CHICAGO (thefutoncritic.com) -- Despite early indications the next season of "The Sopranos" would be its last, creator David Chase agreed yesterday to extend the HBO drama for a sixth season. Executive producer Brad Grey broke the news to the New York Times on Tuesday, noting the additional season will be only 10 episodes, not the drama's usual 13. With the fifth season of the series not expected to bow until March 2004, the additional season will likely arrive in early 2005.

Options on the cast members for a sixth season expired on June 10 however each agreed to an extention late last week while Chase and HBO discussed the future of the show. With 75 episodes of the drama set to be produced, HBO hopes to sell the series in syndication. Such a move is easier said than done however as the pay channel could not find any takers for its other signature series "Sex and the City," despite the promise to trim explicit content.