There’s no question at all that Twin Peaks: The Return is a very different show than it’s predecessor. We’re now at the halfway point of the series, and we haven’t even seen most of the cast from the original show. Hell, we haven’t even seen much of Twin Peaks itself, being that most of the plot takes place well outside of city limits. Those seeking explanations of the mysteries from Season Two have been, for the most part, left out in the cold. Those believing that David Lynch will easily give us those answers really need to have their heads examined. How often does Lynch really explain things anyway? Believe me, I’m not complaining. I love the show much more than I did the original series. Like I said in an earlier report, this is pure unadulterated David Lynch, and the other show was essentially an edgy and quirky Dallas or Dynasty. For quite a lot of fans however, the show is understandably frustrating.
Probably the most annoying thing about the new show is that we haven’t really gotten back the good old Agent Dale Cooper. Instead we have a near-catatonic shell who only shows glimpses of the old Coop. I get the impression that during his journey through the electrical circuit, something was lost, and is still circling in a loop just waiting for him to touch the current, shocking him back into the old Coop. As much as I’m not crazy about not having the old Coop back, the Dougie/ Janey-E/ Sonny Jim shenanigans are almost entertaining enough that I don’t mind. And Evil Coop! I quite simply cannot get enough of Evil Coop. I really hope that this is all setting up for a showdown between the two. Imagine the possibilities. Things are even starting to come together. Even the Las Vegas police are on the verge of figuring out that Dougie Jones is really an agent of the Bureau they likely never even heard of. Anyone who’s been paying attention to promos knows that we will get the good old Coop back eventually, as we’ve seen the non-Dougie version driving someone in a car and walking around looking rather sad. There are unsurprisingly several fan theories regarding who may be in the passenger seat. But still, how much longer do we have to wait until we get the real Cooper back? If it’s more than a couple episodes, it’s really gonna be annoying.
One thing’s for sure. Episode Nine is the closest we’ve ever been to the original series. Much more of the episode takes place in Twin Peaks, and the humorous interplay between Sheriff Truman and company is somewhat of a welcome return to the quirkiness of the old show. I love the direction Lynch and Frost have chosen to take Bobby Briggs. He is no longer the butt of a joke. He’s no longer a slacker. It’s not like he’s no longer a rebel. He still seems to exude that aspect of his character. I’m sure he talks back quite a bit to Truman and Hawk. Why wouldn’t he? He’s fucking Bobby Briggs! What they did to the character was to simply make him the mature version of himself. He’s the man he was always supposed to be. Major Briggs having foreseen all of this is touching, to say the least.
With nine more episodes left we still have yet to see any appearance of Audrey Horne, Annie Blackburn, Nadine Hurley, Ed Hurley, Donna Hayward, Leo Johnson, or Special Agent Chester Desmond. Although Phillip Jeffries has a presence in the show, his character has still yet to make an onscreen appearance. I’m still holding out hope that David Bowie was able to film his scenes before his death. Stranger things have happened.
Tags: David Lynch, Kyle MacLachlan, Laura Dern, Mark Frost, Matthew Lillard, Miguel Ferrer, Naomi Watts, Showtime, TV, Twin Peaks
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