The Sopranos made intelligent, challenging TV something to aspire to. Photograph: Channel 4
There were tears and protests, but the final episode of The Sopranos finally aired on E4 last night - and with a sigh, it was gone. David Chase's epic New Jersey mob saga redefined television drama and made intelligent, challenging TV something to aspire to once again.
Critics came more to praise it than bury it but the ambivalence felt towards the ending when it aired in America was evident once again today, with the Telegraph's James Walton saying it felt "both brilliant and slightly unsatisfying". More fulsome praise came from Damien Love in the Sunday Herald, who called the show the "last great artwork of the 20th century" and said how "you actually feel a physical and psychic shock" at the ending.
Less impressed was Andrew Billen of the Times, who wrote: "The final season's episodes were unevenly paced and last night's wintry finale was about the worst constructed of all." Although even he admitted "there were wonderful things about this last batch of The Sopranos".
So how was it for you? Did the Soprano crew go out with a bada-bing or a fuggedaboutit? And whatever happened to the ducks?
