The Sopranos Is the Perfect Show to Help Us Understand the Trump Era

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Which is why, in 2019, the most important character in The Sopranos might be Svetlana Kirilenko, the Russian nurse (and cousin of Tony’s mistress) who looks after Tony’s aging mother and uncle. Hardened by life in the former Soviet Union, she has no time for Americans and their insecure nonsense. She faces the kind of obstacle most characters on the show couldn’t imagine — she walks with a prosthetic leg — but never shows self-pity or existential angst. She’s not wealthy. She’s not powerful. But she is secure.

Most importantly, she knows who she is. And that self-knowledge helps her understand what drives others as well. About halfway through the series, Svetlana sleeps with Tony; he suggests a follow-up liaison, and she turns him down him in cold, matter-of-fact terms. “I don’t think so,” she says. “I don’t want to prop you up.”

For those of us wondering how to tackle Trump, there’s a valuable lesson in that: If you want to take on the mob, there’s no more powerful weapon than a sense of self. Knowing who you are and what really matters doesn’t help you win the game. It transcends the game. It makes the liars and bullies look pathetic for playing. And it makes them powerless as a result.