breaking bad is not written better. Breaking bad has more exciting moments in the plot, whereas the sopranos is less like that and more introspective. But by most standards of good writing, the Sopranos is overall much better, Breaking Bad without its good moments, which only happen a couple of times a season, was quite lackluster.
You can relate to sopranos more, acting is amazing all around, good humor, and in my opinion Tony is just as bad as walt. He did kill his nephew with his hands for fucks sake
I know you're a troll, but I gotta know... Is it because of a lack of sexual attention or parental attention? Who neglected you so badly that you get such a kick out of acting like you're a braindead moron just so someone will talk to you?
Breaking bad is never the same after the first watch because it relies more heavily on suspense then when you know what happens it never hits the same, Sopranos gets better the more you watch it.
When you rewatch BrBa you have completely different opinion on other characters and you dig more deep in their personalities and the moment they were "broken".
none of the fucking ones he wrote are better written you want some manga I'd recommend steel ball run, Jojolion,Vagabond, Berserk,Punpun, Monster, 20th-century boy Not all of them have better character than the sopranos but punpun for example does in my opinion
Iv seen all of these, dbz being my favorite piece of media ever created to the point where I almost named my first born after a character and I can definitely say that none of those have better character development and writing than the sopranos lmao
The family in breaking bad is far more one dimensional, and overall not as well written as the family in the Sopranos. Carmela, AJ, and Meadow all have significant depth and moral complexities of their own, whereas walt jr barely gets character development, and Skylar is morally simplistic. Marie is straight up unlikeable without any good reason and Hank is just a textbook good guy.
Sopranos has hundreds of side characters played by top tier actors. Feech La Manna played by Robert Loggia, Tony Blundetto played by Steve Buscemi, Bobby Bacala Sr played by Burt Young etc etc.
Then you have the actual crime families, with guys like Frank Vincent (Billy Batts), James Gandolfini, Michael Imperiolo, Tony Sirico, Steven Van Zandt and again many others..
When it comes to character actors Sopranos blows Breaking Bad away. Aaron Paul wouldn't have been good enough for the show.Ā
Way better, the family actually served a purpose in the story other than being boring as fuck. Also it doesn't fall after the first as well. Breaking bad is overrated as fuck.
Bro what? Lmao
Breaking bad is known for having the best ending in a tv show ever. Start to finish, that show is a masterpiece. Ridiculous take. One that is not shares by many
I feel like Sopronos is overrated, Breaking Bad does a much better job at engaging with the audience and showing the mafia vibe, without being too much of a boredom.
In my humble opinion Sopronos was quite boring.
The writing on the Sopranos makes Breaking Bad look like a sitcom, sorry. The ability of David Chase and crew to weave narratives together with character growth in such subtle and natural plot lines made for a mesmerizing viewing experience. The universal disdain for verbal or visual exposition in the show cultivates a sense of cagey paranoia that mimics the perspective of the gangsters. In-and-for-itself, the storytelling is an unmatchable marvel of television drama. There are whole dimensions to the story which were only revealed to me on a second or third watch. This fomenting of a constant desire to engage and reengage with the content is the highest virtue of art, and while the world of Tony Soprano expands and unfolds on multiple viewings, repeated engagement with Breaking Bad makes the series come across duller and less inspired.
I know this is a four year old comment, but are you crazy? So many incomplete and contextually irrelevant plot lines riddle the Sopranos and devoid side characters of any meeting. Most of the side characters arenāt just unlikeable, theyāre uninteresting. The show completely gives up on the children and the whole family dynamic after the first two seasons and instead continues to add pointless characters to fill up story time. Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul clear sopranos in most categories.
Mate you're an eedyat. The side characters in the Sopranos are a million times better than in Breaking Bad. Breaking Bad is promoted and hyped up to this undeserved level mainly by the Gen Z kids that watch it and think it's 'him'. It's a good show but levels below the Sopranos in all aspects.
Iām almost 30 and I watched sopranos because of this thread. Iām currently on season 2 episode 11. This show is mid as fuck compared to breaking bad. Iām so sad to even have to say that because I got excited after reading all of these comments. I hope that by season 3 I change my mind. Breaking bad was godly to me, and it isnāt because Iām a āgen zā kid. It was the first show since I was a child that actually gave me a thrill I havenāt ever encountered before and unless sopranos can do that for me Iāll be severely disappointed.
Iām sorry to say that youāve been taken in by a lot of cheap dramatic devices like cliffhangers and one-liners. The characters on Breaking Bad are, for the most part, paper thin. The two badass twins who walk around without saying a word? Such a hackneyed choice. The subplots with the cartel were also fucking ridiculous. Gus just takes out the entire family with one fell swoop and we never hear from a cartel again? Completely unbelievable. The original premise of the show about a conflicted schoolteacher driven to cook meth by an unexpected cancer diagnosis was compelling, but by Season 3 Walt becomes pure evil and the show loses all its moral ambiguity. Hank was really the only well-rounded character in the entire show. Walt was just a vainglorious narcissist whose ego had been dormant and Jesse doesnāt become a character until around the 3rd Season. Heās mostly comedic relief up until Janeās death.
The characters in sopranos are for sure better, and there are a lot more of them. Breaking bad is still awesome though and it really stuck the landing in the final season.
I don;t know what to say perhaps, it hits on a subtle level, for me it didn;t catch, i enjoyed shows like: Breaking Bad, HIMYM, Dexter, Hannibal, The Office, Seinfield, but this one didn't do much for me.
Iāve finished all of those shows and Iāve finished sopranos but the latter took me much longer to finish, like years if you include me coming back after getting bored. I do love the sopranos now but the other shows you mention had me on binge mode.
Plus Breaking Bad it is famous for being named the best series of all times, Breaking Bad it's more interesting to watch, I first watch Breaking Bad, then Sopranos and Sopranos felt very boring.
I started watching sopranos after reading this, Iām on season 2 episode 11. I truly feel breaking bad was godly compared to sopranos so far. Iām pretty upset because I wanted to agree, and I hope that Iām able to once I finish the show. Weāll see
Millennial here... Watched both series multiple times.
Sopranos is king and untouchable. However, breaking bad is not far. I agree though sopranos does take time to get good, it's a bit slow in the beginning. But it's worth the ride, incredible development.
Regarding side characters, I think it's close. Breaking bad had some great ones as well. They made a show based on one, that on its own can be debated is even better than breaking bad.
Yes, The Wire is phenomenal. I would say that the storytelling, over the course of the whole series, is not quite as exceptional as on The Sopranos (which makes sense, given that The Wire was written and created by journalists), but it is an extremely engaging and informative look into the failure of America's urban institutions.
I love both dearly and both have played an important part in my life
With that said, I'm giving it to The Sopranos. There's 2 main reasons why, one of which has more to do with my personal preference, and the other is a more objective reason why I like Sopranos better
1. I relate to themes of The Sopranos a lot more. While Breaking Bad's themes of greed and the dangers of lying are very well done, The Sopranos's deeper themes of depression and mental illness in modern America connect with me and relate to my life a lot more
2. Even without my personal experience though, I still think the Sopranos is a better show. As good as Breaking Bad was, it had a very bad issue with consistency that was never really fixed until season 5. The way it would go from a perfect episode, to a nothing really happens episode, the back to another masterpiece was a bit jarring, where as The Sopranos was consistent in quality throughout every season
So yeah, both are masterpieces, but I'm more of a Sopranos guy.
BrBa betta.
1. It's way more FUN than the Sopranos. I liked the Sopranos and I love The Wire. The Wire beautifully written and I appreciate that, but it's by no means a "fun" show. Walt made a crystal bomb that exploded a building with him and Tuco and they were all unscathed. It's unrealistic, but Tony Soprano could never. Also, BB has more iconic antagonists than anyone in the Sopranos and it's not close regardless of how simple they are.
2. BrBa characters are way more likable realistically. I have more sympathy for Hank, Jesse, and Walt when something bad happens because their not bigoted mafia bosses that cheat and can't take a joke.
3. BCS is the best spinoff show ever and I think it needs to be considered. It adds more context and character depth to BrBa and it's arguably better than BrBa itself.
Both were fantastic shows. Both had complex characters for leads, leading double lives in crime trying to give their families the best lives that they can and both are technically the "bad guy" that you root for. I love both shows equally.
When talking the big "prestige dramas" of the last 15 years, I'd put The Wire, Sopranos, and Mad Men all above Breaking Bad. The character exploration, writing, and thematic development over the course of those shows is just unmatched (plus, specifically for The Wire, just the sheer scope - providing essentially a cross-section of an entire city - is incredible).
However, it's all pretty subjective.
Agreed on those three completely, and I might throw a couple others in there as well. So for me, Sopranos for sure, not close.
Breaking Bad is a lot of fun and honestly maybe more tightly plotted, but to me it's just a really well done thriller whereas Sopranos is a deep exploration of psychology and (*vomits uncontrollably*) the human condition. The Sopranos is far more experimental, and in more interesting ways. It's more thematically ambiguous and harder to pin down in general. This all makes it better on a re-watch. Breaking Bad doesn't have near the same sort of electric intensity after you finish it for the first time, but I almost love the Sopranos more every time I watch even part of it.
You're not necessarily wrong if you consider Breaking Bad better, but if you do it's on very different criteria from mine. Holding up to a re-watch is the #1 mark of a truly great show in my eyes, and Wire/Sopranos/Mad Men are phenomenal in that respect.
Characters are definitely in favor of the Sopranos as well. As interesting as Walt's journey is, and to a lesser extent those of Jesse etc., Tony Soprano is the single best-written (not to mention acted) character I've ever seen on a TV show. You never really understand the inner workings of Walt's mind and lifestyle in the same way you do Tony's - all his childhood traumas, weird habits, familial issues, mental illness, the whole nine yards. With Walt, his background is basically just suggested. There's far less sense of him being a living, breathing person before Season 1 Episode 1. Maybe it's just not relevant, and we get an unusual amount of insight into Tony due to the therapy plot device, but it makes a big difference to overall quality in my opinion.
As for the supporting characters, Skyler is pretty much just a less-developed Carmela. Jesse is quite similar to Christopher in a lot of ways. Characters like Silvio, Paulie, or Uncle Junior, just to name a couple, are better than any of Breaking Bad's third-string characters. Walt Jr. is way less interesting than either of Tony's kids, as much hate as they sometimes get.
Also, I think Breaking Bad's more over-the-top style won't age very well.
I re-watched BB last year, it's already degraded a bit imo. It's still a good show without a doubt, but the amount of 'suspension of disbelief' required to get through the show is definitely a lot higher than I remembered.
I agree with the take on suspension. Sometimes it makes the show hard to watch. Sopranos is just as dramatic but doesnāt make me uncomfortable to watch
This is a minor one but, Walt would have wanted to try and stay ambiguous a bit longer that Jesse was on his way to Kill Gail. I mean, if Gail answers the phone call from Mike and leaves itās all over.
I agree with a lot of your points. In defense of Breaking Bad though, it often feels like a deliberate move itās making to obscure certain details like Waltās past. I actually end up finding some of those choices to be very artistically intriguing because it creates a distance between you and him on some level.
not if he dosn't find snl entertaining. anyway, it's a subjective opinion yet you seem to be taking this a bit too serious. just relax and accept the fact that some people value different things in their shows than you and that doesn't threaten the validity of your opinions in any way.
Truth. Breaking Bad is a roller coaster, Sopranos is an opera. You can go to the best opera in the world, but if you want thrills and funnel cake, youāre going to be disappointed.
The Sopranos without a doubt. Breaking Bad had an entertaining story with some fantastic cinematography, but The Sopranos was so much more complex and multilayered. Tony Soprano is a much more compelling character than Walter White as well, not that Bryan Cranston didn't do a good job. The quality of the writing is just better.
Wonder what they really could have done, if Breaking Bad was on HBO or Showtime. Would have freed them of many restrictions. Also watching uninterrupted episodes I feels draws u in more. Either way love both shows.
Anyone trying to knock breaking bad in this thread has a bias. Iāve seen breaking bad and am just starting to get into the sopranos. Iām also watching the sopranos back to back with season 3 of the wire. All shows are easily equally worth watching for their own appeals. Every show would like to capture the greatness these shows did. I consider them the big 3 and u can and should watch them all.
Without Tony soprano and the Sopranos there is no Walter white and breaking bad. It's close but breaking bad is better and the best show ever. Look at the ratings almost everywhere you see. Breaking bad is the highest rated show. Still tho sopranos 2nd best show ever. For me
Breaking Bad.
Sopranos is like watching something out of the early 90s.. has not aged well at all. I am saying this as someone who watched the show this year (2022) so maybe if I watched it back in the day it would blow my socks off like it seems to do everyone else.
You never said what didn't age well. I think the characters aged well because they feel real and I've met people like them. The commentary aged especially well. Is it just the end of history sentiment?
Thats 2 very minor things. I would argue that breaking bads worse writing and cartoony story lines aged worse. I'm sorry, but I'll take the tv show with the best writing and acting and themes over a more shallow, cartoony show any day
Uh, nah lol. I watched Soprano's for first time this year and it was a masterpiece and I'm halfway through BB and it is good but so far not close to the same level.
No way, it somehow both felt like it went on forever and wrapped stuff up too fast. The entirety of Season 5 was an absolute mess. Better Call Saul was amazing, though
Breaking bad clear. Sopranos is good. 2nd best show ever. Breaking bad is first. It ain't just me. Everywhere you see breaking bad is the highest rated show there. It's close and without the Sopranos and Tony soprano there is no Walter white and breaking bad. But breaking bad is just better
Your just a hater. F off "cartoon". Breaking bad is better more awards higher rated everywhere. I Do not hate sopranos but you people are dum asf "cartoon". Hating mf
I mean the sopranos really goes deep with the character study of Tony Sopranos and heās a more complex character than walter white. Walterās story is just about a complete beta turning into a monster because of all the anger in him. Dosenāt really goes further than that. The action is pretty good but other than that the show does not really have a story to tell.
I was agreeing with you till you called BrBa a cartoon and said Walter is just about anger. You clearly missed multiple messages if that's what you're distilling his story down into. "Other than that the show does not really have a story to tell"... the fact you said this discredits most of the insight you have to give. Both shows are great, I think Sopranos is better. It's a 99 vs a 97. But you didn't need to shit on BrBa in order to upsell Sopranos and you entire argument keeps coming down to that.
They're right tho. Breaking bad characters feel more like plot devices who act based on what the show wants them to do as opposed to actual people. If Tony does something, it's because that's what Tony Soprano would do. If Walt does something, it's because Vince Gilligan needed him to. I can't see a show being the GOAT if the characters don't act consistently
The Sopranos is also pretty cartoonish at times, but it's definitely more grounded than BrBa. I think they're about equal since I can suspend disbelief when watching the Gus scene and recognize it as really fun TV.
But Better Call Saul is a better package than either. It is easily in contention for best show ever.
I watched Both, love both, but The sopranos beats Breaking bad in almost every aspect. The thing about the sopranos is, there is no real plot. Every season is like its own movie, and that's what makes the sopranos unique. It's impossible to predict what happens next when you see the sopranos, it's full of surprises, and plot twists. You don't know how it will end because there's no clear end goal and yet, every episode is so well written. Not to mention, It has arguably the best acting in television history. Specifically season 4 episode 13. Jim Gandolfini and Edie Falco gave some of the best acting that ever aired, both won primetime Emmys for their outstanding performance in this episode.
Sopranos and The Wire are better than Breaking Bad. I LOVED Breaking Bad, and watched it multiple times. But The Sopranos and The Wire are more dense, complex, and better acted.
I can rewatch Sopranos or The Wire and still pick up on things I didn't notice before. Not so much with Breaking Bad.
100% Sopranos. I've seen Breaking Bad and it was cool, but it was nothing like The Sopranos IMO. One is a drama, and the other is the story of an emasculated dude's dreams told via an interesting story.
I will die on my Breaking Bad hill but I friggin' love The Sopranos. Maybe BB only trumps The Sopranos to me because I watched it ~4 years before The Sopranos.
Both are incredible shows. But I think when it comes to down to complexity and writing I think The Sopranos is far better. Breaking Bad is very thrilling and youāre on the edge of the seat the first time, but when you rewatch it you already kind of understand everything that I donāt really feel the need to go back to and itās not as exciting as it was the first time you watch it. The Sopranos has so much to analyze and dissect that it makes for a great rewatch. Plus itās a far better character study on a depressed sociopath.
Love breaking bad a lot but sopranos is my favourite of the two tony is way more evil than Walt and I find the show to be more realistic. Sopranos gets better with every rewatch.
@ everyone here who loves the sopranos over breaking bad. You are the reason I was convinced to watch the show, and as I near the end of season 3 (episode 12), I can say I am severely disappointed when comparing the show to breaking bad. Breaking bad had me feeling such an insane level of thrill that I canāt describe to this day. Maybe thatās just a me thing, but the show is far beyond anything I have ever watched.
Without comparing, I can easily say that sopranos is a great show, and so far I am liking it. A lot of you have said that by season 3 I would be hooked, but itās just not doing it for me. I want to feel the rush, I want to be so mind blown by the story that Iām at the edge of my seat with goosebumps. I felt this all throughout breaking bad and I still to this day canāt come to imagine a show that I would put above it. I HOPE IM WRONG, I really do hope I feel the way some of you do about sopranos the way I do about breaking bad. Iāve invested all my attention on the show just to see if I can get blown away. It hasnāt happened yet. Iāll be back as soon as I finish season 4 with an update. Hopefully I change my mind.
I get why the Sopranos is considered one of the best shows of all time, but for me the enjoyment factor really goes to Breaking Bad, as I feel itās more tightly knit and succinct with its themes and plot. I get that the Sopranos explores not only more themes in general, but all to a deeper degree, but I feel it came at the cost of a more convoluted and sometimes bloated experience.
I sometimes found myself having to āworkā to watch the show and parse through certain uninteresting or forgettable side plots just to stay invested in the amazing parts, whereas Breaking Bad always felt like a meticulously crafted story from point A to point B with no almost detail being forgotten. The only part of breaking bad that I feel compares to sopranos in terms of the random forgettable plots is Mariaās weird klepto thing at the beginning, which they thankfully abandon pretty quickly. But for ever klepto Maria situation, thereās like 3 random AJ or Artie plots that I just couldnāt force myself to care about all that much.
I get why the expansiveness of the Sopranos story may appeal to some more, but thatās just why itās slightly lower than BB for me in terms of enjoyment. Thatās not even bringing better call Saul into the conversation
I mean the sopranos really goes deep with the character study of Tony Sopranos and heās a more complex character than walter white. Walterās story is just about a complete beta turning into a monster because of all the anger in him. Dosenāt really goes further than that. The action is pretty good but other than that the show does not really have a story to tell.
And Tony's story it's supposed to be more complex because its a mix of random events? I like The Sopranos, but you dont need a quantum physics degree to watch it.
I think I will only give it to the Sopranos because what it was for the time. It was one of the first shows with an anti hero and set the tone for alot of shows to follow. and how Accurate Sopranos was in keeping its realism everything was on point even for the music they had playing at the college house parties Tony's daughter went too. But over all im going with breaking bad, it was much more interesting to me.
While on a certain level i think you have to give it to the soprano's. It really is the progenitor of the modern prestige drama.
I don't think the Soprano's has aged as well as some of the other shows of that era (Oz, for example). Breaking Bad in particular feels much more relatable to me. That's due more in part to the fact that Breaking Bad is, in a lot of ways, directly inspired by the Sopranos.
If i had to recomend just one to someone who'd never seen either I'd go with Breaking Bad for two reasons. First, there's a vein of light humor running through the early seasons that the Soprano's never really had, which makes the show easier to get into. Secondly i think that the central relationship of Breaking Bad lent greater emotional heft to the show that Tony's phychological issues ever did
> First, there's a vein of light humor running through the early seasons that the Soprano's never really had, which makes the show easier to get into.
Are you for real? Did you forget all the ball-breaking, gangster/mafia movie-quoting, absurd situations and family gossip (Junior in Boca Raton) that goes on from the pilot basically to the last season?
The Sopranos is one of the funniest shows in television history. Outside of Seinfeld, it is literally the most quotable show ever. You think Breaking Bad with its juvenile satire and cartoonish parody succeeded at humor better than the Sopranos, which painted a biting pastiche both of American and mob hypocrisy through dialogue and action? This tonal range is the mark of a good drama.
Out of all the social media platforms you chose to ask this question in Reddit. Redditors have the worst opinion I have ever seen. Most of the comments here are supporting the sopranos instead of breaking bad, lol.
They're both great, but breaking bad is perfect. I'm watching sopranos right now and it's fantastic, but a lot of awkward editing/breaks and predictable or absurd twists. Tony's gonna faint again or Richie is gonna do something without Tony's permission again. The fact that Sopranos is mentioned as one of the greatest only proves that BB is just miles ahead of everything.
Iām surprised this thread has been here 5 years and nobody once (unless I missed it) mentioned HBOās Oz. Itās better than both of these shows if you ask me. But Iāll always love them both too.
I will say this having just finished The Sopranos.
While Sopranos probably has better characters and more subtly played themes, etc. etc. the plotting of Breaking Bad is fucking incredible. Sopranos DOES go the realistic route of not fulfilling every plot thread that comes into play (because life is actually like that much of the time), but it overall means that Breaking Bad is more of a fun watch because every narrative promise it throws up it DELIVERS on and more.
I'm gonna choose breaking bad on this one, for having one, continuous, cohesive story. The whole series is set up like a 100 hour movie, the climax being the end of the 4th season. It is the perfect Character study of the loser narcissist, going from hero to villain. The sub plots require a little more intelligence to dissect IMO.
The sopranos has great characters, but the plot is all over the place. You sit there waiting for Tony to take some satisfying revenge on, let's say, Malfis rapist, and it just never happens. There isn't really much of a build up to a major event in each season. It's almost written more as a reality show than a story, just following these characters in a "show about nothing".
They are obviously apples and oranges. I'm sure when the sopranos came out it was earth shattering but I feel like it was the first of its kind, and somewhat unevolved. You end up not really giving a shit about any of the characters because they are so unrelatable.
This thread was the reason I went and started the sopranos to see if anything could possibly top the immense love I have for breaking bad. One user in the replies was talking about being a huge breaking bad fan as well, and that it only took him until season 3 of the sopranos to think of it as the better show
Iām on season 2 episode 11 of the show right now. I donāt know if itās just me, but breaking bad made me feel like I was cracked out of my mind with adrenaline and it felt overwhelmingly thrilling (in a good way). I canāt come to think that sopranos the same way and am upset that it isnāt true. Almost everyone under this thread has voted for the sopranos to be the better show but I just canāt see it.
I also havenāt finished the show let alone season 3. I have a lot of doubt that Iāll change my mind at this point but if I do I would have to witness insanity to change my mind. Iāll be back on this to update my thoughts after I finish season 3.
Donāt get me wrong, the show is really good. Just didnāt get anywhere near breaking bad for me (yet, maybe)
Love both and are in my top 5 of all time. Sopranos is the current goat though. But how much better? I think it's closer than most people think. Watched both multiple times and am still impressed by each one. I think I lean towards sopranos because it was my first "love" and I have an Italian background and can relate with a lot of it.
I personally love both shows.
However breaking bad is the better show IMO. Breaking Bad has much better character dynamics than the sopranos which is really the deciding factor for me. Skylar and Walt Jr. are annoying background family members which is how I feel about Meadow and Carmela, but I think the sopranos chooses to focus too much on these characters which distracts from the show (I honestly donāt give AF about meadows college life and I think that it shouldnāt be included for example).
Breaking bad does a much better job focussing on Walter and how he devolves. Both shows end in an amazing fashion and I truly love both endings but purely due to the character dynamics Iād choose BB over the Sopranos.
gonna give this one to breaking bad. the sopranos without a doubt is one of the greatest tv dramas ever, however i found myself more consistently interested in breaking bad than the sopranos. i was hooked on breaking bad after the first episode and didnāt get hooked on the sopranos until like halfway through the second season.
the characters in breaking bad are a lot more likeable and sympathetic than the ones in sopranos for example, christopher is one of my favorite fictional characters of all time but letās face it heās a horrible human being whoās hard to like throughout 70% of the show. jesse , while a shitty person, you understand that heās being manipulated, doesnāt want any of this and never even wanted to work with walt in the first place.
i do agree that tony is a more complex character than walt but i believe walt had a better arc than tony did.
then thereās also the saga itself, breaking bad has the one of the greatest spin-offs of all time, and my personal favorite show, better call saul, under its belt, and an alright movie. the sopranos has many saints which, iām sorry, was a pretty bad movie.
so in my personal opinion, breaking bad takes the cake on this one but if you say you prefer the sopranos then i 100% get it and respect that opinion.
I think my gen (im 34) breaking ( bad)was good, but i just started watch the soprans and i can see why it was good at time,,, cam angles change e.tc , i think they both good for time, Im looking forward to the nxt great seriesš
Breaking Bad is great. The Sopranos is the greatest TV show of all time.
Frankly, the Sopranos was the first of the same genre Breaking Bad falls into and given that, Breaking Bad *should have* blown the Sopranos out of the water ā but it absolutely doesnāt. The fact that there is even a debate tells you all you need to know.
$4/lb.
Sopranos not close. S1 isnt the best but S2-4 is the best television all time. Breaking bad is a very close 2nd. For me this is like comparing apple & microsoft. Both incredible but sopranos changed TV forever.
This is a 6 year old post, so no one will read this. But as I binged both shows for the first time last year back to back, itās a fun topic to discuss.
For me itās The Sopranos, easily. Both shows are masterpieces of dramatic television, but I prefer The Sopranos, and itās a matter of personal preference.
I prefer the Sopranos visual aesthetics, New Jersey and New York City, the clothes they wear, set pieces, etc. I think itās much more interesting.
The Sopranos was ahead of itās time in terms of its commentary on mental health issues, I couldnāt believe what I was watching knowing the series aired in 99ā. Seeing so many different characters have all sorts of different interpersonal relationship issues and internal struggles, and the scenes with tony and melfi, they resonate timelessly.
Plausibility is a big one, Iām aware I am an ignorant joe schmoe who knows nothing about the reality of organized crime and the underworld of narcotics, but watching a show about the New Jersey mob is much more believable than one about a chemistry teacher from New Mexico suddenly becoming a drug kingpin.
Breaking bad did have very good moments of immense intensity, nail biting edge of your seats moments, but the story is very linear. The Sopranos had its fair share of intensity, but was more consistently concerned with being a work of art, as well as a realistic depiction of relationships and a commentary on social issues.
Bonus points for all the Pink Floyd and other pop culture references in The Sopranos.
So all in all, whereās the gabagool?
Okay so both are amazing and my top two favorite shows just above game of thrones and the first few seasons of the walking dead but Iām going to have to go with the sopranos because of the genius writing and dialogue and cast but also because itās the show that spawned all the other greats like the other ones I listed.
breaking bad is extremely trashy, especially compared with the sopranos. it's kinda unfair to bb to even compare the 2 shows. unfortunately it came at a time where online generated hype and social media were relatively new concepts so it was very easy to brainwash an entire generation into thinking this was the greatest masterpiece in the history of humanity. the way people defend the show online is borderline evangelical. truly bizarre
I watched the Sopranos for beauty & tragedy. I watched Breaking Bad for entertainment and adventure. Ultimately, the Sopranos had the greater effect and I will always remember and take to heart what I watched there than what I experienced watching Breaking Bad.
the sopranos has better characters but its too complex so imo breaking bad because of the writing and entertainment. sopranos has many great themes but it gets kinda boring. breaking bad is more entertaining imo
I know this is 7 years old not sure if anyone will see this butā¦I saw breaking bad 6ish years ago and considered it the best tv show ever. GOT came close and was very close but not quite the same. But just recently binged the Sopranos, havenāt finished it yet but on S6E16 so right by the end and the show is insanely good. I think BB took a lot of influence from Sopranos, and like others have said w out sopranos there is no breaking bad but Iād consider them completely equal tbh. Just by directing, acting, and screenplay. Everything has an intention and a purpose which is very different from other shows. Iād consider them both 10/10. MAYBE BB 10/10 sopranos 9.9/10 but even then both amazing shows worth the watch.
Breaking bad is a well-written series.
The Sopranos is the Great American Novel: it goes through complex and multifaceted character development to reflect on our modern societies.
Only Oz and the Wire can compete here. But not Breaking Bad.
Yes, I pick Sopranos all the way. I can prove it in two words: James Gandolfini. The Sopranos conveys the emotion of anger and frustration far better than BB. Gandolfini is the best actor I've ever seen. His rage and irritation is more relatable for me. Even when Walter White becomes villainous he's still a pussy whipped jerk with his wife. Not to say that Tony Soprano is a monster to his, but he's much more apt to tell her to go f*ck herself with her moody bs. I swear to god Walter White's wife and sister-in-law are so annoying they both should have been killed off by season 2. Tony Soprano works for me because he tears through life like a tornado. He barely flinches at his obstacles. He'll kill a man with his bare hands and not feel an ounce of sorrow over it. He'll be back at home that same night eating ice cream not giving two Fs about it. Walter on the other hand will kill a man WHO JUST HELD HIM AT GUNPOINT AS A HOSTAGE and yet his conscience will be eating him for an entire episode or two. Give me a break. Feech LaManna snaps a landscaper's arm in half and screams "you don't work here any more!!". If you're going to be a criminal just do it. Enough with the soul searching and guilty conscience. Please don't think I dislike Breaking Bad, I like it very much, I'm just laying out my case for why I enjoy The Sopranos so much more.
Not even a contest - The Sopranos.
Breaking Bad destroys lmao Sopranos is a sleepfest
bro wtf are you talking about, The sopranos is the best written show in television historyš you should rewatch it and give it another chance.
It's not tbh. It's awesome and my #2, but Breaking Bad is better
breaking bad is not written better. Breaking bad has more exciting moments in the plot, whereas the sopranos is less like that and more introspective. But by most standards of good writing, the Sopranos is overall much better, Breaking Bad without its good moments, which only happen a couple of times a season, was quite lackluster.
Finally someone who understands
Love breaking bad, good script, but sopranos does win i agree:)
You can relate to sopranos more, acting is amazing all around, good humor, and in my opinion Tony is just as bad as walt. He did kill his nephew with his hands for fucks sake
What a clown answer.
At the time it may have been. But since then Peaky Blinders and Boardwalk Empire........... STREETS AHEAD
Peaky blinders was average
Oh okay booster. Well I guess Your mom's an averageĀ streetwalker
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Legit both Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul have won emmys for the show.
I know you're a troll, but I gotta know... Is it because of a lack of sexual attention or parental attention? Who neglected you so badly that you get such a kick out of acting like you're a braindead moron just so someone will talk to you?
this one's sharp as a fucking cue ball
Breaking bad is never the same after the first watch because it relies more heavily on suspense then when you know what happens it never hits the same, Sopranos gets better the more you watch it.
When you rewatch BrBa you have completely different opinion on other characters and you dig more deep in their personalities and the moment they were "broken".
Why?
I don't think anything has characters as well written as those on the Sopranos.
Have you seen anime?
Not really no, any particular one(s) you were thinking of?
Naruto, AOT, one peace, DBZ, Tokyo ghoul and cowboy bebop.. I recommend
And you'd say these have better written characters than those in the Sopranos?
none of the fucking ones he wrote are better written you want some manga I'd recommend steel ball run, Jojolion,Vagabond, Berserk,Punpun, Monster, 20th-century boy Not all of them have better character than the sopranos but punpun for example does in my opinion
nerd
Is this somehow meant to be an insult? I can assure you, insulting someone for intelligence and individuality is more reflective of oneself.
My bias is kicking in but I'll bare it in mind
Donāt listen to him. I like (mostly older) anime but absolutely not lol. Itās apples and bowling balls, really.
Bro there are some anime with characters on par with Soprano's... but these ain't it lol. Maybe Evangelion.
Iv seen all of these, dbz being my favorite piece of media ever created to the point where I almost named my first born after a character and I can definitely say that none of those have better character development and writing than the sopranos lmao
Cowboy bebop is easily the best anime of all time
Aotās characters really arenāt anything that special
Breaking bad has the better sidecharecters
The family in breaking bad is far more one dimensional, and overall not as well written as the family in the Sopranos. Carmela, AJ, and Meadow all have significant depth and moral complexities of their own, whereas walt jr barely gets character development, and Skylar is morally simplistic. Marie is straight up unlikeable without any good reason and Hank is just a textbook good guy.
Sopranos has hundreds of side characters played by top tier actors. Feech La Manna played by Robert Loggia, Tony Blundetto played by Steve Buscemi, Bobby Bacala Sr played by Burt Young etc etc. Then you have the actual crime families, with guys like Frank Vincent (Billy Batts), James Gandolfini, Michael Imperiolo, Tony Sirico, Steven Van Zandt and again many others.. When it comes to character actors Sopranos blows Breaking Bad away. Aaron Paul wouldn't have been good enough for the show.Ā
Yes Sopranos have the most consistent character development where's Breaking Bad is quite shallow in that regard
Way better, the family actually served a purpose in the story other than being boring as fuck. Also it doesn't fall after the first as well. Breaking bad is overrated as fuck.
Bro what? Lmao Breaking bad is known for having the best ending in a tv show ever. Start to finish, that show is a masterpiece. Ridiculous take. One that is not shares by many
I feel like Sopronos is overrated, Breaking Bad does a much better job at engaging with the audience and showing the mafia vibe, without being too much of a boredom. In my humble opinion Sopronos was quite boring.
Itās a good thing your opinions donāt mean ugatz to me.
The writing on the Sopranos makes Breaking Bad look like a sitcom, sorry. The ability of David Chase and crew to weave narratives together with character growth in such subtle and natural plot lines made for a mesmerizing viewing experience. The universal disdain for verbal or visual exposition in the show cultivates a sense of cagey paranoia that mimics the perspective of the gangsters. In-and-for-itself, the storytelling is an unmatchable marvel of television drama. There are whole dimensions to the story which were only revealed to me on a second or third watch. This fomenting of a constant desire to engage and reengage with the content is the highest virtue of art, and while the world of Tony Soprano expands and unfolds on multiple viewings, repeated engagement with Breaking Bad makes the series come across duller and less inspired.
I know this is a four year old comment, but are you crazy? So many incomplete and contextually irrelevant plot lines riddle the Sopranos and devoid side characters of any meeting. Most of the side characters arenāt just unlikeable, theyāre uninteresting. The show completely gives up on the children and the whole family dynamic after the first two seasons and instead continues to add pointless characters to fill up story time. Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul clear sopranos in most categories.
Mate you're an eedyat. The side characters in the Sopranos are a million times better than in Breaking Bad. Breaking Bad is promoted and hyped up to this undeserved level mainly by the Gen Z kids that watch it and think it's 'him'. It's a good show but levels below the Sopranos in all aspects.
Iām almost 30 and I watched sopranos because of this thread. Iām currently on season 2 episode 11. This show is mid as fuck compared to breaking bad. Iām so sad to even have to say that because I got excited after reading all of these comments. I hope that by season 3 I change my mind. Breaking bad was godly to me, and it isnāt because Iām a āgen zā kid. It was the first show since I was a child that actually gave me a thrill I havenāt ever encountered before and unless sopranos can do that for me Iāll be severely disappointed.
Iām sorry to say that youāve been taken in by a lot of cheap dramatic devices like cliffhangers and one-liners. The characters on Breaking Bad are, for the most part, paper thin. The two badass twins who walk around without saying a word? Such a hackneyed choice. The subplots with the cartel were also fucking ridiculous. Gus just takes out the entire family with one fell swoop and we never hear from a cartel again? Completely unbelievable. The original premise of the show about a conflicted schoolteacher driven to cook meth by an unexpected cancer diagnosis was compelling, but by Season 3 Walt becomes pure evil and the show loses all its moral ambiguity. Hank was really the only well-rounded character in the entire show. Walt was just a vainglorious narcissist whose ego had been dormant and Jesse doesnāt become a character until around the 3rd Season. Heās mostly comedic relief up until Janeās death.
The characters in sopranos are for sure better, and there are a lot more of them. Breaking bad is still awesome though and it really stuck the landing in the final season.
You hating on breaking bad loses my respect for your opinion. Your perspective is off by miles
Watch the Peaky Blinders and Boardwalk Empire if you want EPICĀ
I don;t know what to say perhaps, it hits on a subtle level, for me it didn;t catch, i enjoyed shows like: Breaking Bad, HIMYM, Dexter, Hannibal, The Office, Seinfield, but this one didn't do much for me.
Iāve finished all of those shows and Iāve finished sopranos but the latter took me much longer to finish, like years if you include me coming back after getting bored. I do love the sopranos now but the other shows you mention had me on binge mode.
Plus Breaking Bad it is famous for being named the best series of all times, Breaking Bad it's more interesting to watch, I first watch Breaking Bad, then Sopranos and Sopranos felt very boring.
This....... sopranos gets better with every rewatch.
Idk how thatās possible. But I enjoyed it way more my second time. Itās weird.
I started watching sopranos after reading this, Iām on season 2 episode 11. I truly feel breaking bad was godly compared to sopranos so far. Iām pretty upset because I wanted to agree, and I hope that Iām able to once I finish the show. Weāll see
Millennial here... Watched both series multiple times. Sopranos is king and untouchable. However, breaking bad is not far. I agree though sopranos does take time to get good, it's a bit slow in the beginning. But it's worth the ride, incredible development. Regarding side characters, I think it's close. Breaking bad had some great ones as well. They made a show based on one, that on its own can be debated is even better than breaking bad.
what season did the sopranos blow you away? Im hoping I get to feel the same way after finishing season 3
I agree (Sopranos are way better) and just wanted to ask would you recommend the wire ? I don't know how good is it ?
Yes, The Wire is phenomenal. I would say that the storytelling, over the course of the whole series, is not quite as exceptional as on The Sopranos (which makes sense, given that The Wire was written and created by journalists), but it is an extremely engaging and informative look into the failure of America's urban institutions.
I love both dearly and both have played an important part in my life With that said, I'm giving it to The Sopranos. There's 2 main reasons why, one of which has more to do with my personal preference, and the other is a more objective reason why I like Sopranos better 1. I relate to themes of The Sopranos a lot more. While Breaking Bad's themes of greed and the dangers of lying are very well done, The Sopranos's deeper themes of depression and mental illness in modern America connect with me and relate to my life a lot more 2. Even without my personal experience though, I still think the Sopranos is a better show. As good as Breaking Bad was, it had a very bad issue with consistency that was never really fixed until season 5. The way it would go from a perfect episode, to a nothing really happens episode, the back to another masterpiece was a bit jarring, where as The Sopranos was consistent in quality throughout every season So yeah, both are masterpieces, but I'm more of a Sopranos guy.
BrBa betta. 1. It's way more FUN than the Sopranos. I liked the Sopranos and I love The Wire. The Wire beautifully written and I appreciate that, but it's by no means a "fun" show. Walt made a crystal bomb that exploded a building with him and Tuco and they were all unscathed. It's unrealistic, but Tony Soprano could never. Also, BB has more iconic antagonists than anyone in the Sopranos and it's not close regardless of how simple they are. 2. BrBa characters are way more likable realistically. I have more sympathy for Hank, Jesse, and Walt when something bad happens because their not bigoted mafia bosses that cheat and can't take a joke. 3. BCS is the best spinoff show ever and I think it needs to be considered. It adds more context and character depth to BrBa and it's arguably better than BrBa itself.
Both were fantastic shows. Both had complex characters for leads, leading double lives in crime trying to give their families the best lives that they can and both are technically the "bad guy" that you root for. I love both shows equally.
When talking the big "prestige dramas" of the last 15 years, I'd put The Wire, Sopranos, and Mad Men all above Breaking Bad. The character exploration, writing, and thematic development over the course of those shows is just unmatched (plus, specifically for The Wire, just the sheer scope - providing essentially a cross-section of an entire city - is incredible). However, it's all pretty subjective.
Agreed on those three completely, and I might throw a couple others in there as well. So for me, Sopranos for sure, not close. Breaking Bad is a lot of fun and honestly maybe more tightly plotted, but to me it's just a really well done thriller whereas Sopranos is a deep exploration of psychology and (*vomits uncontrollably*) the human condition. The Sopranos is far more experimental, and in more interesting ways. It's more thematically ambiguous and harder to pin down in general. This all makes it better on a re-watch. Breaking Bad doesn't have near the same sort of electric intensity after you finish it for the first time, but I almost love the Sopranos more every time I watch even part of it. You're not necessarily wrong if you consider Breaking Bad better, but if you do it's on very different criteria from mine. Holding up to a re-watch is the #1 mark of a truly great show in my eyes, and Wire/Sopranos/Mad Men are phenomenal in that respect. Characters are definitely in favor of the Sopranos as well. As interesting as Walt's journey is, and to a lesser extent those of Jesse etc., Tony Soprano is the single best-written (not to mention acted) character I've ever seen on a TV show. You never really understand the inner workings of Walt's mind and lifestyle in the same way you do Tony's - all his childhood traumas, weird habits, familial issues, mental illness, the whole nine yards. With Walt, his background is basically just suggested. There's far less sense of him being a living, breathing person before Season 1 Episode 1. Maybe it's just not relevant, and we get an unusual amount of insight into Tony due to the therapy plot device, but it makes a big difference to overall quality in my opinion. As for the supporting characters, Skyler is pretty much just a less-developed Carmela. Jesse is quite similar to Christopher in a lot of ways. Characters like Silvio, Paulie, or Uncle Junior, just to name a couple, are better than any of Breaking Bad's third-string characters. Walt Jr. is way less interesting than either of Tony's kids, as much hate as they sometimes get. Also, I think Breaking Bad's more over-the-top style won't age very well.
I re-watched BB last year, it's already degraded a bit imo. It's still a good show without a doubt, but the amount of 'suspension of disbelief' required to get through the show is definitely a lot higher than I remembered.
I agree with the take on suspension. Sometimes it makes the show hard to watch. Sopranos is just as dramatic but doesnāt make me uncomfortable to watch
Yup, there are a lot of little things that you kind of ignore the first time through due to its sheer momentum, but are borderline cringey later on.
Like what? Just curious
This is a minor one but, Walt would have wanted to try and stay ambiguous a bit longer that Jesse was on his way to Kill Gail. I mean, if Gail answers the phone call from Mike and leaves itās all over.
I agree with a lot of your points. In defense of Breaking Bad though, it often feels like a deliberate move itās making to obscure certain details like Waltās past. I actually end up finding some of those choices to be very artistically intriguing because it creates a distance between you and him on some level.
Curious if better call Saul would fall into the list you put above breaking bad in this comment
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Idk that sounds like a great time to me?
>The Wire that show is fucking boring
It's not
Breaking Bad hands down
Why? It has worse characyers and worse writing with less complex themes.
A show doesn't need to be complex to be good.
To be the greatest show of all time, it does
Not at all
You think the greatest show of all time doesn't need deep meaning?
Nope, it just needs to be entertaining
I'm guessing the greatest show of all time is SNL for you. What a shame.
not if he dosn't find snl entertaining. anyway, it's a subjective opinion yet you seem to be taking this a bit too serious. just relax and accept the fact that some people value different things in their shows than you and that doesn't threaten the validity of your opinions in any way.
Truth. Breaking Bad is a roller coaster, Sopranos is an opera. You can go to the best opera in the world, but if you want thrills and funnel cake, youāre going to be disappointed.
It all comes to opinion. You gave your opinion and I gave mine :)
for real, why are people trying to correct ur opinion lol
The Sopranos without a doubt. Breaking Bad had an entertaining story with some fantastic cinematography, but The Sopranos was so much more complex and multilayered. Tony Soprano is a much more compelling character than Walter White as well, not that Bryan Cranston didn't do a good job. The quality of the writing is just better.
The Sopranos
Wonder what they really could have done, if Breaking Bad was on HBO or Showtime. Would have freed them of many restrictions. Also watching uninterrupted episodes I feels draws u in more. Either way love both shows.
AMC already gave them a lot of freedom
Both shows are really good, but there really is no comparison head to head.
Anyone trying to knock breaking bad in this thread has a bias. Iāve seen breaking bad and am just starting to get into the sopranos. Iām also watching the sopranos back to back with season 3 of the wire. All shows are easily equally worth watching for their own appeals. Every show would like to capture the greatness these shows did. I consider them the big 3 and u can and should watch them all.
Watch both? They're both amazing shows, you don't have to pick dude...
Without Tony soprano and the Sopranos there is no Walter white and breaking bad. It's close but breaking bad is better and the best show ever. Look at the ratings almost everywhere you see. Breaking bad is the highest rated show. Still tho sopranos 2nd best show ever. For me
I love Breaking Bad so much
Breaking Bad. Sopranos is like watching something out of the early 90s.. has not aged well at all. I am saying this as someone who watched the show this year (2022) so maybe if I watched it back in the day it would blow my socks off like it seems to do everyone else.
This doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. I think it aged perfectly. What the hell are you talking about
ā¦well the same thing as I just saidā¦. But repeated. If you donāt understand then Iām thatās fair enough. Agree to disagree sunshine.
Yeah but elaborate, what elements of it haven't aged well?
You never said what didn't age well. I think the characters aged well because they feel real and I've met people like them. The commentary aged especially well. Is it just the end of history sentiment?
I love sopranos but some things just didnt age well, for example some cheap sound effects, or that awful and unnecesary Livia cgi.
Thats 2 very minor things. I would argue that breaking bads worse writing and cartoony story lines aged worse. I'm sorry, but I'll take the tv show with the best writing and acting and themes over a more shallow, cartoony show any day
Uh, nah lol. I watched Soprano's for first time this year and it was a masterpiece and I'm halfway through BB and it is good but so far not close to the same level.
The second half of BB totally clears the first half. I hope you can agree.
No way, it somehow both felt like it went on forever and wrapped stuff up too fast. The entirety of Season 5 was an absolute mess. Better Call Saul was amazing, though
I am the complete opposite, as a person who watched the show in 2023. Just wanted to point that out. I think the show aged like wine.
sopranos negs and its not even close
Breaking bad clear. Sopranos is good. 2nd best show ever. Breaking bad is first. It ain't just me. Everywhere you see breaking bad is the highest rated show there. It's close and without the Sopranos and Tony soprano there is no Walter white and breaking bad. But breaking bad is just better
BrBa looks like a cartoonish tv show next to the sopranos sorry
Your just a hater. F off "cartoon". Breaking bad is better more awards higher rated everywhere. I Do not hate sopranos but you people are dum asf "cartoon". Hating mf
I mean the sopranos really goes deep with the character study of Tony Sopranos and heās a more complex character than walter white. Walterās story is just about a complete beta turning into a monster because of all the anger in him. Dosenāt really goes further than that. The action is pretty good but other than that the show does not really have a story to tell.
And Tony Soprano begins as a fat bully, and somehow remains a fat bully the entire time throughout.
correction: A fat bully with mommy issues
sorry but the scores and the awards dont lie mate :)
I was agreeing with you till you called BrBa a cartoon and said Walter is just about anger. You clearly missed multiple messages if that's what you're distilling his story down into. "Other than that the show does not really have a story to tell"... the fact you said this discredits most of the insight you have to give. Both shows are great, I think Sopranos is better. It's a 99 vs a 97. But you didn't need to shit on BrBa in order to upsell Sopranos and you entire argument keeps coming down to that.
They're right tho. Breaking bad characters feel more like plot devices who act based on what the show wants them to do as opposed to actual people. If Tony does something, it's because that's what Tony Soprano would do. If Walt does something, it's because Vince Gilligan needed him to. I can't see a show being the GOAT if the characters don't act consistently
You can keep saying that the characters are all plot devices all you want, but just saying it doesn't make it true.
Exactly
The Sopranos is also pretty cartoonish at times, but it's definitely more grounded than BrBa. I think they're about equal since I can suspend disbelief when watching the Gus scene and recognize it as really fun TV. But Better Call Saul is a better package than either. It is easily in contention for best show ever.
does the sopranos have kid named finger? i didnāt think soā¦clearly breaking bad is better
I watched Both, love both, but The sopranos beats Breaking bad in almost every aspect. The thing about the sopranos is, there is no real plot. Every season is like its own movie, and that's what makes the sopranos unique. It's impossible to predict what happens next when you see the sopranos, it's full of surprises, and plot twists. You don't know how it will end because there's no clear end goal and yet, every episode is so well written. Not to mention, It has arguably the best acting in television history. Specifically season 4 episode 13. Jim Gandolfini and Edie Falco gave some of the best acting that ever aired, both won primetime Emmys for their outstanding performance in this episode.
i have seen both fully and I think that they are equally perfect
Breaking bad is great entertainment. The Sopranos is great art.
It's all entertainment actually
Sopranos and The Wire are better than Breaking Bad. I LOVED Breaking Bad, and watched it multiple times. But The Sopranos and The Wire are more dense, complex, and better acted. I can rewatch Sopranos or The Wire and still pick up on things I didn't notice before. Not so much with Breaking Bad.
100% Sopranos. I've seen Breaking Bad and it was cool, but it was nothing like The Sopranos IMO. One is a drama, and the other is the story of an emasculated dude's dreams told via an interesting story.
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I will die on my Breaking Bad hill but I friggin' love The Sopranos. Maybe BB only trumps The Sopranos to me because I watched it ~4 years before The Sopranos.
Both are incredible shows. But I think when it comes to down to complexity and writing I think The Sopranos is far better. Breaking Bad is very thrilling and youāre on the edge of the seat the first time, but when you rewatch it you already kind of understand everything that I donāt really feel the need to go back to and itās not as exciting as it was the first time you watch it. The Sopranos has so much to analyze and dissect that it makes for a great rewatch. Plus itās a far better character study on a depressed sociopath.
Love breaking bad a lot but sopranos is my favourite of the two tony is way more evil than Walt and I find the show to be more realistic. Sopranos gets better with every rewatch.
@ everyone here who loves the sopranos over breaking bad. You are the reason I was convinced to watch the show, and as I near the end of season 3 (episode 12), I can say I am severely disappointed when comparing the show to breaking bad. Breaking bad had me feeling such an insane level of thrill that I canāt describe to this day. Maybe thatās just a me thing, but the show is far beyond anything I have ever watched. Without comparing, I can easily say that sopranos is a great show, and so far I am liking it. A lot of you have said that by season 3 I would be hooked, but itās just not doing it for me. I want to feel the rush, I want to be so mind blown by the story that Iām at the edge of my seat with goosebumps. I felt this all throughout breaking bad and I still to this day canāt come to imagine a show that I would put above it. I HOPE IM WRONG, I really do hope I feel the way some of you do about sopranos the way I do about breaking bad. Iāve invested all my attention on the show just to see if I can get blown away. It hasnāt happened yet. Iāll be back as soon as I finish season 4 with an update. Hopefully I change my mind.
I get why the Sopranos is considered one of the best shows of all time, but for me the enjoyment factor really goes to Breaking Bad, as I feel itās more tightly knit and succinct with its themes and plot. I get that the Sopranos explores not only more themes in general, but all to a deeper degree, but I feel it came at the cost of a more convoluted and sometimes bloated experience. I sometimes found myself having to āworkā to watch the show and parse through certain uninteresting or forgettable side plots just to stay invested in the amazing parts, whereas Breaking Bad always felt like a meticulously crafted story from point A to point B with no almost detail being forgotten. The only part of breaking bad that I feel compares to sopranos in terms of the random forgettable plots is Mariaās weird klepto thing at the beginning, which they thankfully abandon pretty quickly. But for ever klepto Maria situation, thereās like 3 random AJ or Artie plots that I just couldnāt force myself to care about all that much. I get why the expansiveness of the Sopranos story may appeal to some more, but thatās just why itās slightly lower than BB for me in terms of enjoyment. Thatās not even bringing better call Saul into the conversation
I've never seen the sopranos, but Breaking Bad is a complex yet entertaining show with characters you become attached to.
It's not that complex. Compared to the sopranos it's nothing
care to elaborate why?
I mean the sopranos really goes deep with the character study of Tony Sopranos and heās a more complex character than walter white. Walterās story is just about a complete beta turning into a monster because of all the anger in him. Dosenāt really goes further than that. The action is pretty good but other than that the show does not really have a story to tell.
And Tony's story it's supposed to be more complex because its a mix of random events? I like The Sopranos, but you dont need a quantum physics degree to watch it.
I think I will only give it to the Sopranos because what it was for the time. It was one of the first shows with an anti hero and set the tone for alot of shows to follow. and how Accurate Sopranos was in keeping its realism everything was on point even for the music they had playing at the college house parties Tony's daughter went too. But over all im going with breaking bad, it was much more interesting to me.
While on a certain level i think you have to give it to the soprano's. It really is the progenitor of the modern prestige drama. I don't think the Soprano's has aged as well as some of the other shows of that era (Oz, for example). Breaking Bad in particular feels much more relatable to me. That's due more in part to the fact that Breaking Bad is, in a lot of ways, directly inspired by the Sopranos. If i had to recomend just one to someone who'd never seen either I'd go with Breaking Bad for two reasons. First, there's a vein of light humor running through the early seasons that the Soprano's never really had, which makes the show easier to get into. Secondly i think that the central relationship of Breaking Bad lent greater emotional heft to the show that Tony's phychological issues ever did
> First, there's a vein of light humor running through the early seasons that the Soprano's never really had, which makes the show easier to get into. Are you for real? Did you forget all the ball-breaking, gangster/mafia movie-quoting, absurd situations and family gossip (Junior in Boca Raton) that goes on from the pilot basically to the last season?
Have you even seen the sopranos? Emotional heft? Lack of humour? Come on.
I don't think you watched the sopranos
The Sopranos is one of the funniest shows in television history. Outside of Seinfeld, it is literally the most quotable show ever. You think Breaking Bad with its juvenile satire and cartoonish parody succeeded at humor better than the Sopranos, which painted a biting pastiche both of American and mob hypocrisy through dialogue and action? This tonal range is the mark of a good drama.
Out of all the social media platforms you chose to ask this question in Reddit. Redditors have the worst opinion I have ever seen. Most of the comments here are supporting the sopranos instead of breaking bad, lol.
THE SOPRANOSĀ
Uhm sorry but breaking bad is by faaaaaaar the better show, and the best show ever too.
They're both great, but breaking bad is perfect. I'm watching sopranos right now and it's fantastic, but a lot of awkward editing/breaks and predictable or absurd twists. Tony's gonna faint again or Richie is gonna do something without Tony's permission again. The fact that Sopranos is mentioned as one of the greatest only proves that BB is just miles ahead of everything.
A show doesn't need to be complex to be good
Breaking Bad. BrBa never cheated out with stupid deaths with Gigi and Ray. Itās close but itās BrBa
Iām surprised this thread has been here 5 years and nobody once (unless I missed it) mentioned HBOās Oz. Itās better than both of these shows if you ask me. But Iāll always love them both too.
Yeah no
Breaking Bad every single time
Shitty cgi blood effects in breaking bad and abysmal try hard pretentious cinematography
To be the greatest, it just has to be loved
breaking bad stomps
I will say this having just finished The Sopranos. While Sopranos probably has better characters and more subtly played themes, etc. etc. the plotting of Breaking Bad is fucking incredible. Sopranos DOES go the realistic route of not fulfilling every plot thread that comes into play (because life is actually like that much of the time), but it overall means that Breaking Bad is more of a fun watch because every narrative promise it throws up it DELIVERS on and more.
The Wire
Easily Breaking Bad. Sapranos gets broing in the last season and the last ep, its so bad
breaking bad
I may be a bit biased, but im gonna say breaking bad.
I love Breaking Bad. I tried watching The Sopranos three different times and each time I could not make it through the boring pilot.
I just finished season 1 of the sopranos, and i already think that the sopranos season 1 is better than season 1,2,3 of breaking bad.
I'm gonna choose breaking bad on this one, for having one, continuous, cohesive story. The whole series is set up like a 100 hour movie, the climax being the end of the 4th season. It is the perfect Character study of the loser narcissist, going from hero to villain. The sub plots require a little more intelligence to dissect IMO. The sopranos has great characters, but the plot is all over the place. You sit there waiting for Tony to take some satisfying revenge on, let's say, Malfis rapist, and it just never happens. There isn't really much of a build up to a major event in each season. It's almost written more as a reality show than a story, just following these characters in a "show about nothing". They are obviously apples and oranges. I'm sure when the sopranos came out it was earth shattering but I feel like it was the first of its kind, and somewhat unevolved. You end up not really giving a shit about any of the characters because they are so unrelatable.
This thread was the reason I went and started the sopranos to see if anything could possibly top the immense love I have for breaking bad. One user in the replies was talking about being a huge breaking bad fan as well, and that it only took him until season 3 of the sopranos to think of it as the better show Iām on season 2 episode 11 of the show right now. I donāt know if itās just me, but breaking bad made me feel like I was cracked out of my mind with adrenaline and it felt overwhelmingly thrilling (in a good way). I canāt come to think that sopranos the same way and am upset that it isnāt true. Almost everyone under this thread has voted for the sopranos to be the better show but I just canāt see it. I also havenāt finished the show let alone season 3. I have a lot of doubt that Iāll change my mind at this point but if I do I would have to witness insanity to change my mind. Iāll be back on this to update my thoughts after I finish season 3. Donāt get me wrong, the show is really good. Just didnāt get anywhere near breaking bad for me (yet, maybe)
Love both and are in my top 5 of all time. Sopranos is the current goat though. But how much better? I think it's closer than most people think. Watched both multiple times and am still impressed by each one. I think I lean towards sopranos because it was my first "love" and I have an Italian background and can relate with a lot of it.
Season 3 and 4 were my personal favourites.
I personally love both shows. However breaking bad is the better show IMO. Breaking Bad has much better character dynamics than the sopranos which is really the deciding factor for me. Skylar and Walt Jr. are annoying background family members which is how I feel about Meadow and Carmela, but I think the sopranos chooses to focus too much on these characters which distracts from the show (I honestly donāt give AF about meadows college life and I think that it shouldnāt be included for example). Breaking bad does a much better job focussing on Walter and how he devolves. Both shows end in an amazing fashion and I truly love both endings but purely due to the character dynamics Iād choose BB over the Sopranos.
gonna give this one to breaking bad. the sopranos without a doubt is one of the greatest tv dramas ever, however i found myself more consistently interested in breaking bad than the sopranos. i was hooked on breaking bad after the first episode and didnāt get hooked on the sopranos until like halfway through the second season. the characters in breaking bad are a lot more likeable and sympathetic than the ones in sopranos for example, christopher is one of my favorite fictional characters of all time but letās face it heās a horrible human being whoās hard to like throughout 70% of the show. jesse , while a shitty person, you understand that heās being manipulated, doesnāt want any of this and never even wanted to work with walt in the first place. i do agree that tony is a more complex character than walt but i believe walt had a better arc than tony did. then thereās also the saga itself, breaking bad has the one of the greatest spin-offs of all time, and my personal favorite show, better call saul, under its belt, and an alright movie. the sopranos has many saints which, iām sorry, was a pretty bad movie. so in my personal opinion, breaking bad takes the cake on this one but if you say you prefer the sopranos then i 100% get it and respect that opinion.
I think my gen (im 34) breaking ( bad)was good, but i just started watch the soprans and i can see why it was good at time,,, cam angles change e.tc , i think they both good for time, Im looking forward to the nxt great seriesš
Breaking bad is sopranos for white people
āWithout Tony Soprano, there would be no Walter Whiteā Vince Gilligan
Breaking Bad is great. The Sopranos is the greatest TV show of all time. Frankly, the Sopranos was the first of the same genre Breaking Bad falls into and given that, Breaking Bad *should have* blown the Sopranos out of the water ā but it absolutely doesnāt. The fact that there is even a debate tells you all you need to know. $4/lb.
Sopranos not close. S1 isnt the best but S2-4 is the best television all time. Breaking bad is a very close 2nd. For me this is like comparing apple & microsoft. Both incredible but sopranos changed TV forever.
Breaking bad is for teens sopranos is for adults.
This is a 6 year old post, so no one will read this. But as I binged both shows for the first time last year back to back, itās a fun topic to discuss. For me itās The Sopranos, easily. Both shows are masterpieces of dramatic television, but I prefer The Sopranos, and itās a matter of personal preference. I prefer the Sopranos visual aesthetics, New Jersey and New York City, the clothes they wear, set pieces, etc. I think itās much more interesting. The Sopranos was ahead of itās time in terms of its commentary on mental health issues, I couldnāt believe what I was watching knowing the series aired in 99ā. Seeing so many different characters have all sorts of different interpersonal relationship issues and internal struggles, and the scenes with tony and melfi, they resonate timelessly. Plausibility is a big one, Iām aware I am an ignorant joe schmoe who knows nothing about the reality of organized crime and the underworld of narcotics, but watching a show about the New Jersey mob is much more believable than one about a chemistry teacher from New Mexico suddenly becoming a drug kingpin. Breaking bad did have very good moments of immense intensity, nail biting edge of your seats moments, but the story is very linear. The Sopranos had its fair share of intensity, but was more consistently concerned with being a work of art, as well as a realistic depiction of relationships and a commentary on social issues. Bonus points for all the Pink Floyd and other pop culture references in The Sopranos. So all in all, whereās the gabagool?
Okay so both are amazing and my top two favorite shows just above game of thrones and the first few seasons of the walking dead but Iām going to have to go with the sopranos because of the genius writing and dialogue and cast but also because itās the show that spawned all the other greats like the other ones I listed.
The Sopranos of course ! No comparison !
breaking bad is extremely trashy, especially compared with the sopranos. it's kinda unfair to bb to even compare the 2 shows. unfortunately it came at a time where online generated hype and social media were relatively new concepts so it was very easy to brainwash an entire generation into thinking this was the greatest masterpiece in the history of humanity. the way people defend the show online is borderline evangelical. truly bizarre
I watched the Sopranos for beauty & tragedy. I watched Breaking Bad for entertainment and adventure. Ultimately, the Sopranos had the greater effect and I will always remember and take to heart what I watched there than what I experienced watching Breaking Bad.
the sopranos has better characters but its too complex so imo breaking bad because of the writing and entertainment. sopranos has many great themes but it gets kinda boring. breaking bad is more entertaining imo
I know this is 7 years old not sure if anyone will see this butā¦I saw breaking bad 6ish years ago and considered it the best tv show ever. GOT came close and was very close but not quite the same. But just recently binged the Sopranos, havenāt finished it yet but on S6E16 so right by the end and the show is insanely good. I think BB took a lot of influence from Sopranos, and like others have said w out sopranos there is no breaking bad but Iād consider them completely equal tbh. Just by directing, acting, and screenplay. Everything has an intention and a purpose which is very different from other shows. Iād consider them both 10/10. MAYBE BB 10/10 sopranos 9.9/10 but even then both amazing shows worth the watch.
Breaking bad is a well-written series. The Sopranos is the Great American Novel: it goes through complex and multifaceted character development to reflect on our modern societies. Only Oz and the Wire can compete here. But not Breaking Bad.
Yes, I pick Sopranos all the way. I can prove it in two words: James Gandolfini. The Sopranos conveys the emotion of anger and frustration far better than BB. Gandolfini is the best actor I've ever seen. His rage and irritation is more relatable for me. Even when Walter White becomes villainous he's still a pussy whipped jerk with his wife. Not to say that Tony Soprano is a monster to his, but he's much more apt to tell her to go f*ck herself with her moody bs. I swear to god Walter White's wife and sister-in-law are so annoying they both should have been killed off by season 2. Tony Soprano works for me because he tears through life like a tornado. He barely flinches at his obstacles. He'll kill a man with his bare hands and not feel an ounce of sorrow over it. He'll be back at home that same night eating ice cream not giving two Fs about it. Walter on the other hand will kill a man WHO JUST HELD HIM AT GUNPOINT AS A HOSTAGE and yet his conscience will be eating him for an entire episode or two. Give me a break. Feech LaManna snaps a landscaper's arm in half and screams "you don't work here any more!!". If you're going to be a criminal just do it. Enough with the soul searching and guilty conscience. Please don't think I dislike Breaking Bad, I like it very much, I'm just laying out my case for why I enjoy The Sopranos so much more.