Even 17 years after the show came to an end, I’m still not overThe Sopranos’cut to black ending. I believe thatThe Sopranosis one of the greatest TV shows ever made, with its writing, character building, and slow pace making it a masterclass in how to make a good television drama series. This is an opinion shared by many other viewers, with many unanimously citing the show as one of the best. However, the one controversial part ofThe Sopranos' historic run is its finale, with the final episode leaving many fans scratching their heads.
HBO’sThe Sopranosis still one of the company’s most iconic showsnearly two decades after its release, with this being a sign of just how high the quality of the show was. The series follows Tony Soprano, a mobster who lives in New Jersey and is forced to balance his real family with his criminal family after conflicts with his mother cause him to start going to therapy. From this simple premise, a massive saga unfolds, chronicling the final days of the world of gangsters andunpacking themes of masculinity, family, legacy, and mental health.
The Sopranos Ending Is Still Worth Talking About 17 Years Later
There Is Still A Lot To Discuss
17 years after thefinale ofThe Sopranoswas released, I believe that the ending is still worth talking about.The Sopranos’final scene sees the titular family meet in a diner, with Tony anxiously looking at the door every time someone comes in. While Tony (and by proxy, the audience member) expects a potential gunman to come in and kill him, it never happens, with it always being another Soprano or a customer. However, the final shot sees Tony look up at the door one last time,with the song cutting off andThe Sopranoscutting to black for good.
The tense scene is the culmination of everything that we know about Tony Soprano, as it shows that no matter what, Tony will always have to look over his shoulder. Due to his past actions, Tony’s anxiety and guilt will not leave him, with this constant fear being a personal hell for the character. I believe that the ambiguous ending is the best way to concludeThe Sopranos, as a happy ending would never work, and simply killing Tony off would feel cheap. Instead,The Sopranosending managed to find the perfect conclusion that still gets talked about.
How The Sopranos' Ending Impacted Its Legacy
It’s All Anyone Talks About
The ending ofThe Sopranoscompletely impacted the show’s ending, with it kicking off a never-ending conversation ever sincethe finale first aired on August 25, 2025. Some viewers claim that the ending completely ruined the show, with the unresolved storylines and ambiguous ending leading to an anticlimactic conclusion. Other fans, myself included, believe that the ambiguous ending is the perfect way forThe Sopranosto go out for the aforementioned reasons.
However, the ambiguous ending has had the adverse effect of turning retrospective discussions onThe Sopranosaway from the thematic purpose of the ending and rather toward the question ofwhether Tony Soprano died. While this is an interesting question to think about, it doesn’t really matter, asThe Sopranoscreator David Chase proved that this isn’t important due to him not including it in the series. 17 years later, whenThe Sopranosgets brought up, the controversial finale will almost always be part of the discussion.
How The Sopranos' Ending Ranks Among TV Series Finales
It’s Still One Of The Best
I believe thatThe Sopranos' ending is the greatest TV series finale of all time, as it manages to strike an artful balance that left me thinking in a way that no other show has. While shows likeBreaking BadandDaredevilare close seconds in my opinion, I doubt that any show will surpass my love forThe Sopranos' finale.
However, it isn’t just my opinion thatThe Sopranos' finale is one of the best. The series finale can often be found ranking high on lists of the best TV show finales of all time, withThe Sopranoseven being considered to be the show that kicked off theGolden Age of Television.The Sopranosis still one of HBO’s most critically acclaimed shows, and the fact that the ending ofThe Sopranosis still being talked about to this day proves that the TV finale’s legacy holds up as one of the best.
The Sopranos
Cast
The Sopranos follows New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano as he navigates the challenges of managing his family and criminal enterprise. He seeks guidance from psychiatrist Jennifer Melfi while dealing with complex dynamics involving his wife Carmela, cousin Christopher Moltisanti, and other Mafia associates. Released in 1999, this series delves into organized crime and personal struggles.
