Here We Go Again

I thought I was done with The Sopranos, but now a new theory arises--it was all a dream. Some of the reasons seem a bit strained, but hey, why not?

I read this at Ain't It Cool News:

1. Previous episode (Blue Comet) ends with Tony going to sleep -- this episode begins with Tony waking up so it seems to be the next day. However, he wakes up in what seems to be a different setting (though the same room): namely, sheets on bed, alarm clock present, different clothes. BUT I think there may have been some mention that some time has passed from the previous episode -- so maybe it's different because it's not supposed to be the next day. 2. Before Tony goes to bed in Blue Comet, we get the flash back of what Bobby said on the boat in Soprano Home Movies (when you die, you don't hear anything). How often does the show do flashbacks like these -- to something from a past episode? I don't know how this supports the dream theory. 3. AJ straightens out and becomes more like the kind of son Tony wants: he gets together with the model (not explicit but given the attempt in the SUV before the explosion, they probably do end up getting together later). So, AJ and the girl are more then friends -- something that Tony seems to have wanted to happen. AJ also gets his act together regarding his career. And, he becomes more like Christopher with respect to getting into the movie business. Tony wanted Christopher to be like a son, which never happened -- now AJ is (pretty randomly) becoming the son Tony wanted. This is reinforced with things like AJ coming down in a bathrobe for breakfast when his parents introduce the idea of working in movies. He wears an undershirt with the bathrobe like Tony does and even says something like "Always with the drama!" to Carmela -- something Tony seems to have said before. In the final scene, AJ is wearing a shirt that is very similar to Tony's in color. 4. Meadow becomes what Tony wants: a success. Although a law student, she is getting a potential job offer with a small firm that gives a starting salary of $170,000. Now, the LARGEST firms offer $160,000 as a starting salary -- how can Meadow be getting $170,000 starting salary from a small firm? It seems to be something that Tony and Carmela have wanted. Additionally, when Tony and Meadow are sake bombing, she says that she is going down the career path because she saw him being dragged away by the police all those times in the past. Seems something that Tony wishes were true - that his criminal acts have brought on something good. 5. Meadow's friend Hunter appears out of the blue after serious problems and is now in medical school -- something Tony and Soprano wanted for Meadow. 6. Patrick Parissi (Meadow's fiancee) is now a high paid lawyer -- not just a law student anymore. He is working on important cases. He seems to be the perfect guy: speaks favorably about marriage and dotes on Meadow (I think he says, "don't undervalue yourself"). 7. The cat staring at Christopher's picture -- very dreamlike, regardless of any symbolism (the orange cat reappears as a tiger on the wall in the restaurant behind Tony). As Melfi recently read, sociopaths love animals -- Tony protects the cat from Paulie. 8. Phil's death -- are those Phil's grandkids? In an earlier episode, when Phil was telling some young children about their Italian heritage (when he laments the butchering of the family name) he says that he never had any children. Where do the grandchildren come from? Sociopaths love babies -- Tony's hit on Phil gets Phil away from the babies. 9. Agent Harris helping Tony find Phil and then cheering about it (although this is apparently based on a true story so not necessarily something that only happens in a dream). Agent Harris acts more like Tony in this episode -- he is clearly married but it seems that the female FBI agents is his girlfriend. While in bed, his facial expression seems to resemble Tony's post-coital look. 10. AJ saying: you're all living a dream (during the breakfast scene where the family discusses his possible movie career). THE FINAL SCENE 11. The final scene's beginning -- song that plays as Tony walks into the restaurant is called All That You Dream. 12. The weird sequence of: a. Tony walking in; b. cut to Tony seeing the layout,; c. cut back to Tony; d. cut to Tony sitting within the layout, identical to shot b. It is as if Tony sees himself. 13. The various people walking into the bar who RESEMBLE Janice, Phil, two black hitmen from season 1. 14. Tony eating onion rings -- earlier in the season (after Tony gets out of the hospital) he specifically notes that he can't eat onions or onion rings. 15. The way Tony, Carmela, and AJ eat the onion rings -- placing them whole in the mouth (Eucharist). MISC: 16. Carmela getting back into her construction work 17. First shot of the episode -- Tony looks like he is in a coffin. 18. The title Made in America -- anagram: I am a nice dream. 19. Tony seems to make piece with Junior. 20. The feud with Phil is resolved very quickly -- even a quick agreement to compensate Janice for Bobby's loss. 21. AJ's therapist -- resembles Melfi in her actions (if not her appearance). 22. Paulie agreeing to run the crew. 23. The family's last dinner spent not eating at Artie's or their usual Italian restaurant but a diner. 24. Guy in members only jacket -- clearly suspicious but no one suspicious should be around given that there is no one left that would put a hit on Tony or more importantly, no one would know where Tony would be eating dinner (last minute decision to eat here, everyone arrives separately). 25. Tony playing the music on the jukebox -- Journey's song immediately comes on, syncs perfectly with Carmela's enterence. So the CUT to black? Tony waking up and the story goes on, just without the audience? Tony dying in his sleep? The entire episode being a dream is consistent with the rest of the show being focused on Tony's psychology. One problem, however, is that we see things happening to characters other than Tony. Has this ever happened in Tony's dream before? Have we followed someone other than Tony in Tony's dream