The Secret History of Twin Peaks

[LonelySoul]

Can't believe nobody has mentioned the brief reference to the most important cornerstone of twin peaks mythology, viz the PINE WEASEL

I was pretty stoked when I saw this. We have to save the pine weasel!

[Dalai Cooper]

I take the bulk of the "alien" discussion in the book to relate to the same things it did in S2 - not aliens, but the extradimensional Lodge entities Bluebook was investigating that sometimes present similarly. Some of the other things, like the craft Briggs theorizes about, were IMO likely experimental aircraft just as he suggests (then dismisses, but again, unreliable narrator). Other things, like Milford's description of the child abduction, has either Briggs or Preston going out of their way to indicate that he never saw any craft, just a darkness. That to me indicates this is not about aliens, just the mistaken perception of visitors from outer space, versus what the show truly has, visitors from another place.

Milford pretty much explicitly says so right at the end of the novel. It's essentially the same trick they pull in s2 with the whole "the call is coming from inside the woods" reveal - forget all that shit we just said about aliens, that was a misdirection. Of course in this case "that shit we just said about aliens" is an entire novel! Pretty funny way to hit the reset button. I don't expect ETs to play a big role in the new series.

[The Jumping Man]

Finished the book last night and just read through this thread and I think I need a Silkwood shower. Things seem to have calmed down some, but I couldn't help but wonder what this forum would have looked like on opening weekend of Fire Walk with Me. A cautionary tale as the new season approaches.

I generally enjoyed the book on its own terms, even if it wasn't exactly what I hoped for. Of course I noticed the sloppiness, though I didn't catch all of it (here's one internal inconsistency I don't think I've seen pointed out here: Ben Horne was born in 1940, yet he was the 'student-manager" of the 1968 football team - at 28?), but I can't say it bothered me all that much. The idea that's been put forth here that all characters and storylines and plot details are created equal, and if you mess up on Norma's mother, that' invalidates everything...I don't buy it. The outrage of the continuity police strikes me as way over the top, or to put it in Twin Peaks terns, missing the forest for the trees.

[LonelySoul]

The idea that's been put forth here that all characters and storylines and plot details are created equal, and if you mess up on Norma's mother, that' invalidates everything...I don't buy it. The outrage of the continuity police strikes me as way over the top, or to put it in Twin Peaks terns, missing the forest for the trees.

Just to play devil's advocate...

If we see something specific that happens on screen (e.g. Vivian existing) and then another canon(?) thing comes out and eliminates this thing, then it calls into question if any event even matters. Authors/directors/writers/etc. could keep overwriting stuff and if you subscribe to the notion that it's no big deal if they do this then do particular, sequential events have no meaning now? Should we care about any particular thing, however big or small, if it could vanish from canon later? Who cares that Coop went into the Black Lodge? Who cares if Little Nicky hung out with Dick and Andy? Who cares if Laura died? Yes, you can argue that some events are "more important" than others by whatever metric you choose to use, but it boils down to whether or not anything we have seen matters or if it can just be overwritten. And then, does the current book stuff matter? Should we get attached to it? What if Lynch overwrites book stuff in season 3? What if Lynch bails again before a fourth season (and we assume for the sake of argument that, contractually, the show must go on) and some new director comes in and overwrites stuff he just did? Etc., etc.

In the end, we'll all rationalize things however we see fit. I'm sticking to the whole "people are really bad at reporting events" mindset for the time being. If in season three Norma walks on screen and makes it clear that Vivian never did exist, while it doesn't alter things very much in the grand scheme, we now have to decide how to handle the episodes where she clearly does exist.

[Ross]

Finished the book last night and just read through this thread and I think I need a Silkwood shower. Things seem to have calmed down some, but I couldn't help but wonder what this forum would have looked like on opening weekend of Fire Walk with Me. A cautionary tale as the new season approaches.

I generally enjoyed the book on its own terms, even if it wasn't exactly what I hoped for. Of course I noticed the sloppiness, though I didn't catch all of it (here's one internal inconsistency I don't think I've seen pointed out here: Ben Horne was born in 1940, yet he was the 'student-manager" of the 1968 football team - at 28?), but I can't say it bothered me all that much. The idea that's been put forth here that all characters and storylines and plot details are created equal, and if you mess up on Norma's mother, that' invalidates everything...I don't buy it. The outrage of the continuity police strikes me as way over the top, or to put it in Twin Peaks terns, missing the forest for the trees.

I think our connections with the show at this point are extremely emotional. So how we react to the book and S3 are going to differ. I loved the show and FWWM since first viewing. But the continuity things, and even the internal sloppiness of the book did frustrate me for a bunch of different reasons. There's no right or wrong way to look at it. There was a lot to like in the book, but in the end I wanted it to expand things, whereas many of the problems seemed to only subtract and confuse things. Plus I wanted to believe Frost (and Lynch) had a great handle on what came before for S3.

The original audience of the book seemed to me to be geared towards the mega-fan, but in the end I think its a much more enjoyable read for the casual fan who remembers the broad strokes of the original and not the details.

[FrightNight]

A GREAT couple of posts before this one. I especially like the thought about the book being more appealing to the casual (I would add breezy) kind of fan. Kudos, guys!

[Leebob]

I'm curious, does Frost have a background in history? MAYDAY

I do not know, but if you have not yet read "The Greatest Game Ever Played" by Frost your should do so. Frost does a wonderful job of weaving throughout this tale, historical interludes that give this "sports" story a greater context and highlight the social environment that placed this golf match at a crucial turning point for the both the sport of golf and the class struggles in the U.S and Europe.

[JumpingMan]

Has anyone noticed that the other significant appearance of a lockbox/footlocker is that it is what the jumping man is jumping on and off of above the convenience store... I wonder if there is a connection.

I also wonder if there is a hidden joke in these continuity problems. There fact that Lynch uses actors that can often be mistaken for other characters in his films, and uses people with the same first names in Twin Peaks, its a little bit like breaking the golden rules of fiction.

Ps. Will change my profile name when I work out how to. Didn't realise thar there is another jumping man on here.

[thepope79]

I listened to the audiobook first, because it arrived before the hardback, and was surprised to hear the archivist talk of an Agent "Clark" Desmond disappearing. The book-book has arrived now and it says "Chet" at the same point in there, so it's a misreading rather than a typo or continuity error.

[bowisneski]

I listened to the audiobook first, because it arrived before the hardback, and was surprised to hear the archivist talk of an Agent "Clark" Desmond disappearing. The book-book has arrived now and it says "Chet" at the same point in there, so it's a misreading rather than a typo or continuity error.

There's a couple of those. I've also noticed the occasional missing word or misreading. Luckily most people are either getting both or just the physical book. It'd be weird, to me at least, if I only had the audiobook and heard him referred to as Clark Desmond.

[mtwentz]

Just finished the audiobook.

I thought it was awesome.

The inconsistencies didn't bother me much- especially the Ghostwood/Ben Horne one. I kinda felt that Frost wanted to simplify the narrative. That whole Ghostwood story of how Catherine stole the land from under Ben was very complex, and the alternate narrative that Frost presented was more simple and straightforward.

I was actually more bothered by Hank being recruited by Jean Renault at a young age, when it's clear from the series that they have never met before the episode where Jean puts a gun to Hank's head.

But overall, the weaving in of all the UFO, Aleister Crowley, Nixon stuff etc. blew everything else.

One question and maybe it's been discussed- are we now assuming James Morrison is a recast Major Briggs?

[BEARisonFord]

One question and maybe it's been discussed- are we now assuming James Morrison is a recast Major Briggs?

I'd be sorta shocked if they recast Briggs. The only cast member i've even pondered being recast is Phillip Jeffries since I believe Arbogast had mentioned he supposedly had an important role in S3 previous to Bowie's passing (my speculation is that if true, Richard Chamberlain or Tim Roth would fill that role)

[Jerry Horne]

...

[Aqua]

And boom .. the whole week of intense debates re continuity gaffes cancelled vs. pre-order Or is this too much to wish for even with this

[FrightNight]

Like I said, if all this eventually transpires as Frost's trick he played on the faithful fans, I'm buyin' the man a lunch!