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Is the Entire Lilyhammer Series Silvio's Coma Dream (SPOILERS)?

posted 10 years ago by moviemoose-1
16 replies | jump to latest

I know that commenting on the fun connections between "Lilyhammer" and "The Sopranos" (by way of cameos, plotlines, music, etc...) is nothing new. Lilyhammer has tilted its cap toward "The Sopranos" numerous times and in numerous ways. (I recently read that before he died, James Gandolfini entertained the idea of a cameo in "Lilyhammer," albeit not as Tony Soprano).

But hear me out when I say that Episode 1 of Season 3 treads into new territory.

Early on in the episode, Frank is shot and rushed to the hospital. As he is fighting to remain conscious, he has several hallucinations involving a tiger (initially a small boy in a tiger costume who Frank saw in the street after being shot, but then we see the tiger roaming to the precipice of Frank's operating room, etc...

While recuperating, Frank comes across a senile old man who—in their first encounter—urinates on the floor and is removed from Silvio's private room. The old man tells Frank, "I saw the tiger too."

Frank replies, "please tell me I'm dreaming."

The old man replies, "Its all a dream, Silvio. Its all a dream." Of course, Silvio was Van Zandt's character in the Sopranos who was left in a coma after being targeted by one of Tony's rivals.

Is it possible that Lilyhammer is Silvio's coma dream?

I'm only about 20 minutes into Season 3, so maybe there will be more light shed on this in the episodes to follow.

[–] darwin-t 10 years ago

That would be a hoot! We never saw "The Sopranos", so we missed the reference.

We're on episode 7 of season 3. It certainly is getting weird.

We watched the first one and we can't stop! We're watching the entire season.

[–] Danimal-The-Animal 10 years ago

That was the first thing to come to my mind too. But I had to wait until I finished all the episodes before coming here, to avoid spoilers. I cant believe no one else is discussing this.

[–] CrusinForBurgers 10 years ago

Even weirder, Frank didn't bat an eye when the old man called him Silvio.

[–] enorris2295420 10 years ago

Wow. That is such a fun thought to entertain. That would be wild. Thanks for the cool idea...

[–] CrusinForBurgers 10 years ago

Another reference to the Sopranos, his chosen pseudonym Johnny.

Johnny Sack was the underboss to Carmine Lupertazzi, New York boss. Johnny had a power struggle with Carmine Jr. over Lupertazzi's death and next in line. Ultimately, Johnny became boss.

In Lilyhammer, Frank "The Fixer" was Sally Boy Delucci's underboss, and felt salty about the title going to brother Aldo Delucci after Sally Boy's death.

In both scenarios, "Johnny" was most qualified to take the seat. Let's not forget, albeit not related to my simile, Silvio was acting boss when Tony was in his coma.

While all of this may seem like I'm just making comparisons between the two shows, his name and situations would be key in Silvio's comatose subconscious. All this may very well just be nods to Van Zandt's former gig with The Sopranos, but it's fun to think about.

[EDIT]
I just realized last night that I never saw episode 8 of season 2. There are a few things in it that debunk this theory, namely the direct reference to The Sopranos as a tv show. That would never be a part of Silvio's subconscious. It was still fun to entertain. People that never saw the show are missing out, sadly.

[–] moviemoose-1 10 years ago

I just realized last night that I never saw episode 8 of season 2. There are a few things in it that debunk this theory, namely the direct reference to The Sopranos as a tv show. That would never be a part of Silvio's subconscious.

I wouldn't say there's anything in S2, E8 that debunks the theory. There have been far stranger dream/coma sequences over the years, including some from "The Sopranos" itself.

[–] pstudier 10 years ago

I would just consider S2 E8 to be an anachronism. It is a comedy after all.

[–] CrusinForBurgers 10 years ago

I say that for two reasons. Angelina, upon hearing the news that Frank was coming home, said that it's like an episode of The Sopranos. In the context of Silvios dream, life in our universe (the tv show) wouldn't manifest itself in in his universe like that.

Seconondly, the guys were so excited about going to New York. While driving through the City, Torgeir was playing the Sopranos theme song on the radio fir the same reason Angelina made her statement.

These two incidents remind us that Lilyhammer's universe is much like ours, where a tv show called The Sopranos exists. The only thing that fits the coma dream theory is Paulie showing up as the priest. To me, it's merely a cameo.

[–] moviemoose-1 10 years ago

I don't think that acknowledging "The Sopranos" as a tv series really does anything to refute the idea that the Lilyhammer universe could be Silvio's coma dream. Perhaps his subconscious is simply recontextualizing events from his pre-coma life as a television show so that he can be at peace in Lillehammer. (I'm pretty sure that very thing has been done at least once in popular culture.)

Besides, lets take your objections to their logical conclusion... SURELY, if the Sopranos exists—but just as a popular tv show—in Frank's world, somebody would have noticed by now that Frank bears as striking resemblance to Steven Van Zandt/Silvio Dante. If not in Lillehammer, then surely on his trip home to the US. And if not Frank, then Angelina or Anthony.

[–] CrusinForBurgers 10 years ago

Ok, I'll give you that. Perhaps they end the series with Silvio waking up, surrounded by a few remaing Sopranos characters, and he recalls a dream in which their lives were thought of as a television series. That would be funny. This is a comedy after all.

[–] annab-20 10 years ago

The Adriana La Cerva call out with the little dog was great.

[–] annab-20 10 years ago

Maybe, it was very odd.

[–] Caribbean_Smurf 10 years ago

I don't thinking that acknowledging "The Sopranos" as a tv series really does anything to refute the idea that the Lilyhammer universe could be Silvio's coma dream. Perhaps his subconscious is simply recontextualizing events from his pre-coma life as a television show so that he can be at peace in Lillehammer.

That's what I was thinking as well.

I think the writers are aware of the 'Silvio's coma dream' theory and chose to give a nod to it in the new season. I doubt the series will actually revisit this, but it allows for different interpretations of the Lilyhammer series. It would explains why Frank is so lucky and how everything works out for him in the end, why hot Norwegian and Brazilian women fall at his feet when he so much as winks.

Given that Frank doesn't respond to the man, you can interpret it as a crazy old man just spewing nonsense, or Silvio's subconscious trying to tell him something. Same thing with the orange cat / tiger connection. It won't alienate viewers who have never seen the Sopranos but it's a cool nod to the fans.

[–] CrusinForBurgers 10 years ago

You know, I was actually referring to a positive of Silvio's dream that he's non-responsive to the old man. For different reasons that you gave. I'm thinking he just knew he's Silvio and it was nothing to hear someone call him that. This would be a great name for an episode. Silvio's Dream.

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