Way back in October, I finished with the Series. Since then, silence (mostly).
I was planning to wait a month or so before writing my final piece on the Show, but time and the Holidays get ahead of me.
Since so much crazy happened and I'm not in love with all of it, I'm going to break it down in Sections.
Might as well try and new set-up for a Show this weird.
Pro: It is definitely a David Lynch Show- I really liked Season 1 of Peaks. I still quite liked Season 2 of it as well. That is definitely the most divisive of the first 2 Seasons for a number of reasons.
Did Lynch give up on the Show for a bit after the killer's reveal? Maybe. Did the Show suffer for it? Not that much, really. The Show turned from being solely about that mystery to being about the Town and all of its mysteries. It was longer and less-focused- sure.
With Season 3, there is no disconnect. This is Lynch through and through.
Con: It is an unfiltered David Lynch Show- There is a certain level of crazy that works. There is a certain level of crazy that doesn't.
The Show tended to venture a bit too far at times throughout the run. It could usually pull back, but weird moments were littered throughout the Show with much explanation.
For example- a shot rings out in the night. The Deputy discovers that a kid accidentally fired a gun in a Van. While trying to sort that out, a woman starts yelling at him about the traffic delay (since all of them stopped). All of a sudden, a kid in her van starts screaming like he's possessed...and they cut away to something else.
Unless I missed it, this had no resolution. There are many other things like that- including Mrs. Palmer killing a guy after revealing a spatial void behind her face.
There was nobody there to make sure that these all got elaborated on properly is my point.
Pro: Many good uses of returning Cast Members- As a Sequel show, this one often delivered. It didn't just give you new people to deal with. In addition to them, many notable people returned to add something to the Plot- be it big or minor.
If nothing else, it gave us the set-up for the weirdest one-off Character in the Show- Michael Cera.
Con: Many missing Cast Members or underused ones- I can't blame Lynch for the fact that human beings die. That should be obvious. That said...
Where were people like Piper Laurie, Ian Buchanan, Joan Chen, Lara Flynn Boyle, Kenneth Welsh (just in The Void), Mary Jo Deschanel and others? Did they turn it down like Michael J. Andersen (who did play the Character on Scooby-Doo Mystery Incorporated!)?
Considering that some of the Actors were long dead- like Frank Silva- and still got a part, this stands out to me.
I'll deal with the Big Ed thing later...
Pro: Unique Vision- This might be similar to the first Pro, but I want to mix the positives and negatives. This Season was lauded for its look and vision. That Bomb Episode makes many Best TV Episodes of the Year Lists, after all.
Con: Pay off- So permit me to ramble for a bit...
What happened with Big Ed and Norma? What exactly is wrong with Deputy Truman? Did that guy kill himself in the Woods? Did Becky get over it all? What was up with the screaming kid in the car? What is the story with Audrey?!?
Oh and what in the hell am I supposed to get about the Finale?
Pro: Kyle McLachlan shines- The crux of the Show was seemingly-built around him. Without question, the man delivered.
As BOB Cooper, he was intense and interesting. As Doug-E Cooper, he was committed to the Character. As Dale (brief as it was), he was also quite good.
That said...
Con: Too much Doug-E- We get it, Lynch. You trolled us. Are you happy now?
No, I'm still not over it.
Pro: The Bomb Episode- While I don't love it as much as every Critic online seems to, I can't deny how visually-impressive and unique it is. The Bomb, the bug and the bit at the Radio Station are all interesting to see.
Good luck decoding all of it, of course.
Con: The giant, pointless Retcon- This is a more personal one for me, especially since I haven't seen anyone else talk about it.
Season 2's Arc for Nadine had her lose memory after a suicide attempt and think that she was in High School. At that point, she romanced a teen and had super-strength (for no clear reason). During that time, Ed tried to get with Norma, who'd he'd long for going on a decade or so.
Before the Season (and Series, for 25 years) ends, Nadine gets her memory back and says that she's okay with Ed and Norma being together- catching them in the act and smiling.
In The Return, she abruptly announces in a later Episode to Ed that she's okay with him and Norma being together. With her consent, he goes to her and they finally hook up.
Seriously?!? Did you actually watch the Show, Mr. Lynch? What was the point of that?!?
Pro/Con: It leaves you wanting more- For this final one, why not a combination?
On one hand, the Show answers many questions and delivers on the set-up done in 1991. While doing so, it also sets up new things for you to wonder about.
On the other hand, will there even be a pay-off? Was Lynch so sure that he'd get yet another Season/Series? Is there a deal we don't know about?
More importantly, does he want there to be a final pay-off? Is he content with just leaving the mystery there?
I guess, like many of you, I'm stuck waiting and watching.
Twin Peaks- you were weird as hell this year, but I mostly-loved you. You just made it so hard to give you a chance sometimes.
I was planning to wait a month or so before writing my final piece on the Show, but time and the Holidays get ahead of me.
Since so much crazy happened and I'm not in love with all of it, I'm going to break it down in Sections.
Might as well try and new set-up for a Show this weird.
Pro: It is definitely a David Lynch Show- I really liked Season 1 of Peaks. I still quite liked Season 2 of it as well. That is definitely the most divisive of the first 2 Seasons for a number of reasons.
Did Lynch give up on the Show for a bit after the killer's reveal? Maybe. Did the Show suffer for it? Not that much, really. The Show turned from being solely about that mystery to being about the Town and all of its mysteries. It was longer and less-focused- sure.
With Season 3, there is no disconnect. This is Lynch through and through.
Con: It is an unfiltered David Lynch Show- There is a certain level of crazy that works. There is a certain level of crazy that doesn't.
The Show tended to venture a bit too far at times throughout the run. It could usually pull back, but weird moments were littered throughout the Show with much explanation.
For example- a shot rings out in the night. The Deputy discovers that a kid accidentally fired a gun in a Van. While trying to sort that out, a woman starts yelling at him about the traffic delay (since all of them stopped). All of a sudden, a kid in her van starts screaming like he's possessed...and they cut away to something else.
Unless I missed it, this had no resolution. There are many other things like that- including Mrs. Palmer killing a guy after revealing a spatial void behind her face.
There was nobody there to make sure that these all got elaborated on properly is my point.
Pro: Many good uses of returning Cast Members- As a Sequel show, this one often delivered. It didn't just give you new people to deal with. In addition to them, many notable people returned to add something to the Plot- be it big or minor.
If nothing else, it gave us the set-up for the weirdest one-off Character in the Show- Michael Cera.
Con: Many missing Cast Members or underused ones- I can't blame Lynch for the fact that human beings die. That should be obvious. That said...
Where were people like Piper Laurie, Ian Buchanan, Joan Chen, Lara Flynn Boyle, Kenneth Welsh (just in The Void), Mary Jo Deschanel and others? Did they turn it down like Michael J. Andersen (who did play the Character on Scooby-Doo Mystery Incorporated!)?
Considering that some of the Actors were long dead- like Frank Silva- and still got a part, this stands out to me.
I'll deal with the Big Ed thing later...
Pro: Unique Vision- This might be similar to the first Pro, but I want to mix the positives and negatives. This Season was lauded for its look and vision. That Bomb Episode makes many Best TV Episodes of the Year Lists, after all.
Con: Pay off- So permit me to ramble for a bit...
What happened with Big Ed and Norma? What exactly is wrong with Deputy Truman? Did that guy kill himself in the Woods? Did Becky get over it all? What was up with the screaming kid in the car? What is the story with Audrey?!?
Oh and what in the hell am I supposed to get about the Finale?
Pro: Kyle McLachlan shines- The crux of the Show was seemingly-built around him. Without question, the man delivered.
As BOB Cooper, he was intense and interesting. As Doug-E Cooper, he was committed to the Character. As Dale (brief as it was), he was also quite good.
That said...
Con: Too much Doug-E- We get it, Lynch. You trolled us. Are you happy now?
No, I'm still not over it.
Pro: The Bomb Episode- While I don't love it as much as every Critic online seems to, I can't deny how visually-impressive and unique it is. The Bomb, the bug and the bit at the Radio Station are all interesting to see.
Good luck decoding all of it, of course.
Con: The giant, pointless Retcon- This is a more personal one for me, especially since I haven't seen anyone else talk about it.
Season 2's Arc for Nadine had her lose memory after a suicide attempt and think that she was in High School. At that point, she romanced a teen and had super-strength (for no clear reason). During that time, Ed tried to get with Norma, who'd he'd long for going on a decade or so.
Before the Season (and Series, for 25 years) ends, Nadine gets her memory back and says that she's okay with Ed and Norma being together- catching them in the act and smiling.
In The Return, she abruptly announces in a later Episode to Ed that she's okay with him and Norma being together. With her consent, he goes to her and they finally hook up.
Seriously?!? Did you actually watch the Show, Mr. Lynch? What was the point of that?!?
Pro/Con: It leaves you wanting more- For this final one, why not a combination?
On one hand, the Show answers many questions and delivers on the set-up done in 1991. While doing so, it also sets up new things for you to wonder about.
On the other hand, will there even be a pay-off? Was Lynch so sure that he'd get yet another Season/Series? Is there a deal we don't know about?
More importantly, does he want there to be a final pay-off? Is he content with just leaving the mystery there?
I guess, like many of you, I'm stuck waiting and watching.
Twin Peaks- you were weird as hell this year, but I mostly-loved you. You just made it so hard to give you a chance sometimes.
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