'Sopranos' leaving on high note

NEW YORK, March 22 (UPI) -- New York-based HBO is getting ready for life after "The Sopranos," which begins its final season next month.

HBO Chief Executive Chris Albrecht said the past several years were special because of the success the network had not only with Sopranos but also "Sex and the City" and "Six Feet Under." Albrecht told The New York Times that "we'll never have anything like that experience again."

But one era's end is another era's beginning for HBO's 30 million subscribers.

"We're going to have more new programs than we have ever had before," Albrecht said to the Times.

Among them will be "John From Cincinnati," a surfing culture drama with an infusion of philosophy and possibly even science fiction, that is being set up to become a signature show for the network.

Another drama, "In Treatment," is about a therapist in therapy. That show is not to be confused with another head-shrinker called "Tell Me You Love Me" about couples in therapy.

HBO will add two comedies -- "Flight of the Conchords," about a singing duo from New Zealand trying to hit it big in the Big Apple, and "12 Miles of Bad Road," starring Gary Cole and Lily Tomlin.