Why is Tony always eating in The Sopranos?
Widely regarded as the television series that opened the flood gates to the golden age of TV, The Sopranos exploded onto the scene on January 10, 1999, cementing HBO as the home of quality storytelling. Already flexing their critical muscles with early prison drama Oz in 1997, HBO tapped into the public’s thirst for mob-based stories and flipped the genre on its head by mixing in a fascinating character study of one of the most enduring characters in television history, Tony Soprano.
Brought to life by the iconic performance of the late great James Gandolfini, Tony Soprano, the series’ patriarchal star, is undoubtedly one of the most intricately created and performed charters in the history of all narrative storytelling. And that’s not an exaggeration. Over nine years and 86 episodes, Tony is the only character to appear in every single one and demands your attention with every scene. From the moment we see him waiting in his metaphor’s office in episode 1 to the very last scene of the finale on June 10, 2007, audiences were riveted by the leader of New Jersey’s “glorified crew,” and with the shows’ reputation today, that fascination won’t be going anywhere soon.
It’s beyond clear that Tony Soprano has a major issue with impulse control and a general inability to keep his temper in check. Stemming from a childhood that saw brutal violence on a daily basis, from street beatings to appalling treatment of women, Tony was bound to struggle with his uncontrollable fits of rage.
Many people may think that the weight gain we see Tony go through during the series is because actor James Gandolfini just got bigger over time. The truth is Tony’s girth expanded because of the traumas the character was going through.We don’t just see Tony overeating in the show so that he has something to do in the scene; it’s strategically woven throughout the show to demonstrate his constant need for satisfaction. He can’t find it emotional, so he gorges on food to find some joy in his tortuous life .
Pride comes before a fall…….and it caused Tony a heap of grief. In one of the series’ seminal moments, Tony’s consigliere, Silvio Dante, iconically played by E-Street Band member, Steven Van Zandt, accuses Tony flat out that he has a problem with authority in a situation that was causing major problems to all the members of his gang.
