Monsters of Television

“Harry, in the heat of the investigative pursuit, the shortest distance between two points is not necessarily a straight line.”

Oh, how the narrative of Twin Peaks weaves and winds. Characters becoming connected to other characters, plot threads finding one another and twisting into new and more complicated stories – we are getting the tale of Laura Palmer’s murder, but we’re taking the scenic route. And along the way, we’re picking up tales for everyone else in Twin Peaks, it seems.

There are back-stabbers and killers and secrets and arson plans and cooked books and drug deals and murder most foul. Everyone is connected in one way or another, be it innocent or black as sin. In Twin Peaks, they play three degrees of separation instead of the standard six. It only take a couple of jumps to get from any one character to another. As we get more information, the connections only get stronger, clearer. And every thread that is added brings us one step closer to having the full picture: who killed Laura?

Audrey thinks she can find out, and her excitement and animation over starting her own investigation into the murder is quite adorable. And her manipulation of her father – putrid scum that he is – is delicious. Jocelyn’s up to her own investigation, following Catherine and snapping pictures of an illicit rendezvous. Which might come in handy, if she can bring it to light before she’s framed for the arson that Benjamin and Catherine are planning – with an assist from Leo, who continues to get slime all over everything. But Shelly has a plan – which Bobby sort of high-jacks, and – actually, let’s talk about Shelly for a moment, shall we?

“He was so great at first, you know? This flashy guy in his hot car…” Shelly, honey. I know you’re talking about Leo here, but it could also be Bobby. You have terrible taste in men. Like, epically terrible. It’s sad.

The big reveal in this episode is that Mrs. Palmer is a bit clairvoyant and her visions match with Cooper’s dreams. The sketch Andy creates from Mrs. Palmer’s vision matches the man Cooper saw, and the team heads out to find him and the other character in Cooper’s dream: the one-armed man. And can I just say that I love Mr. Gerard? Because I do. He’s a delight, you guys, from his suitcase full of right-only shoes to his missing arm that carries his missing “Mom” tattoo. And his best friend, the veterinarian! And birds and twine and the fact that the doc is in a coma WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?

And then – and then! – that last scene. Jocelyn receives a letter that troubles her. She opens it to reveal a sketch of a domino, a very specific domino. Hank, Norma’s husband, calls Jocelyn (showing the kind of impeccable timing only seen on TV) to ask if Jocelyn got his message. He sucks on the domino from the picture, the same domino held between his fingers as he appealed for parole – which he got! (cut dramatic strings)

At the beginning of this, I planned to keep tabs on everything, to try to follow the puzzle pieces I was given to the logical picture they created. But at this point, I honestly don’t care. The ride itself is worth the price of admission, and I’m not too bothered by where we might wind up. That’s not to say I’m not interested in where, exactly, that will be. I’m pretty sure that once the questions are answered, I’ll just have more questions. Stay tuned.

Notes:

• Aww, Lucy and Andy are having relationship troubles.
• After those two speaker box phone calls, Gordon is now my Charlie.
• Vet’s office: gigantic red fire hydrant and a llama.
• I love the Christmas decorations stacked against the wall that the group passes on their way to the shooting range. YAY, SET DEC DEPARTMENT!
• “One woman can make you fly like an eagle. Another can give you the strength of a lion. But only one in the cycle of life can fill your heart with wonder and the wisdom that you have known a singular joy.” I love Hawk. The end.