Twin Peaks: The Return Review

Episode 312: Let's Rock






A few random plots, and new characters aside, this was another episode with plenty of forward momentum, and exciting moments.

Gordon, Tammy and Albert are enjoying some fancy French Wine.  Albert explains to Tammy about the history of the Blue Rose and its investagations into UFO activity.  He informs her that the FBI have been tracking her progress and would like to invite Tammy into the Blue Rose.  A beaming Tammy accepts.  Chrysta Bell who plays Tammy does a great job in this scene.  You believe that this is a big moment for her.  Diane enters the room through some red drapes.  Albert invites her to work with them (knowing her history with Cooper and the Blue Rose), she takes a beat, the impact of her statement in response heightened by a firy sound effect, "Lets Rock."  Again Laura Dern plays this scene right on the edge making it hard to read the character, but the nerves are there.



Jerry finally staggers out of the woods.  Sarah Palmer (Grace Zebriskie) buys a huge amount of booze from a local store, but she is oddly destracted by a new brand of Beef Jerky behind the counter.  Asking the counter girl about its history, Sarah soon becomes distressed suggesting that trouble is coming, ranting about wanting to see the manager before leaving the store.  I like the touch at the end of this scene when the other counter assistant says he knows where Sarah lives so can drop her shopping round.  This suggests that they get a lot of business from her.   Carl talks to a may called Crystal about him selling blood, and tells him he has already given enough.  In another random scene we see Dougie go to play catch with his son.  But when the ball is thrown at him, Dougie just stands still.  This is his only scene of the episode.  Maybe this is further signs of him starting to stir and the old Cooper coming around.



Hearing about the incident at the store, Hawk pays Sarah a visit.  Two notable things as he approaches.  First the classic errie snyth score returns, second as Hawk starts knocking on the door we cut to a flashback shot of the fan spinning which became such a iconic shot in the Palmer house from the original series.  There's a long delay before Sarah answers the door.  She insists that she is alright, though again she seems troubled.  Hawk senses something in the house and asks her to call him if she needs anything.  Is Sarah being haunted by ghosts from her past?   In a brief scene we see Miriam Sullivan in the hospital.

Diane recieves a text message asking about Los Vegas (from Cooper surely), and replies, "They have not asked about it yet."

At The Great Northern Frank pays Benjamin a visit to tell him about Richard running the boy over and attempting to kill the only witness Miriam.  Franks informs Ben, that Miriam is in intensive care and requires the money for a life saving surgery.  Frank hints that Ben should pay for it.  Ben tells Frank that his brother Harry had run ins with Richard.  He then passes on the room key used by Cooper over twenty years ago, saying that maybe Harry would like it.  This scene is effective for many reasons.  Firstly, its a nice call back to Harry's role as Sherrif and his place within Twin Peaks, and his close bond to Cooper.  Second its a logical way to move this part of the plot on without seeming forced.  Ben giving Frank the key moves Frank closer to finding out the truth, yet Ben doesn't know about the investagation into Cooper, so this is a natural and quite nice touch on his part.  Richard Beymer is once again wonderfully dry, and deadpan. Its hard to read just how upset he is upon hearing the news about Richard (to me his response suggests he wasn't that surprised), and there is some doubt over whether he will pay Miriam's medical bill.  Benjamin is a character who has grown, but still wrestles with his old self it would seem.  Benjamin informs Beverly about the Richard news and then tells her a story about a green bike that his father bought in the past, before telling Beverly to make sure that Miriam's bill is taken care of.  Benjamin then returns to daydreaming about the green bike.  This could be a comment on the rich, and how they can casually pay for live changing things, but remain detatched from their importance.



In an extended comic scene Albert walks in on Gordon enjoying the company of a younger woman.  The woman eventually leaves after some flirting between the pair.  The woman dressed in red talks in a different langauge.  Gordon tells Albert that he knows her mother, who runs a turnip farm, a girl she knows is missing. Then in a bad pun Gordon says, "I keep telling her she will turn up!"  "No she didn't get it either.  There are a 100 different langauges."  Uncertain as we are if this is important from Goldon, Albert tells him about the text Diane recieved.  Gordon is interested for sure, but in classic Twin Peaks fashion says they should enjoy the fine wine first.  I do wonder if the non-traditional and European infleunced choice of drink is cruical to all this.  Gary Hutch (Tim Roth) and Chantal (Jennifer Jason Leigh) drive up to a house.  Hutch has a shot gun in the back seat.  He watches a car pulling into the drive way.  A grey haired man gets out and walks towards a house. Gary shoots him twice in the back of the head (we don't see his face), a young boy comes running out of the house crying.



We re-visit Jacoby and his anti-capitalist message.  Nothing much new, he plays the natural authem and damns big bussiness and polictians.  He replies the "Shovel Your Way out of the Shit" ad from before.  From this rather pointless scene to AUDREY!! Finally she's back! We see how in a office with her husband Charlie.  Audrey insists that they go to the road house to look for Billy.  Charlie (a rather conserative sound fellow) says he has a deadline with work and that they go tomorrow.  Andrey rips into Charlie good and proper, basically questioning his manhood.  We also learn that Audrey is after a devorce.  We learn that Audrey has a thing for Billy and that she dreamed about him last night.  Audrey says that Chuck told her that Tina was the last seen with Billy.  Charlie seems to be stalling, questioning if Chuck's word is creditable, and that him and Billy got into trouble recently.  Finally Charlie agrees to go with Audrey, but then decides to call Tina first.  We hear Charlie causally ask Tina over the phone about Billy.  Audrey is getting pissed, and probes him with animated hand gestures that are really funny!  As Charlie hangs up, he goes silent, Audrey demands that he tell her what Tina said, but we get nothing.  Such a powerful comeback scene for Audrey.  I love the distinct contrast between her and Charlie.  The power and rage she has compared to his awkward, feeble actions.  She is very direct, whereas her husband hassitates and is unclear.  So many new questions are raised during this scene too.

Diane dials in some coordinates to Cooper-but she seems unsure of herself.  We cut to the Bang, Bang bar.  The Chromantics are performing, but we cut to two girls at a table.  They gossip about Angela who has been hanging out a lot with a guy called Clark, but it seems he gets around a bit as he has also been seeing Mary.  Trick (Scott Coffey) shows up in a huff, saying someone almost knocked him off the road on the way over.  He offers to buy the girls a round.  As Trick heads for the bar, one of the girls says that Trick was under house arrest, but according to the other girl he is now free again.

Episode MVP: Sarah Palmer 
Its very tempting to say Audrey Horne, as it was such a great moment seeing her return, and the scene itself was a probably the standout scene of the episode (and Fenn was great in it too).  But for me Sarah's involvement seemed like a cruical part of the on going mystery, and Zebriskie really put me on edge, but at the same time made me feel sad for her character.

Verdict
The whole another very engaging episode, but there were a few draw backs.  Some of these might not seem so bad if they are paid off in the coming weeks.  I'm not sure why we keep returning to Jacorby, and this week's scene just seemed like a re-run of the past scenes.  Even this is just a character beat, I would like to see something new added to it.  I'm uncertain about the brief scene we got with Dougie and his son.  Does Dougie not responding mean anything, or is it just Dougie being Dougie?  There were a few new characters and random plots mentioned.  We will have to wait and see if they have any connection to the overall mystery.  You might argue that some of the comedy involving Gordon could have been cut, but then those scenes are so well done, and fit into the alternative logic of the Twin Peaks universe then to me they add more than they take away, and who knows there could be more to them.  Certainly, the investigation into Dark Cooper and pressure placed on Diane picked up more pace again this week.  I liked Tammy's involvement too.  She has been another welcome addition to the cast.  He contrast with Diane is enjoyable.  As I said the stuff with Sarah was powerful, haughting and intriguing.  With Laura marked out playing a important role in this whole thing, then it makes sense that her mother would be important.  Its a brilliant hook, as the question is how much is Sarah onto something, and how much is how just suffering through the drink and still hurting over not having Laura.  Another great scene was the one with Benjamin and Frank.  It was a great character moment, and smoothly moved the plot on.  Richard Beymer was at his best here.  I look forward to him reuniting with his daughter.  And speaking of which Audrey's return not only left a mark, but set another plot stread in motion.  You sense that her finally arriving at the road house is going to be important.  And who did Gary shoot? That is another important part of the Cooper plot.  So there was a little bit too much padding, but the good was so good, and again the main plot is picking up pace, without feeling rushed.  Very exciting indeed.