TWIN PEAKS - #1 SECRET BOYFRIEND (1990)

The Score: 9 out of 10

The feature length pilot took America by storm with 33% of all TV viewers finding a warm welcome to the strangest town in the Pacific Northwest on Easter Sunday April 08, 1990. Millions of viewers nationwide grew excited for the next episode scheduled to air that upcoming Thursday. A buzz developed as people talked about the pilot episode with everyone they knew. Co-workers discussed the show at the water cooler, shoppers talked of it in line at stores, patrons chit chatted about their favorite bizarre character over drinks at bars, and women at the salon speculated about who they thought killed Laura Palmer. Twin Peaks (1990-91) was not just a hit TV program, but a shared cultural experience.

Agent Cooper Meets Audrey

NOTHING'S A SURE THING

Season One, Episode One Opens with a Continuous Shot Revealing Agent Cooper's Room. David Lynch Has Often Remarked that the Best Films Give the Viewer a Sense of Place. Although Duwayne Dunham Directs this Episode, Lynch's Influence is Strongly Felt in this First-Time Director's Debut

David Lynch and Mark Frost wrote the script for this episode. Wanting to carry the momentum of their pilot in a controlled and measured pace, they touched on and advanced all the characters' stories within the constraints of an hour-long television episode. As writing partners, Frost explained that he tended to write the dialogue of more straight-laced characters, like Ben Horne, while Lynch would write for the more eccentric characters, including Agent Cooper. David Lynch also discussed this point when he said, "[Cooper] says a lot of the things I say," and "in a way, Agent Dale Cooper–and Kyle would admit it–takes some things from me. You know, [I] may be a bit of an influence."

While Agent Cooper Talks to Diane by Audio Recording, the Camera Moves Across Cooper's Room, Where We Encounter a Visual Motif of Birds Begin. This Motif Will Play a Subtle but Significant Part in the Developing Series Mythology

Trees, Wood Carvings, and Birds Would All Contribute to the Feel of Twin Peaks. In Moments Like these, the Scene Becomes Almost Tangible

Agent Cooper's Room at The Great Northern Hotel is Filled with All Sorts of Rustic Decor to Represent Northwest American to Guests Visiting the Area

We Discover that as Agent Cooper has been Upside Down Throughout this Scene of Him Narrating into his Voice Recorder a Message to Diane as He Conveys Important Tidbits About His Investigation So Far and What He Has Scheduled that Day

"Diane, it struck me again earlier this morning, there are two things that continue to trouble me. And I'm speaking now not only as an agent of the Bureau but also as a human being."

"What really went on between Marilyn Monroe and the Kennedys?"

"And who really pulled the trigger on JFK?"

After Reinforcing their Central Theme of Marilyn Monroe and the Kennedys in Twin Peaks, Mark Frost and David Lynch Introduce Cooper's Obsession with Finding a Good Cup of Coffee

Since Agent Cooper Will Often Work Late Nights, Coffee Figures Conspicuously in his Routine:
"Wait a minute. Wait a minute."

"You know, this is—excuse me—a damn fine cup of coffee. I've had I can't
 tell you how many cups of coffee in my life and this, this is one of the best."

Agent Cooper is Remarkably Affable, Free, and Open While Talking to Strangers, a Trait Many
Find Quirky But Which Immediately Endears Coop with the Townspeople

Audrey Horne is Interested in Laura Palmer's Murder Case, But Perhaps Not as Much
as She  is Interested in Agent Cooper. Audrey's Insights into Laura's Character
and Behavior Will Prove Invaluable Cooper Throughout the Investigation

As Audrey Horne Approaches Agent Cooper, We Can Tell She is Attracted to the Handsome Young G-Man

And While Agent Cooper Finishes Ordering Breakfast, His Attention Becomes
Fixated on the Beautiful Young Woman Approaching Him

Duwayne Dunham's Direction for this Scene is Truly Superb as Sherilyn Fenn and Kyle MacLachlan's
Characters Spark with Undeniable Chemistry as They Meet for the First Time

These Two Actors Share an Onscreen Chemistry to Rival Any Film Couple

Mark Frost and David Lynch's Script for the Episode Combined with Duwayne Dunham's Direction
Creates a Feeling Reminiscent to Films Made in the 30's, 40's, and 50's

Their Dialogue and Body Language Never Cross Boundaries of Decency, Yet Every Word and Gesture
Oozes with an Innocent Form of Eroticism that is Palpable Between the Characters

Audrey Recounts that Although Laura and She Were Not Really Friends, Audrey Loved Laura for
Visiting and Tutoring Her Emotionally Disturbed Brother Johnny Three Times Each Week

Audrey Inserts Flirtatious Asides to Cooper While She Explains Laura's Personality

Although Audrey was Already Interested in Laura's Murder Case Before this Meeting,
Cooper's Charm Piques Her Interest and She Becomes Increasingly Involved

This is the only episode of Twin Peaks with a writing credit for David Lynch but was filmed by a separate director. Lynch likely would have directed this episode had he not been preoccupied with finishing production on Wild at Heart (1990). After Lynch finished filming the Twin Peaks pilot episode 0, he wrote and directed Wild at Heart before returning to the series to film his next episode. While Lynch had been filming Wild at Heart, Mark Frost and company finished building replica sets in Los Angeles to double for the Twin Peaks locations originally shot in the State of Washington for the pilot. For budgetary and scheduling reasons, episode 1 of season 1 would need to be filmed before Lynch's return.

Having Made Minor Changes for the L.A.-Based Sheriff Station Set, the Director Maintains Continuity by Including this Shot of an Unspoken of Renovation Taking Place

Agent Cooper Enters the Station to Discover the Donuts Just Arrived

Everyone's Mouth is Full and are Unable to Speak to Cooper

Agent Cooper Fires Off a Series of Orders on his Way to the Bathroom, Having Drunk Too Much Coffee

One of the Things that Separates Twin Peaks from Other TV Shows is the Willingness of the Writers, Directors, and Actors to Have Fun and Do Things that are Unexpected for Such a Serious Drama

Few TV Programs Can Contrast those Light Comedic Moments with Somber Dramatic Scenes Revealing Autopsy Details on a Brutal Murder, But Twin Peaks Crosses Over Between those Two Worlds Regularly with Remarkable Precision 

Doc Hayward Reveals He Could Not Bring Himself to Perform Laura's Postmortem, So He Assisted While Another Doctor from Out of Town Did it Instead

Actor Michael Ontkean is Often Overlooked Because the Character of Sheriff Harry S. Truman is Very Straight-Laced Compared to the Other Denizens of Twin Peaks

But Ontkean's Composure and Steadiness as Truman Perfectly Complements MacLachlan's Quirky and Introspective Cooper

Doc Hayward Completes His Debrief on the Autopsy Results, Revealing Several Important Facts About Laura's Murder

Meanwhile, the Rest of the Townspeople Go About their Daily Routines Once More

Shelly Sweetly Says Goodbye to Leo Before Going to Work at the Double "R" Diner

But Leo Inquires About Whether or Not Shelly Finished the Laundry

Pleased with Her Housework, Shelly Affirms She Finished It

Leo Grabs a Bag Full of Dirty Clothes Out of His Truck and Hnads it to Shelly, Ordering Her to Wash it Right Now, Even if it Makes Her Late for Work

Shelly Complies, Not Wanting to Fight

Leo and Shelly Johnson Live in a House that is Perpetually Still Under Construction, so this the Laundry Room

As Shelly Pours Out Leo's Clothes into the Washing Machine

She Discovers Something Strange on One of Leo's Shirts

Shelly is Surprised to Discover Blood All Over His Shirt

Shelly Freezes for a Few Moments While She Tries to Process this Information

Shelly Wonders if this Could Be Laura Palmer's Blood

Shelly Realizes that this Looks Very Bad for Leo

Shelly is Afraid that Leo Will Try to Destroy the Evidence if She Asks Him About It

So She Hides His Shirt Away in a Drawer, Hoping Leo Will Not Find It

Leo Comes Back to Ask Shelly to Bring Him Back a Slice of Cherry Pie from Work

Leo Johnson's Attempts at Tenderness are More Disturbing than His Outbursts

Shelly is Disturbed by the Thought of Her Husband Possibly Having Killed Laura and Walks Away Despondent, Afraid for Her Own Life if Leo Finds Out She Knows About the Bloodied Shirt

Meanwhile Agent Cooper Continues his Cat and Mouse Game with the Teenagers Involved with His Investigation

James Hurley was Left Over Night in a Holding Cell Adjacent to a Cell Holding His New Arch Rivals, Mike and Bobby

Agent Cooper Employs a Similar Test on James Like He Ran on Donna and Bobby the Day Before

Cooper Plays Laura's Tape for James

Cooper Analyzes James's Reaction for Clues

And Asks Pointed Questions About James's Involvement with Laura

James Comes Clean About Many Things, But He Still Holds Back Many Details

Cooper Asks James About the Heart Pendant

James Will Not Come Clean About Owning the Other Half of the Heart Pendant

Cooper Reads from Laura's Diary to Increase Pressure on James

Twin Peaks Does Not Employ Many Flashbacks, But this is One of the Rare Instances as James Recalls Giving Laura the Heart Pendant Necklace

As James Remembers Laura Breaking the Pendant in Half While Confessing Her Love for Him

James Has a Hard Time Remaining Composed as He Denies Knowing Who Has the Other Half of the Necklace. James Trusts Donna Hayward's Advice to Keep that Secret to Avoid Implicating Himself in the Murder

According to episode director Duwayne Dunham's commentary track on the Twin Peaks Season 1 Artisan DVD release, David Lynch was pleased with Dunham's work as editor on his previous film Blue Velvet (1986) and again later on the feature-length Twin Peaks pilot episode Laura Palmer filmed in 1989. So Lynch tried to procure Dunham's services again as editor on his next feature film Wild at Heart (1990). Dunham had just lined up another editing job on another film and was reticent to bail on one editing job for another. So Lynch asked what he could offer to change Dunham's mind. Dunham explained he would feel comfortable leaving the others for a directing job, so Lynch offered him the chance to direct the first hour-long episode of Twin Peaks in exchange for editing Wild at Heart.

Leo Johnson Tears His Truck Apart Looking for His Bloodied Shirt

And Grows Increasingly Angry When He Cannot Find it Anywhere

Suddenly Leo Realizes He Probably Put it in His Dirty Clothes Sack

Leo Runs to the Washing Machine Where He Finds No Sign of the Shirt. Leo is Extremely Angry with Shelly, Suspecting She has Taken the Shirt to Use Against Him Later

Meanwhile, Bobby and Mike Discuss their Predicament and Get their Cover Stories Straight While James is Being Questioned and They Have Some Time Alone in their Cell

We Discover Bobby and Mike Have Been Involved in a Drug Deal with Leo Johnson and Mike is Upset that Leo Called Him at his Home. Mike Does Not Want his Parents to Grow Suspicious

Mike is Angry When He Learns that Bobby Left their Drug Money with Laura Palmer in Her Safety Deposit Box, Where They Can No Longer Access It. Mike is Afraid of What Leo Will do to Them if They Cannot Deliver the Money

Concerned by Mike's Agitated and Fearful State, Bobby Aggressively Puts Mike Back into Line and Assures Him that They Will Be Fine as Long as They Play it Cool and Never Mention Leo Johnson to Anyone Else

Bobby and Mike's Argument is Interrupted When James is Returned to the Holding Cell

Hearkening Back to the Monkey Howling Incident from the Night Before

Bobby Attempts to Psych Out His Enemy

Donna Hayward is Given a Short Reprieve Before Needing to Report to the Sheriff's Station Again for a New Round of Questioning After Her Activities from the Night Before

Donna's Mother, Eileen Hayward, Expresses Concern for Donna Crying Out in Her Sleep

Under a Promise of Secrecy, Donna Reveals James' Relationship with Laura

And How James and Her Fell in Love with Each Other All Along, Making Her Feel Like She is Betraying Laura by Loving James Hurley

Donna Hayward then Reveals the Central Stylistic Theme of Twin Peaks When She Reveals to Her Mother: "It's like I'm having the most beautiful dream and the most terrible nightmare all at once."

As Sheriff Truman Tries to Process What Discoveries Cooper Has Made from Talking to James

They Run into James's Uncle, Ed Hurley. James Will Not Be Charged with a Crime and Ed Can Take James Home

Stilgar and Mua'Dib are Reunited from Dune (1984)

Lucy Moran Tells Cooper He Has a Long Distance Phone Call from Special Agent Albert Rosenfield

Soon These Three Men Will Work Together Frequently as the Investigation Progresses

Lucy Adds that the Long Distance Phone Noise Makes the Sound of Wind Blowing Trees, One of the Mood Establishing Phrases Coined by David Lynch When He Sold ABC Network Executives on Twin Peaks

We Discover that Ed Hurley is Secretly Working with Harry Undercover, Even Though Ed is Just a Civilian

Agent Cooper Informs Agent Rosenfield of the Schedule of Laura Palmer's Funeral, Giving Them Only a Narrow Window of  Opportunity to Perform Forensic Tests

Ed Hurley Said that He was Already Woozy When Bobby Hit Him Over the Head with a Monkey Wrench. Ed Hurley was Staking Out the Bartender, Jacques Renault

Agent Cooper Adds a Suggestion for a Place to Stop and Eat on His Way to Town that Serves a Cherry Pie that Kills

This Shot of a Model Train Running through a Classic Rockwell-esque Model of Town Helps Reinforce the Quaint, Small-Town American Vibe that the Show Aims to Deliver

Norma Jennings Makes a Food Delivery to the General Store

She Awkwardly Runs into the Wife of Her Boyfriend Ed Hurley, Literally

Not Wanting to Appear Rude or Suspicious, Norma Tries to Make Small Talk with Nadine

Nadine Reveals Her Master Plan to Create the World's First Silent Drape Runner

As Nadine Continues to Explain the Thought Process Leading to Her Invention, Norma Tries to Humor Her But is Concerned by How Emotionally Disturbed Nadine is Coming Across

At 4 AM, While Waiting for Ed to Come Out of Intensive Care for His Head Injury, the Solution to Her Silent Drape Running Problem Became Clear: Cotton Balls

Norma Understands Better How Unhinged Nadine is Becoming and Cannot Help But Feel a Little Guilty and Sympathize for Her Deteriorating Mental State

James Hurley Gets His Leather Jacket to Help Him Complete His Archetypal Rebel-Without-a-Cause "James Dean" Look

Ed Hurley Makes a Hand Gesture to Deputy Hawk

And Deputy Hawk Returns the Gesture Back to Ed. There is Something More to this We Will Uncover in Next Week's Episode, Which is Co-Written and Directed by David Lynch

James Hurley's Mom is Not Back in Town Yet, So Uncle Ed is the Closest Thing James has to a Reliable Parent

Not Expecting Any Cooperation from Mike and Bobby, Agent Cooper Lets Them Go

But Leaves Them with a Warning that if Anything Should Happen to James, Cooper and Truman Would Arrest Them

What Has Gone Unspoken Until Now is Revealed in the Open as Sheriff Truman Jokes that He Should Take Up Medicine: "Because I'm starting to feel like Dr. Watson."

Since Duwayne Dunham would be completely preoccupied with his editing responsibilities on Wild at Heart as soon as David Lynch finished filming it, the best episode for Dunham to direct would be the first regular episode of the first season. David Lynch would not be returning to L.A. until filming was to begin on Twin Peaks episode 2, so Dunham had a convenient window to focus his attentions briefly on directing an episode before turning his full attention to editing Wild at Heart.

Pete Martell Likes to Fish Everyday. Here He Prepares Them for Cooking by Gutting Them

As He Carries on a Cheerful Attitude, Doing What He Loves

Josie Packard Wakes Up and Greets Pete

Pete is a Sweet Guy and He Obviously Likes Josie

Josie Thanks Pete for Standing Up with Her Against His Wife Catherine to Close Down the Sawmill Yesterday Morning in Memory Laura Palmer's Murder and Because Janek Pulaski's Daughter Ronette Went Missing

Pete Affirms the Decision was the Right One to Make

The Buzzer at the Door Goes Off and the Security Communication Device Reveals the Voices of Agent Cooper and Sheriff Truman Wanting to Talk to Them

Josie Goes into Another Room to Make a Fresh Pot of Coffee

When Pete Asks Agent Cooper How He Wants His Coffee, Cooper Responds: "As black as midnight on a moonless night."

Agent Cooper Observes the Body Language Between Sheriff Truman and Josie Packard, Discovering the Two Respectable Town Citizens are Carrying on a Secret Affair

Agent Cooper Inquires About Josie's Relationship to Laura Palmer

Josie Explains Laura Palmer Helped Regularly Tutor Josie in English and that Laura Last Tutored Her the Afternoon Before She was Murdered. Laura Told Josie that She Now Understood How Josie Felt About Her Husband Andrew Packard's Death Last Year. After Discovering Laura Had Been Murdered, Josie this Phrase Began Replaying Over and Over Again in Her Head Like a Haunting Melody

Cooper and Truman are Surprised by this Development, Wondering if Laura Might Have Known She was About to be Killed. The Two Lawmen Then Begin Drinking Their Coffees

A Phone Call from Catherine Martell Pulls Josie Out of the Room When Pete Martell Runs Back into the Room, Flustered

Pete Martell Yells at Cooper and Truman to Stop Drinking the Coffee

A Fish Took a Liking to the Coffee Percolator and was Stuck in the Coffee Filter

Cooper and Truman Begin Feeling Sick as They Realize What that Weird Taste in the Coffee was a Dead Fish

Cooper and Truman Try to Play it Cool as Pete Takes the Contaminated Coffee of their Hands

Cooper and Truman Need a Moment to Regroup

Josie Receive a Lecture About How Much it Cost the Company to Shut Down the Sawmill Yesterday

Catherine Tries to Fool Josie into Thinking She's at the Sawmill, But Really Catherine is Sitting in a Local Motel Room

Catherine Challenges Josie's Limited Understanding of English When She Calls Josie's Mill Closing "Shenanigans"

We Discover Catherine Martell is Occupied with More Lurid Matters

As She Carries on a Secret Affair with Josie's Prominent Business Competitor in Town

Ben Horne

Ben Horne's Ruthless Desire to Cheaply Buy Up the Packard Sawmill Makes for a Strange Bedfellow

But Catherine Martell is Unhappy that the Length of their Rendezvouses is Getting Shorter and Shorter

And Catherine Convinces Ben to Stay a Little While Longer

This Type of Overt Sexuality from an Older Woman Character was Rare for Television When Twin Peaks First Aired and is Still Infrequent in TV Programming Today

The Narrative Structure of this Episode is Impressive, Much Like the Pilot Before It. But with Only Half the Airtime, this Episode Still Manages to Leave No Stone Unturned in the Town of Twin Peaks

Donna Hayward Visits Laura's Parents to Comfort Them and Grieve for Laura's Passing at their Side

Donna Hayward Sits with a Grief Stricken Sarah Palmer and Offers What Comfort She Can

Sarah Has Difficulty Speaking at First

But Tearfully Explains How Much She Misses Laura

And Donna Responds the Same

And Reaches Down and Holds Sarah's Hand

As They Make Physical Contact, Sarah Becomes Simultaneously Frightened and Filled with Joy

As She Sees Donna Transform into Laura in Her Eyes

Briefly Believing Donna to be Laura, Sarah Reaches Out and Strongly Embraces a Confused Donna

But While Sarah is Embracing this Proxy for Laura, She Sees a Vision of a Man Hiding Behind Laura's Upstairs Bed

Sarah Panics at this Disturbing Vision

Seeing Him Clearly Now, Feeling Fear as if He Were Actually Present in the House with Sarah and Donna

Sarah Begins Shrieking and Screaming

Donna Becomes Troubled, Wondering if Sarah is Suffering a Nervous Breakdown from the Loss of Her Daughter Laura

Hearing the Screams, Leland Runs into the Room to Comfort Sarah, Who Continues to Scream Intermittently

We then Go from Sarah's Disturbing Vision to Twin Peaks' Calhoun Memorial Hospital

Deputy Hawk Questions Ronette Pulaski's Parents as they Wait Outside their Comatose Daughter's Hospital Room

Deputy Hawk Collects Information About Ronette's Life, Including Her Parttime Job at Horne's Department Store

Janek Pulaski Explains that Ronette Worked as a Salesgirl at the Perfume Counter, Explaining that Ronette Liked to Joke: "It's the sweetest smelling job I ever had."

Suddenly the One-Armed Makes Another Brief Appearance in the Hospital, as He did Yesterday in the Pilot Episode

The One-Armed Man Catches Deputy Hawk's Attention

Hawk's Instincts Kick in as He Watches the One-Armed Man Notice the Deputy

Before Deciding to Walk in Another Direction

Concerned that the Killer May Have Returned to Finish Off Ronette, Hawk Springs into Action and Investigates

Deputy Hawk Will Prove to be an Intelligent and Cunning Lawman

But Without More Information to Work on, Hawk's Options are Limited

Deputy Hawk Takes a Look to See Where the One-Armed Man is Heading

Follows Him into this Room to Determine Where the Man is Going

But Decides to Return Back to Ronette's Room to Help Protect Her in Case this is Just a Ruse to Get Him Out of the Room

Because Duwayne Dunham edited the Twin Peaks pilot, by necessity he had seen all the footage of the actors' performances more than anyone else. This placed Dunham in a unique position to help all the actors remember the important details of their past performance in the pilot, which they had finished filming several months ago. The actors were a little rusty, but found it helpful to have a walking Twin Peaks pilot encyclopedia on the set to help them remember everything that happened to their characters.

As Mentioned in Our Analysis of the Pilot, Audrey Likes to Cause Trouble for Her Father

Here She Sways Back and Forth and Does a Sultry Little Dance in Her Room Alone

Her Father Ben Horne is Upset that Audrey is Playing Her Music Too Loud for the Hotel Guests

Ben Turns Off the Music and Lectures Audrey About Not Doing It

Before Ben Leaves, He Remembers Some Questions He Had Been Meaning to Ask Audrey About the Norwegian Investors Who Left Town Yesterday

The Concierge Who Audrey Had Annoyed by Spilling Her Coffee Over the Table Informed Ben About Audrey Talking to the Norwegians Before they Suddenly Left

Many People Question Audrey's Integrity, But When Confronted with a Direct Question About What She Told Them, Audrey Confesses to Her Father Exactly What She Did and Said to the Norwegians, Informing Them of Laura's Brutal Murder

In a Surprisingly Intense, Borderline Violent Moment, Ben Twists Audrey to Face Him and Yells that Her Stunt Cost this Family Millions of Dollars and that if She Does Not Shape Up Her Act He Will Send Her to a Bulgarian Convent

Audrey Plays it Cool and Reacts Nonplussed, Sarcastically Responding, "Oh, daddy, I'm sooo scared."

But Once Her Expression was No Longer Visible to Her Father, We Can See Genuine Terror in Audrey's Eyes. Audrey is Shocked by Her Father's Outburst and is Afraid for her Safety

Audrey's Father Ben Leaves with One Last Dig, Saying, "We lost Laura yesterday. But I lost you years ago."

On this Announcement that Ben Consider Audrey Virtually Dead to Him, We See a Glimpse of the Neglected Girl that Audrey Hides Under Her Normal Public Bravura

Juxtaposing the Intense Interchange Between Father and Daughter, We Move an Equally Charged Interchange Between Father and Son After the Major Says Grace for Family Dinner at the Briggs Household

Major Briggs Patiently Explains that He Respects His Son Bobby's Rebellious Nature and Considers it a Sign of Strength and Independence

Major Briggs Continues that He Understands Bobby's Reluctance to Enter into a Dialogue

But that Major Briggs has a Responsibility to the Family and Society to Keep Bobby's Fire of Contrariness within Certain Bounds of Propriety

Betty Briggs Watches on Supportively as Her Husband Attempts to Bridge the Gap with their Son Bobby

As Major Briggs Continues to Describe Why Bobby is Probably Remaining Silent, Bobby Pulls Out a Cigarette

And is Acting Oblivious to Major Briggs's Attempts to Connect

Major Briggs Grows Perturbed at Bobby's Flippant Response to His Sincere Attempts to Talk

And Slaps the Cigarette Out of Bobby's Mouth

Bobby is Surprised by this Sudden Outburst of Emotion from his Father

As His Cigarette Flies into His Mother's Meatloaf

Betty is a Little Shocked and Watches on with Concern

Major Briggs Explains that He Will Make Bobby's Path in Life Become Very Clear

As Bobby Reels from this Slap to the Face

Major Briggs Makes it Clear that He Will Establish Real Boundaries on Bobby to Prevent Him from Being a Menace to Society and Put an End to Bobby's Immature, Violent Outbreaks in Public

Seeing Her Husband is in Control and Genuinely Trying

Betty Removes the Cigarette from Her Meatloaf

And Tells Bobby in the Sweetest Voice a Mother Can Use: "We're here for you, Bobby."

Bobby Almost Wants to Laugh at this Strange, Yet Oddly Comforting Outpouring of Love

Since the actors would be working nonstop for the next 49 days to complete all seven episodes of the first season, it was important Dunham to help bring all the actors up to speed. Because what had taken place several months ago for the actors had taken place only one day ago for all the characters in the narrative. And although Dunham was useful in bringing the actors up to speed, this was his first time working as a director and his episode was going to air virtually bookended by two episodes directed by David Lynch. It was a given that Dunham's directing would fall somewhat short in comparison.

Meanwhile, at Norma Jennings's Diner

Sheriff Truman Orders a Slice of Cherry Pie for Agent Cooper to Try. Shelly Explains to Cooper that its the Best Pie in the Tri-Counties

Agent Cooper is Incredulous and Playfully Flirts with Shelly: "Nothing's a sure thing."

Agent Cooper is Proving to be a Lady's Man, Sweet Talking and Flirting with All the Beautiful Women in Town

The Log Lady Frequently Eats at Norma's "RR" Diner

Agent Cooper Says Hi to the Log Lady in an Attempt to Reach Out

The Log Lady, Probably Used to People Mocking Her Mostly, Does Not Respond as Coquettishly as Shelly

Norma Jennings Brings Agent Cooper a Slice of Her Cherry Pie Personally to Introduce Herself and Gauge Cooper's Reaction to Tasting the Pie for the First Time

Cooper Inquires About Laura Palmer's Involvement with the Meals on Wheels Program with Norma's Help

And Tries Norma's Cherry Pie While She Explains the Details to Him

Agent Cooper Thanks Norma for the Information and Requests Two More Slices of Cherry Pie. Flattered, Norma Grins as She Leaves to Bring Him his Order

The Log Lady Takes this Opportunity to Open Up a Dialogue with Agent Cooper About His Investigation of Laura Palmer's Murder

The Log Lady Says that Her Log Saw Something that Night that it Wants to Tell Cooper

Cooper Asks What the Log Saw and the Log Lady Tells Coop to Ask the Log Directly. Unsure About What to Do, Truman Playfully Nods for Cooper to Go Ahead and Do It

Not Quite Ready for Talking to a Log in Public, Agent Cooper Hesitates and the Log Lady Leaves the Diner, Apaprently Immune to Cooper's Charms

Meanwhile Leo Johnson Prepares for His Wife Shelly's Return Home from Working at the Diner

Shelly is in a Good Mood and Remembered to Save Leo the Slice of Cherry Pie He Wanted

As Leo Constructs a Makeshift Device that Causes Pain But Leaves Minimal Bruising

Once Leo has Prepared the Crude Weapon, Leo Confronts Shelly About the Disappearance of His Shirt

Shelly is Nervous But Lies and Acts Like She Has Not Seen it in Days

Leo Wants to Leave Shelly with a Message Not to Mess Around with Him

So He Approaches His Frightened Wife

And Leo Johnson Slaps the Recently Established Delicious Slice of Cherry Pie Out of His Wife Shelly's Hand

Shelly Quickly Retreats from Leo, Not Knowing if She Will Be the Next Laura Palmer to be Killed

Leo Roars at Shelly to Take Better Care of and Not Lose His Things

Shelly's Nervously Walks Back into a Corner, Where Sheet of Plastic are Suspiciously Kept

Leo Turns on the Radio and Blasts the Volume of the Music to Cover Up Shelly's Screams

Wondering if this is the End of Her Life, Shelly Falls into a Fetal Position in the Corner of the Incomplete Kitchen

And Leo Swings His Crude Weapon at Shelly

Terrorizing Shelly and Hurting Her Badly in the Process

To editor/director Duwayne Dunham's credit, he manages to mimic David Lynch's style remarkably well in this episode, particularly when you consider he is a first-time director. Although Dunham's direction is not as inspired as Lynch's and occasionally he allows some actors' performances to come across as flat, he does succeed in recapturing the tone of the pilot better than most other directors who worked on the series. Dunham deserves praise for bringing to life Lynch and Frost's powerful script and making it feel like we are returning to the same world of Twin Peaks, in spite of production moving to southern California. Dunham is one of the better directors to work on the series and his work in this episode is exceptional.

James Hurley Visits the Hayward Household for Dinner

He is Receptively Greeted by His New Girlfriend Donna

And is Introduced to Donna's Parents for the First Time

Donna and James are a Bit Nervous, But Genuinely Care for Each Other

And in a Series Filled with Serious Conflicts and Difficulties, this Moment of Levity Between the Two Teenagers in Love is a Sweet Accent to the Bitter Moments Preceding this Scene

Although Donna is Clearly Happy

She Still Has Some Doubts About Entering into this Relationship with James So Quickly After Laura's Murder

Meanwhile Mike and Bobby Prowl the Neighborhood and Notice James Hurley's Motorcycle Outside Donna's House

Mike: "First he goes after your girlfriend, and now mine." Bobby: "Too bad we can only kill him once."

Duwayne Dunham later laughed in the commentary track about how strange it felt to interrupt his editing of Wild at Heart to direct this episode of Twin Peaks, then walk back into the editing suite where Wild at Heart was again waiting for him to edit while beginning editing on the episode of Twin Peaks he had just directed. Within the next two weeks, four rooms of the Todd AO editing suites were devoted to Wild at Heart, Dunham's episode of Twin Peaks, David Lynch's episode, and Tina Rathborne's episode of the series. He felt immersed in the artistic world of David Lynch like few others have ever experienced and was excited to be a part of it. Dunham would later return to this world of David Lynch not only to edit Lynch's second season premiere episode but also to direct two more episodes of Twin Peaks.

The Episode Ends on a Mysterious Tape Recording Made by Laura Palmer to Her Psychiatrist Dr. Jacoby

We Get a Flavor of Jacoby's Eccentric Taste as We Notice the Decor of His Apartment

Including a Fake Palm Tree Containing a Secret Hiding Place in One of the Coconuts Hanging on the Tree

As He Listens to Laura's Voice Describing a Mystery Man in Her Life

Dr. Jacoby Takes a Seat

And Processes Everything Laura is Saying on Her Tape

When Dr. Jacoby Opens His Secret Hiding Place in the Coconut, We Discover the Other Half of Laura Palmer's Necklace

It was Dr. Jacoby's Gloved Hand that Sarah Palmer Saw in Vision Unearthing and Taking James's Half of the Buried Necklace

Together Mark Frost and David Lynch co-wrote the first four hours of Twin Peaks (1990-91). Hours one and two in the pilot, hour three is in this excellent episode directed by Duwayne Dunham, and hour four would be Lynch's last turn directing for season one. Lynch would not be involved in writing or directing another episode until second season premiere, Episode 8 Man in a Smiling Bag (1990). While Lynch's influence on the series is greater than any other director, Dunham did admirable work translating Lynch's words and images from the script to the screen.

Episodes 1 and 2 of Twin Peaks are Best Viewed Together, Back to Back

Episode 2 picks up right where Episode 1 left off. In fact, the timeline of the two episodes is so tightly interconnected, one wonders if Mark Frost and David Lynch did not sit down together and write them as another two-parter like the pilot. Although Twin Peaks generally maintains a precise continuity from episode to episode, Episodes 1 & 2 seem so interconnected that neither episode functions quite so well when viewed separately as when they are viewed together. For this reason, we recommend watching Episodes 1 & 2 back to back to maintain the ideal dramatic experience.

Twin Peaks Soundtrack: Nightingale - Photo Montage

Next week we will analyze director David Lynch's return to the director's chair for Twin Peaks Episode 2 Red Room. All episodes of the series can be found in an excellent box set: Twin Peaks - The Definitive Gold Box Edition. Twin Peaks can also be found in 720p HD format at the iTunes Store. Many of the episodes can also be found in standard definition for free video streaming at IMDB, CBS, and Fancast. The series is expected to make its 1080p Blu-Ray debut shortly.

MacLachlan Sells Ruffles

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TWIN PEAKS - #0 LAURA PALMER: PART II (1990)

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TWIN PEAKS - #2 RED ROOM (1990)

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