The Meta Connection Between ‘The Sopranos’ and ‘Goodfellas’ Runs a Lot Deeper Than You Think

The Sopranosis one of the most groundbreaking television shows of all-time, as it offered insights into the gangster lifestyle that had more in common with classic cinema than it did with other crime shows. Given the excellent writing of David Chase and the freedom of an HBO budget, The Sopranos was allowed to get as dark, nasty, and oddly funny as all-time classics like Scarfaceand The Godfather, which are both mentioned by Tony (James Gandolfini) by name. While there were a wealth of classics that the series drew from,The Sopranos is often in conversation with the classic Martin Scorsese gangster film Goodfellasbecause they share many cast members.