The Sopranos hardly needs an introduction at this point. Debuting over two decades ago and finishing its six-season run over 15 years ago, it’s widely considered among the greatest TV shows of all time. It was the first big hit for HBO, and elevated the medium of television as a whole, helping to kickstart a golden age of TV by influencing many of the biggest and best dramas of the early 21st century.
It centers on a middle-aged mobster/family man named Tony Soprano and the various difficulties he has balancing his family and “business” duties. Just about all of its 86 episodes are great, but the following Sopranos episodes represent the cream of the crop, being the show’s highest-rated hours, according to IMDb user ratings.
- Release Date
- January 10, 1999
- Creator
- Seasons
- 6
- Studio
30 “D-Girl” – Season 2, Episode 7 (2000)
IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
A Season 2 episode of The Sopranos that ends up being surprisingly important as the seasons go on (at least for one character), “D-Girl” largely concerns Christopher finding an interest in screenwriting and the movie business. It sheds further light on how much of an idiot Christopher can be while also allowing for some cameos, most notably Jon Favreau appearing as himself.
But “D-Girl” is also important in furthering drama within Tony’s family, mostly relating to his son, AJ, going through a rebellious streak, and conflict within Tony’s work life, with Big Pussy’s role as an FBI informant becoming increasingly dangerous and negatively impactful upon his life. It’s an ideal mid-season episode, pushing things forward a little, having some time to introduce certain new ideas, and continually hinting at a dramatic climax to come by the season’s end.
29 “Stage 5” – Season 6, Episode 14 (2007)
IMDb Rating: 8.8/10
“Stage 5” is a generally well-regarded episode, cracking the top 30 when going by IMDb ratings, and standing as the final episode of one important side character. But it’s also possible to call the Sopranos episode a bit underrated, perhaps overshadowed by some of the flashier and (even more) dramatic episodes that are placed within the final season of the show.
Funnily enough, it’s an episode that relates to “D-Girl” and Christopher’s desire to go into filmmaking, considering part of “Stage 5” concerns the premiere of his ridiculous mob-themed horror movie, “Cleaver.” Tensions keep building between Tony and Phil’s crews, with Johnny Sack’s continued absence – and experience in jail – continuing to make things worse for the “peace” between crews. It’s strong stuff overall, and an essential piece of the fantastic second half of Season 6 (which was split into two, with 6A airing in 2006, and 6B airing in 2007).
28 “Mayham” – Season 6, Episode 3 (2006)
IMDb Rating: 8.8/10
In “Mayham,” things play out in both a dream world and reality, with Tony being stuck in the former (seeing as he’s in a coma), and everyone else floundering in the latter. An already strained crew is struggling, in many ways, without Tony being there as a leader, prompting Silvio to start considering whether he has what it takes to step up, should Tony die (spoiler alert: he doesn’t).
Tony’s continued journeys through a dream world continue to be compelling. It’s not always easy to understand what’s happening here in a straightforward way, but it’s emotionally hard-hitting and eerie, especially when Tony arrives at an ominous house that could well be a gateway to some kind of afterlife. He’s ultimately pulled back from the brink, and re-enters a world that stays chaotic from this point until the very end of the show’s final season.
27 “Unidentified Black Males” – Season 5, Episode 9 (2004)
IMDb Rating: 8.8/10
With Steve Buscemi, Frank Vincent, and various others joining the cast of The Sopranos during Season 5, it’s one point in the show’s run when there’s a particularly high number of legendary gangster movie/TV actors appearing. And Buscemi and Vincent – playing Tony Blundetto and Phil Leotardo – are key players in the main conflict this season, revolving around ongoing clashes between the New Jersey and New York crews.
“Unidentified Black Males” features an escalation in this conflict, but retains some feeling of being the calm before the true storm, with things reaching a higher intensity in the last four episodes of Season 5. Outside that storyline, this episode is also a significant one for the character of Vito, who begins an arc here that continues into the first half of Season 6… and a storyline that does, admittedly, wrap up with ties to the gang war narrative.
26 “Nobody Knows Anything” – Season 1, Episode 11 (1999)
IMDb Rating: 8.8/10
Sure, most of the truly shocking episodes of The Sopranos happen later in the series than in Season 1, but “Nobody Knows Anything” is pretty alarming by the standards of that first season. It’s the third-last episode of said season, and a good deal of the drama here revolves around the notion that there is a traitor within Tony’s crew who could be working as an informant for law enforcement.
The idea that informing is something that results in death is well-established here, and it’s a brutal way of life in the mafia that continues to be upheld and enforced as The Sopranos progresses along. There are some fairly big consequences as a result of the revelations discovered in “Nobody Knows Anything,” both for this episode/season and the entire show as a whole.
25 “Mr. & Mrs. John Sacrimoni Request” – Season 6, Episode 5 (2006)
IMDb Rating: 8.8/10
An episode largely revolving around the somewhat tragic and quotable Johnny Sack, “Mr. & Mrs. John Sacrimoni Request” centers on his temporary release from prison to attend the wedding of his daughter. Given its placement in the final season of The Sopranos, tensions are running high among numerous characters who are also invited to the wedding, with the event allowing plenty of people to clash and gossip in equal measure.
It’s also an episode that’s notable for featuring Vito, a member of Tony’s crew, having to go on the run after being outed as gay, which is looked down upon within the mafia lifestyle the characters all live. Also, “Mr. & Mrs. John Sacrimoni Request” is one of four episodes directed by Steve Buscemi (who also acted on the show), with Buscemi being behind the camera for one episode per season, between Seasons 3 and 6.
24 “Full Leather Jacket” – Season 2, Episode 8 (2000)
IMDb Rating: 8.8/10
One of many savage episodes of The Sopranos to revolve around a bitter (and eventually violent) feud, “Full Leather Jacket” might sound lightweight stakes-wise on paper, but it builds tension that proves explosive throughout the second season’s second half. Richie Aprile was always volatile, but he seems extra keen to make enemies in this episode, and feels slighted when Tony rejects a gift of his.
Elsewhere, “Full Leather Jacket” proves eventful, too, with subplots surrounding Meadow dealing with college admission and Christopher taking significant steps in both the relationship and business sides of his life. It’s also an episode that concludes with a rather shocking act of violence that’s then dealt with and resolved in the next episode, making “Full Leather Jacket” feel a bit like the first part of a double episode. On the topic of the second part…
23 “From Where to Eternity” – Season 2, Episode 9 (2000)
IMDb Rating: 8.8/10
“From Where to Eternity” picks up right where “Full Leather Jacket” left off, with Christopher in a coma following an attempt made on his life. It has a tremendous effect on Christopher, obviously, but also shakes things up for the people in his life, with (now fiancée) Adriana in great distress, and Tony feeling vengeful, wanting to track down who was responsible for almost killing his nephew.
On top of this, it’s also a significant episode within Big Pussy’s arc, as he’s continually fearful about his status as an FBI informer being discovered, and sees Tony’s lust for revenge as a way to get close to him once more. “From Where to Eternity” is a great episode with a title that also references a great movie, perhaps in a similar way to its aforementioned sister episode/part 1, with that one’s title being reminiscent of a certain Stanley Kubrick movie.
22 “Walk Like a Man” – Season 6, Episode 17 (2007)
IMDb Rating: 8.9/10
It’s always bittersweet getting into the second half of The Sopranos’ final season, given it means the groundbreaking crime/drama/dark comedy series is coming to an inevitable end. The fact it’s ending is the bitter part, but the sweet part is that many of the show’s best episodes are contained within its final block of episodes, with “Walk Like a Man” exemplifying this well.
It’s not as striking when it comes to things like plot twists or big events, unlike some other great episodes from near the show’s end, but it does continually build drama between Paulie and Christopher, and also touches upon Tony’s son, A.J., beginning to struggle with the same sort of depression Tony himself has been going to therapy for. It’s all-around high-quality stuff, and a key part of making Season 6B of The Sopranos as good as it ultimately is.
21 “The Strong, Silent Type” – Season 4, Episode 10 (2002)
IMDb Rating: 8.9/10
With a title that famously references Gary Cooper, “The Strong, Silent Type” is one of the most eventful episodes of The Sopranos’ fourth season, which is overall known for being one of the quieter and more character-focused seasons of the show, at least by its standards. Narratively, it’s an episode split between two main threads: one concerns the aftermath of a murder in the previous episode, and the other revolves around Christopher’s drug addiction and intervention.
The intervention scene is an iconic one, being tense and darkly funny in equal measure, given everyone there is too flawed as a person to handle a thing like an intervention with nuance and empathy. Like most of the show as a whole, the writing and acting on offer in “The Strong, Silent Type” are remarkably strong, and it’s an overall highlight of Season 4 of The Sopranos.
20 “College” – Season 1, Episode 5 (1999)
IMDb Rating: 8.9/10
There’s a case to be made that Season 1’s “College” is among the most shocking episodes of The Sopranos, despite it not containing any plot twists or major character deaths. It’s a surprising episode for its time, as it broke ground by showing its protagonist, Tony Soprano, murder another man in cold blood, which wasn’t something most so-called protagonists on television ever really did.
The episode revolves around Tony taking his daughter, Meadow, around to see various colleges she might attend one day, only for him to spot an ex-associate who went into hiding after snitching on Tony and his crew. Due to the mafia’s no-tolerance policy of such people, Tony has to find the time to kill this man, all the while doing so without his daughter noticing. It’s tense, brutal, and engrossing, perfectly meshing the family drama and crime-drama sides of the show into one excellent episode.
19 “Soprano Home Movies” – Season 6, Episode 13 (2007)
IMDb Rating: 9.0/10
Like another great TV show from the 21st century, Breaking Bad, The Sopranos split its final season into two halves to great effect. Its sixth and final season was technically Seasons 6A and 6B, with the former airing in 2006, and the latter airing in 2007. Season 6B – the stronger of the two halves – kicked off brilliantly with the quietly devastating “Soprano Home Movies.”
Its central plot sees Tony and Carmela joining Tony’s sister, Janice, and her husband, Bobby Baccalieri, at a cabin for a retreat, only for conflict to explode between Tony and Bobby. “Soprano Home Movies” uses its unique (and confined) setting to great effect, being one of the most visually compelling episodes of the show, and featuring a memorably haunting and emotional ending; perhaps one of the most heartbreaking sequences of the entire series.
18 “Army of One” – Season 3, Episode 13 (2001)
IMDb Rating: 9.0/10
The Sopranos always knew how to end a season well, with this being true for Season 3, exemplified by the episode “Army of One.” Things built up over the past 12 episodes all come crashing down, particularly regarding the fate of the endlessly troubled Jackie Jr., all the while the FBI steps up their game when it comes to targeting Adriana, which will have consequences throughout Seasons 4 and 5.
All that being said, it doesn’t nearly rank as one of the show’s best season finales, but that more speaks to the quality of The Sopranos overall, rather than being any slight on the quality of “Army of One.” It’s a strong closer that does what it needs to: wrapping up plenty of Season 3 threads while also setting up a few things for subsequent seasons to tackle.
17 “Kennedy and Heidi” – Season 6, Episode 18 (2007)
IMDb Rating: 9.1/10
The final stretch of episodes within the final season of The Sopranos makes for an emotional rollercoaster of a ride, for anyone watching the series for the first time. “Kennedy and Heidi” is the fourth-last episode of the show, and serves to establish that it’s well and truly in the endgame stages, having Christopher get killed off right near the start of the episode, being suffocated by Tony after getting in a serious car accident.
Some might be surprised Christopher lasted as long as he did, given the various mistakes he made throughout the show, but the death is surprising nonetheless. Much of the episode ends up revolving around how everyone reacts to it, particularly Tony, who seems more relieved than anything, and goes on an unusual and thought-provoking journey of self-discovery in Las Vegas. It’s a bold episode both narratively and thematically, and a highlight of The Sopranos‘ Season 6B.
16 “Isabella” – Season 1, Episode 12 (1999)
IMDb Rating: 9.1/10
Tony Soprano had always been someone who grappled with anger and stress, and James Gandolfini was a talented actor who always rose to the occasion, when it came to acting out such emotions. “Isabella” is an episode that pushes Tony further into such negative states, with it being the penultimate episode of the first season, and marking a point where things get truly dangerous for Tony and his crew.
His uncle wants him dead, as might his terrible mother, and that coupled with the general stress of his life makes “Isabella” a high-intensity episode of television. It sets the stage well for a great finale to wrap everything up, too, and is another piece of The Sopranos’ first season which helped make it an instant classic of a TV show within its first year on air.
15 “Employee of the Month” – Season 3, Episode 4 (2001)
IMDb Rating: 9.1/10
Tony Soprano is well-known for being a protagonist who had a darker side, to the point where it’s hard to call him a heroic main character in the show, or even something of an anti-hero much of the time. However, he’s far from the most despicable character in the series, with various underlings and minor characters who are far more villainous than the protagonist.
One such character only appears in this infamous and difficult-to-watch third-season episode. He brutally attacks Tony’s therapist, Dr. Jennifer Melfi, and when she finds out the identity of her attacker, she has the opportunity to tell Tony and get justice that way (the police had failed to properly punish him). She comes close, with her ultimate refusal to get tangled with that side of the mob making for one of The Sopranos‘ most impactful episode endings.
14 “Members Only” – Season 6, Episode 1 (2006)
IMDb Rating: 9.2/10
“Members Only” kicks off the sixth and final season of The Sopranos, which was split into two – 6A and 6B – with each half being aired in two different years, 2006 and 2007, respectively. It’s a haunting and downbeat episode that establishes the tone and frequent tragedy of the show’s last season.
It gives a surprising spotlight to the show’s minor character Eugene Pontecorvo, whose attempts to retire from mob life prove tragically impossible. Elsewhere, Tony is also shot by his uncle with dementia, plunging him into a coma dream he takes two episodes to wake from. It’s a dramatic and startling season premiere, likely the main reason for its high rating.
13 “I Dream of Jeannie Cusamano” – Season 1, Episode 13 (1999)
IMDb Rating: 9.2/10
The Sopranos always knew how to conclude a season, which is demonstrated within its first year on the air, in the unforgettable Season 1 finale “I Dream of Jeannie Cusamano.” The conflict between Tony and Uncle Junior reaches a boiling point, complete with casualties, the aftermath of an assassination attempt on Tony, and Uncle Junior ultimately getting arrested, putting Tony officially in charge of the New Jersey crew.
Season 1 is somewhat quaint compared to the other seasons, as it has a slightly more comedic tone and doesn’t have the kinds of main character deaths that are found in all the other seasons. This episode is not only essential for concluding the first season, but also nudging the story in a direction that would lead to more high-stakes drama in later seasons, being a vital episode for the show’s overall 86-episode run.
12 “Amour Fou” – Season 3, Episode 12 (2001)
IMDb Rating: 9.2/10
“Amour Fou” is the penultimate episode of the show’s third season, and it sees the conclusions for two of the season’s main storylines begin to play out. One revolves around Tony and Gloria (a woman who purported family man Tony was having an affair with) falling out, and the other sees the always-volatile Jackie Jr. finally pushing things beyond the point of repair with Tony’s crew.
These two characters only really appear in The Sopranos‘ third season, but are overall pivotal to it, and the consequences that come from things spiraling out of control in this episode have lasting consequences. It’s also an episode that immediately follows the show’s highest-rated hour (more on that later), so the fact it still stands out as its own episode is impressive.
11 “The Second Coming” – Season 6, Episode 19 (2007)
IMDb Rating: 9.3/10
The third last episode of The Sopranos, “The Second Coming” focuses on the tension between Tony and the increasingly angry and unstable Phil. It also shines a light on Tony’s son, AJ, and his intense battle with depression, which itself something Tony has been dealing with for all six seasons of the show.
Things unravel for Tony and most of the show’s characters in the dark and impactful final season of The Sopranos. Though the war between the New Jersey and New York crew is dominant in the final episodes, AJ’s story ends up being the most memorable part of “The Second Coming.” AJ himself is a somewhat divisive character, but he’s at his most sympathetic here. Seeing Tony do all he can to protect his son from the very thing that’s dominated his life makes for some of the most heartbreaking and challenging moments in the TV show.
