The American crime TV show, The Sopranos, is listed in many publications as one of the best television programmes of all time. It revolves around the late James Gandolfini's character, Tony Soprano, and his criminal organisation.
Over six seasons and 86 episodes, the show collected 21 Primetime Emmy Awards, five Golden Globes and Peabody Awards for the first two seasons. The final season was split into two parts, and the last episode, titled 'Made in America', left viewers in suspense when a bell rings and Tony looks up.
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Over the years, The Sopranos creator David Chase has remained coy about that cliff-hanging final episode. He told the Star-Ledger: "I have no interest in explaining, defending, reinterpreting, or adding to what is there. No one was trying to be audacious, honest to God.
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"We did what we thought we had to do. No one was trying to blow people's minds, or thinking, 'Wow, this'll piss them off'. People get the impression that you're trying to fuck with them and it's not true. You're trying to entertain them. Anybody who wants to watch it, it's all there."
'Made in America' celebrated its 10th anniversary last week (feel old now?) and David was asked by Entertainment Weekly to reflect on the series. But he is adamant that the show will never pick up where it left off. He said: "I wouldn't want to see that happen, no. Like recasting? Everybody's getting older, you can't match people anymore."
While that might devastate fans who just want to know what happens to Tony, the show's creator, and writer added: "I could conceive of maybe a prequel of The Sopranos. I could never see [a return of the show] except as a prequel."
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Clearly, fans are begging for it.
While HBO says that a prequel isn't currently being developed, that doesn't mean that it won't be in the future.
Chase was instrumental in the series, not only creating the show but he also had a major role in every script, including producing and editing the final drafts.
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Last year, two TV critics issued a book which ranked the greatest television shows of all time. Granted, it's incredibly subjective, but several shows appear in other lists, so it's clear that they have a broad range of support.
Coming in at number one is everyone's favourite yellow cartoon family, The Simpsons. That legendary show is followed by none other than The Sopranos, while The Wire and Cheers come in at third and fourth. AMC's Breaking Bad came in as fifth, while Mad Men reached the sixth spot.
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