The Most Self Aware Sopranos Character According To Fans
It's been over a decade since the Soprano family dinner at Holsten's cut to black, but the HBO series is still being hailed as one of the greatest shows of all time (via Esquire). There are many reasons for this coveted title, from suspenseful plot lines to riveting mob hits. But one reason stands above the rest — the simultaneously likeable and hateable characters.
Throughout the series, several characters experience drastic shifts in personality as they attempt to discover themselves. Examples include made man Christopher Moltisanti (Michael Imperioli), who has dreams of making it big in Hollywood, and Janice Soprano (Aida Turturro), who transitions from stealing the prosthetic leg of her mother's home nurse to dating a devout Christian with narcolepsy (Turk Pipkin).
However, while it is certainly true that a variety of characters change throughout the series, there is one particular character who fans feel is pretty consistent from beginning to end. In fact, many Reddit users agree that, out of all the characters on the series, this one is the most self aware.
Fans think Tony Soprano is the most self aware character on the series
"The Sopranos" largely focuses on Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) as the infamous mob boss navigates two very different, but equally important, families. In addition to his home family, composed of his wife, Carmela (Edie Falco), and children, A.J. (Robert Iler) and Meadow (Jamie-Lynn Sigler), Tony must also seek to juggle time with the DiMeo crime family, an infamous group of New Jersey mobsters he has worked with for several decades.
As a mobster, it's no secret that Tony has more than his fair share of flaws. He regularly cheats on Carmela, murders anyone who gets in his way, and has no problem doling out violence wherever he deems it necessary. However, most of the time, Tony is fully aware of his dark side and never tries to be something he's not.
On Reddit, u/PunterProggie called attention to a line said by Tony to therapist Dr. Jennifer Melfi (Lorraine Bracco) in Season 4, Episode 11 ("Calling All Cars"). In the episode, Tony is unafraid to take an honest look in the mirror. "Come on, I'm a fat f****** crook from New Jersey," Tony says.
Though it's a blunt description of our protagonist, it's a point that few would likely argue with. Indeed, other Reddit users on the same thread appeared to be in wide agreement. U/AcceptableLeading649 even responded, "In a show full of characters lying to themselves and each other, was this the most honest line of the show?"