The 10 Best Silvio Dante Episodes in 'The Sopranos,' Ranked (2024)

HBO's The Sopranos ranks as one of the best television dramas of all time, noted for its incredible performances by the overall cast as well as its well-crafted writing. Initially premiering in 1999, the series follows New Jersey boss, Tony Soprano, who, while trying to get his mental health under control, also struggles to find a happy medium between his life as a family man and a top-tier mafioso. The Sopranos feature an array of memorable characters, such as Christopher Moltisanti (Michael Imperioli), Carmela Soprano (Edie Falco), and Paulie Walnuts (Tony Sirico), but one major player who stands out from the crowd is without a doubt Tony's friend and consigliere, Silvio Dante.

Dante is brilliantly portrayed by Steven van Zandt, who, before the series, had no acting experience but was known for being an original member of Bruce Springsteen's E-Street Band. When the show's creator, David Chase, saw Van Zandt present at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, he liked his style and offered to write the character of Dante specifically for him. Van Zandt delivers an iconic character who is mainly recognized for his high-quality, fashionable suits and straightforward attitude that makes him one of the series' top fan favorites.

The Sopranos

TV-MA

Drama

Crime

Where to Watch

*Availability in US

See Also

https://www.hulu.com/series/the-sopranos-4e03024d-2f23-423a-934c-23adf1e62fe9The Sopranos S 1 E 1 Pilot / Recap - TV TropesDissecting the frustration and confusion of the "Bridgerton" split seasonEric Kripke on Why ‘The Boys’ Is Ending With Season 5

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Release Date

January 10, 1999

Creator

David Chase

Cast

James Gandolfini , Edie Falco , Jamie-Lynn Sigler , Lorraine Bracco , Michael Imperioli , Steve Van Zandt , Tony Sirico , Steve Schirripa

Main Genre

Drama

Seasons

6

Studio

HBO

10 "He Is Risen"

Season 3, Episode 8

After the altercation between Tony and Ralph Cifaretto (Joe Pantoliano) at the Bada Bing, tension continues to escalate between the two and soon comes to a climax when Ralphie intentionally disrespects Tony by turning him down for a drink. With both of them at each other's throats, Tony and Silvio sit down at Visuvio's and discuss Ralphie's behavior, but despite understanding Tony's perspective, Sil also makes a valid point that Ralphie does have a legitimate case.

In season 3, episode 8, "He Is Risen," Tony lets his emotions and personal opinion about Ralphie cloud his judgment, but thankfully, he has Sil to bring things into focus. Of course, Sil understands Tony's point and knows Ralphie isn't completely innocent, but when it comes to the rules of this thing, Sil is honest enough to point out what Tony refuses to acknowledge. This is a noteworthy Silvio episode because it demonstrates not only Sil's genuine loyalty to Tony but also how he isn't afraid to tell him the truth, even if it's not what his friend wants to hear.

9 "Boca"

Season 1, Episode 9

In season 1, episode 9, "Boca," audiences get to see Silvio for the first time in a rather heated state at his daughter's soccer game. Most would think Tony would be the hellraiser, but Sil, in his classic white beater shirt, hilariously calls the referee out on what he believes is a bad call. After stomping out onto the field and calling the ref a zebra, Silvio's tantrum is complete with him childishly kicking the dirt up before returning to the bleachers.

Between Sil's embellished intensity throughout the game and his comedic interaction with the poor ref, it's easily one of the funniest scenes in the show's first season. When it comes to business, Silvio is known to be reserved and keep his emotions in check, so it's oddly refreshing (and hysterical) to see him having zero qualms or hesitation about expressing his true feelings, even if it is just about a high school game.

8 "The Knight in White Satin Armor"

Season 2, Episode 12

In season 2, episode 12, "The Knight in White Satin Armor," Uncle Junior (Dominic Chianese) reveals to Tony that Richie Aprile (David Proval) is planning to make a move against him. The first person Tony tells is Silvio, who knows exactly what Tony wants done and isn't exactly heartbroken over the decision. While Sil organizes a hit against Aprile, he also helps Tony out with another problem regarding his former girlfriend, Irina (Oksana Lada), who attempted to take her own life and is still upset about their breakup.

Sil might look like a typical tough guy, but he does have an empathetic side which viewers see when he visits Irina to give her money from Tony. Instead of just dropping the money off and leaving, he stays for a moment to give Irina some optimistic words of advice and comfort the young woman who he can clearly see is still distraught. Maybe it's because he has a daughter of his own, but either way, this is one episode that shows how much of a stand-up guy Sil can truly be to those in need of a different perspective on a strenuous situation.

7 "The Happy Wanderer"

Season 2, Episode 6

With Uncle Junior under house arrest, Tony gets to take over the Executive card game, which brings in several high-roller friends and vital associates of the family. The high-stakes game sometimes brings out the worst in some of the players, especially Silvio, who is clearly irritated about his hand and current losses. Tony takes notice of this and sends Matthew Bevilaqua (Lillo Brancato) over to sweep up around Sil's feet, which results in a sidesplitting outburst from him.

Season 2, episode 6, "The Happy Wander," gives a first-hand look at how highly competitive Silvio can be and also why someone should keep their distance. This scene is the most memorable out of the episode, mainly because Sil's rant is so unwarranted and unexpected as he rambles on about liking the cheese on the floor and something about Bevilaqua's sister. It's obvious that Tony gets a kick out of seeing Sil flip out as he chuckles in the corner at the intense exchange and, honestly, fans can't deny that they don't either.

6 "46 Long"

Season 1, Episode 2

Season 1, episode 2, "46 Long," features The Sopranos only cold opening and also introduces one thing Silvio becomes known for; his impressions from The Godfather movies. As the guys are feeling down by the television program playing about the end of the mafia's reign, Tony decides to give Sil his cue ("Sil, cheer me up, babe!") which results in a string of random impressions and reenactments from the classic gangster movies, which play a major role throughout the show.

The series features several references to The Godfather trilogy, but the guys go nuts over Silvio's rendition of scenes, especially when he recites the infamous Al Pacino line from the third film, "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in." Sil is animated and sometimes comes off as a caricature of an old-school gangster without ruining the character altogether. This is one episode where Van Zandt gets to embellish his role and have a little fun, making it an essential Silvio Dante episode.

5 "Mayham"

Season 6, Episode 3

With Tony in a coma, Silvio is appointed as acting boss and after making a decision about how Eugene's (Robert Funaro) revenue will be split up, he's immediately met with pushback from everyone involved. As the situation with Tony's condition and the guys continue to nag him about his ruling, Sil's stress and anxiety begin to boil over, eventually resulting in an asthma attack that sends him to the hospital.

In season 6, episode 3, "Mayham," Silvio experiences firsthand what it is like to be number one and realizes its much more than he can handle. Sil is used to being the go-to guy for advice, but when it comes to being the decision-maker, he is reluctant to take on the position of being number one. The poor guy is met with endless complaining from several of the guys and even when he's being wheeled away in the ambulance, he's relentlessly hounded by Bobby Bacala (Steve Schirripa). All things considered, the scenario is quite humorous, played out like a father dealing with a bunch of upset teenagers, making 'Mayham' one of Sil's best episodes.

4 "Denial, Anger, Acceptance"

Season 1, Episode 3

When Tony is approached by the head of a Hasidic Jewish family, Shlomo Teittleman (Chuck Low), and, agrees to help him get his son-in-law, Ariel (Ned Eisenberg), to agree to a divorce from his daughter, Silvio and Paulie Walnuts are tasks with "persuading" Ariel which proves to be harder than they initially expected. After using excessive violence and threats, Sil and Paulie are soon at a loss, but Sil is also somewhat impressed by Ariel's refusal to cave ("If we don't kill this prick, we should put him to work.")

In season 1, episode 3, "Denial, Anger, Acceptance," Sil and Paulie are paired off for the first time and appear like the classic comedy duo Abbott and Costello as they go through a series of antics to get Ariel to give up. As Paulie becomes beyond frustrated, Sil remains grounded and tries to look at the issue from another angle instead of losing his cool. While the episode features Silvio and Paulie in one of their funniest buddy episodes, it also highlights Sil's dry, deadpan sense of humor that never ceases to fail to lighten up any tense situation.

3 "I Dream of Jeannie Cusamano"

Season 1, Episode 13

After Junior is arrested, Tony decides to get in front of another pressing issue and finally tells the guys that he's been seeing a psychiatrist to help with his panic attacks. Everyone is initially silent except for Sil, who is the first to pipe up and show Tony support, trusting him to be discreet about discussing anything business-related. Later, Silvio and Paulie are having dinner at Visuvo's when Paulie brings up Tony seeing a psychiatrist, which Sil immediately shuts down and doesn't take Paulie's bait to gossip behind the Skip's back.

In season 1, episode 13, "I Dream of Jeannie Cusamano," Sil knows it took a lot for Tony to admit that he's been seeing a psychiatrist and reassures his friend that at least he doesn't judge him for seeking help. He genuinely tries to put Tony's situation into perspective for everyone else, noting how, these days, things are a lot harder and more complex than they used to be, which is valid. There's a reason why Sil is Tony's right-hand man. Not only does he provide Tony with logical, rational advice, but he's also incredibly loyal to the point where, even when Tony isn't around, he rarely says a bad word about him.

2 "No-Show"

Season 4, Episode 2

It's no secret that Tony has let his nephew, Christopher Moltisanti, cut corners and advance faster in the ranks than the average member, but when he passes Patsy Parisi (Dan Grimaldi) over and makes Chrissy acting captain while Paulie's in the can, Sil decides to knock Chrissy down a peg. As Chrissy gloats about his new temporary position, he's warned by Tony not to steal from the construction site, but despite his warning, Sil gives Patsy the go-ahead to steal expensive fiber optic, which leads to a confrontation between Tony and his consigliere.

Tony and Sil almost never have any issues, but in season 4, episode 2, "No-Show," they have a slight disagreement about fiber optic cables. While Sil says it was an honest mistake ("timeline got f***ed up"), Tony knows his actions were intended to send him a message about passing Patsy over, who has been a made guy longer than his nephew. Sil knows how to make a point to Tony and instead of sitting him down and potentially setting him off, he resorts to actions that are guaranteed to be effective. No one else would have had the balls to do what Sil did, but Sil knows that he would never go against Tony unless he had a legitimate reason and, in this case, he gave Tony a rightful taste of his own medicine of what it's like to be undermined.

1 "Christopher"

Season 4, Episode 3

When local Native American groups are protesting the annual Columbus Day parade, Silvio wants to take action against them, resorting to threats and trying to persuade powerful forces to shut them down. Initially, Tony is on board with Sil and connects with a local casino owner, Chief Doug Smith (Nick Chinlund), who promises to speak to the leader of the protests. When Tony and the guys are invited out for a night at Smith's casino, Tony soon realizes he's been played by the Chief and used for his connection to famous singer, Frankie Valli.

Season 4, episode 3, 'Christopher,' is without a doubt Silvio's best episode and features some of the funniest moments in the entire show. It takes a lot to rile Silvio up and the episode shows him in rare form, which is a bit surprising for fans, but it allows Van Zandt to step out of the character's usual formula and let loose a little. From attending the Native Americans protest in a fit of rage to the humorous discussion in the car at the end ("Whatever happened to Gary Cooper?") Van Zandt is at the top of his comedic game in this iconic Silvio episode.

KEEP READING: The 10 Best Uncle Junior Episodes of 'The Sopranos,' Ranked