The Sopranos: Agent Harris - Friend or Foe? 

Harris acts as a stand-in for the viewer, caught up with the mob's allure and Tony's charisma in a way that puts him in a morally compromising position.

I loved Agent Harris. When all the other FBI agents were gleeful to play Tony the tape of Livia and Junior discussing whacking him, Harris was the only one who looked sad for him. I always thought at some point he would help Tony.

Meadow was really his guardian angel. She saved him a lot. I forgot she took the lamp.

Agent Harris was a great character honestly. Truly complex, flawed and easy to empathize with why they compromised their morals (ie creating a conflict for us the viewer to decide on).

I just always felt that Harris and Tony had some sort of mutual respect for each other. Both from the same world, in a way, just a different part of town.

Great video. My take on Agent Harris, in addition to all the things you cover here, was that he didn’t understand the world anymore and Tony was a touchstone back to a simpler time. It echoes the Tommy Lee Jones character in No Country For Old Men. A man who confidently understood the motivations of criminals his entire life only to be confronted by a version of evil so severe it recontextualized his entire understanding of the concept.

Harris definitely had Tony’s back.

I had the opportunity once to attend a lecture, here in the UK, by the FBI's head of terrorism. This was just after 9/11. Really fascinating; especially about how the agency had had to change. (like for example, it used to be 90% of agents had law degrees; then they moved more to recruiting ex military). But anyway we all got chatting after. The chap was telling us about his early career. He'd started out doing anti mob work. He had lots of really intriguing details. But he emphasised how it was quite a 'professional' relationship between the two sides. obviously they were antagonists; but there were rules. Like, unlike his Italian compatriots, US agents and judicial staff, never feared for their own lives or those of their families. It was all off limits. But he recounted one occasion where two agents were parked outside a mob haunt. Normally that was a boring but safe job. Often they would have hot drinks and food sent out to them. But a couple of recently made guys had let it go to their heads. They accosted the agents and took their badges. After that the FBI just took the gloves off. Raiding anywhere the mob hung out; questioning them in front of non mob associates ets. Shortly after they got a message from the bosses that matters had been made very clear to the two perps (They were made to return the badges and apologise) and could everyone go back to how it was.

Burnt out cop living vicariously through Tony. Also, the beef with Phil was personal to him, as Phil set up a female FBI agent for an assault that crossed a line

The first time I watched this series, I felt agent Harris meant the FBI was going to "win", after having set Tony up to kill Phil. Like killing 2 birds with 1 stone. But of course as I continued to watch the series again and again I realize how naive I was to think there would be any good guys in the series.

I think 6:50 is a reference to the New Jersey-New York rivalry a lot of people have. Agent Harris cheers for Tony because he wants to see Jersey win the mafia war. This is akin to how sports teams are often stand-ins for cities, states, countries, etc.

Always liked Agent Harris. He was the only FBI agent to treat Tony like a human being, and he was one of the only FBI guys to be treated like a human being by anyone in the mafia. I think that's why he and Tony got on so well.

Meadow taking the lamp was priceless, especially after the whole James Bond FBI montage they had.

I know all the internet mobsters gonna hate this but agent harris is honestly one of my absolute favorite sopranos characters. Up there with vin mcKazian as no.2

KINO!!! Agent Harris might just be my favourite FBI agent in TV history. A character with not a lot of screen time but an amazing amount of depth. It goes to show that small side characters in the Sopranos are more in depth than most shows main characters. We're gonna win this thing!! Edit: Said my favourite Agent; not the best. I have never seen X-Files so I can't comment.

Agent Harris was a friend. He respected Tony in many ways. I love how 20 years later there is a renewed interest in the show I have seen dozens of times over.

I think Agent Harris did miss the mob. Not in a romantic sense obviously but, in a sense to it was what he understood. He knew how the mob operated and it was close to home. On the other hand being in Pakistan trying to fight an enemy you can't see and don't really understand would be much harder. And when he got back to the States and was still expected to fight the terrorists it made sense for him to partner with organized crime. The terrorists weren't getting their weapons or money through legal means, so where is the best place to look for them? It's the people with long established ties to crime. It's a perfect trade, you give me info on my enemies and I'll give you info on yours.

You missed something. When Harris says “we’re gona win this thing” it’s because of it being a jersey/New York way and Harris being from jersey he’s looking at it like a football game.

I think Kino can appreciate at this point that I think McNulty and Harris have a lot in common. McNulty had a lot of respect for the corner boys because he understood where they came from. He wanted to get Stringer and Avon, but he wasn't a macho dickhead about it. He respected them as people even if he had a job to do. I think Harris is very similar, just at a higher level

The oddest bromance in HBO history.

I think he began to convince himself that Tony was somehow, “one of the good ones.” A better class of criminal than, say, the Lupertazis. The lesser of two evils. This was reinforced several times throughout the series. He saw and interacted with Tony’s family. At home. And saw they were basically a relatively average family who loved each other. Then when he began to work terrorism, he saw Tony and the mob as certainly better than the terrorists. Kind of what happened between the mob and the US government during WW2. Like, “we are all American here. Maybe we can put aside our differences in face of a common threat.” Then finally, in comparison to the Lupertazis and Phil. He never liked Phil and Phil tried to set up a fellow agent for a rape and beating. Constantly throughout the series he’s placed in a position to view Tony as not as bad as other people he’s after. With the exception of the terrorists, he’s probably sorely mistaken. Tony is just as bad as any of them and worse than a lot of them. But from this point of view, it begins to make sense. Not to mention it’s simply hard to view someone as the enemy when you become familiar with them.

He was 100% a friend. There were a few episodes where he knew Tony did work but didn't bust him for it. Agent harris is a solid dude

4:03-4:10 actually they flip Adriana to be an informant after the undercover agent found cocaine and threatened to imprison her for 25 years, which was a false charge. The murder cover up only comes much later on in the series and leads to her murder by Silvio.

I personally think they both had a mutual respect from years of knowing each other. Tony seeing Harris as a stand up guy despite being an agent & Harris seeing Tony as a far lesser evil than the terrorists he's investigating. The US government has turned to the Mafia many times throughout the 20th century for assistance. It's well known many mobsters were recruited by the military to protect the East Coast ports & as a guides in Italy during WW2. I remember seeing a picture of Vito Genovese in an army uniform during the invasion of Sicily & Italy.

Loved Harris, especially when he cheered after Phil died “we won”. So good

Many years ago I ran into the actor on the street on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. I stopped, looked at him and said 'We're gonna win this thing'. He laughed lol

Another great Sopranos video from Kino. Much respect.

I've been studying mob history lately. It is masterful how this series wove all the classic mob stories into the plot. In WW2 the mob guarded the docks from invaders upon the request of the FBI. That's likely one of the origins of this storyline.

they became fantastic friends outside the show as well

Harris is the epitome of: it’s not personal.

Harris would have lost all of his gobagool privileges at Satriale's if Tony got popped.

FYSA: You watch a person long enough, listen to their calls, read their text messages, follow them, and you will either hate them because there is nothing redeemable about them or what is most likely, you will develop empathy for them and their loved ones. There is an intimacy that only intelligence gathering and criminal warrants can bring. Not even their families know the suspect like you do. When this turns into sympathy you have to take professional action to distance yourself. This is what happened. He worked Tony for years. Changing assignments should have ended this; but he renewed contact for bullshit reasons. There is also a thrill in being close to deadly animals, moving amongst them, and feeding them. Sometimes people with dangerous jobs acquire dangerous hobbies.

He called him a sneak, not a snake.

Harris seemed to have a man-crush on Tony. He reminds me of the nerd who loved and hated the jocks so much that he became a hall monitor. At least he got to talk to them when he was handing out demerits.

Question. How do we know Harris slept with the agent just to get info on Phil? Remember in another episode he is shown arguing with his wife on the phone. Maybe Harris just needed sex and got the info on Phil as an added benefit.

Carmella did say in regards to her cousin that people get sucked in to Tony's world it's something Melfi struggled with. Tony haa a charismatic personality that draws people in.

I actually never got sucked in by Tony's "charisma" I always saw him as the monster he was. Season 6 forces the facade to end since he is constantly losing allies and being backed into corners. I think this is the reason I had trouble getting into the Sopranos at first since I typically like shows with relatable or more likeable characters, I found every character to be scummy and someone I disliked with very few exceptions. When I realized that's essentially the point of the show my appreciation for it went way up. Great video!

I never took his line "We're going to win this thing!" As Tony is going to win. I took it as a high ranking mobster was killed and their numbers are dwindling. I never really took Harris' helping of Tony to be him siding with Tony, rather he's helping the mob kill each other from the inside. He definitely liked Tony the most out of all the mobsters, but he was happy to mess with the mob in general, he just sided with Tony because he was the most outwardly likable.

I recall a scene where some asshole crashes his sports car in the neighbourhood, and the zip Furio goes to yell at him with Silvio, and the rest of the guys are sitting and standing in front of Satriales vibing chilling smoking their cigars. And Agent Harris comes along to introduce his new partner and starts chatting with Tony. And they’re all hanging out. Enjoying the life. I think that’s a pretty good scene indicating how much Agent Harris was part of the guys whilst also not. A friend that isn’t a friend. A meeting of minds, if you will.

Fun fact, in the video game “Mafia” the actor that plays Harris voices one of the monsters named Sam.

I just finished my first watch through of the series, and loved his arc. I overlooked him for the most part just as an FBI agent, but you could tell in the last season he was becoming an ally to Tony.

I am glad someone finally did a proper video about Agent Harris. Sorry it took me so long to discover it. I thought Matt Servitto played him to perfection. Loved this video!

Excellent character, perfectly cast. Lots of grey with him, which is was made his storyline so intriguing to watch. Brings Donnie Brasco to mind with how things went down.

Agent Harris began as a foe,finished as a friend.My favorite scene of his was absolutely "We're gonna win this thing!!"

I saw a comment on a sopranos clip once that said Agent Harris was like a fan of the series while being in it lmfao and i think its incredibly accurate Specially taking into account his last scene where he says "were gonna win this!"

"Damn! We're gonna win this thing!" was great, and it became clear whose side he was on in his heart.

I think its a pretty realistic portrayal of a certain type of fbi agent at that time. The FBI's approach to informants and interrogation fits how harris handled tony, up to giving tony information about leotardo that is. They build trust and treat people well. As much as the fbi and cia compete for a budget, different divisions within each of them fight for it too. Even if tonys information isnt really useful it doesnt seem like a huge leap that one fbi division might do something shady to another one to make them look bad.

Two things shocked me in the Phil's location phone call scene. Agent Harris's full hair shirt and the other Agent. Damn son. Easily one of the most attractive people in all six seasons.

This dude kino never misses . Happy holidays everybody 🎄☃️

Awesome video, thank you for touching on this pairing dynamic that gets overlooked

This is where Tony was smart, as opposed to Chris who showed how myopic he was, while Tony didn't trust Harris he didn't go out of his way to make an enemy out of him either since Harris treated him with respect. The FBI had a job to do, Harris treated Tony like a competitor and not necessarily an enemy, Tony recognized it, eventually afforded him the same respect and it worked out in the end.

did you know the actor who played Agent Harris (Matt Servitto) was the voice of Sam in the original Mafia game

That ending was comedy gold

Great review Kino! It reminds me of the Zellman and Maurice HUD scam where they claimed to be more idealistic at the beginning of their careers then became partners with the mob and Maurice said “The revolution was sold.”

At the end of the day, Harris was an honest man of the law but also had an admiration for Tony. I think they genuinely liked each other despite being at odds.

It's reverse Stockholm Syndrome. Harris has made such a demigod in his mind out of Tony , that Tony is sort of a beloved archenemy. Harris would rsather capture Tony himself then let Phil Leotardo kill Tony. The Joker says it best: "No one kills The Bat but me."

10:07 HAHA 😂

You do great work my friend. The combination of deduction, strategy and humor is a pleasure. Thanks.

(6:47) Leotardo got popped ... yeah like a frickin' grape !

Great Work Kino! You’re really working your ass off with the content

That ending is incredible lol.

Harris literally says we're going to win this thing, like he's one of Tony's crew

I bet someone thought it was "brilliant" to pretentiously make the FBI agent actually played by an Italian "Dwight Harris" while the female agent played by Karen Young is named Robyn Sanseverino. So would they call it "Italianfishing" nowadays, or just "baccala-ing"?

without a doubt he was a friend

The enemy of my enemy is my friend, and some enemies are worse than others.

@Pure Kino my Slip and Fall State hoodie showed up under the Christmas tree. Thanks, pal!

Agent Harris was taking Vito's medication. He could get a doctor's note

"DAMN, we're gonna win this thing!"

He doesn't call Harris a snake, he calls him a sneak.

When Harris says, "We're gonna win this thing!" he is referring to an office poll of who will be whacked first. At least thats what I thought, I think he mentions it to the agent that told him in that scene.

"We're going to win this thing". Lin Delvecchio famous line about Colombo Wars and Harris used for Sopranos

This whole character development, the plot twists, and the dynamic between these two alone could’ve made the series. Forget the fact that the rest of it is as made as Chrissy was when he had his ceremony

So weird, I finished this show pretty recently and was still thinking about the dynamic between Agent Harris and Tony and then while I was watching the new season of “Barry”, I see the same actor playing a lawyer. I now get on RU-vid and this is on my recommended

I always thought harris was setting tony up to commit the hit on phil so the crime division would have an easier time prosecuting him. “We’re gonna win this thing” like he was still apart of that team. His new partner giving him a look to say “why do you care you’re in terror now”

Lol Harris even borrowed Tony's hair (or lack thereof) when he's with his goomar.

Harris cheering when Leotardo got whacked is low-key one of my favourite moments from the show

Weren't we all secretly in love with Tony!

He was somebody Tony could’ve been friends with in a previous life. They have more in common than they realize and its fun watching their friendship advance.

6:02 I always thought those sandwiches looked delicious, but then I remembered Casino.

I think he wanted Tony to live so they could bust him in the end which is pretty much what happened. Think about it: 5 years building a case just for the guy to get whacked. Keeping him alive was definitely in the FBI's best interest.

Business partners, They helped each other with the important stuff, Agent Harris informed Tony about Phil and his plot to attack Tony’s crew, Tony informed Agent Harris about the 2 Al Qaeda guys that hung out at the bing, Tony gave Agent Harris phone numbers when he could tell Harris was concerned about them. They had a mutual respect for each other because they were both incredibly stressed out from the responsibilities of being at the top of the drastically different careers they chose. Plus they both hated Phil so they had that in common lol

Tony running from the fbi was jokes in that episode 🤣🤣

I completely miss read that line I thought "we're gonna win this thing" meant the court case against Tony

It's funny because I personally interpreted Harris' last couple scenes entirely differently. To me, Harris provided the information to Tony not to help Tony, but to ensure both Phil and Tony are killed. In the conversation with Tony in the car he tells Tony that he's asking for too much when he asks where Phil is, implying Harris knows but won't say, but he also gives spotty info on whether the hit is out on Tony. Later when he does give Tony the info, he seems conflicted and ashamed about it. But when he hears Phil has been killed he's unambiguously excited. I saw it as Harris intentionally waiting to tell Tony where Phil was until it was too late for Tony to save himself. Everything points to Tony dying at the end, the countless clues towards that being Tony's fate have been poured over for 15+ years now. Knowing that, I personally think the story is also telling us that Harris knows Tony is going to die. "We're gonna win this" to me says that the FBI is finally going to bring down not just Tony and the NJ crew, but Phil and the NY crew as well. For me it really fits into the theme of law enforcement being useless or incompetent because in the end they didn't bring down Tony because of great detective work or because they finally made a charge stick, it was because of a lone agent playing the same game the mafia was. I personally find this far more interesting than Harris really wanting to help Tony win, I just find that underdeveloped and boring if I'm being honest.

Harris could have been trying a different angle to take the mafia down by be friending tony since the Traditional FBI way wasn't working idk I think Harris always wanted to take both Tony and Phil Down it would have been interesting to see Harris's reaction after Tony died at the end of the series like a 3 min clip of him seeing or hearing about it

7:39 in the words of Jimmy McNulty “What, we don't have enough love in our hearts for two wars?”

Tony called Agent Harris a sneak, not a snake.

When Harris slammed his hand on the table and declared, “We’re gonna win this thing!”, he was being sarcastic. Phil’s death didn’t mean anything in the grand scheme of things, as he would simply be replaced by someone else.

glad you made this vid.. very underrated character i never seen talked about

Haha the ending ❤️❤️❤️❤️, great vid PK!

The montage at the end was funny as hell lol... great content though.!

Lmao, the end when careless whisper plays. lol hilarious

Tony , Harris , artie and lots of other characters are all the same. They all subletly work together. Its an amazing physiological idea

I can only imagine how pissed those fbi guys were when she took the lamp😂😂

I read the book 'Black Mass' around the time Sopranos was new. David Chase probably read it as well and the relationship between Harris and Tony in later seasons pulls from that a tiny bit.

By the end Harris was so deep in, he basically mirrored Tony in a way. You could argue he’s responsible for just as many deaths as Tony, and during their last call when he was in the motel with his coworker, it was clear he had become him.

There is something interesting that happens when an agent or investigator has been on a case for an extended period of time. You can truly begin to empathize with a target. While listening and gathering details and collecting data, you begin to recognize their humanity and learn about family difficulties, pressures, and concerns. I'm reminded of when the FBI was trying to decide if it was OK for Adrianna to marry Christopher, as though the decision was theirs to make, and then they toasted the happy couple when they decided to "allow" them to marry. I think Harris was probably the kind of agent who would do anything it took to rise up through the ranks in the bureau, and recognized the same pathology in Tony using his uncle as a front man to draw the heat off of him, when he really ran the daily family operations. His ambition made him want to take Tony down, but when he switched to counterterrorism, which was much more sexy by that time than a washed-up mafia family on the decline, his natural proclivities made him favor Tony, with character traits and flaws similar to his own, if for nothing else to provide a counterweight to New York's increasing power and influence in New Jersey.

I think Harris was a professional. He kept business and personal separate. Early on, his assignment was to go after Tony, and he did he his job well even though he had no personal animosity. Later, when it was no longer his job to go after Tony, he was able to immediately transition to a more friendly and mutually beneficial relationship. Other mob task force agents took things so personally that if they were reassigned to collect intelligence on terrorists, they wouldn’t be able to successfully ally with Tony.

@1:50 this was very true in America. The Italians/Sicilians who kept their noses clean held a lot of resentment towards the Outfit.

I always thought that was hilarious in the end when he goes “damn we’re gonna win this thing!” Kinda shows the funny “fan” like part of the mob like melfis psychiatrist friend