Back when Showtime did their big rollout for the premiere of "Twin Peaks," they decided to not only release the two-part premiere, but also give fans a few more early episodes, thereby dropping the first four episodes immediately to the fans, which may have been the greatest decision they ever made. The first two episodes especially are very heavy on setting the stage for what's to come down the line, so giving fans a little more to actually become fundamentally engaged in the world of "Twin Peaks" once again was an essential decision. With this third episode, we get something that's largely dedicated to getting Dale Cooper back into the world as well, putting one of the most essential pieces of the puzzle back into the game. A lot of big questions are being thrown at us, so without the easy confines of more episodes, it may be overwhelming to some, which it may also be to devour four episodes of television in one sitting, but for every huge "Twin Peaks" fanatic and diehard David Lynch fans, it probably won't be a problem. It wasn't a problem for me the first time, mostly because the premiere episodes are so great, as is this third one. Lynch has really committed himself to bringing an experience that is reliant on visual storytelling more than anything else, and so far, he is giving us some incredible sequences that are clearly among the best, with the opening sequence of Cooper's escape being a clear standout among all the other.
Any normal individual would have given us a quick sequence showing Cooper's return to our world, but Lynch is so dedicated to his craft that he instead dedicates an entire section of this episode to show that simple thing. And it results in an amazing opening sequence that is so eerie because of its incredible editing and sound design, and also very in-tune with what Lynch is good at. It's not weird for the sake of being weird, but for the sake of providing us with a visual experience that tells a story, and this scene is successful at that.
At the same time, it's also the first real showcase of those small Lynchian moments that we came to love in the original show. The scene with Hawk, Andy and Lucy sitting in his office trying to figure out what's missing from the evidence is a great example of that, and one of the funniest scenes that the show has ever offered. And once again, I have to praise Lynch for holding off on the fan service, only utilizing the characters when the story calls for it, or if it doesn't come at the cost of something else, which is perfect.
A lot of fans had hoped that the show would get off to a quick start and bring together a mystery that we could all get involved with fast. However, Lynch is doing the exact opposite, continuously putting obstacles in the way of our characters in order to stop them from reaching an early goal. Cooper gets a big obstacle put in front of him, leaving him in a disheveled mental state where he doesn't even know who he is. It's deliciously cruel and something that only a madman like Lynch would do, and that's why we love him.
It's also clear from this episode that the remaining episodes of the show are not going to rush anything. The slow pace is going to endure and it's going to be the main reason that certain fans may be annoyed. However, where Lynch is taking us is someplace that we've never been before, and without his guiding hand, this may have been an experience that would have come and gone like many other revivals. Not only does Lynch know what he likes, but he also knows how to make good television, and this is nothing if not truly great television.
"Part 3" further proves that Lynch is fully committed to this narrative structure and that we can either accept it or stop watching the show. It's brilliantly put together through visual storytelling and some of the most unconventional directions that anyone could take, but clearly done with a vision of great things down the road.
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