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
The Sopranos meaning that people who were included in the ratings estimates were actually watching HBO channels other than the main one on which "The Sopranos" aired. Many critics have asserted that "The Sopranos" is the greatest and most groundbreaking television series of all time. The writing, acting, and directing have often been singled out for praise. The show has also received considerable attention from critics and journalists for its mature and artistic content, technical merit, music selections, cinematography, and willingness to deal with difficult and controversial subjects including crime, family, gender roles, mental illness, and American and Italian American culture. "The