Millions of Americans know it's about a man who never made an honest nickle, who kills his enemies, cheats on his wife, and sees a therapist because he has panic attacks. (Boo~hoo~hoo, poor me~) In short, Tony Soprano is charming. The Sopranos breaks television conventions of likable characters and tidy plots. There's violence, nudity, and a stream of language advertisers would never sponsor on broadcast networks. "I don't think it's the language that makes the Sopranos so unusual and makes it successful."
It has the complications of life. Fans just seem to connect with the man who shares a drink with an old friend before executing him for betraying his crew. (Not in the face, OK? You were like a brother to me.) (Your father and I have discussed your punishment.) (You're grounded for a month.)
It's funny, risky, even offensive to some Italian-Americans, and it has network programmers in a competitive quandary because they feel they can't do what HBO does. "I think it's making network television look a little square and a little out of it." The season premiere, the Sopranos, on paid television, attracted more audience than 57 other shows on the broadcast networks that week. And that's the kind of hit they're all looking to have on television.