Criticism is love... and it helps to realize that!

The Sopranos Creator keeps it real

Hi all, Ari here. Thanks for being a subscriber. Here’s my Friday post for subscribers only.

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Some art is amazing in its time, and then it fades. 

Other art lasts, and even feels deeper and strangely more resonant over time.

For many, the hit mob show The Sopranos is enduring art. The New York Times reports on a “resurgence”: where the number of people watching it during the pandemic tripled, and spin-offs from podcasts to books to a prequel are finding audiences hungry for more Sopranos. Why? Many view the show as one of the most interesting and complex portraits of American life on television.

The issues are broader than the topics—it’s not ‘just’ about the mob. Tony Soprano is a difficult father who is the product of his own difficult parents. One of television’s most reviled characters, and probably the true villain of the first half of The Sopranos’ run, is his mother, Livia. (Here are some examples). 

Many of the men of The Sopranos. c/o HBO

Where does a character like that come from?

Sopranos creator David Chaser told me it’s based on his mom! How about that?

He says authentic, real material is the best to draw on, but it also has to be interesting. And when I asked him about feedback and criticism of his work, he said something simple and profound about how he approaches it:

“All of the criticism is a form of love—just like my family.” 

We all face criticism and sometimes struggle with it. That seems like such an open way to absorb it. 

The Soprano family, during Season 1. c/o HBO

As a creator, he may be thinking more of criticism of his art, which reflects a “love” or “interest” because otherwise people wouldn’t watch and respond in the first place. But he clearly think it applies more broadly—and he’s had years to find ways to process or cope with his family’s approach as well.

David Chase at New York Film Festival in 2012. c/o John Lamparski/WireImage

There’s also the process by which Chase creates. He invokes some experiences he’s had, which may make his story ring true, while adding all kinds of fantastical stuff that he certainly did not personally live, like mob violence. 

“I don’t remember people prizing my opinion at the dinner table, but it’s constant talk… and I guess Italians... there’s something operatic about it… you’ll get all of this mail from Italian-Americans saying ‘that show was a disgrace and my family wasn’t like that.’”

It’s striking that people watched the show and then objected to the idea that it portrayed their family—or “all” of any kind of family—and yet maybe that’s also how it struck a chord. Maybe the people who wrote in would appreciate knowing Chase thought through their criticism—maybe they’d even love it.

P.S. Is there a show that captures your family? Tell me in the comments.

P.P.S Here’s my full, unedited interview with Chase - longer than what aired on MSNBC, and complete with some earnest moments because he is a blunt, straight shooter, as we touch on near the very end!