Directed by Lesli Linka Glatter and written by Mark Frost, the fifth episode of Twin Peaks entitled Cooper’s Dream revolves around the discovery of Leo Johnson’s blood-stained shirt that Bobby Briggs put in the apartment home of Jacques Renault. Special Agent Cooper, Sheriff Truman, Deputy Hawk, and Dr. Hayward all check out what is in Renault’s apartment where they find some clues into the work that Renault and Johnson are up to. It’s an episode where it is not just about a series of investigations where Audrey Horne, James Hurley, and Donna Hayward trek into their own journeys to find out what is going on where Hurley and Hayward ask Laura’s cousin Maddy for help.
The episode does find a balance of quirky humor with some suspense and drama as there’s also some looming tension as it relates to Hank Jennings’ return to society as he promises Norma to do right though it is clear he might have a history with Josie Packard. Hank’s return would put Norma’s affair with Ed Hurley on hold while Benjamin Horne’s attempt to buy the Martell saw mill is getting closer with Catherine Martell wanting to ruin Packard. It’s an episode that plays into a lot of elements in the underworld as Mark Frost would write events and little subplots that play into not just how Laura Palmer’s death would unravel some of the things in the town but also how things become more complicated as it relates to her own activities.
One major subplot involves Bobby Briggs and his affair with Shelley Johnson as the latter reveals she had bought a gun as the two pretend to play with it while Briggs would finally unveil a more tormented side of himself during a session with Dr. Jacoby as it relates to Laura. It’s a moment where Dana Ashbrook’s performance definitely shows a lot of layers as someone who has some depth and makes Briggs a character who isn’t just some good-looking bad boy but one who is very troubled. Sherilyn Fenn’s performance as Audrey Horne is another standout not just due to the script but also in Audrey’s motivations as she would blackmail her father’s department store boss to get her a job where she would work to investigate what Laura and Ronette would do. Even as it showcased more of her attraction towards Agent Cooper.
Lesli Linka Glatter’s direction is very mesmerizing in the compositions as well as matching the elements of suspense and humor such as a scene where Cooper, Truman, Hawk, and Dr. Hayward meet with the log lady who would reveal some things that her log claims to have seen. It would be a key break into the story while the episode would also feature moments of humor as Cooper is annoyed by visiting Icelanders for a business convention held by Benjamin and Jerry Horne. A business meeting and later a party that would set the course for some of the elements of greed that looms over Benjamin but also a moment that shows Leland Palmer losing it. Yet, it’s one of the final scenes of the episode that involves the Johnsons that becomes a major turning point as their story ends in a cliffhanger.
Cooper’s Dream is a phenomenal episode of Twin Peaks thanks in large part to Mark Frost’s script and Lesli Linka Glatter’s direction. It’s an episode that ends on a high note into what will happen next while keeping this mysterious about what happened and what is going on. In the end, Cooper’s Dream is a dazzling and riveting episode from Lesli Linka Glatter.
Twin Peaks: Season 1: Pilot - Episode 1 - Episode 2 - Episode 3 - Episode 4 - Episode 6 - Episode 7
Season 2: Episode 8 - Episode 9 - Episode 10 - Episode 11 - Episode 12 - Episode 13 - Episode 14 - Episode 15 - (Episode 16) - (Episode 17) - (Episode 18) - (Episode 19) - (Episode 20) - (Episode 21) - (Episode 22) - (Episode 23) - (Episode 24) - (Episode 25) - (Episode 26) - (Episode 27) - (Episode 28) - (Episode 29)
Season 3: (Coming Soon)
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me - (The Missing Pieces)
© thevoid99 2015
Directed by Tina Rathbone and written by Harley Peyton, the fourth episode of Twin Peaks entitled Rest in Pain revolves around the day of Laura Palmer’s funeral services as emotions run high while Special Agent Cooper believes that he has a hunch on who killed her. While Cooper believes that there’s a lot more to the case, he also deals with the tension between Sheriff Truman and Agent Rosenfield as the latter found some clues during Laura’s autopsy that opens the door to an underworld in the town. All of which plays into things that is happening where Cooper and Truman confront Leo Johnson who denies anything despite Cooper’s reciting all of Johnson’s past criminal activities.
It’s an episode that does close a moment where everyone says goodbye including Laura’s look-a-like cousin Maddy (Sheryl Lee) who visits to attend the funeral to Leland Palmer’s comfort. Yet, it’s a moment where the town would unravel as Bobby Briggs would claim that Laura’s real killer is the whole town in saying that they didn’t do enough to help her. It’s an episode where it features some very intense and intentionally cheesy dramatic elements along with comical moments that prove to be very funny in the most unintentional ways. Thanks in part to Harley Peyton’s script which not only manages to balance the disparate tones of the story but also find ways to keep the focus about the mystery surrounding Palmer’s death.
Under Tina Rathbone’s direction, the element of humor, drama, and suspense is engaging as well as being offbeat as it also features little moments that do play into the story. Notably a scene involving Ed Hurley and his wife Nadine (Wendy Robie) as the latter thanks him for giving her the accidental solution for her silent drapes as it is among some of the weird moments of the episode. Yet, it’s the funeral where Rathbone’s direction has nearly all of the principle characters in the frame while building up something where things will explode. It’s a very comical moment while it is followed by Shelley Johnson working at the diner telling the customers exactly what happened.
Its final moments would play more into the underworld where Truman and Deputy Hawk (Michael Horse) would invite Cooper into a secret society that involves Ed Hurley as it relates to a secret drug smuggling ring that Truman and Hawk are trying to end. It’s the episode that would give a proper introduction to Jacques Renault (Walter Olkewicz) and his family who are in connection with Leo Johnson into transporting drugs. What would happen would unveil more about the dark elements of the town as well as more about Laura Palmer and her connection with the Renault family. With Miguel Ferrer being great as the asshole FBI Agent Rosenfield and Sheryl Lee providing a brief yet wonderful performance as Maddy Ferguson. It’s an episode that plays more into the tension between Josie Packard and Catherine Martell where the former tells Truman about what she wants to do as it is clear that Martell is trying to ruin Packard.
Rest in Pain is a fantastic episode from Tina Rathbone and Harley Peyton as they manage to find a balance between elements of humor and drama. It’s also an episode that isn’t afraid to find the line of unintentional humor as it plays into David Lynch’s idea of playing against the rules of conventional television mysteries. In the end, Rest in Pain is a thrilling and witty episode of Twin Peaks from Tina Rathbone.
Twin Peaks: Season 1: Pilot - Episode 1 - Episode 2 - Episode 4 - Episode 5 - Episode 6 - Episode 7
Season 2: Episode 8 - Episode 9 - Episode 10 - Episode 11 - Episode 12 - Episode 13 - Episode 14 - Episode 15 - (Episode 16) - (Episode 17) - (Episode 18) - (Episode 19) - (Episode 20) - (Episode 21) - (Episode 22) - (Episode 23) - (Episode 24) - (Episode 25) - (Episode 26) - (Episode 27) - (Episode 28) - (Episode 29)
Season 3: (Coming Soon)
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me - (The Missing Pieces)
© thevoid99 2015
Directed by David Lynch and written by Lynch and Mark Frost, the third episode of Twin Peaks entitled Zen, or the Skill to Catch a Killer is an episode which picks up from the previous episode as many cope with Laura’s death as well as the things that are happening in the town. Special Agent Cooper and Sheriff Truman continue the case where Cooper’s fellow FBI agent Albert Rosenfield (Miguel Ferrer) would come in to aid in the case much to Truman’s dismay. Meanwhile, certain events and such would play into the investigation as well as the town of Twin Peaks becoming more ominous.
It’s an episode that starts off with its mixture of cheesy soap-opera dramatics and its offbeat yet quirky humor that would play into not just the charms of the small town but also into some of its darker elements. Notably the business that Leo Johnson is running as he would confront Bobby Briggs and Mike Nelson about the money they owe him where the former would make a secret vow to Johnson’s wife Shelley to kill him just several hours after meeting Leo. Other dark elements include a world that is outside of Twin Peaks where Benjamin Horne gets a visit from his younger brother Jerry (David Patrick Kelly) as the two go to the Canadian border to a brothel/casino called One Eyed Jacks where the two flip a coin to see who can sleep with the new prostitute.
The comedic elements would include not just the Hayward family witnessing Audrey Horne dancing to a jazz tune at the diner but also in Cooper’s approach in the investigation inspired by Tibetan ideals. It’s a scene where it is quite playful but allows Cooper to have Truman and the other people in the sheriff department be part of this as equals. It’s among one of the finer moments of the episode where Cooper seems to enjoy himself in the town and is happy to work with Truman and the staff as he would smile when he saw Truman chew out Rosenfield. It is a moment where Rosenfield thinks he is in charge and accuses the people of Twin Peaks as amateurs where the receptionist Lucy would make a face at him.
Another funny moment that plays into David Lynch’s warped sense of humor is the opening scene where the Horne family are eating dinner as they’re interrupted by Jerry who brings in baguettes with brie as Benjamin goes nuts over it. It is part of Lynch’s own idea of a world where kind of makes fun of family dramas but also add an element of danger. Then there’s the surreal dream sequence towards the end of the episode that becomes part of the series’ trademark. It’s where Agent Cooper finds himself in a mysterious room with a woman that looks like Laura Palmer as he meets this strange little midget talking backwards that is known as The Man from Another Place (Michael J. Anderson). It is part of the surrealistic elements that Lynch is known for yet is very effective to its sense of intrigue and offbeat tone where this mysterious being would also dance to the jazzy score by Angelo Badalamenti.
Zen, or the Skill to Catch a Killer is one of the finest episodes of the series as it manages to balance the strange mix of humor, drama, and surrealism. Notably as the entire cast including the appearances of David Patrick Kelly and Miguel Ferrer all bring in their game and more. Even as David Lynch manages to bring in some unique visuals and compelling stories for audiences to be engaged by. In the end, Zen, or the Skill to Catch a Killer is a riveting episode of Twin Peaks.
Twin Peaks: Season 1: Pilot - Episode 1 - Episode 3 - Episode 4 - Episode 5 - Episode 6 - Episode 7
Season 2: Episode 8 - Episode 9 - Episode 10 - Episode 11 - Episode 12 - Episode 13 - Episode 14 - Episode 15 - (Episode 16) - (Episode 17) - (Episode 18) - (Episode 19) - (Episode 20) - (Episode 21) - (Episode 22) - (Episode 23) - (Episode 24) - (Episode 25) - (Episode 26) - (Episode 27) - (Episode 28) - (Episode 29)
Season 3: (Coming Soon)
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me - (The Missing Pieces)
© thevoid99 2015
Directed by Duwayne Dunham and written by David Lynch and Mark Frost, the second episode of Twin Peaks entitled Traces to Nowhere continues Special Agent Cooper and Sheriff Truman’s investigation into Laura Palmer’s murder. Upon questioning suspect and Palmer’s secret boyfriend James Hurley, more suspicions arises in the course of the episode as more questions into Palmer’s final days and the events that probably led to her death. Notably as characters who had bit parts in the pilot suddenly become more prominent as it also raised questions about who could the killer be.
It’s an episode where it reveals more of the dark aspects of the small town of Twin Peaks where it doesn’t relate to some of things that goes on behind the scenes. It also plays into individuals who all have something to hide or have something that could relate to Laura Palmer’s death. Among the things that is happening involves this feud between Josie Packard and Catherine Martell over the control of the logging factory mill where Martell is in cahoots with Benjamin Horne into buying the land as it is revealed that Packard really wants to run it. One character that was seen briefly in the pilot but has a bigger role in this episode is Leo Johnson (Eric Da Rae) who is a truck driver that had returned home as he is very abusive to his young wife Shelley while it is revealed that he is part of a shady deal that Bobby and Mike are in as the two owe Leo money.
While the episode does continue to focus on the mystery of Laura’s murder as it features a very eerie moment where Donna Hayward visit the Palmers where Susan Palmer gets a glimpse of a mysterious man (Frank Silva) as it plays into the series of nightmares she is having. The air of suspense as well as the growing mystery that includes an ending involving Laura’s psychiatrist Laurence Jacoby (Russ Tamblyn) who would listen to a tape where some of its contents wouldn’t be revealed. Adding to the mystery is a scene where James’ uncle Ed would tell Cooper and Truman something he heard of as it relates to the bar fight he had been in as it plays into an underworld that Leo Johnson, Bobby, and Mike might be involved in that also plays into what Laura might’ve encountered.
The episode would also feature elements of quirks as it relates to Cooper’s love of coffee as well as Audrey Horne’s two scenes where she tried to flirt with Cooper and later dance to some music that she is listening to as she’s being confronted by her father. Duwayne Dunham’s direction definitely adds that mixture of humor and drama with elements of cheesy soap opera aesthetics that relates to a flashback sequence between Laura and James which is intentional to play into the sense of quirkiness of the show. The darker moments would include one of the most terrifying scenes where Shelley returns home as she is about to beaten by Leo over a shirt she had hidden as it plays into an air of suspense with Dunham’s camera being key into the sense of terror.
Much of the episode’s look does remain the same with an exception of one very chilling scene where a one-armed man walks into the morgue followed by a sheriff as it would feature this very eerie look in blue filters as it is among one of the highlights of the episode as is the music of Angelo Badalamenti which is played on location and also through post-production tricks with its mix of jazz and eerie ambient music. The banter between Kyle McLachlan and Michael Ontkean in their roles as Cooper and Truman becomes more lively and humorous with MacLachlan being the funny one and Ontkean being the straight man. Other central performances from Sherilyn Fenn as Audrey Horne, Lara Flynn Boyle as Donna Hayward, James Marshall as James Hurley, and Dana Ashbrook as Bobby Briggs do stand out.
Most notably Ashbrook as his character is finally shown what his home life is like with his parents as his father Major Garland Briggs (Don S. Davis) chastises him for being rebellious. The episode’s real standout is Eric Da Rae as the mysterious Leo Johnson as he is a force of terror that makes him a man that is very likely to be involved with Laura’s death.
Traces to Nowhere is a phenomenal follow-up to the pilot episode of Twin Peaks which allows the audience to get to know more of its characters as well as the mixture of quirkiness and terror of the town and its locals. Even as it manages to border the line between something that is offbeat but also something that is sinister thanks in part to Duwayne Dunham’s direction as it helps maintain the momentum of its ominous pilot.
Twin Peaks: Season 1: Pilot - Episode 2 - Episode 3 - Episode 4 - Episode 5 - Episode 6 - Episode 7
Season 2: Episode 8 - Episode 9 - Episode 10 - Episode 11 - Episode 12 - Episode 13 - Episode 14 - Episode 15 - (Episode 16) - (Episode 17) - (Episode 18) - (Episode 19) - (Episode 20) - (Episode 21) - (Episode 22) - (Episode 23) - (Episode 24) - (Episode 25) - (Episode 26) - (Episode 27) - (Episode 28) - (Episode 29)
Season 3: (Coming Soon)
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me - (The Missing Pieces)
© thevoid99 2015
