Picking up shortly after the climactic hit on Jimmy Altieri, Series 2 immediately establishes a new, unstable equilibrium. Uncle Junior is officially the Boss, but everyone knows Tony holds the reins. This puppet-master arrangement allows David Chase’s writers room to explore a richer, more ironic vein of drama: the crushing loneliness of unaccountable power.
For returning fans: Go back and watch The Happy Wanderer (Episode 6) or Full Leather Jacket (Episode 8). Listen to the dialogue. Look at James Gandolfini’s eyes in the final shot of the boat. This is television as literature. The Sopranos Series 2
While Richie Aprile provided the external conflict, the emotional core of Series 2 lies in the slow, agonizing unraveling of Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bompensiero. Picking up shortly after the climactic hit on