On June 10, 2007, one of my favorite shows of all time -- The Sopranos -- ended with a controversial bang. For what it's worth, I loved the way the series ended...but anyway....Since Tony and his family (actual family...not the goomba one) ordered some of the best onion rings in the state, many shows have come into my life....Mad Men, LOST, Dexter, Rescue Me, to name a few. All great shows with wonderful characters and story lines but none created the hype each week the way my dysfunctional family from North Jersey did. In college, every Sunday night at around 8:45pm, it was like everyone I knew went into a trance. No matter where I was, I always found a way to make it home to 419 Euclid with a least 10 other guys to order food and have my eyes glued to the TV at 9pm. This was not a unique ritual. Similar TV bonding was happening all over campus and from what I would later learn, it was happening all over the United States. Thinking back, I don't think I ever watch an episode of the show with less than 2 other people. It wasn't just an event each week, it was a way of life.
I've yet to do this with a new show. I turn to blogs and emails with people after LOST and Mad Men, but not everybody I know watches those shows (or watched as is the case with LOST). Everyone I knew, everyone I ran into, people I met for the first time watched The Sopranos and shared a similar community watching aspect.
After the season premiere of Boardwalk Empire last night, I think happy days of community TV watching are here again. My parents and I had a countdown for this show since Friday. People I work with were talking about it for weeks. I rearranged my schedule so that I would not have to watch the first episode on DVR. And I am so happy I did -- the first episode was gripping from the opening credits. It's basically The Sopranos 80 years earlier which doesn't hurt the matter -- but it's a lot grittier. Do yourself a favor and start watching this show NOW! It's themes that make for great TV - crime, loyalty, and as is the case with most classics it deals with the dark side of pursuing "The American Dream."
Side note -- Jack Dempsey gets a little shout out in the first 15 minutes of the first episode. Below is the artwork for Molumby's Million as well as the latest weigh-in update from Friday, Sept. 17th (the month and a half mark)
8/5/10 (Pre-Dempsey Work Out Weight) = 178 lbs
8/19/10 (Two Week Check-In) = 182 lbs
9/4/10 (One Month Check-In) = 183.5 lbs
9/17/10 (Month and a Half Check-In) = 184 lbs -- Gotta eat more carbs!!
