The Sopranos: Ranking Every Main Character Worst To Best

Paulie is, ultimately, comic relief, a character with little in the way of complexity for the first several seasons. He’s a violent, neurotic career criminal, prone to jealousy, petulance, and showing off for the boss. In filling this role, though, he’s an absolutely vital presence, allowing the viewer to wade deeper into this murky world by virtue of this silly (but believable) man.

Unlike Silvio, Paulie is a completely recognisable figure. He’s the veteran worker who feels that his time served makes him a shoo in for any promotion. His bitterness towards young up and comers, most notably Christopher, is the bedrock of some of The Sopranos’ funniest material. The two form a double act of immense comedy quality, whether they’re getting stranded in the woods or accidentally murdering a rude waiter.

Tony Sirico’s magnificently adolescent performance is rewarded with heavier material towards the show’s end game, including a moving arc involving his birth mother, a challenge to which he eagerly rises. You wouldn’t ever want to meet Paulie, but as an on screen presence he’s a brilliant one off.