Tony assumes the role of boss of the family after Junior is indicted on 12 RICO counts. Meanwhile, Christopher begins selling phony stocks to senior citizens, Pussy is discovered alive, and Livia, recovering from her stroke, is visited by Tony's older sister, Janice.
Pussy gets a visit from FBI agent Skip Lipari and ends up becoming a rat for the Fed's case against Tony. Meanwhile, Livia is convinced that Tony and Janice are planning on getting rid of her ... literally, whilst elsewhere, Junior gets out of jail on a medical release.
Jackie Aprile's brother, Richie, returns to Jersey after being in prison for 10 years. However, Richie dislikes the way that Tony is running the family and decides to have a chat with Junior. Meanwhile, Meadow throws a party at Livia's house and comes home drunk.
Tony and the guys decide to visit Italy, but Carmela stays home and contemplates their marriage. While there, Tony finds himself attracted to Annalisa who happens to be the daughter of another mob boss. Meanwhile, Angie tells Carmella that she wants to divorce Pussy.
Furio Giunta, the newest member of Tony's crew, has arrived from Italy and thanks to Artie Bucco is now the head mozzarella maker at the restaurant - which upsets Christopher and Pussy. Meanwhile, Dr Melfi calls Tony and asks him to resume his therapy sessions.
Tony decides to lie to Dr Melfi and tells her that everything in life is fine - but she knows better. Meanwhile, Meadow is upset after Tony gives her a Jeep that he won in a poker game, and Janice tells Richie he has to start standing up to Tony for his own good.
After AJ crashes his mother's car and begins denouncing God and the Catholic Church... Tony is reaching breaking point. Meanwhile, Tony also discovers Christopher has been slacking again, avoiding his duties and hanging out with a filmmaker instead.
Carmela is concerned that Meadow might not get into a good college despite her wonderful grades and SAT scores. Meanwhile, Richie tries to schmooze Tony by giving him a leather jacket he knows he's fond of, and Christopher gets caught in the crossfire outside a diner.
Christopher survives the attempt on his life, although he tells Tony and Paulie that he almost died and caught a glimpse of his afterlife. Meanwhile, Dr Melfi is finding it increasingly difficult to cope with her disgust for Tony's "profession".
A witness knows Tony was there when Matt Bevilaqua was whacked, which makes Tony realise if he does not find the person he will have to leave New Jersey. Meanwhile, Carmela becomes close to her new wallpaper guy who happens to be Davey's brother-in-law.
Tony gets warned that the Feds are still planning to come after him even though he's been cleared for the Bevilaqua death. Meanwhile, extremely unimpressed with his house arrest, Junior tries to contact his ex-girlfriend Roberta Sanfilippo.
Tony tries to break off his ties with Richie and Irina, and even goes so far as to asking Dr Melfi to find a therapist for Irina; so Richie decides it's time to make his move on Tony. Meanwhile, Janice has also had more than enough of Richie's ways.
Tony is thrilled Janice and Richie are out of his hair, so he plots to get rid of Livia as well. Meanwhile, after a plate of bad food, Tony has erotic hallucinations about Dr Melfi and also one of Pussy as a fish, which convinces him that Pussy has gone to the Feds.
Tony and Carmela both worry about family finances during the recession. Junior faces his own financial woes as his trial approaches. Adriana brings her new friend to dinner. Tony bonds with Christopher by giving him the opportunity to avenge the murder of his father.
Meadow clashes with her parents when she decides to drop out of college and travel to Europe. Christopher is made a capo in Paulie's crew while Paulie serves a jail term. The Feds threaten to send Adriana up for drug possession if she doesn't turn on the Sopranos.
Sylvio and Ralphie plan to take action when they learn that a group of Native-Americans plan to protest the annual Columbus Day Parade. Bobby is devastated when his wife is killed in a car accident. Paulie continues to leak information to Johnny Sack from jail.
Things heat up between Ralphie and Johnny Sack after Ralphie's rude remarks about Johnny's wife become public. Tony is forced to plan a hit on Johnny, while Johnny puts out a contract on Ralphie. Carmela stops by Furio's new home and notices a growing attraction to him.
Tony discovers that he has a tender spot for Ralphie's new racing horse, spending more time at the stables than with Carmela, who is angry over a new financial arrangement. The Feds turn up the pressure on Adriana, while Janice makes her move on a grieving Bobby.
Tony is flooded with guilt when he hears bad news about an old flame - going out of his way to show kindness to those closest to him. Artie falls for a scam and turns to Tony, while Christopher spirals further into drug addiction. Carmela sets Furio up on a blind date.
Tony and Ralph enter into a shady real estate deal with a crooked Assemblyman. Adriana pushes Christopher toward marriage in the hopes that it will nullify the FBI's hold over her. Paulie gets out of jail and has another meeting with Johnny Sack.
Tony strikes up a relationship with Ralph's latest girlfriend and learns some surprising secrets about Ralph's bedroom habits from Janice. Furio travels home to Italy and tells his father of his feelings for Carmela, getting some strong advice in return.
Junior uses an injury at the courthouse as an opening to introduce a new defence. Ralph's son is badly hurt in an archery accident. A fire at the stables results in the death of Tony's favourite horse. Tony confronts Ralph, resulting in a bloody and deadly climax.
Tony calls on Johnny Sack for help when his crew begins to question Ralph's sudden disappearance. Tony forces Christopher into rehab, but group therapy soon deteriorates into a brawl. Furio is noticeably cooler toward Carmela after his return from Italy.
Tensions mount between Jersey and New York when Tony and Carmine argue over profits from a real estate scam. Janice grows impatient with Bobby's grief. Junior must find a new course of action to get out of his trial when the judge rejects his latest defence strategy.
Furio resigns from the crew and returns to Italy. Paulie tries to prove his loyalty to the Soprano family, but his burglary scheme ends on a violent note. Tony's feud with New York begins to hurt financially, but Johnny Sack has a proposal that may solve their problems.
Tony and Johnny Sack prepare to move against Carmine, but Tony second-guesses the deal and considers another option. Junior finds his legal worries are over; Christopher returns clean and sober from rehab; Carmela reaches breaking point and throws Tony out of the home.
Tony, now separated from Carmela, takes a romantic interest in Dr. Melfi. Johnny Sack sees an opportunity for advancement when Carmine suffers a stroke, while new parolees readjust to life on the outside and Janice adjusts to married life with Bobby.
Tony throws a party for cousin Tony Blundetto who is released on parole. The FBI continues to pressure Adriana. Carmine's passing leaves the field wide open for Johnny Sack, but Little Carmine has other ideas. Tony smells a rat and leaves a clear message for the Feds.
Feech begins to overstep when he moves in on Paulie's landscaping deals. Junior wanders around his old neighbourhood searching for long-dead friends. As the hostility in New York intensifies, Johnny Sack dispatches the Leotardo brothers to send Little Carmine a message.
Tony and Carmela argue after A.J. spends a wild night in the Big Apple. Tony is forced to make a decision about Feech when he continues to overstep his bounds. Carmela finds a romantic interest in A.J.'s counsellor, while the war in New York claims its first casualties.
Tony's intense new feelings for Adriana send him back to Dr. Melfi. While Christopher is on a business trip, the crew discusses a rumour involving Adriana. Moreover, Tony may have skin cancer.
Tony B. makes an effort to go straight as he prepares to open his own massage studio, but a mysterious bag of cash tempts him back to his old habits. A.J. moves back in with his mother after a fight with Tony, while Carmela pursues her liaison with her son's counsellor.
Tony pays a visit to his father's gravesite and meets a woman who claims to be his father's mistress. Christopher takes a friend from rehab to the executive poker game, but he soon goes from sponsor to strong-arm man when his friend can't pay his debts.
Carmela invites Tony to participate in her father's birthday party, and the evening ends in a romantic encounter. Little Carmine's men try to recruit Tony B. for a retaliation against Johnny Sack's crew. Tony B. is reluctant, but his boredom soon gets the better of him.
Rumours about Tony B's involvement in the Joey Peeps hit reach Johnny Sack, who considers going to war with Little Carmine. Carmela learns Tony has made it impossible for her to hire a divorce lawyer. Tony explores his guilt over his cousin's incarceration with Melfi.
Janice attacks a mother during her stepdaughter's soccer game and is forced to attend anger management classes. Tony must deal with his own anger as Johnny Sack launches payback against the Sopranos. Christopher and Tony B. dispose of several incriminating corpses.
Tony escapes to the Plaza Hotel for a night of rest and relaxation, but his dreams are haunted by past faces. Another casualty falls in the war between Johnny Sack and Little Carmine, and Tony B. heads to New York for revenge.
The FBI finds evidence that they use as leverage against Adriana. Adriana relents and tries to persuade Christopher to go into witness protection with her. Tony and Carmela meet over lunch and work toward a reconciliation. Johnny Sack delivers a stern ultimatum to Tony.
Tony faces pressure from his crew to give up his cousin to Johnny Sack. Tony does some soul-searching on Melfi's couch and finally decides on a course of action. Tony meets with Johnny Sack to restore peace between Jersey and New York but the Feds play a surprise card.
While the Soprano family goes about their day-to-day activities, the FBI begins an elaborate operation to bug their home. Tony ponders his options when Patsy starts asking too many questions about his brother's death.
Racial tensions flair and Tony suffers another panic attack when he meets Meadow's new boyfriend from college. The FBI finds a new member of the Soprano crew to use as a rat, while another Soprano soldier resorts to violence over garbage routes.
Melfi starts to push Tony in his therapy and Tony uncovers some disturbing memories from his childhood that may help explain his panic attacks. Paulie and Christopher clash when Christopher comes up short in his collection envelope.
Ralphie introduces Jackie Jr. to the muscle end of his business. Janice gets in over her head with the Russians when she won't back down in her feud with Svetlana. After a session with Tony, Melfi is brutally raped in the parking garage of her building.
Bobby's cancer-ridden father comes out of retirement to do a hit. Meanwhile, Junior is given some unpleasant news about his medical condition. Tony's racism again boils to the surface when he has a run-in with a black cop. Artie explores his feelings for Adriana.
Ralphie gets violent with a Bing dancer when his temper gets the better of him. He and Tony come to blows over it in the parking lot. Meadow and Noah take their relationship to a new level, but things don't stay romantic for long as Meadow's roommate causes problems.
Junior undergoes surgery for his cancer, but Tony must step in when Junior's doctor ignores his calls. Tension mounts between Paulie and Christopher as Christopher's initiation into made manhood continues. Carmela's therapist gives her some hard things to think about.
Tony's feud with Ralphie escalates when Ralphie is passed over for promotion. Meadow and Jackie grow closer, while the Soprano crew loses a member in an unexpected fashion. Tony strikes up a relationship with one of Melfi's other patients.
Tony's relationship with Gloria heats up when they pay a visit to the Bronx Zoo. A.J. is busted for vandalising his school, while Christopher gives Adriana the gift of a nightclub. Jackie Jr. tries to break into his late father's business despite Tony's discouragement.
Tony and Furio retaliate against the Russian who beat Janice. Memories of Big Pussy haunt Tony, Sylvio and Paulie as they try to find a new Santa Claus for the neighbourhood children. Tony smacks Jackie around after he catches him cheating on Meadow and carrying a gun.
While on a collection errand, Paulie and Christopher find themselves thrust into a deadly chase with a Russian in the frigid woods of South Jersey. Tony is caught between business, family obligations and Gloria's temper when he must deal with the crisis.
Tony must lay down the law with a distraught Gloria when she threatens to expose their affair to his family. Jackie seeks some advice from Ralphie and decides to pull a daring heist to prove himself, but his plans go horribly wrong when blood is spilled.
Tony and Carmela quarrel over the prospect of sending A.J. to military school after he is expelled. Ralphie is forced to make a decision about Jackie, while Meadow reflects upon her life as a Soprano.
Gene Pontecorvo makes a final break from the mob life, while Junior's paranoid delusions could be the end of Tony.
The family tries to cope with Tony's hospitalisation and possibly impending death, while Tony begins to hallucinate a new life parallel to his own.
Silvio decides to divide up Paulie's latest score and has to head off a territorial dispute between Vito and Bobby. Meanwhile, Christopher turns to an old writing acquaintance for help with a new venture, and Carmela turns to an unexpected source for help with AJ.
No one is happy when it's revealed that Barone Sanitation has been put up for sale. Meanwhile, Paulie has a family matter that turns his world upside down, and Bobby decides to aid a hopeful rapper by helping him upgrade his résumé.
Johnny Sack asks for permission to get out of jail for his daughters wedding. Meanwhile, Tony's on the look out for personal protection.
Tony has some decisions to make. The first involves seeking out help from Italy to solve the problem of Rusty, while the second involves whether or not to allow one of his top earners a second chance. Meanwhile, Carmela continues to have trouble with her spec house.
Artie is none too happy when he discovers that a new restaurant is moving in on his turf, and Vesuvio ends up facing a big scandal from the inside. Meanwhile, Christopher and Little Carmine head out on a business trip together.
Vito considers starting a new life in New Hampshire, while Anthony continues his pursuit of revenge against Junior. Tony mulls over a potential real estate deal.
Paulie finds public opinion turned against him after an amusement ride accident, while Christopher tries to start a new life as a husband and father. Tony finds comfort in sticking with his traditions.
Tony reflects on how growing up with Janice colours his attitudes now, while Vito tries to make a new life for himself in New Hampshire.
Phil takes out his revenge on Vito, while Tony grows frustrated with Anthony's lack of ambition or work ethic. Carmela begins to rethink her life and Meadow decides it's time to find a new place to live.
Phil Leotardo seeks to continue a cycle of retaliation between the New York and Jersey families. Christopher wrestles with his addictions; Tony decides keeping Carmela occupied with the spec house is for the best; A.J. gets a new girlfriend.
Bobby and Janice host a wild 47th birthday bash for Tony at their Adirondacks vacation home. Tony's actions following Johnny Sack's arrest come back to haunt him when the local Jersey DA tries to make headlines by going after Tony.
With the premiere of Christopher's Cleaver, Tony begins to analyse his relationship with Christopher. Johnny Sack faces a health crisis; Phil Leotardo resents his family, and himself, for being weak and downtrodden; Silvio gets caught up in New York's power vacuum.
When Tony's first hit is about to be unearthed, he and Paulie flee to Florida, where Tony contemplates their friendship. Junior organises a poker game at the institution, and the New York power struggle continues.
Maria Spatafore approaches Tony for his help with Vito Junior. Meanwhile, Tony's run of bad luck strains his relationship with Hesh, and A.J. makes an important choice regarding his future.
As A.J. struggles with depression over his break-up with Blanca, the feud between Christopher and Paulie grows, with Kelli's dad as an unintentional catalyst.
The Soprano and Lupertazzi crime families quarrel over asbestos removal; Tony deals with a problematic associate; Paulie suffers a devastating personal loss; A.J. questions his friendship with Jasons Parisi and Gervasi.
Tony attempts to help settle differences between New York and Jersey, but his offer is rejected by Phil Leotardo. Meanwhile, A.J. continues to battle depression, and Meadow's father comes to her rescue when a New York associate crosses the line.
The spectre of disloyalty among the crew hangs over Tony as Phil Leotardo decides how to handle recent issues with the Soprano crime family. Meanwhile, a case of mistaken identity during a hit comes at a huge cost, and A.J.'s conquering of his depression is challenged.
Tony seeks to find a peace with the Leotardo crew while dealing with rumours one of his own has flipped. A.J. makes a decision regarding his future; Junior's slide into dementia continues. With Dr. Melfi having cut ties, is everything finally catching up with Tony?
After suffering a series of mysterious anxiety attacks, New Jersey suburbanite and "waste management consultant" Tony Soprano agrees to see a psychiatrist. He also starts giving details about his life as a "family man" with a slew of problems at home and at work.
Christopher and Brendan Filone hijack from a trucking company that pays protection money to Uncle Junior. The rift between Tony and Junior continues to grow as they find themselves at a sit-down over the hijacking with acting boss Jackie Aprile, who has terminal cancer.
Tony and Junior are not seeing eye-to-eye on business. Meadow and her friend convince Christopher to get them speed so they can study for the SATs. Tony and his crew are asked to intervene in a Hasidic family problem, and Christopher and Brendan pay for the hijacking.
Christopher discovers Brendan's fate and realises he's very lucky to have Tony on his side. Tensions mount when Jackie Aprile dies. Tony has Dr Melfi investigated to satisfy his curiosity. Meadow must explain to her brother the true nature of their dad's profession.
While taking Meadow on a college tour in Maine, Tony spies Fabian Petrulio who testified against mob figures and escaped into WITSEC. Meadow has a heart-to-heart with her father and Tony comes clean, but then must secretly confirm Fabian's identity and settle accounts.
Junior is made acting boss after Jackie dies but to Tony's chagrin, Junior starts taxing Tony's consigliere and other associates, keeping the money himself. The family celebrates Junior's new role with a private dinner, but little do they realise the FBI is watching.
Anthony Jr. is suspended after a school prank and his parents learn he may have ADD. Concerned that his genes may be the cause of Anthony Jr.'s misbehaviour, Tony starts to think seriously about his own childhood and his early realisation that his father was in the mob.
Threats become serious when Tony and a few dads learn the soccer coach has seduced Meadow's teammate. To escape FBI heat, Junior heads for a romantic tryst in Boca Raton. Trouble develops when his "talents" in bed leak out and become fodder for Tony's latest power play.
At a "family" wedding, the "boys" find out that indictments are about to be handed down. Christopher, seeking fame & notoriety, publicly goes ballistic and is delighted when a newspaper calls him a reputed gangster. The FBI subsequently pays a visit to the Soprano home.
Christopher arranges to help Massive Genius, a gangsta rapper seeking restitution of his cousin's record royalties from Hesh, in exchange for backing Adriana's venture. Tony goes golfing with the neighbours only to find himself subject to their insensitive ethnic slurs.
On Makasian's tip, Tony develops doubts about Pussy - one of his most trusted lieutenants. He wisely smells a double-cross - possibly too late for Pussy - even as Makazian breaks under the weight of his own problems. Uncle Junior gets very serious about Tony.
Events have sent Tony into a deep depression, brightened only by contact with a woman staying next door. An attempt on his life snaps him out of it. "Family" members visit him in the hospital, as does the FBI, which offers a guarantee of protection for his cooperation.
Tony is devastated when the FBI confirms the close personal origin of the attempt on his life. Thrust into a life-threatening struggle for power, Tony and his crew quickly implement a plan of attack. In the meantime, indictments and arrests rain down on the "family".