NEW YORK -- On Sunday, for one last night, HBO will bask in the presence of Tony Soprano.
This year's Emmy ceremonies appear poised to serve as a farewell bash for the iconic mobster and a triumphant coda to "The Sopranos," showered with 15 nominations for its final season.
But amid the expected celebration will loom a reminder of the mixed blessing the much-lauded drama bestowed on the premium cable network. Every award the program racks up will just further spotlight the question that has dogged HBO since creator David Chase announced he was bringing the series to a close: What is the network's next "Sopranos"?
In fact, HBO executives have largely relinquished the notion that they will deliver another show that has both such cultural distinction and mass appeal, according to people who work closely with the network.
"I feel a post-'Sopranos,' post-'Sex and the City' fever has passed," said writer David Simon, executive producer of "The Wire." "I lived through that. They were evaluating shows in terms of, can this be the next 'Sopranos'? There was a struggle within HBO to be as purely committed to projects because of the quality and unique aspects, rather than its possibility to be a hit."
Nowadays, the talk at the network is about staying true to its "insurgent voice," an approach executives hope will help them move past one of HBO's most fraught periods in recent history.
In May, the network weathered the abrupt departure of its chief executive, Chris Albrecht, after he was arrested for assaulting his girlfriend. Chief Operating Officer Bill Nelson was tapped as his replacement, backed by a trio of senior managers -- all HBO veterans who had worked closely with Albrecht, a powerful force credited with shaping the network's vanguard identity.
"It's been really hard," said Carolyn Strauss, president of HBO Entertainment. "It was hard emotionally. There was a period where we didn't know what would happen. But I think it's all settled into a very good groove. As opposed to having that one singular, charismatic guy who was at the spear's tip, I think you have right now a very collaborative group of people working together."
One of the first challenges that faced the new team was the withering response to the much-anticipated new David Milch drama, "John From Cincinnati." After the esoteric surf noir series failed to connect with viewers and critics, many of whom described it as incomprehensible, disappointed executives pulled the plug on a second season.
