Monsters of Television

It’s baaaaaack!

Personal life, holidays, and forgetfulness have delayed the return, but here we find ourselves again, dear friends, discussing the journey that is Twin Peaks. I’m sure the three of you that actually read this were sorely troubled by the absence but never fear – we’re back on track.

Apparently my time away was needed, because I’m refreshed enough that the endless stream of investigation doesn’t bother me the way it had started to by the end of season one. Mind you, season one is much, much shorter than season two, so there’s no telling how long this enjoyment will last. But for now: YAY!

The Slow Boil. It’s a difficult thing to do. Go too slowly, you risk boring your audience. Mess up the timing, and plot threads are left dangling. Pull in too many threads to flesh out a stretched narrative, and the complexity of the story can lose people. The Slow Boil. It can be at turns annoying and exciting. The slower pace means you get time to really savor the build up, the gentle construction of a world and a story. But that pace can also make the story drag and leave you thinking, “C’mon, already!”

So far, the boil of Twin Peaks has had its share of both sides, though the excitement has outweighed the annoyance. The opener of season two – all 94 minutes of it – is on the excitement side.

Let’s talk about the opening scene for a moment. Cooper, three shots to the chest at point blank range and blood soaking into his shirt, is spread eagle on the floor when Room Service arrives with his warm milk. The exchange here is absolutely insanity and so very, very Twin Peaks. And it just goes on and on and on and on. Coming into this scene to start the season is like being thrown into the deep end of a very large pool, like stepping into sunlight after a long winter, like coming home. Ah, Twin Peaks. I have missed you.

Lots of things happened in one night, all of which – quite brilliantly – is recapped by Lucy for Cooper’s (and the audience’s) benefit. And Cooper, battered and bruised from his run-in with the wrong end of a gun, drags himself out of his hospital bed to carry on with this never-ending investigation. First of all, Maclachlan does a fairly good job of maintaining the physicality of someone who has recently sustained a serious injury. Secondly, the look Truman gives Cooper as Cooper slowly scoots off of the bed? ADORABLE. Bromance is for life, you guys.

Agent Rosenfield is back, this time to investigate Cooper’s shooting. And he’s still completely unpleasant. (MIGUEL. GOOD GRACIOUS, ARE YOU YOUNG. (Yes, still.))

There is so much going on here. Cooper’s been shot, but they have no way to identify the shooter. Leo was shot and is in a coma, courtesy of Hank, and the police finally find drugs to tie him into the trade, courtesy of Andy’s face. Shelly and Pete are recovering from smoke inhalation, and Shelly gets visits from Norma and Bobby. From her reactions, I get the feeling poor thing doesn’t even know that Leo’s in a coma. Josie and Catherine are missing and who knows where. The Horne brothers and Hank are plotting their plots. Leland has apparently swung to the opposite end of the Lost It spectrum and now has white hair.

And Audrey! Poor, poor Audrey. She manages to fend off her oblivious father’s advances (and boy howdy, was that scene just as awkward as I thought it would be), but she can’t quite escape Blackie’s clutches. (DUN DUN DUUUNNN!) And lord, what a tragedy Blackie has turned out to be. Dependent on the drugs Audrey’s father feeds her, a shell of a woman. Anywho, Audrey’s captive in her room, willing her Special Agent to save her. It’s very sad.

Meanwhile, Cooper is getting dream-like visits from a giant who is very cryptic. But apparently, everyone in this town has visions/dreams, so I suppose it’s only natural (I blame the pie). Maddie had a vision about the carpet in the Palmer’s living room, and who knew carpet stains could be so terrifying? Daddy Briggs had a dream that he shares with Bobby. He makes Bobby cry, but that’s to be expected – Daddy Briggs is a poet. (Also, when Bobby – showing the first real hint of interest he’s ever given about his father – asks what Daddy Briggs does, Daddy Briggs replies, “That’s classified.” You will now never be able to convince me that Daddy Briggs is not somehow related to General Hammond. They’re cousins or something. It is fact.)

Cooper’s dream visitor, however cryptic, has a bit more pertinence to the case, though. More clues, more circuitous paths, and a young girl finally waking up (we’re looking at you, Ronette). Things are afoot, my friends. Delicious, slow-boiling things.

Notes:

• Cooper’s list of Things I Wish I Could Do – SO HIM. Also: TIBET.
• Mairzy doats and dozy doats and liddle lamzy divey!
• I still love Log Lady, poor dear.
• James deserves better than Laura. And Donna – who is apparently going crazycakes.
• BIG ED SHOT NADINE? Holy tchotchkes. (Also: big kudos to McGill for doing half that hospital scene with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth.)
• Andy gets all the love. Him and Pete. <3
• AHA! Little redhead was Alicia Witt. I always know.