Dream weaver

I loved last night's "Sopranos." Chase & Co. took us on their (now customary) strange departure from the world of the conscious and into Tony's dreamworld... except now, Tony is literally fighting for life in front of us. I thought it was brilliant how David Chase made Costa Mesa, Ca., into purgatory. Identity is lost, Tony is left directionless, grouper sandwich is eaten (wasn't Big Pussy represented as a grouper in Tony's season 2 dreams?), and he's unsure what do to do -- but it's clear that the searchlight on the horizon of his hotel room window is a clue. Death, or life?

It is strange-o-matic-3000 to hear James Gandolfini elocute in his natural voice, free of Tony's thick north Jersey accent. It's like he's another actor. And speaking of vox, who's was on the other end of the phone in Tony's convo back home? I thought it sounded like Gloria Trillo (Annabella Sciorra), but there's no logical reason why it should be.

As we've been chatting it up around the watercooler today, Edie Falco jumped to an early lead in the 2006 Emmy/Golden Globe pools for Best Actress in a Drama. Her bedside manner was authentic and utterly believable -- she's been starving for meat this red since the David Strathairn-principal storyline.

We loved Paulie calling the execrable Robert Iler "Van Helsing," and also when Vito said Uncle Junior "Marvin Gayed his nephew." Speaking of Iler, is it too late to recast this kid? "Put a bullet in your mummy head?" Maybe Sarah Chalke is available.