Part 6 - Don't die (SPOILERS)

[Taperecorder]

I'm glad we're the two lunatics who think each episode is better than the last, Snailhead.

There are plenty more than the two of you!

[dkenny78]

If I have a complaint it would be that it's beginning to feel like Gerard's ability to contact Cooper-husk is too easy and could easily get to feel over-used if it continues. Furthermore, it somewhat diminishes the lodge/red room disquieting aura of mystery to have it pop in and out like this. After watching the original series and FWWM virtually on loop for twenty years, this is especially the case when the location just mundanely pops into the story without the unsettling sound design, wind, muted string scrapes or even just a walking bass. Apart from the lovely songs we've been treated to, I'm a little disappointed in general by the incidental music that's been selected for this new run of episodes. That's not specific to this episode of course, but this episode marked the point at which the lack of atmospheric accompaniment for some scenes itself began to feel intrusive. Also, this makes me want to ask: since when has Gerard been so unambiguously benign? I feel some ambiguity may have been lost.

Agree 100%. The Lodge/Red Room is a little too, I dunno, 'literal' in this season. In the first series and FWWM, we mostly saw the Red Room from Cooper or Laura's perspective, and it never seemed 100% clear whether things were actually happening, whether the happenings were a projection of Coop/Laura's minds, or a combination of both. I think the only exception is the scene at the end of FWWM where Leland/Bob enters and pays the Garmonbozia.

But to cut back to the Red Room and show MIKE interacting with the real Dougie, trying to contact Cooper, etc., basically confirming that it's a physical place that exists concurrently to the 'real world' does rob it of a bit of its mystique.

[krishnanspace]

I'm glad we're the two lunatics who think each episode is better than the last, Snailhead.

There are plenty more than the two of you!

I loved this episode a lot

[Metamorphia]

Big fan of everything up to this episode. I was generally bored out of my socks last night. Really hope this is not a sign of things to come for the next few episodes. Only thing i liked was the coin flip trick. Other than that it was rather a weak entry in the series.

Given this is an 18 hour show, you can probably expect an episode like this where things just don't quite work as well. With Diane fully on board next week we should see some pretty strong developments.

[mtwentz]

If I have a complaint it would be that it's beginning to feel like Gerard's ability to contact Cooper-husk is too easy and could easily get to feel over-used if it continues. Furthermore, it somewhat diminishes the lodge/red room disquieting aura of mystery to have it pop in and out like this. After watching the original series and FWWM virtually on loop for twenty years, this is especially the case when the location just mundanely pops into the story without the unsettling sound design, wind, muted string scrapes or even just a walking bass. Apart from the lovely songs we've been treated to, I'm a little disappointed in general by the incidental music that's been selected for this new run of episodes. That's not specific to this episode of course, but this episode marked the point at which the lack of atmospheric accompaniment for some scenes itself began to feel intrusive. Also, this makes me want to ask: since when has Gerard been so unambiguously benign? I feel some ambiguity may have been lost.

Agree 100%. The Lodge/Red Room is a little too, I dunno, 'literal' in this season. In the first series and FWWM, we mostly saw the Red Room from Cooper or Laura's perspective, and it never seemed 100% clear whether things were actually happening, whether the happenings were a projection of Coop/Laura's minds, or a combination of both. I think the only exception is the scene at the end of FWWM where Leland/Bob enters and pays the Garmonbozia.

But to cut back to the Red Room and show MIKE interacting with the real Dougie, trying to contact Cooper, etc., basically confirming that it's a physical place that exists concurrently to the 'real world' does rob it of a bit of its mystique.

I see it differently. Having been trapped in the Red Room for 25 years, it seems natural for Cooper to have a strong psychic connection to the Lodge and maybe even mentally he's still in the Red Room (at least one foot is still in there).

[sonofizzy]

If I have a complaint it would be that it's beginning to feel like Gerard's ability to contact Cooper-husk is too easy and could easily get to feel over-used if it continues. Furthermore, it somewhat diminishes the lodge/red room disquieting aura of mystery to have it pop in and out like this. After watching the original series and FWWM virtually on loop for twenty years, this is especially the case when the location just mundanely pops into the story without the unsettling sound design, wind, muted string scrapes or even just a walking bass. Apart from the lovely songs we've been treated to, I'm a little disappointed in general by the incidental music that's been selected for this new run of episodes. That's not specific to this episode of course, but this episode marked the point at which the lack of atmospheric accompaniment for some scenes itself began to feel intrusive. Also, this makes me want to ask: since when has Gerard been so unambiguously benign? I feel some ambiguity may have been lost.

Agree 100%. The Lodge/Red Room is a little too, I dunno, 'literal' in this season. In the first series and FWWM, we mostly saw the Red Room from Cooper or Laura's perspective, and it never seemed 100% clear whether things were actually happening, whether the happenings were a projection of Coop/Laura's minds, or a combination of both. I think the only exception is the scene at the end of FWWM where Leland/Bob enters and pays the Garmonbozia.

But to cut back to the Red Room and show MIKE interacting with the real Dougie, trying to contact Cooper, etc., basically confirming that it's a physical place that exists concurrently to the 'real world' does rob it of a bit of its mystique.

I see it differently. Having been trapped in the Red Room for 25 years, it seems natural for Cooper to have a strong psychic connection to the Lodge and maybe even mentally he's still in the Red Room (at least one foot is still in there).

Good point.

[Normonaut]

Here's some speculation of what MIGHT happen in the next few episodes. They probably won't as I'm wrong pretty much 100% of the time, but here goes anyway:
Hawk reads the diary saying Cooper is still in the Lodge. Hawk goes there and this time enters the waiting room. There he meets his doppelganger, but unlike Coop he meets him with perfect courage. MIKE gives Hawk the gold ball (Cooper's missing piece?). Hawk exits.
The key arrives at the great northern, it's handed over to the sheriff. They either contact FBI or take prints off it (or both), and find Jade's prints. Contact her - get sent to the casino - find out about Lancelot Court - Red Door - Dougie?
That feels way too standard for Twin Peaks tho.

[indyit]

I agree it does take away a bit of the mysticism. I think the lack of music combined with how brightly lit it is (my main issue with it), gives it a very different feel. Heck the lack of more interesting lighting (e.g. strobe lights, how it was lit in it's original appearance) also makes the room feel less special.

I'm sure it's been said before, but Cooper's weird moments seem to line up with his former life. The gambling reminds me of Episode 6 where he says he always likes to bring back a ten to fifteen percent return. He even tells Big Ed that he'll be lucky tonight cause Cooper's convinced. The case files... are well his general work ethic and intuition, he can analyse things like no one else.

What might be next? We've already seen his familiarity with coffee now, I guess with the assassin on his way, dealing with danger is next!

Speaking of who, I wonder how long an assassin like that can keep going, he isn't exactly generic or average looking, and his weapon of choice and style of killing must leave a ton of clues behind. I think that's why Patrick Fischler made sure to not leave any prints on the envelope, figured that stuff might get picked up pretty quickly.

[Normonaut]

One interesting little bit:
On HBONordic, who has the streaming rights in Nordic countries, the thumbnail/preview image is from a scene with badcoop which we haven't seen yet. I expected it to happen in this episode (obviously), but there was nothing. Probably just a mistake, but still interesting.
(The first 4 episodes also had previews that didn't match the actual episodes for like the first week)

[mujubuju]

Carl Rodd for President.

[dkenny78]

I do think it's funny that, even within the warped passage of time in the Red Room, even MIKE is like "WAKE UP ALREADY, COOPER!" Even people in extra-dimensional realms are getting impatient.

That said, the key is on its way to the Great Northern, Albert has located Diane, and my assumption/hope is that the pages Hawk found are the diary passages that reference 'The good Dale is in the Lodge..." Multiple events are converging that will reveal Cooper's fate to key characters. it would appear that the 'plot' would have to kick into a higher gear at this point, but I've been wrong before!

[G42.2]

Ah! I thought that was new Badalementi music during that scene!



More horrible happenings in Twin Peaks, more emotional Badalementi music rising up.... Yes yes!

[ThumbsUp]

I'd also agree that the Red Room/Lodge has lost a bit of intrigue for me. I find it less scary and otherworldly this time around. That being said, I'll always love any scene that's set there.

[wxray]

Okay, I just want to make sure that at this point we DONT know what the scribblings Dougie made on the insurance claims mean to his boss, correct? ...or did I miss something obvious?

Presumably he's pointing out fraud of some kind in an abstract way, but other than that both the stairs & ladder suggest a transcendence (is Cooper on a higher level of being, or aspiring to one?), while the stairs alone evoke the chevron pattern of the red room. The laaders seemed to point to things; one led to the word 'witnesses' & one crossed from one column to another... not sure what either meant, but Bushnell seemed to get something out of it!

He was guided by those green lights again. By certain names, he scribbled more due to the lights.

The ladder/stairs seemed to be his own doing.

The ladder/stairs remind me a lot of the preview scene we still have not seen, of apparently Coop headed towards a shaky staircase.

[billloomis]

Big fan of everything up to this episode. I was generally bored out of my socks last night. Really hope this is not a sign of things to come for the next few episodes. Only thing i liked was the coin flip trick. Other than that it was rather a weak entry in the series.

Given this is an 18 hour show, you can probably expect an episode like this where things just don't quite work as well. With Diane fully on board next week we should see some pretty strong developments.

Since this is not a place for complaints (i saved those for the bash thread) i will post the things i liked. I absolutely loved that shot of all the logs floating outside of the building where the magic coin flip scene took place. Would have liked just a tad more outside atmosphere here. Seems like a cool place.