West Wing at last year's Emmys and a potential repeat at the twice-postponed event this time around: first it got cancelled after the attacks on New York and Washington: then for the raid on Afghanistan. No surprise then. that there are rumours of a third time lucky attempt at a US military base.
Whether Chase will dispense justice to his outlaws — ultimately killing his own creation in the process — remains to be seen. He had initially vowed the show would run to just four series. but a fifth has since been secured. James Gandolfini. also to be seen as a philandering businessman in the C oen brothers' The Man Who Wasn't There. admits to a certain amount of schizophrenia about Tony Soprano's destiny too. ‘()bviously he ought to get his arse kicked and part of me would like that to happen. But it's difficult to envisage the end of the show. I haven‘t got there yet.‘
He is. however. increasingly troubled by the screen violence. ‘People ask me to go and give talks in kindergartens.‘ he says. ‘Have any of them seen this show‘." He's troubled. too. by the propensity of TV and film to depict American-ltalians as hoodlums and mobsters. looking the way l do. l‘m normally offered parts for someone called Vinnie The Nose. And it‘s difficult to break the stereotype.’
Back in the Soprano living room. an Italian journalist is raising this very issue with (iandolfini and
the cast. have ltalian ancestry). ‘At home it’s very disturbing for Italians to see themselves constantly shown in this way.‘ she says. Bracco
venerable Italian—American actors who’ve broken the mould. ‘Al Pacino and Robert De Niro have played an amazing range of parts. not just Malia roles but. you know.
us. myself included. continue to be fascinated by organised crime'."
Watch The .S'uprunus. And you may well lind that the series is an answer in itself.
The Sopranos starts on Channel 4, Thu 1 Nov, 10.35pm.
Bracco (both of whom. like most of
begs to differ and cites examples of
the big question is . . . why do all of
Sal ‘Pussy’ Bompensiero sleeps with the fishes and Richie Aprile is getting used to his concrete slippers. So, who’s next for the big sleep? Place your bets, ya douchebags.
RALPH M n
Looks like Niles Crane but thinks he's Joe Pesci. His love of Gladiator could see him being fed to the lions. Possible killer: Paulie Walnuts was born to do it 2-1
PAULIE WALNUTS _
Who wouldn't want to whack a wacko? Besides. that hair needs seeing to. Possible killer: his frustrated underling Christopher Moltisanti
5-1
’UNCLE JUNIOR
His many years on the front line means he has plenty of enemies with shares in cheesewire. Needs to stay off the oral sex. Possible killer: his ticker
1 0-1
GLORIA TRILLO
Tony's car saleswoman and fellow advocate of therapy. Except she really, really needs it. Possible killer: a blackmailed Tony
20-1
CHRISTOPHER MOLTISANTI
Tony's nephew was the target of a bungled asassination attempt in series two. and his dabbling in coke and screenplays makes him an unreliable capo. Possible killer: a jealous Adriana
25-1
DR JENNIFER MELFI
Tony's shrink knows too much. Her dypso tendencies c0uld lead to inadvertent spilling of some confidential beans. Possible killer: Tony may be forced to silence her
40-1
CARMELA SOPRANO
The boss' wife is always a prime target. In this case. there are also a string of loopy love rivals or anyone just wanting a piece of Carm's jewellery box. Possible killer: any number of unhinged bunny- boilers
50-1
TONY SOPRANO
The boss is always a prime target. And his dirty habit of ‘putting his (unsheathedl dick into anything with a pulse' COLiId be his downfall. Possible killer: the New York crew; the Prozac; the Russians: Carmela; Uncle Junior . . . hey. everybody wants a piece
1 000-1 (writer David Chase ain 't got the Dal/s)
l <15) Nov 200i THE LIST 17