Twin Peaks: The Return - Episode 3 "Call for Help."

Slead Score: B+

As we continue falling (literally) into the return of Twin Peaks, the idea that a complete story set in the iconic Washington town will ever come to be seems to fly further and further away. For those hoping Lynch and Frost were just teasing audiences into a triumphant return to witty Cooper winking between bites of donuts and sips of coffee, this third step into the season might feel disheartening. However, remember hope is not lost, as this dark void of a setting is closer to the spiritual side of Twin Peaks than we've ever been before. 

The Black Lodge, with its red curtain and zig-zag floor pattern, is a recognizable but strangely unsettling locale in the series, and just when we were getting used to the idea of it again, we're thrown along a ride with Cooper as he falls even further into darkness, accompanied by a woman that can't see or communicate clearly. An endless starry abyss greets Cooper and the mysterious woman, as she constantly reminds him to stay quiet to avoid some unseen force, and it's hard not to wonder what the hell is happening amongst all of this artistic cacophony. What's important to note here is that much like the premiere episodes last week, our journey to Twin Peaks is going to be one that must make up for 25 years of Cooper missing from the physical world. The answer to who or what killed Laura Palmer has always been a two-sided coin, with a physical and spiritual aspect giving equal weight to her demise. So, as Cooper stumbles through galactic mud and watches as giant heads fly by, what we're really seeing is even further behind the red curtain. Twin Peaks has always been about more than the town itself, and much like we will have to endure, Cooper has a long way to travel before red curtains feel like a thing of the past. 

Thankfully, that happens in this episode. Evil Cooper is headed down a winding road, with the realization that his time is up masquerading as the trusty Dale Cooper, and a ticking clock is not only placed in front of Good Cooper by Ronette Pulansky (or just an "American girl" according to the credits) on the spiritual end, but through the clock on Evil Coop's car. Billowing red curtains begin to manifest in his face, causing him to swerve his car off the road, flip, and ultimately land dazed. Meanwhile, in a suburban neighborhood, another version of Cooper, this one known as Dougie, finishes his session with an escort, only to feel a numbness in his arm. As he stumbles to the living room, he vomits, as does Evil Cooper when we cut back to him, showing a spiritual faucet has been turned on for the physical Coopers. Dougie disappears to the Black Lodge, and in his place lands the real Dale Cooper, free from the endless abyss, but without shoes. Evil Cooper remains motionless in his car accident, but it seems his plan to stay out of the Black Lodge has worked, giving a hint that perhaps he created this Dougie persona to take his place once the 25-year stint was up and good Cooper was released. 

Lynch does some interesting things with the final moments of the episode, as Cooper doesn't show any signs of full functionality. He looks focused but unaware of where he is as if being controlled by a remote control. He gets dropped off at a casino where his only guiding light is looking for more visions of the billowing red curtains above slot machines. Each machine he tries with the curtain above it grants him a jackpot, and his winning streak never seems to let up, which could be a signal to the audience that Cooper is indeed slowly returning to the real world mentally, but will have some interesting powers on top of it all. Visions, such as the ones both Sarah and her niece experienced previously in the series, have played a powerful role and it would make complete sense to see Cooper harnessing more of that now that he's spent a great deal of his life behind the curtains.

We then cut to Agent Albert Rosenfield and FBI Director Cole (played by David Lynch) as they get word that Cooper has mysteriously returned to the face of the earth. If anything, these final moments feel like the most direct return to the quirk of the original Twin Peaks seasons, as Lynch plays Cole like a jovial goof that can't ever hear anyone correctly, despite supposedly being a director of the FBI where nothing should get past him. Cooper is, indeed, back and ready to return to his full form as a member of the FBI. Nothing more is explicitly stated about his condition, or even what the significance of the money from the casino winnings will do for him, but it should act as a strong reminder that things are slowly getting back to normal, well, as normal as anything David Lynch ever makes.

 

Evan Slead

Staff Writer

Evan is a Film & Media Studies major in Boston and the host of PodSlash podcast. He loves writing novels and screenplays, and also all things Real Housewives. Don't hate.