
Following the success of The Sopranos, television shows began to explore more morally gray characters. For years, TV networks believed that viewers needed to like a show’s main character to keep watching. However, Tony Soprano’s popularity showed that protagonists didn’t need to be likable – they just needed to be compelling. We watched Tony do terrible things, but also saw his love for his family, making him a complex character. This paved the way for other flawed heroes like Walter White, Omar Little, Don Draper, and Jax Teller.