In terms of writing and acting, " the sopranos " is obviously one of the best shows ever to air. It's largely responsible for establishing a norm on premium cable in which writers are really allowed to do their thing. We see the effect in shows like " Dexter " and " Deadwood ." Although these shows might have serious flaws, they frequently exhibit writing of a craft and subtlety usually reserved for low-grossing films. But everyone pretty much agrees on all of that. The point of this piece is to highlight some serious problems with " The Sopranos " that are ignored by most critics like Karl Rove at his senior prom.