DID YOU CATCH THAT GREAT NEW SHOW?

HBO has been making fantastic series television for the last several years. People mourned the passing of Sex and the City just two weeks ago, but never fear because a brilliant brand new series just premiered last night. It’s called The Sopranos, and damn that’s good television. I must admit, though … it seemed oddly familiar, almost as if I already knew these characters. Some of the events (such as the surprise appearance of an unexpected wild animal in the backyard, not that bears and ducks are that similar) gave me some slight deja-vu as well. There was some other program on HBO, I think, but it was so long ago, I’m not quite sure. And this show last night most definitely was like a pilot episode. We had time to acquaint ourselves with each of the characters and to set-up a bunch of situations which I suppose will play out over the course of this season. Plus I’ve never heard of anyone named Jamie-Lynn Discala, so I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen her name in the credits before. It is nice to see Doogie Howser’s little buddy back on the tube, though. And I must admit that when the catchy theme song started, this feeling of anticipation and excitement bubbled-up in me that also made me think I knew about the show, but no … no. A pilot it most definitely was.

The best thing about this show is that the great recap site Television Without Pity has once again assigned Aaron (not me) to write their recaps Sopranos recaps. You’ll have to wait until the end of the week, maybe even early next Sunday, before he gets it up, but Aaron (still not me) covers most of the HBO dramas for TWoP, and he’s often as entertaining as the shows themselves. And that’s saying something.

(UPDATE: Jean-Paul at low culture has some “water-cooler thoughts” that really sum-up the entire episode. I second the one about Curb Your Enthusiasm. It gets better every week.)