The Superposition of Smoking in Media

For some reason, this camera angle has been lodged in my brain for quite some time. The gleaming white of the cigarette against the beautiful glass ashtray, in an upscale restaurant, perfectly encapsulates the image of elegance and sophistication associated with smoking. At the same time, the dirty ashes and stained fingernails remind us that it’s ultimately a filthy habit, and of the broader juxtaposition of smoking imagery in media.

It’s also a demonstration of how emotions distort our memories: as I remembered, this scene showed a much fancier cut crystal ashtray (like the ones I collect), with brighter lighting and a white-balance that makes the cigarette practically glow.

Similarly, in The Sopranos, smoking is portrayed as cool: simultaneously part of the establishment (Johnny Sack), as well as a rebellious act (AJ Soprano in middle school). The Sopranos also contains other scenes that demonstrate how addictive and deadly cigarettes are, like Johnny Sack smoking while taking a shit, then ultimately dying of extremely aggressive cancer. In fact, as he’s choking to death in a prison hospital bed, his wife offers him a final smoke: Virginia Slims, a brand marketed exclusively to women using feminine imagery like “You’ve come a long way, baby!”

My favorite example is Better Call Saul. Besides the use of smoking as an indirect plot device, it’s unique for not showing any of the drawbacks of cigarettes in a mid-late 2010s show. It feels like a new paradigm between the ubiquitous, irrelevant smoking in vintage media, and more modern media that often has a seemingly forced compulsion to remind the viewer that smoking is, in fact, bad.

From the very first episode, a seemingly insignificant scene becomes an integral part of the story. The simple act of sharing a cigarette immediately demonstrates the relationship between two friends far better than words ever could. It also adds a whole new level to the already beautiful cinematography. We don’t see smoking often, but from the beginning it’s so entwined in these characters’ stories that the mere presence of a cigarette immediately signifies the importance of what’s happening in the overarching story. Six seasons later, one measly cigarette harkens back to the pilot and brings the years-long story full circle; adding closure and acting as a vital element of the scene’s composition.

Last modified: 2026-10-30