'The Sopranos' TikTok account is pumping out 25-second episode summaries

Engaging with The Sopranos, with its six seasons, 86 episodes, and nearly an hour for each episode, usually demands a considerable time investment. But what if you could grasp the entire storyline in under 36 minutes?

This possibility has come to life through the show’s new TikTok account, launched last week to honor the 25th anniversary of its debut on Jan. 10, 1999.

In an intriguing and somewhat controversial move, the account has adopted a 25-themed format—revealing a 25-second summary for each The Sopranos episode, one at a time, with new ones posted every hour or two. Currently, the account is delving into Season 2.

Here’s the first highly condensed episode:

While full episodes of The Sopranos are available for streaming on Max, the TikTok account does recommend exploring them there. Yet, unsurprisingly, amid comments from those reminiscing about the show, there is also a fair share of viewers expressing concern that a 25-second summary may not be the most fitting way to savor one of the most popular and critically acclaimed series of all time.

This follows Paramount’s 23-clip upload of the entire movie Mean Girls, released on Oct. 3 to celebrate “Mean Girls Day” last year. As noted by Mashable’s Elena Cavender, “For many, watching a movie in bite-sized videos or out of context on their FYP is sacrilegious, but this way of consuming media is not uncommon on TikTok. Pirated clips thrive on the platform. Accounts post movies and television shows in short sequential videos. They often don’t specify the movie or show in the caption to avoid being taken down due to copyright, relying on the algorithm to reach users. Once someone’s FYP serves them a clip, they can either wait for more or seek out the rest of the program.”

Despite the criticism, with tens of thousands of views for each Sopranos video, the official account is likely achieving its intended purpose—introducing The Sopranos to a new, younger audience who may not have been familiar with it before.

Sam Haysom

Sam Haysom is the Deputy UK Editor for Mashable. He covers entertainment and online culture, and writes horror fiction in his spare time.