History Recap / TheSopranosS1E1Pilot

* ArmorPiercingQuestion: Dr. Melfi asks Tony why he feels depressed. Tony squirms for a bit before going on a monologue about how "real Americans" like 'Creator/GaryCooper' just took care of things without having to rely on a FreudianExcuse as a crutch. He then acknowledges that he is feeling depressed since the ducks left his pool. Melfi's efforts to probe deeper become discomfiting for Tony, since it could force him to discuss his much deeper psychological issues, so he promptly leaves the office.

** Chris mentions that he has an interest in film screenwriting, and says that a cousin's friend is a "[[Recap/TheSopranosS2E7DGirl d-girl]]" in Hollywood.

* BigScrewedUpFamily: Emphasized early on. Tony is unfaithful to his wife, who (in turn) is carrying on a friendship with a priest that he disapproves of. Tony's mother is crotchety and complains about being forced into a retirement home, his daughter is being influenced by bad friends and his nephew feels he isn't being respected enough.

* FoodSlap: Subverted. Carmela gets ready to throw a glass of wine in Tony's face, in anticipation that he'll tell her that he's cheating again. Instead, he tells her that he's gone on medication and started therapy, and she's overjoyed.

** Chris mentions that he has an interest in film screenwriting, and says that his friend is a "[[Recap/TheSopranosS2E7DGirl d-girl]]" in Hollywood.

* StrictParentsMakeSneakyKids: Carmela catches Meadow trying to climb down from her window in defiance of the curfew.

** Tony mentions that Livia's favorite music is Connie Francis and ''Theater/ThePajamaGame''.

** Livia remembers her late husband as a 'saint', at least post-mortem. While he was still alive? Not so much, as we will see over the course of the series.

* GoldenAge:
** Tony longs for the day that real men in the older generations of TheMafia were willing to face hard prison time as a matter of UndyingLoyalty, instead of the newer generation who will turn into WitnessProtection rats at the very thought of doing any time. Also doubles as {{Foreshadowing}} multiple times throughout the series.
** In a twist of {{Irony}}, Uncle Junior sees Tony as an example of what is wrong with current generations of mobsters. His feeling is that Tony is not properly deferential towards his elders and superiors. Also doubles as {{Foreshadowing}} for their future conflict.

* NostalgiaFilter: Livia remembers her late husband as a 'saint', at least post-mortem. While he was still alive? Not so much, as we will see over the course of the series.

** It becomes obvious that DudeWheresMyRespect will be one of Uncle Junior's defining characteristics for most of the series. Pining for the GoldenAge will be another character trait of his.

** Tony is from the very beginning established as both smart and physically capable. Both traits enable him to be a spectacular success in the world of TheMafia, where AuthorityEqualsAsskicking and being ProperlyParanoid can keep you alive. And yet we see underneath the veneer that he's a BrokenAce whose troubled family life and wearing TheChainsOfCommanding together are reducing him to a NervousWreck prone to panic attacks.

In a psychiatrist's office, New Jersey-based mobster Tony Soprano [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything is framed between the legs of a naked sculpture]]. Dr. Jennifer Melfi opens a nearby door and invites Tony to enter her office.

* GroinAttack: Christopher receives one from Mahaffey when he tries to apprehend him. This gives Mahaffey a chance to escape...at least until Tony decides to use Christopher's Lexus as a [[CarFu blunt weapon.]]

* GroinAttack: Christopher receives one form Mahaffey when he tries to apprehend him. This gives Mahaffey a chance to escape...at least until Tony decides to use Christopher's Lexus as a [[CarFu blunt weapon.]]

That night, Melfi is having dinner with a friend when Tony and a woman who is ''not Carmela'' enter. The man expresses surprise when Tony greets her but assumes that Melfi can't say anything because of confidentiality reasons. Later on, Tony has a tryst with the woman on board his own yacht, ''The Stugots''.

** Tony takes umbrage at Carmella's overjoyed reaction to his revelation that he's seeing a therapist, saying "You'd think I was Hannibal Lecture!", referencing [[''Franchise/HannibalLecter''a certain infamous physician]].

** Tony takes umbrage at Carmella's overjoyed reaction to his revelation that he's seeing a therapist, saying "You'd think I was [[''Franchise/HannibalLecter''Hannibal Lecture]]!"

** Tony takes umbrage at Carmella's overjoyed reaction to his revelation that he's seeing a therapist, saying "You'd think I was [[''Franchise/HannibalLecter'' Hannibal Lecture]]!"