Josh Hasn't Seen The Sopranos

"I Dream of Jeannie Cusamano." The season finale! Jarod, Drew, and Josh dive into the last episode of the season that changed TV forever. They ponder if Tony's real family or mob family are more important to the story. Is this the best first season in TV history?

Links:

Occam's razor on Wikipedia

Drew Madden Art Website

Josh Hasn't Seen The Sopranos on Twitter

Questions or comments? Reach out on www.jarodbackens.com 

"Isabella." Do heroes always get the worst assassins? Jarod, Drew, and Josh reflect on Tony hitting rock bottom and the tendency of characters in the show and people in real life disguising their emotions. Drew thwarts a dream bear from entering his tent.

Links:

"40 Hours a Week" Dumb and Dumber Clip

The Rascals Hall of Fame Induction Speech by Steven Van Zandt YouTube Video

Drew Madden Art Website

Josh Hasn't Seen The Sopranos on Twitter

Questions or comments? Reach out on www.jarodbackens.com 

"Nobody Knows Anything." Is Livia Soprano the most powerful person in New Jersey? Jarod, Drew, and Josh rave about the show's ability to alter the audience's expectations on what's true and what's not. Josh believes Tony is a good leader as he navigates who the rat is in his crew.

Links:

Game theory on Wikipedia

Giancarlo Esposito Emmy Nomination Video on Twitter

Your Jordans Are F***ed Up! Video of Giancarlo Esposito in Do the Right Thing

Fear City (Netflix Documentary) on IMDb

Drew Madden Art Website

Josh Hasn't Seen The Sopranos on Twitter

Questions or comments? Reach out on www.jarodbackens.com 

"A Hit Is a Hit." As the show shifts from the main season arc, Jarod, Drew, and Josh reflect on the versatility and wide range of themes of The Sopranos. Like Christopher, none of them can explain what makes a "hit." Do the heavy themes of The Sopranos make the show less approachable than other series?

Links:

Rich vs. Wealthy Chris Rock Standup Clip

Spike Lee Breaks Down His Film Heroes YouTube Video

Buffett's Bet with the Hedge Funds Article on Investopedia

Don't Keep Your Day Job Podcast

The Peter Attia Drive Podcast

BiggerPockets Podcast

Drew Madden Art Website

Josh Hasn't Seen The Sopranos on Twitter

Questions or comments? Reach out on www.jarodbackens.com 

"Boca." Is The Sopranos a high quality soap opera? Jarod, Drew, and Josh attempt to define justice in terms of Tony and Artie's decisions in this episode. Josh thinks the series has reached the point of the entrée in a fine dining restaurant. Drew prefers his raft guiding blunders to the stresses Tony faces in his daily life.

Links:

Yes, Mad Men Is a Soap Opera The Atlantic Article

The Strange Brain of the World's Greatest Solo Climber Nautilus Article

Drew Madden Art Website

Josh Hasn't Seen The Sopranos on Twitter

Questions or comments? Reach out on www.jarodbackens.com

"The Legend of Tennessee Moltisanti." For this meta episode of The Sopranos, Jarod, Drew, and Josh reflect on the kinds of TV characters they like watching. They also have an unqualified discussion around the duty of a therapist when treating a mobster patient. Do contemporary audiences prefer characters with subtle arcs (like Don Draper) or more extreme arcs (like Walter White)?

Links:

The Oral History of Seinfeld's 'The Contest' Vulture Article

Antonio Meucci on Wikipedia

Uncover The History of Pasta PBS Article

Drew Madden Art Website

Josh Hasn't Seen The Sopranos on Twitter

"Down Neck." In the lone episode of the series directed by a female (Lorraine Senna Ferrara), Jarod, Drew, and Josh discuss whether shows like The Sopranos perpetuate toxic masculinity. As the episode explores Tony's past, our hosts realize his nostalgia for the time may be unfounded. Are current TV audiences dumber than they've ever been, or do they just have shorter attention spans?

Links:

Rotten Tomatoes "Greatest HBO Original Series" Bracket (our motivation to end recency bias)

Psychologist vs. Psychiatrist Article

Snatch directed by Guy Ritchie on IMDb

Peter Jackson on IMDb

The Seventh Seal directed by Ingmar Bergman on IMDb

Once Upon a Time in the West directed by Sergio Leone on IMDb

Seven Samurai directed by Akira Kurosawa on IMDb

The Hidden Fortress directed by Akira Kurosawa on IMDb (Jarod misspeaks and calls it "The Last Fortress")

Roma directed by Alfonso Cuarón

Certified Copy directed by Abbas Kiarostami

"Pax Soprana." As Jarod, Drew, and Josh examine the episode, they speculate as to why the United States is infatuated with the mob; Josh believes the mob is as American as apple pie. Another online "best TV series" poll infuriates Jarod for its recency bias and Drew falls victim to recency bias when naming his top four NBA players.

Links:

Rotten Tomatoes "Greatest HBO Series" Bracket (riddled with recency bias)

Why Do We Admire Mobsters? by Maria Konnikova Article

Top NBA finals moments: West's buzzer-beater in 1970 NBA.com Article

Save the Last Dance for Me - The Drifters Song on YouTube

Gunga Din on Wikipedia

Drew Madden Art Website

Josh Hasn't Seen The Sopranos on Twitter

Questions/comments? Contact us on www.jarodbackens.com

"College." All modern anti-heroes may exist because of this one hour of TV. Jarod makes the point that this episode was as important as "The Chinese Restaurant" was in Seinfeld. Drew and Josh have very different experiences kayaking.

Links:

How Seinfeld Truly Embraced Nothingness in "The Chinese Restaurant" Vulture Article

How to poach an egg (for millennials and centennials)

Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin on Goodreads

I Am Not Your Negro Documentary on IMDb

Get Out: Script by Jordan Peele on Goodreads

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou on Goodreads

Tony Gwynn's Legacy Is Stronger Than Ever FiveThirtyEight Article

What I Know for Sure by Oprah Winfrey on Goodreads

Drew Madden Art Website

Josh Hasn't Seen The Sopranos on Twitter

Questions/comments? Contact us on www.jarodbackens.com

"Meadowlands." Why do millennials feel the need to spoil TV? Jarod, Drew, and Josh explore the inevitability of each generation holding onto power past their prime. Drew loses a "fight" in school, while Josh wins one.

Links:

John Cleese Autobiography on Goodreads

What Kobe did the day after 60 was almost as crazy as his last game Article

Drew Madden Art Website

Josh Hasn't Seen The Sopranos on Twitter

Did we miss anything? Contact us at www.jarodbackens.com