The Important Minor Characters of ‘The Sopranos’ [OPINION]

The Sopranos series from HBO has been over for a long time, but I still enjoy it. I spent some time over the holidays binge-watching this gangster classic.

When HBO debuted The Sopranos in January 1999, there was no such animal as Netflix or Amazon Prime, and no way to "binge-watch" a television program. We waited week to week for the next edition of the program and used our memory to hold the characters and the plots in focus.

But today we have the ability to watch numerous episodes in a single sitting. We can also fast forward through the scenes that don't interest us—anything with AJ and Meadow Soprano, in my case.

The binge watch brings the minor characters into focus too. Here are some of my favorites from The Sopranos that you may have forgotten:

Hesh: This elder businessman is the link for Tony to his father and serves as the example of the seemingly legitimate businessman who works with criminals to advance himself.

City Councilman Zelman: This is the liberal inner city progressive Democrat who works with the Mafia to get rich and stay in power. He serves as the example of the government corruption that organized crime requires to stay in business.

FBI Agent Dwight Harris: He is focused on taking out Tony Soprano and his criminal sect for most of the show. In the last season, he is compromised and helps Tony. His role is close to the stories we have learned in real life about the FBI and certain organized crime figures.

David Scatino: He is the gambling-addicted sporting goods store owner. He represents all of the seemingly successful people who fall to their demons, a mainstay of organized crime organizations.

Ken Pittman is the host of The Ken Pittman Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon. Contact him at ken.pittman@townsquaremedia.com and follow him on Twitter @RadioKenPittman. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.