Your take on the fall of masculinity in the Sopranos is a valid one, but I'm not sure that's what makes the show so compelling. After all, wasn't that kind of done with "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence," like 50 years ago? But that's part of it, Tony is conflicted. So is everyone -- the women don't fare much better. Everyone in the show is equally flawed -- and equally compelling. I think it's interesting because it's the clearest picture we have of how f'd up it is to be an American paterfamilias today. Not last year. Not next year. Today. It's a  fantasy, but a fantasy that shows a reality better than most realism. Tony's not Michael Corleone -- Michael was grand, large, Patton-esque in his stature. BIG. Tony is everyman, everybody -- at least in America these days. Yes, masculinity has been eroded. But so have honesty, guts, caring, mystery, awe, you name it. That's what his fight is. I think so, anyway.