Twin Peaks: The Return

[PyramidHead]

Anyone watching Season 3 of Twin Peaks on Showtime?

I'm all caught up so far, and my impression is that reading what other people have theorized about what is going on in the plot makes for a much richer experience. Upon first viewing, I liked it a lot and was glad to see David Lynch up to his old tricks (as well as some new ones), but with the benefit of eyes keener than mine I found there's a whole bunch of stuff hidden under the surface that I didn't even catch. I was a big fan of the original series, except of course for the nosedive during the middle of Season 2 when Lynch left the project temporarily, and really liked the prequel film Fire Walk With Me. Season 3 is somewhere between the mood of the film and the mood of the Lynch-directed episodes of the other seasons, and that's fine by me.

 

[The Colourful Jester]

"I know I should be sad, and I am, part of me is. But it's like... it's like I'm having the most beautiful dream... and the most terrible nightmare, all at once."
This is what the show needs to feel like. I'm not sure the first two episodes do, but there were moments it did. Will definitely watch future episodes though.

I'll now add, I've barely noticed any emotion in this season. Bobby remembering Laura is about it.

 

[PyramidHead]

Episodes 3 and, in particular, 4, are a big improvement over the first two. So far, I have to say that my favorite character is David Lynch himself as Gordon Cole. I kind of get what you mean about emotion. In Lynch's work, there are always characters who are genuine and true, juxtaposed with weird cardboard cutouts that behave in bizarre and sometimes terrifying ways. So far, most of the characters in this season are the second type. I'm hoping he introduces someone fairly 'normal' to anchor things soon.

 

[The Colourful Jester]

So to keep with the rousing discussion...

Who finished watching/gave a toss for the series?

I suspect there are those who will feel the show finished about ep17 and not ep18.

 

[marc]

Never watched the original series, only saw a little bit of this one because my wife was watching it.

All through the season she had been complaining on how long a wait until agent Cooper was actually in the show. She got very excited with ep17. After ep18 she got so disgusted at the non-resolution that she threw out the Twin Peaks book she had.

 

[CJW]

I was in for the long haul - I agree that the series could easily have ended with episode 17 and I would have been satisfied with that - even though Cooper was left "empty Handed" and some big mysteries remained unexplained and perhaps better left to the imagination any way. Episode 18 tied up some threads that Lynch put out in the very first episode, but the extended scenes with Laura Dern/Diane, felt forced, out of place, and out of character for Cooper. Overall - The Return lacked some of the charm of the original series, and we didn't get enough of the Original Agent Cooper, but there were some beautiful, stunning moment, included the entirety of Episode 8 (Atomic blast Episode) that will stick with me for a while.

 

[PyramidHead]

Episode 18 tied up some threads that Lynch put out in the very first episode, but the extended scenes with Laura Dern/Diane, felt forced, out of place, and out of character for Cooper.

I don't think he was fully Cooper anymore at that point. The clue is in how he just blankly accepts the waitress' coffee at Judy's diner, instead of enthusiastically gulping it down. He is starting to lose his identity and become Richard, the version of him that resides in whatever alternate reality he and Diane entered on the desert road.

I was shocked and initially disappointed by the finale, but I haven't stopped thinking about it, which leads me to conclude it was successful in at least being memorable.

 

[Jayjay]

I can't say I was disappointed, but not exactly... appointed (?) either. To me episode 17 might as well have been tossed aside. The best part of the show was Dougie Jones, and the quirky new characters like Wally or Candie. It's about the journey, not the resolution.