NEWARK, N.J., July 14 (UPI) -- "Sopranos" fans will have to wait longer to see what happens to the New Jersey mob because the final season is delayed due to James Gandolfini's knee surgery.
The mob's last eight episodes were scheduled to air in January, but won't be seen until March or possibly even later, Home Box Office said.
"It's not fair to the viewers, and they're getting screwed again," said Marc Berman, an industry analyst at Mediaweek.
HBO chief Chris Albrecht said the delay was meant to prevent the show from airing at the same time as the NFL playoffs and the Super Bowl, the New York Post reported.
There have been other long gaps between "Sopranos" seasons, which could account for reduced viewership. But HBO executives say the show is also being seen on their on-demand channels, which are not accounted for in ratings.
The delay might also force the "Sopranos" finale to air during the May sweeps when the networks bring out their best programming with heavy competition for advertisers.
