HBO’sThe Sopranoshails as one of the all-time greatest drama series of the 21st century and, even decades after the infamous finale, the show continues to recruit new fans of all ages around the world. The series centers around New Jersey mob boss, Tony Soprano, played by the incredibleJames Gandolfini, who tries to find some middle ground between his family life and his high-risk career choice in “waste management.” While Gandolfini is simply remarkable in his portrayal of the Garden State mobster, he’s joined by a string of notable stars who deliver unforgettable performances.
Out of all the supporting characters inThe Sopranos, Tony’s uncle, Corrado “Junior” Soprano, stands out as one of the greats. Played byDominic Chianese, Uncle Junior is a fan favorite who is known for his cheeky one-liners and old-school persona and serves as a vital pillar throughout the entire series. Countless episodes feature Junior in some of his finest moments, but out of the eighty-plus episodes, including season 3, episode 13, “Army of One” and season 1, episode 9, “Boca”, these are the best Uncle Junior episodes.
The Sopranos
10"Whoever Did This"
Season 4, Episode 9
When Junior is knocked down the courthouse steps by a boom microphone, his attorneys decide to use the incident to their advantage and attempt to have the judge rule him mentally incompatible to stand trial. As he prepares for his performance, he sits down with Tony and Bacala to go over some potential questions, which result in some ridiculous answers from Junior, who isn’t too keen on having to portray himself as not being sound of mind.
Throughout the series, Junior has some of the absolute best one-liners, and inseason 4, episode 9, ‘Whoever Did This,’ which is considered to be the season’s best episode, he delivers several memorable remarks that speak to his clever comedic timing.Despite his age, he’s still sharp as a tack, and even when he’s facing a potential life sentence, he shows no indication of losing his iconic sense of humor. Considering Junior’s extensive legal battle plus his ongoing health problems, the episode is a display of how much the man can take without ever cracking under significant pressure.
9"Denial, Anger, Acceptance"
Season 1, Episode 3
When Christopher Moltisanti (Michael Imperioli) and Brendan Filone (Anthony DeSando) hijack one of Junior’s trucks, his underboss, Mikey Palmice (Al Sapienza), stirs things up by trying to convince Junior that Tony wants to be next in line as boss. Initially, Junior brushes Palmice off, but when Filone hijacks another truck that results in a driver getting killed, he decides that he can’t turn a blind eye to the situation and decides to take drastic measures.
Season 1, episode 3, ‘Denial, Anger, Acceptance,’ isthe first time viewers see Uncle Junior take a violent stand, and even though he personally doesn’t pull the trigger, his method of killing Filone is as cold as ice. The episode demonstrates how calculating Junior is and analyzes a situation before making a rash decision, and, while he’s smart enough to try to avoid violence at any cost, he’s clearly not afraid to resort to it if it’s absolutely necessary.
8"He is Risen"
Season 3, Episode 8
As the tension between Tony and Ralph Cifaretto (Joe Pantoliano) continues to escalate, Tony decides to visit Uncle Junior and ask his advice about the situation. The two talk things through like a word problem, and, while it’s not exactly what Tony wants to hear, Junior is right about Tony making the mistake of putting Gigi (John Fiore) as capo of the Aprile crew and passing over Ralphie. Junior essentially points out that despite Ralphie’s behavior and the recent incidents, he reminds his nephew that this is business, not personal.
In season 3, episode 8, ‘He is Risen,’ Junior gives Tony some words of wisdom, revealing how important it is to be observant of everyone in every aspect. Considering Tony’s reasons for passing Ralphie over are personal, Junior tactfully removes the emotional aspect of the problem, putting things into perspective for his nephew.The moment is one of Junior’s all-time bests, as it shows how strategic and mindful he is of others around him, and he tries to make decisions without involving his emotions or personal opinion, which is one quality Tony severely lacks.
7"Second Opinion"
Season 3, Episode 7
Despite their recent turbulent past, Tony genuinely cares about Uncle Junior, and when he finds out he has stomach cancer, he’s just as concerned as any loving family member would be. After Junior undergoes surgery to have the tumor removed, he learns that he may have to go back under the knife, prompting Tony to suggest that he get a second opinion. While Tony’s suggestion has good intentions, Junior is still stuck in his paranoia and believes Tony doesn’t want him to recover and take over as the head of the family.
Season 3, episode 7, ‘Second Opinion,’ addresses a rather morbid subject with some light-hearted humor that essentially stems from Junior’s unreasonable superstition, such as choosing a doctor because he’s named after President John F. Kennedy (“I loved that man”) and his irrational behavior.Junior’s unwavering banter and quick-witted remarks to Tony and Bobby Bacala (Steve Schirripa) are some of the character’s funniest moments (“How many White Castles did you have?")and easily one of the best Uncle Junior episodes in the series.
6"House Arrest”
Season 2, Episode 11
As the loneliness of being on house arrest begins to take a toll on Junior, he runs into a former police officer’s wife, Catherine Romano (Mary Louise Wilson), while leaving the hospital. Initially, Junior is weary of connecting with Romano, mainly because her son is now a police officer, but he’s also embarrassed about his current situation. Finally, Junior gives in, and the two begin to spend time together. When he tells Romano about his house arrest, she is surprisingly understanding.
There are few moments in the series where viewers see Junior in a vulnerable, sensitive situation, and his newfound companionship in season 2, episode 11, ‘House Arrest,’ reminds audiences that he can be considerate and loving. At one point, Romano asks Junior if her husband was on the take with him back in the day, and, while it’s obvious that he was, Junior doesn’t have the heart to tell her the truth, kindly allowing her to remember her husband as a respectable, upstanding cop, which speaks volumes about his character.
Season 1, Episode 9
Uncle Junior, who is now the boss of the family, decides to take a trip to Boca Raton, Florida, with his long-time girlfriend and secretary, Bobbi (Robyn Peterson), where they have vacationed together for years in the same spot. The two enjoy dancing and fine dining while also spending some quality time together in the bedroom, prompting Junior to warn Bobbi not to say anything about him going down on her, explaining that his associates think it’s an indication of being gay.
Viewers get to see Uncle Junior let loose in season 1, episode 9, ‘Boca,’ revealing his softer side, which is extremely rare for the character. In an episode of theTalking Sopranospodcast,Chianese reveals that one of his favorite one-liners from the show is “Pass me the red peppers,” which is featured in ‘Boca.‘According to the actor, he favors it because it’s a humorous throwaway line that has become an unforgettable one for fans who consider it to be one of his character’s top lines. While the episode showcases Junior’s insecurities and the teenage mindset of Tony and others, ‘Boca’ is one episode where viewers get to see Junior’s authentic, true, romantic colors.
4"Another Toothpick"
Season 3, Episode 5
After a local hothead known as Mustang Sally (Brian Tarantina) puts Bryan Spatafore (Vincent J. Orofino) in a coma, Tony gives the go-ahead for him to be taken out and recruits Bacala’s father, Bacala Sr. (Burt Young),to do the job. Unfortunately, Bacala Sr. is currently dying of lung cancer, causing his son to be concerned about making the hit, and he asks Junior to talk to Tony about reconsidering. At first, Junior reminds Bacala that there’s no retirement from this thing, but after he sees the condition Bacala Sr. is in, he tends to agree with Bacala.
During season 3, episode 4, Another Toothpick, Junior is acting a bit strangely about the subject of Bacala Sr. taking Sally out, but it all becomes clear when he reveals that he’s been diagnosed with stomach cancer. Since he believes that death comes in threes, he now thinks he is going to be the next victim of the Grim Reaper. Junior is known to be superstitious, but the fact that he thinks that because Bacala Sr. didn’t die from cancer, he won’t survive is not only ludicrous but also typical of Junior.The episode shows Junior in a rather self-centered light, but his behavior and over-the-top reaction to Bacala Sr.’s death make it one of the character’s finest.
3"In Camelot"
Season 5, Episode 7
Junior is running up the walls with cabin fever, and, in an act of desperation, he resorts to trying to attend as many funerals as possible in order to get out of the house. He goes as far as scanning the obituaries and asking to attend non-relative funerals, reaching for any connection or reason for the judge to grant him permission. His act comes to an all-time low when he happily enjoys the food at a funeral for a young boy and is surrounded by sobbing family and friends who are too grief-stricken to eat.
Junior has his disgraceful moments, but in season 5, episode 7, ‘In Camelot,’ he sinks too low by using funerals as an excuse to get out of the house.While this is deplorable, it becomes comical to see his unyielding determination to get permission, and he is completely oblivious to the tone of the events and other attendees. Eventually, all the morbidity and depressive atmosphere get to Junior, causing him to break down into tears as he realizes his own fading immorality, but surprisingly, it resonates as a dark comical Junior episode that reigns as one of the best.
2"The Knight in White Satin Armor"
Season 2, Episode 12
With Richie Aprile (David Proval) getting fed up with Tony and his fiancé and Tony’s sister, Janice (Aida Turturro),whispering in his ear, he decides to make inquiries about making a move against Tony. Unfortunately, Aprile is unsuccessful at gaining any support, and while he believes he has Junior’s full support, he’s unaware that the old man has been playing him the entire time.
Inone of the series’ best episodes, season 2, episode 12, ‘The Knight in Satin Armor,‘Junior is incredibly strategic in secretly weighing his options out between Tony and Aprile. He puts on such a convincing performance that even Bacala is in pure awe of him and his tactics.Junior is one of the last old-school mobsters, and, unlike Tony and his younger associates, he is patient and extremely cunning in his decisions and is never one to jump the gun before he has all his ducks in a row. He might not have a large part in the episode, but the unexpected revelation of his charade and outsmarting Aprile is what makes this a top-tier Uncle Junior episode.
1"Army of One"
Season 3, Episode 13
When Ralphie receives word that Jackie Jr. (Jason Cerbone) is hiding out in Booton, he finally deals with the situation and has him executed. As everyone gathers for the funeral, everyone is shell-shocked at the young man’s senseless death, which they all consider to be the result of a drug deal gone bad. After the heartbreaking service, everyone goes to Vesuvio’s to continue mourning and listen to Uncle Junior sing a beautiful Italian love song, ‘Core ‘Ngrato.’
Aside from acting, Chianese is also a talented musician and singer who has the opportunity to show off his skills in season 3, episode 13, ‘Army of One.‘The actor’s performance moves everyone to tears with his incredible voice, which silences the entire room (except for Meadow) as they listen attentively to the alluring, bittersweet song. Even at the age of 93 years old, Chianese continues to perform and record music today, proving that age is truly just a number. The scene is not only one of the show’s and Uncle Junior’s most memorable moments, but the song itself (which conveys the message of an ungrateful heart) is a fitting end to a highly emotional season.
KEEP READING:The 10 Best Uncle Junior Quotes in ‘The Sopranos,’ Ranked
