Nobody shoots a car headlight at night on a road like Lynch. It signals that we are back with the most sinister father and son duo ever Dark Cooper and Richard Horne. Having stopped at a hill, Cooper explains to Richard that he was given three coordinates, two matched, but there was a odd one out. As Richard is sent up the hill to check it out, right on cue Jerry stumbles out of the woods (so they must be in Twin Peaks or at least just outside). In Classic Jerry fashion he looks for binoculars backwards! I suspected something bad might be waiting for Richard, but wasn't sure what. This season has been full of famous last lines, and this was no different. As Horne steps up onto the watch he calls out, "I'm there." Before being wriped out by a electric surge, and like that Richard Horne is no more. Unlike Jerry, Cooper takes this in his stride. Given his character this didn't surprise me, but knowing the character like we do coupled with his reserved reaction it does bring up the question if he knew what was going to happen so sent Richard up the hill to be killed? (maybe he wanted him out the way). Or its possible that he just sent Richard as a test before trying himself. Interesting that Richard is killed off the episode following the one in which he teamed up with Cooper. Before driving off Cooper sends a message "All"?
Meanwhile in Vegas, Chantal and Hutch are parked outside Dougie's house, as are the FBI. Wilson gets another big telling off from his boss which is glorious! Both parties are out of luck, because following on from last week Dougie is in the hospital and in a coma (like someone else we know was/might still be?). The Mitcham Brothers show up packing gifts which lifts Janey E's spirits. In short set up scene Gordon is shown in a room surrounded by machines and wires. Back at the hospital Bushnell finds out the FBI are looking for Dougie. I love his line, "What's he done now? He's in a coma."
Chantal and Hutch meet their fate in the most unexpected and oddly entertaining way. A guy approaches their van saying their in his driveway. Chantal bites back, "We're not even close to your driveway, go fuck yourself"! The unknown man responds by driving full steam ahead into the back of their van, this leads to all out war fare as Chantal shoots at the car, only for the man to pull out a uzi and shoot up the back of the fleeing van eventually killing both of them. Bare in mind that Wilson has and his partner have been watching all this time and only decide to do something when its too late (they arrest the man after the event). This was a smoothly directed, but heavy hitting action scene, dancing between action comedy, and full blown chaos. It did remind of Richard's hit and run of the boy earlier in the season (though needless to say less tragic). The random build up to it, and sudden twist with a random unknown character opening fire is what gave it a very real, raw and unerving tone. The scene along side a few others like it from the season show us the built up aggression of modern life, and how crazy acts of violence can develop out of nothing.
Dougie/Cooper is visited by The One Arm Man who gives him the green ring. Dougie asks if he has the gold seed (representing a person's essence), the reply is yes, Dougie says that he needs the One Arm Man to make another one. Dougie awakes from the coma, or rather Special Agent Dale Cooper awakes from the coma God damn it! He's back and in control! He instructs Bushnell to give him a phone and a gun. The doctor checks him out and confirms he is fit to leave (this is Cooper we are talking about now afterall). Cooper calls the Mitcham Brothers and gets them to arrange a plane to Washington (Twin Peaks!). As Cooper heads for the exit, the Twin Peaks theme music starts up, and the next exchange is pure magic!
Bushnell: "What about the FBI"?
Cooper: "I am the FBI."
So we have the line which pays everything off so beautifully, the line that has Twin Peaks and Dale Cooper fans around the world punching the air with delight. You better believe Cooper's back in town! He even gave that cheeky little smile as he delivered it. Such a satisfying moment.
From the light, we return to the darkness. Diane recieves the text sent by Evil Cooper at the start of the episode. This unnerves her, she types in a series of numbers (possibly coordinates), and has a gun in her purse. Taking an elevator up she walks with a purpose across a corridor which is indicated by the heavy industrial drumming which was last heard back in the season opener and was used for none other than the Evil Cooper. The text, the gun, the music, it all points to Diane being on the dark half of this conflect. Gordon invites Diane into the room before she can even knock (like he's been expecting her). Tammy and Albert are in the room too. Diane opens up about the night twenty six years ago that Cooper visited her house. Getting more and more rattled she tells them how he tried to seduce her, how something went wrong and that he raped her. This scene is given the proper weight it deserves, and is beautiful sold by Dern, who is able to switch in between gears such effectively. We hear that Cooper took her to a old gas station. "I'm not me. I'm not me" she repeats before reaching for her gun, but Albert and Tammy in unison shoot Diane before she can complete the action, as the bullets hit, she goes flying up into the air and away. Tammy helping Albert to take Diane out is important, because throughout she has been like a shadow version of Diane. She's had a nice little arc throughout the season where she has often been on the fringes, but has slowly grown in confidence and become more active in the case. Diane ends up in the Red Room and is told by The One Arm Man that she was manifactured. Which he told Cooper at the start of this season. Even in the Red Room, Diane gets in a "Fuck you." Her face melts away. This is major because it hints that Diane from the very begining was a creation, assigned to Cooper and The Blue Rose. Another ideas floating about is that is the Judy mentioned by Philip Jeffries. Naido might have some connection to this plot too, since she was seen floating through space and was found in the woods at one of portal entrances, and also replaced someone of note this season. Is Naido Judy? Are Naido and Diane one in the same?...
At the Casino Cooper still keeping up the Dougie pretence Janey E. and Sonny Jim, tell them that he has to go away for awhile, adding, "When I come back I'll walk through that red door and never leave." Depending on your point of view that last line could be read as a positive or negative. I will return to it in the final questions at the end. Janey senses that this is good bye and her behavior in begging Cooper not to leave, indicates that she knows that he's not really Dougie, Cooper insists that he must go, but they embrace as a family. It again goes to the classy, selfless character of Cooper that he wants to protect Dougie's family from the truth and to part on good terms, giving them hope in the process. Later in the limo Cooper explains to the Mitcham Brothers about his true idenity. Once again the Twin Peaks theme plays as the real Cooper is on his way home.
As the latest performer entertains the crowd at the Road House, Audrey and Charlie finally arrive at the venue. At first the focus cuts back and forth between them and the stage, before settling on them. Charlie buys them a drink and toasts to them, but Audrey's having none of it, as a fuck you back, she says "Here's to Billy." In another moment no one could have predicted, the performance ends, and the MC steps up to the mic and announces, "And now its time for Audrey's dance." At which point the crowd mysteriously move to one side of the dance floor, a spot light magically shines upon Audrey, and THAT MUSIC plays! Followed by that dance in the middle of the dance floor. Charlie looks on and boy is he pissed... Sherilyn Fenn is clearly embracing every second of this scene as she appears in another stratosphere while performing the dance. There's something about her easy, sexy movements, and trippy expression that says "I'm home." But the joy can only last so long. A bar fight breaks out, snapping Audrey out of the trance, rushing towards Charlie, she demands, "Get me outta here." And Audrey gets her wish, the next thing she knows she awakes in a pure white room in front of mirror. Cut to credits. Just one other thing to note that over the end credits a band at the Road House play the Audrey theme, except backwards... Never has a scene played with our emotions so much. First off all the appearance of Audrey and Charlie cast some doubt over the idea of Audrey being in a Coma. Then her theme playing and the dance seem to reafirm that this was the case. Just as we were enjoying that moment, and thinking things are set one way, the break out of violence swung us in a different direction, but as it turned out it maybe just what Audrey needed. It was a great scene, but does bring up more pressing questions. Is this Audrey back now? What does the pure whiteness of the room represents? It could just be a symbol of the light, or it did cross my mind that it could be some sort of heaven. The one thing we did know is that Audrey was in a coma and now is back on track. As is Cooper. What a way to set up a finale.
Further Questions
1. Is Cooper's line about the Red door meant to signal his death in the finale?
2. Do you think that Judy is either Diane or Naido?
3. Is Tammy being lined up to replace Diane?
4. Was the second golden seed that Cooper asked for meant for Diane (who was about to be killed), or was it intended to replace Dougie?
5. Will Audrey and Cooper get their (and our) dream ending in the finale?
Episode MVP: Special Agent Dale Cooper
Its a toss up between him and Diane, with Audrey a close third place. Laura Dern has produced one of the best performances of the year as Diane, its been muli-layered and exciting to watch. Cooper just pips her here, because his transformation back into the Cooper we love was just so pleasing, and a great pay-off to what many fans have been waiting all season for. Not to mention, that how skilled his performance has been in balancing both sides of Cooper, which once again we saw here.
Verdict
Not sure I can say much more than I did in the review, but this episode was just packed with drama, unexpected twists, rich character beats, and some outstanding acting. It had just about everything you could want from a great Twin Peaks episode. Not to mention how it just paid off the Cooper and Audrey plots, perfectly setting up the two character's for next week's finale. The trick of the last few episodes, is that we've been hit by huge moments, and plot movement's but at the same time have been teased by fresh and exciting questions. Chantal and Hutch have been good additions this season. It was sad to see them go, but it was a one hell of a dramatic exit. If I do have a nit pick, its with Richard suddenly being killed off having only being placed with his father the previous week. The scene itself was very good, and the mystery behind Dark Coopers' intentions was interesting, however, it did feel like a bit of rushed departure. Richard has certainly played his role in this show, and has proven another distinct Lynchian scumbag. Was his death just a twist for the sake of one? This point aside, No Knock, No Doorbell was a strong contender for the best of this season and a perfect set up what promises to be the most exciting two hours of televison this year. "Isn't it so dreamy?...
No comments:
Post a Comment