime series director John Patterson and originally aired in the United States on December 8, 2002. The episode attracted 12.5 million viewers and is regarded by multiple critics as one of the series' best.