Twin Peaks, Episode 1.5: Cooper's Dreams

Twin Peaks: Cooper's Dreams

In “Cooper's Dreams,” seemingly everyone in Twin Peaks is investigating Laura Palmer's murder and all the entanglements around it. Cooper and the police department dig through Jacques Renault's apartment, discovering a rather incriminating porno magazine. They are soon led to the Log Lady and Waldo the Myna Bird. Donna and James recruit Maddie into their own investigation. Audrey insists she gets hired at the perfume counter at Horne's Department Store, realizing there's a connection, before she discovers her dad's affair with Catherine.

The best moments in “Cooper's Dreams” are focused on emotion. During a therapy session with Dr. Jacoby, Bobby actually breaks down into tears as more questions about Laura's nihilistic attitudes, her self-destructive tendencies, are asked. It's a surprising moment from the usually gruff, standoffish teenage boy. Later, during an otherwise comedic sequence devoted to a meeting with Icelandic investors at the Great Northern Hotel, gets complex when Leland stumbles in. His dancing and weeping continues to be among the rawest depictions of grief on television, at least up to that point. Even Audrey is moved to tears by the sight. Yet the Horne brothers are more frustrated by Leland's pain... That's a bold statement to depict on TV. That grief can be frustrating, even annoying, to those not going through it.

Yet, of course, the Lynchian weirdness is what most draws me to this episode. Cooper's investigation being driven by dreams and feelings marks him as unlike any other detective on TV.  (Excluding those directly influence by him.) The meeting with the Log Lady is tinged with the obscure mysticism of the series. The Log Lady seemingly speaks in vague poetry, Hawk similarly pointing towards the unusual power of the woods. The deep, dark woods are deeply symbolic places, always crawling with secrets and child-abducting entities. “Twin Peaks” is all too aware of this meaning, of the powers inherent in getting lost in the woods.

“Cooper's Dreams” was directed by Lesli Linka Glatter, who has largely done television. Despite that, she's another “Peaks” director with a strong visual touch. There's some quick, spiffy editing when the Briggs family meet with Jacoby. That scene, curiously, dissolves into the image of a flying birds. Birds are something of a reoccurring symbol in this episode, Coop's investigation being watched over by an ominous crow. (In fact, every episode of the show starts with a bird, doesn't it?) The scene is scored to Julee Cruise's “Into the Night,” only making it more atmospheric and foreboding. There's also a cool shot of Catherine walking down a hallway at the hotel that I just like. I like those kinds of visuals moments.

Alas, “Cooper's Dreams” is not free of the extraneous subplots. Hank being a shifty motherfucker, Bobby and Shelly's affair, Leo's continued disreputable shenanigans... It's all just stuff we have to get through in-between the interesting moments. The episode ends with two shocking cliffhangers, neither of which will be followed up on in any satisfying manner. I guess that's “Peaks” showing off its soap opera side.... Otherwise, “Cooper's Dreams” is a solid episode, even if it's clearly among “Twin Peaks” more “normal” hours. [7/10]