Best Character on the Sopranos

Whether he is kissing the Boss's rear end or double-dealing behind his back, Paulie Walnuts is just great fun to watch. Here is why Paul Gualtieri is the best character on The Sopranos.

Paulie Walnuts earned his moniker by hijacking a truck which he thought was loaded with high-end electronics, but turned out to be loaded only with walnuts. A former enforcer for Tony's father, Johnny Boy Soprano, Paulie enlisted in the Army, but was discharged for psychiatric reasons. So, he returned to mob life and worked his way up to captain under Tony Soprano.

While Paulie Walnuts often provides comic relief, he does possess a fearsome temper. And it is almost a delight to watch him work. His murderous rampages are shocking.

The only lasting woman in his life had been Paulie's mother, but the writers even took that away from him, leaving him more messed up than he already was. He had sought therapy, he admits, because of his "issues," but apparently it didn't quite take. And Paulie certainly did not approve of Tony getting therapy. Especially from a woman. "It don't compute," he said.

With his ridiculous hair and leisure wear, it would have been easy to cut a humorous figure. But Tony Sirico, the actor who portrays Paulie Walnuts transformed this captain into a complex, multi-dimensional individual, who is thrilling to watch. And listen to.

Paulie doesn't think he is all that complex, and he often sees things simply in black and white. Describing his own life, he says: "I was born, grew up, spent a few years in the army, a few more in the can and here I am, a half o' wise guy."

Paulie's clashes with Christopher are priceless and are never better than in the episode "The Pine Barrens." Even when Paulie isn't jawing with Christopher, we can see his disdain for Tony's nephew. In fact, his like and dislike of the big man himself seems to waver with each passing week.

Paulie may skim. He may talk behind the boss's back. He may rob and murder an elderly woman for an envelope full of cash. But he is one of Tony's top earners, and that forgives a lot of sins.