The 10 best Sopranos episodes, ranked

What is the best dramatic TV show of all time? If you asked around, a lot of people would say “The Sopranos.” In many ways, the HBO original changed not just the course of its network, but of TV history. We likely don’t get the wave of critically beloved dramas on cable networks if not for Tony Soprano and company. If we made a list of the best dramas, “The Sopranos” would be on there. What if we did a ranking of the 10 best “Sopranos” episodes? Well, it would look a little something like this.

10. “Made in America”

The series finale of “The Sopranos” was polarizing, to be sure. It’s a story that has been told over and over. David Chase decided to just cut the episode to black without any definitive closure for Tony. Many thought their cable had gone out. Others have spent years trying to “prove” Tony was assassinated by a guy in a Members Only jacket. In the end, we aren’t getting into the fan theories. We just think it’s a top-10 episode of “The Sopranos.”

9. “Whitecaps”

“Whitecaps” is probably a favorite of the “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” fans in the show’s audience. The longest episode David Chase ever did, this episode is focused on the tumult in the marriage between Tony and Carmela. It’s built around yelling and infidelity and a marriage that should never have happened in the first place but continues because, well, what else are they going to do? It’s emotionally brutal in a way the show is usually viscerally brutal.

8. “The Strong Silent Type”

Tony hides his emotions and stuffs them deep down inside. The entire reason he ends up in therapy is that he has a panic attack and is trying to hide it all away. However, Tony and his cohorts are willing to put it on the line to try and hold an intervention for Christopher, whose drug use has reached dangerous proportions. Would you believe this is the grounds for a particularly-funny episode?

7. “Kennedy and Heidi”

Tony has killed, and had people killed, without blinking many times over. And yet, the death of Christopher in this episode is truly a stunner. You would think Tony taking peyote would be the standout thing from “Kennedy and Heidi,” but it’s the aftermath of a car crash featuring Tony and Christopher instead. It would be the last moments of Michael Imperioli’s character’s life.

6. “Long Term Parking”

The fifth season of “The Sopranos” is the one that finally won the show Outstanding Drama Series at the Emmys. Hey, the idea of non-network shows winning Emmys was still a new idea. There are a few standout episodes in season five, naturally, but “Long Term Parking” is the best of the bunch. It’s very much like a mob movie in miniature, but a particularly good one.

5. “Funhouse”

Of all the dream/hallucination episodes, “Funhouse” is the best of the bunch. It seems like a silly premise on its surface, as Tony is dealing with food poisoning, which leads to his hallucinations. And yet, amidst some laughs, there is genuine story development. Tony realizes there is a “rat” in his midst, and they have to go. And he learns that thanks to food poisoning. Only “The Sopranos.”

4. “Whoever Did This”

Tony Soprano loves animals. It’s maybe his only redeeming, humanizing quality. However, when his beloved horse Pie-O-My dies in a fire, that love for animals leads to a more typical Tony response: bloodthirsty rage. “Whoever Did This” is one of the more brutal episodes of “The Sopranos,” which is really saying something.

3. “Employee of the Month”

The Soprano family and Tony’s crew aren’t the only important characters on the show. There’s also Dr. Melfi, played excellently by Lorraine Bracco. This is a true highlight for the actress, as poor Dr. Melfi considers calling in a favor from her most violent patient after she is attacked. It’s a brutal episode for the good doctor, but a great showcase for Bracco.

2. “Pine Barrens”

“Pine Barrens” is often brought up when discussing the best of what “The Sopranos” could do. Not just because it’s a great episode, which it is. It’s also a sterling example of how innovative and creative the show could be. “Pine Barrens” is a fairly comedic episode built around Christopher and Paulie stumbling through the titular New Jersey region looking for a Russian gangster. It’s impressive how funny “The Sopranos” can be while also maintaining its intensity and darkness. This may be an atypical episode, but it’s also one of the very best.

1. “College”

Yes, this is only the fourth episode of “The Sopranos.” Guess what? It’s also the best. If you ask people about their favorite episode, a lot of people are going to say “College.” However, if you ask what episode is the one that first showed the potential for greatness in the HBO drama, it’s almost definitely “College.” It perfectly balances the two halves of the show, and of Tony. While visiting colleges around New England with his daughter Meadow, Tony spies a mob informant. Will he seek vengeance? If he does, what will that do to his family? It’s the crux of Tony’s existence and the best episode of this all-time classic show.