Day Two Hundred and Eighty-one - Twin Peaks: Season 1, Episode 7, "Oh, to be that Cherry Stem."

After the cliffhanger of Audrey in her birthday suit in Agent Cooper's bed, a first-time watcher probably would've expected more drama than Coop doing the right thing and laying nary a finger on the high school temptress... instead going for malts and fries downstairs while she gets dressed... but Twin Peaks isn't Melrose Place and Agent Cooper always stays true to his character.

Tonight's episode continues to the next day with more to the Josie/Ben/Catherine storyline as Josie tries to sway Truman when he confronts her about staking out Ben and Catherine's tryst. Unfortunately for Josie, an overzealous insurance salesman tips her and Ben's play too early and Catherine knows she's being double-(or, perhaps, triple)-crossed.

 In addition, the White Hats at the police station wait on Ronette's Myna bird whose mimicry might shed some light on what happened at Jacques Renault's cabin. They don't get too far, unfortunately, because the wounded Leo races to the station from his sniper perch overlooking his house to slay the avian witness... but not before Coop's tape recorder catches a few interesting tidbits.

Speaking of Leo, Shelly is a mess after shooting him late last episode. Too bad she only winged him, but things have to play out just so. Leo definitely has more to do in this supernatural soap (like avicide).

For me, the most interesting parts of the episode are Audrey's quick investigations at the deparment store and Coop and the Bookhouse Boys sting which leads both parties to One-Eyed Jack's. Not only does this episode contain the infamous Cherry Knot sequence where Audrey impresses Jack's madam, Blackie, with her tongue-twisting talents, but seeing Everett McGill in a wig and mustache is comedy gold, even as he sells it well. I love that scripted goof where he gives Blackie his actual profession before recovering nicely and giving her some of her own innuendo-laden banter back to assuage her suspicions.

That Cherry Knot, though. Wowsers! It's been occasionally imitated and often lampooned, but say what you will about the scene, it has implanted itself into our cultural zeitgeist as one of the most thoroughly erotic sequences of the 90's... almost up there with Sharon Stone's leg-cross in Basic Instinct.

As usual, I could do with out Donna, James, and Maddie and their shenanigans, though trying to trick Doc Jacoby gives Bobby an opportunity for another frame job. Bleh. Like I said, One-Eyed Jack's is where it's at.

I'm actually really disappointed that there's nothing supernatural going on in this episode. Arguments have been made regarding Leland staring out after Maddie when she sneaks away to help Donna and James trick Jacoby, but even those are just theories and discussing them any further would be spoilery.

Can't wait till everything comes to a head in the first season finale!

Until tomorrow, Potatoes~