The Sopranos debuted in 1999 and quickly became appointment TV. David Chase's most-see crime drama follows New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano as he runs his illegal enterprise (or, as he calls it, 'waste management business') and juggles his family commitments.
Now, thanks to video on demand, you no longer have to make an appointment. With all six seasons currently available on Max and Hulu, here are the ten best episodes of The Sopranos to watch right now. Although, to be honest, all 86 episodes are unmissable.
And if you're a fan of prestige dramas, make sure to read our list of ten best Sopranos episodes — according to us, at least, and picked from the pool of episodes that have an 8/10 or higher on IMDb.
Whoever Did This (Season 4, Episode 9)
The death of Ralphie Ciffaretto (Joe Pantoliano) was long overdue. In this episode, he finally gets whacked, and it couldn't happen to a more obnoxious guy. It's graphic, too. Tony bashes his skull before cutting it off and disposing of the corpse. That's what you get for messing with Tony's horse Pie-O-My.
Made in America (Season 6, Episode 21)
Made in America is best known for its audacious ending. Tony and his family are eating in a diner when the screen suddenly cuts to black, leaving viewers to fill in the gaps. The Sopranos creator David Chase was involved in all aspects of production, but he only simultaneously wrote and directed two episodes. Those were the pilot, and the show finale, bookending the show perfectly.
The Test Dream (Season 5, Episode 11)
Dream sequences are often divisive. There's the tendency for viewers to dismiss them as meaningless, but The Sopranos has never been shy about examining Tony's psyche. This episode is the most unhinged dream sequence in the show, featuring 20 uninterrupted minutes of eerie imagery, cameos from dead characters, and Tony riding a horse through a living room.
Funhouse (Season 2, Episode 13)
The first major death in the show sees Salvatore 'Big Pussy' Bonpensiero whacked by his long-time friends Tony, Silvio and Paulie. There's a heavy reluctance as the men drive Bonpensiero out to sea and share one final drink together before Tony confronts him about accusations he's an FBI informant and shoots him. His body is then weighted down and thrown into the ocean.
The Knight in White Satin Armor (Season 2, Episode 12)
Janice shoots Richie in one of the biggest twists in Sopranos history. Viewers had been thinking if anyone's going to take him out, it would be Tony. Either that or he'd reluctantly accept him into the family following his impending marriage with Janice, so what happens took millions by surprise. This episode was directed by Alan Taylor, who also helmed the 2021 prequel film The Many Saints of Newark.
Employee of the Month (Season 3, Episode 4)
Tony's ever-patient therapist Dr. Melfi is herself the subject of this standout season three episode. When she's assaulted, Melfi asks Tony to help her get justice and enact revenge. He's more than happy to do so, for once putting his life-learned skills and inherent, almost instinctive violence to positive use. It speaks to the show's strength that any one of its characters could sustain an entire episode.
University (Season 3, Episode 6)
Ralph viciously murders stripper Tracee when he discovers she's pregnant with his child, ultimately setting his whacking in motion. However the episode focuses more on the impact on Tony who feels guilty at not being able to safeguard someone in his protection. He grapples with the failure later during therapy when he tells Dr. Melfi of a 'workplace accident'.
Whitecaps (Season 4, Episode 13)
Not every episode of The Sopranos is written by the same team, but you can bet it's good when certain names crop up. This one has the strongest roster of Green, Burgess, Patterson, and Chase, who together pen an emotional commentary on domestic dispute. When Carmela throws Tony out of the house for yet more extramarital activity, the two lay their feelings bare in a raw encounter that showcases James Gandolfini and Edie Falco's impeccable acting skills.
Pine Barrens (Season 3, Episode 10)
One of the most memed episodes in the show's history, Pine Barrens is a black comedy with shades of the Coen brother's Fargo. It follows Chris and Paulie as they incompetently hunt in the snowy woods for a Russian gangster they tried and failed to kill, all the while bickering with each other and half freezing to death. Steve Buscemi did such a good job of directing this episode he later joined the show as a member of the cast.
College (Season 1, Episode 5)
Tony is revealed as the ruthless killer he is in episode five of the first season when, during a father/daughter tour of prospective colleges, he crosses paths with an informant in witness protection and brutally strangles them. In Alex Gibney's 2024 documentary David Chase: Wise Guy and The Sopranos, Chase reveals he was warned by producers not to show Tony getting his hands dirty for fear of making his lead irredeemable. Chase argued, however, it would be irredeemable for a mob boss to encounter a rat and not immediately whack them.
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