Twin Peaks - Season 1
Unedited Thoughts - This is part of my unedited thoughts series.
The segues at the start between Laura’s mum and dad finding out at the same time about her death are really great film making. The setup has all the feel of detective drama – but Lynch quickly throws that all out the window.
In a ‘normal’ detective series we are presented with a clue and then the detectives will spend some time trying to ascertain what the relevance of the clue is – and then how it brings us closer to the truth. Twin Peaks does not follow this at all.
We are presented with clues and then they are fitted into the tapestry of the narrative almost immediately. Then we are onto the next clue.
I have never seen a detective – murder mystery – move at such a high pace. The clues related to the crime are almost irrelevant. While they are important in been the thread we follow – it is the characters surrounding this thread that makes the story so interesting.
Special Agent Dale Cooper is absolutely brilliant. He strikes a clean cut image from the moment he enters. He certainly seems a bit kooky as he constantly talks to ‘Diane’ on his dictaphone – even when there are people around – and about the most mundane things.
The characters relationships are real and complex making their desires and goals all pull in different directions. Having said this the town feels way too small to have this amount on infidelity without everyone knowing what is going on.
Audrey is another very interesting character. She seems hell-bent on causing as much damage in any situation as possible. At some level I think it attention seeking that lead her to essentially wanting to be Laura. There is a lot more to it but this is the basis of her motivation.
Leo Johnson is one creepy individual and all eyes are on him for the murderer from episode two. But there are plenty of other contenders from Bobby, the boyfriend she is cheating on, to almost everyone who new the ‘real’ Laura.
The opening of episode three is pure Lynch. Ben & Jerry delivering lines and thinking they are hilarious while eating brie baguettes – so no one – not even them – can understand what is been said.
Episode three also brings us the art of zen detective work – when we realise that despite his clean-cut appearance – Special Agent Dale Cooper is a bit crazy as well. We also learn about the ancient good versus evil fight that is happening between the town and the forest that has been waged for generations.
Behind the story of the murder investigation everyone’s lives continue. There is the land deal that Ben is trying to setup as well as the infighting between the manager and owner of the lumber mill.
Everyone is important to the story and everyone’s lives are real. they all have motivations and goals that are occurring around the main plot. In this rich tapestry every character’s place is real – you look around and you cannot find any bit parts.
After a lot of setup and focus on the side plots in episodes 5-7 episode 8 delivers in spades the high speed drama we have seen so far everything is coming to a head all under the same roof at ‘One Eyed Jacks’ – this is truly masterful storytelling and we are left at the end with a huge cliff-hanger.
Dale is shot. Jerry is about to walk into a room at the brothel with his daughter in it. Big Ed’s wife is on the verge of death from suicide. There only lead to the big murder is about to be murdered by Laura’s grieving father.
