celebrating season 2

General discussion on Twin Peaks not related to the series, film, books, music, photos, or collectors merchandise.

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Red Room
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Post by Red Room »

The Red Room wrote:Sloclub and Red Room (didn't mean to steal you name...) said it quite eloquently. No matter how superior you find the first half of Twin Peaks, the second half is still incredible and FAR superior to other television...
Thanks for the comment The Red Room ;-)

Btw, it might be helpful (to me, at least) if you changed your username to one that doesn't virtually mirror mine. I'd appreciate it a lot...

Welcome along nonetheless!

Best,

Red Room
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Jonah
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Post by Jonah »

Hey guys, never posted a comment on this thread, hope you all don't mind be restarting it. I love Season 2, warts and all, always have. Yes, there are problems. Yes, there are cringe-worthy moments. But as a whole, when I think of TP ' my favourite scenes, the best moments ' they are in the pilot and Season 2.

Season 1 is great. But I do tend to skip over a lot of it in my memory of the show and the events. At times, S1 almost seems too perfect, a well-constructed and 'executed miniseries. I agree with what Red Room said
"As I've said before, there are weak spots in the series, but I felt that was true of Season 1 also, which at times bordered on being a little too much of a strait-laced soap opera Almost."

Like Jerry Horne, I feel Season 1 was great ' but I fell in love with the show in Season 2. The pilot rocks. The dream sequence in Episode 2 was amazing. But I think things got really weird, and really scary, and really interesting, with Season 2. More BOB. The reveal of the killer. Maddy's death. The intercutting of her disturbing death with the beautiful sequence at the roadhouse. Wonderfully scary and bizarre moments like Josie's death ' that was just killer tv. When BOB appeared and then Josie seemed to be trapped in the drawer knob, I just felt that that was so different, so bizarre and wonderful. And what about the final episode ' it's still shocking to watch and think "this was on regular TV?"I even love the Miss Twin Peaks contest leading up to it (even if it is hokey). I also loved the premiere, including the really slow scene with Coop and Droolcup. Awesome way of throwing the audience off track, after a summer of built up suspense, just go ahead and frustrate them some more!

S1 is almost perfect. S2 is not perfect but there's so much there, both good and bad, and it's three times the length, it's perfect for sinking your teeth into, and all these years later, to see people debating its merits is wonderful. Almost everyone agrees that S1 is wonderful. But the real conversations and debates come with discussing S2.
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Jonah
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Post by Jonah »

Audrey Horne wrote: If Leland's image is that of a man who murdered his daughter, is there a shift to how Sarah is treated and scorned by the town?
I like your points Audrey Horne. Are you a fan of Northern Exposure by any chance? (I feel that that show followed character development very well). But getting back to what you were saying about Sarah Palmer, that was something that always bothered me too ' why did she just disappear? I would have been fascinated to see her character's role in the community after all of this had happened to her.

After Maddy died, I couldn't stop thinking, what if her parents came to Twin Peaks? What would their reaction to Sarah be, seeing as her husband killed their daughter? There could have been some very intense and awkward and darkly funny scenes explored here. There was so much still left to be explored and uncovered within the Palmer family, even though Leland and Laura were gone
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Ross
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Post by Ross »

Jonah wrote:But getting back to what you were saying about Sarah Palmer, that was something that always bothered me too ' why did she just disappear? I would have been fascinated to see her character's role in the community after all of this had happened to her.

After Maddy died, I couldn't stop thinking, what if her parents came to Twin Peaks? What would their reaction to Sarah be, seeing as her husband killed their daughter? There could have been some very intense and awkward and darkly funny scenes explored here. There was so much still left to be explored and uncovered within the Palmer family, even though Leland and Laura were gone
I totally agree. As much as I love season 2, my biggest gripe is that they dropped Mrs. Palmer. I LOVED her, and felt her story really should have continued. I guess the writers wanted to move on, but I would have loved to see more of her- perhaps she was to return in a third season (after all, Lynch did bring her back for the finale - but that may have been because he saw the writing on the wall).

My other gripe was that they didn't continue Coop & Audrey's friendship. I never wanted the planned romance, and am glad it was nixed. And the Annie romance is one of my favorite parts of the show. But I would have liked to see the interaction continue between Coop & Audrey. I don't see why it had to be all or nothing.
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Post by Jerry Horne »

Oh and count me in as someone who thinks episode 8 (2-hour second season premiere) is a completely underrated episode. Lynch has a tough job of setting things up for the second season. But it works. The original pilot sets the mood for season 1. Lynch clues us in with episode 8 that things are going to get far out with the Giant appearing so soon. The Haywood supper club scene is one of my favorite scenes in the entire series. The way he floats the camera around like a visiting spirit. How about that ending? That scene freaked me out more than any other during my first viewing.
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Ross
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Post by Ross »

Jerry Horne wrote:Oh and count me in as someone who thinks episode 8 (2-hour second season premiere) is a completely underrated episode. Lynch has a tough job of setting things up for the second season. But it works. The original pilot sets the mood for season 1. Lynch clues us in with episode 8 that things are going to get far out with the Giant appearing so soon. The Haywood supper club scene is one of my favorite scenes in the entire series. The way he floats the camera around like a visiting spirit. How about that ending? That scene freaked me out more than any other during my first viewing.
I totally agree Jerry. One of the best episodes of the whole run. I just find it SO interesting. Aside from the finale episode, I think its the most interesting episode. There's just so much there that Lynch does - so much to think/talk about. Basically rebooting the whole series, and starting fresh- in some fascinating ways. The beginning with the waiter is amazing, and that finale scene- scariest thing ever on TV.
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Post by tomgushue »

Agree with everything said here.

I've always been puzzled as to how so many so-called Twin Peaks fans could bash and badmouth what is, essentially, the majority of the show that they say they love.

Season 2 has some of the greatest scenes, characters, and quotes from the entire series, and I truly view season one as merely a prologue to what is the core of the story. And that's not to take anything away from season one, but Twin Peaks without the mysticism and supernatural element isn't Twin Peaks.

Also, season two excelled when it came to villains. You've got the hunt for Bob in the first half of the season, plus Windom Earle, Jean Renault, Thomas Eckhart...

Also, I think I might be the only person who actually sort of liked the James/Evelyn subplot. Rather than thinking about it as leaving Twin Peaks, I see it kind of like the first half of FWWM, where we get to see another small town and how it compares and contrasts with Twin Peaks.

James and Donna were such a huge part of the first season that it would have been extremely bothersome to me if they had simply been left alone for the rest of the show. Also, this subplot added a great addition of noir to the series, which frankly, I would have liked even more of.
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Post by They-Shot-Waldo! »

The sustained brilliance of the second season premiere after the multiple twists and turns left by the season one finale, culminating in Ronette's genuinally disturbing dream of Laura's death (arguably superior to the depiction of the same scene in FWWM)... Maddy's death, followed by the subsequence two episodes to find her killer... Bob's sudden reappearance after Josie's death... and the series finale! Arguably some of the most epic developments, memorable passages, and great moments in the whole series come in the second season, and for every Evelyn Marsh and Little Nicky scene, there's a multitude of fantastic scenes and character moments to love and bring you further into the great fabric of the world of the series that the first season only hinted at. :) (Immediately coming to mind is the end of episode 27, and the haunting shots of empty locations around the town... and Bob's hand emerging from Glastonbury Grove, as he cries, "I'm OUT!"). :shock:
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Ross
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Post by Ross »

tomgushue wrote:Also, I think I might be the only person who actually sort of liked the James/Evelyn subplot. Rather than thinking about it as leaving Twin Peaks, I see it kind of like the first half of FWWM, where we get to see another small town and how it compares and contrasts with Twin Peaks.
You're not the ONLY one- maybe just you and me though!! Its not the highlight or anything, but it never bothered me at all- and it actually has a purpose, unlike say, the Nadine subplot. I always liked both James and Donna, so that helps- and I guess a LOT of fans don't.

I think the whole subplot helps put their emotional entanglement with Laura to rest for both Donna & James. James is attracted to women in trouble- he wants to help them, but once again he gets burned. Donna, who had flirted with wanting to be the "bad girl" a la Laura, sees how this life may play out after seeing Evelyn. It helps both characters move on.
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Post by The Magician »

tomgushue wrote: I've always been puzzled as to how so many so-called Twin Peaks fans could bash and badmouth what is, essentially, the majority of the show that they say they love.

Season 2 has some of the greatest scenes, characters, and quotes from the entire series, and I truly view season one as merely a prologue to what is the core of the story. And that's not to take anything away from season one, but Twin Peaks without the mysticism and supernatural element isn't Twin Peaks.

Also, season two excelled when it came to villains. You've got the hunt for Bob in the first half of the season, plus Windom Earle, Jean Renault, Thomas Eckhart...
I wish I could have said it better myself. Season 1 is a prelude to the 3 act opera that is season 2. Season 1 is there to set the mood, and make you care about the plot and the characters enough so that season 2 matters. To quote Charles Dickens:

"The Marly's were dead to begin with. You must keep this in mind, or nothing that transpires will seem wondrous." - That quote was from memory and may be slightly inaccurate.

Twin Peaks has a "pecking order of evil" as I like to call it. From the beginning, Leo Johnson is shown to be this cold, brutal man. It is such a shock when Hank Jennings kicks his ass and shows that he is above him. Then Johnathan kicks Hank's ass. Then Eckhart is shown to rule over Johnathan. And so on, until we get to Windom Earle, Bob, and finally possessed Cooper.

And it is a shame that so many people do not like James and Donna. Besides Cooper and Truman, their journey of discovery is what propels the show, and the triangle with Maddy is so emotionally investing. The "Rebel Without A Cause" feeling that I get whenever I see... well... any of the younger cast members is one of the best aspects of the show.
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Ross
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Post by Ross »

The Magician wrote:And it is a shame that so many people do not like James and Donna. Besides Cooper and Truman, their journey of discovery is what propels the show, and the triangle with Maddy is so emotionally investing. The "Rebel Without A Cause" feeling that I get whenever I see... well... any of the younger cast members is one of the best aspects of the show.
Yeah, its funny- I was a fan of TP from the beginning- way before the internet & fan boards, etc. So for years I had no idea about how other fans reacted to the show, or what characters they liked. I think the thing that surprised me the most when I finally learned the over-all/general likes & dislikes of the fans was just how disliked James & Donna were!!! I had always figured they would be among the most popular. Boy was I wrong!!! I still think Lara was great in the series, and I love her voice. I'm not a fan of hers in real life since she's pretty much dissed TP ever since. But I sure liked her on the show.
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Post by Jerry Horne »

Lara Flynn Boyle always seemed at her best when the writing was great as if she knew to raise her performance. Her scene alone talking to Laura's grave is one of the better acted scenes in my opinion.
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Ross
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Post by Ross »

Jerry Horne wrote:Lara Flynn Boyle always seemed at her best when the writing was great as if she knew to raise her performance. Her scene alone talking to Laura's grave is one of the better acted scenes in my opinion.
Also her scenes with Harold Smith, and the scene where she reads the page to Cooper from Laura's diary. Those are great, and there's something about her voice in these scenes that I love.
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Post by Jerry Horne »

Yes, those scenes were so very interesting as the link to Laura was so close. I seem to never get tired of the story she tells of her and Laura at the lake with those two guys. Was that story in the diary? Man, i've got to read that again...
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Ross
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Post by Ross »

Jerry Horne wrote:Yes, those scenes were so very interesting as the link to Laura was so close. I seem to never get tired of the story she tells of her and Laura at the lake with those two guys. Was that story in the diary? Man, i've got to read that again...
Its been forever since I read it, but I believe that story did come directly from the diary.
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