Wise Guy: David Chase Revisits The Sopranos in HBO Documentary Trailer

Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos premieres in September on HBO and Max.

By Cameron Bonomolo

25 years after a panic attack sent New Jersey mobster Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) to psychotherapy in HBO's The Sopranos, series creator David Chase is sitting down on Dr. Melfi's couch. In a trailer for his new HBO Original two-part documentary Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos, Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney (2008's Taxi to the Dark Side) offers a unique look into Chase's psyche and career as he looks back at the iconic series that won 21 Emmys and remains a touchstone for prestige television.

In Wise Guy, which premieres September 7th at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and will stream on Max, Gibney excavates and analyzes the origins of The Sopranos, Chase's creative process, and the intimate connections between his own life and many of his characters on a replica set of Dr. Melfi's psychiatrist's office. Writers, producers, executives, and Sopranos cast members, including Lorraine Bracco (Dr. Jennifer Melfi), Edie Falco (Carmela Soprano), and Michael Imperioli (Chris Moltisanti), join Chase in the documentary offering insight along with clips from the show, early audition videos from many of the cast members, and behind-the-scenes footage.

Part One (airing 8:00pm – 9:15 p.m. ET/PT on HBO): Chase recounts his early life in New Jersey, his fascination with filmmaking, and his break into television writing in Los Angeles. After a successful career as a network TV writer, Chase decides to write something personal about his mother.  That becomes The Sopranos, a feature film about a mobster whose mother plots to kill him. Rejected by the major networks, Chase finds success at HBO for his pilot about a mobster suffering mental breakdowns and starts the casting process for The Sopranos as a series. Lorraine Bracco is the biggest name to join as Dr. Melfi and Chase casts the untested musician Steven Van Zandt in a pivotal role. With James Gandolfini and Edie Falco in place, the series films on location in New Jersey, and the unconventional show becomes a water-cooler sensation, despite having an anti-hero as the lead character.

Part Two (9:20pm – 10:45 p.m. ET/PT): Chase discusses the challenges of mapping out 13-episode arcs and balancing the darkness of the comedy with the drama of the subject matter. At the same time, he and other writers admit to drawing on personal experiences to inform the characters. The cast shares their memories of the late James Gandolfini, his generosity and genius, and how he struggled with being in the spotlight. Chase talks about the enduring love for Tony Soprano's character and the show's circularity from the first episode leading up to the controversial finale.

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With candor and self-reflection, Chase digs into the challenges of running a successful show, the inevitable "deaths" of some of the show's favorite characters, and his creative working relationship with the late James Gandolfini. Wise Guy goes inside the writers' room, from the inspirational pilot to the controversial final episode, demonstrating how a show about a multi-layered mob boss became a cultural milestone, a beloved fan-favorite — and a revolutionary television sensation. 

Along with archival interviews with late actors Nancy Marchand (Livia Soprano), Tony Sirico (Paulie Walnuts Gualtieri), and Gandolfini, Wise Guy features new interviews with The Sopranos writer-producer Terence Winter; writer-producer Robin Green;  writer-producer Frank Renzulli; Chris Albrecht, former chairman and CEO of HBO; Carolyn Strauss, former president of HBO Entertainment; director of photography Alik Sakharov; and actor Steven Van Zandt (Silvio Dante).

Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos premieres Sept. 7th on HBO and Max.

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