According to Kessler, the show receives input from both sides of the crime spectrum, from law enforcement officials to former mobsters in the Witness Protection Program, in an attempt to make the plots as realistic as possible.

"People in the mafia try to give us advice, which can be a little disconcerting," he said.

Though the four writers on the show often work on certain episodes independently, Kessler said, everyone is kept informed about the direction of story lines.

And the writing schedule is more demanding than anything Kessler has ever experienced--causing him to quickly change habits he practiced in college.

"I would wake up at five in the morning to write a paper due at five that afternoon," Kessler said. "I realized I can't do that anymore."

"The Sopranos" has drawn rave reviews from television critics and viewers in its two years on the air.

An estimated 13,000 people lined up for an open casting call in Harrison, New Jersey on Saturday. Two days earlier the show had received 18 Emmy nominations, tying it with NBC's first-year drama "The West Wing" for the most of any show this year.

Kessler himself has received two nominations, one for Best Dramatic Writing, and one as a producer for Best Drama Series.