Mommy Issues | The Sopranos S1E12 | Dudes Daily
When I observed earlier in the season that you could read Livia Soprano as the secret boss of the mob due to her relationships with Tony and Junior, I thought that reading would be sort of a fringe interpretation askew from what the show was interested in. So it's incredible in this episode to see a pretty clear argument that it's actually the thing this first season has been about. And given the persistent anxiety that Tony would only be in therapy to complain about his mother, the thematics of Livia's power in the family can even subordinate the framing device / conceit of the show entirely.
I've been enjoying the show a lot, but this episode is the first time I've been just floored by where it's willing to go. Very easy to see why people have been talking about it so glowingly for most of my life.