Have you watched The Sopranos? In case you’re keen to explore how the iconic television show was created, a new two-part documentary has got you covered. Wise Guy, which chronicles how creator David Chase came up with the series, is now available for streaming. (Also Read – The Perfect Couple review: Nicole Kidman is sharp, Ishaan Khatter smooth in this page-turning murder mystery)
What’s Wise Guy about?
Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos explores the making and impact of the watershed series. The two-part documentary is helmed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney, who won the honour for his 2007 documentary Taxi to the Dark Side.
Wise Guy entails a deep dive into the mind of David Chase, the force behind The Sopranos, as the crime series completes 25 years since its premiere on January 10, 1999. The documentary chronicles the creator’s professional and personal lives, unpacking the creative and personal factors that influenced his crafting of the show, thus establishing the close-knit link between David and The Sopranos, the creator and the creation.
It also includes interviews with major figures from the show, including Lorraine Bracco, Edie Falco, and Michael Imperioli, producers and writers who shaped the groundbreaking series. The documentary also offers archival material, including early audition tapes, behind-the-scenes footage, and clips from the series, promising a nostalgic ride for fans of the series.
Where to watch
Wise Guy premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival earlier this year. It was dropped on HBO and its streaming service Max on September 7. Both the episodes of the two-part documentary can be viewed in India on JioCinema.
The Sopranos, headlined by James Gandolfini, was HBO’s one of the most critically acclaimed shows. It ran for six seasons and won 21 Emmys. It was also the first cable series ever to win the Emmy for outstanding drama series. It also earned Michael Imperioli an acting Emmy in 2004.
More than awards, the show about mid-level gangsters in New Jersey proved that audiences could handle morally complex anti-heroes, paving the way for shows like Breaking Bad and Mad Men, and marking the beginning of the time when TV started eating cinema’s lunch.
