Day Two Hundred and Ninety-one - Twin Peaks: Season 2, Episodes 9 & 10, "And the beat goes on..."

Seemingly confounded at every turn, Cooper makes a final, desperate play to reveal the true killer of Laura Palmer (and now, Maddie, too). Gathering many players from both sides of the White Hat/Black Hat citizens of Twin Peaks, he hopes that some force... some magic... will show him the way.

And it works.

Leland is unmasked as the host for BOB and, let me tell you, BOB is not happy. Just in time, too, as it looked like Donna was about to meet the same fate as her friends by tempting BOB with an easy target, coming so willingly into his den as she did.

But, it's time for falling action.

Leland/BOB is cuffed and confesses to so many things, vowing to destroy and kill again, then leaves thanks to a cleansing bath of cold water (something someone should write down for future reference), leaving Leland broken and dying and finally conscious as to the crimes he's allowed BOB to commit by serving as a host.

A wake is held and many friends, enemies, and strangers make an appearance... including Tony Jay (one of my favorite voice actors of all time). It's a nice moment where it seems that the only dark juju comes in the form of the Mayor and his brother feuding... which is a nice contrast to the fact that Leland, however redeemed he might be, was still a murderer. I mean, we get BOB and the White Hats get BOB (for the most part), but most of the folks at that wake don't, so it's strange to me that so many folks would be there.

In addition, Albert (Miguel Ferrer) makes an appearance to conduct forensics on Maddie as the investigation winds down and he stays a short while, dropping vengeful lines of dialogue that make me very happy.

With BOB temporarily banished and Leland dead, it almost looked like it was time for Coop to leave, but he's the star of the series, so something had to keep him in town... and it came in the form of a suspension instigated by a corrupt Mountie and Jean Renault, still smarting over his brothers deaths and losing the ransom for Audrey... I guess.

It's a soap, so I should have forgiven it for its hammy melodrama, but it just feels like lazy writing to me. I reiterate the same complaint, which I've voiced before, over Norma's and Nadine's storylines. Sure, life goes on and everyone has their little troubles, but in comparison to BOB and the White/Black Lodges, it's all so much filler fluff.

Bleh.

At the very least, it was nice to see Major Briggs and Coop in the final moments of the second episode sharing a contemplative moment about the mysteries of the supernatural goings on in the Ghostwoods. Major Briggs (Don Davis, whom I really enjoyed on Stargate:SG-1) is yet another of my favorite characters. I pretty much love all the elder White Hats... Coop, Hawk, Truman (to an extent), Ed, Albert, Denise/Dennis, and the Major. Great guys/gals.

It's also nice to see concrete confirmation that the doddering old waiter and The Giant are the same being. Well, sort of concrete. I mean, it's all symbolic, flashing back and forth between reality and Cooper's communing visions, but you get the idea.

Still, I can't help but feel that we've past the series' peak and it's all downhill from here. I'm sure there will be a few things worth watching in the episodes to come (there are twelve left, after all), but I don't know that Heather Graham and the encounter at The Black Lodge will be enough.

Bonus extra: Josie's back (and looking a little beat up)~!

Until tomorrow, Potatoes~

Day Two Hundred and Ninety - Twin Peaks: Season 2, Episode 8, "Chicks and Ducks and Geese better scurry...."

After the violent and mysterious end to last night's episode, it would've been hard to imagine how David could've topped it... and he kinda, sorta didn't.

While nothing was awesome as The Giant's bit of freestyle poetry at the Roadhouse or BOB's terrifying attack on the poor, ill-fated Maddie (whose visions of blood on the carpet were more than a little prophetic), this episode was still fairly decent, packed as it was with more BOB antics, close calls, and almost-got-ems.

BOB is definitely still behind the wheel of Leland's body as every single reflection the audience is privy to reveals BOB's face instead of Leland's, and boy is he taking advantage.

After playing what looks to be a hundred or so golf balls worth of chipping practice in the very same living room he just murdered Maddie in, BOB pops the club bag with her body in it into the trunk of his car and takes a trip to the Great Northern to regale its guests with a dance routine. From there he takes a leisurely drive towards the golf course, only to be pulled over by Truman and Cooper, and seriously tempts fate by offering to show Coop his new clubs.

For just a split second you think he's going to be found out, both when Coop comes around the back of the car and when BOB hefts a driver in an almost menacing fashion behind him. Talk about a tense moment that, for me, was the best of the night.

No, Fortune favors BOB today, it seems as every single person who is investigating Laura's death is none the wiser... save for Agent Cooper who seems to think something is amiss, but can't put his finger on it.

Anyways, Pete visits Ben Horne in jail with a message from Catherine that is just delightful to see. Well, the message is so much blackmail fluff, but Pete's reactions and laughter are just delicious. It's great to see Jack Nance (who plays Pete) get some juicy moments to act out. He's one of my favorite of Lynch's regulars along with Everett McGill. Such a shame that he's no longer with us.

Barely anything from James and Donna, which makes me deliriously happy, but far too much with Hank and Norma. Looks like another subplot is brewing in dirty Hank's mind. Honestly, I think the only reason this new wrinkle was added was to keep Hank fresh in our memory as he hasn't really had much to do the past few episodes. Bleh, I could definitely live without him anyway. At least we know, through heavy hinting, that it's Norma's mother who is the food critic that she's been waiting on. No hint that Norma's caught on, though.

There was one GIGANTIC flaw to the episode, though... and it came in the form of a flashback sequence for Ben and Jerry. It's a weird bit about an older girl dancing in the dark for them as children that is shot in slow-motion and just goes on forevvvvveeeeer. What a complete waste of time for a throwaway sequence. I get that it's supposed to contrast their previous innocence with the dastardly men they are now, but still, a horrible piece of filmwork on behalf of David, et al.

Quick shout-out to Andy and Lucy for telling her busybody sister to shut-up... particularly Andy. It's not often that he sticks up for himself, but when he does it's grand! Another quick mention for Maddie's body in the plastic in a direct repeat of Sheryl Lee as Laura's body in the opening episode... just with dark hair instead of blond this time. Good symmetry.

So, to sum up, not as great as last night, but that's a high bar to reach. Still, pretty darn fun (save for that one bit), if I do say so myself.

Until tomorrow, Potatoes~

Day Two Hundred and Eighty-nine - Twin Peaks: Season 2, Episode 7, "J'ai une âme solitaire"

It's finally happened! BOB has been revealed... or, at least, BOB's host has been revealed. It only took, what... fifteen episodes (some of them being double-sized, like the pilot and second season premiere)?

That's not the full measure of the night, though, as the reveal (and subsequent murder of Maddie) only occurs in the final minutes. No, there's still plenty of other stuff to pad out the majority of the afternoon and evening's revels.

Leo gains a small ability to communicate despite his brain damage while Shelly and Bobby worry about bills and their lives as potential caretakers. Maddie spends her last day in town with her relatives and Norma is let in on the fact that Nadine thinks they're all teenagers again thanks to the post-suicide attempt regression. Audrey confronts her father about One-Eyed Jack's and immediately goes to Cooper, whose own investigation into Harold's suicide reveals parts of Laura's secret diary... which seems to hint at Ben Horne as being BOB, but oh, that would be too easy, wouldn't it?

I especially liked that we get a second big reveal... that Catherine finally feels safe enough (with Ben arrested and Josie gone to Hong Kong) to let Pete know that she's alive and has been masquerading as Tojamura.

But... BOB... now that's the revelation that we've all be waiting for. That it comes at the cost of Maddie is a shame, as I would rather she'd just have been able to go back to Montana, but it works as a morbid statement of murderous symmetry.

It's a brutal and experimental sequence, to say the least. I liked most of the mirror bits, though I could've done without BOB's face matted over Leland's for that giggle session. It was much more effective when the device was just BOB in the mirror and the two of them smiling. It's pretty much the same problem that I have with the chase around the living room. They do a pretty terrible job matching up the positions of both actors (Ray Wise and Frank Silva) as Lynch tries to go for a duality, flipping back and forth between personas during the sequence. Additionally, the spotlight was a terrible choice of symbolism, making it feel like a stage play instead of a mystical murder. For her part, I think Sheryl Lee did a fine enough job as the victim... though she could've fought back a bit more.

To be honest, I think what really did it for me in the episode was everything that went down in the Roadhouse.

We've got Coop, Truman, and the Log Lady staking out the joint because the Owls are in play there somehow, Julee Cruise is performing several haunting tunes, James and Donna are sharing a private moment, and The Giant comes a'calling. Lots of great stuff happening.

For one thing, I think the only adorable moment for the James/Donna love affair is Laura Flynn Boyle lipsyncing Julee Cruise. Then there's Carel Struycken's despondant warning, which Coop can't understand. The icing on the cake, methinks was the fact that both Bobby and Donna seem to have had their own visions or brushes with someone walking over their grave as Donna bursts into tears and Bobby looks like he's about to. I have to wonder what they saw, felt, or heard.

Great mix of the supernatural and the mundane here. Sure, there were a few boring bits (Leo, Nadine), but overall this is one of the strongest, most intense episodes of the series... high up there on the entertainment factor. It's a bit sad, really, as it's arguably all downhill from here. Final bright spots/reflections: no more Harold, no more Maddie, lots of supernatural shenanigans, good times had by all (save for Maddie).

But what was with that horse, man? Sometimes you just have to wonder about Lynch.

Until tomorrow, Potatoes~

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-seven - Twin Peaks: Season 2, Episodes 4 & 5, "Agent Cooper (and Sheriff Truman) to the Rescue!"

It's time to put our nose back to the grindstone here on Couchbound as we're two weeks into our Halloween Spooktacular and there are still plenty of episodes left in Season 2 of Twin Peaks.

Jean Renault and Blackie make their move against Ben Horne, as Jean delivers the tape of bound and stoned Audrey directly to Ben. He demands money... and Agent Cooper to hand deliver it. Ben, of course, shows Coop the tape, but doesn't make him aware that Jean wants Coop specifically.

Over the course of the two episodes, Cooper asks Truman for the best Bookhouse Boy for a special mission and gets... Truman. They head to One-Eyed Jack's, rescue Audrey, and Truman witnesses Jean cutting Blackie out of the equation, literally. Guess there's no honor among thieves.

Elsewhere, Donna and Maddie conspire against the sweet shut-in, Harold, as he has a secret diary of Laura's but refuses to divulge its contents unless it's on his terms. Bobby and Shelly continue their play for Leo's disability insurance while Leland willingly goes to trial for the murder of Jean's brother, Jacques. Hank and Norma try to spruce up the Double-R in advance of a food critic and a mysterious Japanese businessman offers Ben a large sum of money for the Ghostwood Estates project (more on "him" in episodes to come). Josie is back from her "shopping trip" (with a new nighty... rawr!) and receives her brother from Hong Kong as a guest, while Lucy continues to deal with her pregnancy/beau woes and Andy undergoes another fertility test.

I really like the brief addition of Royal Dano to the cast as the traveling circuit judge, Clint Sternwood. He's a surprisingly on the ball character who seems on par with Coop in terms of wisdom and intelligence... and doesn't seem to have an ulterior motive, which most new characters seem to carry of late. It seems for every new White Hat, there are three to four Black Hats to counter them.

On the flip side, I'm not all that impressed with Harold The Shut-in (let's just make that his title, shall we?). I get the feeling that David originally wanted this character's duties to be handled by Audrey's developmentally challenged brother, Johnny, but then thought the better of it when he figured that Donna would probably have to seduce the diary from him (or Maddie would have to don the blonde wig, again), and that sort of behavior wouldn't exactly engender sympathy for the supposed White Hats. To be frank, I was more interested in the creepy magic kid and grandma from one of Donna's other Meals on Wheels visits.

Still, Audrey's finally out of One-Eyed Jack's after being left there last season. Thank ZOD. I mean, honestly, the whole thing could've been wrapped up in that finale, but no... David just had to leave cliffhanger after cliffhanger to tease/guarantee a second season (too bad it didn't work for a third). Audrey being rescued is enough for me, though... well, that and Joan Chen in a nighty. Thank the spirits for Black Lingerie and Hawk... those two prayers not necessarily being connected.

Nothing really supernatural in these episodes, unless you count Nadine's super-strength and The Owls (who are not what they seem). More than a bit disappointing in that regard, but oh well.

Quick shout out to David "Squiggy" Lander who makes a brief appearance as a home healthcare salesman for a little hydraulic-assisted comic relief!

Until tomorrow, Potatoes~

Day Two Hundred and Eighty-four - Twin Peaks: Season 2, Episodes 2 & 3, "Relationships are HARD! Everything's HARD!"

It's Friday, here at Couchbound and we're continuing our month-long Halloween Spooktacular with a double dose of Twin Peaks. Due to how many episodes we have left to go and how quickly the month is moving by, I think every Friday will be a twofer from the series.

Anyways, We've finally moved past the intense action and drama of the first season finale and second season premiere and are dealing with the fallout of all that was left unresolved which, since it's Twin Peaks, is a lot!

After the first of the three prophecies that The Giant gave him while he lay wounded come true, Agent Cooper is convinced there's more to Laura's slaying than Leo and Jacques' drug and sex trade angle. This idea is confirmed when he finds the other two prophecies coming to pass as well. Meanwhile, back in Canada (*shudder*), Audrey makes a move of her own at One-Eyed Jack's which manages to put her in even more jeopardy.

Now KISS!

I'm so happy that there's more supernatural bits going on. Whether it's a second visit from The Giant or Maddie's visions it's all grandly entertaining stuff. Let me tell you, seeing BOB (Frank Silva) come at you with his slow, dangerous pace... like a panther stalking its prey, crawling over furniture in a POV shot... it's actually pretty terrifying! This is why I love Twin Peaks (well, one of the reasons) and am always happy when the weirdness takes a more prominent role. Honestly, why was it absent from the Season 1 finale?

These episodes also feature a bit more of my favorite forensics expert, Albert. There's just something about Miguel Ferrer's matter of fact delivery of such viciously sarcastic lines that brings an instant smile to my face... even when he defends himself as a pacifist who idolizes Gandhi and King. Plus, seeing Albert and Truman grab each other by the shirt collar is a hoot!

I've married a monster!

There are some silly subplots on display, like Lucy's pregnancy by a melodramatic menswear salesman and, of course, the love triangle between James, Donna, and Maddie (which I could totally do without), but overall there's a great deal of progress to be found in these two episodes... especially when it comes to getting the word out about BOB via his sketch and revealing the identity of Jacques Renault's killer.

One final mention... the hospital scene where Nadine wakes up thinking she's a teenager again after breaking steel chain restraints? The look of sheer terror on Ed's face (and, believe me... that's TERROR, not confusion) is bloody priceless! Kudos to Everett McGill. Best moment of the night for me!

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~