Part 14 - We are like the dreamer (SPOILERS)

[Snailhead]

This episode was a total triumph.

I've had my reservations about The Return here and there, but this episode was stellar from start to finish. The comedic parts were joyous, and the dread was truly palpable.

- The FWWM footage looked great in black & white - it worked nicely alongside the new footage unlike the flashbacks from the original series. It was rather gratifying to have Jeffries's line "Do you know who that is there?" being remembered and have attention drawn to it - it always kind of bugged me that they never addressed it in FWWM.

- First Cole calling up Twin Peaks and learning about the diary, then Diane being Janey-E's half-sister ... it was very satisfying to have that forward momentum in the plot, to have connections made. Doesn't feel like we're treading water anymore. Whoever brought up the fact that it's weird that Diane never even saw a picture of her sister's husband has a very good point. I'm really curious to see how that's gonna pan out. I'm excited at the prospect of seeing Diane and Janey-E interact, should be fun to see those two personalities clash!

- The exterior shots of the forest were sumptuous. The scene when they come across Naido's body was one of my favourite audiovisual moments. I loved the slow reveal. The smoke that pulsated with electricity was one of the most successful effects to date.

- I'm so pleased that Andy got some interesting scenes after the not-so-great stuff with him and Lucy early on in The Return. Does this mean Andy has perfect courage? Did his experience in the [White Lodge?] transform him in a positive manner? He seems to have gained confidence.

- The jailhouse scene was superb. So absurdly funny - the guy with the bleeding mouth felt like an overt parallel to DougieCoop in the way he repeated everything said by those around him.

- Sarah Palmer's scene was GLORIOUS and deliciously unexpected. With so many scenes so far showing women powerless against violent men, it seemed like a release of pent up energy. Grace Zabriskie really deserves awards for her performance in The Return. It certainly adds credence to the theory that the bug-in-mouth girl in the 1950s was Sarah. I have no idea where they are going with Mrs Palmer and I'm loving it.

- Beautiful sound design throughout. One of the best moments was at Elk's Point Bar #9, when we first see the man drinking alone down the bar from Sarah, and the background noise subtly lowers and a drone faintly rises.

- The scene with James's friend from London was hilarious. I didn't think I was gonna like it as he began telling his story, but by the end I was won over and laughing. It also worked on a dramatic level because it directly connected to The Fireman, without that connection it wouldn't have been as interesting. I liked seeing James explore the furnace of the Great Northern and hearing that same eerie hum. I so badly want it to be Josie though it seems quite unlikely. Ha, you just know that we're not gonna see what's on the other side of that door for a few more weeks.

- Of all the recent Roadhouse scenes that feature unknown characters sitting at a booth talking about unknown characters, this was the first successful one in my opinion. Like the scene with James, as it began I was expecting to hate it, but it had me engaged. It helped that we're able to connect what they were talking about to what Audrey had been talking about in the last couple parts (Billy, Tina), but what made it work was the fact that the story that the woman was telling was compelling in and of itself, and it was superbly acted by both women. The Roadhouse musical act was fine, not really my kind of music, but it was heartfelt and worked well enough.

Bravo to Lynch, Frost, & co. A strong contender for my favourite part yet.

[Mallard]

Me too. The camera movement was similar as well.

Speaking of camera movement, did anyone else notice the digital stutter when Hawk, Bobby, Andy, amnd Truman when they were approaching the vortex locale, or was that just my stream messing up?

I think that was deliberate, like the woodsman at the convenience store. Electrical interference

Thanks! I figured that was the case, but since no one had mentioned it I was starting to wonder.

[alreadygoneplaces]

Exciting episode, with lots to love and lots to process- but sadly can't share the 'best episode ever' enthusiasm that's getting the energy up in this thread, with several things irritating during the hour- not least the rubber glove man scene. Besides that I can't imagine there'll be much love for this character over here in the UK (and it burns that it looks set to be a key role for the remainder), the only thing that felt right about that scene was, of all people, James Hurley. As usual though I'll wait until I've rewatched before saying more but a few quick thoughts focussing mostly on the positive...

- Andy in a 'lodge'. Wow. Never thought that could work. But it was beautiful
- Really, no follow-up questions, Gordon?
-So much to be baffled by. I'm now even more confused by Diane's, Janey-E's, Dougie Jones's stories. I hate to admit this, Albert, but...
- Fascinating Roadhouse scene (though let's not talk about that song), which is finally getting me interested in the Audrey plot
- Overall, the best thing I can say about this episode is that like episode 8, it made me feel as though I now understand it all a lot more, and a lot less, simultaneously. Though in this case, leaning more towards less.
- Loved the "THIS IS WHAT WE DO IN THE FBI!!!" explosion. "This is what we do"/"It's what we do" is my number one most hated dialogue cliche, so I got a kick out of seeing it contorted and exaggerated into absurdity
- Grace Zabriskie is giving one of the best acting performances I've ever seen. It's just unreal how good she is and how much she brings to the role.

One last thing upon reading all the responses, especially those relating to Experiment / 'mother', made me want to quote this which I saw in another thread:

Take The Experiment. Probably 90% of people here, on Reddit, on Facebook, on YouTube, are calling it "Mother." But it is only referred to as "Experiment" in the credits (the actor is credited as Experiment Model in Part 1, but I think - again with the assumptions - is that there's a lot of CGI in that appearance, and she "modeled" her body for the general form in motion-capture; but was actually photographed in Part 8 ). At no point in the dialog (it's not even referenced in the dialog; Albert & Cole might know what killed Sam & Tracey, but they ain't talking) or in the credits is it referred to as "Mother." So why do people use that word?

American Girl says "my mother is coming" in Part 3. She says it as a warning, as there are loud, menacing, banging sounds outside. Moments later, Coop passes through the glass box, and The Experiment follows. Five parts later, in the aftermath of the Trinity test, we see it again; and this time it's barfing up a bunch of eggs and a PokéBOB. Well, now it's certainly a "mother," in that it "gave birth to" a bunch of eggs, at least one of which contained a gestating frogbug, and another Killer BOB. So, people's brains seem to make that connection. It didn't stick around to raise anything, showed no maternal behavior - so I'm guessing the biggest reason is its appearance subsequent to Phoebe Augustine saying "my mother is coming." In any case, though, there's absolutely nothing in the text to suggest that we should call it anything but Experiment. It might be what American Girl is talking about. I'd allow that it *most likely* is what she's talking about. But it is not *by necessity* what she is talking about; and yet the vast majority of people discussing Twin Peaks online call it "Mother."

[sycamore]

Did Andy see a flashback of himself and Lucy in a hospital?

Or a flash-forward? This being the only scene from his vision that we (the viewers) haven't seen yet.

[Mallard]

Notice the finger in Sarah's head. sarafing.JPG

And I can't put my finger on it (no pun intended), but this little snapshot reminds me of some famous recent contemporary artist's work. Anyone know? In this case, it is Lynch the painter.
sarasmile.JPG

Damn this is creepy.

George Costanza had no idea who he was dealing with.

[cowwithfivelegs]

.

[Jerry Horne]

Did Andy see a flashback of himself and Lucy in a hospital?

Or a flash-forward? This being the only scene from his vision that we (the viewers) haven't seen yet.

Possibly. It seemed like Lucy was white as a sheet, so I'm wondering if it's tied into her condition or even into Wally etc.

[n00bj0b]

Anyone got a screenshot of the Fireman holding up his hand?

there you go

So awesome thanks!!

[Snailhead]

Doesn't feel like we're treading water anymore.

We have never been treading water. We have been spending time within a world, which much like our reality, is mostly devoid of exciting events but ultimately build into them.

Key word being *feel*. To me there have been scenes that *felt* like we were treading water. My subjective experience.
It was nice to spend a full hour away from Vegas.

[vicksvapor77]

Someone on Twitter mentioned the vortex in Buckhorn was black while the one in Twin Peaks was white. Does that indicate the Fireman resides in the White Lodge?

I know there have been a lot of people calling it that but I feel it's a bit presumptuous. But it would also tie in nicely as to how Major Briggs encountered the White Lodge, as well.

[vicksvapor77]

Or a flash-forward? This being the only scene from his vision that we (the viewers) haven't seen yet.

I think it's definitely a flash-forward. My guess? Perhaps she is brought out to identify the "correct" Cooper in the finale. They were definitely in the hallway of the police station.

[chromereflectsimage]

Back in episode 3, they zoomed in on "American Girl's' watch and it said 2:53 after Naido fell and Cooper went through the electrical socket. So does that mean this scene takes place directly after the woman falls?

[Snailhead]

Oh man, and OF COURSE James is going after a married woman. That added some intrigue to that plot line, and the theme of being trapped in cycles. James is perpetually interested in the women he can't have.

[Esselgee]

So now that we have someone else talking about Billy and Tina can we rule out Audrey being in a coma? I think it probably also rules out her being in a mental hospital also.

So I guess James ended up being the one who works for Ben and not Bobby.

[chromereflectsimage]

Doesn't feel like we're treading water anymore.

We have never been treading water. We have been spending time within a world, which much like our reality, is mostly devoid of exciting events but ultimately build into them.

Key word being *feel*. To me there have been scenes that *felt* like we were treading water. My subjective experience.
It was nice to spend a full hour away from Vegas.

We did get a brief scene when Cole called those two guys in Vegas about Dougie Jones saying there were like 23 Dougie Jones's in the area. I don't know why Gordon just didn't also give them his wife's name to narrow it down. Oh well.