Always Worth Listening To

David Chase talking about the Sopranos.

DAVID CHASE: People used to ask me all the time, 'How do you feel about the way The Sopranos has changed network television'? And I'd say, I don't think it has at all. But now I feel there is one [sign of] influence, and that's Mad Men. And that's not because Matt [Weiner] worked for me, or 'cause we're friends. It's the content of the show.

EW: How so?

DAVID CHASE: [longish pause] Because it's not about punishing criminals, or making political points, or pretending to have a debate about American society, or looking through a microscope and finding clues in the carpet, or trying out a new surgery. It's about the actual moment-to-moment job of being alive. And being an adult in America.

This is why cable tv is doing higher quality work than the movies right now. Clearly, I'm not going out on a limb in saying this...thinking about last year...my favorite movie, just straight up movie, as in I've watched it over four times was Michael Clayton. I know MC isn't as cinematically brilliant as No Country, but I'm talking my favorite, I'm lonely on Sunday night and I want to watch a movie, movie of last year. Furthermore, MC was nominated for best picture. But let's put this in perspective. MC is not better than an AVERAGE episode of the Wire or the Sopranos. And from what I hear about Mad Men, I'm guessing it's about on par in terms of sophistication of character and storytelling. Certainly the Wire and the Sopranos should be considered exceptions. I can't see tv shows ever being that good again. But throw in Mad Men and it reeks of a trend and not just a few exceptional shows.