Written and directed by Mark Frost, the eighth and final episode of the first season of Twin Peaks entitled The Last Evening plays into the night Special Agent Cooper and Sheriff Truman finally arrest Jacques Renault for the attempted murder on Ronette Pulaski and the death of Laura Palmer. Yet, things become more complicated where James Hurley, Donna Hayward, and Maddy Ferguson find the missing tape of Palmer’s last session with Dr. Jacoby as it only raised more questions into who killed her. Even as all of the clues and suspects that lead towards who is Laura Palmer’s killer would only raise more questions and more intrigue into the underworld of Twin Peaks.
It’s an episode where everyone tries to find out who killed Laura Palmer where everyone thinks they’re getting closer. Instead, things become more complicated though two men are major suspects in Jacques Renault and Leo Johnson as the latter finds out about Shelley’s affair with Bobby Briggs. Upon capturing Renault and getting some answers from him, Cooper and Truman believe they have a lead while there is more that happens in the course of the entire night. Mark Frost’s script sets the entire episode in the span of an entire night where it is about nabbing Renault as well as find clues into Laura’s death. Meanwhile, a lot of other things happen where James Hurley would eventually get into trouble where he learns he’s been set up after Truman finds a bag of cocaine in his motorcycle gas tank.
Other subplots involve Benjamin Horne’s deal with some Icelandic businessman at One Eyed Jack’s as he is unaware that Audrey is there posing as the new girl at the brothel as she is doing undercover work of her own. Dr. Jacoby who was lured into a scheme by Donna, James, and Maddy would be attacked by a mysterious figure as he would end up in the hospital where it becomes clear that he might’ve known something about Palmer but wasn’t involved with her murder. Then there’s the feud between Catherine Martell and Josie Packard over the control of the sawmill where it’s clear that Martell has been fooled by Benjamin Horne who isn’t just in cahoots with Packard over the ownership of the mill but also it’s plans. Even as there are more revelations into what Hank Jennings did that put him in jail and his connection with Packard.
Frost’s direction is quite eerie where it does maintain its sense of intrigue and suspense along with elements of drama and terror. Most notably in the way Ed Hurley and Norma Jennings’ own respective relationships with their spouses are handled as the former in his wife Nadine goes into depression following the failure of her invention. The compositions that Frost makes are intriguing while he lets the episode end on a cliffhanger which only adds more to who is behind all of this and who is the one trying to stop the authorities and others from revealing who is killing Laura Palmer.
The performances of its cast is amazing where Kyle MacLachlan is the star of the season as Agent Cooper as he brings in that mixture of witty humor and determination as his character does seem like he is about to get closer only for something happen in its ending that would change everything. The performances of Sherilyn Fenn, Madchen Amick, Jack Nance, Piper Laurie, Michael Ontkean, Ray Wise, Lara Flynn Boyle, Everett McGill, and Dana Ashbrook are in top form as they all bring some unique complexities into their characters.
The Last Evening is a brilliant season finale for Twin Peaks which not only engages the audience into the mystery but also has them wanting for more with its cliffhanger in the end. Thanks to the work of Mark Frost and its air of suspense and dark humor, the episode isn’t just one of the series’ finest moments but also television at its most compelling. In the end, The Last Evening is a phenomenal episode of Twin Peaks from Mark Frost.
Twin Peaks: Season 1: Pilot - Episode 1 - Episode 2 - Episode 3 - Episode 4 - Episode 5 - Episode 6
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
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