Subject: Re: The Best
From: dup94@campus.swarthmore.edu (Daniel Pedersen)
Date: 1991-05-23, 21:14
Newsgroups: alt.tv.twin-peaks

In article <3879@beguine.UUCP>, Ken.Saintjohn@bbs.acs.unc.edu (Ken Saintjohn) writes...
> > Daniel Pedersen writes:
>> >>I just hope that the June 10 episode doesn't turn into a scrambling effort to
>> >>tie up loose ends and force a solution.  IMO, this is what happened in the
>> >>episode in which Leland dies.  There were very few redeeming moments in that
>> >>episode, even though the pace was quick.
> > 
> >Gee Daniel I could not _possibly_ disagree with you more! :) I thought
> >this particular episode was perhaps the best TV I have ever viewed.
> >The part when Cooper was holding a dieing Leland talking him into the next
> >world as the fire sprinklers were going off (washing away Leland's
> >sins?) still stuns me every time I see it!  :-D
> > 
As I said, there were few redeeming moments; this is one of them.  It was a
very powerful scene, which will remain in my mind for ever. . .
But most of the episode wass out of character from what I have come to expect
from TP.  Usually, the pace is slow and calculated, keeping you at the edge
of your seat, not by virtue of a lightning pace, but through thoughtful
manipulations and a slow-torture approach to suspense.  The writers/directors
would take a few episodes to develop themes fully.  Some of the characters
were also out of character (as it were).  Prime example: Albert lost his
wonderful obnoxiousness (is that a word?) and cynicism, spouting corny lines
like "the only one with the correct coordinates in his hardware is you,
Coop."  Give me a break.
What I disliked most about this particular episode was the fact that it
seemed like the writers were giving in to pressure from the station to humor
the viewers with the 7 second attention span.  "Well we have to find out
WKLP, arrest him, deal with BOB, and spout a few innanities all in time for the
first commercial break."  As I said, out of character from the usual TP fare.

All in all, however, it _was_ far superior to most anything else on the
airwaves.  Leland's scene you mentioned, the coda with the owl flying out of
the light (what wonderful theories abounded on the net about this one), Major
Briggs appearing just in the nick of time with Senor Droolcup; all these made
it worthwhile.  Again, I just hope that the June 10 episode will be one that
we can all be proud of, and will live up to the high standards that we have
come to expect.

> >                                 Ken SaintJohn      O:)
> >                                 Ken.Saintjohn@bbs.oit.unc.edu

--Daniel Pedersen - Keren's Daddy
  DUP94@campus.swarthmore.edu
  DUP94@swarthmr.bitnet