What an awesome series! Too bad they didn't go longer than six seasons. This is not you're modern "Godfather" in that you don't see all the real gory violence, but there is still enough you wouldn't want your small children to see it. Great series.

Excellent quality -- just what I ordered. I was impressed with how quickly it was delivered. Have since ordered another dvd and am not at all impressed with the service this time. The latest purchase was supposed to be here two days ago and it isn't even showing yet on the tracking.

After I bought the first season I just had to buy this one. The unfinished events are very well concluded here with impressive creative force. The main characters are fully developed now and the acting is superb (Tony simply steals the scene again). If you liked the first season, this is a must, not only for the hardcore fan, but for anyone who enjoys world-class acting and the thrilling, sometimes violent, story of a 'regular' family.

The Sopranos is a favorite show of mine and I ordered this product as a gift for my grandson who also loves the Sopranos.

I thoroughly enjoy watching the episodes of the Sopranos at my leisure. Additional commentary feature provides more insight into this top-notch show.

The second season starts off excellent with a great introduction by another great Italian crooning and too many television references. If course one capo is hit in the 1st fifteen minutes and Hesh shows up with his lawyer friend and more insightful advice. The Soprano family soap opera is interesting not just because of the writing but because the acting, all the way around, is far beyond anything soaps have seen before. Even when the characters are despicable, and many are, the acting is so convincing it would at least carry the show if it had to which it doesn't. The personalities are all interesting. Many are intriguing. If the major networks had any thoughts about upgrading their swill this show would be a great place to start. Along with the convincing acting and complex but believable, though sometimes semi-surrealistic, subplots the production and cinematography is superb. Probably the only real low point is the racial stereotypes introduced to pander to a wider demographic.

Most shows that bring in new characters after the first season do it because the essential ones have been taken as far as they can and have become dead weight. This usually means Lenny and Squiggy types will be written along with Mr. Furley or Mr Death Knell-Ted McGinley. With The Sopranos that isn't the case... ever. All characters, even the newer ones, are written well with personalities these actors have obviously been properly cast for. Once again the characters that are essentially useless are walk on stereotypes. The good part is that they're only there to move the plot along and then they go away. The instances where they are kept on, invariably to move along another subplot, are the times even a Sopranos fan will wonder why. To sell more toothpaste and fried chicken of course! This is probably the only shortcoming of a season of outstanding acting, complex and well connected subplots and excellent technical movie making.

Like I said in my review for season one, I battled even attempting at reviewing this orgasmic series for the sheer fear of doing it wrong. Really, there is nothing bad to be said for this amazing series and it's so important to me that I do this justice. I hope and pray that I don't screw these up.

So, what's in store for the viewers of season two?

Picking up where season one left off, season two of the masterpiece series `The Sopranos' finds Tony Soprano stepping in as acting boss of the family while Uncle Junior faces federal indictment charges. With this new position comes much more responsibility, responsibility that certainly has its price. The decisions Tony makes have an impact on the entire family and there are some who have their ideas of how Tony should or shouldn't be running things. But, just like in season one there is much more to this than mob action. In fact, the real heart of this series is what happens within the Soprano home, and Tony's sister Janice makes for nice water cooler gossip as the new addition to the household. She's greedy and selfish and downright detestable, and Tony knows this. Not only does he have to battle with the likes of his sister but even him mother who took out a hit on Tony in season one is causing him grief. With her condition after her stroke Tony is forced to put her in a nursing home mainly so he won't have to deal with her himself.

She's dead to him, and he makes that very obvious.

There are plenty of new faces appearing (and even disappearing) within season two. First of all Pussy returns after disappearing for the last few episodes of season one. There is much controversy over his sudden appearance especially since Tony was sick with grief over his disappearance. His loyalty is called into question and it's a question that's held in the balance well into the season finale. The previous family boss Jackie Aprile's brother Richie returns after serving ten years in prison and he's insistent on getting a large part of the pie. His influence is destructive and it causes turmoil within the family, especially after he rekindles his relationship with Janice. Tony also gets himself a new ally, Furio, straight from Italy, and his help is immediately apparent.

There are also new occurrences between those not directly related to the mob. A high school friend of Tony's, David Scatino, with a gambling problem ends up causing Tony grief when he borrows too much and can't pay it back. Paying back his debt will prove disastrous for himself and for Tony as well, but that's to be seen. There are issues within his own home to contend with, mostly dealing with his son's lack of care or concern. There's also a struggle to get Meadow into a college close to home and this causes Carmela to finally show us what she's made of. As Tony's relationship with Doctor Melfi grows she ends up suffering from her own vises and seeks help as well.

There is actually so much that takes place within this season (and every season really) that breaking it all down would be time consuming and really pointless. The whole reason to watch this show is to experience it and how can you experience it if you know it all before it happens. I hope I haven't ruined anything for you.

The acting this season is just as brilliant. James Gandolfini proves once again that he is an acting god and that his portrayal of Tony Soprano is as real and as convincing as it could ever be. He continues to strip away the layers of this man and expose him for who he really is and that is so commendable. Edie Falco also ups her game with this season as Carmela. She really makes this character her own as the seasons progress. As far as the new faces are concerned David Proval is brilliant as Richie Aprile. He's the perfect portrayal of pure scum. Aida Turturro is phenomenal as Janice and she only gets better as time progresses. She's able to make you hate her even though you long to watch her. Robert Patrick, an actor whom I just adore, is fantastic as David Scatino. He plays the man down on his luck brilliantly. You can feel his pain and you can feel his frustration. Vincent Pastore returns as Pussy and he really serves up his A-Game this season. His character really evolves and gets fleshed out beautifully and really leaves a lasting impression.

Season two is filled with the same emotional depth we received in season one, maybe even more so this go around.

I've said this once before, `The Sopranos' is television perfection. It will never be repeated and it will never be beaten. Television will never be the same. We have the reruns though and we have these beautifully compiled DVD's to keep us happy so that the memories will never die. Until my review of season three, I hope this has proved helpful.

I'm hooked, the Sopranos second season is even better than the first, and I can't wait to progress to the third, fourth, fifth, etc.

It's The Sopranos, of course this product is awesome. I look forward to watching every episode from every season for years to come. Enjoy!

If you don't mind sex, violence, all the "bad" words (even the 10 and 12
letter ones), it is very entertaining.

It's great being able to start watching the Sopranos from the begining again. You forget so many things that have happened over the series. My family and I watch one or two stories a night. We just love it.

I remember watching all those awards shows wishing my shows would win the gold. But every time it was Sopranos, I never knew why. Now I do. It is without a doubt one of the greatest shows to ever grace the television screen. It is a shame that I just barely got into it, but I love every minute that I have watched.

I purchased this set and others for my husband as he is a Soprano junky. He must watch an episode every day alongwith the re-runs on HBO. I have purchased through Amazon since last year and each purchased has been a great experience. I never had a problem and have referred numerous people. Keep up the great work. My husband truly believes that there will be a sequal to the Sopranos because of the way Season 7 ended.

Another brilliant season from The Sopranos is collected in this handsome box set with some special features to choose from for those who want a more in-depth experience of the show. In this season we see the overall production and quality of the writing reach new heights as more characters are introduced and episodes that delve into magic realism and dream sequences become more prominent throughout the series. Tony and his psychiatrist are on the outs at the beginning of the season, while new concerns pop up at home in the form of Tony's sister Janet, who causes more problems than she tries to solve. There is also a Rat that needs to be taken care of, and it turns out to be someone closer to Tony than he would have liked. The characters of Meadow Soprano and her brother Anthony Jnr. continues to grow as Meadow heads off to college while AJ struggles with a philosophy that leaves him without any hope and a lot of angst at the start of his teenage years. We also get to see just how ruthless Tony can be when an old school friend of his acrues a gambling dept and Tony goes to work on him and his livelihood, and the shattering consequences this has on Tony's family and Carmela's would-be crush. The best episode is undoubtedly the last one, where Tony confronts the Rat while recovering from the horrors of food poisoning and the horrific fever dreams that plague him. This is a superb season and so far my favorite in the Sopranos series.

What can you say about the greatest drama series of our time. A must buy...every season.

"The Sopranos" may be the most critically acclaimed TV series of all time, but it surely features one of the largest, most complex cast of characters ever assembled for the small screen. Thanks to those characters, Season 2 grabs hold of you from the very first scene of the first episode and doesn't let go for thirteen hilarious, violent, sad episodes.

The story continues to revolve around the massive shoulders and belly of Tony Soprano. At the end of Season 1, Tony survived a "hit" arranged by his Uncle Junior and his mother, Livia. But family is family, and both Uncle Junior and Livia are still breathing at the outset of Season 2, even though Tony keeps insisting that Livia "is dead to me." Making Tony's family life even more complicated, his opportunistic leech of a sister, Janice, has returned to Jersey from Seattle. Janice professes to be home to help her dear old mother, but in reality she's back to get on the Tony gravy train, which will be a nice supplement to her 100% disability checks from the State of Washington for her carpal tunnel syndrome.

Tony's crime family is also on the rocks, as doubts linger about the possibility of an informer in the ranks. Sure, they killed one snitch last year, but these guys are like roaches, and the cops continue to sniff just a bit too close at Tony's heels.

All the great aspects of Season 1 are back in force - the terrific actors who have been cast in the roles of their lives, the witty writing, the massive budget that allows for one episode to be filmed back in dear old Italia, and the freedom of pay-cable that allows "The Sopranos" to revel in the violence and debauchery that follows this hypnotically flawed family.

The only aspect of Season 2 that seems to lose a bit of steam is Tony's relationship with Dr. Melfi. Their relationship grows, but mainly due to distance because we see as many scenes with Dr. Melfi and her own shrink as we do with Dr. Melfi and Tony. Dr. Melfi remains one of the most beloved characters in the series, to be sure, but the show has the luxury of knowing it's a smash hit and Season 2 allows Tony and Dr. Melfi to let their relationship grow patiently.

Oh, and one more thing makes Tony's life a living hell. Meadow is a gifted high school senior and her dream school is Berkeley, which is pretty much a nightmare for a mob guy from New Jersey with only a semester and a half at Seton Hall under his belt.

If you haven't seen "The Sopranos," you must watch Season 1 first - don't dive into this series in mid-stream. But you must dive in.

In keeping with the the entire series, the second season rocks!
You won't be sorry!

I have now finished the second season and have started season 3. Dvd has a great transfer and I picked up the first three seasons for $20.00 each. Well worth getting for that price!

From the first time i began to watch the sopranos i was kooked.
I have always liked gangster movies especially with actors like Deniro and
Pacino, but the Sopranos takes the prize in my eyes.
Some of the characters like Paulie, Silvio, Junior and not forgeting Tony , Carm, And furio just makes my day after along hard day at my office
I am wondering to myself how come you never heard of the sopranos before?
dispite the cussing and the whacking it is my favorite show .
GREAT!!!! Sunny Girl.

The item was delivered in good condition and was exactly what was expected. However, the delivery time was very long. However, I would still order from this seller again due to the price and quality.

I recieved my product in a quick fashion and the DVD's were great I love the Soprano's

The Sopranos, the second season, is just another season in one of the greatest shows HBO ever put on. The Sopranos follows the life of Anthony [Tony] Soprano, and his hectic life of being a mob boss. In this season Tony has been put in charge of the entire family, has to deal with new characters that come into his life, such as his sister and the brother of a deceased former boss of the same family, and deal with the life of being a normal father of two. This season is full of twists and turns, and probably a little more violence than the last season, but is still part of a fantastic show...

This four disk set comes with 13 episodes including:

1] Guy Walks into a Psychiatrist's Office: Tony has been put in charge of the entire family after the old boss, Uncle Junior, had been arrested on a federal indictment. Tony is adjusting to his new life, trying to talk to his old psychiatrist who won't see him, and has a new twist in his life as his sister, Janice, arrives to take care of their mother Livia in her retirement home. Tony tells anyone who asks that is mother is dead to him after she took out a hit on him in the first season and it failed. Also, an old associate of Tony's from his crew returns after mysteriously disappearing in the end of the first season.

2] Do Not Resuscitate: Tony has taken over the income of Uncle Junior's old side of the business, but still allows Junior a small piece of the pie. Tony even intervenes in a construction site where black protestors are picketing based on racial claims. Also one of the crew members of Tony's may have a second side of him that Tony doesn't know about, and that could hurt him badly. Meanwhile Uncle Junior has gotten out of jail but is under house arrest.

3] Toodle-F*cking-Do: Tony catches his daughter, Meadow, at a party in his mother's abandoned house when she was moved to the retirement home. Also, Tony's old psychiatrist, Dr. Melfi, finds herself in an embarrassing moment when she bumps into Tony in a restaurant. And a new face appears in the series as the brother of Jackie Aprile [who was a former boss of the family but died of cancer] named Richie, shows up in town after 10 years in jail. Richie came back for one thing, to cut himself in on the action, and he is not afraid of who he rubs the wrong way.

4] Commendatori: Tony goes to Italy with two of his crew members, Paulie and his nephew Christopher, to try to get going a car importing business that he inherited from his uncle. Tony is also surprised who the real mob boss there is, and after coming home Tony has a new ally, a new lieutenant named Furio, who will aid Tony in the states.

5] Big Girls Don't Cry: Tony's new ally, Furio, proves himself useful in the U.S., and Tony learns a couple of new things about his own father from a family friend. Meanwhile Richie finds a member of the Soprano family he can relate to, and Tony's nephew, Christopher, gets enrolled by his girlfriend, Adriana, into a writing class because he has dreams of being a famous screenwriter.

6] The Happy Wanderer: A high school friend of Tony's, David Scatino, has a gambling problem and gets heavily in debt to Richie. After being banned by Richie from any of Richie's poker games, David goes to a game of Tony's and gets heavily in debt to Tony as well. Now Richie and Tony clash [one time in many confrontations between these two as they clashed over Richie reclaiming old turf] over who David should pay back first. Also, Tony is finally in the same room as his mom as they come together for a funeral and Tony sees Richie escorting his mother and Janice into the building.

7] D-Girl: As Tony's son, Anthony Jr., gets ready for his confirmation, his apathy starts to disturb Tony and his wife, Carmela, greatly. Meanwhile Christopher, who gets on the set of a movie production thanks to a friend of his who works there, lets out a family secret that eventually makes its way onto a screenplay for a future movie.

8] Full Leather Jacket: Worried that her daughter Meadow wont get into college that she wants, Carmela asks a next door neighbor, Jean Cusamano, for help as Jean's sister could write a letter of recommendation. Meanwhile Richie gives Tony a jacket as a peace offering, but what Tony does with the jacket only adds fuel to the fire between him and Richie. Also, two young gangsters, Sean and Matt, look to make names for themselves by pledging their loyalty to Richie with an act that will guarantee everything will turn upside down.

9] From Where to Eternity: Christopher has been shot and has an out of body experience which sends Paulie on a trip to a psychic to try and find some answers. Tony and his crew look for the shooter in order to avenge Christopher. Meanwhile Dr. Melfi has been seeing a psychiatrist herself in order to explain her complex relationship with Tony, and also discusses her substance abuse problems. And lastly Carmela wants Tony to have a vasectomy for "the good of the family."

10] Bust Out: Richie starts to complain to Tony about how Tony is running things and tries to find an alliance with Uncle Junior. Meanwhile Tony realizes there is a witness to a murder he committed and starts to make plans to leave town. However before he goes he makes an unwilling partner of David Scatino, his high school friend who owes him money, with his hardware store. Meanwhile Carmela decides to decorate and finds herself very attracted to the decorator.

11] House Arrest: After dodging time in jail, Tony is advised by his lawyer to spend time working at his legitimate business. Uncle Junior finds a way to spend his house arrest time by talking with a widowed wife of a police chief. Tony and Richie also fight once again, this time over drugs that Richie is selling on his routes. And Dr. Melfi creates a scene at a restaurant with her son.

12] The Knight in White Satin Armor: Richie and Tony's sister Janice are about to be married, and even though Tony doesn't want Richie near his children he still throws an engagement party for Richie and Janice. Carmela is tired of Tony sleeping with his other woman, but Tony's mistress doesn't want Tony to say goodbye. There is also a BIG surprise in this episode, and it all starts as Janice and Richie settle down to dinner one night.

13] Tony is finally forced to sit down and talk to his mother, the same woman who ordered a hit on him last season, to discuss living arrangements for the future. Tony also gets food poisoning, which gives him several weird dreams that hint at something Tony always suspected, but could never really accept. Meadow is about to graduate high school and is on her way to college. And finally Tony and his crew members go on a boating trip, but one of them never returns.

This season of the Sopranos is full of twists, turns, and a lot of violence. This is one great show and this season is essential to add to your collection. Highly recommended.

The second season is my favorite season even though I kind of saw it out of order but not the first disc,the first disc was the first episodes I ever saw.second season dvd's have a cool menu.And the second season has the best stories.Lillo Brancato Jr. from A Bronx Tale is in the second season so thats good I was glad to see him in there.This is the only season I want to own.

Having recently gotten into "The Sopranos," after I finished watching the first season; I rushed to get this. Let me just say, I loved the first season; But I love this more. This is a great season of a great show. Not only are the jokes funnier, the acting stronger, the plot twists more surprising, but they also made a couple good decisions. First off, Livia Soprano (Tony's mom) was a big part of the first season (and frankly, she wore out her welcome several times). Here, her character is decreased and when she does appear...It's not bad. Anyway...Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) and his family, including wife Carmela (Edie Falco), daughter Meadow (Jamie-Lynn Sigler), and son A.J. return with a whole array of family and business issues. Tony is still seeing Dr. Melfi (Lorraine Bracco), his shrink. Christopher (Michael Imperioli) tries acting. Adreanna's (Drea De Matteo) uncle Richie shows up in the beginning of the season, becoming a main character and ends up dating Tony's sister Janice; Despite a personal-and-business feud between them. Oh, and there's a rat in the family. I don't want to say too much, because I think with any show, it's better to watch each episode without any real knowledge of what's going to happen. But, rest assured, if you like the 1st season. You'll definitely like this one. Here's the list of episodes and a few comments:

1. Guy Walks into a Psychiatrist's Office-The first episode of the 2nd season picks up basically where the first one left off. Tony's uncle Junior is in jail, which makes Tony new boss, he's severed ties with his mother, and his psychiatrist won't see him. In this episode his sister Janice shows up.
2. Do Not Resuscitate-Nothing really significant occurs in this episode, but it is pretty entertaining. It's not the best, but it's not the worst.
3. Toodle F**king Oo-This episode is pretty funny, except my interest in Tony's mother in the hospital goes down everytime there's a scene that takes place there.
4. Commendator-In this episode, Tony goes to Italy without Carmela or the kids for business purposes and Pussy's wife wants to divorce him. The episode is written by series creator, David Chase...So, it's one of the better episodes even though it's different from the other ones.
5. Big Girls Don't Cry-This is the most entertaining and cool episode so far and features Christopher joining an acting class and letting out some of his inner demons as well as Tony returning to therapy.
6. The Happy Wanderer-This episode has an array of cool things. Guest appearances by Frank Sinatra Jr. and Robert Patrick; And you hear the song "Down" by Stone Temple Pilots played in the background in one scene. The season is getting a lot better later on, because this is a really great episode.
7. D Girl-This episode is extremely close to perfect. Guest appearances by Jon Favreau, Janeane Garofalo, and Sandra Bernhard.
8. Full Leather Jacket-A surprising (and funny...kinda) ending makes this episode one of the best this season.
9. From Where to Eternity-This episode is written by Michael Imperioli, who plays Christopher, and deals with what happened in the previous episode. Very dramatic, very funny, and very entertaining. The classic R&B score works really well.
10. Bust Out-In this episode, Carmela comes close to having an affair with a painter. It's an entertaining episode.
11. House Arrest-This episode is very funny and you also get to see a sensitive side to Uncle Junior.
12. The Knight in White Satin Armor-This episode wasn't my favorite, but the last 20 minutes were great. One of the main characters may or may not die in this episode.
13. Funhouse-When an episode of a show is written by it's creator (especially when it's the season finale) it's usually really good. This is one of the strongest episodes.

GRADE: A

There aren't many television shows in the 50+ years of television history that can be categorized as a "weekly event". A "weekly event" show basically has everyone talking about the episode the next day. In the 1980s, shows such as "Dallas" and "Dynasty" were "weekly events". In the 1990s, "Seinfeld" would take emerge as the show that would become a "weekly event". As Seinfeld wound up, another show would soon take that title into the 21st century - that show being HBO's "The Sopranos". "The Sopranos" would be different in that it was a show that appeared on a premium (pay) cable station and would prove that premium cable stations can produce high quality shows that provide high levels of enjoyment. I'm not someone who subscribes to HBO so I felt on the "outside" on the "talk" would surround the episodes of "The Sopranos". However that didn't stop my curiosity about wanting to watch the show. Once I watched "The Sopranos - The Complete First Season", I not only got an appreciation for the show - but I now understood where all of the hype came from on this show. I was pleased when for the most part, "The Sopranos - The Complete Second Season" basically picked up with Season 1 left off.

The show focuses on an organized Italian-American crime family that is based in North Jersey. The main character of the show is Tony Soprano played brilliantly by James Gandolfini. Tony is the head of the fictional DiMeo crime family. On the show, we see Tony try to balance his "work" in the DiMeo crime family with his home life. Tony also suffers from panic attacks and depression and therefore sees a psychiatrist - Dr. Jennifer Melfi (played by Lorraine Bracco).

Here are some of the key storylines from Season 2:
1-Tony is now the head of the DiMeo crime family. We see the pressures of this responsibility begin to eat at Tony, raising signs of aggression and depression. This makes a strong testament to how great an actor James Gandolfini is.

2- We are introduced to two new characters, Tony's sister Janice (played by Aida Turturro) and Richie Aprile (played by David Proval), the brother of former DiMeo Crime Boss Jackie Aprile. Throughout the season, we see both Janice and Richie become involved with each other. Both will drive Tony crazy throughout the year.

3-Sal Bonponsiero (played by Vincent Pastore) is working for the FBI and his job is to get information on Tony in order to help the Feds proceed with an indictment. This is a very good storyline that will last throughout the entire season.

4-Dr. Jennifer Melfi begins to battle alcoholism as well as feelings for caring for Tony. This storyline continues to drag from Season 1. The alcoholism and Melfi's visits to her own psychiatrist do give more insight to her character than in Season 1, but overall I found this storyline not very interesting.

5-Christopher Moltisanti's (played by Michael Imperioli) continues to explore his dream of becoming a writer while at the same time trying to become a "Made Man". There are only about three episodes that really highlight Christopher's character - I would have liked to have seen more.

6-David Scatino (played by Robert Patrick), an old friend of Tony's becomes indebted to Tony and Richie following some gambling debts he accrued in a high stakes poker game. David's life slowly unravels as he deals with the financial stress he is under. This was a good storyline.

7-Uncle Junior (played by Dominic Chianese) is under house arrest as he awaits his day in court to battle the Federal Charges he is facing. At the same time, he is battling health problems. There is really only one episode that showcases Uncle Junior and during the rest of the year he is more of a supporting character.

8-Tony is still at war with his mother Livia (played by Nancy Marchand) over her attempt on Tony's life. At the same time Livia is battling her own set of health problems. Livia's role is not as prominent as in Season 1.

9-Meadow Soprano is trying to decide on a College to attend as her graduation is pending.

10-Anthony Soprano Jr. (played by Robert Iler) continues to try find himself as he begins to enter his teenage years. The episode surrounding his confirmation is one of his best.

11-Carmela Soprano (played by Edie Falco) begins to face the problems of her marriage and family - including Tony's infidelity as she begins to be attracted to another man.

Here are some other points to consider from Season 2:
- Overall, I thought the season started slow, but gained momentum by mid-season. By season's end, the show reaches heights beyond Season 1- including two terrific episodes to close the season.
- I was disappointed that Silvio "Sil" Dante is not a prominent character during Season 2. This is probably because he was touring with Bruce Springsteen during filming of this season.
- There is one episode where Tony goes to Italy with Paulie Walnuts and Christopher Moltisanti. The episode was filmed in Naples. Paulie's visit to the "mother land" provides some great comical moments, but more could have been done with Christopher's visit.
- Paulie Walnuts continues to be one of the better characters. His visit to a psychic is classic.
- The episode "From Where to Eternity" features a terrific scene between Tony and Melfi where Tony explains to Melfi why he is a soldier and does what he does - great stuff.

I called Season 1 to be "the most exciting 60 minutes on television". Despite the slow start, I still feel Season 2 continues to back this claim I make. As for the DVD packaging - besides the usual extras, one thing I really liked was how there was a brief textual synopsis provided on the screen before playing the episode. Overall, this is a very good and entertaining set - highly recommended.

So sings Old Blue Eyes in the wonderful montage that opens Season 2 of The Sopranos, and of course he's right. The second season is often considered to be the best of the series by most fans and it's hard to argue with that assessment. For example, one of the two-season long storylines - is Pussy a rat? - is resolved, but not in a quick and fleeting fashion; it is carefully built up over the course of the year and leads to a devastating emotional payoff that will haunt Tony forever. Here are brief capsules for each episode in this excellent outing for Chase and Co.:

Episode 1 - "A Guy Walks Into A Pyschiatrist's Office..." - Uncle Junior is in prison, Melfi has flown the coop, and Pussy returns from his mysterious vacation. Naturally, Tony's anger issues resurface. Christopher's new brokerage license fails to pay dividends for his employess, courtesy of two new incredibly stupid goons, Matt Bevelaqua and Sean Gismonte. To top it all off, Livia is in the hospital and her psychological double, Tony's sister Janice, is suddenly very interested in the family again (and their assets, of course). Fantastic first episode; all set-up but doesn't play like it.

Episode 2 - "Do Not Resuscitate" - (SPOILER) We learn the sad truth about Pussy - he is indeed a rat. Notice that the creators do it early in the season instead of keeping us guessing - it allows the tension of what Tony suspects to amp up for the ENTIRE season. It was a great choice to make, and allows us a lot more insight into Pussy as well as a little fun. Also, we see AJ blurt out again to Livia, with hilarious results.

Episode 3 - "Toodle-(bleeping)-OO" - The colorful title is misleading; Jackie Aprile's brother, Richie, is out of the can isn't wasting any time reclaiming his turf. Tony isn't too happy, and Richie still thinks of him as a kid. Not a good harbinger for Richie. Also, Meadow is caught partying at Livia's house, which leads to tensions between Tony, Carmela, and Janice. And Dr. Melfi is caught in an embarrassing situation.

Episode 4 - "Commendatori" - A fun episode as Tony, Paulie, and Christopher visit Don Zi Vittorio in Italy to jump start a car operation they "inherited" from Junior. All three get more than they bargained for - Tony discovers the Don is a doddering old fool and his gorgeous and fierce daughter, Annalisa, is actually running things; Paulie finds his attempts at hospitality repeatedly thwarted; and Christopher shoots a LOT of heroin. But the trip is a success also yields a valuable new soldier, Furio. On the home front, Carmela is forced to question her own marriage as Angie Bompensiero, Pussy's wife, seeks a divorce. And Pussy is preoccupied with and Elvis impersonator who saw him with an agent.

Episode 5 - "Big Girls Don't Cry" - A power structure is in place and Pussy isn't in the loop. Furio's up to his name as the new Italian lieutenant yields immediate, violent dividends in a collections dispute. Chris is taking acting classes, a gift from Adriana, but is he really cut out for it? Tony goes to Hesh for "advice" and learns his father had blackouts as well. Dr. Melfi decides to take Tony back as a patient, just in time.

Episode 6 - "The Happy Wanderer" - Tony has taken over the executive poker game, formerly Junior's, that got him "made" - when he successfully robbed it without killing anyone. Big stakes are involved (Frank Sinatra Jr. is at the table), and Tony's old school friend Dave Scatino is desperate to get in. Problem is, he's a gambling addict and is already into Richie for too many "boxes of ziti". He adds onto the bill, this time with Tony, and it's going to cost him - bigt
ime.

Episode 7 - "D-Girl" - Ugh. After so many great ones in a row, I almost forgot about this one, almost universally considered the worst Sopranos ep ever. AJ has suddenly become a nihilist and smokes pot at his confirmation. The FBI wants Pussy to wear a wire - since he's the confirmation sponsor. But mostly, the episode focuses on Chris' misadventures in Hollywood. Midly funny but mostly pointless diversion with little meat.

Episode 8 - "Full Leather Jacket" - Carmela wants Meadow to get into Georgetown and "requests" a letter of recommendation from her terrifed neighbor Jeannie Cusamano, who's sister was a prominent student there. Richie Aprile gives an unsolicited gift to Tony, and it ends up causing a great deal more harm than good for both of them. And Matt and Sean do something completely moronic, with kills one of them and puts a bullseye on the other, and Christopher is the one worse for wear. Very dramatic but also funny bits, in the unique Sopranos mold.

Episode 9 - "From Where To Eternity" - Christopher is on life support at the hospital and Bevilacqua is a marked man. The family - both of them - are coping in different ways. Carmela turns to prayer, for Chris and also Tony. Paulie, totally spooked by a vision of Christopher's, goes to a medium with predictably hilarious results. Pussy tries to get back in Tony's good graces by doing the hit on Matt with him, to the great consternation of the FBI. And Janice Soprano is trying to pull a Lady Macbeth on Ritchie. Life for Tony is never easy...

Episode 10 - "Bust-Out" - Tony hears the worst news possible - there was a witness to the Bevilacqua murder. Now he needs cash and plans to skip town before the feds indict, which also means "busting out" Dave Scatino. Carmela gets flirtatious with her new decorator but when he learns who her husband is he has a sudden change of heart. And lucky for Tony (and Pussy), the witness has one, too.

Episode 11 - "House Arrest" - After the Bevilacqua episode, Tony is warned by his lawyer Neil Mink to start spending more time away from the Bada Bing. He goes to the waste management business for a while - but finds it boring save for the secretary. Richie and Junior decide to sell coke on the garbage routes as well and Tony is furious. Junior also runs into an old friend while under house arrest and reconnects for a while.

Episode 12 - "The Knight In White Satin Armor" - A decision needs to made about Richie Aprile. He conspires with Junior to attack Tony, but Junior smartly tips off his nephew for a greater long-term benefit. Richie is taken care off, in an unexpected way. Tony's goomah Irina is also giving him agita as he tries to break it off. Now only one problem is left - Big Pussy.

Episode 13 - "Funhouse" - In perhaps the strongest episode in Sopranos history, the season finale ties up all the unresolved storylines from this season and the previous one. Tony still has his mother to deal with; of course she foolishly gets caught with stolen airplane tickets. He also gets ill from some Indian food, and his subconscious shows him things he doesn't want to confront. He fears the worst and goes with Silvio to investigate; they confirm the truth about Pussy. Along with Paulie, they take Pussy on a bittersweet fishing trip.

All in all, Season 2 somehow manages to raise the lofty heights of the first run and builds confidently to the inevitable tense emotional conclusion. If you enjoy TV at it's finest, The Sopranos is simply unbeatable, and as future seasons prove it continues to get better.

How can you not like the show? Buying DVDs is like buying an awesome 13 hour movie. The acting, the writing, and the characters in the show are , for lack of a better word, awesome. Perhaps the best drama ever made. Slick, Gritty, unpretentious, you can watch the same episode over and over again and get something new out of it each time.

After a sensational first season, "The Sopranos" came back strong for season two. All the regular cast members returned for the second season (James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Lorraine Bracco, etc.), as well as a few new additions. Season two introduced Tony Soprano's sister Janice (played by Aida Turturro), and Richie Aprile (played by David Proval), the younger brother of late mob boss Jackie Aprile (who died of cancer in season one). Plus, Drea de Matteo became a regular on the show as Christopher's girlfriend Adriana (after appearing as an occasional guest star during season one). Season two of "The Sopranos" features many of the same elements as season one: shocking graphic violence, strong sexuality/nudity, and hard R-rated foul language. But like season one also has great acting, writing, and directing in just about every episode. James Gandolfini won the Emmy for Best Actor in a Drama Series for season two, and deservedly so. Unfortunately, season two would be the last for Nancy Marchand, who brilliantly portrayed Tony's mother Livia. Marchand lost her battle with lung cancer just a few months after the final episode of season two aired on HBO. Apparently Marchand's health started to decline during the filming of the second season, because she doesn't appear on screen as much during season two as she did in season one. Nevertheless, Marchand (as ill as she was) did some great acting on "The Sopranos", and won a Golden Globe and two Emmy nominations for her work. Her presence on the show is sorely missed.

"The Sopranos" is one of the most innovative, creative, and psychologically intense television shows ever made. The focus in season two is on the increasingly divergent personalities of Tony and his relationships with his family and his associates. In the beginning of the series, Tony is at a relative high water mark, but as the season progresses new and different challenges expose themselves every week. Tony's indiscretions take an ever-increasing toll on his relationship with his wife (and ultimately his whole family), while his hippy sister, Janice, shows up without warning to complete the familial emotional torment that his mother began. Unfortunately the ultra-violent and ambitious Richie Aprile is released from prison and promptly gets romantically involved with Janice. Ritchie is a dangerous thug, and Tony has special misgivings about him, complicated once again by the interactions Ritchie exploits with his family.

Meanwhile, federal investigators close in on Tony and his organization. It becomes evident that there is a traitor in their midst, but discovering who it is proves very difficult. The suspense surrounding that storyline is my favorite in the entire series, and I take special delight that the web of lies and deception ultimately unravels with the help of a talking fish in one of Tony's best dreams ever. Things are harder for Tony than usual as Dr. Melfi is refusing him treatment, which not only shows how dependant he has become on her, but how vulnerable he is as a human and as a mob boss. The season concludes brilliantly with the resolution of the FBI plant storyline (though I won't say how to allow those who haven't seen it to watch it develop properly) in what must be one of the most psychologically complex and skillfully executed episodes ever aired.

Although I personally eschew violence, excessive bad language, and the other components of mob life, this series is so well made and so well acted that it is impossible to not be impressed with it. The drama present in "The Sopranos" complete with dark undercurrents, and subtle, occasionally morbid, humor makes this a show worth seeing, and season two is one of the best of the bunch.

This is the most adicting film stuff I've been into in a long time. If you can get used to the fact that the end of one episode does not always tie into the next one, you'll be hooked even harder. Great acting from the entire main cast of characters overrides the excessive profanity. I will be so sad when all this comes to an end which seems to be after year 6. Now going onto year 3.

What THE SOPRANOS did in its First Season, it does even better in its Second. I gave the First a full five stars and, unfortunately, I can't give Seasons Two and Three more. All three seasons are awesome. Not a false step anywhere.

The greatest strengths of this series are the powerful writing and the amazing cast. I don't want to shortchange anything else, because I think every aspect of the show is great, but these two lead the way.

Along with Sex And The City, the HBO original series The Sopranos took the world by storm in the late-1990s with its cutting edge drama and acerbic wit. A cross between The Godfather and the traditional nuclear sitcom family, the show provided a unique experience for a niche audience that quickly developed into a barrage of dedicated fans. Nominated for countless Emmy's, and winner of at least four in every one of its seasons except Season 2 (in which it carried home one), The Sopranos has cemented itself as one of the elite shows in television history...

Golden Globe performer James Gandolfini plays the title role of Tony Soprano, a middle-aged father of two, loving husband, and successful businessman. But contrary to a typical sitcom, Tony finds himself irritated by his kids Anthony and Meadow (Robert Iler and Jamie Lynn Sigler), he cheats on his wife Carmela (Edie Falco), and the business organization responsible for his success is the mafia (of which he is the local boss). All the confusion in Tony's life leads to massive amounts of stress, prompting him to regularly visit a therapist, Dr. Jennifer Melfi (Lorraine Bracco) - one of the few outsiders he trusts. Following a classic prime time soap opera format, quite similar to the hit TV show Dallas, The Sopranos provides audiences with a glimpse into the life and times of a mafia boss, where we find out that being a mob kingpin isn't the glamour life often portrayed in the movies...

The Sopranos (Season 2) DVD offers a number of dramatic episodes including the season premiere "Guy Walks into a Psychiatrist's Office" in which Tony firmly establishes himself as the leader of the New Jersey area while Dr. Melfi starts seeing a therapist of her own in order to deal with the guilt she feels for refusing to treat Tony professionally. Meanwhile, Christopher's criminal enterprises in the "boiler room" bring thug violence into a professional workplace... Other notable episodes from Season 2 include "Commendatori" in which Tony takes a business trip to Italy with Christopher and Paulie, and "Full Leather Jacket" in which Carmela uses the power of her status as Tony's wife to get a friend to write a letter of recommendation for Meadow...

Below is a list of episodes included on The Sopranos (Season 2) DVD:

Episode 14 (Guy Walks into a Psychiatrist's Office)
Episode 15 (Do Not Resuscitate)
Episode 16 (Toodle-F***ing-Oo)
Episode 17 (Commendatori)
Episode 18 (Big Girls Don't Cry)
Episode 19 (The Happy Wanderer)
Episode 20 (D-Girl)
Episode 21 (Full Leather Jacket)
Episode 22 (From Where to Eternity)
Episode 23 (Bust Out)
Episode 24 (House Arrest)
Episode 25 (Knight in White Satin Armor)
Episode 26 (Funhouse)

The DVD Report

The first season was great, but it was here that The Sopranos truly reached the god-like levels of intelligence, humor, and narrative complexity. The characters are fully developed and perfectly believable here and the spins perfectly and naturally from their personalities. That, to me, is the sign of truly great writing, regardless of the medium. And what characters! Tony, Junior, and Christopher are as pitch perfect as always. For a show that's sometimes considered very macho though, it's the female characters that really carry the show in my opinion. Edie Falco is predictably great as Tony's conflicted wife, the increased focus on Dr. Melfi this time out is truly illuminating, Livia is as cantakerous and coniving as ever, and the new addition of Tony's flaky, scheming sister Janice gives the show a great sense of sophisticated, lightly satirical humor. Much of the show is dedicated to Tony's volatile, tangled relationships with these women and it makes for viewing as exciting as the gangland violence and mob family politics that most people think of when they hear the name "Sopranos." The mob storylines here are just as interesting as in the first season, with pathetic wannabes disrupting the smooth order of the family, Jackie Aprile's sallow brother Ritchie vying for power and Uncle Junior being a perpetual wild card. The personal relationships at work behind all the violence and power struggles are often as enlightening and as detailed as those with the female characters. This emphasis on character and relationship elevates an already great show into the realm of perfection.

The first season was a great introduction, near-perfect, and the third season was full of unique drama, dark undercurrents, and all-time great episodes (Employee of the Week, Pine Barrens, etc.). Season Two, however, has a small problem. Unlike Season Three, it doesn't try anything new to separate itself from the first volume. Sure, there are different plots and a few different characters, but the season still follows the same arc (insert federal pressure and a bad seed that has to get whacked), the tone still has the same hue, and Tony Soprano still has the same issues. Sorry, but Richie Aprile just doesn't do it. No interesting motivations, and so much trouble early on that it's obvious he's a plot point waiting to be expunged. THAT SAID-this is still the Sopranos, and there are great moments. The gambling episode, Christopher's screenwriter/acting passion, the two over-ambitious, semi-flaming gangster wannabees, and the great final episode with Tony's fevered dreams and Big Pussy's confrontation. Overall, it's still very good, but in my opinion, a transition between the fantastic first and third seasons. Buy those first, and if you like them a lot, but this one.

Thank God for the 21st century, we live in a great time of great
movies like The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy, Crouching Tiger
Hidden Dragon, A Beautiful Mind, and Chicago. A great time of
great music like: Linken Park, and Fisher Spooner. A great time
of miniseries: Band Of Brothers, the miniseries of Ken Burns, and Angels In America. A great time of Books: Film books, and
all other types of reading. And also a great time of great TV:
HBO's Oz, Deadwood, Six Feet Under, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Family Guy, and of course The Sopranos. What I love about this show is everything, it is completely flawless from the fascinating storylines to the outstanding performances from
everyone involved. James Gandolfini not only plays mafia family
man Tony Soprano with character and depth, but with his persona-
lity he captures the works of Hollywood legends Robert De Niro,
and the late Marlon Brando, who was such a legendary actor with
classic films like The Godfather and On The Waterfront (I coulda
been a contender) which De Niro used for his Jake La Motta role
in the flawless masterpiece Raging Bull. Edie Falco brings
human emotion to her role in the show as Carmella Soprano, and
another standout is Michael Imperolli (Who played Spider in
Goodfellas). This is what TV should be. Five Stars.