Subject: Re: The James Subplot(was Re: Major Briggs is Back!)
From: ADMN8647@Ryerson.CA (Linda Birmingham)
Date: 1991-01-17, 11:14
Newsgroups: alt.tv.twin-peaks

In article <1991Jan17.003940.9163@midway.uchicago.edu>, lecl@quads.uchicago.edu
(elizabeth e. leclair) says:

> >My criticism of the second battered wife stems more from an artistic
> >point of view (the writers are repeating themselves for the same thrills)
> >as well as a political one:  I don't think television can CURE social
> >ills, but I don't want it to DEPICT them gratuituosly, either,.

I don't believe they are repeating themselves for the same thrills.
I think they are using this plot device to set up James to be
either framed or actually commit the murder of Marsh [with any
luck he'll get the chair - Do they have capital punishment in
Washington State? :) ].

Yes this could be a gratuitous depiction of wife battering, if indeed
Evelyn is being battered. For example, how did Marsh find out about
the car being crashed (that was what he was yelling about wasn't it -
thought I heard him say "Why did you have to take the jag?").  I
find it hard to believe that when everyone knew about his temper any-
one would have told him about the accident and supposedly James had
finished fixing the car.  Also didn't the brother say something about
Evelyn enjoying breaking Marsh's toys?

The abuse of Shelley was used to show that Leo was an uncontrollable
lout quite capable of selling drugs and indulging in sadomasochistic
behaviour with Laura  This may be gratuitous but it was effective in
making the viewer believe Leo could be the murderer.  Plus, lets
face it, the scenes between Leo and Shelley were pretty tense
viewing.  Even now with Leo a drooling celery stick he is still
capable of striking fear into the hearts and minds of Shelley,
Bobby and the viewer (has anyone forgot the Kazoo scene).

But since things are never what they seem in TP, the same is probably
true of this Marsh subplot.  Leo was not Laura's killer and Evelyn may
not be the helpless creature nor her husband the brute, she is
leading us all to believe.


Linda
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