Awards¶
21 Primetime Emmy wins from 111 nominations, and the show that ended network television's monopoly on the drama category.
The breakthrough¶
In 2004, The Sopranos became the first series on a cable network ever to win Outstanding Drama Series.
Before that, the category had been a network preserve for its entire existence. After it, cable and then streaming took it almost permanently. It is the single most consequential award in the show's record and arguably in the medium's history.
It won again in 2007 for the final season.
Primetime Emmy wins¶
Acting¶
| Year | Winner | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Edie Falco | Lead Actress |
| 2000 | James Gandolfini | Lead Actor |
| 2001 | James Gandolfini | Lead Actor |
| 2001 | Edie Falco | Lead Actress |
| 2003 | James Gandolfini | Lead Actor |
| 2003 | Edie Falco | Lead Actress |
| 2003 | Joe Pantoliano | Supporting Actor |
| 2004 | Michael Imperioli | Supporting Actor |
| 2004 | Drea de Matteo | Supporting Actress |
Series, writing, directing¶
| Category | Winner | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Outstanding Drama Series | 2004, 2007 | First cable series to win |
| Outstanding Writing | David Chase ×3 | Including "College" (1999) and "Made in America" (2007) |
| Outstanding Directing | Alan Taylor; John Patterson | — |
Plus wins in casting, editing, and other craft categories, making 21 in total.
The notable losses¶
Lorraine Bracco — four nominations for Dr. Melfi, no wins. The most conspicuous omission in the record.
Tony Sirico — never nominated, for Paulie.
Steven Van Zandt — never nominated.
Dominic Chianese — one nomination across six seasons.
Aida Turturro — two nominations, no wins.
Steve Buscemi — nominated for Tony Blundetto, no win.
And the show lost Outstanding Drama Series in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, and 2006 — five defeats before its first win, mostly to The West Wing, which is now the standard example of Emmy voters preferring the reassuring option. It was nominated seven times in total, in every year it was eligible; the long hiatuses between seasons left it out of contention entirely in some years, including 2002.
Golden Globes¶
5 wins from 23 nominations.
| Year | Winner | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | The series | Best Drama Series |
| 2000 | James Gandolfini | Best Actor – Drama |
| 2000 | Edie Falco | Best Actress – Drama |
| 2000 | Nancy Marchand | Best Supporting Actress |
| 2003 | Edie Falco | Best Actress – Drama |
Marchand's is worth noting: her only major win for Livia, collected months before her death in June 2000.
Other major awards¶
| Award | Result |
|---|---|
| Peabody Awards | 2 — for the first two seasons (2000, 2001) |
| Screen Actors Guild | 8 wins from 26 nominations, including Outstanding Ensemble in 2000 and 2008 |
| Writers Guild of America | 4 wins from 11 — including "Pine Barrens" (2002) |
| Directors Guild of America | 2 wins from 16. Its 2000 nominations set a record for most nominations for a single series in one category in a year |
| American Film Institute | Named to AFI's TV Programs of the Year multiple times |
| Eddie Award | Sidney Wolinsky, Best Edited One-Hour Series, for "Made in America" (2008) |
Rankings¶
- Rolling Stone, Time, Entertainment Weekly, Variety, and the Writers Guild of America have all placed it #1 on greatest-television-series lists.
- The WGA's 101 Best-Written TV Series (2013) ranked it #1.
- Empire and the BBC have ranked it among the greatest television ever made.
- "Pine Barrens" and "College" appear near the top of essentially every greatest-episodes list. TV Guide placed "College" #2 on its 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time.