How did you react to these turning points in Twin Peaks?

[LostInTheMovies]

BEAUTIFULLY written! I'm going to watch the pilot again in a few days, so it was perfect timing for me.

I will be on the edge of my seat waiting for your next "Submit." And will not look askance if you decide to splurge them all.

[the haystack]

I do remember there being sort of a gendered response at the time--my women friends were freaked out in a way that the men I knew were not. I have no memory of media coverage, and of course, the internet wasn't in wide use at the time. I just remember friends' reactions because we'd usually watch it in a big group when possible.

You remember well; I saw similar reactions. Social media consisted of people talking in person, although I have always distrusted that "watercooler" meme; at the time I didn't know a single watercooler anywhere, and I worked in downtown Chicago. Speaking only for the men, the story held our attention, but several stereotypes were displaced by the series. Crying deputy, soft-spoken sheriff, dazzling FBI agent with the emphasis on "Cary Grant", high school "girls" who were less cheerleader, and more sophisticate, scoring that was far outside of the prime-time spectrum, and an undefinable setting--was it the 50s or the 90s? These things confused men in 1990; and when men are confused, they talk about sports. The unique and immediate fraternity between Cooper and Truman with elements of love and respect was not the TV standard--hugging?? in S2? Inhibitions were activated. Today's 24-year-old male watches Twin Peaks in a different world (speaking only of the US). His perspective, as formed by culture, is far more informed and, he is less likely to consider certain character behaviors as irregular (though he may see them as outdated in this context). The fact that Frost/Lynch were to a certain extent stereotype benders is not commonly considered by new viewers.

At the time, I found Twin Peaks discussions with women to be far more lively.

BEAUTIFULLY written! I'm going to watch the pilot again in a few days, so it was perfect timing for me.

I will be on the edge of my seat waiting for your next "Submit." And will not look askance if you decide to splurge them all.

LITM, thanks for the kind words.

[chalfont]

Just wanting to add something here. As I watched (again) some of the last youtube-clips of Journey Through TP by Lostinthemovies, I remembered one reaction I had back in 91: when Coop enters the Black Lodge in the final episode, I remember thinking back in 91: "of course - the red room!!!". So many years later, it is now something at least I never gives a thought that there was never a clear, direct link between the Black Lodge and the red room BEFORE we saw Cooper there in the final episode. Can any of you remember your reaction? Were you surprised or were you expecting this earlier in season 2?

[LostInTheMovies]

Just wanting to add something here. As I watched (again) some of the last youtube-clips of Journey Through TP by Lostinthemovies, I remembered one reaction I had back in 91: when Coop enters the Black Lodge in the final episode, I remember thinking back in 91: "of course - the red room!!!". So many years later, it is now something at least I never gives a thought that there was never a clear, direct link between the Black Lodge and the red room BEFORE we saw Cooper there in the final episode. Can any of you remember your reaction? Were you surprised or were you expecting this earlier in season 2?

Yeah, I'd love to hear that too.

Just recently I sent feedback to the Log Ladies Podcast, on which the two hosts are watching Twin Peaks for the first time, and I asked if they expected to see the Lodge & what they thought it might look like. It was interesting to hear their speculation and be reminded that, yeah, before Lynch did that there was really no guarantee that the Black Lodge would be the same as Cooper's dreamspace even though it makes perfect sense to me in retrospect. It's always kind of amazed me that the writers themselves weren't planning to go in that direction all along! (Though the Red Room does make that one really brief cameo within the Lodge in the script.)

It wasn't until I went back and read Usenet posts from 1991 that I realized what a twist that was.

Here's the other thing though about my first viewing: perhaps because I was coming from movies more than TV and probably because I watched everything in such quick succession I was generally expecting MORE stuff to tie together or have some kind of overarching purpose. In fact I distinctly remember suspecting that Billy Zane and/or Heather Graham were somehow gonna be aligned with Windom Earle or something, that they couldn't simply be the straightforward love interests they were being presented in. I also initially thought there was more going on with Evelyn Marsh. So maybe with that mindset I always expected the Red Room to come back? I'm honestly not sure. It's funny that images of Coop in the Lodge are essentially spoilers by their nature yet most people don't think of them as such, and I tend to use them pretty freely (hell, 1/3 of the Journey Through Twin Peaks logo is Coop walking through the curtains). I guess because people could maybe think they were production stills from the dream sequence or something if they don't look too closely?

I really wish I'd kept a viewing diary at the time because so much is lost in the haze. That said, I did write this post immediately after watching the finale (and before FWWM): http://thedancingimage.blogspot.com/200 ... peaks.html so it captures a bit of my first green impression but not much.

[the haystack]

...Can any of you remember your reaction? Were you surprised or were you expecting this earlier in season 2?

Completely surprised, although they dangled that brief red curtain image over GGrove with (what looked like) Bob's clawing hand coming through in a prior episode.

Previously, I'd followed a major dead end from the episode where Col. Briggs is abducted. When they brought in the hooded apparition I became convinced that the Black Lodge was going to follow that image. I never gave up that hope until finally, by Miss Twin Peaks pageant time, I knew I was wrong. Think I might have lost a beer bet on that, or something.

[Sidgwick]

I’ve become absolutely fixated on Twin Peaks (for I think the sixth time in my life this far) at seemingly the worst possible time – the wait for this new season (that sounds amazing to this day!) is torturous.

I’d like to introduce myself by saying that you lot have kept me sane over the past few weeks, during which I’ve pored over your engaging discussions from afar. I was even engrossed by the film vs. digital debate on the non-spoiler forum (and was finally able to put my finger on why Mad Men suddenly felt different). The forum is remarkably civil, which is so refreshing – I’ve only ever signed up to a pro wrestling board, which became very heated at times.

1

I have never been so completely immersed in anything before or since. I too was theirs at ‘Lonesome foghorn blows…’. I’m 30 now, and was 17 when I rushed my Christmas dinner to race upstairs to watch it. The UK trailer for the original green box set, with its indelible images of blown-out candles and dead bodies and otherworldly music, was just hypnotic. I became obsessed with Twin Peaks even before I watched the pilot, and when I did so, I felt strangely at home.

2

I wasn’t the most discerning or knowledgeable of viewers back then, so even though the unsettling tone indirectly telegraphs a supernatural element, I was shocked at the seamless way in which the show introduced another element. The wave upon wave of jaw-dropping moments in those first few episodes is matched only by the second half of Abbey Road, in my opinion.

3

It was at this point I knew that this show would forever claim my heart as THE cultural obsession in my life. Thirteen years later, I was right.

4A&B

I was just glad that the mystery had deepened. I didn’t want to know who killed Laura at that point because I had no earthly idea and I was more concerned with staying in that world. It was just too dreamy,

5

Something of an N/A for me, this.

6a

This remains one of my all-time favourite moments. To this day, my best friend and I will wink in that comically strained way, give one another the thumbs up and say I HEARD ABOUT YOU! YOU’RE ALRIGHT! I even do it to my 8 month-old son!

6b

Again, I loved the shift in focus towards the supernatural, though I still hoped a human element would play into the mystery – ultimately, I was set for a best of both worlds scenario. I should note at this point that I was a complete apologist – before locating Spanish DVDs of season two, on which I couldn’t turn off the subtitles, rendering the last episode even more disorienting, I almost shelled out £80 for season 2 taped from the Sci-Fi channel on eBay…

6c

This was probably, to this point, only the second time in my adult life that I’d been legitimately afraid of something presented on the screen (the other being Stephen King’s IT).

7

The third time.

8

Unfortunately, this didn’t have the impact it would have – I stumbled across FWWM in HMV (UK music chain) and despite the blurb and tagline, I couldn’t help but watch it. The jig was already up. I might have even spoiled the reveal in my haste of looking up season 2 online on Boxing day, having devoured all of S1 on Christmas day.

9

I was absolutely mesmerised, but despite my earlier responses I remember feeling a little underwhelmed that the onus afterwards was placed squarely on the supernatural – the concept and presentation of incestuous abuse was so startling and powerful, but those final moments negated it. At that moment, it felt it could have just as easily have been BOB inhabiting Ben Horne, or Leo Johnson, or any number of people. Re-watches of FWWM have since enabled a deeper retrospective appreciation. Wise’s bravura performance elevated it, though.

10

Curiously and conversely, I didn’t fall out of love with the show in the slightest. At 17, I was ineptly navigating the world of girls and dating, and used Twin Peaks as a form of escapism. I was also using it to shape – Christ, this sounds pretentious – something of an intellectual identity, so I wasn’t prepared to process the downturn in quality. I also loved the hang-out aspects of the show – this truly was a world I was desperate to live in – which helped.

11

I admired the show for its refreshing portrayal of Cooper’s platonic, avuncular love, so I wasn’t disappointed. I may also have been in love with Audrey myself, which didn’t hurt. So when Wheeler turned up…

12

Again, I was a complete apologist, and not particularly discerning, so what I now recognise as self-consciously weird, an approximation of what was so natural before, I viewed then as a continuation of the quirky atmosphere I fell for. I was also gripped by the idea of the Windom Earle storyline, which must have helped.

13

Truthfully, I didn’t – or didn’t want to – recognise the slide.

14

As mentioned, those infuriating Spanish subtitles took me out of it. Though seeing that Red Room for such an elongated stretch was just incredible, I was thoroughly depressed by the Cooper cliff-hanger, and actually thought MacLachlan overplayed it. I now recognise it as the unequivocal masterpiece it is, but back then, I was mostly frustrated on all counts.

15

Like many, the jarring tonal shift shaped my weariness towards it, and it didn’t feel like Twin Peaks to me. Time has been incredibly kind to it. I watched it not too long ago, and I hold it in the highest regard – only the holy trinity of the pilot, episode 2 and episode 29 eclipse it. Harry Dean Stanton’s line reading of ‘You know what this means? Means there’s more shit I gotta do now!’ is among the best I’ve ever heard. The film perfectly reconciles my fascination with the human and supernatural elements of the show while retaining an incredible ambiguity.

[LostInTheMovies]

Thanks, Sidgwick! If possible, I'd love to hear you elaborate on seeing FWWM in the midst of the series (& before the reveal). That's such a unique way to watch it...how did it feel switching back to the show's tempo and style having already seen the film? And while the film's tone is shocking regardless, it seems like not having seen Maddy's murder (the darkest moment on the show) it would feel even more shocking.

Btw, I take it in the UK you had a DVD release of season 1 that included the pilot circa 2002? Here, we had to wait till 2007 to get a version of season 1 w/ the pilot included. In fact, when I first tried to watch the show a year earlier I rented disc 1 and was very confused when it began with Cooper already in town, Laura having been dead for a day and everybody seemingly in the middle of various storylines (plus, it wasn't directed by David Lynch which threw me). I had to piece together that the pilot episode was missing haha.

[Sidgwick]

I think my irrational love of that notorious mid-season 2 stretch can be partly attributed to the context in which I watched FWWM. Going back to that world, especially the lighter aspects of it, felt almost blissful.

My reaction was akin to the townsfolk - I felt I had to sweep it under the rug. In retrospect, I can't think of a higher compliment to pay the film.

I also felt like I'd cheated myself - I felt so awful for Leland during s1, so seeing him depicted as he is in FWWM, I was kicking myself. I knew I'd missed a hell of an arc. That said, Mairzy Doats took on an added sinister significance, as did his dancing with the brothers Horne.

As horrifying as the film was in and of itself, the seismic tonal shift mostly precipitated my reaction at the time; though the relationship between BOB and Leland was far more satisfying than in the series, I still much preferred the latter at that point.

[Sidgwick]

Also, I've heard about the issues you folks in the US had with the pilot and you have my sympathy! In a way though, it must have been a treat watching it, having seen the worst of the run already, knowing you had another classic episode to enjoy.

[LostInTheMovies]

Do you remember which episodes you watched it between? I imagine it might work "best" (which isn't to say "great") immediately following the train car flashback in ep. 8. That's where I like to slot Laura's Secret Diary on a multimedia rewatch.

[Sidgwick]

Between seasons one and two - I stumbled upon FWWM before I located the Spanish-production DVDs and their blasted subtitles. Not the best segue, but this was an obsession. So much so that I listened to Moby's Go for weeks. I hate that guy!