Sopranos Comment Board I consider the Sopranos to be more like a movie series (like James Bond) than a television series. At least that's the way I can rationalize the 2 year hiatus since it last aired. I approached this season with much anticipation, rewatching the 2004 season over the past week or so, and the last episode immediately before the new one. I thought the continuity was impressive. Unlike previous season premiers which seem to pale by comparison with the previous season's finale, this premier seemed to be a genuine continuation, albeit with some new set ups and a big surprise. (If you Tivo™ the show, do not read the comments..)

What did you think about last night's premier of the Sopranos? In the spirit of Orin Kerr, post your comments here. (Please, no posts about Big Love. I won't be watching it until tonight.) I look forward to reading your take. Here are some possible issues that could be discussed: Did the premier episode thrill or disappoint? What do you think makes the Sopranos a cut above other television shows? How would you rate it as compared with Deadwood, a show I find simply amazing in its dialog? How do you think the series format on HBO compares with film as a medium for story telling? Post away!

Big Love "Threat or Menace?" Comment Board: With the success of The Sopranos comments board below, I thought I would solicit reader comments on Big Love, the new HBO series on polygamy. What do you think?

In response to some of the comments on The Sopranos, I wanted to add that, for me, The Wire is a far more realistic depiction of crime and law enforcement. I view The Sopranos as more surrealist than realistic in a highly (for me) aesthetically pleasing way. Deadwood, in contrast, I view as Shakespearean in its investment in dialog, which includes the inability to understand some of it without a quick backup on the Tivo™ to hear a line again. It is even better in second viewing when you do not have to concern yourself with the plot and can focus on the words. Then there is Entourage. . . an awesome show. These are my four favorite series.

Do I sound like I watch too much TV? After all, there is also 24, the amazing House, Rome, and the far inferior but still entertaining, Prison Break, to keep up with. Well, perhaps. But the Tivo™ allows me to be very selective. [In response to a comment, I have been and remain a genuine Tivo™ owner since the product was first introduced.] Choose the shows to which I want to commit and keep up with them late in the evening when I am too drained to do anything else. And the other nice thing is that there are new episodes of different series throughout the year, not just from Fall to Spring, so there are at any one time probably no more 3-4 shows to watch per week.

This may well be the new Golden Age of television, with the medium finally being used to accomplish story telling that cannot be done in the traditional "series" format or the traditional 2-hour movie format.