The controversial Sopranos scene HBO wanted David Chase to change but refused

TV chiefs implored The Sopranos' creator David Chase to alter a contentious early scene of the show - but he refused despite the show "would lose everything".

The American crime drama premiered in January 1999 and ran on HBO for 86 episodes until its ending in 2007. The series was renowned for its stark portrayals of mob life, including 88 deaths, power struggles, and remarkable performances by its ensemble cast.

New documentary Wise Guy David Chase and The Sopranos, created by acclaimed filmmaker Alex Gibney, delves deep into the psyche of The Sopranos creator, David Chase, with exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes footage of The Sopranos.

The first episode of the two-part documentary highlights the first season of the mob drama and how Tony's first murder sparked huge controversy and demands from HBO executives to rewrite the script.

One prominent episode, 'College', in the show's first season, follows Tony Soprano as he and his daughter Meadow tour colleges in Maine. During this father-daughter journey, Tony believes he recognises Fabian "Febby" Petrulio, a defected DiMeo family member turned informant now hiding within witness protection.

After enlisting Christopher Moltisanti to run a check on Febby's license plate, Tony unearths his new identity, "Fred Peters", along with his location. Febby also senses he knows Tony is onto him and almost shoots him at the motel where Tony and Meadow are staying.

The day after their first encounter, Tony confronts Febby at his place of work with a stark "Good morning rat" before strangling him with a wire. As Febby begs for his life, reminding Tony that he had spared him at the motel, Tony proceeds to murder him without relenting.

Reflecting on the episode's original