Twin Peaks, Episode 2.21: Miss Twin Peaks

Twin Peaks: Miss Twin Peaks

The penultimate episode of “Twin Peaks’” second season, alternatively known as both “Miss Twin Peaks” and “Night of the Decision,” concerns itself with a lot of plot points. Lucy decides Andy is going to raise her baby, regardless of who the father actually is. (Dick isn’t too broken up about it.) Donna confronts Ben Horne about his affair with her mother and realizes that he is, in fact, her father. Nadine gets conked on the head with a sandbag, suggesting her memories will return soon. Most importantly of all, the Miss Twin Peaks contest goes down. Windom Earle, realizing he needs a “queen” feeling fear to enter the Black Lodge, abducts the winner: Annie Blackburn. Only afterwards does the Twin Peaks PD learn the Owl Cave petroglyphs are a map to the Black Lodge’s entrance.

“Miss Twin Peaks,” or whatever you choose to call it, is another episode largely about moving various plot points into place for the big finale. Yet it does have some pleasures all its own. My favorite scene occurs when Dale Cooper and Sheriff Truman attempt to reason out the exact meaning of the various clues. (While Andy, his simple-mindedness giving him a perpendicular view of the petroglyphs, tries to get their attention.) Maybe it’s just because Windom Earle being such a campy villain has the show on my mind but this scene, in the most amusing way, reminds me of the 1966 “Batman” series. The way Coop deduces out the astrological connection to the Lodges, leaping to chess, and then to the Miss Twin Peaks contest. It’s pretty fun to watch.

Still, as brilliant at deduction as Dale Cooper can be, “Miss Twin Peaks” still sees our heroes carrying the Idiot Ball a little bit this week. Windom Earle has been spying on the sheriff’s department through a recording device hidden in a bonsai plant. Never once did Truman or anyone else consider the origins of this gift, said to be from Josie, with any suspicion. (Despite being on the trail of an insane super-genius at the time.) Its only uncovered now through Andy’s clumsiness. Once the good guys discover that Earle intends to kidnap the winner of the beauty pageant, it never occurs to them to just cancel the event. I know, the show wouldn’t have been able to continue then. But maybe Windom Earle isn’t a brilliant planner. Maybe the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Department is just kind of dumb.

Or, perhaps, they are just distracted with other business. “Miss Twin Peaks” is among the hornier episodes of the series, at least among those not set at One Eyed Jack’s. Dale and Annie meet, ostensibly to help with her Miss Twin Peaks speech. However, they soon end up falling into bed together, to solidify that relationship and bury the Coop/Audrey ship once and for all. Earlier, Lana seduces Dick in hopes of convincing him to vote for her for Miss Twin Peaks. Their fumbling around in a dark closest is, honestly, a little more graphic than I expected from a prime time TV show in 1991.

For its flaws, “Miss Twin Peaks” is a strong-looking episode. This is to be expected as Tim Hunter, one of the show’s best hired guns, is behind the camera. The various talent contest scenes are energetically directed. I especially like Lucy’s dance number, which shows us a side of that character we haven’t seen before. (Kimmy Robertson clearly relishes the opportunity.) The climax of the episode features strobbing lights and lots of chaos, which is well executed. I’m glad Hunter, probably my favorite non-Lynch “Peaks” director, got invited back one more time before the show finished its original run.

I’m sure fans, as fans tend to be, are still divided on the quality of this run of episodes. The show definitely still feels different than it did during the Laura Palmer story arc. Yet I’m not going to apologize for liking this one. At least there are no evil seductresses or pine weasels in sight. [7/10]