What is it about the criminal element in general, and the Mob in particular, that fascinates so many people? From the time the Godfather movies became smash box-office hits, it seems we just can’t get enough of those lovable mafia characters.

Except that they really are not lovable. Tony Soprano and his cohorts murder, cheat, steal, and blackmail people without giving it a second thought or losing a night’s sleep. They deal in illegal gambling, prostitution, and drugs. They make their money by threatening people and their families until they get what they want. No, definately not nice people.

The critically-acclaimed HBO series makes no apologies for their behaviour. It also does not moralize or preach against it, or present the characters as flat, one-dimensional bad guys. Instead, it forces viewers to draw their own conclusions and confront any sympathy we might have for the Soprano family head-on. That’s what makes the show so challenging to watch. It’s also what makes it so good.