Edward Copeland's Tangents: Twin Peaks Tuesdays: Episode 14

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Twin Peaks Tuesdays: Episode 14

By Edward Copeland
The owl is out of the bag, so to speak. We know who killed Laura Palmer, though it can't be clear yet if the killer knows he murdered Laura, or should I say the killer's human host. Yes, we know where BOB dwells — and he has used his human vessel to strike again in one of Twin Peaks' most chilling episodes that includes perhaps the most disturbing sequence of violence ever to appear on network television.

The episode, written by Mark Frost and directed by David Lynch, who also appears again as FBI Agent Gordon Cole, may be a landmark for a series that already is a landmark. So, let's get through the other plot developments as quickly as possible before we turn to the revelation of the killer.

We begin at the sheriff's station, where all the authorities, including Cole, are standing in a line drinking coffee around MIKE. Cole announces his departure and urges Cooper, Truman and the gang to take good care of MIKE, whom they plan to take over to the Great Northern to see if he can get a reading on BOB. At the hotel, apparently the fleet has come in as throngs of people in sailor getups populate the lobby, all seemingly bouncing small balls. One by one, they bring guests to MIKE, who shakes his head in the negative (he even gives a no when Tojamura is brought by). Then, we see Ben Horne storming down the hotel's halls in a rage and once he comes close to MIKE, the one-armed man collapses to the floor in convulsions.

Meanwhile, Hawk arrives at Harold Smith's house to question him about Laura's diary only to find the place a wreck and Harold hanging from a noose in his greenhouse. Pinned to Harold's shirt, written in French, is a note than translates to "I am a lonely soul." Hawk does find the diary, though it is in shambles. At the Palmer house, Louis Armstrong sings, "What a Wonderful World" as Maddie informs her aunt and uncle of her plans to drive back home the next day. Sarah seems upset, but Leland tries to calm both women, saying they'll miss Maddie, but they understand completely. Things are getting tense in the Johnson household as finances are putting the pinch on Bobby and Shelly and Leo certainly is no help. Bobby isn't much of one either, saying he can't keep saying that he's staying at Mike's every night and should probably return to classes at some point. Leo is starting to speak again: He keeps squeaking out the words, "New shoes," a playful throwback to his first season line that "Leo needs a new pair of shoes" when he confronted Bobby in the woods. Shelly remembers taking a pair of his boots in to be repaired, so Bobby wonders if there is a secret within.

Secrets are out in the open in Ben Horne's office as Audrey confronts him with her knowledge of his ownership of One Eyed Jack's. Ben says he's owned it for five years and that he knew Laura worked there briefly, but it was Emory Battis' idea, not his. Audrey asks her father point-blank if he slept with Laura and he admits that he did. "Did you kill her?" Audrey asks. All Ben replies is that he loved Laura as he gazes at her photo on his desk. Despite the financial pinch she's in, Shelly gives her notice to Norma at the Double R. The two get teary-eyed until they are stunned by the arrival of Ed and Nadine. Nadine wants to know how long Norma has worked there and when she replies 20 years, Nadine is understandably confused. Ed quickly corrects her that it's only been six weeks and Norma and Shelly take the hint to play along. Nadine hopes that Norma isn't jealous that she's with Ed now and orders a chocolate shake but her excitement and strength shatters the glass into a million pieces. Norma apologizes, saying there must have been a crack in the glass but Ed says not to bet on it.

Bobby brings Mike (Gary Hershberger) over to check out Leo and to investigate the old shoes. Mike tells Bobby to get a hammer and he breaks open the heels of the boots, discovering a microcassette tape. At the sheriff's station, Cooper is busy trying to reassemble Laura's diary and discovers multiple references to BOB, whom she calls "a friend of her father." She also says that some day she will tell the world the truth about Ben Horne and at the moment Audrey comes in and tells Dale what she learned from her father. Cooper has heard enough and tells Truman to issue an arrest warrant for Ben. In Ben's office, Horne tells Tojamura that their deal is a go, but the meeting is interrupted by his arrest. Horne is defiant and tries to flee, but he's not match and gets carted off. Now though is when things start to get creepy.

At the Palmer house, the needle has slid off the phonograph and keeps skipping as an obviously out-of-it Sarah is seen crawling down the stairs to the living room. As Ben is brought in to the sheriff's station, Dale senses a presence and turns to see the Log Lady (Catherine E. Coulson). She tells Cooper that she doesn't know what is going on, but the owls are gathering at the roadhouse. "Something is happening, isn't it Margaret?" Cooper says. Margaret replies, "Yes." As Pete is fixing a late-night snack in the dark. he is startled by a figure that turns out to be Tojamura, who plants a kiss on him. Pete warns the man, until Tojamura removes his glasses and says in a familiar voice, "It's me." Catherine (Piper Laurie) is back. Pete tells her she looks awful and laughs before hugging her and breaking down into tears.

The brief comic relief over with, the creeps return as Sarah raises her head long enough to see a vision of a white horse in her living room. Could this be Troy, the horse Ben gave Laura as a child that she mentioned in her diary? Leland doesn't seem to notice his wife's condition as he straightens his tie while looking in a mirror. Cooper, Truman and the Log Lady arrive at the roadhouse where Julee Cruse is performing "Rocking Back Inside My Heart." Donna and James are there as well and Bobby and the decrepit old waiter from the Great Northern can be seen at the bar. Soon, Cruse performs her next song, "The World Spins," and suddenly she fades away and Cooper sees the Giant who intones, "It is happening again." Back at the Palmer house, Leland continues to look in the mirror, only this time it's BOB who is looking back at him. He hears Maddie's voice saying something and Leland turns and pulls white gloves out of his pocket. Maddie appears and asks what smells like it's burning and spots her Aunt Sarah. She then sees BOB where Leland is and screams. What follows is a truly horrifying sequence as BOB/Leland viciously punches Maddie before dragging her to dance while crying, "Laura."

Finally, he says, "Leland says you're going back to Missoula MONTANA!" before crashing Maddie's head into a picture on the wall. Maddie appears to be dead and Leland places a letter under her fingernail.

At the roadhouse, the Giant disappears and Cruse returns to her song. The waiter hobbles over to Cooper and says, "I'm so sorry." Bobby also looks upset and Donna has burst into hysterical crying. James, as is to be expected, is clueless. Cooper just stares ahead, wondering what has transpired.