Sopranos extended for another season - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Booray · 08-14-2005, 08:43 AM

Just saw this and didn't see any threads about this, so I figured I'd start one.

While there's still about 7 more months to wait for the 6th season of The Sopranos (12 episodes long) to start, HBO made a deal to extend the show for one more season of 8 more episodes (as opposed to ending the show's run with the 6th season's conclusion as had been originally planned).

From http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/11/ar...pranos.html?hp:

Quote:

HBO Pushes End of 'The Sopranos' to 2007

By BILL CARTER
Published: August 11, 2005

In a deal that will extend the run of the most successful series in the history of cable television for another year, HBO announced today that "The Sopranos" will not end with its next season starting in March, but will continue with an additional eight episodes starting in January 2007.

The drama about a New Jersey mob family has won more Emmy awards than any other show on cable TV and has frequently drawn audiences larger than programs competing against it on broadcast networks even though HBO is available in only about a third as many homes.

Chris Albrecht, the HBO chairman, said today that the network had been talking with David Chase, the creator of "The Sopranos," for several months about his plans for the coming season. Mr. Albrecht noted, "Seasons for 'The Sopranos' have always been organic." Unlike conventional broadcast network series, there have been no set intervals between the production cycles of "The Sopranos" and they have started up at several different times of the year.

Mr. Albrecht said Mr. Chase had at one time indicated that he was coming to the end of his creative ideas and would produce only about 10 more episodes, then sign off on the series.

"But David was just really reinvigorated by the reception the show got last year," Mr. Albrecht said.

Brad Grey, the new Paramount studio chief, who retained his title of executive producer on "The Sopranos," said that Mr. Chase, when he got into the storytelling for the coming season, decided it was still so rich it could be continued, a decision Mr. Grey said was endorsed by everyone involved in the production.

"For the people on the show this has been the greatest creative experience of everyone's life," Mr. Grey said. "Why wouldn't you want that to continue?"

For HBO, the business incentives were equally great. The series has been the most popular programming the pay cable channel has generated.

Now HBO will get the opportunity to add 20 episodes of "The Sopranos" instead of the 12 that had been planned. Mr. Albrecht noted that HBO did virtually the same thing with its second-most successful series, "Sex and the City." That comedy had an eight-episode final run a year after its last full season was completed.

And like "Sex and the City" did, "The Sopranos" will shoot all its remaining episodes in one production cycle, holding over the last eight for what HBO is calling a "bonus season." The break between the end of May 2006, when the 12-episode run ends, and January, 2007 ,when the final eight episodes will play, will be by far the shortest break between cycles of "The Sopranos" in the show's history. Mr. Albrecht said that short break was crucial to Mr. Chase.

Beyond the advantages HBO will get out of having two cycles instead of one (the channel, like the broadcast networks, tries to package "The Sopranos" with new series it would like to build audiences for) keeping the show in continuous production now means that for technical and contractual purposes it will remain the show's sixth season. That is relevant because the show's actors signed contracts that committed them to the series for six seasons.

Mr. Grey said another advantage of staying in production for 20 episodes is "everybody will stay in the same rhythm."

Asked if this was truly an announcement that signaled the series would produce a finale to the Soprano family saga, Mr. Albrecht hedged just a bit. "I'll know it's the final episode if David shoots a final episode," Mr. Albrecht said.

Another story on it here too: http://news.yahoo.com/s/eo/20050812/en_tv_eo/17139

Schwan · 08-14-2005, 02:07 PM

Wow, that's great news. When I heard The Sopranos will go off air for a season I though it's going to be too long. And here I am, just 6 months to go with more in store. HBO likes to kill of main characters and I'm pretty sure someone will have to go. Personally, I think it's going to be the boy

.

spongy · 08-14-2005, 05:02 PM

Not bad for a show that was supposed to run just a single season,.. not to mention ended up on HBO when at least one network passed on it.

I find this to be great news, this was the show that goty my wife into HBO series.

PS I also had a cat I named AJ

Xazy · 08-14-2005, 06:53 PM

I hope it is great news. Sadly the last few seasons nothing seems to happen, and seems to drag. But I am still a fan, and hope for the best!

mystmarimatt · 08-15-2005, 08:41 AM

Oh man! Awesome!

I love the Sopranos soooo much...

guthmund · 08-15-2005, 10:49 AM

At this point, I really don't care all that much.

I watch the Sopranos religiously, but after the extended waiting, the shortened season, and the horribly, horribly slow writing these last two years, I just can't get excited by another season.

I mean, I'll watch it, but I'm not going to be on the edge of my seat waiting for it.

maleficent · 08-15-2005, 11:10 AM

they were shooting a couple of weeks ago around the corner from where I live.. and the 'stars' were all hanging out in the local diner... sadly, I was out of town

It's good business when they shoot...

JumpinJesus · 08-15-2005, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guthmund

I mean, I'll watch it, but I'm not going to be on the edge of my seat waiting for it.

Sitting that long could result in blood clots in your leg.

I'm a huge fan, but with the recent eons between seasons, it becomes somewhat anticlimactic. That is, until about a week before the new season launches.

guthmund · 08-15-2005, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JumpinJesus

Sitting that long could result in blood clots in your leg.

Oh, don't you worry about poor ol' me. If 'sitting on your ass' was a sport, I'd be an Olympian, no doubt about it.

StephenSa · 08-24-2005, 08:43 AM

I'm with some of the others, I love the show and I'll watch but with the incredibly long breaks between seasons my anticipation level has really dropped. Originally everything stopped when The Sopranos came on but now if I catch it great, if I don't I'll eventually see a re-run.

powerclown · 08-24-2005, 01:08 PM

This is great news. Since I only started watching it on DVD about 1.5 years ago (and only got HBO about 4 months ago), I haven't been through the seasonal breaks. I don't know where in the series I currently am, but thats fine. 95% of the episodes are good so far. That Paulie fella is a piece of work. One of the best shows on TV ever.

08-14-2005, 05:02 PM	#3 (permalink)
spongy Psycho	Not bad for a show that was supposed to run just a single season,.. not to mention ended up on HBO when at least one network passed on it. I find this to be great news, this was the show that goty my wife into HBO series. PS I also had a cat I named AJ __________________ The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed. Stephen King

08-15-2005, 08:41 AM	#5 (permalink)
mystmarimatt Omnipotent Ruler Of The Tiny Universe In My Mind Location: Oreegawn	Oh man! Awesome! I love the Sopranos soooo much... __________________ Words of Wisdom: If you could really get to know someone and know that they weren't lying to you, then you would know the world was real. Because you could agree on things, you could compare notes. That must be why people get married or make Art. So they'll be able to really know something and not go insane.

08-15-2005, 10:49 AM	#6 (permalink)
guthmund big damn hero	At this point, I really don't care all that much. I watch the Sopranos religiously, but after the extended waiting, the shortened season, and the horribly, horribly slow writing these last two years, I just can't get excited by another season. I mean, I'll watch it, but I'm not going to be on the edge of my seat waiting for it. __________________ No signature. None. Seriously.

08-15-2005, 11:10 AM	#7 (permalink)
maleficent Junkie Moderator Emeritus Location: Chicago	they were shooting a couple of weeks ago around the corner from where I live.. and the 'stars' were all hanging out in the local diner... sadly, I was out of town It's good business when they shoot... __________________ Free your heart from hatred. Free your mind from worries. Live simply. Give more. Expect less.

08-24-2005, 08:43 AM	#10 (permalink)
StephenSa Psycho Location: Dallas, Texas	I'm with some of the others, I love the show and I'll watch but with the incredibly long breaks between seasons my anticipation level has really dropped. Originally everything stopped when The Sopranos came on but now if I catch it great, if I don't I'll eventually see a re-run. __________________ Thousands of Monkeys, all screaming at once. Pulling God's finger.

08-14-2005, 02:07 PM	#2 (permalink)
Schwan A boy and his dog Location: EU!	Wow, that's great news. When I heard The Sopranos will go off air for a season I though it's going to be too long. And here I am, just 6 months to go with more in store. HBO likes to kill of main characters and I'm pretty sure someone will have to go. Personally, I think it's going to be the boy .

08-14-2005, 06:53 PM	#4 (permalink)
Xazy People in masks cannot be trusted Location: NYC	I hope it is great news. Sadly the last few seasons nothing seems to happen, and seems to drag. But I am still a fan, and hope for the best!

08-24-2005, 01:08 PM	#11 (permalink)
powerclown Junkie Location: Detroit, MI	This is great news. Since I only started watching it on DVD about 1.5 years ago (and only got HBO about 4 months ago), I haven't been through the seasonal breaks. I don't know where in the series I currently am, but thats fine. 95% of the episodes are good so far. That Paulie fella is a piece of work. One of the best shows on TV ever.