Twin Peaks, Episode 2.1: May the Giant Be With You

Twin Peaks: May the Giant Be With You

With the first season of “Twin Peaks” becoming a full-blown phenomenon, the season two premiere was a much hyped event, with a double length runtime and David Lynch back behind the camera. We begin with Dale Cooper laying on the floor of his hotel room, bleeding from his wounds. He receives a vision of a Giant, who gives him three cryptic clues. Recovering in the hospital soon afterwards, Cooper continues his investigation. Soon, Ronette Pulanski awakens from her coma, amid horrifying visions of BOB. Meanwhile, the residents of Twin Peak recover from the chaotic events of the previous night.

The truth is “Peaks” was never better than when David Lynch is in the director's chair. “May the Giant Be With You” features several stand-out moments of Lynch's surreal poetry and freaky horror. The Giant's initial appearance feels fittingly spiritual, Carel Struycken's quiet delivery being well utilized. Another key moment has Cooper recalling the details of Laura Palmer's death, while the camera pans over the stacks of donuts and we see the locations the crimes took place in. Yet neither of these scenes are as memory as the episode's final moments. “Twin Peaks” graduates to full-blown surreal horror as Killer BOB runs towards the camera down a flickering hospital hallway. He shrieks, growls, and glowers in a distorted way, the sound design growing ever the more unnerving. It's impressive.

As great as Lynch is at creating truly dream (or nightmare) like moments, his surrealism can also exist in commonplace people and places. After spending all of season one weeping uncontrollably, Leland Palmer is reborn with a head full of white hair. There's a sincerity in his transformation, which is most apparent when Donna's little sister reads a poem about Laura. Yet there's also something manic about Leland's change too. He's re-introduced happily singing "Mairzy Doats," which only grows more frantic the more he sings. Later on, he collapses in the middle of shouted performance of “Come On, Get Happy.” Leland may no longer be grieving but he's definitely not better yet... A situation “Peaks” is more than happy to use to unnerve the audience.

As much as I dismiss “Peaks'” tangle of subplots, they are occasionally used well. There are several strong, even touching moments, in-between the supporting cast members in “May the Giant Be With You.” Undoubtedly the best is Major Briggs relating a dream – or rather a vision – he had to his son. It's a purely emotional scene, as the Major describes a simple but truly beautiful scenario to Bobby. Aided by Don S. Davis' carefully chosen but heart-felt delivery, it's a moment of touching catharsis. There's also really nice scenes where Ed recalls how him and Nadine came to be together. Or Pete reflecting on his marriage with Catherine. These moments wouldn't mean as much without the time “Twin Peaks” has taken to build-up these characters.

“May the Giant Be With You” doesn't just use its casual surrealism to touch or freak out its audience. Lynch also indulges his oddball sense of humor here. In fact, “Peaks'” season two premiere is so heavy on goofy humor, you actively wonder if Lynch wasn't trying to intentionally annoy his newly-found mainstream audience. The episode begins with a long, absurd sequence of an elderly waiter, stepping over the injured Cooper and focusing only on trivial matters. Several moments are devoted to Andy, after accidentally slamming a board into his face, waddling around. Some disgusting hospital food is a running gag. There's even a long scene strictly devoted to Lucy observing a random fly. I think this stuff is hilarious and I'm sure Lynch did too. I have no idea how other people reacted to it.

Still, a large portion of “May the Giant Be With You” is devoted to furthering the subplots that are still dangling around the town. The on-going drama surrounding Shelly and Bobby and Leo gets its due amount of screen time. The Packard Mill is gone but the Horne brothers' scheme to steal the land remains. Josie isn't in this episode but a mysterious stranger hints at the direction her storyline is going in. Out of season one's cliffhangers, the only one left with an unsatisfying conclusion, is Audrey's predicament in One Eye Jack's. She just manages to wiggle her way out of revealing herself to her dad, far from a satisfying pay-off.

Even with some notable flaws, “May the Giant Be With You” is a fantastic ninety minutes of television. It's opening and closing few moments still stand out as unique achievements in the medium, even to this day. It proves that, even when shackled to network standards, David Lynch could create creepy and unusual visions like nobody else. [8/10]