First of all, The Return was written by Lynch and Frost. So they share responsibility for this story, and I don't think that's giving Frost too much credit. Lynch did not have the time to mess around with the script during shooting. I love the theory put forth in "But Who Is The Dreamer?", but I think the "Cooper's Dream" interpretation might only be applicable to Season 3. It's the story about Cooper reclaiming himself, so perhaps this Dream began at the end of Season 2. That would change the meaning of the final episode, but it still works for me. I'll have to give that a try!
Lynch showed a willingness and ability to put aside his original intent and come up with something new with his conversion of the Mulholland Drive TV pilot into the standalone movie, with considerable success. The original Twin Peaks had been gutted by the network when they demanded the reveal of Laura Palmer’s killer, which (reportedly) Lynch had always intended to remain an unsolved mystery. For Lynch to reclaim Laura’s murder as the centerpiece of The Return after that central element had been taken away called for some major rethinking, and I think it also worked.
I'd like to watch the whole thing again if someone could edit out all the sitcom/tv drama aspects of it.
True. My sense is that Frost had his understanding of what was going on, and Lynch had his own. I think that Frost had a much more science-fictiony read on things, whereas Lynch had a deeper narrative.
Keep in mind that is a still from steam in motion. I kind of see what you may be referring to but I think what you're experiencing is pareidolia.
While I think this piece makes a lot of compelling arguments that seem to explain much of the new series and the final episode in particular, my two main problems are a) that judging from his books and other things he’s said about the writing, Frost at least seems invested in the in-show “reality” of Twin Peaks ... and b) if the whole thing is aspects of Cooper’s consciousness at war with itself, then what is the purpose/meaning of the atomic bomb “origin story” of episode 8? Why do these phantoms of Cooper’s psyche need a backstory (even one as abstract as what Lynch gives us)? Of course even the writer isn’t sure about that last one...
I read the essay and it's very interesting. If this were the case (and I don't think it is), it would kind of ruin the original series for me. It would just be another version of the "it was all just a dream" copout, and it would nullify all great character interactions and relationships that were built during the series and FWWM. I feel like this interpretation could definitely apply to The Return and parts of FWWM (Cooper seeing his doppleganger/split personality in the FBI office), but it doesn't really make sense in context of the original series.
But in Part 17 of The Return: Spoiler When Pete Martell goes fishing from the "Northwest Passage" pilot he doesn't find Laura Palmer "wrapped in plastic" and goes fishing as intended which means everything from the original series was already changed when Cooper kept Laura from going with Leo, Jacques, and Ronette.
Spoiler: Alternate time I think we're dealing with multiple time lines. In that particular timeline Laura doesn't die, but I think somewhere else she still dies. I'm not sure what this ultimately means, but I don't think it completely erases everything that happened in the first two seasons.
I get it, but I just meant that the idea that "Agent Cooper" was just an idealized fantasy version of an actual monster (Bad Cooper) would ruin everything for me. I like that this FBI guy came to this weird little town and befriended the locals and became one of them. That's way more interesting than a rapist/murderer created a fantasy version of himself to cope with his crimes. There's enough dark, misery porn on TV these days. We don't need to have a classic like Twin Peaks turned into more of the same. I feel like the original series was an almost perfect balance between dark and disturbing and warm and uplifting. I enjoyed parts of "The Return" but it mostly left a bad taste in my mouth. If this theory were true it would ruin the whole thing for me. I also thought that the end of Season 3 implied that Cooper hadn't actually changed anything, just pushed it into a different reality (or something).
Agreed. "Alternate timeline", "time travel", and "it was all a dream" are all lazy tropes that have been done to death. At least they didn't go down the "Empire Strikes Back"/"SPECTRE" road and have BOB be the ghost of Caroline.
A year plus after this has been on and I think this may be the single greatest television event ever. I still think about this show on a near daily basis. Replaying older podcasts of episode recaps and theories. Still reading online interpretations and articles. Man, Lynch is just on another level...
It was an event here for sure. I was baking cherry pies hours before each new episode would start. My wife and I were hooked. That was our summer ritual. So glad he got the 18 episodes he wanted. I don't care how slowly placed people think that was. Loved it all.
I just started my third viewing. I'm always seeing something differently, but that occurs when I watch most Lynch.
Exactly! At least, that’s the way I choose to view it. I need to read more critical analysis about it, however. Who woulda thunk I’d be saying that about a TV show? Wake up!
And this just surfaced recently... Mr. Lynch "reacts to time constraints on the set of Twin Peaks: Season 3."
Just finished the Blu-ray set including all the extras. Enjoyed it a lot more this time since I knew what was going on. Still too long but still think it's really good. To me the weakest points were the stuff that takes place in Twin Peaks itself since a lot of it really doesn't matter in the end. The Dougie Jones plot does drag on too long as well. I think I liked the Bad Cooper and the Gordon/Albert/Tammy/Diane plot lines the best.
I've watched it three times. The Andy/Lucy schtick got old very quickly. I like the Dougie thread, but there's something there for everyone. It was nice to see Robert Forster back in the Lynch universe.
Always wonder what the Mulholland series would've been with Forsters character. Such a great understated actor.
