Hale Kilinahe: Pith of Pop: The Sopranos

It's a good thing that Lost is on a big, long extended hiatus, because I don't think I have enough time in my life to be addicted to two shows at once.

If you've been out of the country or avoiding your TV, The Sopranos ran on HBO for seven seasons. It just wrapped up recently amid a ton of controversy. As a Lost fan, I learned this past season to avoid spoilers like the plague. That's not a luxury I had before I got into The Sopranos. I know how it ends, but I don't think I care. I'm going to get sucked in anyway.

This is one of those shows where you can love and despise a single character at the same time. Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini, who let's face it, is perfect) is not a nice guy. He has impulse control issues. He has a hard time accepting criticism. But when a family of ducks sharing the family pool flies south for the winter, it causes Tony enough anxiety to put him into therapy.

Also causing Tony anxiety are members of his immediate family. Veteran actress Nancy Marchand plays Tony's mom, Livia. She's incredible. I'm only in the middle of season one, so I have yet to witness the extent of what Livia can do, but I can't wait. I think everyone has a Livia in their life. But, like that slightly unhinged family member, you have to kind of love Livia.

I'm hoping the supporting characters change and develop as much as Tony already has. I can see Tony's nephew Christopher (Michael Imperioli) being an arrogant, sulky troublemaker forever, but I hope not.