Parts 3 & 4 - Call for help & ...brings back some memories (SPOILERS)

[Mr. Reindeer]

We can debate the quality of these Parts all we like -- and it will be fun to do so -- but there's no way any of us can give a real verdict on the show until its closing minutes have been released. Think about how much the ending minutes of MD redefine everything that came before...and it took a second viewing of IE before I could even begin to theorize what was going on. It's pretty obvious from these four hours that this by far DKL's most complex work ever, and I couldn't be more excited.

[LaurenceBranagh]

Felt the nudity was present only for nudity's sake, but I am thoroughly enjoying this show so far.

I hope to see more of Chamberlain, Leigh, Judd, and Nae.

[speedbeatz]

Was that even Kyle's voice in the jail cell scene with Evil-Cooper speaking to Gordon, Albert, and Tammy?

I was wondering the same thing, it seemed like it was his voice but it was lowered. The manner in which he was speaking was odd as well, what was up with him repeating the same sentence twice?

That was like "I need to brush my teeth" which Coop repeated twice

"It struck me as funny, Harry, do you understand me? It struck me as funny."
It seems like a weird speech pattern Bad Coop exhibits when he's trying to pass as Good Coop.

I wonder if Bad Coop is supposed to have access to Good Coop's memories, and if so to what extent.

[dropkick23]

Just a random idea: The casino owner in Dougie's universe had the hit they alluded to in Bad Cooper's universe put on him in another (?) universe. The jackpots add up to close to half a million and the casino owner said at least once that he was 'dead' and put his hands around his neck a couple of times.

[Mr. Reindeer]

I don't think this has been discussed yet: what do we make of Coop spitting out the coffee? Is he just too much a primordial blank-slate version of himself to have developed a palette for coffee? Is there something fundamentally changed/broken inside him? Is the coffee simply too hot, a la Episode 2? Was there a fish in the percolator? Has the chemical nature of coffee in the TP universe shifted due to two Coops being present in the "real world"? Is Naomi Watts just terrible at brewing?

[Wonderful & Strange]

The coffee was too hot, but it's what's going to bring him back.

[Mr. Reindeer]

The coffee was too hot, but it's what's going to bring him back.

I'm not so sure. I loved that DKL played it as a "character reawakens via familiar talisman" moment, then completely subverted that. I doubt he'd go back to that particular well to bring Coop back.

However, you might well be right though that the coffee was simply too hot.

[Driftwood]

Just a random idea: The casino owner in Dougie's universe had the hit they alluded to in Bad Cooper's universe put on him in another (?) universe. The jackpots add up to close to half a million and the casino owner said at least once that he was 'dead' and put his hands around his neck a couple of times.

Pretty sure they're just in different states of the u.s., not universes

[Audrey Horne]

Reindeer, coupled with the Take Five music and the awe of the child, I think the coffee moment was truly intended for our hero slowly but surely getting his mojo back... It's the hint of classic Cooper. It's a callback to the classic breakfast scenes, "maple syrup collides with ham!" Cooper spits the coffee out before the rock throw because it is hot and too perfect... A shock of perfection to him. Black coffee is his vessel to rebirth.

[FlyingSquirrel]

The coffee was too hot, but it's what's going to bring him back.

I'm not so sure. I loved that DKL played it as a "character reawakens via familiar talisman" moment, then completely subverted that. I doubt he'd go back to that particular well to bring Coop back.

However, you might well be right though that the coffee was simply too hot.

Too hot and maybe also tried to drink too much of it at once.

[Soolsma]

Reindeer, coupled with the Take Five music and the awe of the child, I think the coffee moment was truly intended for our hero slowly but surely getting his mojo back... It's the hint of classic Cooper. It's a callback to the classic breakfast scenes, "maple syrup collides with ham!" Cooper spits the coffee out before the rock throw because it is hot and too perfect... A shock of perfection to him. Black coffee is his vessel to rebirth.

I had a big smile going there

[Mr. Reindeer]

I know there was speculation about actors who weren't in the official "217" cast list appearing in the show. So far as I can tell, here are the credited roles to date, as of Parts 1-4, where the actors weren't on the original list:

Kathleen Deming - Buella (Part 1)
Erica Eynin - Experiment Model (Part 1)
Mary Stofle - Ruth Davenport (Part 1) (note: IMDB lists this part as being played by DKL's wife Emily Stofle, contradicting the credits)
Redford Westwood - Otis (Part 1)
Steve Baker - Jack (Part 2)
Frank Silva - Bob (Part 2) (deceased - reused footage only)
Don S. Davis - Garland Briggs (Part 3) (deceased - repurposed footage only)

Musicians:
Adam Miller, Johnny Jewel, Nat Walker - Chromatics (Part 2)
Beau Sample, Alex Hall - Cactus Blossoms (Part 3)

[Saturn's child]

Cooper spits the coffee out before the rock throw because it is hot and too perfect... A shock of perfection to him. Black coffee is his vessel to rebirth.

Well put, I agree!
(& being a black coffee drinker myself, if you do try to have a sip just after it's been made... ouch.)

I think DroolCoop (great name whoever coined it a few pages back) is basically a 1 or 2 year old. As Audrey pointed out, he's just been reborn, from a red room (womb) & back into the world. If you've ever spent time with someone that young, it's the same behaviour -- toddling, repeating words you're told, slowly understanding them. It makes me think of a different version of a scene in INLAND EMPIRE -- Dern's character is at a backyard bbq that is seemingly surreal, but makes perfect sense if you envision them all as young children.

RE: the beginning of Part 3 (*swoon*), the '15' on the rebirth valve adds to '6', a la the pole in Fat Trout. It changes to '3' which has featured in world-crossing before: senor droolcup comes back & gives the thumbs up three times, the Giant waves his hand over sleeping Coop three times, he gives three clues. "Bob, Bob, Bob" is also a three.

[Saturn's child]

Also with threes, the newly resurrected Coop wins three times at the slot machines, then when part 4 opens we see him reach 30. Naomi Watts' character says Dougie's been missing for three days (just like a certain J.C.)

[dud]

controversial opinion coming thru: bobby's moment crying over laura's picture was actually one of the only moments i strongly disliked so far! it felt TOO twin peaks-y, too on the nose, like so little of this show so far feels like the old twin peaks that that moment came off as not being genuine. felt so out of blue and forced that it was jarring to me.