Alex Gibney

And Dave was like, yeah, I'm wedded to the therapy, I guess you'd have to say, since it was the central engine of the entire show.

And Dave was like, yeah, I'm wedded to the therapy, I guess you'd have to say, since it was the central engine of the entire show.

And Dave was like, yeah, I'm wedded to the therapy, I guess you'd have to say, since it was the central engine of the entire show.

Right? So everybody wanted him to do something that was the cliché, and he wanted to do something that was completely different. And it wasn't until the script landed at HBO where they said, whoa, this is new and original and different. That was it. It was different. And HBO was looking to be different. It's not TV. It's HBO.

Right? So everybody wanted him to do something that was the cliché, and he wanted to do something that was completely different. And it wasn't until the script landed at HBO where they said, whoa, this is new and original and different. That was it. It was different. And HBO was looking to be different. It's not TV. It's HBO.

Right? So everybody wanted him to do something that was the cliché, and he wanted to do something that was completely different. And it wasn't until the script landed at HBO where they said, whoa, this is new and original and different. That was it. It was different. And HBO was looking to be different. It's not TV. It's HBO.

So with HBO, I mean, they were making money through subscriptions, and they were showing movies that they would license. They had dipped their toe into series, like with Larry Sanders and with Oz and others, and they were thinking, this is pretty good. Maybe we should try a bigger swing. And so they were looking for something.

So with HBO, I mean, they were making money through subscriptions, and they were showing movies that they would license. They had dipped their toe into series, like with Larry Sanders and with Oz and others, and they were thinking, this is pretty good. Maybe we should try a bigger swing. And so they were looking for something.

So with HBO, I mean, they were making money through subscriptions, and they were showing movies that they would license. They had dipped their toe into series, like with Larry Sanders and with Oz and others, and they were thinking, this is pretty good. Maybe we should try a bigger swing. And so they were looking for something.

So moment and different economic model because they don't need to have a big ratings winner. They just need some people who love a show. That's good for them. And then if you love different shows, that's okay because this group loves this show and they'll subscribe. And this other group loves this show and they'll subscribe. Good. Everybody doesn't have to love every show. So poise for that moment.

So moment and different economic model because they don't need to have a big ratings winner. They just need some people who love a show. That's good for them. And then if you love different shows, that's okay because this group loves this show and they'll subscribe. And this other group loves this show and they'll subscribe. Good. Everybody doesn't have to love every show. So poise for that moment.

So moment and different economic model because they don't need to have a big ratings winner. They just need some people who love a show. That's good for them. And then if you love different shows, that's okay because this group loves this show and they'll subscribe. And this other group loves this show and they'll subscribe. Good. Everybody doesn't have to love every show. So poise for that moment.

And then he walks into it with his script to HBO and they're asking the questions where everything's upside down instead of saying like, okay, so we'll shoot it in LA and we'll do second unit in Jersey, right? Because that'll save money. They were like, you're going to shoot everything in Jersey, right? That's what David said. He's like, whoa, I felt like I had landed in an alternate universe.

And then he walks into it with his script to HBO and they're asking the questions where everything's upside down instead of saying like, okay, so we'll shoot it in LA and we'll do second unit in Jersey, right? Because that'll save money. They were like, you're going to shoot everything in Jersey, right? That's what David said. He's like, whoa, I felt like I had landed in an alternate universe.

And then he walks into it with his script to HBO and they're asking the questions where everything's upside down instead of saying like, okay, so we'll shoot it in LA and we'll do second unit in Jersey, right? Because that'll save money. They were like, you're going to shoot everything in Jersey, right? That's what David said. He's like, whoa, I felt like I had landed in an alternate universe.

They were going to let me do anything I wanted. And they pretty much did. Yeah. David felt he had landed in bizarro world. It was like where the execs were encouraging him to engage his own creativity and to lean in to all the things that were important to him as opposed to, you know, invest in the stereotypes that had become so successful. The Sopranos was not a confected corporate product.

They were going to let me do anything I wanted. And they pretty much did. Yeah. David felt he had landed in bizarro world. It was like where the execs were encouraging him to engage his own creativity and to lean in to all the things that were important to him as opposed to, you know, invest in the stereotypes that had become so successful. The Sopranos was not a confected corporate product.

They were going to let me do anything I wanted. And they pretty much did. Yeah. David felt he had landed in bizarro world. It was like where the execs were encouraging him to engage his own creativity and to lean in to all the things that were important to him as opposed to, you know, invest in the stereotypes that had become so successful. The Sopranos was not a confected corporate product.

I mean, it wasn't at all in terms of its artistry and all of that, but it didn't come about because David thought, how can I make a lot of money? It came about because David was like, I'm obsessed with my mother.

I mean, it wasn't at all in terms of its artistry and all of that, but it didn't come about because David thought, how can I make a lot of money? It came about because David was like, I'm obsessed with my mother.