Subject: TP Writers Missed the Boat! (LONG) From: jguy@lilith.EBay.Sun.COM (Jeff Bone) Date: 1990-12-02, 14:11 Newsgroups: alt.tv.twin-peaks I'm not usually one to complain because TP hasn't gone the way I wanted it to, but I have to say that I'm very dissappointed in Leland's apparent death, mostly because I feel the writers completely missed the boat on a host of possible plotline extensions that would have been very TP in character. By way of explanation, I've sketched out my ideas with some basic scenes and images that would carry my plot along. If you're not really interested in reading total speculation, hit "N" now. Here's how I might have handled the Leland developments from the time of the sprinkler incident on --- let me know what you think: Leland freaks and starts hitting his head (as happened) when BOB departs and realization of what he's done comes crashing down. He snaps completely; has to be restrained in a straightjacket. Owl scene makes it clear BOB has fled Leland. Many scenes of Leland sobbing, laughing, catatonically rocking back and forth. Scene: Sarah visits L. awaiting trial, spits in his face. Later: L. comes to trial. Aquitted by reason of insanity; compulsory confinement to a sanitarium for treatment. Coop leaves TP. The other plots carry on for the rest of the season. Occasional scenes of Coop riding a desk, staring out the window at a convenient evergreen, obviously wondering about BOB, missing TP. Scene: intern comes into L.'s rubber room in the asylum. Close up on the medication he's giving L.: a syringe of blue liquid. Scene: intern lets a doctor into the room with L. Camera pans to the doctor, and we're startled to realize that it's a cleanshaven Philip Gerard wearing a false arm and a labcoat. Intern: "Don't be long --- we can't afford to get caught." Gerard: "This won't take long." Leland: (crying) Gerard: "I've come to bring you a warning..." Leland: (looks up, startled and curious) What *do* they talk about? Night scene: owl perched on the windowsill of L.'s room at the asylum, looking in at L.'s sleeping form. We hear very sound processed, eerie BOBlaughter. Scene: L. in the asylum, frantically looking back and forth. He senses something or someone in the cell, but can't see it. Cut to BOB leaning in the corner, grinning. He walks around Leland, chuckling. Leland tries desperately to see what it is he senses, but can't. "I know you're here!!!!" (BOB can't enter L. again because of the drug but can still "feed" off his pain and torment and guilt) --- The following scenes make up what I envision as the season finale, or at least the re-introduction at some point of the BOB plot. In my mind, this should take place chronologically a year or two after the original murders. Leland is still confined, but is much better with the exception of occasional bouts of crying and terrible nightmares for which he's being given medication. --- Scene: Leland and Laura reconcile. Nighttime --- Leland asleep, moon with storm clouds. Dream, obviously. Leland "wakes" in his cell (in the dream --- or is it a dream?) to the sound of Ethel Merman playing very, very faintly. A little girl voice can be heard humming softly along. Laura is standing in the corner, smiling at him. Leland: (crying) Laura, dear Jesus, Laura my baby, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, so sorry. (sobs) Laura: It's okay Daddy, I'm free now, it's okay. It wasn't you, you didn't hurt me, you never did. Leland: But I knew, I *knew*, God help me, I *knew*. I could have done something, anything, I should have stopped him. Laura: You can't stop him from inside. That's what I found out. I couldn't fight him any more --- the only way I could win was to die. It's okay, though --- I'm in a better place now, I'm free. Leland: He's still here. He's close. Laura: I know. That's why I'm here --- you're feeding him. You have to stop --- you have to forgive yourself. He's weak without a host, but he's feeding, getting stronger, waiting. He'll find someone else soon, someone he can open, someone to be inside. You have to be ready. Leland: Ready how? For what? Laura: I love you daddy. Laura turns around, humming, opens the cell door, and walks out. Leland awakes with a start. The cell door, of course, is just slightly open. He doesn't notice the owl in the window. Scene, same night. Coop's bedroom in Washington, female figure in bed beside him. Dream sequence. The room with red curtains again, but with the Palmer house's furniture. The giant is here. The sound of a record scratching on its center fills the air. Cooper: The giant (whispered). Is it you? Are you really here? Giant: It has been a long time. Have you learned yet about the music? Cooper: What music? Giant: It is always there. (pause) There is someone here to see you. At this point a nattily attired Leland steps from behind the curtain grinning largely, wholesomely. Leland: (Enthusiastically) Agent Cooper! Gosh, am I glad to see you! (extends his hand) Cooper: (Shakes hand) Leland, how are you? Leland: I'm doing much better, Agent Cooper, much better. I still have, um, moments that are pretty low, but I go on. Cooper: I'm glad, Leland. You seem to be doing well. I'm so sorry for you. But I'm glad you're doing better. Leland: (looks concerned) Cooper, I have something for you. (fishes is pocket, produces a stick of gum which he hands to Coop.) I almost forgot: (steps back) Through the long and silent night, the hiding demon sleeps and dreams a day to dream again when fire burns and weeps (chuckles) How about that. Don't have a clue what that means. Well Cooper... (sticks a piece of gum in his mouth) ...off to the races! (eerie, processed humming.) Cooper: Wait! (but he's vanished) (C. turns to giant) What does this mean? Giant: There is a room in this place where he only may go. He has gone there to prepare. I tell you now --- you also must prepare. There is someone far away who is trying to reach you. You will know very soon. When you go, find a heart still close to yours. Listen to the words the water speaks. And remember... Coop: Remember what? (very weird, processed telephone rings shake the dream place) Giant: Answer your phone. The time has come when I must go. We will speak again. Cooper wakes to his phone ringing. He answers it (moment of the Coop one-sided mohawk). Clock says 6:30. Coop: This is Cooper. Caller: Coop, it's Harry. Harry Truman. Thought you might want to know --- there's been another murder. And Leland is missing from the sanitarium. Coop: My god. Harry, I'll be there as quick as I can. HST: See you soon, then. Hurry. And Coop --- take care. Coop hangs up. Female: Dale, who was that? Coop: A good friend. I've got to go --- there's a problem. Female: What problem? Coop picks up the phone, dials. Coop: (shouts) Gordon, this is Cooper. I'm going to need some time off. I've got to go to Twin Peaks for a while. End of the episode. Next season develops: Leland is not BOB now, but is "after" BOB. BOB's new host is (but I can't reveal that, can I ;)... Cooper tracks Leland thinking Leland is the killer. Laura dreams plague him, giving him mysterious clues. Audrey helps him. Cooper has a critical euphoric experience at the base of the waterfall while sitting with Audrey. Coop realizes Lelend != BOB, but feels that Leland can lead him to him. We learn more about the good vs. evil struggle in the spirit world around Twin Peaks. Eventually, Coop and Bookhouse Boys meet BOB and Leland at the old Palmer summer home from Leland's childhood. Of course, this leads to a final confrontation between Leland and BOB itself, in which Leland somehow destroys BOB but is himself finally destroyed, freeing his soul at last . End of that season... fades away with images of owls... -- ---- jbone@Sun.COM -------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------ Jeff Bone ---- --