TWIN PEAKS - #8 MAIRZY DOATS: PART I (1990)

The Score: 10 out of 10

By the time the second season of Twin Peaks premiered, the series had achieved a level of popularity rarely heard of on television. Before the second season, the cast and creators were featured prominently on many shows, like Donahue and Saturday Night Live. David Lynch's popularity was at its zenith, a time when most creators would begin playing it safe and avoid taking risks that could alienate the enormous audience. When you have millions of dollars riding on your popularity, the temptation is great to start taking the middle road artistically. Lynch rose above this mediocre trend by delivering the most daring, challenging, and polarizing episodes of network television.

Twin Peaks Saturday Night Live Parody

The Cast are Later Joined by Series Co-Creator Mark Frost to Answer Questions
from Phil Donahue and his Studio Audience

Twin Peaks Cast on Donahue, Pt. 1

Twin Peaks Cast on Donahue, Pt. 2

Twin Peaks Cast on Donahue, Pt. 3

Twin Peaks Cast on Donahue, Pt. 4

Twin Peaks Cast on Donahue, Pt. 5

Kyle MacLachlan on Letterman

The Female Cast Members Became Fashion Icons

Twin Peaks Season 1 Recap Special, Pt. 1


Twin Peaks Season 1 Recap Special, Pt. 2

MARES EAT OATS AND DOES EAT OATS

The Pilot's Full Opening Title Sequence Plays for the Second and Final Instance in the Series, But the Ending of the Sequence Transitions into a Darker Nighttime Shot of the Otherwise Familiar Rushing Water

After David Lynch shifted his attention temporarily toward the post-production of Wild at Heart (1990) before its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May, Mark Frost and the other series writers/directors completed the next five episodes to finish season one of Twin Peaks. And to the audience's delight, these collaborators adhered faithfully to the high standards established by David Lynch. After the first season aired, including the feature-length pilot and next seven episodes, people by and large recognized it as the strongest opening for any television program ever produced.

The Second Season Begins Just Moments After the Cliffhanger Ending to Season 1 at the Great Northern Hotel

As evidenced from the sample of video clips at the beginning of this article, Twin Peaks made a huge impact on the popular culture of the early 90's. People from vastly different backgrounds would gather around their TV sets every week and experience the world of Twin Peaks together, some in large groups with their friends and family, others would watch alone by themselves. Whatever the case might be, millions of people connected on a profound level with David Lynch's television dream world and were anxious to see what would happen next.

Season 1 Ended on Agent Cooper Receiving Three Bullets to the Chest by an Unknown Assailant

At this moment David Lynch's popularity peaked and he became a household name in film and television. Lynch gained monumentally high ratings for Twin Peaks and won the Palme D'Or at the 1990 Cannes Film Festival for Wild at Heart. After Cannes he returned to Twin Peaks to direct the second season feature-length premiere episode and the following episode, giving him the opportunity to open the season with equivalent of three episodes under his direction.

Agent Cooper Left Deputy Andy on the Phone to Get What He Thought was his Room Service When He was Shot, Leaving a Worried Deputy Shouting Out to a Fallen Cooper

Two Bullets Were Stopped by Cooper's Kevlar Vest, but One Bullet Struck Home in the Gut

A Decrepit Elderly Man Delivers Cooper his Room Service

And Notices Cooper on the Ground

The Elderly Man is Confused by Cooper's Requests for an Ambulance

Instead, the Room Service Attendant Gets Cooper's Signature for the Warm Milk

Cooper is Careful to Make Sure the Elderly Man is Given an Adequate Gratuity

The Elderly Man Assures Cooper that his Tip is Included in the Price of the Service Bill

Cooper is Relieved by this News as the Elderly Man Says Farewell, Apparently Providing Cooper without Any Help

After the Man Walks in and Out of the Room a Total of Three Times in Total, a Giant Appears in Cooper's Room

Unsure of What is Happening, Cooper Listens to the Giant Carefully

Cooper's Visitation with the Giant

The Giant Tells Cooper Three Obscure Sentences and Asks if Cooper Will Believe in his Words When Everything He Says Comes True

The Giant Explains that He Will Take Cooper's Ring and Give it Back to Him Once He Discovers the Truth

Cooper Allows the Giant to Take His Ring

And the Giant Disappears, Leaving Cooper Alone Again

Meanwhile, One of the Most Disturbing Scenes of the Series Unfolds at One-Eyed Jacks

Audrey's Investigation into Laura's Murder has Brought Her to this Moment Where She Planned to Discover the Identity of the Owner of One-Eyed Jacks

But She is Horrified to Realizes Her Father is the Owner

Unaware of the New Girl's Identity, Ben Gleefully Approaches the Bed with Sexual Playfulness

Audrey Strains Her Voice to Sound Different than Normal and Tries to Shoo Away Her Father

Ben is Not so Easily Dissuaded Though

While this Horrific Scene Unfolds, We Jump to Blackie and Jerry Horne Arguing Over Business

Blackie is in Need of a Heroin Fix and the Horne Brothers are Her Dealers

Jerry Comments on How Blackie's Looks are Deteriorating

And Blows Blackie a Kiss as He Passes Her a Dose

Blackie is Angry for Several Reasons Now

But She Holds Her Tongue Until Jerry Leaves

And She Whispers an Impotent, "Bastard!"

Blackie Focuses on Her Addiction Again

We Go Back to Audrey's Perilous and Disturbing Struggle Just a Few Rooms Down the Hallway from Blackie

Ben Believes the New Girl is Simply Teasing Him

And Pretends to Play Along with the Game by Explaining How He Will Leave the Room

But of Course Ben is Just Playing Around Still

For a Brief Moment Audrey Hopes She has Succeeded

As Ben Opens and Closes the Door as if He Left the Room

But Audrey Knows Her Father is Still in the Room, So She Devises a Plan to Buy Her a Little More Time

She Calls Herself Prudence and Puts on a Mask

Notice How the Red Curtains Surrounding the Bed Frame Parallels with the Red Room in Agent Cooper's Dream. There is Something Important Happening in this Scene that Connects to Cooper's Dream

Audrey Hides Under the Covers, Trying to Put as Many Obstacles as Possible Between Her and Ben

Ben Pulls the Covers of the Bed Away to Reveal his Masked Daughter

Ben Unknowingly Leers at his Own Daughter

As Ben Starts Moving from Traumatizing Seductive Talk to Frisky Action...

Audrey Physically Blocks Him, Hoping that She Will Not Have to Reveal Her Identity to Get Him to Leave Her Alone

Jerry Knocks on the Door and Explains that he Needs to Talk to Ben

Ben Finally Leaves Audrey, But Promises to Return to Complete the Game they Started

Poor Audrey has Uncovered Many Unpleasant Facts Tonight, Leading Her to Suspect Her Father of Killing Laura

AND LITTLE LAMBS EAT IVY

Agent Cooper, Audrey, and Most the Townspeople are Going Through Hell Tonight

Luckily Cooper Accidentally Kept his Recorder on Voice-Activation Mode

Agent Cooper Shares Some of his Thoughts and Feelings About his Near-Death Experience

He Jokes Around About How he Hallucinated About a Giant Earlier, But When Cooper Reaches for his Ring he Discovers it is Missing

Deputy Andy Clearly Worried About Agent Cooper and Rounded Together Hawk and Truman to Come to Cooper's Rescue

Upon Seeing his New Group of Friends Arrive, Cooper Passes Out

Cooper Wakes to the Faces of Sheriff Truman, Lucy Moran, and Doc Hayward Looking Down

Cooper is Woozy

Agent Cooper had a Wood Tick Under his Vest, Which is Why Part of his Kevlar Vest was Lifted Up When He was Shot. One Bullet Hit Cooper Under the Exposed Area, But Luckily the Wood Tick Took the Worst Part of the Impact

Pictured: David Lynch's Unique Brand of Humor

Agent Cooper is Informed About Everything he has Missed from the Previous Night's List of Tragedies

Cooper Humorously Asks How Long he was Out

Cooper Insists that he Does Not Need Bed Rest and he Gets Up to Continue his Investigation

In the Season 1 Finale We Saw the Packard Sawmill Ablaze

In the Season 2 Premiere We Witness the Tragic Aftermath of Ben Horne's Treachery, One of the Saddest Images of the Series. The Sawmill that Opens Every Episode of Twin Peaks Lies in Ruins

Series Co-Creator Mark Frost Cameos as the Anchor Delivering the Terrible News. The Stakes are Getting Higher as All the Characters and Elements of the Series are Under Threat Now

The TV Set is Playing in Shelly Johnson's Room, Where She Weeps in Mourning for Bobby Who She was Led to Believe to be Dead at the Hands of Her Husband Leo

Against Doc Hayward's Counsel, Agent Cooper Presses Forward After Being Seriously Wounded

Jacques Renault's Body is Delivered to the Hospital Morgue in a Body Bag

Not Sure if this Could be the Fulfillment of the Giant's Prophecies from Earlier, Cooper Asks if that Bag Looks Like it is Smiling. His Bizarre Question is Greeted with Confusion

We Have Not Seen or Heard Much of Ronette Pulaski Since Lynch's Episodes Last Season

But We See Ronette Stirring with Some Promising Signs of Life

A KID WILL EAT IVY, TOO

WOULDN'T YOU?

The Palmer Household

As revealed in the season one finale, Leland Palmer murdered Jacques Renault in the hospital in a fit of grief and rage, apparently suspecting him of being his daughter Laura's killer. Any hope that this action might finally bring Leland some semblance of relief is immediately dispelled in his character's introduction.

Leland's Second Season Opening

Compared to the Activities Taking Place Everywhere Else Across Town, Things Seem Relatively Peaceful and Calm at the Palmer Residence

Maddy Pensively Stares Down at the Carpet and Begins to Engage in What Seems Like Small Talk

David Lynch's Characters Often Discuss their Dreams with One Another

Madeline "Maddy" Ferguson Explains to her Aunt Sarah a Dream She had Last Night

Sarah Asks if Laura was in the Dream

Maddy Explains that She Dreamed About this Area of the Carpet, Directly in Front of Her

But Before Explaining Any More About the Dream, Leland Pops Out from Behind the Nearby Decorative Screen and Begins Compulsively Singing a Children's Nursery Song

To Everyone's Surprise, Leland's Hair has Turned Completely White Overnight

After Finishing his Disruptive Solo, Leland Runs Out of the House to Leaves for Work. Sarah Runs After him to Try to Prevent him from Leaving

When Maddy is Left Alone in the Room, She Apparently Experiences a Literal Fulfillment of the Dream she was Interrupted from Explaining to Sarah

A Large Puddle of Blood Gradually Reveals itself in the Fabric of the Carpet in Front of Her Before Quickly Dissolving Away Again

A Scene in Mulholland Dr. (2001) Involves Two Friends Discussing a Nightmare While Eating Out at the Diner. Without Spoiling Anything, that Scene Eerily Reflects Maddy's Terror

As Mentioned in Our Analysis of the Pilot Episode, the Conspicuous Use of Fire Should Alert the Audience

As Jerry and Ben Horne Consult Over the Burning of the Packard Sawmill, they Receive an Unwelcomed Guest

Leland Palmer Strolls into the Office as if Nothing has Changed in his Work Schedule, But Continues to Sing the Children's Nursery Song from Earlier Over and Over Again

In What has to be One of the More Bizarre and Comedic Scenes of the Series, the Horne Brothers are Apparently Dumbfounded by What to do with Leland 

So they Begin to Playfully Dance Around the Office to Leland's Tune

Richard Beymer Gets to Show Off Some of his Dance Skills from his Earlier Days When he Played Roles Like Tony in West Side Story (1961)

Leland Finally Stops Singing and Declares...

"I'm Back!"

Leland began dancing compulsively in episode 2, breaking the frame of his daughter Laura's photo and cutting his hand in the process. Now Leland is both singing and dancing compulsively, apparently no longer operating on the same wavelength that he once did. This comedic compulsion does not seem entirely out of line with some of the other eccentric behavior in Twin Peaks, but it is a drastic departure for a man considered one of the pillars of the community and the best lawyer in the region.

ANOTHER GREAT DAY IN LAW ENFORCEMENT HISTORY

With Leo Johnson shot and in a coma, the principal suspect of Laura Palmer's murder cannot be questioned. At this point, Agent Cooper and Sheriff Truman are a little overwhelmed with data. How do they direct their investigation now that the town has spiraled out of control?

"These same geese were flying that night."

Leo Johnson's Copy of Flesh World

Another Great Day in L.E. History

Albert Rosenfield Returns to Twin Peaks to Investigate the Shooting of Agent Cooper

Deputy Andy is Anxious and Excited to Warn Cooper and Truman

Unfortunately, Andy Does Not Anticipate a Loose Board

And Andy Runs Headlong into the Board

Andy is Disoriented

Everything Rosenfield has Said About Small-Town Living Seems Accurate
"Another great day in law enforcement history!"

Rosenfield is Right, Since this Serendipitous Accident Revealed Leo Johnson's
Secret Stash of Drugs and Boots

Most directors would have difficulty shifting tone from a horrifically serious murder investigation to classic slapstick humor. But we are playing in the world of David Lynch here, so we can expect the full range of humor and a roller coaster ride of emotions when we watch one of his films. Although these shifts in tone might confuse and trouble the audience at first, the effect is remarkably engaging and grounds Twin Peaks as one of the most strangely real TV shows ever made. Surprising for a show heavily featuring psychic phenomena.

Witty, sarcastic humor tends to dominate modern TV programming, but slapstick frequently occurs in real life, too. But slapstick tends to be relegated to a less classy rung of the humor ladder. We avoid laughing while we are present at these accidents out of empathy for the person experiencing pain, but America's Funniest Home Videos (1990-Present) and its bastard stepchild Jack-Ass (2000-02) were not hit TV programs for nothing.

LOOK INTO THE MEALS ON WHEELS

Donna Hayward and Madeline Ferguson take a strange turn in this scene from their previously dainty, wholesome, and slightly homespun image into more self-assured and aggressive women. Although the investigation into Laura Palmer's life has definitely desensitized the two young women to many things, their shift in behavior seems a little extreme.

Some have gone so far as to theorize that Laura Palmer's sunglasses might in some way be exerting a subtle but powerful psychic influence on the two girls, Laura's spirit rubbing off on them and prompting this sudden behavioral change. Whatever the explanation, the Donna and Maddy seem to have become a little addicted to danger and have become more like Laura through their investigation.

In some ways this would seem to echo Jeffrey Beaumont's descent into hell in Blue Velvet (1986), the dark underworld luring them deeper into trouble. Thankfully both young women avoid going to the extremes that Jeffrey did.

Maddy has a Sudden Urge to Destroy her Glasses and Never Wear them Again

Apparently Out of the Blue, Donna has Begun Smoking, Evidence Against
the Psychic Sunglasses Theory Since Donna Would Have had to Purchase
the Cigarettes at an Earlier Time, Before Having Contact with them

Maddy Informs Donna of her Uncle Leland's Hair Turning White Overnight

Norma Received a Letter in the Mail Addressed with Donna Hayward on the Envelope

A MAN IN A SMILING BAG

Doc Hayward is Concerned with the Condition of One of his Patients

Dr. Jacoby's Healing Process Seems a Little Stunted

Doc Hayward Suspects it is the Hospital Food. The Evil, Evil Hospital Food
that has Sound Effects Implying its is an Evil Force Beyond Our Understanding

Doc Hayward: "Agent Cooper, why don't you tell a psychiatrist about your
broken ribs and torn cartilage."

Cooper Confronts Jacoby with Arrest if he Does Not Reveal How he Came
into Possession of the Other Half of Laura Palmer's Heart Pendant

Jacoby Explains that While Chasing After Leo Johnson, he Stumbled on James
and Donna's Rendezvous in the Woods When they Buried the Locket

Cooper Inquires About Jacques Renault's Murder, Which Took Place Next
to Dr. Jacoby's Hospital Bed Last Night at the Hospital

Jacoby Remembers a Strange Smell of Scorched Engine Oil at the Time of his
Attack that Gave him the Heart Attack and During the Murder of Jacques

In One of the Funniest Moments in the Series, Bobby Visits Shelly, Who Thought
Bobby was Killed by her Husband Leo Last Night

The Two Grunt in Unison as they Pull on Each Other's Hair

For the First Time Shelly Tells Bobby She Loves Him

And in a Character Defining Moment, Bobby Responds in the Affirmative
Back to her, in his Own Uniquely Commitment-Phobic Way

As Bobby Leaves Shelly's Room

The FBI Agents and Sheriff Notice him and are Curious About his Presence

Cooper and Truman Notice Ed Hurley Waiting Anxiously Outside his Wife
Nadine's Hospital Room. Cooper and Ed have a Real Heart to Heart

Ed Begins to Explain How Emotionally Conflicted he Feels About Nadine's Attempt

Cooper Empathizes with Ed, Who Begins Relating the Story of How he Met
and Eventually Married Nadine

Truman Pours Albert a Cup of Hospital Coffee to Distract Albert from his
Normal Tendency to Make Fun of Other People

Then Ed Explains How he Accidentally Shot Nadine's Eye Out

In a Moment of Bonding, Truman and Rosenfeild Understand Each Other
Perfectly as they Overhear the Strange Account of Ed's Shooting

In an Attempt to Avoid Disrupting Ed's Story, Albert Pretends to Cry to Help
Cover his Almost Uncontrollable Fit of Laughter

David Lynch has a Way of Grounding the Spectacular in Realistic Terms

The Psychic Phenomena Touched on in the Series Feels Organic to the Story

What Could Be an Annoying Clue in Another Series, Lynch Makes it Feel Ominous

You Will See a Man in a Smiling Bag

Cooper Remembers What the Giant Spoke to Him in What he Thought was a Simple Hallucination

Agent Cooper Cannot Rationally Explain Away this Coincidence

We covered a little over half of David Lynch's big return to the Twin Peaks. The rest of our analysis of this episode will continue next week. But so far, Lynch has helped reassert the power of the mystical and unexplained phenomena that influence our lives. And Lynch's steady and inspired direction helps bring out the best in every cast member's performance.

Michael Ontkean Receiving Direction from David Lynch

Kyle MacLachlan explained: "David is the keeper of the flame. This is his world. The show is unique because of the combination, the balance, of Mark and David. That uniqueness is not necessarily transferable. It may madden the staff when David directs a segment, because he throws the rules out. But to us actors that freedom is an elixir, a magic potion. It's hard to have it watered down once you've tasted it."

David Lynch Directing on the Set of the Red Room

Next week we will continue our analysis of the two-part second season premiere of Twin Peaks Episode 8. All episodes can be found in an excellent box set: Twin Peaks - The Definitive Gold Box Edition (see commercial for this edition in the video clip embedded below). Twin Peaks can also be found in 720p HD format at the iTunes Store. Many of the episodes can also be viewed for free in lower definition on IMDB, CBS, and Fancast.

Twin Peaks Definitive Gold Box Edition

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TWIN PEAKS - #2 THE RED ROOM (1990)

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TWIN PEAKS - #8 MAIRZY DOATS: PART II (1990)

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