On Jan. 10, 1999, a new show debuted on HBO. The Sopranos begins with what would become the iconic song, “Woke Up This Morning,” written, remixed and performed by the British band, Alabama, as the main protagonist, Tony Soprano, is seen driving through the Lincoln Tunnel and passing through the tollbooth toward the New Jersey Turnpike.

As he drives, viewers are treated to a number of landmarks depicting Newark, Jersey City, and other areas of New Jersey as he leisurely makes his way down the highway, until he pulls into the driveway of his suburban home. There had been some buzz about the program prior to its premiere, so viewers knew that this was a mob show; but unlike other dramas dealing with criminals, we immediately learn that it will not take place in New York, as typically they tend to do, but in New Jersey, a seemingly unlikely place.