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The Sopranos Watch Order in the correct order

How to watch The Sopranos in order, including the prequel film The Many Saints of Newark

Last updated: June 26 2026

Written by: ChronoChris

The Sopranos is widely regarded as one of the greatest television dramas ever made, following New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano as he navigates the violent world of organized crime and the everyday pressures of family life. With six seasons and a prequel film, here's the definitive watch order.

The Sopranos redefined television drama when it premiered on HBO in 1999, and it still holds up as a towering achievement in storytelling. Created by David Chase, the series follows Tony Soprano ā€” brilliantly played by James Gandolfini ā€” a New Jersey mob boss juggling his responsibilities to the DiMeo crime family with the demands of his suburban home life, all while attending therapy sessions that peel back layers of guilt, loyalty, and violence. The show ran for six seasons and spawned a prequel film set decades before the events of the series.

šŸ• Release Order

For first-time viewers, release order is strongly recommended ā€” the series was crafted to be experienced as it aired, and jumping to the prequel film first would rob you of the character context that makes it so powerful.

  1. The Sopranos Season 1 (1999)
  2. The Sopranos Season 2 (2000)
  3. The Sopranos Season 3 (2001)
  4. The Sopranos Season 4 (2002)
  5. The Sopranos Season 5 (2004)
  6. The Sopranos Season 6 (2006ā€“2007)
  7. The Many Saints of Newark (2021)

If you've already seen all six seasons and want to revisit the universe with fresh eyes, the prequel film works beautifully as a standalone afterward ā€” but it takes on a whole new dimension once you know how the story ends.

šŸ“– Story Chronology

Chronologically, The Many Saints of Newark is set in the 1960s and early 1970s, depicting the Newark riots and the rise of a young Dickie Moltisanti ā€” the father of Christopher Moltisanti, one of Tony's key lieutenants in the series. A young Tony Soprano also appears as a teenager.

  1. The Many Saints of Newark (2021) ā€” set in the 1960sā€“1970s
  2. The Sopranos Season 1 (1999) ā€” events set in 1998ā€“1999
  3. The Sopranos Season 2 (2000)
  4. The Sopranos Season 3 (2001)
  5. The Sopranos Season 4 (2002)
  6. The Sopranos Season 5 (2004)
  7. The Sopranos Season 6 (2006ā€“2007)

Which Order Should You Choose?

Without question, start with the television series in release order. The Sopranos is a character study above all else, and you need six seasons of investment in Tony, Carmela, Christopher, and the rest of the cast before The Many Saints of Newark truly resonates. Watching the prequel first would be like reading the final chapter of a novel before the opening page. Finish the series, let the finale's famous cut-to-black marinate for a moment, then dive into the film for a rich, bittersweet look at where it all began.

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