Twin Peaks: Season 2

NO! NO! YOU DO NOT GET TO PULL THAT!

Are you frick fraking serious right now?? I have never freaked the hell out this hard over a season finale in my life, and the worst part is I can't even talk about it! Yeah yeah, 30 year old show, don't care cause you need to watch it! Okay, gotta breathe, inner peace. Whew, I got this. Don't really know where to start, but I got this. So Twin Peaks, resounding success despite the Lynchian aspects to it comes back swinging with a whopping 22 episodes for this season making it the longest (and possibly most involved) season of the entire show. So much happens in fact I have no choice but to do it a tremendous disservice and not cover everything because 1. The plot greatly expands beyond the murder of Laura Palmer, and 2. Because of the length I had to watch it over the course of 4 days and my memory has more holes in it than a sponge! But basically after the attempt on Cooper's life the case continues on and even I will admit I was shocked how quickly we found out who killed Laura Palmer, now massive cock up on my end with watching Fire Walk With Me first that is all on me, but even still not half the season passes before we get the resolution on that. And this is actually one of the biggest detractions I have heard about this series, that nobody really gave a shit about the show after the murder mystery was solved and that it was pushed heavily by the studio who didn't want to see it naturally conclude. That's bullshit and very frustrating but here's the thing from my perspective: The show is called Twin Peaks, and not The Case Of Laura Palmer. We spend oodles of time situated in this town, getting to know these people, sinking into their own lives and drama and indeed following the aftermath of the killer I was still strongly invested! Did it wane a little bit before it got close to the finale? Yes, but ultimately the story that follows with this psychopath from Coop's past setting up shop in Twin Peaks for his own devious schemes isn't horrible! I feel the show has to juggle so many plot threads eventually some just get dropped without even a remotely satisfactory conclusion, but truth be told that's the only major strike against this season. Production wise in nearly every aspect if it isn't as good as season one it certainly has been improved upon. Now I know that David at this time pretty much from episode one of this season was off filming, if memory serves Wild At Heart, and for a fraction of a second loses that unique enigmatic charm that pervades the entire first season but rest assured it finds it's own footing again by episode two. And indeed the remainder of the season has charm, laughs, surprising twists, and a good fair few cliffhangers that made me dash to the next episode. It's still a very good season despite the naysayers that have accumulated since the original broadcast dates. I'll certainly tell you this, the characters are not dull and have plenty to do. Kale is still on stellar form regardless of scenario or unexpected twist as Coop, and it's no wonder him and David were thick as thieves since Dune. Michael Ontkean goes through the ringer this season and we see a lot more from Harry than just a stalwart good police officer, which is nice and obviously a good sign of expansion which a lot of the characters, for good or ill have. Richard Beymer has a full on 180° as Ben Horne which was unexpected and certainly kept me guessing to the point where I'm infinitely curious if he'll turn up in the third revival season. Sherilyn Fenn I think has the hands down most full character arc of the show when you really break it down, from anarchist teenager to growing businesswoman under her father so she got nothing but range in this series! If I could just shoutout Don S. Davis as Major Briggs, he already had my attention in the first season but even though he is still on that side character podium his performance and cadence is nothing short of spellbinding, and...just that moment in the diner when he's telling his son Bobby about his dream, I'm just gonna say it that's not only my favorite scene in the entire show thus far but is one of the crown jewels of the series. Also strongly have to shoutout Frank Silva as Bob who is simultaneously one of the most intangible threats in fiction and yet extremely terrifying, I have no doubts the man was a joy in real life but how they direct, and shoot, and write about Bob eugh, it just gets under my skin so perfectly. And our replacement villain is an interesting bat shit force to be reckoned with played by Kenneth Welsh, and the personality of this well read almost thespian murderous psycho with a penchant for chess is still just that right amount of weird for Twin Peaks. And just to lightning round my thoughts on the other side characters, Donna and James have moments but mostly is kinda filler hate to say, same kinda goes for Ed, Norma, and Nadine but ooh Nadine is very much my kind of lady woman, Shelly and Bobby pretty much are still on the same page as season one with some fresh elements thrown in here and there but ultimately average, the will they won't they with Lucy and Andy I rather adore and was a persistent highlight for the season with me, Pete you're still my king and you deserve the world, oh sweet bloody Mary can we just talk a sec on the guest appearances? How in the nine circles of hell itself did no one, I repeat NO ONE, ever bring up the fact that David Warner the legend himself is in this, Dan O'Herlihy of Halloween 3 fame who by the by you cannot convince me for a micro second that's not Conal Cochran resurrected from witchcraft fuckery, David Duchovny who is a transgender woman in the FBI by the name of Denise in 1991 before either women were permitted in the bureau and The X-Files was a thing so props to you for being surprisingly progressive, and we got Billy Zane as a romantic side character cause why the hell not! Don't get me wrong I'm here for it 1,000% percent but I'm still reeling from that information even as I type it! To touch a bit more on the production, it feels bigger than the first season with the sets and directing, the cinematography is still very nice for a TV show and does lend itself to cinematic moments for sure, the Angelo Badalamenti score is the stuff dreams are made of and despite only a few new pieces of music never gets dull in my opinion, the lore or mythos of Twin Peaks gets strongly expounded upon and if the Red Room was kinda losing you abandon all hope ye who enter here because it gets out there! In fact it got more out there than even I anticipated and how that finale goes down, it's done super well and can be effectively disturbing but knowing there was a 26 gotdamn gap and for all intents and purposes that was the ending, I am counting my lucky stars that I was born the year I was, I'm watching Twin Peaks the year it is now, and I don't gotta wait! How in the fuck did you people do this?! I'm flabbergasted just thinking about it! So, what do I rate it? It isn't as good as the first season which is a rare occurence on my show but it is a good season and that's all I really need. This was a scatterbrained review if I ever friggin' wrote one and there was so much to unpack I know I forgot something it was as inevitable as the sun will rise and the sun will set, but it is worth watching all the way through. 3 stars, 8/10, and we got one more before we go.

Fire Walk With Me

In the immortal words of David Lynch himself, "What the hell??".

Eraserhead I could get. I had even a small foothold when talking about that film, but Fire Walk With Me is absolutely what people think of the term "a David Lynch movie" is. Set as a prequel to the show Twin Peaks but made 2 years after the show at that point wrapped up, this more or less focuses on the final living days of Laura Palmer who from what I can discern the first season of the series delves into her murder investigation. And it almost seems that's what the beginning of the film is setting up, two FBI agents investigate a different case that has tentative links to Laura's future demise but unfortunately because of behind the scenes woes the film got reshuffled and is very different from the original script, so you're rolling with a brief investigation and then the movie shifts gears without a clutch right into the life and experiences of Laura Palmer. I didn't mind that a great deal because I knew this was essentially laying the groundwork for the series to build upon so the different actors for the same parts, the ultimate revelation of Laura's death, and the things that other fans would call inconsistencies I had no issue with because this is my first experience of the world of Twin Peaks. But yeah from the oh so very brief research I did into this apparently people were not too keen on this film when it came out but since has gotten a reappraisal. It's a fascinating experience watching this, because it really drops the pretense of a murder mystery and starts getting weeeeird and experimental, and is so not the movie you have just playing in the background while you file your taxes or cook breakfast. But I'll admit even when you're paying attention it still leaves you befuddled and wondering if someone slipped something in your beverage of choice. But I never ever claim weird and bizarre even to the point of confusion as "bad", even with shit like Killing Of A Sacred Deer that was mindwarping to the state of shellshock but not once did I categorize it as bad. I have seen some inept ignorant incompetent motherfuckers in my life who equate weird and different with bad and I got news for you champ, that's short for champion, this is a batshit movie where I'm swirling in a hurricane of unexplained moments and yet I still have interest and enjoyment with it. There is not one uncommitted individual in front of or behind the camera, everybody did such fantastic work. You couldn't say in a thousand generations this movie's star is not Sheryl Lee, I'm telling you right now man without witness or reward, without a shred of exaggeration or lie, this lady gives one of the most interesting, engrossing, and fantastic performances I have ever seen. I don't think there is an emotion she didn't potray as Laura, I mean a truly special actress. I don't know if I can fully sum up her character and probably never will but I can recommend this movie full force because of her acting alone. I have to say despite the super brief appearances in the long run of FBI investigators Chet, Sam, and Dale I really was digging their scenes and while I'm far from a super fan of crime shows/police procedural kind of stuff I easily got into the groove of their characters so well done on that. Ray Wise as Mr. Palmer did mighty good work even if the character just creeped me the hell out. Is that a stereotype these days of a suburban, straight laced, middle class dad who just seems that he stuffs bodies in a crawl space before having breakfast with the family? Just me? It might be. And like I said all the other aspects of production are great! The sets and the overall design are really damn nice, the cinematography is striking, the sound design has an edge to it, and because the film is so off the wall and experimental that means they really get to play. They get to play with what the camera can do, what kind of shot or effect do we want, what do we want the sound and ambiance to be, it's such a freeing experience when you can do that which is why certain shots and images are gonna stick with you and the strangeness of it all is what makes it stick all the more. I still got emotionally invested, I was shocked at times, puzzling over details, and even fighting back tears at a certain point. It's certainly never boring! I know it ain't for everybody so I can't recommend it to everybody, but if you feel brave enough one day to step into one of the strangest worlds you've ever known I say go for it. Not really too sure what to rate it, but I'd be talking out my ass Ace Ventura style if I said it didn't make me want to watch the show. I don't know when I'm ever gonna talk about Twin Peaks again, later rather than sooner, but I'm walking away from this in a positive mood. I give it 3 stars, 8/10! And we got one more before the day of the birth arrives for me.