Family values; Despite violence, 'The Sopranos' is an offer you can't ignore

What do you think Sen. Joe Lieberman would say if he were told that in the next few weeks a popular TV show will depict a man beating a woman to death from start to finish - every blow - using his fists and a solid object? What would be Sen. Sam Brownback's response to a program where all the women in scene after scene are degraded by men who treat them as throwaway sex toys? Of course, we couldn't cheat and tell these well-known critics of trashy TV that the show we're talking about is "The Sopranos," which begins its third season with back-to-back episodes at 8 p.m. Sunday on HBO. But chances are the senators would sniff out our little trap and sidestep it by echoing the sentiment felt by millions of loyal "Sopranos" fans: that when a TV show is as good as this, it somehow transforms even the most horrific acts of human beings into "entertainment." And if one show's smut is another show's aesthetic, then - based on four episodes sent to TV critics - "The Sopranos" this season is poised to continue its bold assault, not only on our senses but on our expectations for commercial television. What is it, though, that makes "The Sopranos" so appealing? If you went on story line alone, the show would seem little more than a soap opera with bullets, a steaming spaghetti plate of family turmoil and mob intrigue tossed with ladles of blood-red sauce. And it's not like "The Sopranos" has the cinematic pretensions of the "Godfather" trilogy. In fact, it's a lot less pretentious than other TV shows ("The West Wing" comes to mind). But that is where its charm lies. Created by David Chase, a veteran TV producer whose credits go all the way back to "The Rockford Files," "The Sopranos" is mostly about the little things in life. Collge roommates, high school football, a flooded basement, a squabble over a record collection - these are among the scintillating subplots that work their way through the first few episodes of this season. Tony Soprano occupies a realm not unlike most small businessmen. He motivates colleagues, collects revenues, pursues new ventures. Tony's wife, Carmela, is the queen of their house, where much of "The Sopranos" takes place and which looks like it could be in Leawood. Like many parents, they have two sulky teen-age children. This tableau is complicated, of course, by the fact that Tony's business is not only "waste management," as he avers, but a portfolio of bookmaking, loan-sharking and prostitution rackets. Not to mention violent turf wars and constant surveillance by the FBI. Even his legit job is propped up by rigged municipal contracts. The genius of "The Sopranos" is that it never succumbs to the allure of mob life. Instead it takes nearly every scene, even those of high drama, and mines them ruthlessly for their comic potential. In last season's final episode, for example, Tony found out that a close associate had become a government informer. He found out when a fish told him so in a dream, one of several Tony had after eating some bad mussels. It is a show driven not so much by story line as by story telling. We may never have seen a TV program so adept at painting brilliant little vignettes that have nothing to do with anything except the sheer pleasure of watching a scene unfold or hearing pitch-perfect dialogue. Several of these scenes are deftly strung together in Sunday's first hour, when the FBI tries to plant a wiretap inside the Soprano home. At the heart of "The Sopranos" is a core psychological puzzle: Why does Tony keep blacking out? You'd think the answer would be obvious. He kills people for a living; he has a formidable rival pressing down on him; and his amusingly wicked mother torments him constantly. But along the way there have been hints that something deeper-seated is gnawing away at Tony. Interestingly, two years of prodding from his shrink (herself a head case) failed to get him to talk about his dark side. This is where Chase's storytelling methods serve him especially well. That fish talking to Tony in the dream? It was Tony - a small voice he had suppressed until then. We will see that voice asserting itself some more in Season 3, as Tony recalls scenes from his childhood watching his dad carrying out his mobster chores. Chase is ably assisted in his efforts by a soon-to-be all-star cast led by James Gandolfini, whose expressions have shown us Tony's many moods, and Edie Falco, who remains a force as Carmela. This season, expect solid performances from the kids (Jamie-Lynn Sigler as Meadow and Robert Iler as Anthony Jr.) in enhanced roles. Dr. Melfi (Lorraine Bracco) and Uncle Junior (Dominic Chianese) are never far away. It's not giving away much to reveal that mother Livia has only a brief part; Nancy Marchand, who played her, passed away during the show's hiatus. But she is artfully written out of the show. Look for Tony's sister Janice (Aida Turturro) to arrive on the scene again, picking up where Livia left off. And, of course, there's the old gang back at the Bada Bing strip club, including Paulie (Tony Sirico), Silvio (Steven Van Zandt) and Christopher (Michael Imperioli). They're foulmouthed, ruthless and lovable as ever, bonded by a powerful loyalty that, like Paulie's wardrobe, has gone out of style. Joe Pantoliano, who lit up "EZ Streets" on CBS a while back, joins the cast as a troubled wise guy. As the FBI starts to draw its noose around Tony and his men, don't be surprised if you find yourself hoping these amoral, woman-objectifying thugs elude their grasp. You can't help but root for the bad guys on "The Sopranos." I wonder what that says about us as a society. Sen. Brownback, line one. You can reach Aaron Barnhart through the TV Barn Web site at www.tvbarn.com HBO's crime-family saga begins its third season with back-to-back episodes at 8 p.m. Sunday. @ART CAPTION:Paulie; Christopher; Furio; Silvio; Tony Soprano The Boss; Livia The mom; Dr. Melfi Tony's shrink; Carmela Tough but loyal wife; Uncle "Junior" Figurehead boss; Meadow The daughter; Anthony The son; Chase @ART:Photos (12, color) >>>