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My current rewatch has revealed unlikely front-runners among the episodes of The Sopranos and, so far, this and The Test Dream I hold in extremely high regard as moments of effective introspection. If you are someone who was not a fan of the early dreamier moments of the show (like Funhouse), then I can understand some dissatisfaction here. But for those who appreciate them, these later seasons really offer a lot. In this, and in The Test Dream, the dreams take on more supernatural qualities. They are not simply visually symbolic nonsenses which appear during sleep. I would even posit that they are not dreams, but visions. The narratives they contain are sophisticated and fleshed out (unlike a dream) and, especially here, their pacing is the pace of real life. In this episode we see Tony either in purgatory or just having a dream about what his life would be like if he was "normal", i.e. outside of the mafia. There is a healthy sprinkling of post-9/11 anxiety which exists in prior seasons too, which forms part of the "normal" Tony's conundrum. It's worth noting, as 'current affairs' form a large part of the discussion of anxiety that the show conducts. I always say to fans of Mad Men who have not seen The Sopranos that the last two seasons of the show is where Mad Men was born (arguably, the Gloria Trillo plot line is very significant too, but I believe the best part of that arc occurs after her death, in season five). This episode is an illustration of that. Outside of Tony's purgatory dream is another stellar moment for Edie Falco and a continuation of minor characters' arcs amidst the general plot stasis caused by Tony's hospitalisation.

While still leaving it's viewers without resolution concerning Tony and his inner struggle to find answers, the second episode of the season does do a good job of stripping away some layers superficiality in certain characters and revealing more of their human side in attempting to cope with this tragedy. I felt the dream sequence was a bit overly-emphasized, but it truly was the only way to portray any of the emotions that Tony may be feeling in his current state. Admittedly, it was quite intriguing to see Tony break character during the dream and become just another "average Joe" facing some of the common individual's daily dilemmas.

The hospital setting did become mundane at times, but was an absolute necessity in allowing the writers to bridge the gap between the incident in the first episode and the development of future plot lines throughout the season. The amount of foreshadowing used within this episode was again very pronounced as it was in the premiere, leaving the audience with a hint of what may lie ahead while no doubt setting the stage for more unexpected twists down the road. Overall, this episode certainly would not rank in the series' top-ten. But if you are an avid follower of the Sopranos as so many of us are, there is definitely sufficient reason to tune in.

One Family together forever, the dreams idea from the writer is perfect, i liked it so much.

We see the consequence of the shooting portrayed in the previous episode.

It's difficult to discuss the plot without spoiling, but the focus on Tony is a typically unconventional David Chase approach to the situation. The writer stated that these scenes are not dreams but he also left their meaning ambiguous. There are clues relating to Tony's soul being possibly in various states of limbo, hell, purgatory, or awaiting rebirth, but the main theme is about his identity. There are images and dialogue relating to possibilities of who he might be if not that "fat f______ crook from New Jersey" and also the aspects of his personality that are quintessentially him. I'm not pretending to understand it all, but I think it's compelling to watch.

The other aspect of the story that transitions brilliantly from Tony's journey is the family at his bedside. The scenes with Carmela, AJ and Meadow are wonderfully portrayed and recognisable to anyone who has been in the unfortunate position of being round the clock in hospital with a relative who is critically ill. Edie Falco is great in most episodes, but here she is exceptional.

His other family is amusingly portrayed with a dynamic of one-upmanship amongst each other that provides some humorous relief, but also shows how self-serving they are.

in the second episode to the season the use of the dream sequence, to me, becomes a key element to how tony will react when/if he comes out of the coma. his voice inflection and the way he is carrying himself makes him feel more and more like just another part of the population, and the name Anthony soprano isn't internationally known, but just another shlub. if you listen closely to the lines in the dream sequence ("its dead around here"... "you could have broke your neck"..."their lookin for a perp") there are many more but after these are said the look on Tony's face suggests that he knows that something is wrong. one thing that no one is noticing is the light house in the background at 2 points. in the very beginning and in the very end of the episode. this will absolutely play a part in tony coming out of the coma, or going to the afterlife. the view from above (the helicopter) is them (doctors and family) peering down into Tony's mind trying to find him. he is living a life with another woman, a woman he truly loves and is not just married to. you can tell by the way he talks to her on the phone. i enjoyed this episode very much. i believe that the hospital scenes were meant to be boring and drawn out, this put more emphasis on the dream. watch it again and you'll notice a few things you didn't before