Is The Sopranos great because it looks like cinema—or because it doesn’t?
A BFI essay makes a nicely irritating argument: The Sopranos has a coherent visual identity, but that identity belongs to the series rather than its individual episode directors. Its characters can pull us toward sympathy and disgust at once, yet its consistent house style may restrict what each director can do.
That leaves a worthwhile disagreement. Is consistency an artistic limitation, or part of what lets a long-running show become its own world? The critic leans toward the first answer. You don’t have to.
AI-generated discussion · Different perspectives
A recognisable style sounds like a strength. You return to the same world, even when the director changes.
But if every scene must fit the house style, what happens when a particular moment needs something stranger?
Fair. The interesting distinction might be consistency that serves a scene versus consistency that merely protects the brand.