Twin Peaks, Episode 3.2: The Return, Part 2

Twin Peaks: The Return, Part 2 
The Stars Turn and a Time Presents Itself

The second part of “The Return” reveals that Principal Hasting and his wife had some dealings with Cooper's doppelganger. He exterminates her before killing his own girlfriend. She planned on betraying him to the mysterious Philip Jeffries, who demands the doppelganger return to the Black Lodge. The real Agent Cooper, meanwhile, is informed of the situation by the entities living in the Lodge. As reality warps around him, Cooper seems to begin his journey back to our world. In Twin Peaks, Hawk receives more cryptic clues from the Log Lady and more familiar faces arrive back in town.

After the largely atmosphere-driven first episode of “The Return,” the revival series becomes a little more plot-driven in its second episode. It's clear now that, at least for the time being, the main plot of the third season will revolve around the forces of the Black Lodge attempting to return Cooper's doppelganger to his home dimension. Many scenes revolve around the criminal dealings of the FBI agent's evil copy. Yet don't think “The Return” is any less mysterious or atmospheric in its second part. The soundtrack is still largely composed of rumbling noise, the show still generating a real sense of unease.

Despite having more a concrete narrative than the premier, “Part 2” is, in fact, even more aggressively weird. “Twin Peaks” has never been more in-your-face with its surrealism before this. Laura Palmer removes her face, floats in the air, and shrieks as the red curtains phase around her. The White Horse of Death reappears. The Man from Another Place has evolved into a strange, tree-like creature. (Owing to Michael J. Anderson's real life mental breakdown.) Dimensional barriers seems to collapse, the floor drops away, Coop falls through space, appears in the Glass Box, and then falls some more. That it is mostly, sort-of clear what's happening in these scenes shows how ingrained “Twin Peaks'” dream logic has become. Yet, simply put, images like this have never been put on television before.

“Part 2” also offers another treat – if that's the right word – for longtime “Peaks” freaks. Watching Kyle MacLachlan play a very bad man is riveting. Cooper's doppelganger doesn't even sound like the formally upbeat agent. He speaks slowly, carefully choosing every word for maximum intimidation factor. The moment where he decides to kill his traitorous girlfriend is drawn out, the tension slowly growing as the inevitable begins to happen. The doppelganger shows a clear sadism, shortly followed by a sexual perversity. MacLachman is scary here, in a way I never expected from the actor. It seems Lynch was eager to create a villain as depraved, as frightening as Frank Booth.

This episode also sees more familiar faces returning to the program. Hawk is still investigating a mystery, the ill Log Lady giving him more cryptic clues. A sequence that surely means something has Sarah Palmer watching a nature documentary about lions eating a water buffalo, the images reflecting around her. The closing scene takes us back to the Roadhouse, bringing James and Shelly into the story. All of these scenes expertly combine image and sound, especially thanks to the Chromatics' on-stage performance near the end. I'm guessing “The Return” is going to continue to take its time re-introducing the beloved residents of “Twin Peaks.”  But it's even nice to see James again.

Once again, David Lynch has created something utterly original with “The Return.” Who would have guessed that, by reviving a twenty-five year old TV show, the director would find an avenue for the most unexpected images and scariest sequences of surreal horror? Faster paced than the first episode, drawing the audience in more to the mystery at hand, “Part 2” is totally captivating, fascinating, and fantastical. [9/10]