Day Two Hundred and Eighty-eight - Twin Peaks: Season 2, Episode 6, "Dang, Josie... you get around almost as much as Laura."

With very little supernatural going on this THIS episode, as well, I'm starting to get seriously bummed. There's a little, what with The Owl and MIKE making an appearance at the very end, explaining just what he and BOB are (Inhabiting Spirits), but still... no visions, no BOB. I need my fix, man. Gimme some Red Room, Davy, just a little! I'm hurting bad, man. Real bad.

Still, there's a little plain old, generic, human drama that's entertaining. Bobby and Shelly get the Vegetable Also Known As Leo home (with much less disability money than they were expecting), Josie is pressured to cut all her ties in Twin Peaks by her creepy "brother," and Ben tries to get cozy with the enigmatic Tojamura. Still no revelation on "him" yet, but it's obvious that's a terrible makeup job that is hiding someone's true identity.

Speaking of, I love Pete's attempts to socialize with Tojamura. It's going to make the revelation of who Tojamura is just that much sweeter. But that's a spoiler and I think that promised I'd blog as if this were a virginal run through the series. No matter what, that makeup really makes it obvious that some sort of shenanigans are going on... and it was especially risky of Ben to hand over Tojamura's cashier's check to Josie without signing any paperwork.

While Audrey doesn't have much to say after being rescued, I think the best part of the episode was when Ben tries to comfort her in that smarmy way he has while we all (well, the audience and Audrey) just know he was trying to get into her naughty bits while she was a masked new girl up at Jack's. Too bad she didn't make him squirm with her new found leverage. Coop's good enough with body language that he had to know that something was up, but nary a word... just formalities.

This episode also brought the first in-person appearance of David Lynch, himself. We'd heard him earlier on the phone, as Coop's supervisor, but this was the first time we'd seen his FBI Director persona in the flesh. I love the gag with the overly huge hearing aid and comically bad lip readings. I don't like how he hints that Albert (Miguel Ferrer) isn't coming back, though. Taking it as a first-time watcher, that would've seriously disappointed me. Funny character, even still... and just the sort of drop-in that I'd reserve for myself if I were in his place, so kudos.

I think that my main disappointment in the episode is the silly thriller section that carried over from last episode where Donna and Maddie attempt to get Laura's secret journal from the shut-in, Harold. His self-mutilation and trust issues are just so much cheap fluff... and his anguished wails after they leave were some of the hammiest acting that I've seen in forever.

Well, not really. This is Twin Peaks, after all... where hammy acting is the norm. Still, it was a bit over the top, even for them.

Overall, this wasn't the best episode or the worst. There were annoying bits and entertaining ones, so... as long as some happiness could be had from the watch, then I guess it was worth it. It's just so uneven. But that's the reason folks watch Soaps, right? You latch on to what you like religiously and ignore the rest. It reminds me of my sister fast-forwarding through General Hospital to get to the couples she loved, lo those many years ago.

Until tomorrow, Potatoes~

Day Two Hundred and Eighty-three - Twin Peaks: Season 2, Episode 1, "Value-sized for extra enjoyment!"

After the cliffhangers of the season 1 finale, it's nice to have a little bit of resolution as to the fates of most (not all) of the folks of Twin Peaks whose health and well-beings were in question. As you may recall, Catherine and Shelly were trying to escape the Sawmill fire, Leo was shot by Hank, Nadine OD'd on pills, Audrey was about to come face to face with her pimp father at One-Eyed Jack's, and Agent Cooper was shot point blank by persons unknown.

The premiere opens where we left Agent Cooper, lying on the floor of his hotel room at the Great Northern in a quixotic sequence where an elderly waiter (who seems more than a little senile) delivers Coops warm milk but does nothing to help the wounded agent... even coming back several times to give him a thumbs up.

Of course, it just gets weirder from there as, once the coot leaves (or does he?), Agent Cooper is visited by a vision of the Giant (played by Carel Struycken, whom folks should recognize from Star Trek:TNG and The Adams Family). Like the Man from Another Place, The Giant has several quixotic clues to impart to Coop in his quest against BOB. It's nice to finally get some more supernatural goings-on as the season 1 finale was barren of them.

Anyways, Coop is saved by the timely arrival of Truman & Co. and taken to the hospital... where he is informed that Leo's in a coma, Shelly and Pete are hospitalized with smoke inhalation, Catherine and Josie are missing, and he's only been unconscious a few hours. Talk about your eventful nights.

Meanwhile, Audrey fends off her father's amorous advances while maintaining her anonymity by playing games with curtains, pillows, and even a porcelain mask to hide her identity, managing to keep him at bay until other matters call him away. This leaves her in Blackie's bad graces and a bit of a prisoner at One-Eyed Jack's.

Lots and lots of things that were hanging over our heads from the previous season were resolved, but plenty of mysteries (and ghostly shenanigans) are still afoot... such as BOB, MIKE, Ronette's visions of the train car as she comes out of her coma (and suffers PTSD flashbacks), The Owls, and so on.

It's kind of funny to see Leland revitalized after a little spat of premeditated murder, even if his hair turning white overnight gives everyone around him pause. In addition, there's Maddie's vision of blood at the Palmer house to sate more of my thirst for the supernatural.

I'm a bit bummed that Josie and Catherine didn't make a single appearance. Catherine, I understand, as there's no mention from Shelly as to whether or not she got out of the blaze and it's more of a mystery if she's missing (possibly a crispy critter), but Josie's friendly note to Pete leaves me a bit disappointed. While I like its playful tone and see through the deception (thanks to all of the other audience knowledge we have concerning her, Catherine, and Ben Horne), I still wanted to physically see her on some set, somewhere... anywhere.

But, maybe that's just because Joan Chen is too adorable. I probably would've fallen for whatever she said/wrote just as Harry and Pete seem to do.

This episode marks the return of one of my favorite characters, Albert (Miguel Ferrer), along with his acerbic wit... and features one of the goofiest moments that I have yet to see from Andy. The acting is both frighteningly awkward and endearingly weird. I especially love it when Albert cracks up during Ed's story about how Nadine lost her Eye.

At the end of the day, the season two premiere was very satisfying and I look forward to charging through the remaining episodes as the month goes on. I'm definitely going to have to pull extra duty a few of these days and pump out double episodes as there are but thirteen days left in which to watch 21 episodes, so look forward to that (I know that I do :D ). Great, great stuff. Feeling very full, entertainment-wise.

Until tomorrow, Potatoes~

Day Two Hundred and Eighty-two - Twin Peaks: Season 1, Episode 8, "Cliffhangers... cliffhangers as far as the eye can see!"

As the season draws to a close, storylines come to a head and massive drama awaits all those who view "The Last Evening."

Still at One-Eyed Jacks, both Coop and Audrey work their own angles... Cooper sweet talking Jacques across the border back into American jurisdiction and Audrey infiltrating Blackie's cathouse to find out anything she can about Laura's death.

Back in Twin Peaks, Leo attempts revenge on Shelly for shooting him (and getting out from under his thumb) by attempting to make her death a twofer as he ties her up at the Sawmill, hoping she goes up in flames when he torches it. Leo then confronts Bobby only to be shot by Hank who is tying up loose ends.

Can we get more convoluted?

Yes... yes, we can, as James and Donna search Jacoby's office and find the Coconut which has both the half-heart locket and her last tape which seems to implicate Leo. While that's going on, Jacoby heads straight to the Gazebo and attempts to contact Laura (Maddie in a blonde wig) only to be assaulted by an unknown party.

Woof.

Skipping forward a bit, Jacques is shot by Andy while trying to escape and confesses to his part of the wild night at his cabin with Leo, Laura, and Ronette. Unfortunately for him, a distraught father doesn't want to wait for the facts to come in and takes justice into his own hands. RIP, Jacques. Them Renault boys... they be dropping like fat, maple syrup soaked flies.

Best of the Best (or Worst of the Worst, depending on your perspective) are the final few seconds where Agent Cooper is shot by an unknown assailant, point blank, three times... aaaaand scene.

If Twin Peaks didn't get a second season, that most definitely would've been the worst way to end it. No BOB, no "Fire Walk With Me," and Audrey left to her own devices in a whorehouse... in CANADA (*bone-chilling scream*). It would be like if Dallas ended with J.R. getting shot (maybe that's a little too on the nose) or if Fringe ended with Peter disappearing from both universes and never a reason given why.

Luckily for us, though, Lynch & Company managed to squeak another full season out of the Network (which we'll continue with tomorrow). Still, as season finales go, this one had pretty much all the goods. A decent amount of action (Andy, Hank, Catherine), lots of mysteries coming to completion (Leo/Shelly, The Sawmill, The Night at the Cabin), and plenty more to keep the average viewer salivating for more (Audrey as the Queen of Diamonds, Coop getting shot). I'm certainly glad I'm not waiting for the fall to come around for the season 2 premiere, I'll tell you what.

Still... no BOB. Pretty disappointing, in that regard. At the very least, I wanted him to show up in a dream sequence or something (*hint, hint for the season 2 premiere*), but oh well.

Until tomorrow, Potatoes~

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~

Day Two Hundred and Eighty - Twin Peaks: Season 1, Episode 6, "What the Log Saw."

We're back for more Twin Peaks on our Halloween Spooktacular and it looks like Agent Cooper and the Bookhouse Boys are closing in on another possible crime scene for Laura's ill-fated night.

Following up on the evidence that Bobby planted at Jacques Renault's apartment, Cooper, et al, head to the woods near the border and discover not one but two log cabins that hold some interest in the murder of Laura Palmer. The first is the residence of the mysterious Log Lady, whose log is finally ready to impart what it saw that night... after tea and sugar cookies. The second cabin, though, which is Renault's, definitely holds some clues of a more concrete nature.

Meanwhile, the rest of Twin Peaks is busy with their own issues. Norma's husband is back, trying to find his way out of the doghouse with her even while he assaults Leo who, apparently, was his minion before prison. Guess that means Hank was definitely a Black Hat (more on that in coming episodes), but what does that mean for his connection with Josie?

Speaking of Josie, we see her in the shadows at the hotel. It seems that not only is Ben Horne conspiring with Catherine, but Josie isn't quite the innocent widow that she makes out to be for Truman and Pete. Look forward to her own conspiracies getting more and more dangerous.

Bobby visits the kooky shrink, who uses his knowledge from sessions with Laura to draw Bobby out, and Donna and James widen their small group of White Hats to include Laura's cousin, Maddie.

I think that my favorite part of the episode came from Audrey and her not-so-subtle blackmail of the Horne's store manager so she could get the coveted Perfume Counter job that she thinks will help in her own investigation of Laura's death. That and her end-of-episode ploy for Cooper, where she shows up naked in his bed at the hotel, make for prime Soap material.

It's painfully obvious how much of a send up to Soap Operas that Twin Peaks was as opposed to a straight supernatural murder mystery show like, say, Fringe or X-files (both shows that definitely draw a part of their existence and inspiration from Twin Peaks). Normally, that's a turnoff for me and there are definitely parts of Twin Peaks that I could do without. The whole Donna/James/Maddie love triangle that's developing is just so much fluff, as is Bobby's therapy and Shelly's domestic violence woes... but I can suffer through the hammyness thanks to the occasional clue that shows up in those sequences.

As for the rest, though... which is pretty much anything with Agent Cooper and company... all of it is absolute gold. Riveting, funny, often doughnut-laden gold.

Until tomorrow, Potatoes~

Day Two Hundred and Seventy-seven - Twin Peaks: Season 1, Episodes 4 & 5, "Welcome to the Bookhouse Boys, Coop."

Our journey with Agent Cooper continues today during Couchbound's Halloween Spooktacular as we review two episodes and draw ever closer to that first season finale.

Halfway through season one and Coop is still only getting dribs and drabs of evidence and information, either forensic or supernatural, to help him discern the identity of Laura Palmer's killer. That doesn't stop the intrigue in Twin Peaks from beginning to boil over, though, as life (and the dangers it presents) begins to go on for its residents even as they try and deal with Laura's absence by finally laying her body (but, perhaps, not her soul) to rest.

As everyone gathers for the funeral, lots of things are happening in the background.

Sheriff Truman and the rest of the Bookhouse Boys alert Agent Cooper about the existence of, then invite him to join, their secret society. It seems that they're hot on the trail of the drug connection in Twin Peaks, which might have something to do with Laura's death. This puts Leo and several other local Black Hats on alert.

There's also more drama concerning Ed/Nadine/Norma with the fact that Nadine is all lovey-dovey again and Norma is dealing with her soon to be paroled husband... as well as continuing plot that deals with the sawmill and the affair between Ben Horne and Catherine.

For such a small town, Twin Peaks certainly has more than its fair share of Soapy melodrama.

As per the norm, everything is connected. Ben and Catherine are having a trist (that Josie is shadowing) at the same motel that Coop and Truman confront the one-armed man... but is it their one-armed man or just someone who looks like Mike from Coop's dream (a fact which will resolve itself in episodes to come).

I love how Andy is your typical small town goofball cop who drops his gun and cries at almost every situation. It's a sweet sort of "Aw, Shucks" character that you can't help but love purely out of pity... especially during his mopey moments where Lucy gives him the cold shoulder.

There are also more Audrey moments to love, like when she sits down with Coop at the breakfast table only to be easily caught out (via her handwriting) that she wrote him the mysterious letter cluing him into One-Eyed Jack's. I especially loved how she tried to play hard to get by saying she's busy, but instantly fell for Coop's perfume compliment and stayed anyway. I can't say I'm all that thrilled with her "please let me be your daughter again" act for her father, but I really liked the bathroom scene at the high school where she and Donna compared notes about their separate investigations.

Twin Peaks is ever filled with breadcrumb after breadcrumb. In the meta-sense, I know that it won't be too long before certain parties are revealed and things get even wackier, but just trying to judge it as if this were my first viewing of the series, I'd like to think that there's plenty enough to keep my attention thanks to the wide, wide variety of storylines that all crash into each other, creating events you can't entirely predict.

I mean, sure, it's easy to see that something was going to happen between Bobby and James at the funeral, but even with his odd behavior, you wouldn't expect Leland to jump on top of the casket... let alone break the bloody thing!

And the Bookhouse Boys... what a weird development. Who'd've thought that there'd be a small organization of White Hats to combat the obviously organized Black Hats around town. Everyone just seemed so small town folksy at first, but Lynch gradually made them all complex as time wore on. It probably would've felt more natural for Truman and company to vet Agent Cooper a bit more before letting him into their playhouse, but oh well.

One final note... look out for the first appearance of The Owl (at least, I think it's the first... I've already been wrong before). Important, important creature!

And I think that will do it for our first week of Twin Peaks for our special Halloween Spooktacular Month. Tomorrow and Sunday we'll be taking a brief break from Agent Cooper, et al, to watch some horror flicks, then it's back on the trail of Laura Palmer's killer (and all that entails) fresh on Monday.

Until tomorrow, Potatoes~

Day Two Hundred and Seventy-six - Twin Peaks: Season 1, Episode 3, "What the hell kind of two-bit operation they running out of this treehouse, Cooper?"

Wheels within wheels within wheels... we get to see a whole lot of plot concerning all of the various goings-on around town, but there's so much concerning so many people that it's hard to see just what it means in the grand scheme of things that revolve around Laura's murder.

To be frank, nothing directly does... but the very event of her murder has repercussions that have influenced this entire town and everyone in it.

For example, because Laura was murdered, Audrey's father lost a major deal with "the Norwegians," and needs to blow off steam with his brother (played by David Patrick Kelly of The Warriors fame) at One-Eyed Jack's, a casion/cathouse across the border in Canada. Also, Laura was holding ten grand for Bobby who owes Leo the dough for a cocaine shipment. Plus Ed sports wounds from his fight last episode because he was staking out the roadhouse.... all because of Laura's death.

It's all connected... everything and everyone in town is pushed in some direction thanks to Laura's murder, and that really makes you think, doesn't it?

This episode also marks the first time that we get something truly supernatural... though, it's confusing as hell... because this is the first time that we're introduced to The Red Room. Now, thanks to the Tibetan Baseball sequence, The Red Room could've easily just been written off as a dream of Cooper's in which his unconscious state was sifting through clues and giving him enigmatic answers in return. With the inclusion of Mike and Bob, though, in eerily related messages directed at who knows who (Mike, the viewer, Agent Cooper), there's no doubt that these visions are of Outsider Spirits (or, perhaps, some combination of the two).

It's been pointed out to me that episode 2 wasn't the first time we see Bob... if you pay attention to the brief shots of Laura's mother screaming at the end of the pilot, you can indeed see a long haired figure in the mirror. I always thought it was Laura, as her mother has a habit of seeing her face wherever she wants, but the internet research I've done does confirm that it was Bob (or, rather, his actor, Frank Silva).

To be honest, I could've done without the Mike and Bob bits... particularly Bob and his promises about catching you in his "Deathbag." Silva's delivery is very, very rough. I could handle the ham and cheese from Mike, but Bob was sort of the straw that broke the camel's back. Thank god it ended quickly and we're taken back to The Red Room.

The Red Room... man... so many ships have sailed, creatively, because of that single set piece.

And let's not forget Miguel Ferrer making his first appearance as the rude forensics expert, Albert Rosenfield. He was one of my favorites in the series, along with David Duchovny (who plays Denise... we'll get to him later).

You know, I think that... aside from Bob... the only thing that really annoyed me about this episode was the cutesy puppy love scenes between James and Donna. They don't last long, though, so I lived... obviously. Plus, the comedy scenes like Tibetan Baseball and Nadine's silent runners make up for it.

And, I think that about does it for today. We'll be back tomorrow with more Twin Peaks (possibly two episodes) before heading into our first weekend of Horror Movies here on Couchbound, so stay tuned as our Spooktacular continues!

Until tomorrow, Potatoes~

Day Two Hundred and Seventy-five - Twin Peaks: Season 1, Episode 2, "Just as long as those grapefruits... *in walks Audrey* ...are freshly squeezed."

Subtle, Dave. Real subtle.

Welcome to Day 2 of our Couchbound Spooktacular in which, on weekdays all throughout October, we're enjoying the bountiful weirdness of David Lynch's Twin Peaks.

Yesterday's pilot did a decent job of establishing 99% of the key players in town so we pretty much know the score. Laura Palmer is a victim, but also had a hidden side to her... Agent Cooper is a whimsical genius who is obsessed with Coffee and Pie... and Twin Peaks, itself, is populated with the strangest of people.

A few mysteries are definitely deepened, even as one or two things are revealed to the audience.

Leo is found with a bloody shirt in his possession, and instantly solidifies what a horrendously abusive husband he is to the two-timing Shelley. Hammy acting notwithstanding, there's a definite amount of real, visceral hate that I feel towards Leo that only grows stronger when he puts the bar of soap in the sock.

The mystery figure who stole the other half of the locket from its hiding place is revealed to be the weirdo shrink who was secretly seeing Laura (with serious hints of a less than professional slant to their relationship). It looks like Laura wasn't exactly the goodie-two-shoes that she let on to most of the people in her life. Definitely more than an inkling of a bad girl in her taped diary to the Doc.

Speaking of The Doc, I still have yet to see an explanation regarding his gigantic ear plugs from the pilot. Oh well, at least we know who has the locket.

I think the biggest revelation in the episode is the fact that Bob is seen for the first time. We'll definitely have more on him as the series progresses, but I'm glad some of the spooky is starting to show up, even if it doesn't seem like it now. If this were a virginal viewing of the series, for all you know he's just some random creep who Laura's Mom keeps remembering, not the mystical nya-nya he actually is.

But, let's not get ahead of ourselves.

There are a few moments of humor to lighten the mood... such as when Pete accidentally brews a pot of fish-flavored coffee for Agent Cooper and the Sheriff (and you know how much stock Coop takes in a good cup of coffee)... plus there's Coop's opening scene where he's dictating to Diane while hanging upside via gravity boots.

While plot thickens, I think my main takeaway is Audrey. Whether it's her not so subtle approach to Agent Cooper or her sultry dance to music in her father's office, she's the oh so bad girl that just instantly lights my fire. Rawr!

Fun stuff... and The Log Lady even speaks!

I think that my main complaint is the truly, truly terrible job they did matting Laura's face onto Donna during the hallucination bit. Wow. Talk about your dated cinematography. That's really it, though. Everything else, cheesy melodrama and all, is great.

Until tomorrow, Potatoes~

Day Two Hundred and Seventy-four - Twin Peaks: Season 1, Pilot, "Holy smoke! ...Fire Walk With Me!"

Alright, folks, it's time to get Couchbound's Spooktacular off to a running start!

This inaugural edition will cover the pilot episode of David Lynch's creepy murder mystery, Twin Peaks, which introduces us to all of the major players, reveals the murder, and features pretty much nothing supernatural in any way. Sure, there's a lot of kookiness, but no real spookiness.

Yup, this first episode is "all mundane, all the time" as Laura Palmer's body is discovered and the town instantly becomes a wreck at the loss of the sweetest, gentlest, and most beloved of its citizens. There's plenty bubbling under the surface of Twin Peak's folksy, small-town veneer, as the audience is treated to inside information on plenty of affairs, conflicts, and just plain old drama that touches just about everyone in town.

Things only really get interesting once FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) comes to town after a second victim is found alive across the state line... making it a case for the Fibbies. He begins his investigation in a very professional manner, but not without a large chunk of whimsy whenever his thoughts wander away from the case. Not only does he find a clue that forensics missed, but jump starts the investigation along quite a few lines, questioning plenty of possible suspects including Laura's boyfriend, a secret lover, and her best friend.

Being a pilot, a lot of the individual storylines are bare bones in the detail department, but pretty much every interaction amongst the residents is intriguing. From the sawmill trio and their family drama to Ed, Norma, and Nadine's love triangle, Twin Peaks is a hotbed of secrets and just about everything is worthy of gossip... and it only gets better/weirder from here.

I think that my only disappointment, when it comes to the story in this first episode, is that there's nary a hint of the supernatural... save for a possible moment at the end when Laura's mother starts randomly screaming against an intercut sequence of someone taking the heart locket from its hiding place. We'll get to that scream again in the near future (or one just like it, I cannot recall which)... but I was REALLY hoping for one of the infamous dream sequences to cap the episode.

Oh well.

On the lighter side of things, I can safely say that there's nothing sexier than Audrey's (Sherilyn Fenn) feet encased in shiny patent saddlebacks (even though she switched them for sultry red pumps as soon as she got to school). I instantly had a flashback to my own youth, remembering several of my sister's cute friends (whom I had crushes on) wearing similar footwear, and had a rush of pubescent awakening nostalgia.

I also love the way Kyle MacLachlan plays Agent Cooper as in a delightful state of wonder whenever he's not discussing the case... whether it's over pie or pine trees or snowshoe rabbits.When Agent Cooper tells his ephemeral transcriptionist that this is something we've never seen before, he's right.

Oh, and the donuts! Ha, I love that scene! 

Moving on, while there's just so much hammy acting from pretty much everyone, there's never a more rawer moment than when Donna and James realize Laura is dead. Donna's (Laura Flynn Boyle) sobs actually had my eyes watering as there's so much emotion swelling from her quiet, trembling moans.

As a relic of the era, I can't quite tell if the crowd at the roadhouse are actual bikers or proto-emo hipsters considering the amount of perms I could count in the seas of faces and the atypical lyrical music that Julee Cruise sings. Maybe it's just that I'm too used to the stereotypes associated with biker bars thanks to years and years of movies and television, but you'd expect a place like that to be a bit more butch and a bit less efete. I mean, the leathers couldn't even take on two jocks.

Poor Ed... he has enough trouble dealing with Nadine whist loving Norma. He shouldn't have to deal with Bobby and Snake being right hosers.

Anyways, I imagine that I'll have a lot more to talk about in the episodes to come. At least, I hope so. I wouldn't want to run out of steam over the next month. Stay tuned as every week day in October we'll cover one or more episodes, eventually reviewing the entire series (which lasted one and a half full seasons). It's just too bad that Fire Walk With Me isn't streaming.

Until tomorrow, Potatoes~