Twin Peaks: The Return - Episode 4 "...Brings Back Some Memories"

Slead Score: A

I think we've made it, folks. I think we're back in Twin Peaks.

Now four episodes into Twin Peaks: The Return, that added "Return" in the show's title is starting to feel more and more fitting. While the first three parts of the 18-hour saga took their time to ease viewers back into a TV show handled by David Lynch, with more time in the Black Lodge than ever before, part four has that aroma of fresh coffee and donuts a majority of fans were worried would never return. Humor abounds here, as does the unmistakable melodrama the interpersonal relationships always featured in the original series. 

With good Cooper released back into reality through Dougie Jones, one of his two doppelgangers, the special agent is still playing the silent game, moving from jackpot to jackpot in a Vegas casino. In the end, 30 jackpots are won, giving Coop thousands of dollars to walk home with, of course, if he can make it home. An interesting exchange happens at the top of the episode, where the casino's owner sits Coop down to give him his winnings, but repeatedly asks him to stick around and ultimately use those winnings to gamble more. This makes sense as the casino has lost so much to one man, but his incessant desire to make Cooper do what he wants starts to feel like meta-commentary on Lynch and Frost's return to the series. Here's a ton of money and acclaim, now go make the show, but don't do it differently. Give us back what we want. As a silent Cooper sits there and stares, it's like watching Lynch try to express his creativity can't be replicated by choice, it just has to happen. Thankfully, we've gotten that in spades with the bugnuts premiere episodes, and now, for those people who just want what came before, it looks like this episode is delivering.

Despite only being able to repeat a few phrases Cooper picks up, he gets a limo ride back to his—well, Dougie's house. The flashy red door on the house marks his final stop after chasing phantom red curtain sightings, but the presence of Dougie's wife (played wonderfully by Naomi Watts) throws more secrets at the screen, as she has a meltdown over Dougie's three-day disappearance. The sight of his winnings, though, give her a sigh of relief and she gives Coop a well-earned piece of his son's birthday cake. Cut to the next morning, where Coop remembers how to urinate and eat pancakes, and the final step in his transformation seems complete once he takes a sip of hot coffee. The story immediately cuts away after Coop takes a sip as if to signal that this was the final step in his return to being special agent Dale Cooper. This not only acts as a fun inside joke for fans who dressed up in their suits and drank coffee for the premiere, but it feels like a literal release of air; a reminder that Twin Peaks was adorable in its own way. So maybe this will be the knock in the taste buds that Cooper needed.

Along with this lighthearted return, the delicately absurd (and wonderful) drama also rears its head through a surprising return character: Bobby. Looking hunky as ever, Bobby is now a police officer in Twin Peaks, which is a nice feeling knowing he made something of himself after getting out of that fake bad boy high schooler phase. While Hawk, the other Sheriff Truman, Andy, Lucy, and new guy Chad discuss what the Log Lady told Hawk, we get an interesting back-and-forth here. This may be a complete stretch, much like the casino winnings scene, but with so much of the original show's vibe returning, it's hard to overlook this as a deliberate choice. The presence of so many original characters tied to the town talking about another beloved person, the Log Lady, it's interesting to have this hot shot Chad there to scoff and make fun of her. They all grow quiet, shooting him looks of "you just don't get it, kid," and he just continues to scoff and giggle. In its own meta way, this moment feels deliberately like a Twin Peaks naysayer poking fun at the absurdity that the show can get to. How often do people who've never seen the show berate it for "overacting" or being "too weird"? Brilliantly, this is accented even more when Bobby enters the room and sees the iconic prom queen photo of Laura Palmer on the desk. The score swells, Bobby's eyes fill with tears, and no one interrupts his minute long breakdown. Nothing more than this moment feels like what used to pulse through every original episode of the series, and it happens right after Chad is kicked out of the room. It may be nothing, but it felt like a hug.

Of course, the mystery and terror are still alive and well, as Albert and FBI director Lynch reunite with evil Cooper, who they unfortunately think is real Cooper. The brilliant sound design is on display here when evil Cooper pretends with all of his might to be the lovable man they used to know. His voice has a dark and inhuman tenor to it, almost like a demon is speaking to them. Both men being savvy and great at their job don't fully trust this Cooper, and we're given a dilemma that they don't exactly know how to navigate. Not yet at least.