The Sopranos Character Arc That Has Fans Raising Their Eyebrows

There's a reason The Sopranos still holds up as one of the greatest television shows ever. From its stellar performances to its existential exploration to its many hilarious moments, the series had so much going for it that, over 20 years after the show premiered, it remains a huge hit even with younger viewers.

The show also gave audiences so many intriguing characters, whether they were quirky, menacing, or straight-laced, show creator David Chase made all of them engaging. But one recurring character is worth remembering — not only for his unique ability to survive for the duration of the show but because of his complex story arc.

Patsy Parisi (Dan Grimaldi) was first introduced in season 2 after the murder of his twin brother, Philly (also Dan Grimaldi). Philly and Patsy were both members of Uncle Junior's crew, the former being a caporegime and the latter a soldier. Philly's hit was ordered by Tony (James Gandolfini) as a power grab (and because Philly was gossiping about Tony trying to suffocate his mother). In order for Tony to monitor a potentially vengeful Patsy, he made him a member of his own crew, where Patsy served as both a soldier and the accountant.

What makes Patsy's character arc so enthralling is that, throughout the show, he mourns his brother's death while working for the man who ordered the hit. In one episode, "Mr. Ruggerio's Neighborhood," on Patsy's and his late brother's birthday, a depressed Patsy drunkenly trespasses onto Tony's property, aiming a gun at Tony while he's in his kitchen. He soon lowers the gun and instead chooses a much more subtle, less murdery way of getting revenge: He urinates into Tony's pool. Patsy eventually finds himself in Tony's good graces when his son, Patrick (Daniel Sauli), becomes engaged to Meadow Soprano (Jamie-Lynn Sigler).