Episode 19
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- LostInTheMovies
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Episode 19
On a recent rewatch, I decided that this might be the worst episode. Yet tonight I felt an urge to watch it again, mostly for two scenes: Audrey & Denise in Cooper's hotel room, and the visit to Dead Dog Farm.
The first scene was discussed in another thread and I realized that in addition to providing some great Denise banter, it's essentially the last hurrah for the Audrey-Cooper romance. It feels like the writers are even having a bit of fun with MacLachlan's discomfort since he basically tries to kick her out of the room and then she smooches him (unless I'm forgetting something, the only time they kiss in the whole show). It's sad to know this is curtains for their flirtation but I really like this moment as low-key send-off. Much more than his dismissal of her in ep. 17. It feels like it leaves the door open, especially since she also expresses excitement about becoming an FBI (or, technically, DEA) agent. This may be Audrey's last good episode until the finale. She gets to manipulate Bobby and help out Cooper and I love her discomfort when Denise first arrives and she thinks she has a new threat. From here on, she is Ben's dolled-up sidekick and JJW's lackluster lover.
As for Dead Dog Farm, I'm not sure why but just like Cooper I'm really drawn to this location. I love its rundown vibe and iconic title - it feels like one of the few times the show really establishes a new location in the second season. There's also something vaguely Lynchian about it, from its grungy decor to the dog name and the real estate agent's crypic parable. And I'm fascinated by how it seems to link up with the "above the convenience store" room in Fire Walk With Me where a very different underworld connects its own behind-the-scenes transactions.
Another very good scene I'd forgotten about is the final one (although Maj. Briggs dressed in WWI pilot gear is kind of silly). This may actually be Charlotte Stewart's finest moment in the show; too bad she didn't get to do more. And it's nice to see Bobby with his parents again - his character has wandered so far away from what he was in season one. I also love the lightning shot over the rolling clouds with the Executive Producers credit over it. Although the following credits sequence, with Laura's portrait as always, reminds us that this is the first episode of the entire series in which Laura is never mentioned once.
So is this episode the worst? It is almost comically dumb, and in a way that "comically" is a redeeming point because the cheesiness at least keeps it from being dull. But my God, between the absurd ogling over Lana (that music!), Nadine wrestling Mike, and of course the infamous Little Nicky thought bubble. Hawk comes off like a goofball, which is all wrong for him, and there are frequent familiar music cues that only remind us of how far we've fallen: the slow part of Laura's Theme as Molly Shannon discusses "persistent random misfortunes", the Little Man's dance theme as a coin flips, Harold's Theme when the mayor's brother dies (although I do kind of enjoy Mayor Milford's performance in this and a later scene).
Another random thought...ok, I'm sort of embarrassed to admit this, but I actually have no idea if James purposefully "fixes" Jeffrey's car so that he will crash. I always assumed he was a complete patsy, but now I'm realizing that maybe James takes his own initiative, based on their encouragement. I guess it speaks to how un-engaging this story is but given that I specifically criticized James' inactivity in my video I have to cringe if I got that wrong. Anyway, there's a podcast that refers to Malcolm as "Exposition Malcolm." And it's so true. He wanders into James' room and, unprompted, just starts blabbing as if he's reading from cue cards. The lines are so terrible (I think this is the episode where he says, as if he's sharing some great witticism, "That's the thing about...things.") And his delivery is so peculiar that half the time you can't even hear what he's saying (not that you'd want to). I'm chuckling just writing about it.
All in all, this is episode is pretty terrible yet I find it curiously watchable (more so than some solid but deadly-dull mid-season episodes). It's also a real wake-up call in the sense that it was written by Harley Peyton & Robert Engels, and directed by Caleb Deschanel (set this up side-by-side with ep. 6 and just...wow). So there's really no excuse anymore for the poor quality and it's clear something has gone fundamentally wrong with the show itself. I think it also demonstrates something Peyton said once in an interview, that they let the absurdist humor get out-of-hand after Laura's mystery ended. You really do get a sense from this episode that Peyton & Engels were just goofing around, like kids left in the classroom too long by an absent teacher.
The first scene was discussed in another thread and I realized that in addition to providing some great Denise banter, it's essentially the last hurrah for the Audrey-Cooper romance. It feels like the writers are even having a bit of fun with MacLachlan's discomfort since he basically tries to kick her out of the room and then she smooches him (unless I'm forgetting something, the only time they kiss in the whole show). It's sad to know this is curtains for their flirtation but I really like this moment as low-key send-off. Much more than his dismissal of her in ep. 17. It feels like it leaves the door open, especially since she also expresses excitement about becoming an FBI (or, technically, DEA) agent. This may be Audrey's last good episode until the finale. She gets to manipulate Bobby and help out Cooper and I love her discomfort when Denise first arrives and she thinks she has a new threat. From here on, she is Ben's dolled-up sidekick and JJW's lackluster lover.
As for Dead Dog Farm, I'm not sure why but just like Cooper I'm really drawn to this location. I love its rundown vibe and iconic title - it feels like one of the few times the show really establishes a new location in the second season. There's also something vaguely Lynchian about it, from its grungy decor to the dog name and the real estate agent's crypic parable. And I'm fascinated by how it seems to link up with the "above the convenience store" room in Fire Walk With Me where a very different underworld connects its own behind-the-scenes transactions.
Another very good scene I'd forgotten about is the final one (although Maj. Briggs dressed in WWI pilot gear is kind of silly). This may actually be Charlotte Stewart's finest moment in the show; too bad she didn't get to do more. And it's nice to see Bobby with his parents again - his character has wandered so far away from what he was in season one. I also love the lightning shot over the rolling clouds with the Executive Producers credit over it. Although the following credits sequence, with Laura's portrait as always, reminds us that this is the first episode of the entire series in which Laura is never mentioned once.
So is this episode the worst? It is almost comically dumb, and in a way that "comically" is a redeeming point because the cheesiness at least keeps it from being dull. But my God, between the absurd ogling over Lana (that music!), Nadine wrestling Mike, and of course the infamous Little Nicky thought bubble. Hawk comes off like a goofball, which is all wrong for him, and there are frequent familiar music cues that only remind us of how far we've fallen: the slow part of Laura's Theme as Molly Shannon discusses "persistent random misfortunes", the Little Man's dance theme as a coin flips, Harold's Theme when the mayor's brother dies (although I do kind of enjoy Mayor Milford's performance in this and a later scene).
Another random thought...ok, I'm sort of embarrassed to admit this, but I actually have no idea if James purposefully "fixes" Jeffrey's car so that he will crash. I always assumed he was a complete patsy, but now I'm realizing that maybe James takes his own initiative, based on their encouragement. I guess it speaks to how un-engaging this story is but given that I specifically criticized James' inactivity in my video I have to cringe if I got that wrong. Anyway, there's a podcast that refers to Malcolm as "Exposition Malcolm." And it's so true. He wanders into James' room and, unprompted, just starts blabbing as if he's reading from cue cards. The lines are so terrible (I think this is the episode where he says, as if he's sharing some great witticism, "That's the thing about...things.") And his delivery is so peculiar that half the time you can't even hear what he's saying (not that you'd want to). I'm chuckling just writing about it.
All in all, this is episode is pretty terrible yet I find it curiously watchable (more so than some solid but deadly-dull mid-season episodes). It's also a real wake-up call in the sense that it was written by Harley Peyton & Robert Engels, and directed by Caleb Deschanel (set this up side-by-side with ep. 6 and just...wow). So there's really no excuse anymore for the poor quality and it's clear something has gone fundamentally wrong with the show itself. I think it also demonstrates something Peyton said once in an interview, that they let the absurdist humor get out-of-hand after Laura's mystery ended. You really do get a sense from this episode that Peyton & Engels were just goofing around, like kids left in the classroom too long by an absent teacher.
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Re: Episode 19
Thank you for doing these episode discussions.
Okay, for me there are two ways to discuss this one. One from my vantage point of watching it in January 1991, and one in retrospect as part of the series as a whole.
My initial viewing is more fun and positive. Aside from the summer hiatus between seasons, this episode marked the longest amount of time from the last. About a month. The Laura Palmer mystery was finally over, and who wasn't excited to see what would happen next? And with a month of anticipation, I was all the more eager. Now I had watched enough television to know back then that the month of January is a burn off month, it ain't February Sweeps. So I fully expected it not to be momentous, but excited to see what the direction would be. The last episode teased us with the mysterious Dead Dog Farm and Cooper telling Audrey, "you may have saved my life." Yes, yes, yes! This show is going to be so damn good. And then a commercial played with Audrey rising from a chair and shaking Denise's hand asking, "they have women agents?" Oh god, Saturday night couldn't come fast enough.
I had my after school job working in a restaurant until 10:00, but had the trusty VCR at the ready. Racing home, I check the television to see it is recording and the screen returning from commercial with a sly Audrey hiding in a corner with her intelligent smirk ready to pounce on dim-witted Bobby. Yes! The return of Audrey kicking ass. I quickly turn off the tv, take a shower and wait for the show to end so I can watch from the beginning... This is going to be a good one!
Less than an hour later, I concluded it was not.
Every show will have a filler episode or two, and that's fine. They have a tall order to fill of 22 or 24 episodes to produce. But this one is just a head scratcher. I have no problem when the main characters have lighter fare in an ensemble show. Sam and Diane might argue over a cookie in a Cheers episode while Norm or Cliff have the main story. But this Peaks episode does that to all its characters. Hawk is the worst victim.
I'm going to take the Evelyn plot out of the discussion because that whole entire plot doesn't work on any level throughout its entire five or six episode run. Everything about it is a misfire even if it was its own show and not related to Twin Peaks.
Lana does not work. And it become s clear it doesn't work since her original essence as a black widow will be dropped. Perhaps it would have worked if instead she had been played by an older woman like Evelyn or Isabella Rossellini, bringing a mature strength. But what this show did not need was another ingenue, and certainly not after half a year of the media constantly talking about the ethereal beauty of Fenn, Amick, Lee and Boyle. And Lynch had already painted them in such iconic luminous strokes that it is impossible to have a new girl come in presented as the most bewitching creature on the planet. Nothing against the very pretty Robyn Lively, but there is a disconnect. Especially when seductive beauty has been depicted in this show in something as simple as trees blowing in the wind.
Little Nicky is not working. Maybe some can appreciate it because all the actors in this show are charming... But the whole thing is wrong. There's no real mystery here, or the need to find out more about this child. And if they are playing it for laughs, while it is only manages a half smile. And yes the thought bubble from Andy is just embarrassing. Even if they go through with the gag of a thought bubble do something funnier with it. But Goaz's ability as an actor should be enough to carry the moment with his expression.
Josie as a maid. Watch the pilot again, watch Josie. And try to imagine that show ever be able to match the current situation. They are two separate worlds. Pete and Catherine are fun to watch despite the material only because Nance and Laurie are always fascinating.
What does work for me is the final scene. Charlotte Stuart is wonderful in it and it seems very right. I love the touch of the fighter pilot uniform Garland is wearing too. It's a very underrated scene. But the rest of the entire season is such a mess, one is only picking out nice little moments and scenes instead of the episode as a whole.
And another reason while I will always pop this episode in and fast forward to certain scenes is because Audrey is a winner in this episode. It's been months since we've seen Audrey untethered to being entrenched in One Eyed Jacks or dealing with getting Cooper Laura info. Here she can revert back to the early Season One template of mischief and fun. In perfect soap fashion, one would be worried that she had fallen for Bobby in the last episode and ditched Cooper. But here (and in lighthearted fashion) the payoff makes everything all right. The Bobby scene is wonderful. Audrey is like a heat seeking missile when she has an agenda, and in this case it is the Manila envelope. I love when he leans in for the kiss and she expertly dodges it. And we get the return of her peep hole. Audrey always works best as an outsider, an observer who doesn't quite know how to fit into the world (as opposed to Laura who did it effortlessly). Here she spies on a plot between two of the show's "baddies" and were instantly invested. Note her mischief always results in thwarting the nefarious schemes.
I always love Audrey's little knocks on Cooper's hotel room. Yeah, they have great chemistry. But there's also an element of a His Girl Friday that is even better. Sure, Truman and Cooper make a great pair, but Audrey always seems to surprise Cooper with the rabbits she pulls out of her hat. Cooper would always surprise us with his skills, and Audrey is predominantly the only other character who gets the same kind of treatment... Which may be why it seems she is the only character narrative wise to be his equal, and fit so well together.
The Audrey/Cooper scene is fun and light, but also carries more weight in retrospect. Since it is their final one on one scene in the entire series (!) it is now sad and poignant. While watching it for the first time, it seems like just the usual non momentous episode to remind us of the connection between two of the biggest main characters and fully expect they'll have more meaty story lines coming up. And they are both in fine form for such an installment. And the addition of Denise is a stroke if genius. Audrey loves Coop, but she has bigger intentions than letting that define her. Her jealousy is sidelined by something even more important to her... a woman can use her brains and be rewarded for it by being an FBI agent. Her admiration for Agent Bryson is such a gem, and it is beautifully played by Fenn getting flummoxed with her words, "thank you, er, um, you're welcome." But gaining her composure and smacking one on Cooper (essentially marking her territory) and giving another sly over the shoulder grin while exiting is a winner. It's a great Audrey moment, and her last one (arguably until Lynch directs her in the finale) because the essence and quirks of the character disappears for the rest of the run.
*I'm hoping when reviewing and making notes of the series, Lynch and Frost remember what worked best about the Audrey character. Her impatience to get out into the real world, and leave Twin Peaks. Fingers crossed that her being a Great Northern entrepreneur is not the route they go, but instead she goes the Agent Bryson route and comes back to the town she wanted leave so badly, more worldly.
Okay, for me there are two ways to discuss this one. One from my vantage point of watching it in January 1991, and one in retrospect as part of the series as a whole.
My initial viewing is more fun and positive. Aside from the summer hiatus between seasons, this episode marked the longest amount of time from the last. About a month. The Laura Palmer mystery was finally over, and who wasn't excited to see what would happen next? And with a month of anticipation, I was all the more eager. Now I had watched enough television to know back then that the month of January is a burn off month, it ain't February Sweeps. So I fully expected it not to be momentous, but excited to see what the direction would be. The last episode teased us with the mysterious Dead Dog Farm and Cooper telling Audrey, "you may have saved my life." Yes, yes, yes! This show is going to be so damn good. And then a commercial played with Audrey rising from a chair and shaking Denise's hand asking, "they have women agents?" Oh god, Saturday night couldn't come fast enough.
I had my after school job working in a restaurant until 10:00, but had the trusty VCR at the ready. Racing home, I check the television to see it is recording and the screen returning from commercial with a sly Audrey hiding in a corner with her intelligent smirk ready to pounce on dim-witted Bobby. Yes! The return of Audrey kicking ass. I quickly turn off the tv, take a shower and wait for the show to end so I can watch from the beginning... This is going to be a good one!
Less than an hour later, I concluded it was not.
Every show will have a filler episode or two, and that's fine. They have a tall order to fill of 22 or 24 episodes to produce. But this one is just a head scratcher. I have no problem when the main characters have lighter fare in an ensemble show. Sam and Diane might argue over a cookie in a Cheers episode while Norm or Cliff have the main story. But this Peaks episode does that to all its characters. Hawk is the worst victim.
I'm going to take the Evelyn plot out of the discussion because that whole entire plot doesn't work on any level throughout its entire five or six episode run. Everything about it is a misfire even if it was its own show and not related to Twin Peaks.
Lana does not work. And it become s clear it doesn't work since her original essence as a black widow will be dropped. Perhaps it would have worked if instead she had been played by an older woman like Evelyn or Isabella Rossellini, bringing a mature strength. But what this show did not need was another ingenue, and certainly not after half a year of the media constantly talking about the ethereal beauty of Fenn, Amick, Lee and Boyle. And Lynch had already painted them in such iconic luminous strokes that it is impossible to have a new girl come in presented as the most bewitching creature on the planet. Nothing against the very pretty Robyn Lively, but there is a disconnect. Especially when seductive beauty has been depicted in this show in something as simple as trees blowing in the wind.
Little Nicky is not working. Maybe some can appreciate it because all the actors in this show are charming... But the whole thing is wrong. There's no real mystery here, or the need to find out more about this child. And if they are playing it for laughs, while it is only manages a half smile. And yes the thought bubble from Andy is just embarrassing. Even if they go through with the gag of a thought bubble do something funnier with it. But Goaz's ability as an actor should be enough to carry the moment with his expression.
Josie as a maid. Watch the pilot again, watch Josie. And try to imagine that show ever be able to match the current situation. They are two separate worlds. Pete and Catherine are fun to watch despite the material only because Nance and Laurie are always fascinating.
What does work for me is the final scene. Charlotte Stuart is wonderful in it and it seems very right. I love the touch of the fighter pilot uniform Garland is wearing too. It's a very underrated scene. But the rest of the entire season is such a mess, one is only picking out nice little moments and scenes instead of the episode as a whole.
And another reason while I will always pop this episode in and fast forward to certain scenes is because Audrey is a winner in this episode. It's been months since we've seen Audrey untethered to being entrenched in One Eyed Jacks or dealing with getting Cooper Laura info. Here she can revert back to the early Season One template of mischief and fun. In perfect soap fashion, one would be worried that she had fallen for Bobby in the last episode and ditched Cooper. But here (and in lighthearted fashion) the payoff makes everything all right. The Bobby scene is wonderful. Audrey is like a heat seeking missile when she has an agenda, and in this case it is the Manila envelope. I love when he leans in for the kiss and she expertly dodges it. And we get the return of her peep hole. Audrey always works best as an outsider, an observer who doesn't quite know how to fit into the world (as opposed to Laura who did it effortlessly). Here she spies on a plot between two of the show's "baddies" and were instantly invested. Note her mischief always results in thwarting the nefarious schemes.
I always love Audrey's little knocks on Cooper's hotel room. Yeah, they have great chemistry. But there's also an element of a His Girl Friday that is even better. Sure, Truman and Cooper make a great pair, but Audrey always seems to surprise Cooper with the rabbits she pulls out of her hat. Cooper would always surprise us with his skills, and Audrey is predominantly the only other character who gets the same kind of treatment... Which may be why it seems she is the only character narrative wise to be his equal, and fit so well together.
The Audrey/Cooper scene is fun and light, but also carries more weight in retrospect. Since it is their final one on one scene in the entire series (!) it is now sad and poignant. While watching it for the first time, it seems like just the usual non momentous episode to remind us of the connection between two of the biggest main characters and fully expect they'll have more meaty story lines coming up. And they are both in fine form for such an installment. And the addition of Denise is a stroke if genius. Audrey loves Coop, but she has bigger intentions than letting that define her. Her jealousy is sidelined by something even more important to her... a woman can use her brains and be rewarded for it by being an FBI agent. Her admiration for Agent Bryson is such a gem, and it is beautifully played by Fenn getting flummoxed with her words, "thank you, er, um, you're welcome." But gaining her composure and smacking one on Cooper (essentially marking her territory) and giving another sly over the shoulder grin while exiting is a winner. It's a great Audrey moment, and her last one (arguably until Lynch directs her in the finale) because the essence and quirks of the character disappears for the rest of the run.
*I'm hoping when reviewing and making notes of the series, Lynch and Frost remember what worked best about the Audrey character. Her impatience to get out into the real world, and leave Twin Peaks. Fingers crossed that her being a Great Northern entrepreneur is not the route they go, but instead she goes the Agent Bryson route and comes back to the town she wanted leave so badly, more worldly.
God, I love this music. Isn't it too dreamy?
- LostInTheMovies
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Re: Episode 19
Been enjoying your thoughts on each episode, but these were especially on the mark. And on the Lana thing...if we were ranking the most seductive, heartbreaking women on the show, Robyn Lively wouldn't even be in the top 10 (no offense to her). Poor Hawk.
- Audrey Horne
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Re: Episode 19
You're dragging me back into all of this!
I started rambling on this one. In short, the episode is not a good one, and a good case that is might be the biggest mess of them all. But I would never, ever lose those two Audrey scenes.
Oh, and I forgot to include my zinger... Dead Dog indeed! Sums up this episode.
I started rambling on this one. In short, the episode is not a good one, and a good case that is might be the biggest mess of them all. But I would never, ever lose those two Audrey scenes.
Oh, and I forgot to include my zinger... Dead Dog indeed! Sums up this episode.
God, I love this music. Isn't it too dreamy?
Re: Episode 19
Just finished my rewatch and this is now officially in my Top 5 of the worst episodes.
It starts promising with Ben slowly drifting into his feng shui mode and the introduction of Dead Dog Farm. I wish they would've explored its secrets deeper than just making it a place of drug business and the later hostage situation. What this place exudes is more of a sadness than one of dubious shady dealings imo.
Another plus is Audrey toying with Bobby. It is the last time we see her like that before she gets all responsible and grown up buisness like. Her scene with Cooper and Denise is also the last time she really comes across as a teenager.
My favorite scene in this episode though is the one with Betty, Bobby and Garland. Besides the sense of foreboding it is also one of those rare moments when these three feel like a family.
While the rest of this episode like the Little Nicky stuff, James and Evelyn, Nadine and Mike, Josie as a maid, Earnie's bladder.....
is contributing to seasons 2 bad reputation I have to pick Lana to be the worst. Hell, they made all the male characters act like drooling morons because of her bewitching charisma
Also I think Black Widow relates better to Evelyn than Lana.
It starts promising with Ben slowly drifting into his feng shui mode and the introduction of Dead Dog Farm. I wish they would've explored its secrets deeper than just making it a place of drug business and the later hostage situation. What this place exudes is more of a sadness than one of dubious shady dealings imo.
Another plus is Audrey toying with Bobby. It is the last time we see her like that before she gets all responsible and grown up buisness like. Her scene with Cooper and Denise is also the last time she really comes across as a teenager.
My favorite scene in this episode though is the one with Betty, Bobby and Garland. Besides the sense of foreboding it is also one of those rare moments when these three feel like a family.
While the rest of this episode like the Little Nicky stuff, James and Evelyn, Nadine and Mike, Josie as a maid, Earnie's bladder.....
is contributing to seasons 2 bad reputation I have to pick Lana to be the worst. Hell, they made all the male characters act like drooling morons because of her bewitching charisma
![Rolling Eyes :roll:](./images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif)
Also I think Black Widow relates better to Evelyn than Lana.
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Re: Episode 19
Good to read. I've been toying with either 23 or 19 as the next in my least-to-favorite rewatch because 19 has lately sort of fallen into the "fascinating disaster" category that 17 is in (without 17's baggage of derailing the train, since it's already derailed at this point). Plus I genuinely like several moments, including the ones you mention. It's Twin Peaks at its most sitcom-ish under the tutelage of an unsupervised Peyton/Engels and while that's kind of horrible it's also very watchable and even kind of lovable in a weird way once you get used to it. But yeah, I think it belongs very low on the list so I'll probably cover it next, before 23 which is maybe a bit more dull but generally better-directed and with some more big ideas to chews on.Sid wrote:Just finished my rewatch and this is now officially in my Top 5 of the worst episodes.
It starts promising with Ben slowly drifting into his feng shui mode and the introduction of Dead Dog Farm. I wish they would've explored its secrets deeper than just making it a place of drug business and the later hostage situation. What this place exudes is more of a sadness than one of dubious shady dealings imo.
Another plus is Audrey toying with Bobby. It is the last time we see her like that before she gets all responsible and grown up buisness like. Her scene with Cooper and Denise is also the last time she really comes across as a teenager.
My favorite scene in this episode though is the one with Betty, Bobby and Garland. Besides the sense of foreboding it is also one of those rare moments when these three feel like a family.
While the rest of this episode like the Little Nicky stuff, James and Evelyn, Nadine and Mike, Josie as a maid, Earnie's bladder.....
is contributing to seasons 2 bad reputation I have to pick Lana to be the worst. Hell, they made all the male characters act like drooling morons because of her bewitching charisma![]()
Also I think Black Widow relates better to Evelyn than Lana.
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Twin Peaks Out of Order # 26: Episode 19
Re-watching Twin Peaks from my least favorite to favorite episode...
Previously: Episode 17 (http://www.dugpa.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=42466#p42466)
Here's an odd one. This is the "sitcom" episode of Twin Peaks, and it's a toss-up which scene best embodies the winking cheesiness that the show has descended into. Is it Nadine dropping Mike in wrestling practice (a scene whose long awkward gaps would be perfectly timed with a canned laugh track, as the Twin Peaks Rewatch podcast pointed out)? Or is it the appearance of a character who answers James' simple questions with long, ridiculous soliloquies that are simultaneously non sequiturs and info-dumps (speaking of podcasts, the folks at the Twin Peaks Podcast - no relation - helpfully & hilariously dubbed this guy "Exposition Malcolm")? Maybe it's the newly widowed Lana Milford regaling Hawk with her brace-kissing escapades (before he - Hawk, of all people! - succumbs to a goofy pratfall), or Dick Tremayne and Little Nicky in matching jean jackets and ascots fixing a tire, or Andy's infamous thought balloon (if Twin Peaks is initially presented to us as a precious, unique little Gizmo wrapped up under the Christmas tree, then this subplot is the Gremlin that grew from its back to spawn its own foul litter). My vote, however, would go to a bizarrely written, and even more bizarrely directed sequence near the end of the episode. After a spontaneous bout of Shakespearean sonnets, Lucy wanders through a deserted sheriff’s station to discover Andy, Dick, Truman, and Doc mooning over Lana. Flute music plays liltingly on the soundtrack as she tells them a story about her clown cousin’s striptease. How the hell did we reach this point and what law of TV physics allows this to exist in the same universe as Maddy's murder? During early rewatches of Twin Peaks, I considered this episode the absolute nadir. That's fair, yet I'm ranking it above several others for a few reasons. For one, the sheer ridiculousness keeps it from ever truly getting boring; also, there are several scenes I quite like on their own merits. One is Audrey's intervention for Coop, which would feel at home in the first season; another is a spooky, quintessentially second-season moment in the Briggs household (we rarely get to see them interact as a family, and it's always good to get more Betty). That scene is capped by a gorgeous shot of rolling thunderclouds that ends the episode on an appealing note. For the most part, however, this feels like the ruined city of a grand civilization, taken over by barbarian hordes who have no clue what to do with its amenities. The characters, locations, and even musical cues are the same (check out the extremely inappropriate uses of Laura's, the Little Man's, and especially Harold's themes) but something at its core is wildly different. Oddly enough, the episode was directed by Caleb Deschanel and co-written by Harley Peyton, the duo responsible for one of my favorite episodes of the first season. Go figure! Whether or not Lana Milford is cursed, the show itself seemed to be hexed at this time; nonetheless, episode 19 is a guilty pleasure for many of the same reasons it is an abomination. I've bumped it up a few spots in my rankings - blame the Little Nicky thought balloon hovering over my head right now.
Next: Episode 23 (http://www.dugpa.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=42562#p42562)
Previously: Episode 17 (http://www.dugpa.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=42466#p42466)
Here's an odd one. This is the "sitcom" episode of Twin Peaks, and it's a toss-up which scene best embodies the winking cheesiness that the show has descended into. Is it Nadine dropping Mike in wrestling practice (a scene whose long awkward gaps would be perfectly timed with a canned laugh track, as the Twin Peaks Rewatch podcast pointed out)? Or is it the appearance of a character who answers James' simple questions with long, ridiculous soliloquies that are simultaneously non sequiturs and info-dumps (speaking of podcasts, the folks at the Twin Peaks Podcast - no relation - helpfully & hilariously dubbed this guy "Exposition Malcolm")? Maybe it's the newly widowed Lana Milford regaling Hawk with her brace-kissing escapades (before he - Hawk, of all people! - succumbs to a goofy pratfall), or Dick Tremayne and Little Nicky in matching jean jackets and ascots fixing a tire, or Andy's infamous thought balloon (if Twin Peaks is initially presented to us as a precious, unique little Gizmo wrapped up under the Christmas tree, then this subplot is the Gremlin that grew from its back to spawn its own foul litter). My vote, however, would go to a bizarrely written, and even more bizarrely directed sequence near the end of the episode. After a spontaneous bout of Shakespearean sonnets, Lucy wanders through a deserted sheriff’s station to discover Andy, Dick, Truman, and Doc mooning over Lana. Flute music plays liltingly on the soundtrack as she tells them a story about her clown cousin’s striptease. How the hell did we reach this point and what law of TV physics allows this to exist in the same universe as Maddy's murder? During early rewatches of Twin Peaks, I considered this episode the absolute nadir. That's fair, yet I'm ranking it above several others for a few reasons. For one, the sheer ridiculousness keeps it from ever truly getting boring; also, there are several scenes I quite like on their own merits. One is Audrey's intervention for Coop, which would feel at home in the first season; another is a spooky, quintessentially second-season moment in the Briggs household (we rarely get to see them interact as a family, and it's always good to get more Betty). That scene is capped by a gorgeous shot of rolling thunderclouds that ends the episode on an appealing note. For the most part, however, this feels like the ruined city of a grand civilization, taken over by barbarian hordes who have no clue what to do with its amenities. The characters, locations, and even musical cues are the same (check out the extremely inappropriate uses of Laura's, the Little Man's, and especially Harold's themes) but something at its core is wildly different. Oddly enough, the episode was directed by Caleb Deschanel and co-written by Harley Peyton, the duo responsible for one of my favorite episodes of the first season. Go figure! Whether or not Lana Milford is cursed, the show itself seemed to be hexed at this time; nonetheless, episode 19 is a guilty pleasure for many of the same reasons it is an abomination. I've bumped it up a few spots in my rankings - blame the Little Nicky thought balloon hovering over my head right now.
Next: Episode 23 (http://www.dugpa.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=42562#p42562)
- David Locke
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Re: Episode 19
I think this is probably the worst episode, unless I find 21 or 22 to hold that "honor" on this re-watch. Yes, even worse than 17 which I always like to denigrate as the worst for its mishandling of the Palmer plot -- at least that episode felt a little closer to the spirit of Peaks. Not much about 19 I can say that Audrey and Lost haven't already nailed... it's just the episode that most epitomizes the S2 slump with its abundance of wacky comedic subplots and lack of really strong compelling stuff to hold onto. As mentioned, the ending with Briggs is great and there are other isolated moments throughout like with Audrey, but yeah, overall I think this one goes at the bottom of the pile for me.
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Re: Episode 19
I definitely find this episode to be on the lighter side. However, given the recent insights into Dougie Milford's life in Mark Frost's, The Secret History of Twin Peaks, I can't help but wonder if there are clues I'm supposed to be focusing on in Lana's scenes. I wrote a recap for this episode here --> http://twinpeaksfanatic.blogspot.com/20 ... de-19.html
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Re: Episode 19
This episode is definitely in the more lackluster part of season 2. I can't believe it went so "meh" almost straight after the horrific events with Maddy's murder. It does gradually get back on track after around 6 episodes but this is not the shining moment for Twin Peaks
The soap opera comparisons is really ironic now, seeing as it's almost become Invitation To Love![Rolling Eyes :roll:](./images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif)
![Embarassed :oops:](./images/smilies/icon_redface.gif)
The soap opera comparisons is really ironic now, seeing as it's almost become Invitation To Love
![Rolling Eyes :roll:](./images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif)
“For I am I: ergo, the truth of myself; my own sphinx, conflict, chaos, vortex—asymmetric to all rhythms, oblique to all paths. I am the prism between black and white: mine own unison in duality.”
― Austin Osman Spare
― Austin Osman Spare
Re: Episode 19
Watching this, even though Pete expresses that Catherine is being hard on Josie, it's weird seeing him still like .. go along to extent of even letting her serve him dinner while in the outfit and all that. Pete seems so fatherly regarding Josie early on, and to see him swing this way (without having a scene where Catherine initially suggested that Josie killed Andrew and maybe seeing Pete actually get angry, as a way of marking that change) feels really out of character and vindictive. Pete seems like a guy who would have no part of it taking advantage of her like that (and no humour Catherine by sitting at the table while she's getting waited on by Josie). I unno!
Also, it's strange how .. well, progressively handled Denise is, especially when compared to the whole .. Catherine in yellow face thing. It almost makes me question if the writer's kind of .. accidentally did it (like, they thought they were being funnier with Denise than they were, or they thought they were eliciting a "wow, isn't that weird and strange in Twin Peaks?" when I don't think anyone takes it that way). It does make me wonder how they're gonna handle her return in the new season, given Duchovny is supposed to appear. I hope Frost/Lynch know that they are going to have to be very careful with their portrayal of her (just given the different social climate today).
Also, it's strange how .. well, progressively handled Denise is, especially when compared to the whole .. Catherine in yellow face thing. It almost makes me question if the writer's kind of .. accidentally did it (like, they thought they were being funnier with Denise than they were, or they thought they were eliciting a "wow, isn't that weird and strange in Twin Peaks?" when I don't think anyone takes it that way). It does make me wonder how they're gonna handle her return in the new season, given Duchovny is supposed to appear. I hope Frost/Lynch know that they are going to have to be very careful with their portrayal of her (just given the different social climate today).
Re: Episode 19
I may be wrong, but I do not believe Pete was fatherly towards Josie- I believe he was 'in love' or at least infatuated with her.Rudagger wrote:Watching this, even though Pete expresses that Catherine is being hard on Josie, it's weird seeing him still like .. go along to extent of even letting her serve him dinner while in the outfit and all that. Pete seems so fatherly regarding Josie early on, and to see him swing this way (without having a scene where Catherine initially suggested that Josie killed Andrew and maybe seeing Pete actually get angry, as a way of marking that change) feels really out of character and vindictive. Pete seems like a guy who would have no part of it taking advantage of her like that (and no humour Catherine by sitting at the table while she's getting waited on by Josie). I unno!
The show does not treat it as a major storyline, but Josie does seem to use her charms to manipulate Pete to gain advantage over Catherine during several key points.
That being said, whether he was fatherly or lusting after Josie, I think the reason he goes along with it is simply that Pete is afraid of incurring Catherine's wrath. Catherine is now calling the shots with Josie and Ben Horne essentially out of the way.
EDIT: Part of my problem with Josie's character is I never found her all that seductive, even though Joan Chen is a beautiful woman. I think the key to her character is that she is supposed to be super seductive to get what she wants- I found Audrey to be that way, but not her.
F*&^ you Gene Kelly
Re: Episode 19
I can agree with that. And yeah, Josie .. I think the problem is she's played so naive and almost childlike, that she loses a lot of the sexualization. Sure, she does some background manipulation of characters, but, even when she gets embroiled in that dangerous storyline toward the end .. I just don't fully buy her as a femme fatale (which is what I assume the angle was with the Truman/Josie romance). I imagine it would've been far different had Isabella Rossellini played her.mtwentz wrote:I may be wrong, but I do not believe Pete was fatherly towards Josie- I believe he was 'in love' or at least infatuated with her.Rudagger wrote:Watching this, even though Pete expresses that Catherine is being hard on Josie, it's weird seeing him still like .. go along to extent of even letting her serve him dinner while in the outfit and all that. Pete seems so fatherly regarding Josie early on, and to see him swing this way (without having a scene where Catherine initially suggested that Josie killed Andrew and maybe seeing Pete actually get angry, as a way of marking that change) feels really out of character and vindictive. Pete seems like a guy who would have no part of it taking advantage of her like that (and no humour Catherine by sitting at the table while she's getting waited on by Josie). I unno!
The show does not treat it as a major storyline, but Josie does seem to use her charms to manipulate Pete to gain advantage over Catherine during several key points.
That being said, whether he was fatherly or lusting after Josie, I think the reason he goes along with it is simply that Pete is afraid of incurring Catherine's wrath. Catherine is now calling the shots with Josie and Ben Horne essentially out of the way.
EDIT: Part of my problem with Josie's character is I never found her all that seductive, even though Joan Chen is a beautiful woman. I think the key to her character is that she is supposed to be super seductive to get what she wants- I found Audrey to be that way, but not her.
Re: Episode 19
Yes, I absolutely agree with this. Joan Chen is great as the character Josie pretends to be, but she's not projecting the ruthless, murderous character that Josie really is. As I recall from the reading the diary many years back, wasn't she another 'lover' of Laura Palmer's as well? Must re-read the diary!mtwentz wrote:Part of my problem with Josie's character is I never found her all that seductive, even though Joan Chen is a beautiful woman. I think the key to her character is that she is supposed to be super seductive to get what she wants- I found Audrey to be that way, but not her.
I kind of feel like there was a whole backstory created for Josie that they somehow neglected to tell Joan Chen!
Re: Episode 19
Generally, it's a bad episode in the show's 'Ballykissangel' era, although Sherilyn Fenn is great and David Duchovny is a complete showstealer.
It all just feels inconsequential and silly after the Leland/Maddy murder scene a few weeks earlier. Can this really be the same show?
It all just feels inconsequential and silly after the Leland/Maddy murder scene a few weeks earlier. Can this really be the same show?