The Sopranos is a television drama that was first broadcast on HBO in 1999. It provides a hard-hitting and edgy look into the life of an Italian-American Mafia family living in Northern New Jersey. The Sopranos series has run for six seasons and is scheduled to end in mid-2007. Filmed on location in New Jersey, the series offers a glimpse into the everyday life of a Mafia family. Although the show centers on a family, it is clearly not a family show. The Sopranos is aimed squarely at mature audiences and includes graphic depictions of violence, nudity, language and drug use.

The show chronicles the life and times of mob boss Tony soprano and his family, including his daughter Meadow, son A.J. and wife Carmela.

The pilot began with a severe anxiety attack being suffered by the main character Tony Soprano. Tony Soprano's therapy and interaction with his therapist, Dr. Melfi, have played a continuing central role in the show's plot.

The Sopranos has proven to be one of the most popular dramas on television and is the most popular cable drama. More than 13.4 million viewers watched the premiere episode of the fourth season. The Sopranos has been a critical success as well. Is it is frequently hailed as the top drama series and is cited as one of the best shows on television. TV Guide magazine ranked the Sopranos fifth in its list of the "greatest of all time" television shows. The show has received numerous Emmy award nominations and won the Emmy for outstanding drama in 2004. The show has also taken home at least one acting-related Emmy award every season.

However, not everyone joins in the glowing praise of this dramatic presentation. The show is often criticized for its stereotypes of Italian Americans. Several national groups who advocate on behalf of Italian-Americans have been quite vocal in their opposition to the show. In some cases, the cast of the Sopranos has even been barred from participating in public events.

The Sopranos was created and is produced by David Chase. Chase's earlier TV credits include episodes of The Rockford Files and Northern exposure. Chase continues to be the driving creative force behind the Sopranos and writes many of the episodes. He is credited for the central role that dream sequences play in the series. Chase believes that these dream sequences can expand on and clarify the show's narrative. The Sopranos is also rich in symbolism, although popular interpretations of the exact meaning of the symbolism vary quite a bit.

The central character, Tony Soprano, is portrayed by James Gandolfini. Gandolfini was actually born in New Jersey where much of the show is filmed. After working as a Manhattan bartender, Gandolfini began his acting career in New York theater. He is also appeared in several films and other television shows, but true fame came as a result of his role on the Sopranos. It's interesting to note that Gandolfini actually had personal reservations about continuing in the role of Tony Soprano because of the show's violence and its stereotypical portrayal of Italian-Americans.

The Sopranos was originally set to air on the Fox network but was rejected by Fox before airing. HBO then picked up the show. It was originally intended to run for only one or two seasons, but its success and wide appeal has propelled the show into its sixth season. Sopranos fans are forced to wait longer between seasons than is normal for most television shows. These breaks are often blamed on the need for time to develop storylines and scheduling conflicts with the actors.

The Sopranos is also distinctive for its musical selections, which are often played throughout the show. At the same time, the series is somewhat unique for its lack of incidental music, taking a fairly minimalist direction in terms of soundtrack.

All indications are that the show will end in the early summer of 2007. After that, Sopranos fans can look for the show to continue airing on the A&E network. As a testament to the popularity of The Sopranos, A&E won a bidding war with Lifetime, Spike, USA and TNT. Ultimately, they paid $2.5 million per episode, possible the largest payout ever for syndication. Fans can also purchase fully-loaded, unedited DVD sets of every season.