When it comes to first-rate television series,David Chase’sThe Sopranosreigns supreme and is known for redefining the small-screen with its ingenious writing, outstanding performances, and unforgettable characters who fans came to know and love like dysfunctional members of their families. Throughout the show’s six-season run, the showrunners kept viewers on their toes with unexpected twists and the all-star cast delivered award-worthy performances that stand to be some of television’s finest in history.
Like any other dramatic show or movie, there are bound to be moments of unsettling intensity and suspense that pull the viewers to the edge of their seats, andThe Sopranosis one show that is far from short on intense episodes. With iconic episodes such as Season 2, Episode 13, “Funhouse,” Season 3, Episode 4, “Employee of the Month,” and Season 1, Episode 12, “Isabella,” these are the ten most intense episodes ofThe Sopranos.
The Sopranos
10"Amour Fou"
Season 3, Episode 12
Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) has his fair share of gumads, but Gloria Trillo (Annabella Sciorra) takes the cake as the mob boss' most toxic gumad, who pushes Tony to the extreme. After an erratic outburst, Tony agrees to give Gloria a second chance in Season 3, Episode 12, “Amour Fou,” but when Tony’s wife, Carmela (Edie Falco), visits the car dealership where Gloria works, she crosses a serious line when she offers to give Carmela a ride home.
When an angry Tony confronts her and ends their relationship, Gloria can’t let it go and, after convincing Tony to come to her place later that night, an intense altercation ensues between the two that is full of unwavering suspense. The fight between Tony and Gloria is brutal and puts viewers on edge as Tony tosses her around like a rag doll who refuses to surrender.Despite Tony trying to leave, Gloria’s threats and accusations only escalate his rage, revealing to viewers for the first time that Tony’s wrath does not discriminate against women, especially those who threaten to destroy his life and family.
9"Isabella"
Season 1, Episode 12
As tensions continue to rise between Tony and his uncle, Junior Soprano (Dominic Chianese), audiences are aware that Uncle June is planning to take against his nephew, who he discovers has secretly been calling the shots behind his back. In Season 1, Episode 12, “Isabella,” their unspoken feud reaches a boiling point as a dazed and disconnected Tony soon finds himself in a serious life or death situation.
The first attempt on Tony’s life in “Isabella” only lasts a few seconds, but for fans, it feels like a lifetime as Tony is not only outnumbered but also unarmed and completely caught off guard. Miraculously, Tony manages to escape with only a minor wound, but between him being surrounded on both sides of his car and then struggling to disarm the gunman hanging out his window, “Isabella” is easily one episode that causes audiences to unknowingly hold their breath in anticipation.
8"Whoever Did This"
Season 4, Episode 9
Season 4, Episode 9, “Whoever Did This,” has two specifically intense moments that involve Ralph Cifarreto (Joe Pantoliano), who is already skating on thin ice with Tony. When Ralphie’s son is seriously injured in a freak accident, the sadistic mobster’s emotions run high and, at one point, he goes after his ex-wife and her husband, as well as his son’s friend, who is literally a child. Things only get worse between Tony and Ralphie after Tony’s beloved race horse, Pie-O-My, dies after a sudden fire at the stables.
Whether Ralphie was or wasn’t responsible for Pie-O-My’s demise isone of the most plausibleSopranosfan theories, but Tony is blinded by his emotions and, after everything Ralphie had done up to that point, Pie-O-My’s death is the final straw for him. When Tony arrives at Ralphie’s house to tell him about Pie-O-My, their calm discussion soon turns into a fight to the death as the two men rumble in the kitchen, grabbing whatever is nearby to defend themselves.The wild altercation ends with Tony killing Ralphie, and even though it’s obvious that Ralphie could never overpower Tony, their fight is without a doubt one of the most intense in the series.
7"College"
Season 1, Episode 5
In Season 1, Episode 5, “College,” Tony goes on a weekend trip with his daughter, Meadow (Jamie-Lynn Sigler), to look at potential colleges when he spots a former associate, Febby Petrulio (Tony Ray Rossi), who flipped and went into the witness protection program. While Tony tries to confirm Petrulio’s identity, Petrulio eventually catches on that someone is after him, leading to a tedious game of cat and mouse that ends in bloodshed.
Between Tony trying to keep Meadow in the dark and the mob boss waiting for the opportune moment to strike, “College” has a constant level of suspense that alters the entire tone and trajectory of the show.The intensity of the episode gradually builds with each passing moment until it comes to a gripping encounter that marks the first time fans witness Tony kill someone. Like any other show about mobsters, Tony killing someone isn’t that much of a surprise, but the gruesome method he chooses makes for a slow and agonizing death that leaves even some fans short of breath.
6"Employee of the Month"
Season 3, Episode 4
There are a select few episodes ofThe Sopranosthat are difficult to watch for many fans and Season 3, Episode 4, “Employee of the Month,” is one of the show’s most volatile and intense episodesinvolving Tony’s psychiatrist, Dr. Jennifer Melfi (Lorraine Bracco). While Melfi is walking through her office’s parking garage after work, she is attacked by an unknown man who viciously rapes her, leaving her battered and bruised in the garage’s stairwell.
The sexual assault on Melfi is absolutely ruthless and incredibly difficult for fans to watch and even though the scene is riddled with intensity, the real anxiety presents itself after Melfi’s attacker gets off due to a procedure technicality. Faced with the harsh reality that her attacker won’t have to pay for his crime, fans are suspended in a gray area as Melfi debates about telling Tony what happened. By the end of the episode, an opportunity presents itself for Melfi to confide in her patient, and with a deafening silence inciting an unbearable level of suspense, she eventually decides not to cross that professional line.
5"The Blue Comet"
Season 6, Episode 20
In any solid gangster series, bloodshed and murder are inevitable and even though fans had become accustomed to this by the show’s final season, Season 6, Episode 20, “The Blue Comet” is an intense bloodbath that leaves the fate of Tony’s crew hanging in the balance. At this point, the relationship between Jersey and New York has gone way south and as each crew strategizes their next move, the body count rises at every turn.
By the time Tony tries to warn everyone to go to their safe houses, it’s unfortunately too late, forcing fans to wallow in heart-pounding anticipation as they wait for what comes next. While the entire episode is a hell of a nail-biter, the tragic death of Bobby Baccalieri (Steve Schirripa) in the train store is a devastating blow and one of the saddest deaths in the entire series.Since “The Blue Comet” is the second to last episode of the series, the level of the episode’s intensity is off the charts, leaving a lasting impression on fans that ultimately makes it one of the show’s most intense.
4"Funhouse"
Season 2, Episode 13
By season 2, fans are aware that Salvatore “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero (Vincent Pastore) has flipped and become an FBI informant to avoid a lengthy prison sentence for dealing heroin. Pussy’s senseless choice cuts deep for fans and is hands downone of the show’s most brutal betrayals. Even though viewers know the fate that awaits him, the moments leading up to Pussy’s death in Season 2, Episode 13, “Funhouse,” are some of the show’s most grueling and tedious.
Once Tony confirms that Big Pussy flipped and has been wearing a wire, he lures him out of the house under the notion that he wants him and the guys to look at a boat he’s thinking about buying. It’s apparent that Big Pussy knows what they’re really going to do and, as he follows in a nervous silence, it feels like a never-ending perp walk to the gallows. Instead of just whacking him and getting it over with, Tony, Paulie (Tony Sirico), and Silvio (Steven Van Zandt)drag the moment out, confronting their best friend and shifting between what they know needs to happen and what they don’t want to do, making Big Pussy’s final moments an intense form of torture.
3"Made in America"
Season 6, Episode 21
The show’s final episode, Season 6, Episode 21, “Made in America,” is among the most controversial series finales in television history and, even today, is still largely discussed among fans. While many fans are divided over the fate of Tony Soprano, the final scene in the episode slowly builds up to a climatic moment that never comes and instead ends with an unforgettable and intense farewell to the Soprano family. As Tony sits and waits for his family to arrive at Holsten’s, several people pass through the diner’s doors asJourney’sDon’t Stop Believin’plays in the background.
The camera pans back and forth between the crowd of customers and Tony’s table, hyping viewers up to an intolerable emotion of suspense and adrenaline that is quickly snuffed out with an iconic cut to black. Despite some outrage and shock, Chase brilliantly maps out the final scene to the smallest detail, presenting several potential clues and hints that allow viewers to come up with their own opinion about Tony’s fate, ultimately making it not onlyone of the most iconic series finales, but also a top-tierSopranos' episode full of unwavering intensity and uncertainty.
2"Long Term Parking"
Season 5, Episode 12
Season 5, Episode 12, “Long Term Parking,” isone of the saddestSopranosepisodesanda mind-numbing rollercoaster ride of intolerable suspense and intensity that tragically ends with the death of Adriana La Cerva(Drea de Matteo). Prior to the episode, the FBI had backed Adriana into a corner that forced her to cooperate with them in an effort to stay out of prison. Even though fans knew that Adriana would most likely end up six-feet under, no one expected her demise to be orchestrated in such a cold and inhumane manner.
The intensity of the episode reaches a pivotal point when Adriana makes the fatal decision to tell her fiancé, Christopher Moltasanti (Michael Imperioli), that she has been talking to the Feds, which results in Chrissy brutally beating her and almost killing her. Despite agreeing to leave with her, Chrissy soon realizes he can’t live a normal, average life and, instead, exploits the situation to earn points with Tony. As Silvio picks Adriana up under the false pretense that Chrissy tried to kill himself, it’s obvious that Silvio isn’t driving to the hospital and his empty words only exacerbate the unsettling situation that keeps fans guessing his next move.
1"Whitecaps"
Season 4, Episode 13
Throughout the show, Tony’s wife, Carmela, endures constant deception, manipulation, and betrayal from her husband, who, without hesitation, continues to put his selfish needs and desires above his wife and family. While Carmela somehow finds a way to get past most of his bullsh*t,she finally reaches her breaking point in Season 4, Episode 13, “Whitecaps,” when Tony’s infidelity hits way too close to home, resulting in the show’s most intense episode.
When Tony’s ex-gumad, Irinia (Oksana Lada) drunk dials his house and AJ (Robert Iler) answers, Carmela picks up and is rightfully upset, but her anger turns into complete hysteria once Irina informs her that Tony slept with her cousin, Svetlana (Alla Kliouka), who Carmela had met when she cared for Tony’s mother (Nancy Marchand). Once Tony arrives home to a hysterical and fed-up Carmela, the husband and wife have an intensely heated argument, essentially changing the entire course and dynamic of the couple’s relationship.
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