Tony is finding it difficult to cope with the responsibilities of his new job. On the other hand, his forgotten sister has arrived so she can look after their ill mother. An infamous crime boss is making himself go through therapy to deal with family and mob pressures.
The Sopranos remains a showcase for ferociously distinctive writing, inventive direction and brilliant portrayals of surprisingly, even disturbingly, sympathetic multilayered characters by a perfectly cast group of actors who hold back nothing.
As The Sopranos heads into season No. 2, writing remains crisp, photography is sharp and interesting, new characters lend intriguing plot twists and James Gandolfini continues to expertly play the most compelling character on series television.
The second season of The Sopranos begins on a less frothy, slightly more bitter note than the first, but the terrific midlife-crisis mob show continues to generate a buzz.