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HBO sets rough start date for final episodes

‘Sopranos’ Back in April?
“Sopranos” fans can set their countdown clocks now: HBO has set at least an approximate premiere date for the show’s final episodes.
A little note on the show’s homepage at HBO.com says “‘The Sopranos’ final season starts in April.” That’s not a lot to go on, but given the sometimes huge gaps between seasons (21 months between seasons five and six, for example), the semi-firm commitment from the network should be something of a relief.
HBO had originally planned for the final “Sopranos” arc to debut next month. However, HBO chief Chris Albrecht told TV critics last summer that the show’s filming schedule, and thus the premiere date, had to be pushed back after series star James Gandolfini had knee surgery.
“Then we looked at the fact that we would be launching sort of in the middle of the [NFL] playoffs and the Super Bowl and all that stuff, and it seemed that for everybody’s sake we would push back a few weeks,” Albrecht said then.
“Rome” got the January premiere date instead; its second season debuts Sunday, Jan. 14. HBO also says it will re-air season six of “The Sopranos” beginning in mid-January (episodes are available on demand now). Assuming the network will want to air all 12 episodes before the new season begins, the final season of “The Sopranos” likely would premiere in mid-April.