One of the innumerable joys of a series that gleefully subverts a half-dozen (and some) genres is that pretty much anything can happen . . . so why ruin the surprise? The Sopranos is a gripping mob drama. It's a coruscating portrait of an American family. It's a merciless black comedy about the failings of the modern male. Above everything, it's a damn good soap.

And, like any good soap, the pleasure is in not knowing what happens next. The morning after it aired, the American press didn't have any problem revealing the shocking conclusion of the first episode of The Sopranos season six, their logic being that if, having waited two years for the return of Tony Soprano, you weren't glued to your set lapping up every moment of it, then you weren't a true fan. So go screw yourself. There's some kind of twisted logic in that. Either way, the premiere was treated stateside as a major cultural happening . . . the NYPD even went on record to state that reported crime across the Five Boroughs dropped to non-existent levels for the hour or so that Mr Soprano and cohorts once again graced the city's screens. The Sopranos keeping New York's criminal fraternity at bay . . . Tony himself would enjoy the irony.

Here's the thing, however . . . round these parts, not everybody gets The Sopranos. It debuted on this side of the water with an initial explosion of hype . . . unlike the US, where the series landed relatively under the radar, becoming a word-ofmouth phenomenon over its first two seasons . . . before settling into a comfortable groove, playing to respectable ratings on Network 2, where most decent American imports find a comfy home these days.

In Britain, Channel 4 dropped the ball entirely, shuffling The Sopranos around in all sorts of time slots before eventually relegating the series to E4, accompanied by terrestrial repeats in a graveyard slot.

Either way, a lot of Irish viewers found their way into the series through the rather essential DVD box sets, collecting a season in one go . . . a great way to introduce yourself to the world of The Sopranos. Sit down to watch one episode, and you'll more than likely watch three. Like a great work of literature, there's an initial (and rather substantial) pleasure to be had in the twists and turns of a well-honed plot, the splendid dialogue and beautifully crafted charactersf But then you'll go back for more, uncovering new layers of nuance and subtlety as you revisit favourite Sopranos episodes.

Whether you're a seasoned gangster movie buff or savvy telly addict, male or female, there's something for everyone here. Some still can't figure to this day what all the fuss is about . . . and everyone's entitled to their opinion. In this case, however, they happen to be sorely misguided. Because The Sopranos is the real deal, a television series that has . . . like all truly great television . . . raised the bar for the medium, and all at a time when big stupid telly is king. It's also a uniquely televisual experience, creating a monumental saga that now runs to more than 80 hours in lengthf That said, the party's nearly over. The end of The Sopranos is in sight. Isn't it time that you caught up?

In essence, this is about the work of two men. David Chase is the creative force behind The Sopranos, a TV veteran who made his name with smart '70s shows like The Rockford Files.

He had a notion about a troubled New Jersey mob boss with serious mother issues, largely inspired, it turns out, by his own relationship with his domineering mammy. Having been turned down by the major American TV networks, Chase found a home with cable supremo HBO, which afforded him the freedom to push the envelope creatively, upping the ante en route when it came to sex, violence and language. That said, there's nothing remotely titillating or sensational about the series that emerged.

Chase's Tony Soprano, vividly brought to life by James Gandolfini, is the last of a dying breed, an old-school hoodlum struggling to cope with typical 21st century pressures:

middle-age; work-related stress, rebellious teenage children and . . . oh yes . . . a mother who, it transpires, is trying to have him bumped off. To figure things out, Tony begrudgingly seeks psychiatric help courtesy of psychiatrist Dr Melfi (Lorraine Bracco, who received an Oscar nomination for her work in Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas) . . . so far, so Analyse This. Over five seasons, however, Chase has fashioned a sprawling, utterly compelling epic to rival . . . nay surpass . . . even the great gangster sagas.

The shabby wise guys in Tony Soprano's world reference The Godfather and, in the case of Tony's troubled nephew Christopher (Michael Impernoli), aim to use their underworld dealings as a launch pad to break into the movies themselves, but . . . and here's the rub . . . they can't see how far from the glamour of the mob movies their own violent, pathetic existences truly are. Death comes calling at The Sopranos' door on a regular basis, and David Chase has let it be known that none of the regular cast, James Gandolfini included, are safe from the assassin's bullet . . . ask former fan favourites like Vincent Pastore, aka Salvatore 'Big Pussy' Bonpensiero, who met a memorable end back in the third season. Once Big Pussy started ratting to the feds, his days were numbered. No one likes a rat, after all.

And so to the other key to The Sopranos' massive success . . . the hulking Gandolfini, who has slowly but surely given the glorious monster that is Tony Soprano a nigh-on-Shakespearean depth. Previously a reliably menacing character actor (you'll spot him in the likes of True Romance, Get Shorty and Crimson Tide), James Gandolfini will spend the rest of his career living in the shadow of his greatest creation . . . if he's smart, he'll rest easy in the knowledge that his place in history is assured.

The actor has learned to convey more with a heavy-lidded glance than a dozen histrionic method goons; Gandolfini's reticence to play the PR game expected of major celebrities these days has only served to add to his mystique.

Interviews with the man are rare, and his press duties for the new series were duly kept to a minimum . . . he only agreed to pose for a prestigious New York magazine cover story, for example, if accompanied by a posse of his onscreen henchmen. Indeed, word has it that the 44-year-old star (who describes himself in real life as closer to Woody Allen than Tony Soprano) easily assumes the role of Da Capo on the Sopranos set; when production was threatened due to prolonged salary negotiations between Gandolfini and HBO . . .

he settled for $13m a year . . . the man made a point of ensuring his co-stars were more than adequately compensated.

He invited each one to his trailer for a private audience, thanked them for their patience and graft, and cut them a sizeable personal check for their troubles. Very Tony S, altogether.

So what do you want to know about season six of The Sopranos? For starters, the few episodes we've seen so far rank among the show's finest. As in real life, two years have passed in Sopranoland; on the domestic front, Tony is enjoying a spot of renewed domestic bliss with his estranged wife Carmella (the ever-outstanding Edie Falco) . . . their bratty son AJ (Robert Iler), however, remains the cause of considerable concern. On the business front, the arrest . . . at the end of last season . . . of New York rival Johnny 'Sack' Sacramoni (Vincent Curatola) has renewed simmering tensions between the clans, turning up the heat as the feds seem evercloser to finally nailing their ultimate prize . . . the head of Tony Soprano.

Every season of The Sopranos has an underlying theme . . .this time out, the focus shifts as never before upon the twisted internal dynamic within Tony's own crew, as simmering resentments finally threaten to erupt to the surface. Anticipate meaty roles and unexpected twists aplenty for perennial scene-stealers like former Springsteen sidekick Steve van Sandt's Silvio Dante and the wonderful Tony Sirico, better known as the stunningly coiffured Paulie Walnuts, not to mention another dramatic about-turn for Michael Impernoli's Christopher, who, lest we forget, had his own his fiance whacked . . . another rat, see.

Guest stars this time out include former ER star Julianne Marguiles, who plays the latest in a long line of Mister Soprano's extra marital conquests, and Ben Kingsley, who plays, well, himself. It will all make sense when you see it.

We'd tell you more, but then we'd have to bring you for one of those long walks in the woods, if you catch our drift. The most important thing is that you enjoy it while it lasts . . . after the 12 instalments of season six have aired, a further 'bonus' season of eight episodes (designed, says David Chase, to tidy up two loose ends he only figured out recently) will air early in 2007, and that's your lot. The Sopranos is history.

Nobody wants it to end, certainly not the suits at HBO, and certainly not the cast, who enjoy a rather lively camaraderie off-camera. Nobody except David Chase. Creatively, he's said everything that he wants to say. And everybody respects that.

"It may be that in two or three or four years I could be sitting around and get an idea for a really great Sopranosmovie, " Chase recently told the New York Times in a rare interview, "but I don't think that will happen. But if one morning somebody woke up and said this would make a really good, concise, contained Sopranos story, I wouldn't rule that out."

In the meantime, the final batch of episodes is still shooting, and the ultimate fate of Tony Soprano still remains a secret to all . . . except Chase and Gandolfini. An American magazine recently engaged a panel of novelists and screenwriters to come up with their own endgame for the Last Of The Great Gangster Stories . . . the majority of them predicted that Tony would be betrayed by those dearest to him. We suggest you continue to expect the unexpected, enjoy every minute, and begin to prepare for life after Tony. We're still holding out for that Paulie Walnuts spin offf

TEN THINGS YOU PROBABLY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE SOPRANOS

>> Working titles for the series included 'Made In New Jersey', 'Red Sauce' and 'Family Guy'. The producers were then concerned that viewers might think a show called 'The Sopranos' was about opera singers, so they added that iconic gun to the logo.

>> 'The Sopranos' has always had the coolest soundtrack on TV . . .the last episode of the last series made memorable use of Van Morrison's 'Glad Tidings', from his 'Moondance' album. The new season opens with a spoken word track from legendary cult author William S Burroughs.

>> His character may have met a rather nasty end, but veteran character actor Steve Buscemi (left) returns to the new series of 'The Sopranos' . . .

he directed one of the episodes. Buscemi also plays James Gandolfini's best mate in his new movie, 'Romance And Cigarettes'.

>> There are now several unofficial tours offering visits to many of the New Jersey locations used in the series . . . check out www. sceneontv. com for one of the better ones. Most of the interiors for 'The Sopranos' are, in actual fact, filmed in Silvercup Studios in Queens.

>> Michael Impernoli, who plays hothead Christopher Soprano, is currently moonlighting on the other side of the fence, with an occasional gig as a good guy cop on 'Law & Order'. Impernoli, who has scripted several 'Sopranos' episodes, also wrote the screenplay for Spike Lee's 'Summer Of Sam'.

>> The tackiest items of official 'Sopranos' merchandise to date have to be a pair of literary cashins . . . 'The Sopranos Family Cookbook' and 'Entertaining With The Sopranos'. We want Bada-Bing Bar t-shirts!

>> On the subject of Big Tony's favourite strip club and afterhours hangout joint, the BadaBing is in actual fact a real strip joint, called Satin Dolls, in Lodi, New Jersey. Bring the kids.

>> Frank Vincent, who plays the psychotic Phil Leotardo, sullied his bib round these parts by starring in those horrible adverts for Permanent TSB. That said, to us he'll always be the guy who foolishly told Joe Pesci to "Go get your f**kin' shinebox" in 'Goodfellas'. Exit Frank. That said, he got his own back by murdering Pesci's character in 1995's 'Casino'.

>> Actors who have (rather foolishly) turned down roles in 'The Sopranos' include 'Goodfellas' star Ray Liotta, who wanted to concentrate on his movie career, Ray Winstone and Bruce Willis . . .

who wasn't too busy to do cheesy cameos on 'Friends' and 'That '70s Show'.

>> The show has inspired a series of award-winning adult films called 'The Sopornos'. The tag line: 'Crime doesn't pay . . . but sex does!'