Twin Peaks S01 E07: The Last Evening

On the last episode of “Twin Peaks,” everyone was busy playing an undercover agent. The disguises didn’t work and the Myna bird is dead. It’s the finale for season one, that is for latecomers to the show like myself. Events are coming to a head and someone will die. Who? Meet me after the jump

Break In and Discoveries

I just love how the characters on this show take matters into their own hands. Why wait for the police, when James, Donna and Maddy can do their own detective work? Don’t these kids have homework? When I was in high school back in the day, or according to my smart ass grandson, the post dinosaur days, the nuns gave us enough homework to keep us from doing any of the stuff the teenagers do on “Twin Peaks.” I do have to give James, Maddy and Donna some credit for tricking Dr. Jacoby away from his office and, while Donna and James locate the tape and necklace inside a coconut, Dr. Jacoby is on the other side of town getting mugged by a stranger.

Speaking of doctors’ offices, none of my doctors have offices decorated like the Hawaiian Islands. I wish they did. Maybe I wouldn’t dread my appointments so much if they offered me a few Pina Coladas to sip on while I waited to be probed and prodded.

While the One Eyed Jacks’ roulette wheel spins for Cooper, Audrey is trying on nighties to play naughty with the male guests. She better watch out because daddy dearest likes to break in the new girls. This episode answers some questions, but it also gives us a detailed look into the minds of the characters. Cooper is definitely a little wacky and we picked up on this at the start. I find myself constantly comparing Cooper to another favorite law enforcer of mine, “Monk.” Cooper may not have OCD or the other lovable quirks that so endeared Monk to me, but Cooper is definitely not your average cop. I love how Cooper shouts out the craziest things in the middle of an investigation. He loves coffee, pie, trees and ducks and, by now, everyone in Twin Peaks knows this.

But, there is a brilliant mind under that cutie-pie face. Cooper knows how to get people talking and, he knows when to be quiet and listen. With just a few unassuming questions, Cooper gets Jacque Renault to talk about the night that Laura died. Cooper kept a straight face through the entire questioning even when Jacque laughed about the bird hurting Laura and Leo shoving the poker chip into Laura’s mouth to keep her from screaming. Cooper didn’t blink. Casting Kyle MacLachan as Cooper was a brilliant move. MacLachan is Cooper. No other actor could have pulled this character off as well as MacLachan did and because MacLachan was right for the part, everyone in the cast did their parts so much better and so more believable.

Sheriff Harry Truman has one of the wackiest police departments in the world. The antics of Lucy and Andy make me want to watch this show to see what silly stuff Andy will do next. Lucy (Kimmy Robertson) reminds me of Gracie Allen and, uses her zany cluelessness as a sharp edge sword of humor. Harry Goaz plays his Deputy Andy just like another befuddled and lovable deputy I used to watch on television; Barney Fife (Don Knotts). When Jacque tries to escape arrest by shooting at Harry, I never expected to see Andy shoot straight? Andy’s shot put Jacque into the hospital where Dr. Jacoby is also a patient.

Laura’s Tape

Who was Laura? Really, who was she? When we first meet Laura, she’s deader than a doorknob and, at first, everybody is singing her praise. We seem to do that when someone dies. We don’t talk about Uncle Harry’s drinking problems, or Aunt Ruth’s nasty temper at the funeral, but later, after the body is interned, the cracks resurface on that pedestal we’ve them placed on. Laura isn’t the sweet girl that everyone thought she was. On the tape, she’s talking trash, lots of trash and something about a mystery guy who can light her fire. He drives a red corvette. Maddy, James and Donna sure as hell didn’t expect to learn about this secret side to little miss perfect. Will that change how they feel about their friend. Does it change how you feel about Laura? Be honest.

Lovers’ Leap

Like little lemmings heading for that one way trip from the highest peak, Twin Peak’s wacky couples are always trying to outsmart each other with disastrous results. While Leo prepares to burn down the mill with Shelly trapped inside the building, Nadine is dressed in her Sunday dress and downing a bottle of pills. Josie claims she loves Harry, but she’s pretty chummy with Ben and Hank. Catherine realizes that her days are numbered and that her lover, Ben, and his cohort, Josie, have an insurance policy on her, and yet, the silly woman still goes to the mill.

Conclusion

I am so happy that I read Andy Burns‘ Wrapped in Plastic: Twin Peaks before I began to review this show for Biff Bam Pop!. I’m trying to figure out what the hell I was doing twenty five years ago that caused me to miss Twin Peak’s original run. It doesn’t matter now because I have a better understanding of the show because of Andy’s book. His helpful insights have helped me bond with the characters and I’ve become invested in their journey.

Season one ends with a shocking cliffhanger and a few surprises. Leland Palmer has taken some time out from his dance routine to kill Jacque Renault. The mask in which Leland hides behind has been lowered. We get a glimpse of the dark voyager within and it is frightening. This is why I love Twin Peaks so much. The show’s quick jumps from humor to horror and back, keep us viewers off balance. We don’t know who to trust. Evil is just a dance step away and hides itself behind a grieving father’s tears.

I’m worried about our little Audrey. She has landed in a pit of snakes and the Cobra wants to celebrate the Norwegians signing the papers by breaking in the new girl. She left a note for Cooper. Surely he’ll come to her rescue, right?

James gives Cooper Laura’s tape, but he’s in trouble. There are drugs in his bike’s gas tank. Leo has been shot, but we don’t know who did it? Were there clues on that silly soap opera that was playing on Leo’s television? Did Catherine and Shelly survive the fire at the mill?

I don’t think Audrey is going to be rescued anytime soon. Cooper finds Audrey’s note in his room, but before he can read it, someone shoots him. Damn, didn’t see that coming! See you next week with season two, episode one and do me a big favor. Keep drinking the coffee.