If David Chase wasn't involved, my hopes would be minimal. I think it'll be fine, plus Chase has had an unprecedented opportunity to fine tune the hell out it should there have been anything wrong with the project.
Some of the plotlines later in the show tended to lag a little but Chase hit the finale out of the park, despite the criticism of the ending.
I still think Frank Renzulli was the best writer on the show. Season 2 felt like it has the best balance between mob stories and Tony's personal family, and it was mostly written by Renzulli. The Scatino storyline is probably my favorite.
My fear regarding Many Saints is that David Chase will do something like Not Fade Away and focus too much on what he's nostalgic for, but he's always treated the mob with a sense of cynicism on the show, which makes the story and dialogue more realistic and interesting, so I think he'll do it here, too.
