I don't understand what that has to do with my statment. I understand why the monks would have been in his dream, but what I said was that people assuming the doctor was Hindu was incorrect. There's no way for us to be able to tell what religion the doctor is.

I thought it was already established that it was Narducci's voice. I know for sure it wasn't Sciorra.

I first thought it might have been Sciorra too. But after a couple more sentences, you could tell that it wasn't. I'm not famliar enough with Mrs. Bucco's voice, but that theory makes a lot more sense.

Now if they can get Johnny Drama to star in Cleaver I'll be in crossover heaven. (Vincent is too big of a star, obviously.)

It would never happen, but that would fukkin rule !!

Great episode, good balance , not too much dream stuff but enough

Chris's Ghostbusters line was classic

many classic lines

I an intrigued with the turning of AJ, let's hope it leads somewhere.

Interesting that Chris hasn't really gotten involved in the powerplays yet

Great episode. Eddie Falco was great with Malfi, definately the scene of the episode....though the movie plot scene was very good (in a diff way). I thought AJ had the best scene in the last episode.

-p

This was posted by someone on anotehr forum i am at

"Tony was not having a dream, this was not a
dream sequence. It was cogent and fluid, not choppy and random like the normal dreams on the show. Tony was in purgatory, or limbo. This all traces back to
the previous episode. The name Kevin Finnerty is an obvious allusion to in-finity. While in the hotel, you see the fires blazing in the woods (hell) and the
shining beacon on the opposite side (heaven). When tony says that "it seems like a nice place to live", the bartender responds, "its dead around here", all
pointing to the fact that he is in purgatory. The asian monks represented the asian doctor, and their "heating problems" were the doctors problems
controlling tony's temperature. Tony stays on the 7th floor in an allusion to dante's seven levels of purgatory. When tony finds out that he has alzheimers, it signifies eternal damnation. Tony cant get into heaven, as his name is on the list, but
"i cant let you in. Its a different world". Tony refuses to let go of his briefcase, which represents his new life, or better put his second chance at life. For the intellectually challenged: Tony should have died (lost his life). "My whole life was in
that briefcase" (referring to the briefcase he lost). He was given a second briefcase (a second chance to live), which he refused to give up when told he
needed to leave it behind in order to go to the house where "everyone was waiting". The existential angle being played is just the tip of the iceberg as
regards the rampant symbolism in these last two episodes. Add to it the brilliant acting of edie falco and the power struggle occuring in "real life" and the show is actually reaching artistic levels well-above those of any other show in tv history.
And so you know, the action episodes are my favorite ones. However i recognize artistic achievment when i see it. Serious critics of this season need to
rewatch the show and actually pay attention this time. Relax, the action will come."

You have to be dead to be in Purgatory.

Tony wasn't dead.

bye. (not directed at you, but at the people you mentioned.)

this is nothing new with the sopranos. if people are gonna ditch the show because it requires them to actually (*GASP*) think, so be it. seriously, there's plenty of brainless TV on the air. Desperate Housewives should be nice, fluffy alternative..

IMO, "24" seems like the perfect alternative for the action addicts that don't appreciate the realistic and deep levels that the Sopranos reaches.

One must be fair about criticizing others because they are unhappy with the these dreams. Not everyone is good at dream interpretation, it is difficult to do. IMO most people who are claiming to be fascinated with the depths of these episodes are only doing so after having read the interpretations that others on this and on other boards have provided them ( myself included ). Although like i have mentioned before, I have really enjoyed these episodes, and unfortunately I can admit that I have had to have been told what most of these symbolic gestures do or possibly can mean. I also feel that it is because of the fact that most people will have to rely on the theories of others iterpretations that some may not like these episodes. Just because one is not good at dream analysis or psycho-analysis and or does not pretend to be, does not mean that he should be watching Desperate Housewives. I can easily understand why some could not be very happy with these episodes. Although to be honest, I really have enjoyed them immensely.

Unless I'm mistaken, Tony was dead repeatedly over the two episodes. When your heart and lungs stop working, and they have to bring out the paddles to restart them, you're pretty dead... the jolt is bringing you back.

Also interesting that when you noted that, it made me realize that he is more like the old pre-addict Christopher. I don't remember seeing his "sponsor" recently (then again unless he's reference by Christopher directly, I'd never recognize him) which is good because he was really starting to annoy me in "Members Only".

A doctor can correct me, but the jolt STOPS your heart, so that it can begin beating in sync again, as opposed to a heart thats running 'out of tune'

Am I wrong here?

Yes, it stops the abnormal heart rhythm, allowing the normal rhythm to resume.

I know 30-40 years ago a person was considered dead when the heart stopped beating. Now isn't more to do with brain function than anything else. Its been a few years since i had any pre-med classes(changed my major pretty quick).

I was thinking today about how New York's gonna react to Christopher bringing Little Carmine back into the picture... Especially if it involves them making "millions off these digital horror movies."

Just something that crossed my mind, since Johnny worked so hard to run him out of town last season.

His sponsor was with Christopher at the funeral in the second episode this season.

You're correct. You must be in a "shockable" rhythm (i.e. tachycardia)in order for a difib to be used. You can't shock a person out of flatline, as often depicted on many programs.

Interesting - I did not know that.

I stand by my point, though. For the purposes of the show, and given that we were shown a flatline before the defib paddles were brought into play, Tony was 'dead'. Dead enough for drama. And for a purgatorial mental sequence. In my opinion.

And yes, I agree with the idea that brain activity is a more accurate measure of life and death, but no brain activity would pretty much rule out any sort of dreaming, no?

Actually, the show very specifically showed the machines indicating that Tony was in a tachycardiac state(?)

Fine, I withdraw all dead comments.
Is it okay if I continue to believe that this was a purgatorial situation, regardless of the physical state of Tony's body?

Actually, I wouldn't withdraw the comments about Purgatory (or Limbo for that matter). No one really knows about death, or what actually goes on in a coma. I feel that Tony was in Limbo. He did get to make that descision whether to live or die, and the afterlife was always in the distance, in reach. Tony could see it. I have no problem saying he was in some sort of netherworld.

While I'll say he wasn't in Purgatory for another reason. Purgatory is a place you go to be cleansed of your sins before proceeding on to Heaven. No, this was much more like Limbo, caught between Heaven and Hell. Other than that minor distinction, I think the analysis from a few posts ago is spot on.

Being a David Lynch & Stanley Kubrick fan, I love these kinds of dream sequences. Lots of stuff to keep the old noodle working.

Someone should remind Vito that he's still fat.