James Gandolfini's Tony Soprano looking serious in The SopranosImage via HBO
By
Andrea Ciriaco
Updated
31 minutes ago
Andrea Ciriaco is a long-time script reader and former entertainment editor who specializes in classic movies and Hollywood history. She was a student film critic at Kent State University for three years and worked at Warner Bros Studio in Burbank and The Safran Company for several years. Based on her vast taste and range of knowledge, many consider Andrea to be a walking IMDb who knows dozens of underrated movies and is a vital assesst to any trivia night. While movies are her expertise, Andrea is also a diehard fan of iconic shows including The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone, Will & Grace and South Park. Some of her favorite filmmakers are Walt Disney,John Huston, Fritz Lang, Alfred Hitchcock, John Ford, Mel Brooks, Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese and Howard Hawks.
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HBO's signature series, The Sopranos, is considered to be one of the greatest television shows of all time and, even though it ended over two decades ago, the series continues to recruit new fans around the world every day. James Gandolfini stars in his breakthrough role as everyone's favorite New Jersey mob boss, Tony Soprano, who tries to raise a family and lead a normal, all-American life while working in an unconventional line of work. Out of all the memorable characters, Tony is one of the most complex and intriguing characters, who has his fair share of comical and jaw-dropping moments.
Tony Soprano is easily one of the best characters in any television series and his dialogue is no exception. From hilarious one-liners such as "even a broken clock is right twice a day" from Season 1, episode 6, "Pax Soprana," to badass remarks like "those who want respect, give respect" in the shocking episode, Season 2, episode 12, "The Knight in White Satin Armor," these are some of the best Tony Soprano quotes from The Sopranos.
30 "It's not a nursing home! How many times do I gotta say this? It's a retirement community!"
"Pilot" (Season 1, Episode 1)
James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano talking to Nancy Marchand as Livia Soprano while standing next to him in The Sopranos Pilot episodeImage via HBO
In the show's pilot episode, fans learn that one of the most stressful factors in Tony's life is his mother, Livia (Nancy Marchand), who insists on continuing to live at home by herself. Livia comes from a generation where independence and freedom are crucial, and even though Green Grove, which is where Tony wants her to go, is far from what she imagines as a nursing home where you have no say in your life.
Tony tries to explain to his mother that her idea of a nursing home has drastically improved over the years. Instead of trying to give her details about the changes, Tony thinks that if he calls it something that is more appealing, then she will eventually cave. This is a classic Tony Soprano maneuver that fans witness from him throughout the show, but hearing him try to spin Green Grove into sounding like Captain Teebs to sway Livia's decision is simply priceless.
29 "I'm like King Midas in reverse. Everything I touch turns to s**t."
"Isabella" (Season 1, Episode 12)
James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano in The Sopranos episode IsabellaImage via HBO
In "Isabella," Tony is extremely depressed about the sudden disappearance of his best friend, Big Pussy (Vincent Pastore), and admits to Dr. Melfi (Lorraine Bracco) that he doesn't feel anything, explaining that he feels empty and numb. At one point, Tony also admits that he's frustrated with Melfi and his lack of progress, essentially taking his pain and frustrations out on her. Despite his current state, Tony is still capable of throwing out a quick one-liner that is rather impressive.
Whether it was meant to be taken seriously or just a slight spark of his twisted sense of humor, Tony's quote about being King Midas in reverse is an interesting quote that reminds fans that, behind all his misery and self-loathing, he's still in there somewhere. He may not be his usual self, but it's clear that, even in some of the lowest points in his life, Tony never fails to lose his sense of humor that fans know and love him for.
28 "When you walk around that fu*kin' mansion with your five-hundred-dollar shoes and your diamond rings, and you act like butter wouldn't melt in your mouth. And you don't want it to get ugly? Too late!"
"Unidentified Black Males" (Season 5, Episode 9)
James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano leaning over and in Edie Falco's face as Carmela Soprano in The Sopranos episode Unidentified Black MalesImage via HBO
When Tony and Carmela (Edie Falco) meet for dinner at Vesuvios, Tony thinks Carmela has finally come to her senses and wants to talk about getting back together. Unfortunately, Tony is blindsided by Carmela, who informs him that she is preparing to file for divorce, which, of course, does not go over well with Tony. Carmela was smart to break the news to him in a public place, but being in a crowded room surrounded by people never fails to prevent Tony from speaking his mind.
When Tony tells Carmela the cold, hard truth about how she knew what she was signing up for, it's honestly one of his most powerful quotes in the series. For a tough guy, Tony has a surprising way with words and always manages to paint a vivid picture that many viewers expect to hear out of his mouth. While Carmela is justified in wanting a divorce, Tony also makes a valid point, basically accusing his wife of wanting her cake and eating it too. It's a tough situation to really say who is right and who is wrong, but either way, Tony's choice of words to his wife is unforgettable.
27 "Some of us didn't want to swarm around their hive and forget who we were."
"From Where to Eternity" (Season 2, Episode 9)
James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano sitting in a chair in The Sopranos episode From Where to Eternity.Image via HBO
In "From Where to Eternity," Tony opens up to Melfi about Christopher (Michael Imperioli) and his fear of dying and going to hell. This prompts Melfi to address the sinful side of Tony's lifestyle, and, of course, leads Tony to become overly defensive as he tries to justify that organized crime comes with the territory of being Italian. In some sense, he isn't wrong, as many Italian immigrants were forced to turn to a life of crime in an effort to survive, but that was then, and this is now.
Tony isn't wrong about Italian immigrants wanting to hold on to their heritage and not conform to America's standards, but what they cared about preserving was far from the Cosa Nostra. When Italians originally immigrated to the United States, they faced immense racism and discrimination, making it incredibly difficult for them to earn a decent living, and the main reason why many chose a life of crime. Over time, the mafia obviously changed and shifted from being a means of survival to a means of wealth and power, which Melfi tries to point out, but Tony is unable to comprehend that his ancestors did what they had to do, and he had other opportunities that they would have taken without hesitation.
26 "You must've been in the top of your f**kin' class."
"Another Toothpick" (Season 3, Episode 5)
James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano sitting next to Edie Falco as Carmela Soprano in The Sopranos episode Another ToothpickImage via HBO
In "Another Toothpick," Carmela joins Tony for one of his therapy sessions with Melfi, which initially starts pretty smoothly until Carmela confronts Melfi about her lack of help. Tony comes to Melfi's defense and tries to explain to his wife what they have accomplished during his recent sessions. Even though Tony and Melfi mean no harm, Carmela begins to think that they are blaming her for Tony's issues, which leads to an argument between the couple.
As Melfi sits silently watching Tony and Carmela bicker back and forth, she finally states the obvious, which Tony has no problem throwing back in her face with this hilarious quote. Tony never fails to skip a beat with his wisecracks, and the majority of fans would agree that his response was not only on point but also provided a bit of comic relief to a rather intense and uncomfortable situation. While Tony has a handful of quick one-liners and snarky remarks, this one reigns as one of his most humorous and memorable.
25 "I find I have to be the sad clown: laughing on the outside, crying on the inside."
"Pilot" (Season 1, Episode 1)
James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano in The Sopranos Pilot.Image via HBO
During Tony's second therapy session in the show's memorable pilot episode, Dr. Melfi (Lorraine Bracco), asks him if he has any qualms over how he makes a living, which prompts Tony to admit that he does. Normally, one would think he has issues with it because he's breaking the law, putting himself and his family in harm's way, or physically hurting people, but Tony goes on to say his main issue is because he feels like he has to put on a front for those around him, ultimately concealing his true persona.
Aside from Tony's unusual but not surprising response, this particular quote reveals how Tony has a misconstrued idea and image of who he truly is. While he may have some grounds for having to hide his emotions, he isn't someone who is always laughing on the outside or this happy-go-lucky guy. In reality, he's manipulative, aggressive, and intimidating, and his disillusioned opinion of himself ultimately reveals his narcissism and self-ignorance.
24 "Those other guys, Sil, Paulie... one thing they're not: they're not my blood."
"Everybody Hurts" (Season 4, Episode 6)
James Gandolfini standing in front of Michael Imperioli who has his back to the camera in The Sopranos S4, E6.Image via HBO
In "Everybody Hurts," Tony meets with Christopher (Michael Imperioli) late at night to discuss his future plans for the family. Tony explains how he wants to start to move away from being at the forefront of everything, decreasing his exposure to any legal action and essentially tells Chrissy what his next moves will be regarding everyone's ranking and responsibilities. Despite Chrissy's history of drugs and being utterly irresponsible and reckless, Tony essentially tells his nephew that he intended for him to eventually take over.
Throughout the series, Tony constantly picks and chooses when he picks the business and rules over his family, and fans are well aware that he has always given Chrissy special treatment because he's his nephew. This particular quote reveals how blind Tony is when it comes to his nephew. His first indication should have been when he passed over Patsy and made Chrissy an acting-capo, which didn't sit well with the guys and also caused problems for Tony. The fact that Tony believes blood trumps guys like Silvio and Paulie, who have been loyal to him since day one and rightfully earned their ranks and button,s just confirms how self-centered and hypocritical Tony truly is.
23 "Cunnilingus and psychiatry brought us to this."
"I Dream of Jeannie Cusamano" (Season 1, Episode 13)
Edie Falco sitting on the bed with her arm around James Gandolfini's shoulder in The Sopranos S1, E13.Image via HBO
After listening to tapes recorded by the FBI, Tony learns that his mother, Livia (Nancy Marchand), found out that he was seeing a psychiatrist and used it and other information to get into Uncle June's head. While Tony knows his uncle was behind the hit and most likely orchestrated it because he found out his nephew was still calling the shots, Tony also believes his relentless taunting of his uncle giving oral sex didn't help the situation either.
In the essential Sopranos episode, "I Dream of Jeannie Cusamano," Tony makes a rather hilarious remark that is somewhat accurate. Even if Tony wasn't seeing Melfi, it's likely that Livia would still have found something to resent her son for (aside from being placed at Green Grove) and eventually tell Junior about Tony meeting with the other capos behind Junior's back. While seeing Melfi and choosing to make fun of Junior wasn't helpful in Tony's situation, they're definitely not the main causes of why the events transpired, shedding light on Tony's inability to take responsibility for his betrayal and poor decisions.
22 "There's an old Italian saying: you f**k up once, you lose two teeth."
"Toodle-F**king-Oo" (Season 2, Episode 4)
James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano sitting at the kitchen island bar eating cereal in The Sopranos S2, E4.Image via HBO
After Meadow (Jamie Lynn-Sigler) throws a wild party at Livia's house, Tony and Carmela (Edie Falco) discuss the next morning about what her punishment should be. While they're talking, Tony's sister, Janice (Aida Turturro), strolls into the kitchen and decides to put her two cents in about effective parenting, which does not coincide with Tony's parental opinion.
Tony's response to Janice's "old saying" in "Toodle-F**king-Oo," is simply priceless and is nothing short of what fans would expect from Tony. While Janice has a much more laid-back approach to parenting (even though she doesn't even know where her own son is), Tony's is much more aligned with how they were raised and, while Tony would never lay his hand on Meadow, his quote showcases how he believes in stricter parenting than his aimless sister.
21 "You blow your father with that mouth?"
"Watching Too Much Television" (Season 4, Episode 7)
James Gandolfini sitting the driver's seat of a car with Robert Iler sitting in the passenger seat in The Sopranos S4,E7.Image via HBO
When Tony takes AJ (Robert Iler) downtown to see the property for HUD, a man and a woman emerge from the broken-down homes and approach Tony's car. Surprisingly, Tony isn't immediately confrontational and tries to explain he's just showing his son the area, but his answer doesn't do anything but escalate the situation. After the man shouts at them to leave, the woman chimes in with some derogatory language, which leads to a smart-ass but humorous line from Tony.
Tony's response to the woman in "Watching Too Much Television" demonstrates Tony's classic signature of sarcasm and his surprisingly quick wit that fans love about him. Of course, his comment doesn't help the slightly intense situation, but Tony doesn't flinch or move a muscle, firmly standing his ground. Although the remark wasn't exactly necessary, it's in Tony's nature to react with offensive words and out of all the character's humorous insulting one-liners, this is easily one of Tony's all-time best.
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The Sopranos
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