My favourite character ever. Period. Chris was such a complex, volatile yet relatable character. The best thing of it was how even from the start you could see Chris’s demise. He was too tragic a character to have ever survived.
Never forget that Christopher was the best shot in the entire crew. He landed a headshot after being shot and hit a biker while driving away and bring shot at. The only "miss" is the bakery clerks foot where he tried to miss and hit anyway.
Lol the best shot? That was lucky he was horrible. Bacala Sr was the Terminator and Bobby Bacala was a hunter. So he was likely the best shot accuracy wise. When they went to hit Palmice Moltisanti had the worst shooting technique that I can recall in a big production in modern times. A comical scene. They didn't train Imperioli. The guy was literally punching as he was shooting lol.
When Tony and the guys laughed at Christopher over talking about his love for his daughter it finally sunk in that all the talk of brotherhood and respect was truly a lie. Chris became my favorite character and I really started disliking Tony....seeing Kennedy and Heidi right after was an emotional gut punch I doubt I will ever get from a show again
tree branch went right through the baby's car seat. she would have died. yeah cuz the baby would have gone with them to meet uncle philly lol Tony logic
I'm right with on my opinion of Tony going down the drain, after he killed Christopher. It became obvious to me, on who the real villain of the show is.
@@GuidoLuzzithe whole baby seat thing is tony as usual giving himself an excuse for what he did as we all know he killed him because he became a threat
Chrissy was always my favorite character in this show, from the Pilot to Kennedy and Heidi. He was always the most complex and interesting character in the show. I always found myself being disappointed in him whenever he did something bad, unlike other characters like Richie Aprile or Phil Leotardo where I just hated them more. Him and Adrianna were always the underdogs and they were very toxic at times, but they truly loved each other, which makes their deaths all the more heartbreaking.
Michael Imperioli was insanely good as Chris, as you say so real, relatable and definitely tragic. The more I watch the more I realise he was pretty much every bit as good as James Gandolfini and Edie Falco. The scene where he relapses at the festival is so powerful, you just knew what was coming. I still struggle to watch his death scene even now. Listening to him in Talking Sopranos it’s obvious that he is a student of his art and a very intelligent and knowledgeable one at that.
What was heartbreaking was that Christopher really tried hard to straighten out. And Tony,Paulie and others kicked him right back down into the gutter. And then chastised him for falling off the wagon.
@@aunch3 No, Tony didn't give him plenty of chances. At least not when it came to him trying to make something of himself outside the mob. Tony would always find little ways to sabotage any attempt Chris made to have any kind of legitimate career away from crime.
i think Paulie cared about him the most out of anyone. he was so upset when he found out he died. "i was too hard on the kid and about what? stupid money" he says something like that
I'd argue that Christopher and Tony didn't actually want to be gangsters. They were just tied into it by circumstance. The reason that they were both miserable is because this...but I guess that was what the show was about, right?
I argue, first they did, they liked the money, glamour,thrill that they get from being in a mafia, but when the stress of that job and the polluted environment of mafia culture get to them, then they try to reconsider
I think it’s kind of interesting that Chrissy’s movie was about after the death of a captian done in by his boss, he comes back to haunt them all and kills them, After Christopher was killed by Tony, the gang war took the lives of almost everyone except Paulie
@@aaron-jeffreyrincon9438I just got done finishing the series for the first time and thought this too. What a phenomenal story and characters man. Also I know it’s sorta obvious but I also thought in a way that cat that they take in at Satriale’s toward the end is supposed to kind of represent Christopher.
Nice video. I agree. I think Adrianna Is the most tragic character in television history. She truly got screwed and died because of who she chose to love. The FBI killed her as much as the mafia family did, though. That has to be stated as fact.
@@whatevahappenedthere2305 what bothered me with her overall was just how she was always in way over her head. It was obvious that something would eventually come for her, but it still left a really bad taste in my mouth how poorly the fbi handled her. Forcing the wire and cornering her like that only brough her death faster and more certainly. The FBI in the Sopranos was very bad at protecting its people.
Adriana was just one more foolish woman! She was with a murdering drug addicted thief who put hands on her whenever she actually talked back to him! She should have gotten away from him and lived a nice long happy life with someone else!
Chris is great. His struggles with addiction are too relatable. It will always bother me that Kelly Moltisanti got knocked up and got everything Ade ever wanted.
Chrissy was Tony’s nephew by marriage and his cousin by blood. He also had some of the most badass scenes in the sopranos. He may have been a drug addict that fucked up often but he was one of the best in a gunfight
I agree, Christopher is one of the great characters. A classic tragic figure, in the mould of Katsuyori Takeda the samurai lord that inherited his great father's name and domain but lost it all because he was not as great a man as his father....and I think that is one of the key things that binds Christopher to Tony and the mafia: The Legend Of Dickie Moltisanti, the stand-up wise guy, who in death became a legendary figure, its part of why Christopher could not escape, it would tarnish his fathers legend. But I think what held Chrissy back the most was the flaws of ambition for power and laziness which led to him constantly taking the easier option when given choices in life and further away from the things that would give him, if not the power and wealth that he craved, the outlet and fulfilment and love he needed to not fall into the darkness of addiction (as escapism) and terminal despair. Each time it comes to making a choice between a life of fulfilment of his needs as a human or the "easy" comfortable option of the "lawlessness" of the mafia he chooses the mafia, almost as if that in itself is a drug. We see Vito do something similar, Vito has to run because of his secret homosexual lifestyle and by sheer luck, he runs into everything he truly wants and needs to make him happy and fulfilled: a man that loves him, romantic meals, rides in the country, romance, etc but the cost is the hard labour of being a building contractor and the quietness of rural life compared to the flash and dash of his old life and loss of access to all of that easy money...he makes the wrong choice and pays the price. And Christopher does the same, he could run with the only person who has GENUINELY supported and loved him unconditionally, no matter what he did to her, himself or even beloved pets. Adrianna loved Christopher and truly wanted him to succeed and be happy and he wanted it, he really wanted to leave with her, but he saw that family at the gas station and his laziness and need for wealth and power allowed him to behave as a coward and so he turned his back on what was right for him and not only killed the love of his life, but also killed the only person in his life at that time who truly cared for him, who truly loved him for who he really was when they were alone together, Adrianna was the one who sheltered and nurtured him where his mother couldn't, his confidant when he had none in his "friends" in the mafia, the only safe ear and heart to turn to...and in destroying that, he destroyed himself. We can blame Tony, but it was Christophers' decision that led to both Adrianna's death and his own slow disintegration and finally sealed his fate and being consumed by Tony.
I agree with your overall point but I think it's also poignant to remember it's not just the money and power. It's also loyalty, remember that even after his own mother and uncle try to have him killed Tony still provides for protects them rather than trying to wipe them out. Immediately after the hit at a time when Tony should be rocked by a sense of betrayal the FBI tries to recruit him as an informant. Christopher is a much more sentimental and insecure person and in betraying the mafia he would be turning on his only living relatives and his father figure in Tony.
Can we just talk about how powerful and just straight up awesome the last line of the many saints of newark was when Chrissy said “that’s the guy, my uncle Tony, the guy I went to hell for” it is a perfect parallel to when he said pretty much the same thing to Adriana in the show but instead he said “he’s the guy I’m going to hell for” very similar line but that one word change made all the difference
He was like our eyes looking in if you're a certain age. Like I was in my early 20s when I was watching the show early 2000s. He is the only guy I woulda been hanging around not the middle aged old timers. Relatability
I could not agree more. “Chrissy” was a masterpiece and Michael Imperioli deserves as much credit as all the great anti-heroic acting jobs. You can’t have “TONE” without Christophah. Imperioli gives the absolute best of all the best performances. He is a complex character through a complex mastered talent.
Watch some reaction videos of the show there’s people who hate his character but love Tony…..same with Breaking Bad some people hate Jesse but love Walter. I think it’s the addiction part
@@kdizzle901yeah. I've noticed that, people who don't like Jesse but love Walt and ignore his fallacious character are one track minded and go "oh man explosions and complete badass, yay!" And ignore realistic characters. It's because they want to imagine themselves being someone like them despite walt being a complete insecure narcissist with constant character deterioration instead of being sympathetic to someone who's initially weak building the scar tissue to overcome pain.
Hello everyone! Sadly, I believe this may be my last video on Christopher, unless new topics arise. I wanted to make it special for my favourite character ever. To me, he was so relatable and the most complex the series ever had. But it wasn’t just his noticeability towards the series, as he stuck out throughout television history as no other character will ever go through the ups and downs that Christopher faced throughout the series and his life. Batting with drugs and alcohol, his relationship with Tony and the guys, all while at the same time trying so hard to please the man he’s viewed as a father his entire life. To only come full circle and have this same man chose him over the love of his life in Adriana, and then have this same man kill you with his bare hands! It’s pure genius.
Christopher was my favourite character in the show as well. He was such an awesome dynamic to the show. I love that they used him for most of the dirty work and his issues within the family. Tony always had a soft sport for Chrissy.
I think in pine barrens when Christopher tells Paulie that he’d choke him in his sleep and leave him there so they’d only have his story its foreshadowing his death
He literally could of had an entire show about himself, he was lead character material. Truly a Shakesperian tragedy he was painfully human. One of the ALL TIME great acting performances from Imperioli.
Couldn't agree more. Such statements about who is the greatest Character etc are always divisive but he is the greatest deuteragonist of all time bar none. On top of Michael's flawless portrayal and the equally flawless writing there are quite a few things about Christopher I've been able to relate to since I first became a huge Sopranos Fanatic in my early teens. Whatever educational and other career interests I've had, writing, filmmaking and storytelling in general has always been a huge passion that has never stopped fascinating and calling out to me. A character you can relate to on some levels is always a bonus. He's such a masterfully crafted and layered character which you cover perfectly. I feel the tragedy of his story isn't talked about enough. Whatever slips he had like the Coke in his system before his death his uncle and boss was truly the worst type of enabler. Chrissy was trying hard to be the respected young Capo who would eventually take control of the Soprano family business and replace Tony as head of the personal family. He was also rising to the other expectation by building a life with his wife and daughter. He went about his dreams of filmmaking in a way that included Tony and other associates showing Tony that it didn't need to be an either all thing at least to a certain extent. Tony may have been on to some things about the subconscious in Cleaver but Chrissy was open about him being the inspiration for Baldwin's role and Tony was flattered until Carmella blew it out of proportion. Tony saw no shades of grey at that point so didn't listen to Melfi that he could be looking too deeply into it. I digress but, in S4 the major liability he had became got a chance to clean up. In S6 B he's had some slips partly due to feeling like an outcast in the family however, he was a victim of a much more monstrous Tony in the end. Not excusing his many mistakes but it's true. The Tony of a different time would have pulled him out without hesitation Great video 👏
Christopher was very similar character to Jesse Pinkman from Breaking Bad. Both were broken both had drug issues and both gave a more emotional aspect in this life style. Also i have to say that Michael Imperioli is an amazing actor.
Not really. Christopher is a psycopath, he never has a single moral dilemma about what he does, and feels pity only for himself. He even murders his own friend (JT) in cold blood for no reason. Jesse is a more sympathetic character, not an evil person, but someone caught up in an evil lifestyle. He has moral dilemmas, and he doesn't go out of his way to be cruel and murderous.
@@devdixit2440Exactly. I felt WAY more bad for Jesse than Christophuh. Jesse only really directly murdered a few people, and NEVER took pleasure in it. And he also had a huge soft spot for innocents, especially kids and animals. Chrissy was a full on psychopath who took pleasure in brutally torturing or killing people. Not to mention his treatment of Adrianna and how he always beat her genuinely made me feel so bad for her. Ade is probably the most sympathetic character I’ve ever watched on television, and part of the reason why she was so sympathetic was because of Chrissy. Of course it was partially her fault for staying with such a terrible man, but you can tell that she’s far from the brightest and genuinely doesn’t know any better, which makes me feel for her even more. Jesse was more or less just your everyday drug dealing fuck up who made bad decisions in life. Christophuh was genuine scum, and I’d argue that he was one of the most evil characters on the show. But of course no hate to Michael Imperiolli. He played his part to perfection.
Chrissy always reminded me of my little brother Nicky. We were all huge soprano fans, Nicky passed young from an OD at 29 years young in Jan 2020 and left behind his little carbon copy of a son Nicky Jr. RIP kid
That's one thing that gets me. Dickie really wasn't Tony's mentor. A guy who showed an interest in him as a kid sure but as far as Dickies criminal lifestyle and Tony's, the two never cross. I did have to come back and say that in my eyes, Chris was more stand up than Tony a few times over.
Great to see your passion for the series in these excellent videos. Christopher was my favourite character, and had the biggest arc of them all. You know who else had an arc? Noah.
This was really good, but you didn't mention mental illness. Christopher tells Tony, "it’s like just the fucking regularness of life is too fucking hard for me." (Michael Imperioli brings this up on the podcast a lot.) Tony mentions depression, and Christopher quickly dismisses "mental midgets" and taking Prozac. When Tony later admits to Silvio, Paulie, and Christopher that he's seeing a therapist, Christopher is the least receptive. Christopher copes in different ways: drugs, the high of violence, his fantasies of the mafia or being a screenwriter or having a happy family, through adopting a fictive identity for AA (and presumably) rehab, his faux-friendship with JT. Nothing works. Christopher never had a Melfi (or an Uncle Sally).
Start - I was interested in the topic. Middle - Very entertained and good argument. End - Narrowed it down to my initial choice of Bobby, Tony or Christopher. Thank you for the content you make.
Along with Christopher, I also feel that Bobby Baccala was a more human character than the rest as well, he was still somewhat of a kid being into toy trains and he actually got into a fight with Tony for disrespecting Janice and won. He only whacked one person but you could tell he didn’t wanna do it. I actually wept when he got taken out, he was definitely a character whom like Chris I could sympathize with.
Definitely one of the best I don’t understand people that watch the show and just outright hate him he’s so complex and I can definitely relate to being addicted to heroin
Agreed. Christopher was so predictable, lacked discretion, lacked self-control and was so transparent that his motivations were always evident which made him easily manipulated.
@@stairwaytoheaven8 Tony's character was never about good vs evil. If it was he wouldn't be the single greatest character ever written on television. So I do agree Chris isn't as good as Tony, he is still more nuanced and complex than almost any other character I can think of. It's just that Tony's character goes unthinkably deep for anyone else to compete including Chris.
Chris at no point in his life was truly ever treated differently, loved or the way he wanted by the people he relied on and loved like Tony and Paulie. When Chris was a kid he said he was teased and bullied by Tony and his uncles' no matter what Chris did. Chris becomes a made man he still gets no respect, he gets clean and is still chastised he literally has his wife killed for these people. Chris gave all of his trust into the man who would kill him.
Just started watching Soprano a couple of days ago and I've been binge watching it lately. I'm on Season 3 now. My favorite character is Christopher specially with the John Favreau episode and the whole acting class saga.
I think a somewhat underlying characteristic/trait that really shows through in the “producer, screenwriter, actor” phase was that Christopher could be whoever he wanted. He could make his own stories, his own fabled path, or as Pussy referenced “Maybe in another life” this was his “another life” he was able to do whatever he wanted and make himself into the superhero, the biggest name on the marquee, instead of his preordained path that he ultimately has no control over.
Haven't seen the video yet but I love the title. My favorite character from Sopranos. At least from the main cast. Absolute favorite is Little Carmine of course.
Christopher really was a lost soldier searching for a cause. Normally I would have ZERO sympathy for a man who beats a woman but somehow always had a soft spot for Chrissy. We all know Chrissy is Tonys nephew and all he ever wanted was to earn his spot to be made and be “accepted” and treated with respect. However time after time he has proven to make rash decisions either out of being high or emotional which caused alot of problems for his Boss/uncle. Obviously he lasted as long as he did cuz of his relation to Tony which literally saved his life multiple times. Yet when push came to shove, you cant deny that he was always willing to step up and did carry out the orders from Tony. I think that every member of tge crew had a soft spot for him mainly cuz he was the young one who they kinda felt sorry for at times. He had support from his loyal beautiful girl, his cousin, Tony, The other guys which did slowly help him to not only kick his drug habit but to also become a more responsible/mature member of the crew. A sober, focused Christopher was a pretty sharp and deadly version might i add. The way he was able to not only control himself from falling back into it but he was also able to really be the one dude who was predictable into a man who you knew you shouldnt fuck with. He definitely stayed loyal to his family and never once thought of betraying any one of them no matter the situation and was willing to go to war with New York on a few different occasions cuz they fucked with one of the members first. As tough as he tried to be he also was basically the ONLY member to not only be humiliated by almost everybody but still wasnt afraid to share whats really on his mind or how he feels. Plus his twisted friendship with Paulie was so toxic yet pure. I don’t think Paulie really thought about any of the guys as a TRUE friend/family member except for Chrissy. Paulie always took everything so personal and never really squashed any of his beefs with any of the other guys (ralphy, silvio, was even willing to betray tony at one point) but really did care about Chrissy. Paulie really was never the same after Chrissy got shot and told him about the afterlife. There is just SO much that Chrissy had to physically and mentally endear before we got to see a glimpse of him finally becoming a full man with a kid on the way but it definitely was a damn shame that something random can trigger him to relapse and prove us wrong in the end. First time I saw Tony suffocate him after the crash I hated Tony for that because i thought it was just because Tont thought Chrissy might narc on him so he was once again being selfish by killing his nephew to save his own ass but after rewatching the whole show a few more times evere few years my perspective on that scene changed. Yes i think most people will think tony killed chris because he was worried that his relapse might make him snitch but I really think that Tony killed him as if he was putting a wounded animal out if his misery. I think at that point Chrissy also wasnt afraid to die and was just emotionally gone at the point, even if he did have a new life with a newborn. Him telling tony in that situation where he literally was in the middle of nowhere knowing absolutely well what tont is capable of, telling him that if he gets tested he will be positive for drugs, was like sayin “Brother, i really dont know if i can keep doing this, maybe this is it, maybe you should at least save yourself.”
Christopher was a soldier through and through. Chris had plenty of dreams and ambitions but Tony being the "great" uncle he was kept pulling him back in. Christopher also had plenty of epiphanies where he realized everyone around him were hypocrites.
I wish they never killed Chris off honestly it would been very interesting to see him run the Mafia family and I think he would also feel relief as Tony felt relief when he killed Chris.
One tidbit I think would be valuable to mention is how in the final season, Tony essentially gives up on grooming Christopher to be his successor, and chooses to have Bobby as a new underboss instead.
JFC, elephant in the room is that Chris abused poor Ade every step of the way while she was alive. She was a good and gentle person, albeit not too bright. THAT is why Tony hates Chris. He got it all served on a platter from a mobster perspective but was a weak, violent POS playing the martyr when Ade had to be killed. Just like his shit-mom on Chris' funeral. How on earth did Chris not notice Ade talking to the feds for years?! Because he had his head up his junk ass. He got her killed due to only thinking about himself ever. And still went crying to Tony to fix the problem. And then he again went down the same drug-path with Kelli and the little baby, whom he would have inevitably abused. Tony killed Chris because Chris was an animal who spit on the one thing Tony actually cares about despite his impulses: family.
I don't see it. He was an addict, yes, which comes with a certain amount of "complexity", but other than that...I just don't see it. It feels like a very normal progression from young addict to middle aged, slightly wiser, slightly tired of being an addict, slightly more responsible person
I think the most compelling character would be Potsie from happy days.. the depth of his character was unmatched.. remember, when Joni turned his nickname, which was nerd around and called him, Dren, because she had a crush on him? The acting in that episode rivals the godfather ….lol
My favourite character ever. Period. Chris was such a complex, volatile yet relatable character. The best thing of it was how even from the start you could see Chris’s demise. He was too tragic a character to have ever survived.
While Johnny is my favorite character, I can see what you mean. This show is as much about Chris as it is about Tony.
Where's his arc?
I can definitely relate to Chris! Ive had so many chances and yet I always fuck up! 😅👍
Charles Schwabb ova here.
@@DrJ-hx7wv yeah, it managed to be godfather 1 and 2 at the same time
I will never get tired of watching Christopher's intervention.
*holds index finger out* Watch it, Toecutter!
There you were with your head half in the toilet and your hair was in the toilet water. Disgusting.
i’ve said my piece, chrissy.
Paulie’s expression when Adriana breaks down and shares that the drugs is affecting his hard-on 😂😂😂
It was supposed to be a judgement free space😂
You forgot to mention that Christopher, unlike Tony Soprano, had the makings of a varsity athlete.
Chrissy didn't have small hands like Tony
Will you stop saying that?!?
@@ArsenalofMikeocracy you don't have the makings of a varsity athlete as well.
@@panoskamp4324 What the hell is with you? It's not true, I lettered in football!
This meme with never go away.............
I never once felt that Chris was acting. What an amazing actor. One of those characters you love and hate at the same time .
It is quite amazing. He is so different in real life, completely different personality.
Never forget that Christopher was the best shot in the entire crew. He landed a headshot after being shot and hit a biker while driving away and bring shot at. The only "miss" is the bakery clerks foot where he tried to miss and hit anyway.
Yeah, and at the card game. I think he shot the foot on purpose 'though
Lol the best shot? That was lucky he was horrible. Bacala Sr was the Terminator and Bobby Bacala was a hunter. So he was likely the best shot accuracy wise. When they went to hit Palmice Moltisanti had the worst shooting technique that I can recall in a big production in modern times. A comical scene. They didn't train Imperioli. The guy was literally punching as he was shooting lol.
Wewewe we're from the wipers!
Chris would've made a good soldier had he had it together
He shot the nose off the marlin
When Tony and the guys laughed at Christopher over talking about his love for his daughter it finally sunk in that all the talk of brotherhood and respect was truly a lie. Chris became my favorite character and I really started disliking Tony....seeing Kennedy and Heidi right after was an emotional gut punch I doubt I will ever get from a show again
tree branch went right through the baby's car seat. she would have died. yeah cuz the baby would have gone with them to meet uncle philly lol Tony logic
Well to be fair, he was drunk and he was saying some stupid stuff and they guys were busting his balls. It happens.
I'm right with on my opinion of Tony going down the drain, after he killed Christopher. It became obvious to me, on who the real villain of the show is.
@@GuidoLuzzithe whole baby seat thing is tony as usual giving himself an excuse for what he did as we all know he killed him because he became a threat
Kennedy and Heidi were actually the 2 black guys all along.
Chrissy was always my favorite character in this show, from the Pilot to Kennedy and Heidi. He was always the most complex and interesting character in the show. I always found myself being disappointed in him whenever he did something bad, unlike other characters like Richie Aprile or Phil Leotardo where I just hated them more. Him and Adrianna were always the underdogs and they were very toxic at times, but they truly loved each other, which makes their deaths all the more heartbreaking.
They die?! I’m not done yet
@@askmemum bro then why you watching videos about The Sopranos and checking comments too. It's your own fault now
Richie Aprile was am OG
same. when he did something bad I️ felt genuinely hurt by him, with the others I️ just expected it from them
@@askmemum tony dies too
Michael Imperioli was insanely good as Chris, as you say so real, relatable and definitely tragic. The more I watch the more I realise he was pretty much every bit as good as James Gandolfini and Edie Falco.
The scene where he relapses at the festival is so powerful, you just knew what was coming.
I still struggle to watch his death scene even now.
Listening to him in Talking Sopranos it’s obvious that he is a student of his art and a very intelligent and knowledgeable one at that.
@newjackcity7862 it doesn't have to, hun. you gotta learn to relax a little!
What was heartbreaking was that Christopher really tried hard to straighten out.
And Tony,Paulie and others kicked him right back down into the gutter.
And then chastised him for falling off the wagon.
Tony gave him plenty of chances, but Paulie I agree
@@aunch3 No, Tony didn't give him plenty of chances. At least not when it came to him trying to make something of himself outside the mob. Tony would always find little ways to sabotage any attempt Chris made to have any kind of legitimate career away from crime.
i think Paulie cared about him the most out of anyone. he was so upset when he found out he died. "i was too hard on the kid and about what? stupid money" he says something like that
@@GuidoLuzzi Yeah. The one,and only time Paulie was a better human being than Tony was at that point in the series
He had a weakness. They all distrusted each other’s weaknesses.
I'd argue that Christopher and Tony didn't actually want to be gangsters. They were just tied into it by circumstance. The reason that they were both miserable is because this...but I guess that was what the show was about, right?
I argue, first they did, they liked the money, glamour,thrill that they get from being in a mafia, but when the stress of that job and the polluted environment of mafia culture get to them, then they try to reconsider
I think it’s kind of interesting that Chrissy’s movie was about after the death of a captian done in by his boss, he comes back to haunt them all and kills them, After Christopher was killed by Tony, the gang war took the lives of almost everyone except Paulie
I think that’s poetic too, because Paulie was the only one who care for him.
@@aaron-jeffreyrincon9438I just got done finishing the series for the first time and thought this too. What a phenomenal story and characters man. Also I know it’s sorta obvious but I also thought in a way that cat that they take in at Satriale’s toward the end is supposed to kind of represent Christopher.
Ironically, he had an arc. It didn't turn out all that well for him, but he did have an arc.
you know who had an arc? Noah
@@jtof9371 now why would he be trying to warn you considering you put a moonroof in the back of his head?
Nice video. I agree. I think Adrianna Is the most tragic character in television history. She truly got screwed and died because of who she chose to love. The FBI killed her as much as the mafia family did, though. That has to be stated as fact.
Tragic character for sure but don’t act like she innocent when she was covering up a murder, etc
True, I think she wasn’t intelligent enough to report it to either side. She was afraid to get hurt by the law and by Chris
@@whatevahappenedthere2305 what bothered me with her overall was just how she was always in way over her head. It was obvious that something would eventually come for her, but it still left a really bad taste in my mouth how poorly the fbi handled her. Forcing the wire and cornering her like that only brough her death faster and more certainly. The FBI in the Sopranos was very bad at protecting its people.
Adriana was just one more foolish woman! She was with a murdering drug addicted thief who put hands on her whenever she actually talked back to him! She should have gotten away from him and lived a nice long happy life with someone else!
@@tonyjunior-thefirstgentlem410she was the niece of Richie Aprille and Jackie.
She was equally trapped
Chris is great. His struggles with addiction are too relatable.
It will always bother me that Kelly Moltisanti got knocked up and got everything Ade ever wanted.
Ade was a rat
same :/ poor ade.
Chrissy was Tony’s nephew by marriage and his cousin by blood. He also had some of the most badass scenes in the sopranos. He may have been a drug addict that fucked up often but he was one of the best in a gunfight
He was THE BEST in a gunfight.
He's capable.
He manuged to get the drip on grizzly adams from the girl scout troop
He was a great shot throughout the series
He was Carmela's cousin, so he was Tony's cousin by marriage, not nephew.
I agree, Christopher is one of the great characters. A classic tragic figure, in the mould of Katsuyori Takeda the samurai lord that inherited his great father's name and domain but lost it all because he was not as great a man as his father....and I think that is one of the key things that binds Christopher to Tony and the mafia: The Legend Of Dickie Moltisanti, the stand-up wise guy, who in death became a legendary figure, its part of why Christopher could not escape, it would tarnish his fathers legend. But I think what held Chrissy back the most was the flaws of ambition for power and laziness which led to him constantly taking the easier option when given choices in life and further away from the things that would give him, if not the power and wealth that he craved, the outlet and fulfilment and love he needed to not fall into the darkness of addiction (as escapism) and terminal despair.
Each time it comes to making a choice between a life of fulfilment of his needs as a human or the "easy" comfortable option of the "lawlessness" of the mafia he chooses the mafia, almost as if that in itself is a drug. We see Vito do something similar, Vito has to run because of his secret homosexual lifestyle and by sheer luck, he runs into everything he truly wants and needs to make him happy and fulfilled: a man that loves him, romantic meals, rides in the country, romance, etc but the cost is the hard labour of being a building contractor and the quietness of rural life compared to the flash and dash of his old life and loss of access to all of that easy money...he makes the wrong choice and pays the price. And Christopher does the same, he could run with the only person who has GENUINELY supported and loved him unconditionally, no matter what he did to her, himself or even beloved pets. Adrianna loved Christopher and truly wanted him to succeed and be happy and he wanted it, he really wanted to leave with her, but he saw that family at the gas station and his laziness and need for wealth and power allowed him to behave as a coward and so he turned his back on what was right for him and not only killed the love of his life, but also killed the only person in his life at that time who truly cared for him, who truly loved him for who he really was when they were alone together, Adrianna was the one who sheltered and nurtured him where his mother couldn't, his confidant when he had none in his "friends" in the mafia, the only safe ear and heart to turn to...and in destroying that, he destroyed himself. We can blame Tony, but it was Christophers' decision that led to both Adrianna's death and his own slow disintegration and finally sealed his fate and being consumed by Tony.
I agree with your overall point but I think it's also poignant to remember it's not just the money and power. It's also loyalty, remember that even after his own mother and uncle try to have him killed Tony still provides for protects them rather than trying to wipe them out. Immediately after the hit at a time when Tony should be rocked by a sense of betrayal the FBI tries to recruit him as an informant. Christopher is a much more sentimental and insecure person and in betraying the mafia he would be turning on his only living relatives and his father figure in Tony.
@@adamantiiispencespence4012 True, thanks for adding that, for I had almost entirely overlooked it.
This was an essay but I Think your 100 Percent rightt
hideo kojima predicted all of this
Can we just talk about how powerful and just straight up awesome the last line of the many saints of newark was when Chrissy said “that’s the guy, my uncle Tony, the guy I went to hell for” it is a perfect parallel to when he said pretty much the same thing to Adriana in the show but instead he said “he’s the guy I’m going to hell for” very similar line but that one word change made all the difference
"i've given him pieces of my soul, Adrianna! you know what he told me!? he told me i should have a drink!"
He was like our eyes looking in if you're a certain age. Like I was in my early 20s when I was watching the show early 2000s. He is the only guy I woulda been hanging around not the middle aged old timers. Relatability
I could not agree more. “Chrissy” was a masterpiece and Michael Imperioli deserves as much credit as all the great anti-heroic acting jobs. You can’t have “TONE” without Christophah.
Imperioli gives the absolute best of all the best performances. He is a complex character through a complex mastered talent.
Watch some reaction videos of the show there’s people who hate his character but love Tony…..same with Breaking Bad some people hate Jesse but love Walter. I think it’s the addiction part
@@kdizzle901yeah. I've noticed that, people who don't like Jesse but love Walt and ignore his fallacious character are one track minded and go "oh man explosions and complete badass, yay!" And ignore realistic characters. It's because they want to imagine themselves being someone like them despite walt being a complete insecure narcissist with constant character deterioration instead of being sympathetic to someone who's initially weak building the scar tissue to overcome pain.
if you don't do something i'm going to have to question your leadership!
blowfishing this up..@@SerotoninSorbet
Brilliant video essay! It'll be hard to come across a more relatable character than Chrissy, forever one of my favorite TV characters of all time.
Hello everyone! Sadly, I believe this may be my last video on Christopher, unless new topics arise. I wanted to make it special for my favourite character ever. To me, he was so relatable and the most complex the series ever had. But it wasn’t just his noticeability towards the series, as he stuck out throughout television history as no other character will ever go through the ups and downs that Christopher faced throughout the series and his life. Batting with drugs and alcohol, his relationship with Tony and the guys, all while at the same time trying so hard to please the man he’s viewed as a father his entire life. To only come full circle and have this same man chose him over the love of his life in Adriana, and then have this same man kill you with his bare hands! It’s pure genius.
Walt Whitman ova here 🤣 Salut 👍
Great video been waiting for this one
You need to reach out to Imperioli,tough guy😁
NOOOOOO
You did a great job. Hate to see things winding down. It’s been fun going through the show once again with this community.
Christopher was my favourite character in the show as well. He was such an awesome dynamic to the show. I love that they used him for most of the dirty work and his issues within the family. Tony always had a soft sport for Chrissy.
This made me really emotional. Brilliant video. Chrissy is my absolute favourite character.
I think in pine barrens when Christopher tells Paulie that he’d choke him in his sleep and leave him there so they’d only have his story its foreshadowing his death
Christopher’s death haunted me for a week. He might have turned out ok had Tony acted like a real father figure towards him.
Tony gave him a lot of chances. Paulie was the one who let him down, as shown by his guilty conscience with the orange cat
@@aunch3I think Tony let him down more
@@aunch3like tony said he had a bond with Chris no one else had
100%
He literally could of had an entire show about himself, he was lead character material. Truly a Shakesperian tragedy he was painfully human. One of the ALL TIME great acting performances from Imperioli.
Couldn't agree more. Such statements about who is the greatest Character etc are always divisive but he is the greatest deuteragonist of all time bar none. On top of Michael's flawless portrayal and the equally flawless writing there are quite a few things about Christopher I've been able to relate to since I first became a huge Sopranos Fanatic in my early teens. Whatever educational and other career interests I've had, writing, filmmaking and storytelling in general has always been a huge passion that has never stopped fascinating and calling out to me. A character you can relate to on some levels is always a bonus. He's such a masterfully crafted and layered character which you cover perfectly. I feel the tragedy of his story isn't talked about enough. Whatever slips he had like the Coke in his system before his death his uncle and boss was truly the worst type of enabler. Chrissy was trying hard to be the respected young Capo who would eventually take control of the Soprano family business and replace Tony as head of the personal family. He was also rising to the other expectation by building a life with his wife and daughter. He went about his dreams of filmmaking in a way that included Tony and other associates showing Tony that it didn't need to be an either all thing at least to a certain extent. Tony may have been on to some things about the subconscious in Cleaver but Chrissy was open about him being the inspiration for Baldwin's role and Tony was flattered until Carmella blew it out of proportion. Tony saw no shades of grey at that point so didn't listen to Melfi that he could be looking too deeply into it. I digress but, in S4 the major liability he had became got a chance to clean up. In S6 B he's had some slips partly due to feeling like an outcast in the family however, he was a victim of a much more monstrous Tony in the end. Not excusing his many mistakes but it's true. The Tony of a different time would have pulled him out without hesitation
Great video 👏
Christopher was very similar character to Jesse Pinkman from Breaking Bad. Both were broken both had drug issues and both gave a more emotional aspect in this life style. Also i have to say that Michael Imperioli is an amazing actor.
Not really. Christopher is a psycopath, he never has a single moral dilemma about what he does, and feels pity only for himself. He even murders his own friend (JT) in cold blood for no reason.
Jesse is a more sympathetic character, not an evil person, but someone caught up in an evil lifestyle. He has moral dilemmas, and he doesn't go out of his way to be cruel and murderous.
@@devdixit2440Exactly. I felt WAY more bad for Jesse than Christophuh. Jesse only really directly murdered a few people, and NEVER took pleasure in it. And he also had a huge soft spot for innocents, especially kids and animals.
Chrissy was a full on psychopath who took pleasure in brutally torturing or killing people. Not to mention his treatment of Adrianna and how he always beat her genuinely made me feel so bad for her. Ade is probably the most sympathetic character I’ve ever watched on television, and part of the reason why she was so sympathetic was because of Chrissy. Of course it was partially her fault for staying with such a terrible man, but you can tell that she’s far from the brightest and genuinely doesn’t know any better, which makes me feel for her even more.
Jesse was more or less just your everyday drug dealing fuck up who made bad decisions in life. Christophuh was genuine scum, and I’d argue that he was one of the most evil characters on the show. But of course no hate to Michael Imperiolli. He played his part to perfection.
Drinking game idea: take a shot every time the narrator says the name “Christopher”
Never thought about it but he absolutely is one of the best tv characters of all time.
Chrissy always reminded me of my little brother Nicky. We were all huge soprano fans, Nicky passed young from an OD at 29 years young in Jan 2020 and left behind his little carbon copy of a son Nicky Jr. RIP kid
Never seen this channel before but he's always been my favorite character. I suffered from drug addiction and relate to him so much. Excited to watch.
My god you and Pure Kino continue to find new ways to release new relevant Sopranos content! Keep up the hard work and dedication!
That's one thing that gets me. Dickie really wasn't Tony's mentor. A guy who showed an interest in him as a kid sure but as far as Dickies criminal lifestyle and Tony's, the two never cross.
I did have to come back and say that in my eyes, Chris was more stand up than Tony a few times over.
Great to see your passion for the series in these excellent videos.
Christopher was my favourite character, and had the biggest arc of them all.
You know who else had an arc? Noah.
Chrissy also has the coolest name of any character imo
One of the greatest character arcs in history. He even wondered what his arc was....too bad chrissy never knew till it was too late :(
Michael Imperioli is the ONLY actor who could have played this role, and he did so flawlessly. Amazing writing and acting
Chrissy was always loyle to his capo. He had his demons but at the end he never flipped.
This was really good, but you didn't mention mental illness. Christopher tells Tony, "it’s like just the fucking regularness of life is too fucking hard for me." (Michael Imperioli brings this up on the podcast a lot.) Tony mentions depression, and Christopher quickly dismisses "mental midgets" and taking Prozac. When Tony later admits to Silvio, Paulie, and Christopher that he's seeing a therapist, Christopher is the least receptive. Christopher copes in different ways: drugs, the high of violence, his fantasies of the mafia or being a screenwriter or having a happy family, through adopting a fictive identity for AA (and presumably) rehab, his faux-friendship with JT.
Nothing works. Christopher never had a Melfi (or an Uncle Sally).
Killing Andria sent him into a tailspin
Start - I was interested in the topic. Middle - Very entertained and good argument. End - Narrowed it down to my initial choice of Bobby, Tony or Christopher. Thank you for the content you make.
Grilled cheese, radiator, it's a silo, shinebox, varsity athlete, real greaseball sh*t.
A natural canopy
Along with Christopher, I also feel that Bobby Baccala was a more human character than the rest as well, he was still somewhat of a kid being into toy trains and he actually got into a fight with Tony for disrespecting Janice and won. He only whacked one person but you could tell he didn’t wanna do it. I actually wept when he got taken out, he was definitely a character whom like Chris I could sympathize with.
bobby was a calzone with legs
@@GuidoLuzzihow many whitecastles did you have?
So in the end Christopher did get his character arc! His life is complete.
Chris kinda reminds me of DeAngelo Barksdale....both inherited positions but looked beyond the life and later killed by there own family
He also remind me of Jesse Pinkman
Christopher "Always with the Scenarios" Moltisanti
I really loved Michael Imperioli and Tony Sirico they had the best chemistry and characters
Spider...go get my drink you mook 🙂
I love this channel man!
great video thank you i always felt connected to this character!
my favourite character
christopher is literally me
(i beat women)
Based
😁
This is a great breakdown.
He’s definitely my favorite character on the show and the best tv character of all time!
I think Christopher was the most evil character next to Ralphie. He was always miserable and barely joked. Imperioli played the part so good.
Great video and points. Theres a very short list of characters I personally would put above him but you make a great argument.
Dope video. Christopher is one of favorite characters. In a way, we are Christopher in alot of ways
His star sign was Pisces.
The artistic expression, the wanting to loose himself in drink , and the fact that he was as tough as f**k
His relapse at the fair is my favorite scene of the series. Can’t tell u how many times I’ve watched it.
My favourite character of all time
Definitely one of the best I don’t understand people that watch the show and just outright hate him he’s so complex and I can definitely relate to being addicted to heroin
How could somebody that never had an arc Be complex
Well where's my arc Paulie?
If I didn’t have Chrissy death spoiled I would of lost it. By far my favorite live action character
Love Christopher’s character, but no way is he more complex than Tony
Agreed. Christopher was so predictable, lacked discretion, lacked self-control and was so transparent that his motivations were always evident which made him easily manipulated.
@@Ashas.Garden tony is literally almost all of those things as well
L
@@Ashas.Garden goofy opinon
@@stairwaytoheaven8
Tony's character was never about good vs evil. If it was he wouldn't be the single greatest character ever written on television. So I do agree Chris isn't as good as Tony, he is still more nuanced and complex than almost any other character I can think of. It's just that Tony's character goes unthinkably deep for anyone else to compete including Chris.
Chris at no point in his life was truly ever treated differently, loved or the way he wanted by the people he relied on and loved like Tony and Paulie.
When Chris was a kid he said he was teased and bullied by Tony and his uncles' no matter what Chris did. Chris becomes a made man he still gets no respect, he gets clean and is still chastised he literally has his wife killed for these people.
Chris gave all of his trust into the man who would kill him.
the only young fella in the crew that lasted throughout the series till the end
Just started watching Soprano a couple of days ago and I've been binge watching it lately. I'm on Season 3 now. My favorite character is Christopher specially with the John Favreau episode and the whole acting class saga.
"A"
Bing pow boom
Not a single mention of Archie bunker… the greatest philosopher in the last two centuries in this
Chris was always my favorite and Michael Imperioli is a phenomenal actor!!!!
I think a somewhat underlying characteristic/trait that really shows through in the “producer, screenwriter, actor” phase was that Christopher could be whoever he wanted. He could make his own stories, his own fabled path, or as Pussy referenced “Maybe in another life” this was his “another life” he was able to do whatever he wanted and make himself into the superhero, the biggest name on the marquee, instead of his preordained path that he ultimately has no control over.
So in a way his death was the path to new freedom. I like your take.
I agree. I think Christopher is probably my favorite character in a series ever.
Christopher is my favorite Sopranos character for sure 🤟🏼
Best character on the show man. Masterfully written
When Christopher is on screen I always forget I’m watching a show… he pulls you in, like you’re there…. Powerful
I always remember saying about Chris “uh oh Chrissy is getting high again” 🤦🏻♂️
Chris was definitely my favorite character
all of that plus he sat on the Dog
One of the greatest TV characters ever.
Haven't seen the video yet but I love the title. My favorite character from Sopranos. At least from the main cast. Absolute favorite is Little Carmine of course.
Christopher really was a lost soldier searching for a cause.
Normally I would have ZERO sympathy for a man who beats a woman but somehow always had a soft spot for Chrissy.
We all know Chrissy is Tonys nephew and all he ever wanted was to earn his spot to be made and be “accepted” and treated with respect. However time after time he has proven to make rash decisions either out of being high or emotional which caused alot of problems for his Boss/uncle. Obviously he lasted as long as he did cuz of his relation to Tony which literally saved his life multiple times. Yet when push came to shove, you cant deny that he was always willing to step up and did carry out the orders from Tony. I think that every member of tge crew had a soft spot for him mainly cuz he was the young one who they kinda felt sorry for at times. He had support from his loyal beautiful girl, his cousin, Tony, The other guys which did slowly help him to not only kick his drug habit but to also become a more responsible/mature member of the crew. A sober, focused Christopher was a pretty sharp and deadly version might i add. The way he was able to not only control himself from falling back into it but he was also able to really be the one dude who was predictable into a man who you knew you shouldnt fuck with. He definitely stayed loyal to his family and never once thought of betraying any one of them no matter the situation and was willing to go to war with New York on a few different occasions cuz they fucked with one of the members first. As tough as he tried to be he also was basically the ONLY member to not only be humiliated by almost everybody but still wasnt afraid to share whats really on his mind or how he feels. Plus his twisted friendship with Paulie was so toxic yet pure. I don’t think Paulie really thought about any of the guys as a TRUE friend/family member except for Chrissy. Paulie always took everything so personal and never really squashed any of his beefs with any of the other guys (ralphy, silvio, was even willing to betray tony at one point) but really did care about Chrissy. Paulie really was never the same after Chrissy got shot and told him about the afterlife. There is just SO much that Chrissy had to physically and mentally endear before we got to see a glimpse of him finally becoming a full man with a kid on the way but it definitely was a damn shame that something random can trigger him to relapse and prove us wrong in the end. First time I saw Tony suffocate him after the crash I hated Tony for that because i thought it was just because Tont thought Chrissy might narc on him so he was once again being selfish by killing his nephew to save his own ass but after rewatching the whole show a few more times evere few years my perspective on that scene changed. Yes i think most people will think tony killed chris because he was worried that his relapse might make him snitch but I really think that Tony killed him as if he was putting a wounded animal out if his misery. I think at that point Chrissy also wasnt afraid to die and was just emotionally gone at the point, even if he did have a new life with a newborn. Him telling tony in that situation where he literally was in the middle of nowhere knowing absolutely well what tont is capable of, telling him that if he gets tested he will be positive for drugs, was like sayin “Brother, i really dont know if i can keep doing this, maybe this is it, maybe you should at least save yourself.”
Wow pressing read more was a surprise
Always connected with Chris the most as a recovering alcoholic. Mike imperioli was brilliant.
Christopher was a soldier through and through. Chris had plenty of dreams and ambitions but Tony being the "great" uncle he was kept pulling him back in. Christopher also had plenty of epiphanies where he realized everyone around him were hypocrites.
Bro u got no idea how much i love christopher... My favourite character oat
Ran into him today on the c train in Brooklyn
I wish they never killed Chris off honestly it would been very interesting to see him run the Mafia family and I think he would also feel relief as Tony felt relief when he killed Chris.
My favorite character on the sopranos by FAR!!!! All I wanted was tony to die after he kills chris… I hated tony after he killed chris
“You know who had an arc, Noah”
- Big Puss
Yeah, he said that.
One tidbit I think would be valuable to mention is how in the final season, Tony essentially gives up on grooming Christopher to be his successor, and chooses to have Bobby as a new underboss instead.
JFC, elephant in the room is that Chris abused poor Ade every step of the way while she was alive. She was a good and gentle person, albeit not too bright. THAT is why Tony hates Chris. He got it all served on a platter from a mobster perspective but was a weak, violent POS playing the martyr when Ade had to be killed. Just like his shit-mom on Chris' funeral. How on earth did Chris not notice Ade talking to the feds for years?! Because he had his head up his junk ass. He got her killed due to only thinking about himself ever. And still went crying to Tony to fix the problem. And then he again went down the same drug-path with Kelli and the little baby, whom he would have inevitably abused. Tony killed Chris because Chris was an animal who spit on the one thing Tony actually cares about despite his impulses: family.
Joe Pesci said it best in Good Fellas : "He woulda grew up ta be a rat !" ... so Tony did what he had to do when snuffed out Spider
Only guy who rocks a unibrow and still looks sexy af 🔥
I don't see it. He was an addict, yes, which comes with a certain amount of "complexity", but other than that...I just don't see it. It feels like a very normal progression from young addict to middle aged, slightly wiser, slightly tired of being an addict, slightly more responsible person
Yes I agree that Chris is the best character. For some reason I can relate to his frustrations in life.
I think the most compelling character would be Potsie from happy days.. the depth of his character was unmatched.. remember, when Joni turned his nickname, which was nerd around and called him, Dren, because she had a crush on him?
The acting in that episode rivals the godfather ….lol
"This aint negotiation time. This is Scarface, final scene, bazookas under each arm, 'say hello to my little friend!'"
Always with the movie references.
Best video on youtube
"Christopher Moltisanti, warm and convivial host..."
That's because he used his chemical powder to keep the conversation bright and fresh.
Agreed. So tragic. Will never happen again on TV.
My fav character on the show