All the Twin Peaks #8

Sorry, darling but I like the blondes.

Twin Peaks Journal

Episode #8 The Last Evening

Airdate: May 23, 1990

Written by: Mark Frost

Directed by: Mark Frost

Summary: Doctor Jacoby is beaten by a mysterious assailant; Deputy Andy shoots Jacques Renault; Leo torches the sawmill with Shelly and Catherine inside; Nadine Hurley attempts suicide; Lucy tells Andy she's pregnant; Hank shoots Leo; Ben tries out the new girl at One-Eyed Jack's (who happens to be Audrey), Cooper is shot.

Other Areas of Interest:

*How fitting that among other various talents, Cooper can count cards!  

*Jacques drives a goddamned EL CAMINO! YES! 

*Nadine's suicide setup is pretty elaborate. Poor Nadine. 

*Norma seems to be visibly disgusted by Hank, as we all are.

THOSE GETUPS! 

*Leland is starting to lose it.

Rating: 🍩🍩🍩🍩 (Four doughnuts out of four possible)

There are some seriously amazing moments in this episode: 1. Cooper's subtle reaction of disapproval when Jacques, during their interview at One-Eyed Jack's, says that Leo "was doin' a real number on her (Laura)," which was accomplished mainly by a sudden tight closeup on Cooper's eyes, and 2. Sheriff Truman's look of utter fury and badass as he and his team close in on Jacques Renault. What a couple of guys.

I suppose the bigger issue here, the theme, if you will, is that the murder of Laura Palmer has become secondary for Cooper. Even though still an outsider, the crime has now begun to affect Cooper on almost the same level as the others---Truman, Doc Hayward, James, etc.,  and not just as an agent of the law, there's emotion involved now. He's angry when Jacques nonchalantly brags about the sexual escapades with Laura, just as Truman is when he finally gets his chance to arrest who he believes is Laura's killer. It matters to us in the same way as we too have become invested and want justice.

Old girl finds JR, Dallas, 1980.

What we saw Cooper's dream is the suggestion Cooper will eventually solve Laura's murder, but also that the dream itself was bizarre in a way that only David Lynch could conceive---the room was red and sinister, a little man was speaking in what sounded like backwards-dubbed language, and Laura Palmer whispered into Cooper's ear who her murderer was. It's a valid assumption that Cooper both has grown to care about the people of Twin Peaks AND is intrigued by the mystery of his dream and the strangeness of the events surrounding the murder (I'm mostly referring to Sarah Palmer's visions, The Log Lady, The One-Armed Man, and Cooper's ability to tie all this together to the assumed-to-be-related murder he mentioned at the town meeting). We are on the brink of getting resolution with all this and then, BANG BANG, in a cliffhanger to end all cliffhangers (props back to the old school "Who Shot JR," for paving the way), Cooper goes down. A perfect episode with a perfect half-cadence conclusion to leave us high and dry, waiting for the next season.


Best Lynch Moment: Leo hiding behind the door with an axe

Best Line: "Be quiet, I'm thinking. . ." --Catherine to Shelly as the mill bursts into flames

Coffee, Pie, or Doughnut References: 1

All the Twin Peaks #6

YES! 

Twin Peaks Journal
Episode #6, Cooper's Dreams
Airdate: May 10, 1990
Written by: Mark Frost
Directed by Lesli Linka Glatter

Summary: Cooper, Truman, Doctor Hayward, and Hawk visit the Log Lady and investigate Jacques' cabin; Audrey gets a job at Horne's Department Store; Maddie agrees to help James and Donna; Ben and Josie plot to burn the mill; Leo is assaulted by Hank Jennings and then shot by Shelly.

Audrey greets Cooper in bed (!).

Other Areas of Interest:
*Cooper has no patience for the Icelanders

*Ray Wise really is a genius as Leland. So much crying! All this dancing is just sad, and Catherine just makes it worse by imitating his moves.

*Cooper gets giddy over the Fleshworld situation---"Let's see who's writing to Ronnette!" Sometimes he seems like a little kid.

*Leo's phone call home---I MISS YOU, SHELLY? What, he misses hitting her? I suppose we should assume that he requires service in the bedroom as well as other areas of the house, or maybe Shelly really is just a maid to him? I want to believe that Hank is really just following up on his investment gone bad with Leo, but with the way he was leering at Shelly in the diner, I suspect he might have been thinking of the long game and a future without Leo and maybe a tumble or two with her? Hank is only slightly less disgusting than Leo; his one redeeming factor is that he seems to defer to Norma, who I still cannot believe dated/smashed with/married Hank.

Shut your eyes and you'll burst into flames!

*The Log Lady, Margaret Lanterman, is the first person to openly challenge Cooper in anything, she slaps his hand away from the cookies. How forward of her!

*The lineup shot of the four (Cooper, Truman, Hayward, and Hawk) is really sweet, it makes them all look badass and powerful and it conveys the importance of  Jacques' cabin as they all pause, scoping it out before launching into it. Julee Cruise playing softly on that turntable off in the distance just makes it all the more creepy, because why not? (Where we're from the birds sing a pretty song, and there's always music in the air.)



Rating: 🍩🍩 🍩 (Three doughnuts out of four possible)

After watching these episodes several times, it's been fun noticing little nuances that each new or different writer or director brings to his/her production. For example, this episode, written by Frost and directed by LLG has great emotional range and has a somewhat lesser focus on the strange/grotesque factors--(the episodes Lynch writes and directs are the opposite of this). Cooper's childish side, Leland's anguish, and the repeated encounters with the Icleanders' song are interesting situations with big emotions, and these scenes contribute to how the show manages to stay lighthearted and heavy in perfect balance throughout the first season. Nice work.

Best Lynch Moment: Getting to know the Log Lady
Best Line: "Wait, what kind of cookies?" ---Hawk
New Characters: The Icelandic Investment Group, Emory from Horne's Department Store
Coffee, Pie, or Doughnut References: 4
Journal Entry of the Day: Your favorite and mine, Shelly Johnson! I guess I thought she needed an Airstream trailer with some flamingos or something. Poor Shelly. It always made me sad she had to light her cigarettes on the stove (with all that hair just waiting to ignite) and then had to do all Leo's disgusting laundry OUTSIDE. We all want a better life for Shelly.

All the Twin Peaks #4

Twin Peaks Journal
Episode #4, Rest in Pain
Airdate: April 26, 1990
Written by: Harley Peyton
Directed by: Tina Rathbone

Summary: Cooper tells Truman and Lucy about his dream; Truman punches Albert; Maddie Ferguson arrives; Norma Jennings talks to her husband's parole officer; the town attends Laura's funeral; the Bookhouse Boys interrogate Bernard Renault; Josie and Truman get it on; Leland Palmer is slowly losing it.

Other Areas of Interest: 
* Cooper flirts with Audrey to get her to give up her handwriting sample. On One-Eyed Jack's---"Women, you know, work there." How subtle!!!

I'm not scared of funerals, I LOVE funerals!

*Bobby reaches up to crucifix at first to perhaps imitate and then to strangle Christ. If only there was something that could get him and his father to communicate!

*Shelly is quite the hit with the old codgers in the diner doing the imitation of Leland falling on the coffin schtick!

Rating: 🍩🍩🍩🍩 (Four doughnuts out of four possible)

We know most of the characters by now, but what about the town as a character? This may sound a bit sentimental, but what makes this episode great and sets it apart from the previous three is that we see the beginning of a change in Cooper (a good one, not a stupid one that comes later when he does that dumb-ass thing and falls in love with an ex-nun), and it's Twin Peaks itself that's driving this.

Cooper starts by pulling rank on Rosenfield for not releasing Laura's body for the funeral, he replaces Laura's hand back on her chest after Rosenfield knocks it off, records a query to Diane about potentially purchasing real estate (in Twin Peaks), and then joins Truman's little secret society to look into a crime that has absolutely nothing to do with Laura Palmer. He's becoming invested in the community! It's a hidden, creepy little town, but there's something about it we're all drawn to . . .

"We all knew she was in trouble,"

Best Lynch Moment: Leland Palmer pitching abruptly onto coffin
Best Line: "To Laura, Godspeed." --Cooper
New Characters: Madeline Ferguson, Joey Paulson, Bernard Renault
Coffee, Pie, or Doughnut References:4
Journal Entry of the Day: Maddie

All the Twin Peaks #2

Twin Peaks Journal
Episode #2, "Traces to Nowhere"
Airdate: April 8, 1990
Written by: David Lynch, Mark Frost
Directed by: Duwayne  Dunham

Summary: Cooper receives preliminary autopsy report
of Laura Palmer; Leo criticizes Shelly for neglecting to
do his hidden bag of laundry, then becomes angry because whoops his bloody shirt was in there; the high school boys get sprung from the clink.

Pete makes coffee and has a problem with a fish, Catherine and Ben are having an old-person affair with each other; Deputy Hawk sees a one-armed man; the Log Lady's log will someday have something to say; Leo abuses Shelly; Dr. Jacoby has the necklace, Sarah Palmer sees some scary-ass dude in a vision at the foot of her daughter's bed. Who the hell was that?

yeah, NO.

Other Areas of Interest


* Cooper seems intrigued by/suspicious of Audrey immediately.


*Leo's truck: BIG PUSSYCAT. (??)


*Ronnette's father's tone is amusing, "She used to joke, it was the sweetest-smelling job she ever had." Has she had other, less-sweet-smelling jobs, then?

*Norma seems a bit cold toward Cooper until he orders more pie.

*Leo putting the soap in the sock to give Shelly a "code red,"---was he a Marine like Bobby Peru?
Gross.

I love your hair, Donna! #CutsbyToad

Rating: 🍩🍩🍩 (Three doughnuts out of four possible)

This episode takes us further and offers a bit more information on the lead-up to Laura's murder and what was happening with everyone else in town. For example, Josie and Sheriff Truman are involved; Catherine and Ben Horne are involved; Shelley and Bobby are involved, Big Ed and Norma, and so on. And there seems to be some confusion or at least complications over who Laura Palmer really was---was she the coke-snorting homecoming queen dating the quarterback, or the picnic-dancing sweetheart dating the biker? Tutoring Josie in English, organizing meals on wheels, tutoring Johnny Horne? She seems really over-scheduled, I'd probably need cocaine, too.

Best Lynch Moment: Cooper meeting Audrey---"Do your palms ever itch?"
Best Line: "By God those things will be quiet now!"--Nadine Hurley
New Characters: "The Bookhouse Boys," the One-Armed Man
Coffee, pie, or doughnut references: 9
Journal Entry of the Day: Hey there, Sarah! Have a smoke on me, kay?

 

In the meantime. . .

To all the men I've loved before. . .

Twin Peaks episode 7

airdate: May 23, 1990
director: Mark Frost
writer: Mark Frost

Summary: Jacoby is beaten by a mysterious assailant; Deputy Andy Brennan shoots Jacques who survives; Leo torches the sawmill with Shelley and Catherine inside; Nadine Hurley tries to kill herself; Lucy tells Andy she's pregnant; Hank shoots Leo; Ben goes to try out the new girl (Audrey); Cooper is shot by a mysterious gunman.

****four star rating: Let's Rock!

Notes: How fitting that among all his other various talents, Coop can also COUNT CARDS! The close up on Coop's eyes ROCKS when Jacques unfeelingly describes Leo "doing a number" on Laura as if it were funny. ROCK ON! Jacques drives an El Camino? Of course he does. Harry walking up to Jacques with such a pissed off look is PRICELESS!!! Truman is the hottest thing in this show. Some of the shots here maek me want to cry with amazement. Even the look on James' face is good after hearing scathing remarks about himself while listening to Laura's tape. And normally I just want to punch James (and Donna) in the face. Nadine's suicide attempt is really elaborate! Norma seems physically (visually) disgusted by Hank; so am I. Leland is starting to lose it.

Best Lynch moment: Leo hiding behind the door with an axe.

Best Line: "BE QUIET! I'm thinking. . . ." Catherine to Shelley while the mill is on fire.

coffee, pie, or doughnut references: 1

Twin Peaks episode 5

airdate: May 10, 1990
director: Leslie Linka Glatter
writer: Mark Frost

Summary: Cooper and Truman visit the Log Lady and investigate Jacques' cabin (and find Waldo); Audrey gets a job at Horne's Department Store; Maddie agrees to help James and Donna; Ben and Josie plot to burn the sawmill; Hank beats up Leo; Shelley shoots Leo; Cooper finds Audrey in his bed.

***three star rating: Stab it and Steer

Notes: Coop gets a little giddy and boyish when getting excited over Fleshworld? LET'S SEE WHO'S WRITING TO RONNETTE! Margaret is the first one to challenge Coop by slapping his hand away from the cookies. What's up with Leo telling Shelley he misses her (out of the blue)? Nice shot of the four dudes lining up one at a time to look at Jacques' cabin.

Best Lynch Moment: The Log Lady

Best Line: "---not much meat on her, though." Hank Jennings, ABOUT SHELLEY JOHNSON.

New Characters: The Icelandic Investment Group

coffee, pie, or doughnut references: 4

Twin Peaks episode 4

airdate: May 3, 1990
director: Tim Hunter
writer: Robert Engels

Summary: Sarah Palmer gives the detectives a description of Bob; the one-armed man (Philip Gerard) is found; Hank Jennings is paroled; Cooper investigates a veterinarian and learns about Waldo the myna bird; James meets Madeline; Leo kills Bernard; Ben Horne hired Leo to burn down the sawmill; the detectives search Jacques Renault's apartment; Donna and James search for the other half of the necklace.

*** three star rating: Stab it and steer!

Notes: What is up with Sarah's taking offense at Leland's telling Truman about the necklace vision? The theme from "Invitation to Love" is quite like Twin Peaks music. Affair between Lucy and Andy is revealed. "Oh my, yes!" Dr. Jacoby answers when asked if Laura had sexual problems. I rather enjoy Truman's hip little pacific northwest outfits. What is with that snowman in the sheriff's office? Coop and Truman stepping up to shoot the targets after having an emotional and deep conversation is AWESOME. Most of my favorite shots are these; Coop and Truman being all lawman hot and powerful.

Best Lynch moment: Ben Horne taking LITTLE ELVIS for a bath? Gross.

Best line: "File it under 'F' for 'Forget it.'"--Cooper to Gordon Kohl

New Characters: Gordon Kohl, Hank Jennings

coffee, pie, or doughnut references: 1

Twin Peaks episode 3

airdate: April 26, 1990
director: Tina Rathbone
writer: Harley Peyton

Summary: Cooper tells Sheriff Truman about his dream; Truman punches Albert; Madeleine Ferguson arrives; Norma Jennings talks to Hank's parole officer; the town attends Laura's funeral; Cooper meets the Bookhouse Boys; Truman interrogates Bernard Renault; Jacques Renault warns Leo about Truman's interest in their activities; Josie and Truman make love; Leland Palmer breaks down several times.

**** four star rating: Let's Rock!

Notes: Coop is very flirtatious with Audrey--nice touch asking her about women and One-Eyed Jack's. Wonderful scene replacing Laura's hand on her chest after Albert knocks it down. Coop is now more sympathetic and connected to Laura after having the dream about her. Bobby reaches up toward the large crucifix at first to imitate Christ on the cross but then to choke him instead? Jacoby helping Johnny Horne is very touching. Shelley seems to be quite the hit with the old codgers at the diner. Closes with the red stop light. The afterlife?

Best Lynch moment: Leland pitching onto the coffin

New Characters: Madeleine Ferguson, Joey Paulson, Bernard Renault

Coffee, pie, or doughnut references: 4