LEST I RUN AFOUL of the munificent and trusting folks over at HBO, I won’t tell you what happens in the first four episodes of The Sopranos, whose sixth (and probably final) season premieres this Sunday at 9:00 p.m. Believe me, I wish I could; but like Tony, I took an oath. So I’ll just paint with broad strokes, and also confirm this: Diehard Sopranos fans, however much they may have cursed the extended hiatus between seasons, will not be disappointed.

It’s no exaggeration to say these four episodes rank among the most anticipated in television history. The series last aired fresh material in June of 2004–some 21 months ago. By the end of Season 5, Tony had killed his cousin to settle a bloody row with the New York crew; the leader of that crew, Johnny Sack, had been arrested thanks to a longtime underling’s cooperation with the FBI; Tony and his wife Carmela had reunited (after he agreed to put up over half a million bucks to help her construct a new house); overachieving Soprano daughter Meadow had gotten engaged; and underachieving Soprano son Anthony Junior was fumbling about applying to colleges.