The Sopranos: Ranking Every Main Character Worst To Best
13. A.J. Soprano
A.J eventually becomes a worthwhile character capable of carrying dramatic storylines. The last couple of seasons, in which he reckons with the violence of the world around him, struggles with his mental health, and eventually finds peace, sees A.J at his most engaging, and some of his scenes with Tony are truly moving.
Prior to that, though, A.J is little more than a prop, a piece of the puzzle that is Tony Soprano, who fears first that his boy will turn out like him, and later that he’s raised a lazy good for nothing.
Early seasons see A.J listen to early ‘00s nu metal, throw tantrums about food, drink Snapple, and under perform at school. The writers evidently needed the character to have a presence beyond being a kid you sometimes see in Tony and Carmela’s house, but they didn’t give him a great deal to do.
As he slowly comes to understand his father and then embrace the nihilistic side of young manhood, he becomes far more compelling, but for much of the season he’s not developed far beyond a joke.