HBO's Sopranos ... on Fox

[BarronVangorToth]

My friends and I started rewatching all the Sopranos from season 1 forward. Got to the season finale of season 1 and watched the bonus features.

Apparently, according to the show's creator, "Sopranos" wasn't originally going to be on HBO, but rather Fox.

EGADS!

Fox has some great shows (24 ahoy!) but I think this would've been a travesty.

[youtalkfunny]

I've heard that HBO didn't like the title. They prefered "Family Man", and were going with that over Chase's objections--but abandoned that when Fox introduced "Family Guy".

Is that what you meant?

(I hope this post doesn't sound condescending, it's not meant that way. I've never watched the DVD features.)

[BarronVangorToth]

That may be, but that's not what I'm talking about.

According to the DVD special features, the show was originally developed for Fox: the pilot for Fox and, if people liked it, the show would be on Fox.

(Obviously the swearing / some subject matter was added after HBO liked it.)

But ... to start, it could've been a Fox show.

And, despite 24 being amazing, I think Sopranos just wouldn't've been as spectacular if Fox didn't pass on it.

[miajag]

[ QUOTE ]
I've heard that HBO didn't like the title. They prefered "Family Man", and were going with that over Chase's objections--but abandoned that when Fox introduced "Family Guy".


[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I think they were afraid people would think "The Sopranos" was about opera singers. Honestly, Family Man is a pretty decent name, but I can understand why they wouldn't want that given the existence of Family Guy.

[youtalkfunny]

[ QUOTE ]
I think they were afraid people would think "The Sopranos" was about opera singers.

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Meadow has said she showed up at the audition, expecting it to be about singers.

[Los Feliz Slim]

I think it was also supposed to be a comedy, and Steven Van Zant was going to be the lead.