According to The Hollywood Reporter, the creator shared the reflection while speaking with reporters at the 60th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic, where he also discussed the series’ enduring legacy and his future projects.
David Chase Says One Italy Storyline No Longer Feels Right
Although Chase said he has few regrets about the landmark crime drama, one Season 2 episode stands out in hindsight. He pointed to “Commendatori,” the installment that sends Tony Soprano, Paulie Gualtieri, and Christopher Moltisanti to Naples for business with a powerful Camorra family. Looking back, the creator admitted, “We did a show where they went to Italy, and I would change that.”
The episode introduces Annalisa Zucca, the formidable leader who negotiates directly with Tony after he discovers the aging crime boss he expected to meet is no longer capable of running the organization. While the storyline has long been praised for challenging the American mobsters’ romanticized view of their Italian roots, Chase now believes one aspect missed the mark. “I think we made the woman in the show too s*xy and too hot. It just didn’t seem real when I saw it again.”
Originally broadcast in February 2000, “Commendatori” became one of the series’ most memorable international episodes. Beyond the negotiations that ultimately bring Furio Giunta to New Jersey, the hour also highlights Paulie’s failed attempts to reconnect with his heritage and Christopher’s drug-fueled inability to experience the country he had long wanted to visit.
Chase also reflected on the show’s lasting popularity, calling it “the high point of my creative life,” while admitting he once assumed many of its cultural references would eventually lose their impact. Instead, “The Sopranos” has continued to find new audiences since its six-season run from 1999 to 2007, cementing its reputation as one of television’s defining dramas.