textfiles/media/final.epi

On Monday, June 10, 1991, the ABC television network broadcast the last two
episodes of "Twin Peaks," #28 and #29 (or 2021 and 2022 in timeline counting).
In the following weeks, there were hundreds and hundreds of messages posted
about the finale in the alt.tv.twin-peaks newsgroup.

Topics included:
- What happened to Audrey, Pete, and Thomas Eckhardt in the bank vault?
- What happened to Ben Horne?
- How did the head injury mysteriously move between Bobby and Mike?
- What was the meaning of the conjunction of the planets?
- Wasn't a scene repeated from the pilot episode?
- What happened to Leo?
- What was the Log Lady's role in finding the Black Lodge?
- Amusing moments from the pageant.
- Who was speaking through Sarah to Major Briggs?
- What happened to Annie?
- What happened to Cooper?
- What are doppelgangers?
- Weren't there some inconsistencies in the Black Lodge sequence?
- In what way are the Giant and Senor Droolcup "one and the same"?
- What is the significance of the name Glastonberry Grove?
- What was the significance of Laura Palmer's presence in the Black Lodge?
- What is the Black Lodge?
- Did we see the White Lodge?
- What was the configuration of the rooms Cooper went through?
- What happened to Windom Earle?
- What did it all mean?
- Comments by those who hated the finale.
- Comments by those who loved the final.
- What questions were left unanswered?
- What will happen to the characters now?
- What will happen in the "Twin Peaks" movie?
- Why didn't "Twin Peaks" catch on with viewers?

 26 Mar (Sunday)   [Episode 2021 - 6/10/91
                    Part 1 Written by Barry Pullman
                    Directed by Tim Hunter]

Morning
-- Leo reaches for the key and frees Briggs.  L: "Save Shelly"
-- Ghostly Earle returns with a new game for Leo.  He's got something in a
   bag.

1:05 pm (clock on wall)
-- Norma, Shelly, and Annie chat about the Miss Twin Peaks pageant.
   Norma won the first one 20 years ago.
-- Ben and Audrey talk about Jack.  He's got some philosophy books from which
   he hopes to learn how to be good.  Audrey reports that the Packards are
   using the Twin Peaks Savings and Loan to funnel cash to their Ghostwood
   project.  Ben hopes to expose this and still wants Audrey to make a speech
-- Andy stares at the petroglyph.  Cooper tells Truman about how he thinks
   Josie died of fear and a vision of BOB immediately afterwards.  Earle
   eavesdrops and talks to Leo about getting Miss Twin Peaks.  Leo's teeth
   are clamped on a string from which a flimsy cage of spiders hang over him.
-- Pinkle has the Miss Twin Peaks contestants rehearse a dance.  The mayor,
   Dick, and Norma discuss criteria, then Lana seduces Dick in a storage room.

1:17 pm (Cooper to Diane)
-- Cooper tells Diane he just finished his second meditation.  Annie arrives
   wanting help with her speech.  The pageant is in 6 hours.  They end up in
   bed.
-- Nadine shows slides of her wrestling.  Jacoby has Nadine (with Mike) and Ed
   (with Norma) discuss their breaking up.  Both proclaim they are getting
   married.
-- Briggs is picked up by Hawk
-- Cooper and Truman attempt to question Briggs.  Cooper smells haliperidol on
   him.  Andy looks at the petroglyph again.
-- Andrew, Pete, and Catherine are still wrestling with the box.  Andrew
   finally shoots it open.  Inside is a key, which Catherine puts in a cake-
   saver so it is in plain sight.
-- Donna demands the truth from uncooperative Will and Eileen
-- Andy looks at the petroglyph again.  Cooper figures out from a book that
   the petroglyph tells of a time when Jupiter and Saturn are in conjunction.
   Briggs mutters "protect the queen" and "fear and love open the doors."
   Andy knocks the bonsai to the floor.  Truman goes to pick it up and
   discovers the bug.

7:00 approx (Annie to Cooper, "in 6 hours")
-- The Miss Twin Peaks pageant, opening dance number.  Pinkle makes his move
   on the Log Lady.  Talent competition begins.  Lucy dances.
-- Earle as the Log Lady knocks out Bobby.  Lana dances.
-- Audrey makes her speech.  Donna demands and gets the truth from Ben.
   He's her father.
-- Annie makes her speech.  Earle watches from the rafters.
-- Lucy makes her announcement to Andy and Dick that she wants Andy to be the
   baby's father.  Andy then goes to look for Cooper.
-- Annie is named Miss Twin Peaks.  Lights go out and chaos ensues as Nadine
   is hit on the head with a sandbag, Cooper sees Earle, and Earle takes Annie
   Power is restored and Andy tells Cooper he's figured out the petroglyph to
   be a map.

*** Pageant
My friends all remarked that Lynch was really going all out on his last
episode when Norma & judges were talking about the pageant (first 15 mins of
show) and a guy walks in front of them carrying a deer?  Did it look
peculiarly like something kind of kinky or do my friends just have very dirty
minds?  They all seemed to notice it right away!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Me too.
It sure looked to me like the guy was humping away at it.
Gave me a good laugh.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FaveMoment from the last two episodes: the Anonymous Worker and his Lovely
Deer.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Did it occur to anyone else that Lucy was doing some pretty fancy stunts
(including that split) for a lady who was pregnant?
yes! I was thinking  "that kid's going to POP out any time now !!"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The beauty pageant scene worked pretty well (boy, that Lucy sure can dance,
but she has a poor sense of prenatal care!).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cooper's acting was certainly better in the mirror segment than it was after
the Miss Twin Peaks Contest and the "Whoops, There Go The Lights Scene".  I
mean his reaction and subsequent acting when he discovered Annie missing was
BAD.  LAME.  I mean there was *no* emotion.  No heavy breathing.  Nothing.
Especially when he was explaining to Harry that she was gone.  He had the
drama and emotion of a shrub.  Please don't try to tell me he was overloaded
and overwhelmed.  He could have done a better job than that.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Wasn't it a bit late for Audrey to enter the pageant?  The scenes they
showed were great, though... the choreography just slightly off, the dark-
ness just a touch away throughout... I would have liked to see all of the
contestants' talents, instead of just the first couple -- imagine what Nadine
or Audrey would have done!  ;-)  Also : Why only three judges, all of which
had many personal stakes on the outcome?  Wouldn't they have deadlocked?
     Anybody else think that Lana's face looks kinda like a monkey's?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lana's lame excuse for a 7 veils dance deserved to go down in flames.  No
wonder Dick switched his vote to Annie.  Lana should have watched the "Temple
Dance in Praise of Eros" from "History of the World, Part 1"!  :-)  ("He is a
eunuch.  _He_ is a _eunuch_!  He's *DEAD*!")
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Have I missed it or did nobody mention the chessboard image on the floor of
the stage in the Miss Twin Peaks Pageant?  With Annie looking like a white
queen (i.e. Windom's queen)?
Wow Bob Wow.  How about the fact they were all dancing wrapped in
clear plastic (raincoats)?

==============================================================================
 [Part 2 Written by Mark Frost & Harley Peyton & Robert Engels
         Directed by David Lynch]

Night
-- Lucy and Andy discuss what happened at the pageant
-- Cooper, with Truman and Hawk, ponders the petroglyph and "Fire walk with
   me."  Pete enters and says the Log Lady stole his truck which had 12
   rainbow trout in the bed.  The circle of 12 sycamore trees is where Hawk
   found the bloody towel and ripped pages - Glastenberry Grove.  The Log Lady
   arrives with some oil which her husband said is the opening to a gateway.
   Cooper determines it to be what Jacoby smelled.  Ronette is brought in and
   recognizes the smell of that oil from the night Laura died.

*** Conjunction of planets
"On June 15, in the waning twilight about 9:30 P.M., the three brightest
nighttime objects - the moon, Venus, and Jupiter - will join the planet Mars
in a rare and striking conjunction.  In case of clouds don't worry, for
although the moon will be elsewhere by the following evening, the conjunction
of the three planets actually grows more dense, until on the 18th they'll all
fit inside a circle less than two degrees wide.  (Your thumb held at arm's
length covers about two degrees of the sky.)"
Bob Berman, DISCOVER
Hmmmmm.  Does this mean the entrance to the White Lodge will become available
on June 15?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HEY its not just Jupiter and Mars...the entrance to all of NETWORK
TELEVISION itself will be open this TIME!!! David Lynch had better take
advantage of this while he can!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Although Jupiter and Saturn are about as far as they can get away from a
conjunction right now, Venus and Mars are headed for a conjunction!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Although Jupiter and Saturn are about as far as they can get away from
a conjunction right now, Venus and Mars are headed for a conjunction!
        Yes, it's been fun to watch them.  This reminds me that I had tried to
do some research on that poem by Yeats and run into some stuff that was such a
tangent that it didn't seem worth posting.  However there are a few things that
might be interesting.
I believe the text of the poem as posted went something like this:
    When Jupiter and Saturn meet
    What a crop of mummy wheat!
    The sword's a cross, thereon He died;
    On breast of Mars the goddess sighed.
Supposedly Yeats felt that his two children represented two fundamentally
different temperaments, one essentially pagan and the other (to his mind)
Christian.  The first stanza refers to his son Michael, whom Yeats describes
in a letter about this poem as "born free among the most cultivated, out of
tradition, out of rule".  His daughter Anne is the Venus-Mars, "Christian"
personality, which he describes as "democratic".  He goes on to contrast
the two by saying that the son is always thinking about life and the
daughter about death.
So much for Yeats' view of his children's personalities.  As far as the poem
goes, a very interesting link between the first stanza and the second is that
Great Conjunctions of Jupiter and Saturn were used as markers for the new
World-Ages (when the sun rises in a different sign of the zodiac at the vernal
equinox, which happens about every 2,000 years as a result of the precession
of the earth's rotation).  In fact, a great conjunction of these two planets
in Pisces is thought to have been the Star of Bethlehem in 6 b.c., ushering in
the Age of Pisces, dominated by Christianity, one of whose central symbols is
the fish.
I don't think it's too far out to use the mummy wheat (wheat found in
Egyptian sarcophagi and still viable after thousands of years) as a symbol of
Jesus (something from the world of death coming back to life--I think of the
Easter carol "Now the green blade riseth"), which would lead from the first
stanza directly into the second, but I imagine that Windom Earle uses it to
mean something like a spirit or symbol from an earlier world-age coming back
from being buried.  Now wheat would seem like a much more peaceful,
beneficial product than fire, which would be a closer characterization of
what's coming, so probably he was being ironic.
The Mars-Venus conjunction as a Christian temperament?  I'm not sure I buy
this from Yeats, but I suppose a case could be made for it.  The character in
Twin Peaks who seems to have had the closest similarity to Mars' temper
outbursts is Leo Johnson, and Shelly would definitely make a good Venus.
Alternatively, if Windom Earle sees himself as Mars (he is definitely picking
a fight with Cooper) he is trying to align himself with a queen, who would
then be his Venus.  Mars never did to Venus what Windom Earle is planning to
do to his queen though.
Enough of that. I just thought some people might find it interesting
information.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coop sure knew alot about the planets, etc. So why didnt he recognize the
symbols for them right off the bat. We did!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   When Cooper says something like "we have to look at the ephemeris" the
close-up show that follows is that of some Mickey Mouse planetary drawing
instead of the real ephemeris: a table of numbers.  I thought that was silly.

Yah. That was dumb.  But an actual ephemeris is not very visually interesting
for tv.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How long does it take for Jupiter and Saturn to align?
By my calculations: 20 - 25 years. (Coincidence?)
When will Coop see Laura again?
20 - 25 years.
When did W.E. get the boot from the Black Lodge project?
20-25 years ago.
Now, I think we have a cycle here.  Every 20-25 years a good cop goes into
the Black Lodge and comes out as a bad guy.  Happened with WE, happening with
CooP.  Since WE was working on the BL before Coop met him, Coop will probably
get a partner soon after marrying Annie.  Train the partner, have the partner
fall in love with Annie, kill annie ...

*** Log lady/oil
Someone earlier asked how Coop could know that the Log Lady would show up in
HST's office "in one minute." I also thought that this was peculiar.  Why does
he say "one minute," not "a minute" (which is the common colloquialism).
Furthermore, notice that when the LL knocks at the door, Coop pointedly looks
at his watch, as if to confirm the time that the LL showed up.  ???  (An aside:
is there anyone besides Coop who calls the LL by her real name?  I thought it
was somewhat humorous in the way that Hawk announced the LL: "It's the Log
Lady" (I think that's a correct quote.) The way he said it made it sound like
he was "announcing" someone of title: "It's the Duke of Nottingham." Oh, well,
*I* thought it was funny.)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If the Log Ladys husband knew about the oil, did he know about the Lodge
itself?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I think he did...maybe that's one reason he was encased in the Log (perhaps 
by BoB)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hey, what WAS the point about the oil?  Coop didn't have it with him when he
went to the Lodge, so even that part about it being a "gateway" was a
throwaway...?!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I think the bright circle in Glastonbury Circle was around a pool of that oil.
When Cooper looked into it, before he entered the Red Room, he said, "An
opening to a gateway...", the same as what the Log Lady said about the jar of
oil.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A friend pointed out that the oil was quite valuable.  Coop and Harry were
trying to verify where WE and Annie were.  Log Lady brings the oil, tying
it to the gateway.  Next, Ronda ties the smell of the oil to Leland/Bob.
Finally, Hawk ties Leland/Bob/Laura/Ronda to the circle of trees - end of use
for the oil.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The burnt engine oil is puzzling. If it is really engine oil, then what does
that imply?  Did the black lodge begin with a car crash, a ufo crash?
If it is not engine oil but just something that smells and looks like it,
could it be brimstone?  Traditionally hell and devils smell of sulfer and
brimstone.  Is that smell similar to the smell of burnt engine oil?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-- Earle takes Annie to the circle of trees and beyond the red curtains
-- Nadine is 35 again.  She wants to know who Mike is, why Norma is there, and
   where her drape runners are.

*** Bobby/Mike injuries
Some have pointed out that the fact that Bobby is shown to not have any
apparent head injury (in the way of disorientation, bandages, etc.) after the
Miss TP contest and the fact that Mike does have such symptoms (and makes the
comment about running into a tree) suggests a great plot inconsistency.  Well,
it could be the case that BOTH Bobby and Mike were hit by WE's log, but we
were only shown Bobby being hit, and that Bobby's injury was not sufficient to
result in disorientation or require bandaging.  I know, it's a lot of ifs, but
it (or something similar) *could* be the case.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A friend pointed out that Bobby has a good deal--he gets hit on the head and
Mike winds up with the wound.  (Remember the Nadine scene?  Mike is clocked
and Bobby is later A-OK in the diner....)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bobby sure made a quick recovery, seeing how he was clobbered with that log.
Not even a bandaid.  Wonder if his personality has changed?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bobby got clobbered by the ersatz Log, and _Mike_ had the head wound and said
he got hit by "a tree", and Bobby was mooning over Shelly with no wounds at
all?   I am confused.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Let me use this bandwidth to clear up two VERY annoying misconceptions on the
net.  I assumed by now everyone should have figured these out.  I will tell
you two things.  They will be true.  Go home and check your tapes.
Then I will give you your damn ring back.
1)  Bobby's comment was in reference to the LOG, not the LOG LADY/WE.  WE
    just picked a hunk o' firewood, which looked nothing like her husband.
    His comment makes NO SENSE WHATSOEVER in the other context.  NONE.
2)  Bobby got hit on the head.  WHAM.  Mike got hit on the head, too.  WHAM.
    Bobby did not require a bandage (subdural hemotoma?), Mike did.  Bobby's
    head injury did not channel to mike, nor did Mike selflessly trade heads
    with Bobby.  GIVE IT UP, PEOPLE.  How do I know this? Because Mike did not
    get hit until AFTER Nadine was sapped with the sandbag, by his own omission.
    And that was HIS head on his shoulders.  MIKE'S.  NOT BOBBY'S.  NOT.
Read this.  Understand it.  Do not err on these points again, or a small dwarf
will be sent to your house to violate your sister.  Backwards.

==============================================================================
--- Ben apologizes to Eileen.  Donna cries for Will to be her father.  Sylvia
    walks in and Will belts Ben, who hits his head on the fireplace.

*** Ben/Doc/Donna
Nobody has mentioned the scene where Ben and Dr. Hayward confront each other.
Ben gets his head rammed into the fireplace almost like Maddie got her head
rammed into the picture of Missoula and almost like Cooper rammed his head
into the mirror.
I think Cooper is not the only one possessed by Bob.  I think Donna's desire
to be like Laura is going to be filled beyond her wildest nightmares.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Did Doc kill Ben, or merely injure him?
I hadn't thought he killed him.  Isn't the wound on Ben's forehead in the same
place as Cooper's when he smashes his head into the mirror.  (In fact, the Doc
and Ben scene reminded me of the Leland and Maddy scene, in this one respect.)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This show is not at all as bloody as most network fare, it's just that we
*look* at the characters and the emotions. When the cop shows have people
shooting each other a gazillion times with machine guns, running each other
over with cars, throwing each other from the tops of 20+ story buildings,
etc., etc., it's so easy to watch and forget. That's just normal automated
killing, nice and tidy.  But when we ram a head into a mirror or glass or
brick wall, then examine the regret or evil-glee of the agressor, and not cut
away quickly to the getaway car, it hurts. You get to *see* the truth of it.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ben Horne. Dead? Giving his last twitches before his soul leaves his body? Why
the BOB music as Hayward kills him? And then Hayward's at the hotel?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't think Ben can possibly be dead. If he was, Hayward would be in jail
not taking care of Coop at his bedside. I didn't realize there was any BOB
music, but I'll take your word for it. Perhaps part of the reason why people
feel it was out of character for the good doctor is that he was possessed by
BOB when he did it, or maybe it was some kind of psychic backlash of bad vibes
coming from the showdown in the Black Lodge. My prediction is that since Ben
has tried to be good and it just didn't work out, he'll go back to being bad.
I hope I'm wrong. I like Ben as a good guy.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The plotline with Donna and Ben was the worst.  Donna just seems to whine all
the time.  Nobody cares about her anymore.  This seemed to be invented just to
give these characters something to do.  What was the point?  And having Dr. H
get so mad?  For a sec, we all thought BOB had possessed him!  No way.. Doc H
cant have it in him.  And him at Great Northern so suddenly?  Nope, sorry, not
buying it..
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Why, and how, did Ben suddenly change when his wife came barging in to
his scene with the Haywards?  Before he sounded troubled, but at least honest
-- genuinely trying to do the right thing but going about it in the most wrong
way.  Afterwards his voice lost all its conviction; he sounded merely wimpy
and afraid, giving Doc Hayward the righteousness with which to deck him.  But
then why the spooky music and the bowtie twitching?  Was Ben harboring another
spirit all along (the OAM's pointing to him in 10/8)?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Is it just a coincidence that Audrey dies just after we find out that Donna is
another daughter of Ben?  Sounds good to me.  In the forthcoming Twin Peaks
movie Donna will get to do neat stuff that Audrey used to do. She will stop
being such a wimp.
She's been on a roll since James left.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Isn't there a temporal continuity problem?  Ben gets killed the night of or
the early morning after the Miss Twin Peakls contest.  His wife is a witness
to this.  Yet Audrey is chaining herself to the mast in defense of the Pine
Weasel the morning after, supposedly ignorant of her father's fate.  (This I
didn't like since I like the character of Ben and ALSO wanted to know what
scared him int he episode previous!  But I have to admit it took me by
complete surprise!)
==============================================================================
-- Andrew switches the mystery key with another he has for a safety deposit
   box
-- Cooper and Truman find Pete's truck.  They head into the woods.  Cooper
   goes alone, with Truman following, and sees an owl and the sycamore trees.
   He enters the curtains into the red room.  The little man from another
   place is there.  Another man sings, then disappears.
-- Andy comes looking for Truman

27 Mar (Monday)
Morning
-- 10 hours later, Truman and Andy are still waiting for Cooper

7:25 am (Andrew's watch)
-- Audrey practices civil disobedience and chains herself to the bank vault.
   Andrew and Pete arrive and open the safety deposit box to discover a bomb
   that goes off.  Eckhardt's note: Got you, Andrew, Love, Thomas.
==============================================================================
*** Bank scene
==============================================================================
Is there any meaning to be attached to the bank guard's jubilant exclamation
of "It's a boy, it's a boy..."?  Who was he talking to?  Who had the baby (ifthis
is what "It's a boy" means here)?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thomas Eckhart is not wearing glasses, nor visibly carrying any.  The glasses
that go flying are not his; if they were, Lynch would have at least shown them
somewhere during the sequence.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nobody has commented on the joke on Audrey; she didn't chain the bank door
shut, which would normally be the whole point of this sort of disobedience
(disrupt the normal flow of things).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The vault looks like this:
              ====== - Audrey - ======
                       /
           XX        / path taken by Dell et al
           XX      /
    !             /
    !   XX  ____/
    !   XX    /
    !       /   XX
    !     / XX
    !    !
    !   \!/
    +----------------------------------
Audrey watches them walk back, then closes the door again mostly.
When Dell is called back out, Andrew quickly opens the door;
Dell couldn't have gotten much further than where Audrey is.
We get a shot of the inside of the box: the note says,
    Got you, Andrew
        Love,
        Thomas

We get a reaction shot of Andrew and Pete (Andrew scared, Pete puzzled), then
a shot of an explosion in the box, coming outwards; reaction shot of Andrew &
Pete brightly lit fade to white; outside the bank, two windows and the door
blow out with a lot of smoke, but the near window frame is relatively intact
afterwards; Dell's glasses fly through the air.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Can't wait for the movie, though I'll miss Jack Nance. I can't believe Lynch
would have killed off someone who's such a favorite of his.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Lynch intends to make a movie without Audrey and Pete?....no no no
Somehow I can't imagine Lynch unemploying Jack Nance...!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Can we assume that Audrey, Pete and Andrew are dead.
How sad! Now we will never know how the fish got into the coffee pot.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's too bad Pete and Audrey bought the farm, but I think Andrew got precisely
what he deserved.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Just a thought:
       If Audrey & Co. are toast and since the quaint old man never called the
police or the Gazette, that makes for an odd picture...How would an
investigator explain the fact that Ben Horne's daughter had been chained to
the gate of the vault before the explosion?  It's the stuff Enquirer articles
are made of. . .
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm hoping that Audrey, Andrew, and Pete ARE dead.
  Just because it wouldn't be a rip-off that way.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, Andrew has to be dead. How could he not be? Pete was standing behind
Andrew so there is a chance that he could be alive. Audrey was on the other
side of the rather large (surrounded by steel) vault. I'd bet that she is
still alive.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Very surprised about Audrey being in the bank during the explosion.  However, I
guess she can afford to have her character (possibly) killed off.  She
certainly has gained enough publicity from TP!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Was anyone else very annoyed by the scene with the old man at the bank..
walking.. very.. slowly.. to.. wherever.. it..  was.. he.. was.. going?  ARGH!
Especially since Coop was in the Lodge at the same time..
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annoyed?  Hell no.  Classic, I mean *CLASSIC* Lynch.  It was hilarious.  I
also felt sad, in some ways, for older people.
Did you notice the close-up shot of the woman bank teller who was sleeping?
Did it remind you of a scene in "Eraserhead?"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The scene with the banker toddling back and forth between Audrey, the water
cooler and the sleeping (dead?) clerk was incredible.  Will go into television
history.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I loved the scenes with the old banker.  They were EXCRUCIATING to watch,
especially with the story in the WL/BL developing.  The fact that Lynch
used it before made it even more painful, because you knew it would take
_forever_.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I thought that the scene with the bank manager was about the only redeeming
feature of the whole two hours.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Loved Dell the bank manager.  There's nothing like a dead stop to make you
appreciate breakneck speeds.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Why does Lynch let Senor Droolcup and the bank teller walk so s-l-o--w-l-y?
I think Lynch noticed the same thing that Kubrick discovered in 2001.  You can
control an audience with speed.  Fast speed a la Star Wars gets you there, but
so does slow speed. Remember Kubrick's slow, stately space ship to Jupitar.
Lynch's version of that slow space ship are these old, senile men in crucial
situations.  Of course, then it doesn't work, it irritates us.  Senor Droolcup,
last September, did not work me, but I liked the bank teller.  I was on the
floor laughing.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Was no one else struck by the similarity bewteen the bank manager, walking
with such trouble to give Audrey a cup of water, and Senor Droolcup, taking
forever to bring Coop his Joe?
Marx said, all great figures in history appear twice: the first time as 
tragedy, the second as farce.  Here the order is reversed (leaving aside the
question of greatness)!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Speaking of Wild at Heart, I noticed last night that the hotel manager in New
Orleans is Del the banker in the TP finale!! Same thick black glasses, suit
and hilarious body language.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yep, the only difference was that in Wild at Heart, he had a four-legged cain.
I think I liked him better without it (in TP).  The way Lynch had him walk was
just hilarious.  Sometimes I wonder if Lynch has something against old people;
he always portrays them in such a comical fashion.
Also, didn't anyone notice that the full-screen shots of fire that were
interspersed thoughout the Black Lodge sequence were taken from Wild at Heart
as well?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  I was watching my video tape of the final episode yesterday w/ the
possibility in mind that Catherine planted the bomb.  I watched her place the
key in the cake saver for "safe keeping."  Later when Andrew went to switch
keys, I noticed that the key and key tag were arranged differently.  This
seemed to indicate to me that catherine had already taken the key and later
returned it.
  The note w/ the bomb seemed to smack of Eckhardt though...
  Plot by Catherine or continuity error? - You decide!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How about this.. Catherine planted the bomb in the safety deposit box because
she was getting sick of Andrews taking over.  Only she didnt think that Pete
would be there.. or maybe she didnt care..
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes, Catherine planted the bomd...the question is, what did Catherine take out
of the deposit box before she planted the bomb ???
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How could anyone think that Catherine blew up her own brother?  Yes, she
doesn't _trust_ him, but sure as rain in Oregon it was Eckhardt who planted
the "Got you" surprise for Andrew.  After attacking the box with a rolling
pin and a pistol, I enjoyed his comeuppance, until realizing its full
significance!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Someone (i forgot which post--sorry!) suggested that catherine got to the
safety deposit box first and placed the bomb.  This seems possible: the note
was addressed to Andrew.  However, the original Chinease puzzle box was given
to Catherine.  How could Eckhardt have known that ANDREW would be the one to
finally solve the puzzle.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
with a note that said "Got you, Andrew" -- addressed to a person he didn't
even know was alive until about a half hour before his own death?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> That bomb could have been planted years ago, when Eckhart and Andrew
> first got mad at each other.  
I still don't buy it.  The box was given to Catherine, and was given by
Eckhardt's secretary (or whatever she was to him).  This woman had no idea
Andrew was still alive, either; and nobody had a motive for killing Catherine
(well, nobody in THAT group, anyway).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I think you are right about Catherine letting him get the key.  It is also
possible that the uxorious Pete didn't catch him by accident, but was put on
watch by Catherine to make sure that if it wasn't a trap, he would protect her
interests. If it was a trap, then she was rid of both of them, giving her sole
ownership of the Mill and the development.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Regarding Audrey and Pete:  Audrey was some distance away from the blast which
took place in a very large room.  Furthermore, the bomb appeared to be simple
explosive and not a pipe bomb or something more deadly.  The blast was
undoubtedly channeled by the shape of the safety deposit box so that Packard
got it full force in the head.  That would have absorbed a lot of the energy
and Pete off to the right was probably well shielded by the door of the box.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As Marge Simpson would say, "HmmmmmmmmmmMM!" Somebody's glasses blew out the
door of the bank, or out a window.  If they were the old banker's glasses it
must have been some blast, since he was nowhere near the bomb.  If they were
Andrew's, they would have had to blow around a corner, out the vault door, and
then outside, again making it quite some blast.  I doubt Andrew's bulk would
be effective at shielding something like that.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I predict that Audrey and Pete recover from their injuries, but due to the
intensity of the blast, they HAVE TO TALK LIKE THIS SO THEY CAN HEAR
THEMSELVES JUST LIKE GORDON COLE DOES!!  Audrey will then become a sucessful
lecturer on ecology, since she won't need a PA system to be heard.  Pete will
become President, due to a nostalgic craze for Ronald Reagan's can't-hear-you-
the-the-helicopter's-too-damn-loud pres conferences.
Or else they're grilled meat patties (with head wounds, of course).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pete dead?  Audrey dead? - Audrey first.  In the spirit of "keeping up with
the Palmers", the Horne's have started a filial life-taking ritual.  Pete?
He was one of the nicer guys on the cast, though I could never figure out how
he could handle Catherine's dealing, and helping out the Bookhouse boys at the
same time.  While he was supposed to come off as clueless, he consistently
showed that he was on top of things, esp. with Josie.  So, what's the deal? I
can only think that should some later revitalization of TP come about that
both Jack Nance and Ms. Fenn want their contracts open.  Too bad as I liked
both characters!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Since bank vaults often have time locks, just as the Black Lodge does, maybe
the events at the bank  parallel events at the Lodge.
Here is one mapping from the characters at the bank to characters in the Black
Lodge:
 A. Packard ------- W. Earle
 P. Martell ------- D. Cooper
 A. Horne   ------- A. Blackburn   (hmmm, why is Black in her name?)
 Old Man    ------- SDC
So assuming that corresponding individuals suffered the same fates, we can
assume Andrew bought it, Pete is in pretty bad shape, and Audrey is pretty
much okay.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There will never be an answer to what happened with the bank explosion, but if
there were, it could easily run like the cliffhanger resolutions in the old
matinee serials (such as Republic Pictures "Zombies of the Stratosphere"), in
which a sure-death calamity (like a car going over a cliff, the driver
unconscious) is revealed in the next episode to be only part of what happened
(driver actually wakes at the last second, throws himself clear).
For example, episode 3001 could open with Pete's & Andrew's faces being
briefly lit by a flashbulb attached (for some reason) to the bomb, before they
turn and dash out, pausing to free Audrey with the bolt-cutters Pete had
brought in case there was something hard to open inside the safe-deposit box.
Cut to those three, along with the whole bank staff, exiting the building and
running away across the parking lot. Medium shot as all stop, sheltering from
the coming blast in the lee of an armored truck. Audrey asks, "Is everybody
okay?"  The group answers with murmured affirmatives. Dell says "I just wish
I hadn't left my other glasses on the windowsill by the artificial rubber
tree."
Then the bank blows up.
Would this be a narrative cheat? Sure, but it would also be a clever homage to
the Golden Age of American Film.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Remember what Annie Wilkes did in "Misery" when she found out the sequel to
her movie caused a "cheat."  (i.e., a plausible ending where a flashbulb goes
off and every one has enough timeto escape from the bank.  If Lynch indeed
ever does this, he should stay out of places where it snows!)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    I seem to recall some talk awhile back that Sherrilyn Fenn was planning on
leaving Twin Peaks to do some film work.  I thought the case was that they
were going to write her out in a way that would allow her to come back at a
later point.  Perhaps this was how it was going to be done - with her in a
coma or somesuch (perhaps swaddled from head to toe in bandages) after the
bank incident.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It occured to me that perhaps Audrey and Pete bit the dust for a purpose.  Why
would the writers build up the Audrey/Coop storyline at the beginning of the
Peaks saga if not to have Audrey save Coop from the Black Lodge (not to
mention its terrible black joe)?
Why would the writers build up Pete's storyline after months of obscurity and
turn him into a chess guru if not to have him help Audrey and Coop figure out
a way out of the Black Lodge?
I guess what I'm hoping for is an end to the incredibly boring Annie character
Coop deserves someone with a brain and street smarts like Audrey.  To hell
with the age difference; it's not like he's old enough to be drinking
decaffeinated coffee.
==============================================================================
-- Bobby tells Shelly he wants to marry her.  Heidi arrives for work.
==============================================================================
*** Deja vu
==============================================================================
Repeated dialogue. The entire scene in the RR Diner, with the german girl we
haven't seen since the pilot movie, repeating the same damned thing ("couldn't
jumpstart the old man?" etc...) Weird. And we see Mrs. Horne again, too...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Great of Lynch to bring back the old characters.  The German waitress, Sylvia
Horne, Leland (did anyone notice his hair changing color while talking to
Cooper?), Maddy, Laura (my, can that girl scream!), LMFAP and Ronnette.  Yea
for not bringing back James!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After Shelley makes her remark about ``...jump starting your old man'',
Shelley and Bobby say, in chorus: ``AGAIN!''  This is not in the pilot (I
checked).  There seems to be a nice double entendre here: Shelley and Bobby
teasing Heidi for being late one more time; and the writers winking at the
audience and saying, ``Don't you feel a sense of deja vu at this scene?''
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Right after the penultimate episode, I posted a list of things that I would
like to see and not like to see. Most of them did come true. I was hoping to
see Sarah Palmer, Laura, Maddy, the Giant, and LMFAP. My biggest disappointment
in the show was that there was no Albert. Of course, there wasn't any logical
reason for him to be in the episode, I was hoping he'd show up anyway, perhaps
he'd feel compelled to be there from a dream or something. Thankfully,
preliminary reports pertaining to _Twin Peaks: The Motion Picture_ indicate
that Albert will be back. I thought it was a nice touch bringing back Ronette
Pulaski, too.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A friend pointed out to me that much of the last episode sort of answered or
reprised elements from last season's finale:
Last season, Nadine tried to commit suicide, leaving us with the question of
whether she would live or die and with the possibility of Ed and Norma having
a non-clandestine relationship.  This season, Nadine, the old Nadine, finally
returns, seemingly torpedoing Ed and Norma's plans to marry (not to mention
Mike).
Last season, Pete rushed into a burning building to save one Packard
(Catherine) and we were left uncertain as to their fate; this year Pete
accompanied another Packard (Andrew) to what seems like certain death.
Last season, Audrey was in danger of discovery by her father, this season she
is in danger of death.  (Given the L shape of the vault, it's just possible
that she was shielded from the full force of the blast.  Maybe.)
Last year Leo was shot by Hank---an even bigger bully than Leo---and his fate
was uncertain; this season Leo was booby-trapped by Windom Earle---perhaps the
biggest bully on the earthly plane in TP, and certainly in the same kind of
domineering relation to Leo that Hank was---and is left hanging on by his
teeth, literally.
And, finally, last season ended with the climactic scene of Cooper getting
shot, with the fade to black, and the body thump, leaving us wondering for his
physical well-being; this season ends with the still more disturbing image of
Coop confronting his Bob-self in the mirror, leaving us in deep worry about
his psychic/spiritual well-being.
[There's also the tantalizing scene of Major Briggs in the diner, receiving
the message that Cooper is in the Black Lodge, which is a throw-away in a true
finale, but a hint that the Major may play a role in Cooper's rescue
(redemption?) in a continuing series.]
It's one hell of a season finale; if only it could have had the patented TP
``...To Be Continued''.
==============================================================================
+    -- Leo still surviving
==============================================================================
*** Leo
==============================================================================
What will happen to Leo?  The guy is left hanging by a string.. (bad pun)
Were those tarantulas up there?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tarantulas don't usually bite people unless provoked.  Leo may survive.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How conscious is Leo?  If fully, why doesn't he take advantage of the fact and
free himself, either getting the appropriate keys while Windom's out or by
brute strength?  What happened to the madman from the first season?
Kinda unexpected that even Leo would turn out to have a good side ("save
Shelly...") at the end.  Maybe love IS enough after all.  =)  By the way,
Leo's been at Windom's hideaway for quite some time now -- he should have
longer stubble to show for it.  Unless Windom has been shaving him...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Of course, when he comes to after being stung by all those spiders, he'll
either 1) return to the original Leo; 2) start showing a romantic interest in
high school wrestling jocks; 3) look in the mirror and see Dale Cooper;
4) open a chic little Lebanese restaurant out in the woods; 5) wander the
streets of Twin Peaks zapping himself with the Remote from Hell; 6) fart
twice and die.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It has been mentioned before that Lynch is making fun of the public. This was
never so clearly explained (at least to me) then through the use of the
spiders above Leo. The viewing public are represented as the spiders in the
cage, not being able to change their fate (i.e., not being able to affect
changes in the show). The string represents twin peaks (the show) and how at
this time it is being held on by a thread. Leo kinda represents the balance
the show is in, i.e., what will happen in the future. It also represents a
vision of the cliff hanger that Twin Peaks is known for.
Those are my thoughts anyway.
==============================================================================
-- Jacoby brings Sarah to Mr. and Mrs. Briggs.  Sarah has a message for
   Garland:  "I'm in the Black Lodge...with Dale Cooper.  I'm waiting for you"
==============================================================================
*** Sarah
==============================================================================
Who "channeled" through Sarah to give a message to Major briggs and what was
he supposed to do with it? We didn't see him for the rest of the show.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I noticed that the voice of Bob in Mrs. Palmer as she said to Briggs "I'm in
the black lodge with Cooper" was exactly the same as the "power" voice in Dune.
        I thought that it was not Bob or Windom Earl (neither of which would
make sense to be sending a message to the Major).  Rather, I think it was
Cooper saying "I'm in the black lodge with Windom Earle" - I definitely heard
two parts to the name, and the second part was "er..."
I had assumed it was Laura, saying she was in the Black Lodge with Cooper.
Since most of Mrs. Palmer's visions, etc., seemed to be related to things
happening to Laura (and at that point I don't think we had actually SEEN Laura
yet) I just figured that a ghostly voice coming from Mrs. Palmer would be
Laura's.
Any other votes?  Annie?  The Dwarf?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Since Major Briggs APPARENTLY passed his test (facing the Black Lodge and
reaching the White Lodge as he said previously that he believed this is what
happened to him during his dissapearance?), he is the logical choice to go in
after Cooper's good self (assuming BOB is in control of Cooper's evil
doppleganger.).
Suppose...maybe the Major is *just* as posessed as Coop...  Anyone want to
follow up on that idea?  Perhaps the message Sarah Palmer delivered to him was
one of "OK, time for you to begin Phase III of operation 'Life-Force-Sucking-
Owls' - go after the Log Lady..."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>The "voice that Sarah Palmer speaks" was that of Windom Earle.
>What makes you so sure?
Well, I'm hearing impaired. Not deaf, just hard of hearing enough that I need
to use a Closed Caption Decoder to understand most of what's said on a TV.
Twin Peaks did have closed captions.
The people who actually type in the captions do so from a printed script of
the show as part of the original video recording process. Sometimes when a
character speaks, his/her voice will have an unusual aspect, and this will be
noted on the captions, as "gasping" is used below, for example:
(gasping)"We've got to get out of here"
In this case, it said:
(voice of Windom Earle)"I'm in the Black Lodge with Agent Cooper."
That's where I'm coming from with my statement that Sarah's voice was that of
Windom Earle's.
One advantage of this is that I get (i.e., read) *every single* word of a TV
show. If any of you folks have some segment on the tape where you can't figure
out what was said because of background music or something, let me know and
I'll watch my tape and check it out for you.
What this *means* is something else. It certainly points out that WE had some
power to inhabit other people in a manner similar to BOB.
==============================================================================
-- Cooper and the little man from another place sitting in the red room.
   LMFAP:  When you see me again, it won't be me.  This is the waiting room.
   Would you like some coffee?  Some of your friends are here.
   Laura:  Hello Agent Cooper.  {winks, snaps her fingers}  I'll see you
   again in 25 years.  Meanwhile... {presents her hands}
   Great Northern room service waiter:  Hoo! Woo, woo, woo, woo {with hand
   in front of mouth--the "Indian noise"}  Hallelujah!
   LMFAP:  Hallelujah!
   GNRSW:  Coffee.  Coffee.  Coffee.  Coffee.  Coffee.  Coffee. {sets down
   solid coffee for Cooper}
   Giant:  One and the same.
   {LMFAP rubs his hands.  Cooper picks up his coffee - it's liquid.  When
   he's about to drink, it's solid.  LMFAP continues rubbing his hands.  The
   coffee's liquid.  LMFAP continues rubbing his hands.  The coffee's
   viscous.}
   LMFAP:  Wow, Bob, wow.  Fire walk with me.
   {Fire.  A scream.  Strobe effect.  Cooper walks to the other room.
   Identical furniture but empty.  Back to the original room.}
   LMFAP:  Wrong way
   {Cooper goes back to to the other room.  LMFAP babbles excitedly. Then:}
   LMFAP:  Another friend.
   {Maddy enters wearing a black dress identical to Laura's.  LMFAP
   continues to babble, ducks behind a chair.}
   Maddy:  I'm Maddy.  Watch out for my cousin. {can't see whether her eyes
   are white}
   {Cooper goes back to the original room.  It's empty.  Then:}
   LMFAP (shadow self):  Doppelganger
   Laura  (shadow self):  {presenting hands}  {angrily}  Meanwhile
   {screams, climbs up on the chair}
   {Back to the other room.  Empty, but Cooper is bleeding from his stomach.
   There's a trail of blood on the floor-- Cooper follows it back to the
   original room.  Caroline and Cooper on the floor bleeding.  No, it's Annie
   Annie gets up.}
   Cooper:  Caroline?  Annie?  Annie?  Annie?  Annie?  Annie?  Annie?
   {Cooper goes back to the other room.  Annie/Caroline is standing there,
   wearing the black dress from the pageant}
   Annie:  Dale.  I saw the face of the man who killed me.
   Cooper:  Annie...the face of the man who killed you?
   Annie:  It was my husband.
   Cooper:  Annie?
   Annie:  Who's Annie?  It's me, it's me, it's me.
   Cooper:  Caroline?
   {Annie changes to Caroline (shadow self), in Caroline's dress}
   Caroline (shadow self):  You must be mistaken.  I'm alive.
   {Laura (shadow self) screaming, then turns into Windom Earle.}
   {Annie, in pageant dress, appears off to the side, vanishes}
   Earle:  Dale Cooper.  If you give me your soul, I'll let Annie live.
   Cooper:  I will.
   {Earle stabs Cooper.  Fire.  Rewind.  BOB appears, grabs Earle}
   BOB:  {to Earle}  Be quiet.  Be quiet.  {to Cooper}  You go.  He is wrong.
   He can't ask for your soul.  I will take his.  {a spout of fire appears
   over Earle's head, and his head slumps forward}
   {Cooper's shadow self enters as Cooper leaves, crouches beside BOB, and
   laughs with him}
   {Cooper exits into the hallway}
   Leland (shadow self):  I did not kill anybody.
   {Cooper's shadow self chases Cooper and catches up to him.  BOB laughs.}


Night
-- Cooper and Annie are back
-- Will tends to Cooper in his bed.  Annie's at the hospital and will be okay.
   Cooper gets up, "I need to brush my teeth."  In the bathroom, BOB has
   Cooper ram his head into the mirror.  "How's Annie?!"
[End of timeline]


Discussion of the Black Lodge sequence is divided into the following topics:
*** Annie
*** Cooper at the mirror
*** Doppelgangers
*** Giant/Senor Droolcup
*** Glastonberry Grove
*** Inconsistencies
*** Laura Palmer
*** Pathetic theories
*** Room configuration
*** What it all means
*** Windom Earle
==============================================================================
*** Annie
==============================================================================
A couple people have said that Annie was dopplegangized at the time she
entered the circle of trees (they said, "Look closely at her eyes").  I did
look closely at her eyes, and, to me, they look quite a bit different from
the dopplegangers' eyes we see later in the BL.  The dopplegangers' eyes are
clearly glazed over to the point that the irises can't be seen; Annie's irises
can still be seen after she enters the tree circle.  I think that she has been
enchanted or entranced, not dopplegangized.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annie is kidnapped from the pagaent,, and a few scenes later we see Norma
happily hanging out with Big Dumb Ed. Dont you think she would be a tad
worried about her sister? Also Shelly  didnt seem to worried about her. Dont
tell me no one noticed she had disappeared??
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The words that Annie was reciting while WE was dragging her into the grove
were not the 23rd Psalm, as suggested earlier, but the 141 Psalm (A Prayer for
Preservation from Evil).  The part I was able to identify matched the last
verse from the King James version: "Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
whilst I withal escape."  However I couldn't make out all of what she was
saying, so she may have quoted other passages too.
==============================================================================
*** Cooper at the mirror
==============================================================================
I went to see the finale at a friend's house in Beaverton, Oregon, about 190
miles south of the Double-R Diner.  As you know, the finale featured many
lights out, flashing lights, strobe lights, etc. scenes.  Well, we got to the
point of anti-Coop saying he needed to brush his teeth (about 3 minutes from
the end) and BOOM!, a large explosion, and the neighborhood was plunged into
darkness.  Voices drift across the patio from elsewhere in the neighborhood,
"It must be BOB!"  After about 30 seconds, I begin to think it might very
well be BOB, 'cause I am about to miss the ending of the whole series after
watching it for two years.  Well, the Major must have been looking out for us,
because in about another 30 seconds, the power returned leaving us with the
image of those two headbangers, BOB and anti-COOP, at the mirror.  Maybe love
(or the Bonneville Power Administration) is enough.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I was kind of disappointed in the ending.  Here is the great and evil Bob and
the worst thing he can do is squeeze the tube of toothpaste from the middle.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For Cooper to have been trapped by BOB, it would mean that he still hasn't
learned from his experience with Caroline, and also that he is weak.  We've
heard Hawk (perhaps an expert on spiritual strength) say that Cooper is
strong and we've also learned from his experience with Audrey that Cooper can
separate his logical thought from his love - perhaps if Cooper had confronted
his "dweller on the threshold" instead of running in fear.
Did Cooper end up failing because of what we saw as "fear" while in the Black
Lodge?  In addition to the dweller conflict, when Laura was screaming, he ran
away and found himself bleeding-- was this a result of his fear?  During this
scene, the bleeding reminded me of "... it's not so bad as long as long as you
can keep the fear from your mind..."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Weak! Smeak!  Coop wasn't weak he sacrificed himself for Annie's life.
Remember WE asking Coop if he would give him his soul for Annie's life.  Coop
without hesitating agreed.  Only thing it was a trap.  WE couldn't take Coop's
soul, but BOB could.  At that point Coop was trapped.  He may have blundered,
but I refuse to beleive he was weak.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Who thinks that 1) Coop's twin as bob got out and Coop is still trapped inside
the lodge, or 2) bob has taken over Coop's body?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I noticed that, just before Coop and Annie re-appeared in Glastonbury Circle,
one of the Coops caught the other one in one of the red rooms.  I hope this
meant the the Coop who reappeared is a conglomerate of the two, doing internal
spritual battle for control.
That would explain why Coop (the good one) smashes his head against the mirror
on realizing that he is harboring Bob.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So did Cooper really let BOB in when he agreed to surrender his soul in return
for Annie's life (even though BOB said WE couldn't make that exchange, he
didn't say *he* couldn't!)?  Or did the doppelganger Cooper merely overpower
Dale and make it back to physical reality in his place?  I wonder if TP would
have taken this particular plot twist if Lynch et al hadn't needed a bang-up,
shock ending for the series climax?  If the show picks up again in some form,
will Coop struggle from within against BOB, or is the good Coop still back in
the Lodge?  Will the good Coop only appear in visions and through owls?  Will
he really have to wait 20 or 25 years to escape?  Will he age in the meantime?
Aaaaggghhh... I don't want the show to be over!!!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I thought that the "...in 25 years..." quote referred to what we saw in the
first dream-- Cooper was an old man, 25 years in the future sitting with the
LMFAP and Laura.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As soon as Coop mentioned brushing his teeth, I thought bathroom,...   mirror,
BOB!... NO!  I didn't read any of the Rolling Stone articles with the
predictions until after 6/10.  I'm sure that you too would have guessed what
was going to happen even without having read the predictions.  I think it was
intentionally obvious.  Lynch could have gotten Coop in front of a mirror in a
much more subtle way, but instead used a rather obvious approach.  The whole
time Coop was walking to the bathroom and squeezing the toothpaste, I was
saying to myself "No, not Coop. No...", yet was still shocked when he smashed
his head against the mirror.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What about Cooper saying "I Will" to Windom Earle's request to him about
trading his soul for Annie's life?  Is THIS why Bob now has Cooper?  Note that
Bob popped right in at that point, but mentioned that Windom had overstepped
his "authority"...Hmmmm......
Yes! As a netter noticed (try saying THAT five times fast!), WE did not have
the authority but BoB DID! I think Coop really lost it when he *ran* from his
darker side instead of confronting it. When it caught him, it overpowered him
and replaced him in the real world.
The combination of these two things ("I will" and running/being caught) caused
Coop to fail the "test"
By the way...
I knew...i KNew....I KNEW!...Annie was going to get Coop in trouble. I KNEW
IT !!!!
COOP drop ANNIE!! (you should've done it along time ago bud)
Now we have CooBob to deal with.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What about Cooper saying "I Will" to Windom Earle's request to him about
trading his soul for Annie's life?  Is THIS why Bob now has Cooper?  Note that
Bob popped right in at that point, but mentioned that Windom had overstepped
his "authority"...Hmmmm......
This may have been a test of Cooper's love for Annie-- I guess he "passed"
this part?  Although he failed otherwise.
I think he "passed" this part by reacting with love rather than fear.  Later,
when he runs from doppelganger-Laura and his own doppelganger, he fails
because he's reacting with fear.  I think.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What about Cooper saying "I Will" to Windom Earle's request to him about
trading his soul for Annie's life?  Is THIS why Bob now has Cooper?  Note that
Bob popped right in at that point, but mentioned that Windom had overstepped
his "authority"...Hmmmm......
I'd like to point out that Cooper didn't SELL his soul, he SACRIFICED it to
save Annie.  Pretty powerful stuff, that, at least in classic epic literature.
That's why I believe it's not Cooper that Bob's possessing, but, as many have
pointed out, the doppelganger, and it won't take much effort for Cooper to
break free and put Bob back in the Black Lodge.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IMHO, Cooper and the BOB/Coop are one and the same.  His double caught up with
him in the Lodge.  They are both in the bathroom brushing their teeth (well
gee, kinda, sorta).  The key will be to extract BOB/Coop from Cooper.  I guess
he has to wait 25 year until the Lodge is open again. (?)
It's just too depressing to have to leave Twin Peaks thinking that there
aren't any good guys.  What a pessimistic view of the world!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Does BOB now control Cooper's soul?  I think that Cooper assenting to take
Annie's place granted BOB the authority to release Cooper's dark side.  (I
think that Coop's doppleganger did not appear until after this scene.)  Cooper
failed to defeat (or refute, disable or unconjure) his dark side (so far).  I
think that it is this dark side that has been released into the world and that
the "good" Coop is still wandering the halls of the Lodge.
This scenario scares me a little more.  Cooper must have witnessed some pretty
awful examples of human behavior as an Agent of the FBI.  There must have been
times when he wished he could go outside the law to punish a criminal.  When
his normal, good self is in control, such impluses are dismissed.  But with
the good interred in the Black Lodge the bad is free to act out all not only
all his revenge impulses, but could recreate and re-enact many of the horrors
he had witnessed professionally.  Brrrrrrh.  Kind of turns Cooper into a
Hannibal Lector type, only scarier.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I really enjoyed the (sigh) last episode last night.  I had a slightly
different take on the Cooper possession by Bob than has, so far, appeared in
this group.
I saw the whole Windom Earle arc revealed as a ruse by BOB to get Cooper to
go into the Black Lodge.  Cooper, not WE, was BOB's real target.  After all,
it was Cooper, not WE, who posed a genuine threat to BOB.  BOB waited until
Cooper surrendered his soul to WE, (a BOB minion) then dismissed WE and
claimed the offered soul for himself.  This was the permission that BOB needed
to possess Coop.   So Love doesn't conquer all....
However, I also don't see this as the end.  I think that Cooper's soul is
trapped inside the black lodge awaiting a rescue by a contingent of the
Bookhouse Boys (Briggs, Harry, etc.).  Also, Annie is (I think) still alive.
She could be the one who frees Cooper.  Earlier in the show when Cooper was
dictating a memo to Diane he remarked that Annie (Love) had liberated him
from his self imposed prison of solitude.  And she did escape from meeting her
own "dweller on the threshold" in the Black Lodge.  Maybe she now possesses
the strength and power to go back in and free Coop.  Maybe Love does conquer
all....
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It just occurred to me.  No, I'm lying.  It occurred to me the first time I
watched the last show (I've watched it 3 times since ... ) perhaps Special
Agent Dale Cooper has been evil since the beginning.  Perhaps he has been a
host to BOB for longer that we think ...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Those of you who are so upset that Bob possessed Coop, take heart, it may be
only the doppleganger. Coop may still be in the lodge, because someone sent
the message to Briggs through Sara Palmer.
If all else fails, go back and watch "Darth Vader goes to heaven!"
from the end of Star Wars III. Happy ending!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As for Coop's present situation.  The LMFAP did say "doppleganger" before WE,
BOB and the evil Coop appeared.  My feeling is that Dale is trapped in the
Black Lodge, while his doppleganger is free to roam the material plane.  I
think it will be up to the Major (and Annie?) to rescue him.  (I also think
Truman is not up to the task.)
As for Annie, did she make it out of the BL?  She didn't look to good laying
next to Coop in the clearing.  Perhaps she did die, and Truman lied to spare
Coops feelings upon his recovery?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As for Coop's present situation.  The LMFAP did say "doppleganger" before WE,
BOB and the evil Coop appeared.  My feeling is that Dale is trapped in the
Black Lodge, while his doppleganger is free to roam the material plane.  I
think it will be up to the Major (and Annie?) to rescue him.  (I also think
Truman is not up to the task.)
I agree that Coop is trapped in the Lodge and his doppleganger is roaming the
material world.  As for his rescue, I think that Albert is the likely choice
(with the Major's help).  If the way to overcome evil is through love, Albert
will be the one to do it.  Albert has said his philosophy of life is based on
love (remember the "...Sheriff Truman, I love you." scene?).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In Western religions, evil always requires cooperation.  In _The Exorcist_,
little Linda Blair gets possessed because she plays with the Ouija board and
opens the door to the Devil.  That was terrifying because it presented the
possibility that actions and not intentions could consititute cooperation.
TP had the chance to explore the other possibility; namely that even a very
good, strong and uncooperative man could lose his soul to an evil power.
Unfortunately, Coop's saga in the Black Lodge was a bit murky, and it
isn't clear at all what happened to allow Coop to be possessed by BOB.
As other posters have pointed out, it looked like Coop did everything right.
I don't even buy that running for the exit was the wrong thing.  Coop had
gotten what he'd come for - Annie's life.  He wasn't running from BOB, just
running out of the situation.
So the question remains: How did Coop's evil doppelganger win out? And if Coop
cannot stand up to BOB, then who can?  It's a chilling thought.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When Coop said "I have to brush my teeth," I knew what was up... yup,
predictable but damn frightening.  The way Coop reflexively 'attacked' Bob by
butting his head into the mirror seemed to indicate that Coop himself (the
same Coop who asked "How's Annie?" when he woke up, the human part of Coop
that is still there even though Bob is sitting atop his soul) saw Bob in the
mirror and knew who he was and what that meant.  Is Coop now aware that he is
being possessed by Bob?  If he's aware of it, can he fight it?
Seems to me that unless Bob is always dominant in Coop (which would most
likely, well, be noticed around town ;-) ), when Coop's human side is in
control of his body he has a chance to do something.  So WILL HE????
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Perhaps that's it.  BOB wants Cooper locked in the rubber room (as opposed to
the red room), just as Cooper had gotten Windom sent to the mental ward years
earlier.  Divine irony, as BOB would see it...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A show of hands... how many paused at the bathroom door after watching the
finale?  "Mmmm... I don't think I need to brush my teeth tonight, nope,
definitely not tonight...."  Eeeek!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Three cheers to Daniel Mittleman, whose posting I quote in full:
Fiona, I have no idea what it is you are looking for, but here are some ideas
I had yesterday..
I have this idea for a final scene, but only sketchy details of what might
come before it.
Sketchy details:
It seems to me that Windom Earle will manage to create a situation for Cooper
where Earle has the ability to unleash all of the forces of the Black Lodge on
the world.  Doing so would cause untold death and destruction.  Cooper has the
ability to stop Earle, but because of the situation Earle has created, doing
so was cost the life of Annie.  In the climax Cooper decides to save the world,
Annie is killed, Cooper is a hero, but is left inconsolable and despondent.
Final scene:
We are just inside the doorway of Cooper's room at the Great Northern.  We see
Cooper in a profile view sitting in a wooden chair at his desk/dresser staring
blankly into the mirror in front of him (not wholly unlike the opening scene
with Josie).  The room is dark and warm and woody.  The camera angle slowly
moves towards Cooper circling around behind him.  Very haunting TP music picks
up in the background.  As the camera comes around behind Cooper we can see his
reflection in the mirror.  It is Bob smiling and laughing back out at him.
The picture fades to black.  "Lynch/Frost" appears on the screen.
This is all a brainstorm - additional comments and suggestions are welcome.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Most of the things I noticed during the finale have already been mentioned by
the rest of you except for one (small) thing. Did anyone else besides me see
Cooper's first line after waking up in his hotel room with Truman and Doc
Hayward standing over him ("I wasn't sleeping!") as a message directly from
David Lynch to the viewing audience that he wasn't going to cop out with a
Wizard of Oz-like ending? As soon as I say Cooper in bed with Truman and Doc
standing over him, I thought, "Oh, no! The whole thing's been a dream!". Then,
as if on cue, Lynch seemed to be saying directly to me that, no, it wasn't a
dream.
==============================================================================
*** Doppelgangers
==============================================================================
        Alternatively, the Leland evil form existed as a seperate entity in
the black Lodge and was obviously kin to the evil Dale form. Perhaps this is
the Lodge's representation of possession by Bob.
Hawk said that your spirit had to visit the Black Lodge and overcome your evil
self before it could proceed to the White Lodge.  Sounds like everyone has an
evil self in the Black Lodge; you don't have to be possessed by BOB.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Watch out for my cousin" might have well have been a fortelling of what was
to come, the doubles...  the "dopplegangers", the opposites.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        The MFAP said that he'd show up again as someone else -- who?
What he said was closer to: ``When you see me again, it won't be me.'' I think
that what he meant was that each successive apearance of the LMFAP was merely
someone who looked like him: doppelgangers (und treppelgangers, usw).  Note
that this happens with Laura.  The first Laura we see, who says she won't see
Cooper for 25 years, has clear eyes, while Laura/Bob, has glazed eyes.  This
seems to be a distinguishing mark of the doppelgangers.  Also, the only Leland
we see has glazed eyes, and the anti-Cooper also has glazed eyes.  Still, the
whole XXX Lodge sequence leaves open the question of what happened to those
who have died and exactly whose side the supernatural entities are playing on
---except for Bob, of course, who remains unchanging in his Bobhood.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Wow, BOB, wow!"
Since no one has pointed out the obvious, I will: this is a palindrome that is
also vocally palindromic, when spoken in the Lynchian double-reverse technique
Only other one I can think of is "Madam, I'm Adam."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's "mom, pop, mom" upside down.
The twin-peak theme is expressed in the dual points of the W/M, and in the
double W's of "wow", and in the double-wow's of the palindrome.
Just as the double-W's of "wow" represent the twin peaks with the town of TP
between them, the palindrome as a whole represents the twin "wow"s of the
lodges with the mundane world between them--and Bob is in the place
represented by the mundane world.
The reversed-ground version of "mom, pop, mom" is "pop, mom, pop"--Donna's
dilemma.  And the two "pop"s are the "horns" (i.e., peaks) of the dilemma.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Doppelgangers. Coop's dark side escapes. As did Leland's (that's why the other
Leland is in the lodge, and "didn't kill anyone")... Laura's light side
escaped, leaving her dark side in the lodge. Sound somewhat right?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Doppelgangers. Coop's dark side escapes. As did Leland's (that's why the
other Leland is in the lodge, and "didn't kill anyone")... Laura's light side
escaped, leaving her dark side in the lodge. Sound somewhat right?
We've known for some time that in order to reach the White Lodge, one must
first travel through the Black Lodge, and in the process meet and overcome
one's doppelganger. Coop is about 75% of the way there. Now, all he has to do
is overcome his evil side, and he'll be in. I personally was kind of
disappointed by Coop's actions in the Black Lodge. In order to defeat the evil, he needed to have overcome his fear and fought back with love, not just
for Annie, but for life, the world, his friends, and his enemies. Remember,
"Fear is the mindkiller." Instead, all Coop does is run back and forth between
the two rooms. And he didn't overcome his fear. Of course, I would be afraid
too if I had a doppelganger of Laura Palmer screeching at you. Yow! I don't
think that the evil Laura or Leland or LMFAP were real. Remember, LMFAP said,
"When you see me again, it will not be me." There seemed to be four entities
in the Black Lodge with Coop. They are: Windom, Annie, BOB, and Coop's
doppelganger. My theory is that the evil LMFAP was actually BOB (he walked and
sounded similarly), Carolyne was probably Windom, evil Laura was probably
Windom (using frame advance on a vcr, one can see Windom's face in between
flashes of the strobe light when the evil Laura is coming at Coop), and Leland
was probably BOB too. Illusion *is* one of evil's major weapons.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Things to do while procrastinating at work:  I looked up doppleganger in the
Britannica, where it said (this is from a fried cortex) a doppleganger (which
means "double goer") is a spiritual double that all humans and animals have.
It is not a ghost, but an "apparition" or a "wraith".  And if you happen to
_see_ your doppleganger, it means your death is imminent.  The moment good
Coop turned around in the hallway and made eye contact with bad Coop was a
moment of significance.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This may already have been mentioned, but in the final episode of The Prisoner,
"Fall Out", the hero (#6) meet his own evil doppleganger (#1).
==============================================================================
*** Giant/Senor Droolcup
==============================================================================
I didn't understand why the Giant/SDC were in the waiting room.  I suppose
that the waiting room was neutral territory for Black/White lodges?

>From Major Briggs' discussion after returning from his disappearance, they
(the Air Force?) were still looking for the White Lodge.  This would mean that
if the Giant were part of the White Lodge, then he shouldn't have been in the
waiting room, right?
If the Giant was previously helping Cooper and tried to stop him from
encouraging Annie to enter Miss Twin Peaks, (..."this is all I'm permitted to
say,"...) I would think that he was a "good guy."
The Black and White Lodges must also be "one in the same" I guess--
coexisting in the same place/time (whatever that is)?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, there seem to be two strains of interpretation here about what the
Giant's ``One and the same'' means:
(1) Since we see the Waiter bring the coffee and the Giant go back, it is the
Waiter and the Giant that are ``One and the same''.  (This is what I took it
to mean.)
(2) Since the Giant says ``One and the same'' as he sits down beside the LMFAP
he means that the two of them are ``One and the same''.  I personally
disfavor this, although I did think, when I saw the two of them sitting side
by side that this answered Albert's question to Coop about the Giant: ``Any
relation to the dwarf?''
Goddamn deictic statements where the speakers don't deict properly!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, there seem to be two strains of interpretation here about what the
Giant's ``One and the same'' means:
(1) Since we see the Waiter bring the coffee and the Giant go back, it is the
Waiter and the Giant that are ``One and the same''.  (This is
> what I took it to mean.)
> ...

I would also like to believe the first, but my initial reaction was the
opposite.  When the Giant said that I immediately pictured the big and little
figures in the petroglyph.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the BL, did Cooper's coffee turn to OIL ??

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Beverages, potions, whatever, they're important in many myths.  When the 
coffee froze, it seemed a logical result of the freezing of time.  But when 
it turned viscous, it could have been time picking up steam again -- or was
it oil?  The oil of the gods is _burnt_ -- as are the offerings to the gods.
What would have happened if Coop had _drunk the oil?_

Or was it just pancake syrup? :)

==============================================================================
*** Glastonberry Grove
==============================================================================

According to the Access Guide, Glastonberry Grove has 12 Great Firs,
not 12 Sycamore trees.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I can't believe I didn't find the important location on the petroglyph/map.
Sitting right there next to the circle of trees is a sign that looks almost
like a yin/yang symbol, though the black and white halves are not
intertwined in this one.  The Black Lodge and the White Lodge.  It actually
even looks sort of spatially correct for the two sides that Cooper kept
running between; I wonder, now, if the show was consistent about one of
those rooms belonging to the White Lodge and the other belonging to the
Black Lodge?  Guess I'll have to rewatch it!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Sitting right there next to the circle of trees is a sign that looks almost
> like a yin/yang symbol, though the black and white halves are not
> intertwined in this one.  The Black Lodge and the White Lodge.  It actually
> ...

I can see how you interpreted the symbol this way, but doesn't it look
more like a small well of water?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>>  Glastonbury the legendary burial place of King Arthur who sought the Holy
>>  Grail aka the Cup of Christ (Arthur, the Once and Future King, who goes
>>  away but will return at the times of greatest need and peril -- yet more
>>  death and re-birth symbolism)

>  I'm angry that they dropped an extremely interesting plot line (KING ARTHUR 
>  !!) they mentioned it and then * POOF * they dropped it.  Maybe 
>  spanning from England to Twin Peaks was too much?  not for me.

No, bringing in a King Arthur plot would have been a lame, unoriginal way of  
tying things up.  TP didn't need something like that to make it work.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Why are they calling the Black Lodge/White Lodge Glastonbury?
It's not an Indian name and it's certainly not a Tibetan name.
It's Avalon.  It's where King Authur, the once and future king,
is buried. There really is a Glastonbury Isle and it's the legendary
site of Avalon - just down the road from Camelot.  Funny thing is
that Glastonbury (and the King Authur tale itself) is a 
disguised story about a mythical fight for the soul of a
Celtic people between Christianity and paganism 
(Marion Bradley, The Mists of Avalon).  Not quite
the same thing as good vs evil, but close.  In the King Arthur tale,
Arthur himself chooses neither Christianity nor paganism, he is
neutral.  When he is re-born (hence the title - the once and the future king)
perhaps he will choose one or the other.  (Witches, of course, hope
he will choose paganism.)  Glastonbury, in short, is
paradise, a location for death and rebirth, reincarnation.  
Obviously, Lynch has a bad case of symbol diarrhea, but
it's fun.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Maybe I am reading some of this in, but the finale seemed to be using
a whole bunch of imagery borrowed from Arthurian legends and even
Adonis myths.  The presence of the 12 rainbow trout, the 12 sycamores,
the name of the grove (supposedly the burial place of King Arthur),
and the wound in Cooper's side are all elements of what someone has
termed "fisher-king" archetypes as found in grail stories, the Golden
Bough, etc.  Supposedly what happens is that the knight, in this case
Cooper, finds entrance into some separate place representing the
psyche (?) and is there presented with 3 questions.  He doesn't have
to even answer them in most cases, just be a righteous guy, and he
gets the grail which he then applies to the king's wound restoring the
king and the land.  Since Cooper becomes wounded I would guess that he
is the "arthur" figure and that he is either going to have to
restore himself (from inside the Black Lodge ?) or someone is going to
have to do it for him.  If Lynch holds true to arthurian legends it would
be a child without a father, or maybe even a child Annie might have(?).

It's been a while since I studied this stuff, but the imagery was
obviously there.  Re-read Catch-22 for another use of the Fisher-king
archetype in a modern setting.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>>   Since Cooper becomes wounded I would guess that he
>>   is the "arthur" figure and that he is either going to have to
>>   restore himself (from inside the Black Lodge ?) or someone is going to
>>   have to do it for him.  If Lynch holds true to arthurian legends it would
>>   be a child without a father, or maybe even a child Annie might have(?).

>Actually, since the writers brought in King Arthur at this late date,
>I would have to give that role to Windom Earle (in a twisted sort of
>way).  Caroline could be Guinevere and that would make Cooper be
>Lancelot.  I don't think Cooper wants to be King of anything; his
>character is much better suited to the role of the knight of
>exceptional ability, very close and loyal to the King, but at the same
>time the secret lover of the Queen.  Having killed off the first Queen
>(Caroline), Windom Earle has to pursue Cooper and set up another Queen
>for him to love, refusing to let go of that triangle relationship.

Actually, if you continue this line of reasoning it would explain
Coop's lack of success in the Black Lodge. Lancelot was unable to
succeed in the quest for the Grail because of the impurity inherent
in his consumated love for another man's wife. That is why the need
for the Galahad and Percival figures in the Arthurian legends.

Perhaps it is Albert's form of non sexual love that is needed to
win through to the White Lodge and save everyone.

In any case, I agree that to date the parallel's to the Arthurian
legends are a little strained.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>before he can again encounter the Grail and restore the Fisher King
>and the wasteland that the King's land has become.  [Well--so maybe
>Cooper SHOULD have asked what was in that cup of coffee.  Maybe it
>could have healed all those wounds that we kept seeing on people...
>The Holy Grail as a cup of coffee?  In Twin Peaks, it wouldn't
>surprise me.   Hmm...]

AH YES, IT'S ALL CLEAR NOW... THE FISH IN THE COFFEEPOT... AND DON'T DONUTS
COME IN BOXES OF TWELVE?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>   A bunch of posts in the past few weeks here have made reference to the
>   myth of the Fisher King. What is this, and where does it come from?
>
>   I'd been wondering about it since I saw it here, and have since stumbled
>   across another reference to it in the liner notes to a Sting album, which,
>   however, was not particularly informative.

The Fisher King is a major figure in the legendry surrounding the Holy
Grail, which is (by most interpretations) the cup that Jesus used at
the Last Supper, carried into Europe by Joseph of Arimathea.  This cup
appears in a vision to King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table
and the knights decide they will go off on a quest to find the actual
Grail.  This is generally taken to be the first sign of the breakup of
the Round Table.  The full basic story can be read in Bulfinch's
Mythology (almost certainly available at your college library).  The
interesting part about the story in Bulfinch is that the Grail was
given over into a line of kings to protect it, but the requirement was
that they live lives of perfect purity.  This worked fine until one
Grail King had impure thoughts about a female pilgrim whose robe
loosened as she knelt before him.  After this he was called "Le Roi
Pescheur", or the Sinner King.  Well, in French "Pescheur" for sinner,
is very close in sound to "Pecheur" for fisherman, and so the name
eventually became the Fisher King.

There are many variants on this legend from different traditions.
The elements that have generally shown up in later allusions (T. S.
Eliot's "The Waste Land" springs to mind) center around the fact that
the Fisher King is wounded in the "thigh" (a euphemism for saying that
he's impotent) and at the same time his lands are unable to bear
fruit.  The people are starving.  Fertility can only be restored by
the arrival of a pure knight, who in different versions has different
requirements made of him, and if this knight does what he's supposed
to do, the Fisher King's wound will be healed (presumably by the
Grail) and the land will come back to life.  In the Parsifal legend,
the knight fails on his first try and has to have a number of
adventures before he can try again, but he is eventually successful.
In the Galahad legend (which is quoted in Bulfinch), the pure knight
Galahad has a fairly easy time of it, although his father Lancelot is
not able to see the Grail because of his involvement with Queen
Guenevere.

Jessica Weston wrote a book in the 1920's called "From Ritual to
Romance" in which she ties in the symbols of the Grail legend with
ancient fertility rites mentioned in Fraser's "The Golden Bough".  It
is worth reading if you're interested in the theme of restoring energy
to something that's spiritually or emotionally dying.  I do remember
reading somewhere that later scholarship has shown her theories to be
wrong, but I don't know whether this was anthropological, literary, or
mythological scholarship.  I also don't know if there is a particular
source which has succeeded it as the definitive thought-provoking book
on the Grail Legend.

I'm sure this is More Than You Ever Wanted to Know about the Fisher
King, but perhaps it will clarify the Sting reference for you.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How quickly do sycamores grow?  The ones in Glastonberry Grove seemed
awfully small to me.  Perhaps they are about 20 years old.  This 20
year thing keeps recurring.  Norma won Miss TP 20 years ago.  I take
it that Leland became LeBoBland in that time scale, and Coop meets
Laura again in 25 years.  All timed with the conjunction of Jupiter
and Saturn.  Maybe every 20 years the circle is destroyed and it
regrows.  Hence the presence of the circle in the petroglyph, and the
changing species of trees.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>How quickly do sycamores grow?  The ones in Glastonberry Grove seemed

Sycamores are very fast growing trees.  Those in the Grove couldn't
have been 20 years old - I would guess about 4-5.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

     Was Glastonbury Grove the site of Bob's sudden appearance at the end
of the penultimate episode?  The puddle which reflected the red curtains
did look like the 'well' in the center of the circle of trees.  But Bob
certainly seemed to be safe in the Black Lodge again for the final episode
(well, *most* of the final episode... ;-) ).  So why did Bob pop into the
real world and then go back to the Lodge?  Lynch ad-libs again.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Funny how no one ever noticed the red curtains before... :-) (But they're
silent... I KNEW Bob was in Nadine!)

==============================================================================
*** Inconsistencies
==============================================================================

Trivial, but interesting: when Coop enters the curtains initially, he's wearing
an overcoat.  When we then cut to the next scene (Coop entering the hallway),
Coop has no overcoat on.  Hmmm....  Did we miss a scene where he checked his
coat?  :-)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

...So there you are, in the Black Lodge, with your trusty FBI-issue
   Smith & Wesson Model 1076 10mm pistol at your side, being pursued by
   your evil doppelganger.  What do you do?
   
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>    ...So there you are, in the Black Lodge, with your trusty FBI-issue
>    Smith & Wesson Model 1076 10mm pistol at your side, being pursued by
>    your evil doppelganger.  What do you do?
>

Send Diane another tape...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>>    ...So there you are, in the Black Lodge, with your trusty FBI-issue
>>    Smith & Wesson Model 1076 10mm pistol at your side

I must say, I've wondered the same thing myself. Why was Coop so dadgum
spaced-out-looking during the whole BL scene? This guy is a professional
FBI agent, fer crissakes, yet not once did he draw that 10mm, even when
Windom Earle himself popped up in front of him. I half expected Coop to
say, "You are under arrest for murder....you have a right to remain silent,
if you do not choose...."  But noooooooo, he stood there like a house
by the side of the road.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>   I must say, I've wondered the same thing myself. Why was Coop so dadgum
>   spaced-out-looking during the whole BL scene? This guy is a professional
>   FBI agent, fer crissakes, yet not once did he draw that 10mm, even when
>   Windom Earle himself popped up in front of him. I half expected Coop to
>   say, "You are under arrest for murder....you have a right to remain silent,
>   if you do not choose...."  But noooooooo, he stood there like a house
>   by the side of the road.

Under the laws of which country is Cooper going to arrest Windom Earle
in the Black Lodge?  Will Bob really agree to extradite him?  And why
should Cooper's attempt to use a weapon there be any more successful
than Windom Earle's?  Cooper was at least smart enough to know that
the normal procedures wouldn't apply there, although he didn't seem to
be able to figure out what would work.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Who says he even HAD his pistol?  He certainly seemed to lose his
flashlight and overcoat.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

     All throughout the finale, Cooper was so damn passive.  The side of
good really has done nothing throughout without evil being one step ahead
of them all the way.  Coop ignored the giant's warning; even when he realized
that Windom was waiting on the outcome of the Miss Twin Peaks pageant, all
he did after getting there was watch (and clap =) ).  He was a model of in-
action all the way through.  If anything, Andy was the one who made the most
progress -- the map, the revelation of the bonsai bug, etc.  Coop was even
passive inside the Lodge.  I expected at least something from the man who
was on top of everything not so long ago.  The way things were, he was almost
a bit player... it was Windom who made everything happen; Coop was just
following and watching.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> So there you are, in the Black Lodge, with your trusty FBI-issue
> Smith & Wesson Model 1076 10mm pistol at your side ...

     [and others have wondered why Cooper was so passive in the Red Rooms]

It was Dale Cooper's nature to be an observer rather than a participant.
The autobiography drives this home repeatedly, but it's also evident from
the show.  His love of observation certainly takes him into a lot of
strange and interesting situations, but he is ultimately there as the
passive viewer.  The one motivation that seems to kick him into genuine
action is a head to head confrontation with known evil.  I suppose you
could say that the evil in the Red Rooms should have spurred him to
greater action, but the nature of the evil and all of the experiences
in the Red Rooms (not all of it was evil) was unknown to Dale.  And while
those experiences would have been totally disorienting to most mortals,
Dale lapsed into his observe-it-for-all-it's-worth mode, and probably
dealt with it better than almost anyone else could have.

At least that's my take on Dale's personality and the nature of his
actions (or lack thereof) in the Lodge waiting rooms.

==============================================================================
*** Laura Palmer
==============================================================================

>Laura Palmer's hand symbol looked like a symbol, similar to the
>pose in many Bhuddist paintings. Anyone know what it means?

If my memory serves me correctly it's the classic possition taken by
Shiva while doing his dance that destroys and thus remakes the world
The fullfilment of the death and re-birth cycle. It's also symbolic
of something that is in this world but not of this world.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>  Laura Palmer's hand symbol looked like a symbol, similar to the
>  pose in many Bhuddist paintings. Anyone know what it means?

Well, this may be too prosaic an explanation, but take a look at
Madonna's ``Vogue'' video.  ``Strike a pose'', indeed.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>Laura Palmer's hand symbol looked like a symbol, similar to the
>pose in many Bhuddist paintings. Anyone know what it means?

I thought it looked like Vanna White, on Wheel of Fortune.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>I thought it looked like Vanna White, on Wheel of Fortune.

I was ready for a bottle of shampoo to materialize in her hands and she 
says "This is the shampoo I use !!" :-)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Laura's screaming scenes caused both cats to leave the TV room.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>   Am I the only person who found Laura's screaming decidedly NOT scary?
>   It seemed completely unmotivated by extreme terror or even extreme
>   rage; just a device to have her step forward and try to scare Cooper.
>   Could someone who WAS scared perhaps describe for me what it was that
>   was so frightening for them in that moment.  Perhaps my efforts to try
>   and figure out what was going on detached me from it emotionally to
>   the point where I missed the experience.

Well, what got me going was not the screaming but the fact that she
crawled over the love seat in the same way we'd seen Bob crawl over
the sofa in the Palmer's living room.  On first viewing, I interpreted
the whole scene as ``Laura as Bob'', and the screaming/howling as
Bob's screaming/howling.  It was shocking to see ``Laura'' doing Bob's
moves.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Just an observation here-- I noticed that in the scene that begins with
"Doppleganger," while the "evil Laura" is screaming, the faces of Laura
and WE were alternately flashed.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Laura Palmer - gets the Fay Wray award for 1991.  Aside.
Why was Maddy in the Black Lodge?  She wasn't evil (see above).  And
if we're trotting out the tournament of dead people society, why not
bring in Mr. Solitary Soul too?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Thanks to an exhibit of Tibetan religious art at the Asian Art Museum
in San Francisco, I will try to interpret Laura's hand gestures in the
Waiting Room.

  Her right hand, with fingers pointing upwards, is a symbolic gesture
meaning HAVE NO FEAR (!!!). Laura's horizontally pointing left hand is
a symbol for CONTEMPLATION. 

  I believe that her use of these gestures was an attempt to remind Coop
of his training during the "lost years", as well as being direct 
messages in their own right. The  purpose of the HAVE NO FEAR message is
obvious, I think the CONTEMPLATION message means that Coop should face 
his upcoming ordeal with a calm and reflective mind. Thus, both 
messages also reinforce each other.

  Notice that the doppel-Laura directly attempts to counter these two
messages by her "piercing" screaming - she is trying to pierce Coop's
composure.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was playing with the freeze-frame...
In the scene where Laura screams at Cooper and then runs up to him,
and the strobe lights are going, her face is replaced in a few frames
by the face of WE, lit up in a strange mellow orange light.
I took this to mean that the Laura-doppel was some kind of creation by WE,
designed expressly to induce fear in Cooper.  The lodge magicians
(even WE) can manipulate reality there, making coffee run at the wrong
speed, maybe controlling doppels or creating confusing images.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

   Was that Laura reflected in the coffee cup in the end titles?

Yes.  Her reflection starts out unfocussed and becomes clearer.  If
you watch closely, you can see her wink.  I had a frightening moment
watching the image come up; while the image of was still sort of
fuzzy, I thought it was Bob reflected in the cup, which would have
really depressed me no end.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Grin.  I wonder how many thousands of people ran to their TV during the
credits with their Head upside down.  Yes.  It was Laura.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The final credits:
I've been on the edge of my seat before, but upside down in
front of my TV? Whew! How many of you were with me?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>   So Laura in a coffee cup. What the heck does *that* mean?!

Not just any coffee cup; it's the coffee cup that Cooper set down on
the table in the Waiting Room.  (I suddenly realized that Laura would
be right side up to Cooper.)  And her image fades in slowly.  And she
winks (presumably, at Cooper).

==============================================================================
*** Pathetic theories
==============================================================================

The Black Lodge is the opposite of OZ!

Consider these references:

  1. Garland Briggs asks about JUDY GARLAND, who starred as Dorothy
     in the Wizard of Oz.

  2. When Briggs emerges from the woods, he asks where the castle is.
     (Though this could have been a reference to the castle of the
     king of Romania!)

  3. Near the black and white firepit portal stands Pete's truck,
     which has twelve RAINBOW trout.  Thus the portal could be said to
     be over the rainbow.

  4. The wizard used fire to strike fear into Dorothy and her friends.

  5. Water was used to kill the wicked witch, just as the sprinklers
     removed Bob from Leland.

  6. The colors RED and GREEN are opposites.  The red traffic light
     is akin to the red room, the green light to peacefulness.  The
     emerald city in the land of Oz was, of course, GREEN.

  7. David Lynch used Oz references extensively in 'Wild at Heart'.

  8. The promo for the return of TP to Thursdays on ABC had Coop acting
     as Dorothy in bed, surrounded by his (her) friends.  This promo
     may have been more symbolic than we knew!

Here's the answer to how Coop gets out of the Black Lodge: he clicks
his heels together 3 times and repeats "There's no place like home."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    What is the significance of the fact that the flashing lights on 
Cooper and Truman's police car were the same colors as Dr. Jacoby's
eyeglasses?

    (Aside from this detail, everything seemed pretty straightforward.)
    
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hasn't anyone yet realized that the Lounge Lizard was the Log Lady's husband?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yes, I know that this is reaching, but what else do we have?

The phrase "How's Annie?" is repeated so much in the end of the
movie Finale that I feel that there may be some meaning hidden
in it.

I loaded up the phrase in my mind, and then played it backwards.
You would never guess what came out..."In A While".

Ok, so it comes out "Ina Wah", but if you say it really fast, it
sounds like "In A While."   Is Lynch trying to tell us to wait a
while, and Peaks will be back?  

Probably not, but it was worth a shot.

==============================================================================
*** Room configuration
==============================================================================

  The general concensus which I am receiving from the group, is  that
Lynch's depiction of the Black Lodge was disappointing.  I can't
disagree more!  I found the maze of red curtains, disorienting,
distressing, and just plain spooky!

  The atmosphere in the waiting room seemed quite oppressive.  It had
an evil/oily ambience which I though was entirely appropriate.  (I had
the same feeling watching Kubrick's "The Shining")  I had no difficulty
believing that this COULD be a vision of Hell.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Red Room spoken in reverse sounds like "murder".

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Although I haven't analyzed it scene by scene to the point others have in terms
of drawing diagrams, etc., my gut feeling when watching Coop move from hallway
to room and again was that there was only one hallway and one room, and that it
was the things in the room and hallway that were changing, not that there were
multiple rooms and hallways.  As I say, this is a gut, emotional response only,
not an analytical one.  It just seemed to me that Coop was trapped in the same
space the entire time, and that the only way he could leave was to win or lose
the "Test of the Black Lodge" (as per Hawk).

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I also liked the idea presented by one Netter that the corridor was a 
passage from the Black to the White Lodge.  That somehow, the two rooms 
Coop kept (endlessly) passing between represented the Black and White Lodge
  The idea of good/evil being intertwined fits perfectly with the concept 
of yin/yang.  Good and Evil cannot be seperated, without one, the other 
would not exist. There is Good and Evil is everyone (well..in BoB ???)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The white lodge and the black lodge are two faces to the same coin, ie
there's only ONE lodge, but there are obviously two parts.  (The floor
I took as the giveaway:  white and black mixed, spaced)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

there was only _ONE_ room.  At first it looked like two, with the middle
passage in between them.  Then, near the end, when Coop starts wildly running
about, he is going in a circle, with each entrance bringing him to the same
room from different sides.  Look more carefully at those last 15 minutes,
people.  Good and evil the same? or someone thought it would look cool?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

      I beg to differ.  After it was all over my boyfriend
brought out the old graph paper and we mapped the whole
thing.  Now I'm sorta fuzzy on it, cause after watching it
for the 20th time I was getting somewhat burned out.  But,
here are his conclusions:

(Any errors are mine, as he has 25 pages of maps and notes
and I'm doing my best to decipher them from memory)

Okay, one of the clues is the statue in the hallway.  It's
there for a while, and then it disappears.  Alos, there is
one room without furniture.  So, we came to the conclusion
there are 3 rooms and 2 hallways, one hallway with a statue,
one without.  Or, looking at this map, maybe there's three
hallways.  That's it!  Okay.  There's the ahllway into the
waiting room, which has a statue in it.  Then, there's
another hallway (also with a statue) that leads to the room
where Coop faced Bob and Shadow-Laura.  Then, there's a
third hallway without a statue that leads to the empty room.
I think.  But this was the basic idea.  I think I'll shut up
till he gets home and let him post and explain all his
breakdowns etc.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>One little anomaly I noticed in the Black (/white?) Lodge scene last night:
>After Cooper has gone from room to room a couple times, the statue which is
>in the hallway dissapears. Any comments?

Yes, a statue of _Venus._  Saturn and Jupiter are not alone in the current
planetary conjuction -- even in the smoggy skies off Manhattan we can see
that Venus is the brightest of the three... I took the Venus de Milo to be
Annie, Coop's Venus, and when the statue disappeared, I feared the worst for
her.  Or was it just that this symbol of love had fled?

Can anyone identify the statue in the waiting room?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>One little anomaly I noticed in the Black (/white?) Lodge scene last night:
>After Cooper has gone from room to room a couple times, the statue which is
>in the hallway dissapears. Any comments?

Didn't Gordon say that Shelly resembled the Venus de Milo statue
while talking to Coop in the RR Diner?  It seems that there was
alot of emphasis placed on Shelly...Leo tells The Major to "save
Shelly", Gordon falls in love with her, Windom Earle reading
poetry by Shelley...does anyone think that originally Shelly would 
have played a much larger role in the Black Lodge thing, if not for 
the time constraints placed on Lynch et al?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>One little anomaly I noticed in the Black (/white?) Lodge scene last night:
>  After Cooper has gone from room to room a couple times, the statue which is
>in the hallway dissapears. Any comments?
>-- 

On a second watching I kept track of this.  If you take the statue as
indicating WHICH room Cooper is in (no statue by the entrance to the
first -- called the "Waiting Room" by the LMFAP -- and a statue by the
entrance to the second room), then Cooper moves back and forth between
the 1st and 2nd rooms several times.*

Then... Laura reappears with glassy eyes and starts screaming.
Flashes of Windom Earle's face are alternated with hers.  I take this
to mean that WE is now controlling what Cooper sees.

After this scene, we never see the statue again, the logical
conclusion being that either Cooper keeps entering the same room (the 1st)
over and over again, or he is running between the 1st room and a
doppelganger ("the wrong room") 1st room.


*the only divergence from consistent spatial relationships is when
Cooper looks in the 2nd room for the first time.  The furniture is in
the corner closest to him.  Subsequently, it is in the far corner.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

   *the only divergence from consistent spatial relationships is when
   Cooper looks in the 2nd room for the first time.  The furniture is in
   the corner closest to him.  Subsequently, it is in the far corner.

It's more than this, though.  The jagged tooth pattern on the floor of
the hallway runs parallel to the ``rear'' wall.  When Cooper first
enters room 2, the pattern in the room is consistent with this.  When
he re-enters it the pattern is running parallel to the hallway, as if
the room had been rotated.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> On a second watching I kept track of this.  If you take the statue as
> indicating WHICH room Cooper is in (no statue by the entrance to the
> first -- called the "Waiting Room" by the LMFAP -- and a statue by the
> entrance to the second room), then Cooper moves back and forth between
> the 1st and 2nd rooms several times.*
> ...

OK, maybe I REALLY need a life.  But I replayed this scene and paid special
attention to the zig-zag floor pattern.  From room 1, looking at the statue,
the central zig, plus both zigs closest to the two curtain walls point TOWARDS
you.  From room 2 (from the statue), obviously, they point away.  Cooper moves
absolutely consistently from room 1 to room 2, despite the fact that the statue
has disappeared in the meanwhile, many times.  However, there is a lapse.  Coop
meets BOB in Room 1, where BOB takes WE's soul.  He leaves room 1 abruptly, just
before anti-Cooper enters from the other side, laughs along with BOB, and then
chases him.  Coop runs up the hall the wrong way (he is now leaving room 2 and
entering room 1 according to the floor, but not according to his previous
whereabouts) and meets Leland in the hall, looks back, sees anti-Coop, etc.  At
that point, Coop runs THROUGH a room, out the other side, and all bets are off.

(There may be a thesis in here somewhere.)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
   
   >One little anomaly I noticed in the Black (/white?) Lodge scene last night:
   >  After Cooper has gone from room to room a couple times, the statue which is
   >in the hallway dissapears. Any comments?

   I thought, while I was watching it, that there's a statue at *one* end
   of the hallway and not the other.  I assumed it was put there in part
   to serve as a reference point so that we could tell which room was
   which.  At some point, though, it seemed that things got totally
   turned around and inconsistent, sort of like the scene in "Yellow
   Submarine" where Our Heroes run in one hotel room door and then out of
   the door across the corridor.

[In what follows, I'm calling the first of the red curtained rooms
that Cooper enters, ``the waiting room'', just to have some name for
it.]

The first five times Cooper goes through the hallway, there is a
statue at ``the far end'' (i.e. the end away from ``the waiting room''
or its current incarnation, and away from the camera).  Moreover,
Cooper is filmed fairly consistently: when he is moving away from
``the waiting room'' end, he is filmed from behind, moving toward the
statue, away from the camera; when he is moving toward ``the waiting
room'' end, he is filmed from the front, moving away from the statue,
toward the camera.  (This assumes there is only one statue in the
hallway(s) with the statue.)  When Cooper leaves the room where he
starts to bleed from the stomach, which was the room away from ``the
waiting room'' end, he is filmed, as usual, approaching the camera.
But there is no statue behind him.  The point of view then cuts to a
position from behind Cooper and there is no statue in front of him,
either.  I take it that the different camera angle is meant to let us
know that this is a hallway without a statue at either end.

The hallway where Cooper meets Leland is also a hallway without a
statue, since we see the hallway from Cooper and Doppel-Cooper's
viewpoints, and there's no statue at either end.  Also, I believe that
the camera position is different in this scene, and is at what was
formerly ``the far end'' of the hallway.  Since this is where Cooper
starts to run away from his Doppelganger, towards the room where he
entered the XXX Lodge, this is probably a deliberate shift in camera
point of view.  I'm not completely certain of this, however.  Up until
Cooper encounters Caroline for the first time, we see him enter and
exit each room he's in, and it's possible to chart his course.
However, we don't see him leave the room where he meets Caroline;
there is a cross-fade, to a shot of the camera panning up a hallway,
with Cooper saying ``Annie'' over and over.  At this point, it's not
clear where the next room, where he encounters Windom Earle et al, is.
In the climactic race with his Doppelganger, it looks like Cooper
crosses two hallways and goes through a room.  The last room of the
chase seems to be the original ``waiting room''.  If it is, the
Doppelganger catches Cooper at the spot where Cooper entered the XXX
Lodge (which makes sense, since ``Cooper'' then reappearsin
Glastonbury Grove.  Also, if I'm right about the orientation.  The
Doppelganger enters at a point diagonally opposite from where Cooper
entered the XXX Lodge.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I get the feeling that if he stepped out of one room for a second
then stepped back in it, it would be totally different.  i.e. I
don't think you can map a place such as the Black Lodge, just as
I doubt there is a map of heaven.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was under the impression that there were, in fact, two rooms that
Coop was walking between, one the White Lodge and the other the Black
Lodge.  It looked like some of the folks Coop encountered only showed
up in one and some only in the other.  A definative list would be
helpful, but it seemed that the dwarf, the giant, the bellhop, and
Laura Palmer appeared only in the first room.  Bob, Maddie, Windham
Earle, and maybe Caroline and Annie, appeared only in the second. 
I've been trying to puzzle out which is the White Lodge and which the
Black Lodge.  I believe that the giant is a White Lodger and Windham
should be a Black Lodger.  What has me stumped is that the screaming
Laura doesn't seem to be a White Lodge sorta character, but Bob
*certainly* is a Black Lodger.  Any ideas?
 
I don't take the dwarf's statement that "This is the Waiting Room."
to mean that it wasn't the lodge itself, as some seem to.  Also, it
sounded like both lodges have the same entrance, with love being the
key to the White Lodge and fear to the Black Lodge.  This contradicts
the story Hawk told of having to pass through the Black Lodge in
order to enter the White Lodge, but the Indian folklore may have
gotten details like this wrong after centuries of retelling.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> And also Major Briggs description of the WL as a "shinning white mansion"..
> of course that could NOT be the WL...or it may be his INTERPRETATION of 
> the WL.

Perhaps the lodges look different to everyone. Coop, having had the dream
of the Red Room, used it as the model for his Lodge-image (much as we
often recycle bits of real places in our dreams). If so, the whole adventure
would have looked very different to Windom Earl and to Annie.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I think some of you may have been disappointed by the cheap set approach
to the lodges.  I think many were envisioning some kind of apocalyptic
struggle between the forces of good and evil, sort of a Tolkienesque
wizard/demon thing.  Lynch portrayed the struggle as more of an internal
one (Good Dale, Bad Dale), in which no one is completely white or black
(lodge).  You were expecting Cooper the Barbarian?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bob is an a building with many rooms all the same, surrounded by trees.  Sounds
like Mike's description of Bob's location for the past thirty years and of the
black lodge too.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

About why it was that after the line "when you see me again, it won't be me",
the next time we saw the LMFAP was when he said "Wrong Way":

How do we know that wasn't the doppleganger?  Did you see his eyes?  It
sounds like that would be the kind of trick the Dark Side would play.  Coop
obviously thought that that little man was the same one -- since he'd only
just left the room and gone back -- so he listened to him.  But this one
led him to the Black Lodge...

==============================================================================
*** What it all means
==============================================================================

    In the summary below I'm projecting a little that we don't
    have much evidence for yet concerning the White Lodge.  It
    could turn out that only the Black Lodge and Twin Peaks are
    involved.

    What we saw at the end was a gateway to a twin universe;
    immediately behind the portal that offers entry is the
    Black Lodge, which is only a waiting room.  Somewhere beyond
    it is ther rest of the Black Universe.

    Somewhere else is a White Universe, enterable through
    the White Lodge.  Each of these has its own laws of physics,
    and some of these laws are opposites in each universe.
    Between these two is our universe, including the town
    of Twin Peaks, where gateways exist between the universes.

    The Black and White Universes may in fact be universes of
    souls.  In any case every person has an identity in each
    universe.  If a person in one universe finds a gateway and
    visits another universe, they can find a being there who
    is a "double" for themselves.  They can also find doubles
    of numerous other people, and sometimes they may actually
    stumble on someone else from their own universe -- someone
    who might have wandered through a gateway, or who was forced
    through it (as in Annie being abducted).

    The "Black physics" and "White physics" of the opposed universes
    make one a home for evil beings, the other a home for good beings.
    Our universe, between the opposites, is a middle ground where
    the opposing laws of physics mix and compete.  The competition
    is particularly strong in Twin Peaks, which has a known gateway
    to the Black Universe and probably also has a gateway to the
    White Universe.

    In the Black laws of physics time probably still runs forwards,
    but the combination of space and time is different.  There are
    probably more than 3 spatial dimensions, and time might behave
    partly as a spatial dimension.  It may be possible to visit an
    earlier time by walking to a different location in this
    multi-dimensional space.  Maybe time is nonlinear -- distortions
    in either space or time could explain why voices sound strange
    to our perception.

    Laws of physics may be further distorted in a place such as
    the Black Lodge, at an interface between universes.  There
    may be yet more mysteries beyon the Black Lodge.

    Apparently we of the Peaks Universe can gain entrance to the
    Black Universe (or at least the Black Lodge) by passing
    through the gateway.  A being (soul?) in the Black Universe
    needs to physically merge with its double from the Peaks universe
    in the Black Lodge before being able to cross the gateway,
    as happened with Coop at the end.

    That leaves a question of identity:  Only BOB visibly inhabits
    a human host while in this universe.  Are the Black doubles
    manifestations of BOB?  Or is BOB the "God" of the Black
    Universe, creator of the Black doubles for his own purposes?
    Or is there more to be revealed?
    
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm beginning to get upset by the use of the word "doppleganger"
for what Bob does.  Bob posseses people, perhaps shifting their 
soul/essense/personality to the black lodge, but he uses (then discards)
the actual body. 

In fact, Bob may simply pre-empt the personality of the user.  Check
Leland's behavior:

He killed the fat frenchman (memory fails).  A brutal act,
but motivated by fatherly revenge, not Bob's kill-lust.  Also,
he killed the dude in a non-Bob like manner.   This would
indicate that Bob's possesion pre-empts the Leland personality,
who has no memory of whats going on.  I kind of see Leland's soul trapped
in the Black Lodge, where Bob can extract information from him, so as
to maintain the Leland act.

However, when Bob leaves Leland's body, Leland claims to remember all
the horrible things Bob did with his body ... perhaps Bob "clued him in"
as a parting shot ...

What goes on in the black lodge has its own set of rules: presumably
the physical reality in the black lodge is a manifestation of the
occupant's mental state (that is, it is a dream world).  Having
two Coopers there is just a way of viewing the internal battle within
Coop as Bob takes possesion ... Bob has split off the evil in Cooper, and
given it sufficient power that it appears a seperate entity.  Alternate:
the evil Cooper is just an image (like the images of Laura, Maddy & etc.)
used to shake Cooper enough to allow Bob to get a mental foothold.

Further more, whatever is going on is not a science:  It defies the
rational/spiritual approach (Cooper) and the manic/magic approach
(Earle).  Bob may be capable of many different approaches.

Of course, in the final scene, it appears that Bob is showing off to
Cooper:  Staying hidden in the back of Cooper's mind until he is alone,
then taking control slowly (slow enough for Coop to try and brain himself)
as Coop realizes what is happening.

Typical Lynch:  not enough puzzle pieces to make any definate statement.
However, I really doubt we'll see two Coops out in the real world.  This
could go anywhere, assuming there IS a followup.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, so much for love being the answer- its not enough.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was a little disappointed by the ending being as predicted (yes, it does
seem ineveitable, but I was still disappointed) and I was a *lot* disappointed
by the scene in the Black Lodge (my theory is that the White and Black
lodges are actually the same place).

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Someone remarked that entrance to the lodges was too easy.  I thought
that this was fairly well explained.  Love and fear are the possible
prices of admission.  WE and Annie got in because of her fear (and he
was inspiring it, perhaps).  Coop because of his love for Annie.  I
agree with previous posters that neither Annie's fear nor Coop's love
were particularly evident in the acting in this episode.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So does the 25-years-in-the-future dream sequence (preview of the future)
indicate that Cooper has defeated Bob with love and entered the White Lodge
(White portion of the White/Black lodge) or that he has been defeated by
fear and is doomed to spend the rest of eternity in the Black Lodge with
Bob, Laura, et. al.?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

IMHO, I don't think the White Lodge appeared at all.  What if all the 
manifestations (Little Man, etc.) were from the Black Lodge?  What if this 
was all part of the grand scheme of the BL to get Coop there.  A chess game
in a chess game?

Here is my theory:  Using LP, the Black Lodge got Coop to TP.  Then using
Renault, they keep Coop there.  Finally, by using WE, they got Coop into
the Black Lodge.  The BL would have a lot to gain by using the dark side of 
Coop, especially since he did not face it.  Did the BL know that Coop would 
run when his dark side appeared?  So now we have the good Coop trapped in
BL and the bad Coop out in the world.

Is the gate open only a specific time or until June?  If it is open until 
June, it would be possible to go back into BL and save Coop.  The best 
candidates: Truman and/or Annie.  Since love could open the gate to the WL, 
they could possibly be the key to helping Coop.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Hmm, I've been reading everyone's comments (well, not everyones YET)
about the lodges and such.  I saw it differently.
  I saw it as that Cooper was in the White Lodge the entire time.  He
made some comment about the concept of time and space and such.  It would
seem to me that Time/Space/Glastenbury all occupy sorta the same time and
place but not quite.  Cooper was in the White Lodge, and was able to enter
because he loved Annie.  WE was in the Black lodgee because he HATED
Cooper.  The two lodges could communicate with each other, albeit with
some distortion (such as voices).  If we saw it from WE's side, Dale's
voice might seem to be distorted.
  Just some thought.
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is it just me, or did anyone else notice some really strange sh*t
happening in the "real" world TP while Coop was in the Black Lodge??
It's like *time* was out of sync, like the residents of Twin Peaks had
skipped over the events of the past 3/4 of the season (all the W.
Earle stuff) or had gone back to the time just before it.   Were the
time/events of the TP universe shifting, reversing, or erasing while
Coop was in the BL???

Evidence:

A]  It is night when Coop enters the BL and Truman & Andy are waiting
'outside' for him. The Little Man offers Coop some coffee, S. Drool
Cup appears with the coffee, and repeats 'coffee, coffee, etc'.  When
next we see Truman and Andy it is 10 hours later and they have an
extremely slow and strange conversation.  Andy asks Truman "Do you
want coffee?"    (coincidence????). 

Also, when Coop emerges from the BL, it is night again.  Did Truman
sit on that damned log for 24 hours, or was the 'day' scene with Andy
just time being out of sync while Coop was in the BL, and when he
(Coop) emerged, we are back to the same time frame, just a few minutes later???

B]  Also during the 'day' supposedly 10 hours after Coop went into the
BL, the TP folks are acting like nothing has happened.  I mean, there
has just been massive confusion and terror during the Miss TP
contest, with explosions and screams and a kidnapping (Annie), so why
the hell are Bobby and Shelly and the Major having just a lovely grand
'ol time at the diner as if nothing was out of the ordinary???  

And speaking of Bobby, he looked pretty chipper for a guy that got
*smashed* across the face with a log just 10 hours before!

And speaking of the Major, he too looked pretty good for a guy that
was a babbling, drugged-out veggie just 10 hours before!  (didn't notice
scars or bandages on either of them)

Not to mention the German waitress who shows up out of nowhere...

What really got me about the "Happy Diner" scene was Mrs. Palmer.  Dr.
Jacoby waltzes in with her and she says to the Major "I'm in the Black
Lodge with W. Earle" (or some reference to the BL)   This was the only
ominous thing in the whole scene, and it made me wonder whether the
whole scene wasn't really happening, or was only happening because of
the time shift.  Mrs Palmer's words seemed to be a message to the
Major that this 'day' wasn't real, it was only an illusion (or
alternate reality) brought on by Cooper's exploits in the BL.

OK, so those are my thoughts.  Of course, the only problem is it
DOESN'T explain the last scene of Cooper/Bob.   However, it does offer
a possible explanation as to to why the townsfolk were so oblivious to
the events of the past 6 (?) episodes.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here is how I thought it should have ended. Coop appears to save
Annie, but makes some slip-up that the viewer is supposed to catch. We see
Coop and Annie in a hotel room, dressing for something.

Cooper is standing by a table, finishing a glass of wine. Annie sits at a
dressing table.

COOPER: Are you almost ready?

ANNIE: Almost. I just have to finish my makeup.

Cooper puts tie around his neck, goes into bathroom to tie it, closes
door. We see Annie putting on her makeup. Same composition as the initial
image of Josie in the pilot. A thud in the bathroom as she finishes her
makeup and smiles. The camera moves around behind her to show Bob's face
grinning in the mirror. The bathroom door opens and Cooper comes out,
dragging himself along the floor, collapsing propped up against the bed.
There is a knock at the door.

ANNIE: That will be the waiter with the room service.

She goes to her purse and pulls out an exacto knife. She walks to the door
and grasps the handle to open it as Cooper watches helplessly. Freeze and
dissolve to the shot of Laura as homecoming queen. Final credits over the
picture in total silence.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I think that the White Lodge is an illusion, and that evil is at the
heart of the universe.  All striving for the good, through love and
self-sacrifice, serve only to create an illusion which distracts
us from our final fate, which is to be ingested and made one with the
malevolent core of the uniBoBverse.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I like to see Twin Peaks as an extended riff on the conflicts of
love, especially the way love fragments into desire, violence, and
fear.  After all, at the heart of the TP story is a tale of childhood
sexual abuse--a father's seduction and murder of a beloved and
seductive daughter.

Other Twin Peaks romances share the illicit and/or violent elements
of the Leland/Laura relationship--Leo and Shelly's sadomasochistic
marriage; Hank and Norma's similarly twisted marriage; the
"accidental" shooting during Ed and Nadine's honeymoon (they got
married, remember, because Norma cheated on Ed); Shelly's adultery
with Bobby; Ed's adultery with Norma; and of course Cooper's adultery
with Caroline, and Caroline's murder by Windom.

Then there are all those ominous hints about past romances--whatever
horrible events drove Annie to the convent, for example.  And let's
not forget demonic Little Nicky and his parents.  Characters' passion
for Laura, too, leads to violent death--e.g. Maddy, and poor Harold.

I keep expecting someone to start singing "You Always Hurt the One
You Love," or (more cinematically appropriate) "Love Kills" (from
Queen's soundtrack for "Metropolis").

The second season seems to have devoted itself to spreading this
theme around with occult imagery.  What I think we're seeing in these
latest episodes is Lynch's typical heaping up of any gruesome
allusions that seem to fit the theme, like he's building some massive
gothic fugue or Wagnerian opera.  So he hauls out Greek mythology
with all the unseemly romantic and family relationships of its gods
and goddesses (I love the image of the dismembered Venus in the
hallway); and he throws in Arthurian legend (recall Arthur's
illegitimacy, and Sir Launcelot's adulterous affair with Arthur's
wife Guinivere; I picture Windom Earle as an Arthur gone mad, and
Cooper as the well-meaning but tragically flawed Launcelot); and he
throws in Stanley Kubrick movies like "The Shining," where a
murderous father is chasing his wife and son (shouting "Redrum") down
empty hallways, driven by adulterous spectres from the past.

The result is one big vat of symbolic stew, tasty but incoherent.

The lodges thing, IMHO, seems to say that in the real world these
conflicting aspects of love are mixed together, making love both
blissful and hellish, but in the occult world souls divide, sides are
taken, as first the "dark side" (a la Star Wars) of a soul drops out
in the Black Lodge, then the good moves toward the light of the White
Lodge.

The planets symbolize this split; when the two conjoin one can pass
between this world (where life, because of love and passion, is
constantly conjoining opposites) and the otherworld (whatever it is).
So I like the idea proposed that the checkerboard tile indicates that
Black and White Lodges are overlapping.

Or something like that...who the hell knows, anyway?  In the end, I
think the plot and symbolism of TP are incidental; sometimes they
work, sometimes they don't.  If you want plot you're better off with
afternoon soaps.  What you really have to savor in Twin Peaks are the
brilliant characterizations and powerful moods.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I believe that the Waiting Room was a sort of equivalent to Purgatory, a place
that is neither good nor evil but capable of holding both while the balance of
the soul is sorted out.  Cooper  leaves the purgatory of the waiting room and
enters the hell of the black lodge after he has finished his "coffee".  Doesn't
the LMFAP tell Coop that the next time Coop sees him it won't be him?  I took
this to mean that Coop was now venturing into the Land of Lies.  

I don't think Coop encountered anyone from the White Lodge.  My personal proof
of this is that Coop did encounter Leland.  Leland was escorted into death by
Cooper who guided him "into the light", where Leland met Laura (and presumably,
peace, forgiveness and redemption).  Leland's mortal soul found redemption
(which sounds to me like a good pass into the White Lodge).  

 Perhaps the lines from Shakespeare about "The evil that men do lives on while
the good is oft interred with the bones" applies here.    While Leland's soul
has moved on, his lesser image, his shade or doppleganger still hangs out in
the Black Lodge.   This image speaks of responsibility for casuing death and
evading that responsibility.  The "real" Leland faced up to his part in Laura's
death and went through it.   The  shade of Leland was still reveling in the
death.

My weird thought of the day was that maybe the good Leland, the part that
passed into the light, can come back and return the favor to Coop and free him
from the grip of BoB.  That would seem to be a sort of poetic justice.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The seemingly strange behavior of the residents is accounted for
by the flip flop of time (IMHO).  I think everytime Coop crossed
a hall, time in TP wavered or flipped or reversed or something.
The order the letters were placed under fingernails would seem
to backup the random time theory.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How's this for an analysis of TP, as alluded to by another post --
Suppose the central theme of TP is that when the Universe began, two
separate timelines were created - a positive time line and a negative
time line.  The two threads of time are intertwined and intersect every
20-25 years.  We live in the positive time line and the black and white lodges
exist in the negative time line.  Time is moving forward to the occupants
of the lodges, but in reverse direction to ours.  They therefore know
what's happening in our future at 20-25 year intervals.  This explains
how Laura and the LMFAP can know Dale's future.  THEY have already lived
it - in reverse.  To communicate with us, they have to talk backward,
because if they talked forward (to them), it would SOUND backward to us.

This implies a certain predestiny, for if a backwards time line started
from infinite time and worked backwards, events must have already been
predestined.  Since Lynch is reputed to be very conservative and religious,
belief in predestination may make sense.  Perhaps Bob, et al, are
messing with the machinery every 20 years and causing potential paradoxes.
It is up to the white lodge to keep this from happening.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

there's a lot of evidence in the
final scenes that time *is* going backwards. Notice how Laura deliberately
snapped her fingers backwards, for example. The most outstanding event in this
regard is when Windom Earle "stabs" Coop with that thingie. Coop falls to the
floor, then suddenly we see that *exact* same event in reverse! He "falls"
"up" to the knife (or whatever it is). Does this signify a point when time
made a U-turn of some sort?

I find it very, very difficult to believe that all this is just for "special
visual effect." I'm not sure what is *is* for, though, with regard to the
plot line.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here's my theory.

Cooper enters the Black Lodge, to face the test Hawk spoke of and to get
Annie back from Windom Earle.  Unfortunately, his love for Annie blinds
him to the nature of the test he is about to encounter.

He meets the MFAP and LP.  The giant/waiter appears, and offers him
coffee.  He does this in an odd way ("Hallelujah!"  "Coffee. 
Coffee..."), which somehow nullifies the MFAP's power over what is going
on.  Cooper realizes the power of the coffee (if he can drink it it will
help him in his test) and looks to see if the MFAP is watching before he
drinks it.  He is not, the MFAP is rubbing his hands and looking down. 
Coop reaches for the coffee, but Bob has made it solid, so he cannot
drink.  He then plays with Coop, making it coffee again and then
viscous.  Coop cannot drink.  The MFAP notices this, and praises Bob:
"Wow Bob wow.  Fire walk with me.", "Fire walk with me" being a sort of
prayer to Bob or the Black Lodge.  The giant cannot help Coop; he loses
the first round.

Coop next meets Maddie, who warns him about Laura.  The MFAP tells Coop
about Doppelgangers.  Laura's screaming scares Coop, and he is injured,
but returns to the room to face Laura again and recovers.

Coop next faces Windom Earle, in the guise of Catherine and Annie.  WE
succeeds in confusing Coop about his love for the dead Catherine (but
maybe alive in the Black Lodge) versus his love for Annie.  However,
when he finally confronts Coop and challenges him for his soul, Coop
offers it, and wins this round -- this is his great victory in the Black
Lodge.  Windom Earle is destroyed by Bob, who tells Coop to go.

At this point, Coop should have challenged Bob, I think.  Instead, he
leaves, since he has now won what he thought he came for, i.e., Annie. 
He shouldn't have run from the last test, the confrontation with his
Doppelganger.  In fact, things are OK up until the point just after Coop
meets Leland, who tells him he never killed anyone: i.e., that he is the
"good" Leland captured by Bob and imprisoned in the Black Lodge -- he is
warning Coop that the same could happen to him.  Coop sees his
Doppelganger at the other end of the hall, and instead of confronting
him, he runs in fear, to be defeated just as he's about to exit the
Black Lodge.

The result is, the good Coop is in the Black Lodge, the bad Coop is in
the world, and there to remain until defeated by, perhaps, Briggs, the
Log Lady, Annie, and maybe Truman and Hawk.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I guess we now know that Cooper is damned, not gifted....

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>Most seem to believe that the Black Lodge is a 'place', 'universe', 'dimention'
>etc. occupied by evil spirits, dopplegangers and general bad guys. I was 
>puzzled then by the presence of Maddy and more importantly the Giant/Droolcup
>whom had seemed, by his actions, to belong to the White Lodge.

The amiguity of the Black Lodge concept gives it a much wider possible
meaning than a single interpretation, but, for what it's worth, I base
my interpretation on the concept of it being a place where the "Dream
Soul" meets its dark opposite.  My guess is that the Black Lodge
appears different to each person who enters it, and that the beings
that he or she meets there are those who have a special significance
in the person's life and are particularly close to whatever it is that
characterizes the person's "dark side".  Those people may not be in
the Black Lodge at all; it may just be that, upon entering the Lodge,
the nearness to the dark side of oneself causes leftover fears,
regrets, hatreds, etc., to take concrete form as people.

I haven't thought this through in detail, but assuming that Cooper is
about to have to confront his worst fear about himself, what might
that fear be and how would these people be related to it?  I think he
sees his conscious mission in life to protect the innocent people from
the evil that seems to consume so many of them.  He is so invested in
this mission that his worst fears would have to be:

1) He is incapable of stopping evil, either because it is simply too
strong, or because he isn't smart enough or capable enough;

2) The innocent are not really innocent;

3) He is capable of doing these evil things himself;

4) The mission itself is flawed, i.e. truly smart people take the side
of evil, only fools try to be good.

In addition, he is probably afraid that he acts as a sort of jinx to
women that he cares about.  (Some of this analysis comes from reading
his autobiography.)

Maddy and Caroline are strong symbols of his past failure.  Bob is a
symbol of the power of evil, Leland saying he didn't kill anybody
could show some unconscious doubt that Cooper might have that he
identified the wrong killer.  The Laura who screams in his face could
stem from a fear that the innocent are not really innocent.  Windom
Earle shows how very intelligent the side of evil can be.  And the
presence of the Giant and Dwarf could taunt him with the sense that
information is being given to him but he is incapable of figuring out
what it means in time.  In Annie he could see his hope for future
happiness mingled with the dread that by letting himself get close to
her, he will cause her death and bring on the pain of loss once again.
Thus, the doppelganger concept could have one single being, i.e.
Cooper's dark side, or his deep fear, taking all these different
forms.

If I can risk further interpretation along these lines, it seems that
he faces a number of these fears reasonably well (although the willingness
to give up his soul to let Annie live may or may not be the best way
to handle the fear tied up in her) but when the doppelganger takes the form of
himself (which I would take to be his fear that he himself is capable
of committing the evil he is trying to fight), that fear consumes and
overcomes him.  He awakens from his dream possessed by that fear, and
so of course he sees Bob when he looks in the mirror, and it appears
for now anyway that he will be driven to act out that fear. 

This doesn't necessarily mean that the Black Lodge is not an actual
place, or that people can't be seen to disappear into it.  I just am
inclined to believe that its appearance and what goes on there is very
much affected by the psyche of the individual dream soul.  For Cooper,
who is so intensely conscious of hidden evil, it makes sense that the
Black Lodge decor would be curtains the color of blood and fire,
which could be hiding anything at all, since one of the scariest
aspects of the evil he tries to fight is that it can stay hidden for
so long, until it suddenly and unexpectedly strikes.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Most of the people who have watched twin-peaks have the opinion, that
the Black and the White Lodge are different places. And of course this
fact courses a great lot of confusion.

However the Black and White Lodge are ONE AND THE SAME.

If you doubt this fact, then just watch the floor of the Lodge.

Also,
The LMFAP and Laura Palmer are ONE AND THE SAME.
Remember Dale Coopers dream where the LMFAP says:
"Watch out for my cousin (Maddy)" and
"We look just like each other"
Actually Laura Palmer and Maddy are the same actor.

The Giant and the old senile waiter at the Great Nortehrn
are ONE AND THE SAME.
Remember every time the giant showed himself, it was in some kind of
connection with the old senile waiter.

Annie and Coroline are ONE AND THE SAME.
I think this comes clear, when you see the scene from the Lodge
where those shift around in front of Cooper.

And of course
Dale Cooper and Windom Earle are ONE AND THE SAME.
Earle asks Cooper "Will you give up your soul for her" but
Earle cannot ask for Coopers soul because they are the same.
But then Bob replies
"You cannot ask for his soul, but I will take his" (Earles)
And then the great chase begins, which ends with Cooper/Earle being
caught.

Bob is not an inhibitant of the Lodge, he is just a personification of
evil, and therefore he exists in both our world and the Lodge.

As mentioned the two Lodges are the same.
The Lodge is not a place of badness, but of course a mix of good and
bad, because one of those cannot exist seperately.
The Lodge is the dream of the broken hearted as the LMFAP explains in
Industrial Symphony No. 1.
We do all agree that Dale Cooper was a good and loving person, but
finally love broke his heart, which resulted in the fact, that evil
sides of his person caught him.
The Lodge is indeed the waiting room of a persons change.

==============================================================================
*** Windom Earle
==============================================================================

Windom definitely got to experience his favorite emotion to a much greater
degree than he anticipated!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Was WE then simply lured by BOB to be used as bait for Cooper?  The
whole love/fear thing didn't make much sense.  Apparently, WE needed
Annie to pass through the gateway, but then Cooper didn't need a 2nd
person (soul) to pass through.

What happened to all of the power WE was supposed to have after passing
through?  -- I guess WE was just set up by BOB to think he would gain
power.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Evil is often represented as a structure with a chain of command.  Perhaps that
is what Lynch & Co. were thinking of when they wrote the scene.  As one
advances through the ranks one gains power to do more and greater evil.  WE was
on a lower rung than BOB and lacked the authority to claim an immortal soul. 
BOB might have had that power.  * (See Sillly Note at bottom)

WE was tricked into believing that he would gain power in the Black Lodge. 
Hardly surprising since the promises were coming from a demonic persona. 
(Isn't Satan sometimes referred to as the Father of Lies?)  Poor ole WE,
demented, duped and disposed of.

*Silly Note  
 When I was writing that paragraph about the structure of evil, I suddenly
thought of direct-sales groups like Amway and Nu-Skin.  BOB might have been the
entity in charge of his little circle of evil souls, and is  trying to go out
and recruit more souls to join the group so that he can get more and more
power.  Maybe he has a structure under him that consists of directors,
sub-directors and entry-level bad guys!  Geez leave it to David Lynch to make
free enterprise resemble hell.
*End Silly Note

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What of WE?  Is he a permanent resident of the BL?  It is interesting
that when WE wants to take Coop's soul, it looks like he is using a knife
but Bob just pulls it out.  And the soul comes out as flames?  Fire, come
walk with me -- Soul, come walk with me?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>> What of WE?  Is he a permanent resident of the BL?  It is interesting
>> that when WE wants to take Coop's soul, it looks like he is using a knife
>> but Bob just pulls it out.  And the soul comes out as flames?  Fire, come
>> walk with me -- Soul, come walk with me?
>
> I think it's interesting also that before that happened, Coop already
> was bleeding from a wound.  Was this the wound (that would follow, ie
> a premonition)?  Also, puncturing aorta's seems to be WE's trademark...

1) BOB is a magician.  WE is still just a magician wannabe.

2) The wound was much lower.  It was his gunshot wound, not a heart wound.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I think that the way BOB/BL defeated Dale was to make him doubt his love
for Annie. The "wound" he had was the lingering memory of his first 
tragic love affair with Mrs. Earle. By confusing the images of Annie and
the late Mrs. Earle in Dale's mind, BOB/BL was able to counter the power
of love that allowed Cooper to enter the BL/WL dimension in the first 
place. 

  Another thing... what (if any) significance is there in the amount of
head wounds in TP? In this last two hour movie alone, there was:
    1. Major Briggs' cut.
    2. Nadine and Mike's noggin hits.
    3. Ben Horne's head wound.
    4. Doppleganger Dale's (DD?) self-infliced head wound.

... also, poor Leland's death wound.

FREE D.B. COOPER!!! FREE D.B. COOPER!!! FREE D.B. COOPER!!!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

     Windom was perfect inside the Lodge -- it was obvious how completely
he underestimated what he'd have to deal with.  An excellent characterization
of the madman gleefully calling up the forces of darkness and not realizing
until far too late that they were controlling him instead of vice versa.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One of my favorite foreshadows of Coop's fate is his hand-carved
whistle.  His is so much smaller, so much more simple than WE's
are - a powerful image of just how much Coop is out of his league
with WE.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

According to Coop's Autobiography (and TP), he thought WE had faked insanity
with the help of halperidol to draw attention away from himself as the best
candidate for Caroline's murder. My impression is the WE could have gotten
himself out any time he wanted.  He was waiting for the right moment, namely,
when the Jupiter and Saturn came together as the Major reported.  I'm not
saying that WE knew when that moment would be, but rather that he was waiting
for something and realized that it was 'happening again' and where without
knowing precisely where or when.  That he needed the map and the Major for.

However, an intriguing possibility is that WE has been under BOB's control (or
someone else with BL associations) for a long time as a result of having gotten
a little to close to the BL while he was working on Project Blue Book.  BOB or
who/whatever parked him in the loony bin until the time was right again and
summoned/reactivated him.

It is possible that BOB has similar plans for Coop, but I don't think they are
going to succeed, though the point is probably moot now unless the series, like
Coop, comes back from the dead in some form or another.

==============================================================================

General discussion on the finale is divided into the following topics:

*** Finale haters
*** Finale lovers
*** Humor
*** Movie
*** Plot developments (potential)
*** Unanswered questions
*** Why TP didn't catch on
*** A happy ending

==============================================================================
*** Finale haters
==============================================================================

Subject: TP: Concise, non-spoiler comments on TWIN PEAKS conclusion

Well, *that* was unpleasant.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ARRGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! Noooooooooooooooooooo, not cooper!!!  I'm dying!
I can't believe that Lynch did this to us!!!!!!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Typical Lynch!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How much do you want to bet the Twin Peaks finale gets a "Jeer" in an
upcoming TV Guide's "Cheers and Jeers" column?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My review:

The first hour and a half:  Tedious and boring.
Pete, Audrey, and Packard:  They blew up REAL good.
The black(red) lodge:  Dense and inscrutable.
The ending:  Really fucking funny.  I loved it.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: FINALE MY A**!!!!!!!

I am not happy.

Although I thought that the Black Lodge sequence was pretty lame, I don't mind
ending the series with Bob possessing Cooper.  In fact, I consider that to be
one of the redeeming qualities of the last show.  But I have way too many
subordinate plotlines to be pissed off about.

First of all, I thought Lynch was better than using the asinine "impact on the
head" cliche to bring back Nadine's memory and personality.  Silly me.

Dammit, I LIKED AUDREY!  I DID NOT WANT HER DEAD!  At the very least, I wish
Lynch had shown definitely whether she was killed or not, although we can be
pretty sure she was.

I was so hoping that Dick would die a slow, painful death.  Damn.

Just when you thought that the Donna/James was the dumbest plotline Lynch could
or would produce, we get Donna's "Who's my daddy?" BS.  Also, I liked Donna a
whole lot better before she started trying too hard to look and act "grown up".

A couple scenes I did like: Leostein releasing Major Briggs, and the repeated
dialogue from the first season in the double-R.

Spiders hanging over Leo's head.  So, Mr. Lynch, how many hours did you spend
repeatedly watching the Indiana Jones movies before you wrote the script for
this episode?

I wanted to see some old friends.  Gordon, Jerry, Albert, and one or more owls.
Again, damn.

Anyway, back to the main story.  Although I thought the lodge scenes were lame
and boring, the stuff that happened was pretty good.  If there ever is a
continuation, I think Andy should play one of the most important parts in
fighting the evil in the woods.  He seems to be the closest to being so pure
and innocent that he doesn't have enough "darkness" in his soul for Bob to
latch onto.  Andy just has this sort of near-perfect Zen vacuity.

My overall evaluation: DAMN!  (and I don't mean "damn good" either)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am flat out ANGRY.

I am angry that we see Dale running around in a STUPID set - that
the White Lodge scarcely makes an appearance - and I DONT mean the
stupid appearance of the trio  before the Doppleganger sequence.

I am angry that Coop never mentions or acts upon the Giant'a
warning from before the pagent.

I am angry that we see the Dr so out of character in attacking Ben
and then, a while later, standing over Coop.

I am angry that Mike did not show up in the sequence.

I felt good about the show up until the Red Room sequence.  From that point
on I felt cheated - as if all ideas had ran out and so resorting to
stream of conciousness (or unconciousness as the case may be) was
the final solution.

I am too angry to talk about the first 90 minutes right now - maybe
later.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>Myself, I am flat out ANGRY.
>
    Yep, me too - though I am most angry with myself for investing 2hrs.
of my time to watch this "last episode". But, it was pretty much what I
expected, I guess. They have been making things up as they've gone along,
using style and bizarreness as a substitute for a truly cohesive, well thought
out, and interesting story line. In other words, the writing has been terrible
for quite a while. And to harness Coop with the evil entity Bob at the end was
a cheap and easy shot. Bullshit! 

    All this made-for-t.v.-movie was was a ploy by d. lynch to get t.p.
viewers to write the network demanding more episodes. Ha! The jokes on us.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> All this made-for-t.v.-movie was was a ploy by d. lynch to get t.p.
> viewers to write the network demanding more episodes. Ha! The jokes on
> us. 

What "made-for-TV-movie" ploy?  ABC had two first-run episodes left on a
series that they had canceled, and figured that they could make a little
bit more money by airing both together in a two-hour block.  The two
episodes were written and filmed as the last two episodes of the season,
not of the series.  Nobody promised that everything would be wrapped up
at the end of the last episode.

I can understand being annoyed at having TP end with a dozen unresolved
cliffhangers, but if you want to blame someone for that, blame all the
people who wimped out on the show early this season, not Mark Frost and
David Lynch.  I think they did a great job, especially considering the
medium they were working with -- series television.  If Lynch gets to do
the theatrical movie, you can bet that I'll be first in line, regardless
of how it ties in with the TV series . . . TWIN PEAKS with a motion-picture
budget and shot on a motion-picture schedule (as opposed to the episode-a-
week constraints that drained a lot of the life out of the series during
the second season) will be a wonder to behold.  Remember the pilot.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> I felt good about the show up until the Red Room sequence.  From that point
> on I felt cheated - as if all ideas had ran out and so resorting to
> stream of conciousness (or unconciousness as the case may be) was
> the final solution.

I really liked these images.  It tied up the dream sequenced very
nicely, it was unnerving, and enough to weird out even Cooper
(apparently!).  It was very weird!  It reminded me of the main idea
behind an episode of the Avengers called "The House that Jack Built".
In this one, Emma Peal (I think) was trapped in side of a bizarre,
reconfiguring house.  It was set up so that leaving a room could take
you back to the same room (halls "silently" rotated, etc)... That was
strange, but tonite takes the cake.  And...I'm still pissed!!!!!!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> I am angry that Coop never mentions or acts upon the Giant'a
> warning from before the pagent.

Cooper was probably caught up in the moment. Love makes you do strange things,
and blind to others. Perhaps his mind was elsewhere. (Probably on that
gratuitous love scene first half of the finale)

> I am angry that we see the Dr so out of character in attacking Ben
> and then, a while later, standing over Coop.

Ben Horne just told a secret that could possibly destroy Hayword's family.
What is your idea of his "proper" response? I'd like to know. After Donna
confronting him those couple times, I'm sure he was building up a lot of anger,
and after seeing Horne in his house, he exploded. Just because he is normally
a calm guy, he can't get mad?

> I felt good about the show up until the Red Room sequence.  From that point
> on I felt cheated - as if all ideas had ran out and so resorting to
> stream of conciousness (or unconciousness as the case may be) was
> the final solution.

Hmmm. I guess we are opposite. I was pretty dissappointed with most of the
show, UP UNTIL the Black Lodge. I'm sure I'll iterate on that in the near
future.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After Coop entered, oh, about the eight curtained room, I kept hoping his
Eagle Scout training would kick in, and he'd make a map of the place.  (The
whole Black Lodge bit bored me silly.  I really got spooked by some of
Lynch's images from last year, and early this year; nothing here came across
as particularly frightening.  Laura laughing insanely was just annoying; my
first reaction:  "Where's a rolled-up newspaper?")

I really wish I'd been watching the NORTHERN EXPOSURE repeat on CBS.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Even if this WAS leading up to more movies, I still think it was a lame
attempt at a finale. I've been watching this wonderful offbeat show for
a year and a half now, WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT FOR AN ENDING!!! I figured
everything would be explained/tied up. Nope, now we're left with clues
to what MAY be happening in the future (Coop posessed by Bob?
Puh-leeeeeezzzzz!). Why kill Audrey? What was in the safety deposit box
to begin with? Why wasn't the white lodge explained? Why was Cooper
stupid enough to let Annie in the contest after the Giant told him in
plain gestures "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!". In any case, I was VERY
disappointed with it. Even if TP makes it into the theaters, you won't
see me wasting $7.00 on it.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I could sum up my feelings in three simple words, but I am going to control
myself and try to discuss it logically - if that is possible!!!!

Like millions of other people, I was titilated by the thought of a series
that is (or was) so off beat.  Several of the characters were weird
enough to be interesting, and the situations that they fouind themselves in
were certainly strange enough to keep my interest.  Unfortunately, things
seemed to end there ...

As we all know at this point, Lynch / Frost clearly didn't have the faintest
clue what the hec they were doing, nor did they even take the time to try to
"find out"!!!  I could list all of the plotlines that were not resolved, but
that would take pages and pages (screens and screens) and there is no point.

Let me just say that:

1.   Although it has nothing to do with the successful conclusion of
     the story, it would have been nice to see Dianne.

2.   No real reason or purpose was given for the murders of the various 
     girls.

3.   No reason was given for the letters under their fingernails - except to
     let us know that BOB was involved.

4.   Nadine's sudden return to the real world was totally stupid - although,
     considering what else was going on, not unexpected.

5.   Ths situation with Donna's father, after hitting and presumably killing
     Ben would probably end up in involuntary man slaughter, although we 
     should also find out how things turned out between Donna's parents after
     the doc killed her father.

6.   All that foolishness in the "Dark Lodge" was exactly that.  There was no
     real purpose behind any of it, except to wast time.  Cooper should have
     been able to free himself because of his love for Annie (remember that
     there were two lodges - one entered through fear and one through love.
     It may beargued that Cooper shouldn't have even entered the 
     "Dark Lodge" because he had nothing to fear.  He should have been 
     able to rescue Annie from within the "white lodge" <?>.
     Traditionally, the devil i.e. BOB cannot overcome true love, which is 
     what we are supposed to believe had developed between Cooper and Annie.)
     Cooper should have been able to escape - rather than coming
     in contact with his Doppleganger.

     Dopplegangers have been around in various forms for years.  The word 
     is German and - if memory serves - you vanish if you or meet your
     Doppleganger.  Cooper should have vanished on first seeing his
     Doppleganger, but considering all the other goof-ups Lynch / Frost
     have made what the hec?

     The business with him being shot again led me to think that maybe he
     had actually died when he was shot - even though he had his vest on.  I
     was also aware that the giant was related to BOB and that he was
     evil.

7.   What was the significance of the midget?  

8.   Why would Laura tell cooper that she would see him again in 25 years?

9.   We never found out what happened to Jossie - I wonder if she likes living
     in a drawer handle?

     I could list more, but I think this makes the point.  The show 
turned out to be a complete waste of time (mine) and I doubt that I will be 
going out of my way to view things by Lynch / Frost again. 

     For all you DIE HARD TWIN PEAKS FANS, I feel sorry for you.  I would 
like to suggest that you have been taken to the cleaners in a bitg way.

I AM REALLY GLAD I DIDN'T HAVE TO PAY MONEY TO SEE THIS SHOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

o I never expected to see all plotlines tied up - that would defeat
the idea of follow on movies.

o I thought that the first 90 minutes were great -only at the
end did it appear that someone, perhaps a 4 year old, got ahold
of the typewriter and finished things up.

Re: 1.  I agree that it would have been nice to see Dianne - I was
        surprised to see Ben's wife and have NO idea why she appeared.

Re: 4.  It didnt surprise me - but it DID disappoint me.

Re: 6.  I agree - after all of the build up about love, I was disappointed
        that the most we see is the cooper stabbing and unstabbing.

Re: 6.  I think that Coopers blood was from a stabbing - not from
        another shooting.

Re: 7.  Previously folks believed him to be a symbol of leland.

Re: 8.  The first dream took place 25 yrs in the future, with Dale as
        an old man.  The last dream refers back to the previous dream.
        
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I agree that the last episode was weak for a finale, but we must remember
that "Twin Peaks" was cancelled, and that what we saw were simply the last
two episodes that had been made when the show received its walking papers.
I do understand that two versions of the final episode (part 2 of what we
saw) were made - one in case the series was picked up for another season,
and one in case it was not.  Resolving something with the scope of
"Twin Peaks" in one hour of time would be a seriously difficult thing to do,
but this was exactly what Lynch and Frost had to try to do.

There are rumors that a "Twin Peaks" movie will be made.

Looking back over the entire course of the series, I think we're trying to use
logic here.  Maybe we should just let this one go . . .  :)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    I asked Scott Frost specifically whether they had reshot
    any portion of the final episode(s) when it became known
    that Peaks wouldn't continue on ABC.  The answer was that
    nothing was reshot -- the season ending was left as it
    would have been if the show had continued next season.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

   If that is a series finale someone should shoot Lynch and Frost. Nothing
was tied up, things are now more in the air than ever before and I
definitely feel cheated. I guess now I'll just have to wait for a movie,
and there had better be one. 
  P.S. - I think that this finale would be a very intense experience on
acid. Anybody watch it in such an altered state?
  Now I don't want to say the show was bad, it had some of the best imagery
yet and I was on the edge of my seat for most all of it. But still....

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Interesting watching the reactions to the finale.  So far, they seemed to
be:

1) Disappointment--the good guys lose.
2) Disappointment--the ending was boring.
3) Loved it--the good guys lose.
4) Loved it--the ending was enigmatic.

Mine is:

5) Disappointment--the ending was not particularly well done.

I don't mind the enigma or the hanging plot threads, I don't mind the
good guys losing, and I like Lynch's sense of slow pace (cf
Eraserhead).  What I didn't like was that he completely failed to do
anything (artistically) new with The Red Room, except for the
interesting strobe effect on Cooper's face.  It wasn't nearly as
visually arresting as the original dream sequence; all the subtleties
of that original sequence (the lighting, the floating shadows) seemed
to be missing.  It just felt like a room with a bunch of red curtains,
not The Red Room.  Moreover, he failed to develop any new themes.

My impression of the whole series is that Lynch was less and less
involved with it in the second season, and came back to do a
perfunctory job on the ending.  The writers, having a bunch of loose
hints and themes to tie together in one episode, went for the
enigmatic route, but failed to give it any sense of depth.  It
wouldn't have been so bad if they had at least bothered to make it
look like they knew what they were doing.

(Visual) style over (plot) substance would have been fine had there
been any style, but there was none besides the rehashed elements from
the third episode of the first season.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That was it?

That was the Vision of Twin Peaks?

Death.  Pain.  Desolation.  Dreams broken, souls defiled, all worthwhile 
achievements brought to nothing.  Tragedy lacking nobility, meaningless and
without redemption. 

Or was it a temper tantrum- "If I can't enjoy my toys any more, I'll break
them so no one else ever will?"

At least Andy and Lucy turned out well...
                                        ...unless it really is the Spawn of
                                           Evil she's carrying....
I'm depressed!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>At least Andy and Lucy turned out well...

Actually, I didn't realize until last night the possible parallel between 
Andy:Lucy:Dick:baby and Doc:Mrs. H:Ben:Donna.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I can't believe it's over!  I want to know MORE!  Last night's final episode
left me with mixed emotions - I loved it and hated it.  Some scenes I found
incredibly boring - as if they were stalling for time: the banker SLOWLY
shuffling back and forth with Audrey's water....., Cooper running up and down,
up and down, up and down between the red curtains...., too much play on the
contestants of the "Miss Twin Peaks" contest.  Towards the end, I kept jerking
my head back towards the clock to see how many minutes were left, thinking "Oh
my God!  It's almost over!"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was not terribly impressed with the final show.  Perhaps my expectations
were artificially heightened by weeks without Peaks.  Stunning visuals, yes,
and I've certainly never seen anything like that on broadcast television. 
 
All through the final red-room (Black Lodge) sequences, I kept thinking
back to the first few episodes -- a dark, ominous murder mystery in a 
place where things Aren't Quite Right under the surface -- of rich visuals
and textures -- and a definite chill in the air.
 
And when all has (apparently) been said and done, we're left with our hero
trotting around through an art-deco hell of curtains, strobe lights, and
uncomfortable furniture.
 
I can't quite figure out when and where it happened, but somewhere I think
the show led me from television-grade thriller, down a path through the
strange and wonderful, and straight into Just Plain Silly.

I think the fabric started to unravel for me when I began to understand
that the horrors in Twin Peaks were *not* the manifestations of evil within,
but from Something Outside.  It's the former that I find more frightening;
I group the latter with bad horror and science-fiction movies that are
found on late night or afternoon television.

I've got a funny taste in my mouth.

I need to brush my teeth.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Many commenters have expressed their disappointment with the season finale
and get wailed on by the extreme fanatics who can't take criticism in stride.
I have enjoyed Twin Peaks from the very first episode because of the intrigue
and mystery (and strangeness) and for anybody who likes a good mystery there
has to be some resolution of the mystery at some point.  I enjoyed the episode
up until the final 15 or 20 minutes (except for Nadine getting zonked on the
head) because things were coming together and finally making sense.  I didn't
even mind Audrey and Pete getting blown up in the bank. I don't understand why
their characters were so senselessly discarded but I didn't really question it.
(Maybe they aren't dead.  Right.)  Anyhow, nothing about the ending made a bit
of sense.  There was no proper resolution and we have no idea why things
happened the way they did.  There is no reason that Coop should have been
possesed (or his doppleganger should have gotten out - see we don't even know
this much!) If some theories that I have read in this group are correct then
I can understand (like Coop really wasn't pure with his love or whatever) but
we were given no clue that this was the reason.  It was just an untidy, silly,
ending.  I couldn't even feel chilled by the fact that Coop was actually
possessed (or whatever). I just kept screaming, that doesn't make a bit of
sense.  I think those of us who disliked the finale don't deserve criticism
for not having a tidy little ending.  I think, instead, the writers deserve
criticism for not resolving things in a logical or sensible manner (at least
in the Twin Peaks sense) whether the outcome was good or bad.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Am I alone in this, or were there others who rooted for an "asteroid-
obliterates-Washington-state" ending?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Don't know about you, but I had nightmares. Woke up at
2:30 in the morning incredulous that Lynch could do this to us.
Black, black, black. Not amused.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> You all know Lynch doesn't believe in happy endings.  You all KNOW that.

I didn't care whether the ending was happy, I JUST WANTED AN ENDING!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

   Watching this episode was like watching TWIN PEAKS put a gun to its
head and pull the trigger.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I can't *believe* that Lynch did that. We went to bed really angry and
feeling cheated. And to think that we passed up an opportunity to play
BINGO with a bunch of elderly people (really). At least I recorded
Northern Exposure while watching TP. To me, this brings new meaning to
the phrase Lynch mob - that's what I'd like to organize. I really took
it as a f*ck you from Lynch - either directed at us or at ABC. I can't
even express how pissed off I am. After all...

Is Audrey dead?

What about Ghostwood?

Is Ben dead?

How is Donna?     

What ever happened to James? (I know, who cares...:-)  )

What about Leo?

Is WE dead?

What about Cooper?

What about the log? Is it her dead husband?

What about Annie?

What happened to Josie-in-a-box?

What will Catherine do?

What about Nadine?

What about Ed and (oh shit, what is her name?)

What about James and Shelley?

I could go on and on and on, but I'm sure you get an idea about how I feel

:-(  :-(  :-(  :-(  :-(

Let's have a Lynch-ing.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

   I believe that last night's final episode of Twin Peaks is
David Lynch's way of saying, "You!  You watch too much television.
Stop it!  Why don't you just watch movies instead.  Movies are better.
This wouldn't have happened if this had been a movie, now wouldn't it?!"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My gripe list:

Certain scenes seemed as though the show ran short and some filler was needed.
One example is the bank scene. I agree that it was pretty humorous, but I'd
rather not spend 5 minutes watching an old man look confused. The ending was
great, though! Another example was Lana's dance at the pagent. Cute, but it
seemed kind of long to me. (Not enough time to meet Diane this season, but
plenty for an old man walking, girls dancing, etc.) There are others, but I'll
spare you the details.

   Oh, surprise, surprise. Nadine gets her memory back by a blow to the head.
The cure-all for anybody with memory problems, used in every stupid sitcom
ever made. I suppose to could be argued that in using this method, the writers
were simply casting light on the stupidity for other shows using it. DON'T
BELIEVE THAT FOR A SECOND! :-)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am so pissed at Lynch. I waited *months* to see this show, and I could
have spent two hours doing something much more productive and getting
a life.

I didn't expect *all* the loose ends to be tied up, but Lynch left so many 
major things hanging, that it's not even worth mentioning them all. Many
of them were things that he had built up to be very significant (such as
BOB finding his way out of the Black Lodge in the last show before the 
final hiatus!) If BOB apparently no longer needs a host, why is he inside
Coop now?

The whole show just annoyed me. The drawn-out scene in the bank was a time
waster. And all those minutes of Coop running in and out of red rooms was
dizzying and annoying. Laura Palmer's screaming was unnerving and cloying. 
And Naedine getting clunked on the head and regaining her memory was so 
predictable. 

As for Cooper looking in the mirror and seeing BOB, about a dozen people on
this newsgroup "predicted" that months ago. 

I wanted to be knocked off my seat! I wanted to be blown away!

Twin Peaks has, in my opinion, ended with a small whimper and a bunch
of stupid cliches. Even if there is a movie, I won't pay $7 to see it. 

I'm disapponted, angry, annoyed, and just plain pissed off. I think that
we deserved a finale that was much better thought-out. I consider last
night's show an insult.

That's my 2 cents.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The stuff with coop as bob scared the crapola out of everyone, that was 
beautifully done, but when the credits stared rolling right after that, I
felt cheated- as if we were given a fine meal on silver plates, and nothing
to eat it with....

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I don't know which was worse.  The fact that T.P. ended in a flaccid
wash of obtuse, capricious, and pointless imagery (not to mention
repetitive and dull), or that I turned off a perfectly good Pirates game
to watch it.

Let's pray for a better movie, minus the scatter-shot scripts that piss
away so much valuable energy on gratuitous subplots.  And if the
symbolism is going to be this obscure, a written backgrounder would be
helpful for those of us who don't care to grope for cohesive, unifying
themes in this sargasso sea of false starts, dangling references, and
deadwood.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I hated the episode, but it was still better than anything else on TV now.

==============================================================================
*** Finale lovers
==============================================================================

I'm in the "What a great last episode!; what a bunch of whiners some of you 
are!" camp.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry...had to get that out of my system...I've been wanting to scream all
night.

Not that I didn't like it.  I LOVED it.  There really was no other way to end
it, IMHO.  It's just that David Lynch (quite intentionally) makes me VERY
VERY VERY NERVOUS.

Comments/suggestions/threats?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lynch reads this newsgroup, Hi DAVE! ;-) How's Annie?

Thanks for ending it the way we said it should!

Bye Now!

See ya next series!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well now....hmmmm.....uh....  I have to say I liked it.  But I'm not *pleased*
at that ending.  I too hope that's not all she wrote.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I loved it! All of it! Ready for more!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  In the final analysis?  I liked it.  Lynch did NOT wimp out.  I
would have been a bit miffed by a "happy ending." - IMHO of course!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

}What I didn't like was that he completely failed to do
}anything (artistically) new with The Red Room, except for the
}interesting strobe effect on Cooper's face.  It wasn't nearly as
}visually arresting as the original dream sequence; all the subtleties
}of that original sequence (the lighting, the floating shadows) seemed
}to be missing.  It just felt like a room with a bunch of red curtains,
}not The Red Room.  Moreover, he failed to develop any new themes.

I'll disagree with you a bit here. The Red Room was even more disturbing
as it was than if it had been purposefully built up as A Weird Place.
It looked so normal, but you knew it wasn't. Much more suspenseful.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That was intense. I know a lot of you are going to be disappointed, since
this was supposed to be the big finale. But I have some advice for you.
Just look at this episode as if it were the *season* finale for Season 2,
then think about what would be happening next fall (or in the theatrical
release, Lynch willing).

Oh, wow.

The first half was just like the standard TP episode, with standard
cliffhanger. But Lynch...is God. *shiver*

I was looking for some big spiritual convergence ("tell him about the
twinkie"), and that's what there was: Laura, Maddy, Leland, TMFAP, the
Giant, Senor Drool Cup, BOB, Windom, Carolyne, Annie, the whole crew
is here. Damn good show. And hot too.

I refuse to think about the mundane activities in the town, but I must say
that when Thomas' "gift" turned out to be a box for a key, I thought
briefly, "Trap?" Audrey blowed up? *wah!*

Since Cooper is BOB-possessed, I see it as Major Briggs' duty to rescue 
him. After all, "I am waiting for you." 

That ending has to be the most frightening scene on this show since BOB
in a boxcar earlier this season! "How's Annie? How's Annie? How's Annie?"

*SHUDDER*

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's over. All I can say is...

    Wow, Bob, wow.
    
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Very nice....

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Heh heh.  I am amused.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This was the first episode to actually get some sort of fear reaction
from my system.  The last half hour was pretty disturbing, and sort
of neat.  Laura was really scary.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, I loved the final episode. That was one hell of an ending.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I sat riveted to the last 80min especially, twitching
and KNOWING all hell was gonna break loose!  It did.  LYNCH
you are the MAN of ultra coolness!  The drawn out scenes that
some complain of "red room" and maybe that banker getting Audrey
wauter were absolutely wonderful.  Adding to the suspense and
possible "personal interpretation" was the redroom, and the banker for
sheer humor/torture making me bust out.  What a subtle yet mean touch.

I did think it was the most amazing thing I've seen on tv.  especially
imagery wise.  Sure some answers never get let out, but hell details...
I mean I didnt expect to have some producer DUMP answers on me so I
knew  every tiny details.  That is what we imagine and have this 
group for....TP was about not having things laid out before you like
we're kids.  Life aint like that and peaks brings out the wild side
of the world.  Evil sometime wins, and shocking to find out the
"hero" has lost.  So I sit here a bit stunned and overwhelmed.
But also very, strangely happy - and electric at the ending.  damn fine!
I have to go brush my teeth.  That's when I felt it.  wham.

A true gem, Mr. Lynch!  Bravo.

It's 1114pm here, and a local AM talk show has TP on it's
"discussion" list tonight.  They just cut to the theme song.
ouch.  I may cry.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What a bunch of crybabies!!!
 
       WAH!!!  I wanna know what Bob is!
       WAH!!!  Lynch didn't tie up all the loose ends!
       WAH!!!  I didn't understand it!
       WAH!!!  Captain Ahab didn't kill Moby Dick!
       WAH!!!  I don't know why Gregor Samsa turned into a bug!
       WAH!!!  The castaways didn't get rescued from Gilligan's Island!
 
Give me a break!  Those who wanted answers out of the finale have
never caught on to the beauty of Lynch's art.  Lynch has never tried
to provide any answers in his work, from Eraserhead on to Twin Peaks. 
What he does, and does wonderfully enough to keep me tuning in to
Twin Peaks for these many months, is ask questions.  Great questions. 
Big questions.  All great literature, great works of art, are like
that.  Pat answers are for those who can't face the ambiguity of
truth.  There are many correct answers, correct interpretations.  The
fun lies in coming up with them.  Those who've posted that they're
angry with the show are missing out on the fun.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Personally...I LOVED it....that was the consensus  here in Iowa City! I was
on the edge of my seat and completely chewed the nails off my right hand...
well...not the ENTIRE nail...just the white part at the top that...well..you
understand.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, I've already gotten a piece of email from someone who didn't like the
finale.  To bad for them.  I liked it!  The ending still disturbs me, as Coop
was an awfully important hero to me, but, there were a lot other things to
like about the episode.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have always felt TP was intended by Lynch/Frost to be a joke on the viewers.
 Especially in the way it made fun of standard television trademarks (quotes fr
om other movies/shows, weak plot lines, and emphasis on the strangeness of situ
ations).  My inclination that TP was always intended as a joke to the viewer st
ems from an article I read before the series was first aired (might have been R
olling Stone).  I think Lynch even said that the story lines were written in re
lation to the commericials being shown.  An example would be the Dunkin Donuts
ad that ran after the Laura-upside-down coffee cup credits.  Of course Dunkin D
onuts was advertising for their super large size cup of coffee.  Coincidence?
I found it strangely humorous.  Viva El Lynch!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I actually don't want any more episodes, don't want a movie, don't 
want it all tied up: It is tied up. If it's true they knew or had guessed 
during the season that it wouldn't be renewed, then the final hour we 
saw is the best solution imaginable: not hurried, implausible ending 
to all plot lines; not a continued drift forward; but a restatement of
big themes and images, with old characters returning, and strong
new developments to carry away with you.
  
That is, if there need to be cliffhangers that never get resolved,
these are the best that could be.
  
The long sequence in the curtained rooms was a joy: it made me 
happy to see Bob triumph over prosaic evil, and to see all those 
people again. These returns were echoed in the "real" narrative
by Sylvia (Mrs. Ben) Horne's reappearance for the first time in, 
what?, twenty episodes? 
  
And the best thing, the perfect closure, the person I'd been hoping 
for weeks we'd see before the fade: The German waitress, just as we 
saw her in the very first diner scene, having the same conversation.
For always. In Heaven, nothing ever happens.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I praise ABC for letting it on the air in the first place. I praise Lynch and
Frost for not losing their vision and "dumbing up" the show. And I curse ABC
for pulling the plug. Unfortunately, programmers live and die by ratings. Even
though I think TP is one of the most ardently watched shows in america. Look
at the merchandise and books, for example. But it's an audience that doesn't
show up on ratings. It's a young audience, a demographically strong audience..
and I'm sure we'll all be there when TP returns.. whenever that is.

The gum we like will one day come back in style. Until that day...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Overall, I enjoyed the episode.  I did not, as some may, expect a blow-out
of a finale because IMHO, I did't think Lynch would do it.  He would finish the
series as planned.  By changing it, he would have bowed to the dark spirits of
ABC (Black Lodge??).  If anyone expected all the loose ends to be tied up,
that would have been asking too much.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, I loved it.  I haven't been reading this group recently, and I
usually don't go this much into detail about television shows, but
this was the best damned two hours of entertainment this person's had
in a long while, and dammit, I'll make a fool of myself on USENET if I
feel like it.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One thing I liked about the finale is that it cleaned up a lot of the
stupid side plots, creating a clear ground for a movie concentrating on
Bob, Coop, Truman, and Annie.  The whole Nadine thing is resolved (at
least, it's back to an ordinary triangle), Andrew, Pete, and Audrey are
dead (going to miss Pete; I'm surprised Lynch would kill off his old
friend), Windom Earle is finally out of the picture, all the clutter has
been cleared away -- all those side plots that the TV series (may have)
needed to fill in the time available are eliminated to make space for
the much shorter movie to come.

The other thing I liked is, the utter triumph of evil.  I doubt that
anybody is going to immediately pick up on Bob's impersonation of Coop
(or, if you prefer, Coop's evil twin replacing him) right away, and even
if they did, what would they do?  The Major and the Log Lady will
probably know, and Annie will likely figure it out.  Bob will have a
free rein for a while.  On the other hand, Coop did defeat WE, and get
Annie back, though she's not particularly safe.  Only Lynch would be
bold enough to end a TV show in this way.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I think this was a great season finale, and is probably better than any 
'series finale' that they may have come up with.  You want a sense of
closure, go read a harlequin romance.   Lynch has left us with an open
wound in our cerebral cortex (brain damage?).  I don't think it would be
possible to terminate all the major and minor plotlines in this series,
short of some sort of (choose one) mass murder/ alien invasion /nuclear
war / all of the above.  Besides, now we can make up our own episodes.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

   First of all, cheers to Angelo Badalementi for the new suspense theme. I like
it! That eeiry tune will be with me the rest of my days.)
(And while I'm at it, my vote goes for his other piece that debuted quite
a while ago. How to classify it... new love theme? I don't know.)

"...she has lived here for about 15 minutes!" - Dwayne Milford
(if you totaled Annie's on-screen appearences, wouldn't this be close?)

   The end of the pagent was incredible. It saved the episode, in my opinion.
(I wasn't too thrilled with the rest of the show.) Perhaps strobelight
action/suspence scenes exist in other places, but I haven't seen one. Even
so, this one was executed beautifully.

   I've seen some negative comments on the "Red Room" sequence. One simple
comment - "Pure Lynch". (That's a compliment, boy.)

   Okay, the ending. If this were a cliffhanger, it would be great ending.
We would be spellbound all summer, waiting to find out what happens. But
assuming Lynch knew that the show was over by this time...

... IT WOULD BE AN EVEN BETTER ENDING! When Coop was in bed and was told 
Annie was Ok, I thought "oh boy, another wishy-washy ending. How predictable."
Of course, just seeing that Coop was near a mirror was enough to give the
secret away, but not the ending. I'm sorry if you don't agree with me, but
doesn't it get boring when everything concludes with a happy ending? Now we
are left to our imagination on a world with an evil Cooper. Mind boggling...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The show was a astounding success if only for the fact that we get
to see everybody make fools of themselves on alt.tv.twin-peaks:

1.) hundreds of people who have deluded themselves into thinking they liked
    the episode and seem to be experiencing orgasm as a result
2.) hundreds of people who have deluded themselves into thinking they hated
    the episode and seem to be frothing at the mouth about to kill someone

I don't think anything since _The Prisoner_ has caused this much foolishness.

This is why I like Lynch so much.  Only a true genius could make so many
people view a television program as a personal gift/attack.

1.) The Singing Detective
2.) The Prisoner

and only then

3.) Twin Peaks

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Final epsiode = 15 million thumbs up.

I love it!  The perfect ending. Audrey, Pete, Ben, Andrew all toast,
Coop in the black lodge forever, WE with a flame-induced lobotomy, and
Killer Bob on top of the world.  Kinda makes you feel like the end of
"It's a Wonderful Life", don't it?

"How's Annie? How's Annie? How's Annie? HOW'S ANNIE? H-O-W-'-S A-N-N-I-E?
HOW'S ANNNNNNIIIIIIIIEEEEEE???????"

Hee hee!

That Killer Coop, he's a pistol!  Think he'll be on "Comic Strip
Live" soon?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The crybabies who are moaning on the net that Lynch/Frost did not spoon
fed them a TV pablum finale tied up in a pretty bow are a bunch of
wimps!  Good art stimulates the mind and is not necessarily "pretty" or
"pat"!  I say that it is fine that there are many unanswered questions
left, especially a huge humdinger of a question.  All this discussion
shows just how much peoples minds have been stimulated!  Think of what
Cooper and Briggs faced!  The crybabies mental anguish is about as
significant as an pine weasel fart in a forest with noone to hear it.

The best part about the ending is the scope that it opens up for Kyle
MacLachlan.  His acting in "Blue Velvet", "The Hidden", and "Twin
Peaks" has been remarkable for its restraint and subtlety.  Given the
chance at the end of the 2nd season finale to cut loose, he cut loose!
There is bound to be a sequel be it another season somehow or, as seems
more likely at this point, a film.  Well, Kyle now has the chance to be
really expressive and I look forward to it.  I thought that the way he
laughed at the end was very short, but brilliant acting.  Lesser actors
would not be able to achieve such level of verisimilitude, the way he
cranked up the intensity in such a brief interval.

One thing that I think is great about Lynch's art in creating Twin
Peaks is that he so often does the "obvious" and gets away with it by
investing it with a heavy load of mythmaking, whimsy, and heart, much
like George Lucas uses the same three elements.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This was definitely the wierdest two hours of televison I've ever seen.
Can't wait for a movie!!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seriously, I give the ending a major thumbs-up.  David Lynch knew what the
audience wanted, and he refused to give it to them.  (Kinda like "Fall Out",
as someone said.)  He staged long drawn-out scenes, explained nothing, and
tossed out a giant cliffhanger even when he knew that ratings were shaky
at best.  All in all, a wonderful in-your-face to the conventions of normal
network drama(mine).  And who knows, ten years down the road (a la Fall Out
again) we might even understand it...  That was his best gift to the fans,
leaving them things to puzzle over.

Am I alone in hoping that there won't be a thirtysomething-style TV movie
wrapup, or a 25-years-later redroom flick, or even a prequel that gives it
all away?  Those would spoil the fun.  If they do a prequel, it should be
just about Laura Palmer and her death -- stark, realistic, like the pilot --
and leave the fans the pleasure of wondering what it all means.

==============================================================================
*** Humor
==============================================================================

Global Television [in Canada], in uplinking the show on Sunday, followed the
program with the usual title screen indicating the feed was over, with the
added words at the bottom: 

                   By the way, "How's Annie?"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"How's Annie?" "Oh, she's OK, just a mild case of Frost bite..."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>After Coop entered, oh, about the eight curtained room, I kept hoping his
>Eagle Scout training would kick in, and he'd make a map of the place.  

"You are in a twisty maze of red-curtained rooms, all alike."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When I saw this cat, everything became clear to me.  All along, we've
been getting this whole Black Lodge thing wrong.  It's not the Black
Lodge, it's the Black *Lounge*!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q: What did the Dalai Lama say to the hot dog salesman?
A: Make me one with everything.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>(Let's start thinking of titles for those movies, y'all.)

Twin Peaks: The Motion Picture
Twin Peaks II: The Wrath of Bob
Twin Peaks III: The Search for Coop

(I couldn't resist.)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Favorite line:

Audrey (Recently De-flowered): It's only been a day.  I hope it doesn't
                   hurt this much in a week.
                   
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Audrey (Recently De-flowered): It's only been a day.  I hope it doesn't
>                  hurt this much in a week.   

This is the most twisted thing I've read all day.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Perhaps the mark the major and the log lady have is due to facing the
> black lodge and NOT getting corrupted....If so, perhaps he made it to
> the white lodge...
> 

Probably the giant is actually the doorman for the White lodge and if you pass
the test, he will stamp your hand (neck or whatever) as you leave so you can
get back in later ...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"We're here in front of world-famous Maurice's Cafe and Deli in
 downtown Pittsburg.  Today, we've replaced the fine coffee they
 usually serve with dark, sparkling Black Lodge Coffee.  Let's
 see what people think."

"Black Lodge Coffee?  I can't believe it!  It tastes so...
 so...so...EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!"

"Coffee?  Coffee.  Coffee!  Coffee."

"Oh!  Is that why it's so good?  It certainly is a step up
 from Maurice's usual General Foods International Coffee crap!"

"Who's the midget?"

"Well, that proves it folks.  Black Lodge Coffee - fine enough to be
served in the world's (or at least Pittsburg's) finest restaurants."


------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You say you didn't like how Twin Peaks ended?  There's a very simple
explanation.

Lynch and Frost weren't involved with it.  It was their Black Lodge
doppelgangers.

Repeat after me (in a nasal voice):
    How's Twin Peaks?
    How's Twin Peaks?
    How's Twin Peaks?
    
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> APPLICANTS BEARING LOVE OR FEAR, PROCEED DOWN CORRIDOR
> APPLICANTS BEARING OIL AND ALL OTHERS USE SIDE ENTRANCE        ;-)

"The White Lodge is for Loading and Unloading..."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Coop == Mario?

So when is the release of the BL/WL/Red Room video game?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Good thing he didn't have to floss!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some TV network person out there may be interested in a
more long term commitment to loyal older TV viewers and to the
upcoming generations of viewers.  For example, one might envision
a future Saturday morning cartoon feature with voices
provided by the actual voices of the original series.  A possible
finale for one of these hypothetical weekly shows which might be
called:


     "Fugitive Twins Reach Their Peaks in Kung Fu Course"


Opening cartoon:

David Carradine's character (Caine) appears very suddenly in a
clearing -- seemingly emerging feet first and reclaims the wind
instrument from WE.  Quietly and nonviolently Caine explains the
deeper, more meditative applications of such devices in and
"Easterly" way -- WE occasionally 'egging' him on.  With the
wooden instrument in hand cartoon character Caine turns to the
camera and says "go figure" and at this point he transforms into
a (you guessed it) -- grasshopper.  

Before it can achieve 'one good leap for a grasshopper' our
Caine/Hopper-guy is engulfed fast-flying-swooping blurry creature
which is eventually seen more clearly to be (you  guessed it
again) an EMPEROR OWL.  This OWL is what is seems, and it begins
to fly away leaving no one, except itself, with a bad taste in
its oral cavity.  The OWL thinking to itself but out loud so we
and others can hear the message through the doppler effect (or is
that doppelganger?): "Yuk.  Pah-toohey!  I wonder what that
grasshopper had in his backpack? Yuk."  The OWL can no longer
tolerate the bad taste of this morsel and he "upchucks" the half-
chewed grasshopper out of his oral cavity onto none other than --
BOB (maybe you didn't guess this one).  Add this would be tobacco
wad hits BOB right in the kisser!  Bob Barks.  "WOW, WOW, WOW!"
(fooled you?).  He then wipes the partially regurgitated matter
from his face so as to better reflect on these events.  Suddenly,
he turns from his mirror and spots a seemingly innocent figure
running through a red room and screams "backwards or in reverse-
order pig-latin" -- "There goes Kimball!"  Dr. Richard Kimball
stops, cups his mouth with his hands and yells "Stop you OAM"!
Not very loud though.  Maybe he would do better with a (you
guessed it!) MIKE.

Go to commercial break and sell the kids some baseball cards.

Back from break.  Scenes from next week -- Nadine in China at the
monastery trying rice paper drape technique.  Norma hires Kimball
to clean up the RR (replacement for Hank).  Cooper and the rest
of the local law enforcement crowd run into Caine on their way to
the TP sheriff's office.  Caine is loudly trying to explain his
innocence to (you guessed it!) Gordon.  And like that.  

==============================================================================
*** Movie
==============================================================================

Great news for David Lynch and Twin Peaks Fans!!!!

David Lynch called me  on the telephone on Friday, and he relayed to me that
a Twin Peaks movie WILL BE his NEXT project. (whether or not he is working
on Ronnie Rocket now is something that I don't know.)

The movie will cover the Theresa Banks murder and the final days of
Laura Palmer.  The title will be 'Fire Walk With Me.'  

He did not tell me this in confidence, so I am sure that it is not a secret.
:^)

He said, and I quote, 'It's gonna be cool.'

PS  I am sure that Kyle MacLachlan will be in it...if you remember correctly,
he investigated Theresa Banks murder.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Let's hope the writers are REALLY CLEVER.  A well-written prequel can easily
resolve questions in the original series.  The viewer can be places and learn
things that remain unknown to the other characters, even in the original series.
For example, we may see how Josie got into double dealing, and perhaps something
that happened in her past that foreshadows her timely end, wrapped in plywood.
We may hear the giant's voice come out of Margaret's log.  BOB may impart some
crucial Lodge secrets to Laura in an effort to entire her to let him in.  He may
describe previously unknown portions of the Caroline affair to her, or let slip
something about his plans for Windom Earl.  It Can Be Done, folks!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>From a local newspaper's Television Guide:

To some people, the smell of coffee, doughnuts and cherry pie just won't
be the same.

Devotees of ABC's "Twin Peaks" have had time to brace themselves for
Monday's two-hour finale of the offbeat serial, since the network
announced weeks ago that the last two episodes -- the second of which
was directed by co-creator and co-executive producer David Lynch --
would be combined into a last hurrah.  However, several key players
(including Lynch himself) have started to imply that "Peaks" might not
be over completely, with the possibility of a subsequent theatrical
movie under discussion.  That should come as welcome information to the
show's fans, since Monday's offering is destined to leave some threads
hanging, with one of the major plots involving the efforts of Dale
Cooper (played by Kyle MacLachlan) and Sheriff Harry S. Truman (Michael
Ontkean) to save the winner of the Miss Twin Peaks contest from the
clutches of the sinister Windom Earle (Kenneth Welsh).

Lynch's "Peaks" production partner Mark Frost says that continuing the
saga on the movie screen was considered an option "only when it looked
like we probably weren't going to come back (on ABC) and have a chance
to close out the stories that we'd started.  There are a lot of moving
parts to that, though, and we just have to see if they can all fit
together.  I can't speak for David, but for me, this has been a year filled
with all sorts of different feelings ... elation, frustration, happiness,
disappointment.  You name it, it was there."

Indeed after starting out phenomenally in the spring of 1990, "Twin Peaks"
was moved to a Saturday-night berth for the start of the 1990-1991 season,
and its ratings quickly plunged.  By the time the decision was made to
restore it to Thursday nights, too much ground had been lost, since it then
was beaten regularly in the Nielsens by all the other Network competition.

"I think the show had a meteoric rise and kind of a similar plummet, in
terms of viewership," Frost says.  "There were still millions of people
watching it every week quite loyally, and we're certainly grateful for
all of their support, but I think a lot of things contributed to the
show's short life span.  Among them was the tremendous hype that surrounded
('Peaks') when it first came on, because that can raise expectations to
extraordinary degrees, and it probably robs anything of its ability to
survive over the long term.  It gets eaten up quicker.  Also, there were
some programming choices that I think could have been wiser (regarding)
handling the show, but we probably could have done better with some of our
work in the second half of the season."

While Frost feels that Monday doesn't necessarily mark the absolute
conclusion of "Twin Peaks," that view is shared by others involved in
the project, such as co-star Ontkean.

"This is certainly something that's going to be ongoing in some form or
other, at some time or other," the actor says.  "It'd be fun to do it
again, because there's still some stuff to explore, but it would be
a different medium and a different ball game."

Though Ontkean recalls a general feeling on the set that the end of "Peaks"
as a TV series was near, he says, "When you're working with David (Lynch),
the atmosphere is always very energized and very positive.  He also has a
great sense of humor though people might perceive him otherwise because
his work is somewhat dark.  We were aware that the show had been doing
poorly in that horse rase called 'the ratings,' so it was generally thought
that we were doing our last shows.  For some reason though, we didn't feel
it would end there.  The concept is so strong and the characters are so
finely drawn, I'm sure we'll do it in another form.

"I'm not quite ready to say goodbye to it, and I don't think the audience
is, so there may be another way to play the game."

==============================================================================
*** Plot developments (potential)
==============================================================================

Idle speculation re: any sort of follow-up.  My office-mate Gael and I were
speculating about how the whole Coop or alter-Coop would get returned to
their rightful places.  I was reading in the _Access_Guide_to_Twin_Peaks_
about the Passion Play which occurs every 5 or so years, but be ready in April,
at Glastonbury Grove. It's rumored to be produced by the Bookhouse Boys. Hmm,
Passion Play (usually having to do with the death and resurection of Christ),
Glastonbury the legendary burial place of King Arthur who sought the Holy Grail
aka the Cup of Christ (Arthur, the Once and Future King, who goes away but will
return at the times of greatest need and peril -- yet more death and re-birth
symbolism) and not to mention the secret society (ala the Masonic Lodge) which
is dedicated to keeping the good and rightious.  Now if my time sense is 
correct the Miss Twin Peaks contest is in April -- just in time for an emer-
gency reenactment of the Passion Play ... food for thought, eh?

[See separate posting on Passion Play story.]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Now that Bob's in Coop, it must go somewhere.  I want more Bob 
intrigue.  Doesn't the TP opening show the town's population to be circa
5000.  Albert now can go after Coop thus mirroring the first plotline of
Coop after WE.

    Consider pay-per-view about once a month.  Yuppies by themselves 
or forty college students around one tube.  It might just be the best avenue.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Where do we go from here?  Well...it doesn't really matter, except that 
someday, Lynch is gonna get around to some sort of a 'love will triumph over
all' ending.  Remember Wild at Heart?  I have always felt that that was 
the metaphor of choice for Lynch, and with Briggs saying the same thing a
few episodes ago, I know that that is someday what will happen....so you
'this was filled with pain and anguish and that's all we get' people...
just hang on!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Briggs is the guy. He's the one who is told by the Log Lady that "Coop
  Is With Me at the Black Lodge"... he's got to be the one to save him.
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>* Briggs is the guy. He's the one who is told by the Log Lady that "Coop
>  Is With Me at the Black Lodge"... he's got to be the one to save him.

That wasn't the Log Lady that was Sarah Palmer. The big question is who was
she possessed with. BOB? LMFAP? There seemed to be a tone of maliciousness
in the voice, but that could just be me. Briggs is the coolest. I really wish
he had been more involved. He definitely has to be in the movie. After all,
they are "waiting for him" in the Black Lodge.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

..If the series continues somehow (there was talk of a movie), I don't think  
we will see Harry "leading the frontline battle against Agent Bob".  Maybe  
Annie, but Harry probably won't even realize the Coop is Bob.  Annie, Major  
Briggs, Margaret, and maybe MIKE will have to save Coop.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ok, so I can't let the last episode stand as it is, I must anticipate that
TP has a future and begin to look to what that future may be....

So Coop (or his doppelganger) is controlled by Bob.  I personally would like
to believe that the real Coop is still in the Black Lodge but it doesn't
matter.

Annie appears to be OK. At least according to Harry who tells Coop that she 
is in the hospital but she is OK.

Now, in the forthcoming episodes or movie:

What will happen when Coop (and Bob) meets Annie????  What will happen when Coop
meets Major Briggs?

It will all work out!!!!!!

I think Lynch does believe in happy endings (In Blue Velvet the sun did
shine and the Robins did sing).  This will all be resolved for us. (I do
believe, I do believe....)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>I think Lynch does believe in happy endings (In Blue Velvet the sun did
>shine and the Robins did sing).  This will all be resolved for us. (I do
>believe, I do believe....)

I don't know about this-- when Lynch was asked about finally revealing
everything (what the owls really are, who the cream corn kid is, what
the lodges really are...) he said that he wouldn't because it would be
far too depressing.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We've been learning -- bit by bit -- about the black lodge, the white
lodge, and what it takes to go through unscathed.  Coop faces this
challenge in the key scene from the next-to-last sequence, in which
Windom and Coop had their "showdown."  Windom asks Coop to give up his
soul for Annie.  By accepting, (sorry if this sounds hackneyed) he has
chosen love over fear.  From what we have been led to expect, Coop has
passed the test.

Then, BOB takes windom (checkmate), and frees Cooper.  Or at least
that's how I saw it until the final final scene.  In the last five
minutes of film, we find the Coop is possessed by BOB.  No fair!  I
didn't mind Coop getting shot at the end of season 1, since that was
just a senseless act.  The story is telling me that Coop did not have
what it takes to make it through the black/white lodge.  How does the
plot continue from here?

Then, this idea, stolen from another person's article.  It made some
sense to me, but it may seem to you as if I'm grasping at straws to
make the ending fit my expectations.

>   Interesting. Dopplegangors. She'll see him in 25 years. 
>   I see some hope for Dale in that. In his 25 year hence dream state
>he didn't seem possessed by Bob. Is this finally the evil twin motif? Is
>Cooper's better self still in the waiting room?

Evil twin stories sound silly, but bear with me.  I see it like this:
Cooper is stuck in the black lodge, evil Cooper is out in the real
world.  Cooper chases Windom/Bob around, evil Cooper gets hunted by
Truman, et. al.  Cooper has another soul-searching scene, which I
don't know what it is, and then a bunch of white lodge stuff.
Meanwhile, Truman's narrowed in on evil Coop.  As Coop finds
redemption, he takes the place of evil Coop, Truman doesn't shoot him,
something else happens, and then a cherry on top.

What this future storyline does for me is the following:
    Affirms our belief that love is enough.
    Allows Coop to get to the white lodge.
    Gives us a reason for the dopplegangers.
    Has a cherry on top.
    Keeps around the Windom Earle character.
    Lets us see Log Lady's hubby at the white lodge.
    Never places two Coopers on the physical world at the same time.
    Shows Dale Cooper (possesed by Bob) ravaging the town of Twin Peaks,
        while at the same time assuring us that it's not Dale's doing.

One big minus is that this future storyline would either have evil
Coop kill people which would hold Coop accountable, or it would have
evil Coop kill no one, which is a bit boring.  

If a movie version (or another season) ever pans out, we will see what
the writers come up with.  I hope to god it's better than my version.
I also hope to god it's better than the civil war and "little nicky"
storylines they had...  However, the point is this.  I found that by
thinking of how the ending could be continued, I could see the ending in
a different light.  I suppose this is what people meant by, "think of
this as a season finale, not a finale finale."  

Before, it just seemed like, "Ok.  We're not being renewed.  Let's
paste on that one-minute toothbrush-Bob-mirror thing and get the hell
out of here."  Now, I don't know what to think, which is normal for
this show, I suppose.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I've been thinking about this for a little while, and it seems as if Lynch
may have set himself up with a really nice cinematic device here.  It'll
be interesting to see if he uses it this way (assuming, oh please goddess,
he gets a chance to):  Instead of a choice between Cooper being possessed,
fighting for his soul strictly within his physical body, and his doppelganger
being out in the physical world while he is trapped in the Black Lodge,
perhaps both are true.  That is, if the events that transpire in the
Lodges are dream-like manifestations of the psychological/spiritual events
transpiring in the physical realm, then Lynch could produce a film where
all the internal struggles of his protagonist could be given "physical"
form.  Where more traditional movies are limited to troubled facial
expressions or Dr. Strangelove-style left-hand-fighting-the-right-hand
methods for expressing internal conflict, the Twin Peaks movie (PLEASE!)
could carry on two interwoven storylines/story-settings.  So, when Dale
is trying to fight back in the physical world, and, say, is experiencing
a brief period of success against BOB, we could cut to scenes of good-Dale
temporarily overcoming bad-Dale in the Lodge/Red-Room environment.  And
vice versa.

For this to be exciting, the Lodge environment would have to be expanded
from just the Red Room, I think, or even the most dedicated TP fans (myself
included) would begin to suffer from claustrophobia and boredom.  But
since the whole Lodge reality has been mulching in Lynch's mental garden
of earthly delights for some time now, I'd like to see his expanded vision
of the Lodges.  (I must confess, I had hopes that we would get some of this
in the Season Finale.)

Since Major Briggs and Annie could conceivably enter the Lodges directly to
try to help Dale at that level, while Truman, Hawk, Andy and Albert try to
contain the possessed Dale's carnage in the physical realm (with, possibly,
the Log Lady able to occasionally communicate messages between the realms),
we could witness quite an epic struggle for self preservation and self
control by Dale from two entirely different vantage points, using two
entirely distinct metaphors.

Ah well, just a thought...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>Cooper faced his confrontation with the Black Lodge with imperfect 
>courage.  He forgot to face evil and fear with love.  His previous comments
>to Agent Roger Hardy (the FBI agent played by Clarence Williams III) that
>he is looking 'beyond the board...looking at the world with love' exemplified
>this philosophy.  But in the true test, Cooper failed.  

>He did not save Windom Earle from BOB.  (Gathering thoughts here...)
>Cooper loved Annie, and she was the focus of his love, but in order to 
>truly love, to look at the world with love, you must ALSO love your enemies.
>In failing to save Windom, Cooper could not save himself...hence...being
>possesed by BOB.

I agree with this, and I think that the solution should be obvious.
The only person we've seen on the show capable of the complete love
needed solve the problem of the Black Lodge is Albert.

Didn't someone post a comment along the lines that Albert was going
to be in the movie (if such a beast occurs?)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>Now we
>are left to our imagination on a world with an evil Cooper. Mind boggling...

Mind-boggling indeed!  I hope it boggles Lynch's mind--enough to keep
him churning out TP movies for some time to come.  :-)  (Let's start 
thinking of titles for those movies, y'all.)

But an evil Cooper is not the *only* thing I imagine!  I also imagine:
    --as a result of multiple spider bites, Leo goes insane and is
hospitalized, but when he is put on Haloperidol, he turns into a docile
gentle-giant of a man, and becomes close friends with Johnny Horne;
    --Ben wakes up from his head injury thinking that he's Abraham
Lincoln; he is so wise and kindly, he's elected mayor a few months
later, when Mayor Milford keels over while receiving a blowjob;
    --Major Briggs makes it to his destination, and opens the door
to the White Lodge (assisted, of course, by all the lovers in town (-:),
where he unleashes some marvelous mind-boggling force for Good--sort
of like the Great Spirit crossed with the primal Mother Goddess. 

This force for Good is so strong, it will mobilize the remnants of Dale
Cooper's soul, which are still floating around inside his body--recall
that Leland was still "inside" there with Bob, because he re-emerged at
the time of his death--and allow those remnants to be fruitful and
multiply, to grow stronger, so that at least he will engage in a fierce
battle with his Shadow self, his Doppelganger, the part of him that
cooperates with Bob, and then....

I guess I got a little carried away.  I'm worried about Dale Cooper,
let's face it.  I'm trying to think up a scenario where he makes it
back to us.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Harry is at the door to the bathroom right now.  What would you do if you've
seen all the things that Harry has over the past 30 (about) days.  Coop is
freaking out, pounding his head like Leland.  If I were Harry, I'd pull my
revolver and kill Coop where he stands.  Or wait until after June when the
Lodge door is closed for 25 years.  While BOB is out in a main host
(WE --> Coop) he can roam freely around from pawn to pawn without giving up his
hold on the main host.  Kill the main host without a replacement, and BOB is
outta here.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The ending is not nearly as obvious as many suppose.  Cooper could be
possesed by Bob, but I haven't seen anybody mention the possibility
that Agent Cooper in his infinite wisdom is stronger than Bob and is
running a master scam to defeat him.  In other words, he is allowing
Bob to think he is possesing Cooper.  Then, possibly, Bob will let his
guard down, materialize in order to kill Annie, and while Bob is
distracted, Cooper will get him in the nick of time.  Cooper hasn't
"lost" to Bob yet.  Remember he voluntarily took up Bob's offer (made
through Windam) of trading his soul for Annie's life.

Yet another possibility for the movie is that Agent Cooper may have to
be rescued from the Black Lodge and his doppelganger on earth
defeated.  If I were writing it, I'd have Annie, Garland Briggs and
Hawk pressed into service.  The first two have been to the Black
Lodge.  Annie and Cooper are in love, so the connection is obvious, but
what is interesting is that Annie has a dark background and so may have
weaknesses and/or hidden strengths just like Dale.  Briggs brings the
power of reason.  Hawk has been revealed to have spiritual
understandings.  One might write in Andy since he is so obviously pure
of heart and innocent.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Last night I phoned Scott Frost again, and got a couple
    fresh bits of into.

    Probable good news (?):

      Details are not final for the Twin Peaks movie, but the
      commitments to do it are quite close to being nailed down.

    Probable bad news (IMHO):

      Lynch wants the movie to be about the last 7 days of
      Laura Palmer's life.  The threads left hanging in the
      last TV episode will probably hang forever -- and what
      sort of place is Peaks without Coop?
      
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Responding to whoever relayed Scott Frost's news that the movie
will fill in events before the series began and that there will be no
new series continuing from where we currently hang: Good. 
 
I always thought the whole thing would have been better as a 
miniseries (one story with beginning-middle-end) than as an 
open-ended, "Dallas"-type soap (however creatively twisted 
and surrealised). A year ago, many of us predicted an inevitable 
slide into mediocrity, which we all saw this last season. (Nod to 
the recent poster who said "This wouldn't have happened with a 
movie.")
 
Anyway, it's a relief that we won't have to put up with 
"Twin Peaks: The Next Generation."

==============================================================================
*** Unanswered questions
==============================================================================

> And what ever happened to The One Armed Man?

He's selling shoes in Seattle and faithfully taking his medication daily :-).

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Why didnt they explain why everyones hands were shaking in the past few
episodes?  Was it contamination (like some here guessed) of the water, etc.  or
was it just the fear of what was to come?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

     Interesting that the scene in which Coop's hand shook was replayed
prior to the beginning of this episode -- it has more significance than
we know, perhaps?  Was part of Bob already in Coop, working on his dark
side?  Was that Coop's dark side testing its strength, its independence?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Why did Josie weigh so little at her death?  And why wasnt she brought back?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Loose Ends (God, am I bored!)

here's my little list of loose ends and possible new plot threads should they
ever start it up again (besides the obvious choices of CooBobper and the
various end-of-season-are-they-dead-or-not thingys).  I find it useful to
ponder this stuff when I'm _really_ _really_ bored ...

-  Will we ever see LL's husband?  Is he in the WL?
-  Where's OAM and Mike?
-  Is Ben going to run for Senate (if he lives, that is)?
-  Where's James and what's he up to?  How 'bout his mom?
-  Johnny Horne.
-  Does JJ's partner's death have to do with anything?
-  How _did_ the fish get into the percolater?
-  <BOB voice on> WHAT HAPPENED TO JOSIE??!?! <BOB voice off>
-  Are there any others besides Bob and Mike?
-  That gum you like is going to come back into style.
-  Who the hell clubbed Jacoby?  Are we to assume it was Leland?
-  What the hell does little Nicky have to do with anything?
-  Kreamed Korn Kiddo.

Any additions?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>Any additions?

   Did Josie shoot Cooper?  If so, why?

   Who was with Leo in confrontation with Mike & Bobby in first season?

   Any special significance to Leo being in jail when Teresa Banks was
murdered?

   Why was Leo keeping shoes hidden with his dope (Albert said they were
not tampered with in any way).

   What was BoB hitting Laura with?

   Is there any special treasure in the cave with the drawing?

   What happened to One-Eyed Jack's?

   If the owls are not what they seem, what are they?  [if there were
any owls in the last episode, I missed them]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>-  Where's OAM and Mike?
        The OAM and Mike are both the spirit possessing Philip Michael
Gerard-- in case there's confusing on the above.
    Also, why did his "best friend in the whole world," Dr. Bob
Lydecker, go into a coma (ala Ronnette)?  Will he ever come out?
Like Gerard, is Dr. Bob also possessed by a spirit?

>-  Who the hell clubbed Jacoby?  Are we to assume it was Leland?
    Mark Frost said that this was Leland/BOB.

    Why did Harold's hand start shaking when he collapsed outside?
    Why did Coop's, Pete's, and the diner person's hands shake?
    Is the LMFAP good, bad, or neutral, and is he related to BOB or the
       Giant in any way other than the fact that they were all found
       in the black lodge/waiting room?
    Did Josie know anything about Laura's death at the start of the
       first show?  [i.e. suspicious glance at Pete as he leaves to
       go fishing... also humming in front of the mirror = "where we're
       from...there's always music in the air"] 
    Are the owls more than just easy creatures for BOB-like spirits to
       possess or is there something else to them?
    Were Maddy and Laura both daughters of Leland?     
    From the diary:  What was it that Nancy (Blackie's sister?) secretly
    revealed to Laura (about Ben Horne?) ? 
    Finally, why do lambs and does eat oats, but little lambs eat ivy
    anyway?  Is there some digestive problem?
    
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What about the "Invitation to Love Gang?"

See is Montana dead or is he a veggie?
What about Jared, Emerald and Jade?
See did I miss anyone.....
Or was the show cancelled by some AR TV execs?

==============================================================================
*** Why TP didn't catch on
==============================================================================

One thing about TP that I find exasperating/disappointing is the number of
"mystical" threads of folklore Lynch/Frost tried to weave together.  Has
anyone attempted a complete list before?  Here's my attempt at a start:

Arthurian legend (Glastonbury Grove)
Native American legend (Black & White Lodges, but I think these were
inventions)
UFOs and alien visitors
doppelgangers (Cooper; Laura & Maddie)
demonic possession (Bob) and Satanic worship (rail car; Mike)
clairvoyance (Laura's mom)

more loosely associated:
serial killers

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ABC isn't bad, as far as the three BIG networks go. I mean, honestly, I used
to be an NBC guy.. I liked the NBC shows the best. But now I like ABC better.
Honestly, even though they axed what I consider two of the best shows of all
time (Twin Peaks, and the BEST show ever, "Max Headroom"), the fact is that
they did put them on the air. and they gave both of them a second-season
committment-- something I really do find commendable. After all, their ratings
were not GREAT, and it was clear (to me at least) that they weren't going to
do any better... but ABC took the chance.

Now, this is not to defend the ratings system. I think that Twin Peaks has a
big following, one that doesn't translate well when it comes to the way that
A.C. Nielsen measures ratings. But I think it's out there.

One other thing about ABC: they do have, IMHO, some of the best TV on the air.
When the new schedule came out, I jumped for joy (well, not literally) when I
found they were bringing "Anything But Love" back. We lost Twin Peaks, but at
least one "marginal" show (and a damned fine one) is coming back. And I also
find "Wonder Years" and "Doogie Howser, M.D." superior shows, too. (Is this
blasphemy? Twin Peaks was #1 (or 2, depending on how much I like ST:TNG) in my
heart, swear to god, a.tv.tp'ers...) So perhaps ABC is just the lesser of two
evils, and I'm afraid that Twin Peaks was TV the likes of which will NEVER
pass this way again, at least on a major US network.

Anyway, I can see why ABC killed TP. It didn't perform in the ratings, and
that's how they make their money. I can't see that the ratings would ever get
better. What TP needs is a medium where it can be financially healthy.. if it
can be that overseas, then Lynch/Frost should just keep makin' them, and
syndicate it. If a movie will bring in bucks, go for it. But -- honestly -- if
I were running ABC, I'd have cancelled it. BUT-- I would have offered them a
TV movie. And if I were running CBS, I'd call and offer 'em money to put it on
at 11:30 p.m. once a week.... 

So don't attack ABC too much. They're putting out better stuff than the other
networks, at least right now. Did you see CBS' schedule this year? Eeeawwwgh..

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I thought y'all might be interested in what's happening recently
on the POLITICS list, and I'd certainly love to hear *your* opinions
on this interesting topic.

>From:  IN%"POLITICS@OHSTVMA.BITNET"  "Forum for the Discussion of Politics"
Subject: Lynch isn't fair

The rotten bastard.  He's great, but I really want to scream at him.
 
On the down side, it was fairly obvious that Lynch had to cram a half-dozen
episodes of material into two hours minus commercials (I hate commercials).
 
On the upside, I sure didn't expect the show to end that way, so I was
surprised in a big way -- rare on modern TV.  But why, oh why did Audrey
have to engage in her first act of civil disobedience just *then*??
 
Not politics, true, but at least it's a new topic....
 
Actually, a discussion about the social factors involved in the roman-candle-
like popularity of Twin Peaks might be very appropriate on this list, as I
think that kind of information ties in closely with the way people live, view
the world and, consequently, deal with political issues.  Anybody wanna give
it a try?  If not I'll shut up.

Subject: re: Lynch isn't fair

A little bird sent me your posting to POLITICS.  I'm not sure I want
to join the list just in order to join this conversation--although 
my natural impulsivity has taken me into many such avenues, I admit--
but being an ardent "Twin Peaks" fan, I would like to comment on your
"roman candle" observation.

I think there is indeed a parallel between how people lost interest
in TP, and how they respond within the political arena, and that the
parallel lies in the way we deal with information.

Understanding and appreciating TP demanded several things of the viewer:
    --a long attention span, to keep focused on the evolving
threads of the plot over multiple hiatuses of weeks to months in
duration;
    --access to a reliable information source about upcoming
changes in the schedule;
    --frustration tolerance, and the ability to wait for
gratification;
    --a fairly good memory for details.

Some of these same skills are required for other TV shows, and for
reading long books (fantasy trilogies, _War_and_Peace_), and for
watching movie series such as "Star Wars," but TP seemed to raise
the ante a bit--at least as judged by how many people dropped out
of the running.  I think that following political contests, acting
according to political goals, and just plain being a "good citizen,"
are similarly challenging.  You have to pay attention.  You can't
tune in from time to time, and expect to know what's going on.

And then there are the other issues, which pertain more to the content of
the information, rather than the process of keeping up with it:  While
it was not absolutely necessary (nothing is) to enjoying the show, a
number of other emotional/cognitive skills were helpful.  The ability
to make sense of literary and pop-culture allusions.  A healthy capacity
for emotional investment in characters who might die violently before
your very eyes (think of the impact of Robert Kennedy's death--how it
soured many people on caring deeply about political figures).  A sense
of humor that includes the offbeat, the outre', and the disconcerting.
And so on.  Obviously, more layers of enjoyment open up if the viewer
has friends with whom they can share their enthusiasm for the topic,
mailing lists or newsgroups (alt.tv.twin-peaks on USENET) where they
can read and write about the show, and access to news about the stars, the
writers, the directors, and most of all, their fellow TP-heads.  And if
they're willing to rent and view David Lynch's previous films, and catch
"Wild at Heart" during its first run, and check out "Industrial Symphony
#1," and track down Lynch's cartoon series ("The Angriest Dog in the
World").  Not to mention reading Laura Palmer's diary, Coop's autobio-
graphy, the second-season press kit, and the transcript of the European
ending for the "Who Killed Laura Palmer" thread.  And I won't even get
into the T-shirts, coffee cups, and other paraphenalia--all of which
enhance one's enjoyment, if taken in the right spirit.  Heck--just
going to the trouble to bake a cherry pie and brew up a good pot o' joe,
could make a difference in one's pleasure in any one episode.

==============================================================================
*** A happy ending
==============================================================================

(Found in the trash bin behind Lynch/Frost productions:)

The finale - Version 4 

Bob is standing beside the entrance to the Black Lodge. Andy comes up to
him with a cup of coffee. Andy trips, falls, spills the coffee onto Bob.

Bob:    I'm MELTING!!!!! MELTING!!!! AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhh

Bob disappears into the oily puddle.

Andy:   Well, I guess good always triumphs over evil!

Cooper walks up.

Coop:   Good work Andy!

Coop pats andy on the back.

Andy:   Agent Cooper, I found that evil murderer you asked me about,
    Windom Earle, so I put him in the jail cell for you.

Coop gives Andy the thumbs up sign.

Coop:   Andy, you're allright!

Pete walks up.

Pete:   Hi guys! Guess what? Audrey's getting married to that
    jet pilot fellow.

Coop:   really?

Pete:   Yep. I sure hope he takes her fishing from time to time,
        she's such a dear heart!

Andy:   I'm sure they will make a lovely couple.

Coop:   Yes, I'm sure they will. Marriage is both strange and wonderful.

Sherriff Truman walks up.

Truman: Well guys, I had to break up a little fight at Ed & Nadine's,
    but everything is back to normal now. Seems that Nadine is
    back to normal, and so Ed and Nadine can get on with their
    life now.

Andy:   But what about Norma?

Truman: They're going to marry her too. She'll live with them.

Andy:   Oh. (looks thoughtful)

Cut to Hayward living room. Ben Horne is in the living room with
Doc Hayward and Mrs. Hayward. Donna walks in.

Donna:  You!

Ben:    Yes, Donna, I wanted to be good. I had to tell them.
    I'm actually James's father!

All:    AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

Cut to the log lady's home:

Log Lady:   Well, here goes!

She pours an oily substance all over the log. There is a little
smoke, then a huge flash of light, and she is holding in her arms:
The Log Man!!! (Try to get Arnold Schwartzenegger for this role!)

Log Man:    Hi Honey, I'm home! (smiles)

Cut to the Double R:

Bobby and Shelley are leaning over the counter talking.

Bobby:  Let's get married!

Shelley:    Ok!

Bobby:  But what about LEO?

Shelley:    I got a judgement against him for divorce, by default,
    He never even showed up!!!

Bobby:  Wow, Shelley, Wow!

Cut to TV set:

Chet:   Jade, I'm so glad we came out of this okay!

Jade:   Oh, Chet! But what happened with Emerald?

Chet:   She and Montanna are opening up a diner in a faraway
    town, they won't bother us again!

Jade:   Oh, Chet! (They embrace)

Camera pans back to reveal bedroom, and in the bed, Leo, with
a cup of coffee and a piece of cherry pie, smiling, and next
to Leo, Heidi! Heidi takes a bite from her donut.

Cut to The Great Northern Lobby:

   The giant walks up to the desk.

Giant:  If you tell me the price for a room, then can I believe you?

Clerk:  Of course sir. This is a high class joint!  Front!

Little man from another place walks up wearing bellboy's uniform.
He grabs the giant's bag.

LMFAP:  Waulk theeeeese waaaaaay! (smiles, rolls eyes around)

LMFAP starts walking to the beat of the jazz music, snapping
his fingers with his free hand, dancing toward the room.
The giant looks amazed, then starts following, doing
the same dance.

Cut to the Sherriff's Department.

Lucy:   Now that I've decided that you will be the father, we can
    start buying the wardrobe for the baby!

Andy:   Lucy, will you marry me?

Lucy:   Oh, Andy, yes!

Lucy and andy kiss over the counter, Hawk walks through, notices
them, and shakes his head slightly while he continues walking.


Cut to the Double R:


Agent Cooper walks in.

Cooper: Norma! You're looking good! Nice to see you! Major Briggs,
    I have the most amazing things to tell you about the
    green butt skunk! Have you been fishing lately?

Annie:  Well hello there!

Coop:   Hi Annie. (pauses) Annie: I've been doing alot of thinking
    lately, and it has become clear to me that I've been focusing
    beyond the edges of the board too long, and that when a man
    can't picture the necessity for life as it should be and the
    beauty of a douglas fir or making love with a beautiful woman
        you feel genuine affection for, that the whole universe can
    be changed somehow.

Annie passes out, crashes to the floor.

Coop whips out pocket recorder.

Coop:   Diane, what ever did happen to the balanced national budget?

Norma picks up Annie, starts reviving her.

Coop:   How's Annie?

Norma:  She'll be fine. 

Coop:   Good.

Coop joins Norma with Annie, Annie comes around

Coop:   Annie, will you marry me?

Annie:  Oh, yes! I accept!

Coop:   (smiles) Then our adventures are just beginning!
    Come on everybody! There's going to be a group
    wedding at the roadhouse!

Briggs: Agent Cooper, there's been one thing I've been
    meaning to ask you.

Coop:   Yes  major, what is it?

Briggs: I've been wondering about this for a long time now,
    and so I have to ask you:
    Are cherry pies really enough?

Coop:   Only if you get three pieces. With coffee.


Laura Palmer walks in.


Laura Palmer:   Hi everybody, I'm back!

All:    Where have you been?

Laura Palmer:   I had the strangest dream, I dreamed I died. And
    you were there, and you, and you, and you! But, everything's
    fine now, so I'll be back in school on Monday.

Everybody smiles and nods approval.

Roll credits, background sun setting over Twin Peaks. An owl
is seen flying out of town, it passes the camera view on its
way out.

==============================================================================
[End of file]       Compiled by Jim Pellmann (jgp@rational.com)        8/27/92