The HBO crime drama “The Sopranos” is widely known for its intense and often graphic outbursts of violence. From bodily dismemberment to altercations that can quickly turn bloody, the mob hit is no stranger to stomach-churning scenes of brutally. While fans of the show regularly debate who got it the worst in terms of injuries in “The Sopranos,” some of the nastiest attacks and accidents remain memorable and impactful to this day.
On the r/TheSopranos subreddit, u/RCH2288 collected some of the best examples in a thread dedicated to discuss the topic. To kick things off, this user made some initial suggestions. Throughout his time on the series, Ralphie (Joe Pantoliano) is particularly well known for his short fuse and violent tendencies. At one point, he strikes Georgie (Frank Santorelli) in the eye with a chain and even savagely beats his girlfriend in a parking lot while his criminal associates look on in shocked horror. Of course, these are only two examples.
Naturally, there are a lot of violent characters in the Jersey mob drama. Another man noted for choosing violence, Christopher Moltisanti (Michael Imperioli), remains on the show for almost the entire six-season run of “The Sopranos,” inflicting horrifying injuries on many people along the way. One notable example includes Christopher tossing Little Paulie (Carl Capotorto) out of a second-story window, after which he hits the ground with a devastating impact.
Beansie got it bad
In response to a question about the worst injuries throughout “The Sopranos,” one user left a comment that received more than 70 upvotes. In a short and to-the-point reply, u/Mv311 wrote, “Beansie. He’s a shopping cart.” This quip quickly became the most popular comment on the thread. For fans who don’t remember this incident, after Richie Aprile (David Proval) is released from prison, he attempts to extort his former underling, Beansie (Paul Herman). When Beansie refuses to pay him and name drops Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), Richie flies into a blind rage and smashes a coffee pot over his head before later running him over with a car. This vulgar display leaves Beansie permanently disabled.
While Richie’s attack on Beansie ultimately won the support of most Redditors, other violent confrontations were also mentioned. Of course, few characters on “The Sopranos” can compete with mob boss Tony Soprano, a man often noted for his violent temper (via 60 Minutes). Some of Tony’s most brutal moments include horribly beating a bartender, almost choking his girlfriend Gloria (Annabella Sciorra) to death, and, perhaps worst of all, curb-stomping associate Coco (Armen Garo) in an utterly vicious display.
In terms of taking punishment, almost no one took as much as Tony’s longtime friend, Artie (John Ventimiglia). Known especially for the hand trauma he regularly endures, Artie suffers greatly when he unintentionally offends Benny Fazio (Max Casella) as the gangster dines at his restaurant. The enraged Fazio follows Artie back to his kitchen, where he shows him just how hot his sauce is, plunging the screaming Artie’s arm into a massive, boiling pot of marinara.
