S03.E03: The Return: Parts 3 and 4

[Lisin]

Quote

Call for help.

Quote

...brings back some memories. 

Note, since these have dropped on Showtime On Demand please be aware that there will be spoilers if you have not yet watched the episode. 

[Maurina]

I can't decide at this point if I find the first four episodes to be brilliantly, creatively weird or just obnoxiously, pointlessly weird.

[Penman61]

Looks like Mark Frost lost the battle for narrative coherence.  

I look forward to 14 more episodes of interesting imagery/audio design and absolutely no character/story involvement whatsoever.

ETA: I'm a huge fan of Mulholland Drive, Blue Velvet, and Wild at Heart, and I'm fine with a narrative that makes you work and doesn't spoonfeed you.  This was not that.

Edited May 22, 2017 by Penman61

[Guest]

I'm baffled by who Dougie is (was). Is he another Dale Cooper doppleganger? And are the make up people really hating on Dale Cooper that much by making him wear an assortment of terrible wigs all the time? Couldn't the production people have hired the people who did the hair for the guys from the first True Detective? Woody's wig was on point. 

24 minutes ago, Penman61 said:

I'm a huge fan of Mulholland Drive, Blue Velvet, and Wild at Heart, and I'm fine with a narrative that makes you work and doesn't spoonfeed you.  This was not that.

Agreed. Mulholland Drive is one of my all-time favorite movies -- along with Lost Highway. I found them both thought-provoking, haunting, and heartbreaking. I said in another post in the first episode thread that I understand that Lynch intended this series to be viewed as one complete film. An 18-hour film is asking a lot, and I'm willing to go along with it but, honestly, it's hard not to judge these individual episodes on their own merits without having seen the whole picture. It's kinda like watching the Godfather cut up in to 15 minute increments on a week-to-week basis -- would it be a good "movie" then?

I'm willing to stick with it (more than I was Inland Empire which I had to turn off after 45 minutes). I hope it pays off in the end.  

I'm also hoping that I don't get a seizure from all the goddamn strobe effects. 

[owenthurman]

Bobby Briggs sees the photo of Laura Palmer; cue her theme from season 1 and Bobby weeps. In the old show, when people wept, it was a display of naked emotion, the kind of bared grief television -- and public propriety -- usually hide from us. This was a parody of that.

Followed by a long and pointless, unfunny comedy scene with Michael Cera doing an impression of Marlon Brando.

This is looking very bad.

[Penman61]

I neglected to include Lost Highway in my list of Lynch movies I love, Giant Misfit.  Very much agree.

The key to the original Twin Peaks was that the murders of Laura and Maddy had tragic weight and consequence.  All of the effective artistic flourishes were by way of explaining how someone could be so evil to rape and murder their own child (and then niece).  That's why the show got weightless and dotty after Laura's and Maddy's murders were solved.

I see no such weight thus far in this Return. 

And Lynch's sexual politics are not aging well AT ALL.  

Edited May 22, 2017 by Penman61

[Affogato]

31 minutes ago, Giant Misfit said:

I'm baffled by who Dougie is (was). Is he another Dale Cooper doppleganger?

Dark Cooper had made arrangements to stay outside the dark lodge, Dougie was that arrangement. He wasn't human, he was some sort of homuculus and once he entered the dark lodge he fell apart like a cheap suit in a monsoon.

[Affogato]

29 minutes ago, Penman61 said:

And Lynch's sexual politics are not aging well AT ALL.  

 

Don't take this as a challenge, I'm actually confused by what you mean by his sexual politics not aging well? Except for Ben, who one might guess had been schooled by Audrey during the intervening years, it didn't really come up. He did kill a named professional woman who we never saw alive, the neighbor was a ditz, a woman of color was a prostitute whose empathy  went only so far and no farther, the wife cheated on her cheating husband, etc, but the men don't come across any better in my opinion. In the first one the women had some pretty strong roles, give them a little time to see if that happens again.

[Affogato]

1 hour ago, Penman61 said:

Looks like Mark Frost lost the battle for narrative coherence.  

I look forward to 14 more episodes of interesting imagery/audio design and absolutely no character/story involvement whatsoever.

ETA: I'm a huge fan of Mulholland Drive, Blue Velvet, and Wild at Heart, and I'm fine with a narrative that makes you work and doesn't spoonfeed you.  This was not that.

I thought he was setting up a story of the black lodge having a larger sphere of influence than actually thought and showing us a story similar to the first one, the twin peaks LP murder, happening today, while showing the weight of what happened to Cooper and teasing us will old places and old people, but not giving them over at once. I suspect the fbi and cooper will turn up in twin peaks and that is when we will rediscover it, they just aren't there yet.

[Penman61]

19 minutes ago, Affogato said:

Don't take this as a challenge, I'm actually confused by what you mean by his sexual politics not aging well? Except for Ben, who one might guess had been schooled by Audrey during the intervening years, it didn't really come up. He did kill a named professional woman who we never saw alive, the neighbor was a ditz, a woman of color was a prostitute whose empathy  went only so far and no farther, the wife cheated on her cheating husband, etc, but the men don't come across any better in my opinion. In the first one the women had some pretty strong roles, give them a little time to see if that happens again.

Sorry, I should have elaborated.  Thanks for asking. :)

• First, note the nudity tally:  2 sets of (live) womens' breasts, two rears.  Nothing of men (unless you count nipples).
• Second, the body count:  3 women, including a woman brutally beaten and then shot in scanty sexy underwear.  Nothing comparable for male victims.
• Next, Gordon's FBI assistant, whose ridiculously "sexy" walk is noted and commented on by Gordon and Albert in an excruciatingly stupid long take.
• And I'm not even mentioning* Duchovny's turn as a transgender woman ("Mah hormones! Heavens!" He literally fanned himself after Cole left the room).  I can't believe no one on set or in the script room said anything about the damaging and retrograde stereotyping.

I'm sure I'm forgetting something--true Lynch fans stayed up late last night!--so please correct or add as needed.

I think the original series got away with this more because 1) it was 26 years ago and 2) it was set in a timeless neo-50s era rife with sexism, and it seemed to be both endorsing and critiquing those attitudes.  The Return doesn't have those fig leafs.

*Ok, technically, I am.  

Edited May 22, 2017 by Penman61

[owenthurman]

1 minute ago, Penman61 said:

And I'm not even mentioning Duchovny's turn as a transgender woman

This is interesting, especially in regards to the aging of sexual politics. Duchovny's Denise appeared in the old series, and the portrayal was praised for its progressive stance, less than a month ago. I agree that Denise was played for laffs uncomfortably much this time.

[Affogato]

10 minutes ago, Penman61 said:

Sorry, I should have elaborated.  Thanks for asking. :)

• First, note the nudity tally:  2 sets of (live) womens' breasts, two rears.  Nothing of men (unless you count nipples).
• Second, the body count:  3 women, including a woman brutally beaten and then shot in scanty sexy underwear.  Nothing comparable for male victims.
• Next, Gordon's FBI assistant, whose ridiculously "sexy" walk is noted and commented on by Gordon and Albert in an excruciatingly stupid long take.
• And I'm not even mentioning* Duchovny's turn as a transgender woman ("Mah hormones! Heavens!" He literally fanned himself after Cole left the room).  I can't believe no one on set or in the script room said anything.

I'm sure I'm forgetting something--true Lynch fans stayed up late last night!--so please correct or add as needed.

I think the original series got away with this more because 1) it was 26 years ago and 2) it was set in a timeless neo-50s era rife with sexism, and it seemed to be both endorsing and critiquing those attitudes.  The Return doesn't have those fig leafs.

*Ok, technically, I am.  

I think, if I am not mistaken, that the librarian's head was on a man's body. Posed in, etc.

I think it could be argued that Gordon and Albert and Denise were always like that, it just seems more noticeable now. I think you can also, potentially, argue that Bob is a male predator. That this is a continuation of something that was made 26 years ago and has to make some connection with the past.

However, you do make some excellent points. Most of Lynch's work does take place some place in the neo 50s where 40s Noir went to live out the remainder of its life in the style to which it had become accustomed. A lot of the characters are misogynistic, a lot of the women are victims and the butts of jokes, men dressed as women survive by making themselves the butts of jokes. I see your point and will try to figure out, as I watch this, what could be done better.

[crowsworks]

Quote

Couldn't the production people have hired the people who did the hair for the guys from the first True Detective? Woody's wig was on point. 

 

Canadian Wigs. Ever since the horrors of Star Gate every time we see a terrible wig we - rather cruelly - say Canadian Wigs...great place and people - can't make wigs. (joking)

Denise was so cool in the old series. Saving the day and rescuing Dale with a garter gun. Devolution.

After re-watching the old show, a little disappointed.

[Penman61]

22 minutes ago, Affogato said:

I think you can also, potentially, argue that Bob is a male predator. That this is a continuation of something that was made 26 years ago and has to make some connection with the past.

Have the raping/murdering spirit be male certainly jibes with data.  No problem there; women are victimized by men far more than by women.  By the same reasoning, you could justify having more female victims in your story than male victims, if the story you're telling is of a rapist/murderer.  

What made the misogyny/sexualizing go down easier in the original series is that Laura's and Maddy's horrific suffering were front and center.  That show made audiences understand the harm that Bob (and Bobs everywhere) cause.  "It is happening again" has become a meaningless tagline, but in that original 2nd season episode, it was a tragic warning and accusation of Cooper's futile failure to stop the killer and save another victim.  And then we saw it happen again.  And it was horrific.

When your story foregrounds the victims' suffering like that, you can get away with a lot more depiction of systemic misogyny because you're showing what it leads to.  Failing that, you're just perpetuating the problem, however unintentionally.  IMHO.  After 4 episodes, I'm not seeing the suffering caused.  But we've 14 episodes to go. :)

Edited May 22, 2017 by Penman61

[Affogato]

47 minutes ago, Penman61 said:

Have the raping/murdering spirit be male certainly jibes with data.  No problem there; women are victimized by men far more than by women.  By the same reasoning, you could justify having more female victims in your story than male victims, if the story you're telling is of a rapist/murderer.  

What made the misogyny/sexualizing go down easier in the original series is that Laura's and Maddy's horrific suffering were front and center.  That show made audiences understand the harm that Bob (and Bobs everywhere) cause.  "It is happening again" has become a meaningless tagline, but in that original 2nd season episode, it was a tragic warning and accusation of Cooper's futile failure to stop the killer and save another victim.  And then we saw it happen again.  And it was horrific.

When your story foregrounds the victims' suffering like that, you can get away with a lot more depiction of systemic misogyny because you're showing what it leads to.  Failing that, you're just perpetuating the problem, however unintentionally.  IMHO.  After 4 episodes, I'm not seeing the suffering caused.  But we've 14 episodes to go. :)

You are correct on all counts. I also realize that, although I am female and try to be sensitive to these things, I grew up reading stories that had very few women or female protagonists. I enjoy them, I get defensive of strong ones, but I am, perhaps unfortunately, able to take the male point of view in a story and not worry about it overmuch.

[clack]

Part 3 was the single greatest hour of television ever made.

Part 4, on the other hand, was difficult to sit through. The casino sequence went on way too long. Brain-damaged Cooper is annoying, as is deaf Lynch.

[Happy Harpy]

Fractionally better than the first two. I believe there might be a scenario somewhere, hidden under the bizarre without a cause.

Lynch did exactly what he wanted with FWWM, and I don't remember gratuitous nudity. It might be a "concession" to Showtime. "Damn good coffee with bewbs", to emulate another famous cable show?

Gordon's assistant is Tamara Preston, right? From The secret history of Twin Peaks? I do not like her onscreen. And what was that rubbish about Gordon and female agents? He was a gentleman.

For a second, I thought that the "Blue Rose" giant face was Kiefer Sutherland's/Sam Stanley's. It would have been cool.

Bobby is a cop, LOL. I never had a crush on Bobby back then, but Dana Ashbrook is looking mighty fine. And they talked about Major Briggs and what happened to him. Plot in sight!

Albert. Sigh. Made me miss Harry, Coop and Garland even more.

Michael Cera as Andy and Lucy's son makes perfect sense somewhere. It was cool to see Denise, but Dennis/Denise was presented as a transvestite still interested in women (Audrey) and now she's transgender? I wonder if Lynch wanted to go for it and ABC said no, back then.

I identified my major problem. The scenes are just too damn long, and with no character development or plot to support them, their emotional impact is lost (Bobby's crying) their humor is lost (Wally) or the character moments dissolve into unrelated crap (Gordon and Denise) or exaggeration (Lucy/Andy). Editing is love.

My other major problem, I need Dale Cooper. The real Dale Cooper. 25 years in the Black Lodge would have affected him, traumatized him, OK, makes sense for once. But I don't care about Dougie or doppelganger and less about Lost in Suburbia. Get his butt back to Twin Peaks.

Also, my finale major problem. Where is Audrey? Where is Norma? Where is (and I can't believe I say this, and yes we've seen her for a second) Shelly? Where is Big Ed? Where is Mike the redhead? Where is Nadine? I've waited for 25 years to know what happened to those characters, and in four episode all I got are glimpses at a handful of them while the lion's share goes to new characters or new iterations of Coop that I never wanted in the first place.

Edited May 23, 2017 by Happy Harpy

[IDFfm0870]

I had watched the first two episodes yesterday, and t didn't really work for me.

And now episode 3, and ... HELLOOOOOO

Welcome back Twin Peaks. Glad you finally came back in style. Guess third episodes are the charm..

Kyle MacLachlan surely acts the hell out of this Cooper triplets, whoa! Great stuff! Original Cooper starting to move and talk again afteer 25 years ... so crazy funny.

Loved the callbacks to the old series (Leland, Sycamore, Major Briggs!!)

So Phoebe Augstine was listed as American Girl, not Ronette?

Was glad that the cool black chick from got away alive ... so far?!

So which Cooper did the FBI find, afraid it's the wrong one. But I do love that Cooper has returned to the real world. And was the lady agent the one from Fire Walk With Me doing the impressions?

Andy, Lucy and Hawk was a bit too weird for my taste, and Jacoby sprayed a little too long. What did I maybe miss, what is Hawk missing, does it have to do with Cooper missing?

The last song was really cool, who knows the band?

[Pete Martell]

On 5/22/2017 at 1:20 PM, Penman61 said:

Looks like Mark Frost lost the battle for narrative coherence.  

I'd say he lost that battle somewhere in 1990.

[Pete Martell]

On 5/22/2017 at 3:33 PM, Penman61 said:

What made the misogyny/sexualizing go down easier in the original series is that Laura's and Maddy's horrific suffering were front and center.  That show made audiences understand the harm that Bob (and Bobs everywhere) cause.  "It is happening again" has become a meaningless tagline, but in that original 2nd season episode, it was a tragic warning and accusation of Cooper's futile failure to stop the killer and save another victim.  And then we saw it happen again.  And it was horrific.

That was actually one of the problems I had with the show as it went along - I felt like Laura went from being someone who was abused and hurt and struggling to survive, but still an enigma, to someone that was just an object for the various men of Twin Peaks, one that they had to "get over." I felt like the second season had quite a bit of shaky writing for women, more and more revolving around love triangles, whether or not they were with a man, which man were they with. The writing for Annie still bothers me a great deal (as does knowing that so many fans hated her and had no problem with the disturbing way Cooper treated her, pushed her and pushed her even after learning she had recently attempted suicide). There was a scene after Josie "died" where Harry was upset and Cooper essentially just told Harry to get over it, she was a bad person. I think he may have brought up her being a prostitute as well. That still bothers me too. 

FWWM and the end of season 2 put Laura back in a central narrative and made it her story again, and that's what saved the show for me, made me able to go back and watch it, care about it. 

I'm not sure how I'll feel this time around, because the show has always walked a very fine line about how they treat female characters and whether we're supposed to be disturbed or in admiration at how often they exist for men. 

[peachmangosteen]

I think I hated all of this, but also I really want to watch all the episodes right now to find out what exactly is going on.

I definitely should've watched FWWM. I wanted to but I could find it. Anyway, I doubt I would understand any of this even if I had watched it.

[Pete Martell]

15 minutes ago, peachmangosteen said:

I think I hated all of this, but also I really want to watch all the episodes right now to find out what exactly is going on.

I definitely should've watched FWWM. I wanted to but I could find it. Anyway, I doubt I would understand any of this even if I had watched it.

Showtime's been running it (they did last night, anyway). It would help you with some of the basics of the Black Lodge, the ring, etc. Some of it I don't think anyone will understand. It's a grueling, agonizing film to watch, but Sheryl Lee is superb, as are the rest of the cast. It's an "experience," like movies used to be. 

Edited May 23, 2017 by Pete Martell

[peachmangosteen]

2 minutes ago, Pete Martell said:

Showtime's been running it (they did last night, anyway). It would help you with some of the basics of the Black Lodge, the ring, etc. Some of it I don't think anyone will understand.

I got a free trial of Showtime on Roku for this so maybe I'll check to see it FWWM is on there. But honestly I don't think I'm ever going to truly get it. I never really did with the original series tbh!

Edited May 23, 2017 by peachmangosteen

[Canada]

And.... I'm out.

[peachmangosteen]

13 hours ago, Canada said:

And.... I'm out.

I have a feeling I'm gonna just keep holding on and by like ep 10 or so I'm going to be like yea no, but by then I'll be too far into it and I'll have to finish it for completion's sake.

[QuantumMechanic]

51 minutes ago, peachmangosteen said:

I have a feeling I'm gonna just keep holding on and by like ep 10 or so I'm going to be like yea no, but by then I'll be too far into it and I'll have to finish it for completion's sake.

I definitely see myself going exactly that way.

I don't mind the weirdness, but I do mind the lack of a coherent story and the wasting of time on stuff like the way-too-long casino scene.

But I suspect that there'll be just enough story there to make me want to see how it comes out in the end, despite being frustrated at the timewasting.

I really do hope RealCooper snaps out of it soon, though.

[jsbt]

Still loved it. I think there is a story. Ain't for everyone! But the days of just damn fine coffee, pie and a straightforward narrative are over.

[Halo]

I'll watch the whole thing, but I'm thinking the hour format leaves a little too much wiggle room for Lynch. I mean, this is the guy who made Eraserhead, and if you could sit through that without almost losing your marbles, you're stronger than I am (and I loooooove David Lynch). The original series really had a pretty slow pace, too, but the 42-44 minute episodes kept scenes from going quite as long as they are in these first four of the new series. I am definitely liking the more straightforward narrative that's emerging, but I'm okay with some weird. Cooper emerging from the Black Lodge was pretty hard to sit through, though. 

[peachmangosteen]

6 hours ago, QuantumMechanic said:

I don't mind the weirdness, but I do mind the lack of a coherent story and the wasting of time on stuff like the way-too-long casino scene.

I think my main problem is the way-too-long-ness of just about everything. Although @Halo is right that there was a real slowness to the original series as well, but it didn't feel as bad as this. It felt to me like the Cooper emerging from the Black Lodge and casino scenes lasted for hours. Although that might just be becasue I wasn't really into either sets of scenes.

6 hours ago, QuantumMechanic said:

But I suspect that there'll be just enough story there to make me want to see how it comes out in the end, despite being frustrated at the timewasting.

Yea, same. That's already where I am really.

Also, honestly I think that it's possible the real reason I'm not that into it is because there's been no Audrey yet.

Edited May 24, 2017 by peachmangosteen

[loki567]

I haaaated these two episodes and I'm someone who actually enjoyed the first two. They definitely made me nervous about where this thing's going. Sometimes great artists do need some limits put on their work. Pacing was a huge problem with almost every scene feeling like they could have been cut in half. And if I'm remembering correctly, the reason that Lynch almost left the project is because Showtime wanted to cut the episode order. They definitely might have had the right idea. I'm already dreading how long this Naomi Watts/Mistaken identity storyline is going to go on. 

I did enjoy the Gordon/BobCoop scene. My guess is this series will work better when it tries for uneasiness and horror rather than wacky humor. 

[Guest]

It was a quick cameo, but I did notice Meg Foster (who can ever forget those eyes!) played the cashier in the casino. 

There was a lot of talk about Philip Jeffries in these episodes -- I wonder who's been cast to play him since it's been out there that Bowie was slated to but dropped out at the last minute.  

[dosodog]

On Tuesday, May 23, 2017 at 1:06 PM, IDFfm0870 said:

 

Andy, Lucy and Hawk was a bit too weird for my taste, and Jacoby sprayed a little too long. What did I maybe miss, what is Hawk missing, does it have to do with Cooper missing?

The last song was really cool, who knows the band?

It's not the bunny.  Or is it the bunny?  No.  It's not the bunny.

There are theories out there that delve into Native American symbolism that was used through out Twin Peaks.  Owls ,sycamore trees, lodges.

Maybe in the end, this is all Hawk's fault?

1 hour ago, Giant Misfit said:

It was a quick cameo, but I did notice Meg Foster (who can ever forget those eyes!) played the cashier in the casino. 

There was a lot of talk about Philip Jeffries in these episodes -- I wonder who's been cast to play him since it's been out there that Bowie was slated to but dropped out at the last minute.  

The cameos have been kind of awesome so far.  The principal's wife?  Corneila Guest!  Debutant of the decade in the 80's.

 And Earl's brother from My Name is Earl.  Wakey, wakey.  Hands off your snakey.  I can't think of his name, but I can think of that.

The old slot lady.  Bird nest hair, dirty clothes, flipping Cooper off....until he became Mr. Jackpots.  Enjoyed that.

Edited May 25, 2017 by dosodog

[Canada]

What I would love for someone to do, once the series is finished, is to cut out all the artsy, useless pap and piece together the bits that make sense and tell a story.  And no ridiculous trees!!  I reckon it will probably be about an hour in length and likely highly entertaining!

[jsbt]

Lynch filmed this as literally an 18-hour movie. The only bookends are the (lovely) musical performances at the Roadhouse. I don't think the Mulholland Drive-esque pacing is going to change and become more episodic, but who knows. It reminds me of how most episodes of Series 1 of Jane Campion's Top of the Lake just stop and fade out mid-story, but this is actually much less abrupt than that.

I think Bowie may have filmed and they've kept it secret. There were rumors, and Jeffries is coming up way too much.

Edited May 25, 2017 by jsbt

[mahree]

On 5/23/2017 at 2:29 AM, Happy Harpy said:

For a second, I thought that the "Blue Rose" giant face was Kiefer Sutherland's/Sam Stanley's. It would have been cool.

It was Don S. Davis

[Primetimer]

One of three Dale Coopers stands on a box in space, while Lucy cries about chocolate bunnies.

View the full article

[loki567]

21 hours ago, jsbt said:

Lynch filmed this as literally an 18-hour movie. The only bookends are the (lovely) musical performances at the Roadhouse. I don't think the Mulholland Drive-esque pacing is going to change and become more episodic, but who knows. It reminds me of how most episodes of Series 1 of Jane Campion's Top of the Lake just stop and fade out mid-story, but this is actually much less abrupt than that.

I think Bowie may have filmed and they've kept it secret. There were rumors, and Jeffries is coming up way too much.

Actually one of my biggest pet peeves about current television/streaming shows. This idea of presenting a TV show like it's a 10/13/18 hour movie. Your TV show does not need to be a movie. I wouldn't want to sit through a thirteen hour movie. There are very few shows out there that have that kind of story to justify telling it over that time frame. More and more as the Netflix style of storytelling takes over, the more I appreciate shows that have episodic storylines with episodes that have a beginning, middle, and end. Otherwise things can feel draggy as hell, which is something I'm worried about with Twin Peaks.

I mean Top of the Lake took the serialized approach and it was only SIX episodes. And I still know people who complained about that, feeling like nothing happened.  

[jsbt]

The thing is, Lynch isn't responding to current trends. All he cares about is doing what he likes. He ain't gonna change for anybody.

[Maurina]

Oh my GAAAHHD these podcasts are THE BEST - they almost making watching the actual show worth it. "And I didn't even mention that a giant head floated across the sky at one point earlier in the episode, because shit that would be huge on another show is just basically run of the mill here. This show is an interpretative dance of the Trump administration." - I'm dying over here.

[Ronin Jackson]

It's interesting to see the disparate reactions across the net. First time checking the reactions on this forum and it's almost 90% vitriol. Fans seem to be having the most negative reaction. 

I'm a huge Lynch fan so I suppose it's not surprising that I'm loving most of it. Episode 4 was my least favorite so far... I'm not finding a lot of the repetitive humor all that funny and it was by far the most conventional.

And maybe I've just watched too much Twin Peaks and Lynch, but I'm not finding the story incoherent at all. Basically, we start with the Good Coop trapped in the lodge. 25 years ago he got trapped and his evil doppelganger got out, disappeared and has been leading a secretive life of crime. It's time for the Good Coop to leave and the doppelganger to return. Someone, perhaps the doppelganger himself, wanted to avert this and created a second doppelganger to trick the Lodge denizens into taking the wrong doppelganger. It worked, but the Good Coop was sent on a journey through nonexistence and ended up taking the place of the second doppelganger, only he has no memory of who he is now. Meanwhile there are sprinklings of other mysteries throughout... the creature in the glass box, a double murder in South Dakota which may be a spirit possession similar to Bob/Leland, the mysterious billionaire who may also be the terrible person the Winkie's diner guy in Vegas was talking about, Hawk trying to decode the Log Lady's clue, the clues left by the giant (or is it the giant????), etc. Oh and the little dancing man from another place evolved into an electric tree with a meat blob head. Simple stuff guys., you following all this?

[Fable]

I was finally able to watch the first 4 episodes.  Based on the feedback I was very skeptical about liking this, but as it turns out, I don’t think it’s half bad.  It’s certainly not the Twin Peaks I fell in love with in season 1, but I don’t see the incoherent mess I expected.  I don’t even see a real continuation of the original series.  I think it is just a spoof of it and not to be taken seriously.  I got some good laughs! 

[crowsworks]

1 hour ago, Fable said:

I was finally able to watch the first 4 episodes.  Based on the feedback I was very skeptical about liking this, but as it turns out, I don’t think it’s half bad.  It’s certainly not the Twin Peaks I fell in love with in season 1, but I don’t see the incoherent mess I expected.  I don’t even see a real continuation of the original series.  I think it is just a spoof of it and not to be taken seriously.  I got some good laughs! 

I think some of the disappointment is because we NOW have The Americans and Breaking Bad and GOT. Back then TW was really startling - think about what else was on. Most shows were just starting to break the mold and 'Will Dan Tanna regain his memory in time to stop a killer?" 

[QuantumMechanic]

Sounds like Coop won't be back to normal particularly soon... :(
Entertainment Weekly: Agent Cooper’s story isn’t just about trying to escape from the Black Lodge. It’s also about a guy returning to a world he once knew and reconnecting with it. Does that story resonate with you, in terms of returning to television? 

Lynch: Sure. But as you’ll also see, it’s also about coming into the world as a new life, learning your likes and dislikes, and doing the best you can to find your way.

[jsbt]

This is the most overtly negative forum I've seen, really. It's not for everyone, which is fine.

[FrankOFoley]

On 5/23/2017 at 8:56 PM, Canada said:

And.... I'm out.

Me, too.

[Guest]

On 5/26/2017 at 6:53 PM, Ronin Jackson said:

 

It's interesting to see the disparate reactions across the net. First time checking the reactions on this forum and it's almost 90% vitriol. Fans seem to be having the most negative reaction. 

 

I gotta say, after rewatching these two parts (and parts one and two) and rewatching FWWM this past week, I have a whole new perspective and am kinda really loving what's been shown so far. I think my initial reaction was poor because I really wanted this show to be just like the show I loved in the 90s -- but, like The Arm, it's evolved. Time for me to do the same, I guess.

[Pete Martell]

On 5/26/2017 at 8:20 PM, crowsworks said:

I think some of the disappointment is because we NOW have The Americans and Breaking Bad and GOT. Back then TW was really startling - think about what else was on. Most shows were just starting to break the mold and 'Will Dan Tanna regain his memory in time to stop a killer?" 

I'd say most competent dramas going as far back as the '60s are better than most of what Game of Thrones has put out in the last 3-4 years. Unless the rest of the episodes amount to Cooper smearing a diaper on the wall I'd probably put this revival above most of GoT in the last 3-4 years as well. 

[Pete Martell]

On 5/26/2017 at 6:32 AM, Maurina said:

Oh my GAAAHHD these podcasts are THE BEST - they almost making watching the actual show worth it. "And I didn't even mention that a giant head floated across the sky at one point earlier in the episode, because shit that would be huge on another show is just basically run of the mill here. This show is an interpretative dance of the Trump administration." - I'm dying over here.

I didn't really laugh at the Trump joke (I think I've heard every Trump joke there is at this point so that's nothing against the podcaster), but the rest did give me some insight into why I'm not as disappointed about this revival as some are. I never really thought the first show was hugely devoted to making sense or having a coherent plot, and for me the wacky hijinks that many miss are something I had plenty of in season 2. I do think there are many ponderous elements in these episodes, and I can see why someone would bail out (especially when it comes to some of the scenes like that Darya woman's murder, or the vomiting, etc.), but I never tuned back into this expecting any of that. Not that that's what all the people who are unhappy about the revival were tuning in for either, it's just the impression I got listening to the podcast. I guess it reminds me of just how disconnected I am to the first two seasons compared to some fans. The movie and the diary are probably more important to me than a lot of the show, especially season 2. It's still the bedrock of the whole thing of course, so this isn't me sneering at it or at people who wanted to see it again - it's just not to my taste to where it's my blueprint for the whole thing. I have watched them through twice, maybe three times, but not 16 - maybe there's just something inherent in what the show became that I was never drawn to the way many are. Maybe if I were more involved I'd be more fed up with the new show the way the podcast seemed to be. At least now I can understand more, so that's good. 

Edited May 28, 2017 by Pete Martell

[peachmangosteen]

9 hours ago, Pete Martell said:

... I can see why someone would bail out (especially when it comes to some of the scenes like that Darya woman's murder, or the vomiting, etc.), 

I was so glad that someone on my twitter timeline mentioned the vomiting before I watched this because I knew it was coming and I just covered my eyes and ears for it. I can't do vomiting, man! 

[Moxie Cat]

On May 24, 2017 at 7:40 PM, Giant Misfit said:

There was a lot of talk about Philip Jeffries in these episodes -- I wonder who's been cast to play him since it's been out there that Bowie was slated to but dropped out at the last minute.  

I swear I saw somewhere that Bowie is credited for at least one episode. Holding out hope!