The Sopranos was broadcast.
The Sopranos . The story revolves around the fictional character , New Jersey-based Italian American mobster Tony Soprano ( James Gandolfini ) . After the pilot was ordered in 1997 , the show premiered on the premium cable network HBO in the United States on January 10 , 1999 , and ran its six seasons with 86 episodes to June 10 , 2007 . Anthony John `` Tony '' Soprano is a fictional character and the protagonist in the HBO television drama series The Sopranos , portrayed by James Gandolfini .