Sopranos Premiere Draws Praise, Criticism to HBO

The recent premiere of The Sopranos garnered ratings that were virtually unprecedented for a made-for-cable television show and beat the major networks in head-to-head competition. The mob soap opera that has captured the imagination of a nation fascinated with stylish violence continues to gain viewers and rating share according to Nielsen Media Research. The show provides an inside and sometimes-human look at the inner workings of a fictitious mob family and the effect that a life of crime has on its members. Fans love to watch the characters develop within this context and are drawn to the show's courage to offer the unexpected and sometimes unwanted outcome.

The loudest voices of criticism for The Sopranos seem to be coming from the Italian-American community, where leaders question the stereotypical violence and criminal behavior that is associated with the show and its Italian-American characters. Many in the Italian-American community are calling for more positive character portrayals by HBO and some have suggested adding new characters to the story or creating a new show that reflects Italian-Americans in a positive light. HBO is said to be listening intently to these criticisms and strongly considering some of the suggested solutions, but the success of the show in its current format will make any drastic changes to its format highly unlikely. For the most part, it is difficult to sell a program that purposely reflects an ethnic group in a positive light, so that is probably not a realistic possibility. For now though, HBO can enjoy its winner and the show's critics will have to endure at least a few more acts of the mob opera.