Bada Bing Is Right: 'Sopranos' Soar

By Stephen M. Silverman

Wednesday December 11, 2002 11:00 AM EST

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Sunday night's 75-minute season finale of "The Sopranos" -- revolving around the breakup of Tony and Carmela's marriage and featuring an Emmy-caliber performance by Edie Falco -- was a clear ratings winner, according to the Nielsen eyeball counters.

The final episode of the fourth season was watched by about 12.5 million viewers, the second-largest total ever for "The Sopranos" -- topped only by this season's premiere, which was seen by about 13.4 million viewers.

HBO (which, like PEOPLE, is part of AOL Time Warner) nabbed higher ratings than every broadcast network's offering during the same timeslot, even though the pay cable network is available in only a third as many homes as ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC.

Overall, say reports, the mob show's ratings this season were the highest in the program's history.

NBC was the only network to come close to competing with "The Sopranos" on Sunday. Its "Law and Order: Criminal Intent" and "Boomtown" (which overlapped the HBO show, given its special 75-minute running time) attracted about 11.8 million viewers.

More damaging to the networks, which live to attract young adult viewers, is that "The Sopranos" killed off the competition when it came to grabbing viewers (about 8.5 million of them) between the coveted ages of 18 and 49.

The next season of "The Sopranos," said to be its last, is set for September 2003. But according to The New York Times, with numbers like last Sunday's, talks about extending the show beyond next year are expected to take place.

Meanwhile, a well-placed source tells PEOPLE.com about one plot development set to take place next season (SPOILER ALERT: Do not continue reading if you wish to remain surprised): The newly estranged Tony (James Gandolfini) will definitely have an affair with his therapist, Dr. Jennifer Melfi (Lorraine Bracco).