Chris

Twin Peaks Rewatch 20: The Black Widow

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Maybe it's the Teen Witch talking, but as a first time viewer, I assumed it was supposed to be implied that the widow was doing some kind of (unconscious) magic to bewitch the men, and that maybe something would come of that to tie back into the supernatural stuff? Which isn't really a lot better, but at least it wouldn't be a pointless side story. But, from people's comments, it seems like that is probably not going to be the case.

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I also got that sense, which again, is incredibly insulting to women. (She's bewitching the men! Women are strange creatures that enact otherworldly magic to insnare innocent men!! Fart.) Again, it's such a bleak contrast to Laura, who also was almost preternaturally talented at making men fall in love with her. The difference being, however, that Laura was incredibly malleable and let herself be shaped into whatever men desired from her. It seemed like she had power and agency, but really, it was men's desires that dedicated what she did. The widow character has none of that tragedy, and seems to either woo men simply because she's pretty (dumb) or maybe because she cast a spell (insulting and dumb).

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Yeah it's so crazy! The message I got from that scene is that this woman has siren song powers or something? It's such a complete mess.

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Oh man, the Fake Tojamura/"Real" Tojamura split screen you describe on the podcast sounds like it would devolve into a Saturday Night Live sketch, where Catherine-in-make-up is in the middle of a big speech, then Tojamura walks in behind her and the studio audience goes wild.

 

Oh, Twin Peaks 2016 has a studio audience now.

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Yeah, this podcast is a blast. And thanks for the flattering shout-out. I may use that as a pullquote someday, preferably completely out of context, like at a job interview...

In addition to the Peyton quote I mentioned, he also commented on the writers, actors, etc getting tired of the show and starting to just change things up for the sake of changing things up. He says something to the effect of "usually that doesn't happen until the third or fourth season but on Twin Peaks everything happened faster!"

Completely agreed with your takes on this episode. The observation about the Nadine gym scene playing like a sitcom with the laugh track removed is brilliant and so true. In some weird, perverse, meta way (I almost feel bad typing this) I am glad this episode exists because it's just such a strange, strange, fascinating phenomenon.

Just realized we are at the halfway point of season 2. You can really tell Twin Peaks wasn't meant to carry a 22-episode-per-season load. Weird to think that the audience and critics abandoned the show way back at the really good early season 2 episodes, almost as if they knew what was coming.

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What was the rationale behind making the second season so much longer? The first season was short and was better for it. Was it just the popularity? Or maybe the question is actually why is the first season so short?

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It's the standard length for American network television shows, is all. It was definitely the wrong fit for twin peaks, but at the time a 22-24 episode season was completely normal.

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There’s some nice little acting bits in this episode. 

 

Ben’s ridiculous Feng shui has the subtlety of a tower with Ben at the top. 

 

Cooper using his his Tibetan method variant to find the drug deal is actually kind of cool thinking about it! 

 

The devil Nicky has exactly the same outfit as dick. Nice 

Series 3:

 

Spoiler

I can’t believe the devil Nicky (groan) has a handler called Judy.

 

Dougie dying is not unexpected. And his brother is great in this episode. I liked the scene where he’s pressing charges and the doc is absolutely creasing up in the background - Truman tries to be stoic. 

 

Hawk is a complete Dog. I’m the big guy. 

 

I really like nadine’s acting in this scene here little mannerisms are really great. It’s kind of weird that there’s an audience for the wrestling practice. Also of note is the coach counting a three which I think is only true in pro wrestling rather than amateur where a pin of one is sufficient. 

 

I feel like James is gonna bear up Evelyn’s husband to replace some of his Laura guilt. As it stands him and the brother are as lame as the poser bobby. 

 

Classic teeth in cocaine scene by coops. It feels out of fashion nowadays but you couldn’t wade through cop shows with out seeing this in the olden days. 

 

Bobby is an absolute cad. He dumps Leo onto Shelly and then because he’s bored he letches on Audrey. What an ass. It looks like Audrey’s in business for herself though - good for her!

 

i liked Audrey’s scene with Denise too. She seemed so delighted. Inspired!!

 

of course horne thinks he’s a southern general. 

 

Catherine and Pete is a really odd scene. He swings wildly between enjoying and hating the scene. 

 

It feels like the portions in the RR have got smaller. Last weeks malted was much smaller than nadines and the pies come on tiny plates with no ice cream. 

 

Hate hate hated the fawning of milfords wife that scene was gross for what it was about - even though I really liked the actual imagery. 

 

I was shocked it was denise confronting Eddie (?) was expecting Norma’s mum. 

 

It is nice to see bobby had taken his dads words so much to heart. It was weird seeing garland in old aviator gear all of a sudden. 

 

I think the last three episodes have had some really off the wall cliff hangers and I don’t like it. They seem like they come from nothing and are really really cheap ways to end episodes and on such a regular beat. Hope it ends. 

 

 

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