At the risk of sounding like a bro on a first date, there really is no show quite like The Sopranos.
HBO’s legendary, darkly comic mob drama still inspires devotion today, nearly two decades on from its conclusion. For many people, The Sopranos was the bombshell that signalled the arrival of the “golden age” of television, paving the way for slow burning, intricate shows like The Wire, Mad Men, and plenty more.
With such a huge impact, it might be difficult to pinpoint what the very best episodes of The Sopranos are. Every list that attempts to rank them is sure to be controversial, because out of the 86 episodes there’s hardly a poor one. But, much like Tony, we’re not afraid to get our hands dirty. Although it pains us to not include a number of excellent watches (“Whoever Did This,” “The Blue Comet,” and “Isabella” are just three we couldn’t find space for), here’s our list of the 10 best Sopranos episodes, ranked! (And case it wasn’t already obvious, Sopranos spoilers follow).
10. “Made in America”
The series finale had a controversial ending that at the time people either loved or hated. Nearly two decades after it aired, opinions in the fandom are still bitterly divided about how showrunner David Chase chose to close out the beloved show. In the intervening years, the creator has made plenty of cryptic comments about the ending, but has never confirmed any specific theory.
The episode shows Tony trying to put an end to the warring between his family and some rivals, led by Phil Leotardo. The final sequence remains one of the most iconic scenes of all time.
9. “The Test Dream”
Season 5 of The Sopranos sometimes gets maligned as one of the poorest of the six, but “The Test Dream” is still one of the best episodes in the entire show’s run. Much of the episode takes place in Tony’s dream, delving further into the Freudian and psychological themes that are woven throughout the show.
The episode is unique, intriguing, and artful, while also allowing us to dive deeper into Tony as a character by explicitly exploring his hopes and fears.
8. “Marco Polo”
Another bit of season 5 magic, this episode showcases Tony at his manipulative best as he brings his recently paroled cousin Tony B (Steve Buscemi) back into a life of crime. Although that’s the main plot, a vital subplot also shows us the dependency Carmela has on her mob boss husband. She dresses down her mother for treating Tony badly, allowing the audience to see that she is fully invested in her husband’s criminal empire, even as she tries to pretend otherwise. The episode ends on a rare wholesome note between the couple, but everything leading up to that point shows us just how dangerous their world is.
7. “Whitecaps”
The explosive season 4 finale is all about Tony and Carmela’s relationship. Tony takes his wife to a beautiful house on the Jersey Shore (the eponymous Whitecaps) and tells her he wants to purchase it for them. However, Carmela’s good mood is wrecked when one of Tony’s affair partners rings her up and reveals what’s been going on. A violent confrontation between the married couple ensues, leading to Tony sleeping in a different room in the house. No longer wishing to buy Whitecaps, Tony tries to get out of the deal, but has to resort to some petty behavior when his request is denied.
Full of drama and humor, this is a standout season finale.
6. “The Knight in White Satin Armor”
The relationship between the Soprano siblings is explored in this cracker of an episode. Janice shoots Richie to death, leaving her mob boss brother to dispose of the body. If that’s not enough, Tony has to deal with a suicide attempt from one of his bits on the side. Throughout all of this, law enforcement draws Pussy further into his betrayal of the family.
5. “Pine Barrens”
While there are a few subplots making up this iconic season 3 episode, the main story follows Paulie and Chris as they chase a wounded Russian named Valery through some snowy woods. What begins as a game of cat and mouse devolves into the two unprepared gangsters nearly freezing to death, only to be rescued by Tony. The episode also gave us one of the fandom’s biggest mysteries: what happened to Valery?
4. “Funhouse”
The season 2 finale, “Funhouse,” really cut loose with the surrealism that would become a part of what made the show so memorable. The first section of the episode follows Tony as he wanders through a wild, highly symbolic fever dream, which helps him to deal with something his subconscious had known for a while: Pussy had been turned by the Feds.
Although he later confronts and kills Pussy, the episode still ends with Tony being arrested. However, thanks to his excellent legal team, he manages to get out of jail in time for Meadow’s graduation ceremony and party.
3. “Employee of the Month”
This season 3 classic dives into the complicated relationship between Tony and his therapist, Dr. Melfi. An absolutely brutal watch, the main storyline follows the doctor as she becomes the victim of a violent rape, only to see the perpetrator go free thanks to a police mix up. She later sees a picture of her attacker in a fast food store, where he was named “Employee of the month.”
Melfi, aware of Tony’s work, struggles with the idea of telling him what happened, knowing that he would retaliate for her.
A compelling and complex episode that hammers home what this show is about.
2. “Long Term Parking”
There are countless shocking deaths in The Sopranos, but Adriana’s in this season 5 episode is among the most devastating. The rest of the storyline is jam-packed with other juicy plot points, including Tony’s attempt to find Tony B. It’s not all bad news for the mob boss, though: After their big blowout at the end of the last season, he and Carmela reconcile when he promises to stop fooling around.
1. “University”
The strage, often contradictory rules and expectations of the mob world are explored throughout the series (fellas, is it gay for a man to perform oral sex on a woman?), but in this season 3 episode we see a rare example of them being broken when Tony assaults Ralphie, who’s a made man. This is the result of Ralphie brutally murdering a stripper who was pregnant with his kid, something that even Tony struggles with — especially with the similarily-aged Meadow only recently out of the house and away at college.
This episode has everything. It allegedly led to numerous people cancelling their HBO subscription, but there’s no doubting its quality.
