HBO’s The Sopranos hails as one of the all-time greatest drama series of the 21st century and, even decades after the infamous finale, the show continues to recruit new fans of all ages around the world. The series centers around New Jersey mob boss, Tony Soprano, played by the incredible James Gandolfini, who tries to find some middle ground between his family life and his high-risk career choice in “waste management.” While Gandolfini is simply remarkable in his portrayal of the Garden State mobster, he’s joined by a string of notable stars who delivered unforgettable performances.
Out of all the supporting characters in The Sopranos, Tony’s uncle, Corrado “Junior” Soprano, stands out as one of the greats. Played by Dominic Chianese, Uncle Junior is a fan favorite who is known for his cheeky one-liners and old-school persona and serves as a vital pillar throughout the entire series. Countless episodes feature Junior in some of his finest moments, but out of the eighty-plus episodes, including season 3, episode 13, “Army of One” and season 1, episode 9, “Boca”, these are the best Uncle Junior episodes .
1 “Army of One”
Season 3, Episode 13
When Ralphie receives the word that Jackie Jr. (Jason Cerbone) is hiding out in Booton, he finally deals with the situation and has him executed. As everyone gathers for the funeral, everyone is shell-shocked at the young man’s senseless death, which they all consider to be the result of a drug deal gone bad. After the heartbreaking service, everyone goes to Vesuvio’s to continue mourning and listen to Uncle Junior sing a beautiful Italian love song, ‘Core ‘Ngrato.’
Aside from acting, Chianese is also a talented musician and singer who has the opportunity to show off his skills in season 3, episode 13, ‘Army of One.’ The actor’s performance moves everyone to tears with his incredible voice, which silences the entire room (except for Meadow) as they listen attentively to the alluring, bittersweet song. Even at the age of 93 years old, Chianese continues to perform and record music today, proving that age is truly just a number. The scene is not only one of the show’s and Uncle Junior’s most memorable moments, but the song itself (which conveys the message of an ungrateful heart) is a fitting end to a highly emotional season.
2″The Knight in White Satin Armor”
Season 2, Episode 12
With Richie Aprile (David Proval) getting fed up with Tony and his fiancé and Tony’s sister, Janice (Aida Turturro), whispering in his ear, he decides to make inquiries about making a move against Tony. Unfortunately, Aprile is unsuccessful at gaining any support, and while he believes he has Junior’s full support, he’s unaware that the old man has been playing him the entire time.
In one of the series’ best episodes, season 2, episode 12, ‘The Knight in Satin Armor,’ Junior is incredibly strategic in secretly weighing his options out between Tony and Aprile. He puts on such a convincing performance that even Bacala is in pure awe of him and his tactics. Junior is one of the last old-school mobsters, and, unlike Tony and his younger associates, he is patient and extremely cunning in his decisions and is never one to jump the gun before he has all his ducks in a row. He might not have a large part in the episode, but the unexpected revelation of his charade and outsmarting Aprile is what makes this a top-tier Uncle Junior episode.
3″In Camelot”
Season 5, Episode 7
Junior is running up the walls with cabin fever, and, in an act of desperation, he resorts to trying to attend as many funerals as possible in order to get out of the house. He goes as far as scanning the obituaries and asking to attend non-related funerals, reaching for any connection or reason for the judge to grant him permission. His act comes to an all-time low when he happily enjoys the food at a funeral for a young boy and is surrounded by sobbing family and friends who are too grief-stricken to eat.
