Wise Guy: David Chase and the Sopranos

As a devoted fan of 'The Sopranos' - my all-time favorite show - I thought there wasn't much left for me to discover. But HBO's new two part documentary 'Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos' offers fresh insight, focusing primarily on the mastermind behind the series, David Chase, especially in its first half. Chase (1945) is a compelling figure: intelligent, introspective, and a natural storyteller. Director Alex Gibney ('Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson', 'Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room') places Chase in a metaphorical psychiatrist's chair, allowing him to speak candidly about his upbringing, his eccentric mother, dreams, death, and how these themes shaped 'The Sopranos'. Chase recalls his time in college down south, which he disliked, though he was exposed to European cinema by directors like Godard, Bergman, and Fellini. "I saw '8½', and I don't think I understood it, but it blew my mind", he reflects. This experience ignited his desire to become a filmmaker, leading him to study at Stanford's film school. The documentary even shows part of his student film - a gangster story with an attempted Godard flair, which is amusing in its ambition. While Chase's destiny wasn't in film directing, he found his calling in television. He worked on successful shows like 'The Rockford Files' and 'Northern Exposure', but his true breakthrough came when HBO greenlit 'The Sopranos' in 1998. The series became a cultural phenomenon, and Chase infused it with deeply personal elements, including therapy sessions and his tumultuous relationship with his mother. Other talented writers like Robin Green and Terence Winter also contributed significantly to the show's depth. In 'The Offer', a recent series about the making of 'The Godfather', we learn that Coppola saw the film as a commentary on capitalism. Similarly, 'The Sopranos' carries an underlying critique of America's decline. As Chase puts it, "Americans have gotten so materialistic and selfish that it made a mob boss sick." That vision, combined with Chase's storytelling genius, is part of what makes 'The Sopranos' so enduringly powerful.

Greetings again from the darkness. Being the creative force behind what many consider to be the best TV show of all time - one that changed the face of television - is both a blessing and a burden. David Chase is that man, and his often dour disposition hides the creative genius behind "The Sopranos" (1999-2007). Oscar winning documentarian Alex Gibney (TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE, 2007; ENRON: THE SMARTEST GUYS IN THE ROOM, 2005) re-creates Dr. Melphi's office for his sit down with Chase, and it's a smooth move to encourage Chase to open up in the same setting where his creation, Tony Soprano, often let his guard down. This is not really meant as an introduction to garner new fans for reruns, but rather as a tribute to David Chase and a peek behind the curtain for hardcore fans.

Don't worry ... it's not three hours of two guys talking. Gibney complements Chase's insight with a treasure trove of clips and interviews and background details, really serving up a deep dive for those who considered this show to be must-see TV. Chase actually quotes one of the best lines from the series when he says, "'Remember when' is the lowest form of conversation". By the end of the first (of two) part, many will be amazed at just how much of the show was inspired by David Chase's actual life and large Italian family. You might also be amazed at how fragile the environment can be for even the most successful of TV shows.

Chase lets us in on some personal details, and nothing is more personal than his proclamation, "My mother was nuts." Fans will eat up the segment on Nancy Marchand, the veteran actor who played Livia, Tony's mother. Chase said Ms. Marchand just "had it" (what he wanted for the character based on his own mother). It's also interesting to learn that Chase's early career aspirations were for movies, not television. In fact, he envisioned this as a movie starring Robert DeNiro and Anne Bancroft. Of course, no one would back him, and when he converted it to a series, none of the networks had an interest either. It took upstart HBO, who at the time was only beginning the transition from Movies and Sports to series. The reception of "Oz" (1997) and "Sex and the City" (1998) set the table for HBO to give the green light to the risky venture that itself eventually set the table for shows such as "Breaking Bad".

The conversation between Gibney and Chase is interspliced with clips from the show, as well as family video and pictures. Chase walks us through how the main characters were cast, and it's fascinating to watch the rough cuts of auditions - some who made it, and some who didn't (including former Cornell star RB and "Hill Street Blues" actor Ed Marinaro). This gives us a true behind-the-scenes glimpse at how things came together. We also hear from some of the show's writers who explain just how stressful things could get in the writers' room, even though HBO gave them significant creative control.

There are segments featuring Michael Imperioli, Steve VanZandt, Lorraine Bracco, Tony Sirico, and Drea de Matteo. Perhaps the most enjoyable is watching Edie Falco (who was the last one cast in the principal cast) as she explains there were no "trigger warnings" for the show. She states it was just like real life, complete with racism, sexism, misogyny, and violence. It's hilarious hearing how sensitive Sirico was about his hair, and Drea walks us through her character's ending - just after Lorraine Bracco explains what happens when David Chase invites you to dinner.

There are clips of the infamous "ducks" from the pilot, and Chase comments on the critical raves that immediately rolled in - plus the pressures of additional seasons. Writer-Producer Terrence Winter joined the show in the second season, and he's interviewed here. Winter has since gone on to write and/or produce projects such as "Boardwalk Empire" and THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (2013), the latter of which got him an Oscar nomination.

The deaths of Nancy Marchand and series star James Gandolfini are handled with grace, including a clip of an emotional Chase speaking at Gandolfini's funeral. We hear about the toll playing Tony took on Gandolfini, and how some of the cast were there for him in times of darkness and need. Gandolfini died in 2013 at age 51 from a heart attack. It's interesting to learn that Chase only directed two episodes himself - the first and the last. And speaking of the finale, we see clips of Holsten's and hear "Don't Stop Believin" while reliving how that finale shocked viewers and generated so much discussion. Chase addresses this by saying, "The truth is ..." Premiering on HBO/Max on September 7, 2024 (Parts 1 and 2)

Excellent documentary on the greatest TV drama series ever made. 10/10

A documentary on the TV series The Sopranos: it's origins and development, making of the pilot, Season 1 and subsequent seasons, how the main characters were cast, the creative and filming processes and the public response. Told largely through interviews with creator/showrunner David Chase.

The Sopranos is, for me, the greatest TV drama series of all time: a fantastic combination of family drama, crime drama and general human drama, a perfect mix of character engagement, clever plot and action. This documentary, directed by renowned documentary-maker Alex Gibney (Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, The Looming Tower, amongst others), expertly captures the development of the series and the creative processes behind it. David Chase's history is also examined - this has a large bearing on the many of the themes and plots in The Sopranos.

The casting decisions are very interesting and demonstrate how a perfect person for a part can be found and a career made simply by chance. The number of unsuccessful interviewees and why they didn't succeed (and, for some, how this possibly turned out to be a good thing as they ended up in another, more iconic, role) is also quite illuminating.

We also see the other end of the character/actor arc, as characters, and thus actors, are written out of the series. This was quite poignant in some cases.

Highly engaging as we experience the highs and lows with David Chase and some of the cast and crew.

A must-see for Sopranos fans and for anyone who likes to see how high-quality entertainment is produced.

Just as 'The Sopranos' was a masterful combination of writing, directing and acting, so too is this documentary. I thought it would be good, but I didn't expect to like it as much as I did.

Setting it in Melfi's old office set was a master stroke. The audition clips were fantastic; especially watching other actors read the lines that would become so iconic and so identified with the actors who eventually played those characters.

We got some real behind-the-scenes insight into the enigmatic James Gandolfini. When the director, Alex Gibney asked David Chase, upon hearing that Gandolfini had died (at age 51), were you surprised? Chase's one-word response was chilling: No.

My biggest complaint was that there was very little of Junior, and absolutely no Dominic Chianese. I would have also liked to have seen Steve Schirripa, John Ventimiglia, Vince Curatola, Federico Castelluccio, Max Casella, Joe Pantoliano, Steve Buscemi, Ray Abbruzzo, David Proval, Aida Turturro and Sharon Angela. Also, a brief 'In Memorium' of all the actors who have passed.

And then the ending...!!

I found myself tearing up, thinking about all the great scenes and characters, and most of all about the creative process. This series didn't just happen. It came together with a lot of hard work by everyone involved.

My wish is this: that Alex Gibney, or someone, will do a follow-up like Wise Guy, about The Wire. Perhaps David Simon could be the focal point, perhaps Ed Burns, perhaps a dozen other people, but like The Sopranos, The Wire created a world foreign to the viewers, that became so believable that you became part of it.

Hearing about David Chase drawing 13 lines down a page, then adding the character names, then creating a story arc for each-then bringing it into the Writers room to create 13 teleplays-it sounds simple but is fascinating. Then, the actors. James putting a sharp stone in his shoe to make himself angry, Andrianna finding out she was going to be killled at the end of the season, Pauli Walnuts and the hair. So much went into it, and the result was fantastic.