Harry (Michael Ontkean) is in bed in a drunken stupor, is Jones (Brenda Strong) coming onto him in his sleep? She gently caresses a bottle at her hip, dabs some of the contents on his lips and hers, then they kiss. He sees her as Josie (Joan Chen)! Then she pulls out the wristwatch wire and chokes him! He manages to overpower and punch her out, then cut to the waterfall – did he have sex with her unconscious body? (I think at this point the cut-to-a-waterfall-symbolising-sex thing might just be in my head.)
Harry (Michael Ontkean) is dreaming of Josie (Joan Chen), drinking through an artfully-lit glass silhouette, in darkness. I just need to take a moment to dwell on the fact that the last time he saw Josie she spontaneously died in front of him, and the last time we saw Josie she was screaming from inside the knob on the drawer of a bedside cabinet, and if this is never fully explained I will remain furious forever. Hawk (Michael Horse) delivers Harry breakfast from Norma. “It’s a pretty simple town; least it used to be. The world’s caught up with us.”
Special Guest BILLY ZANE, woo-boy, who is he gonna play?! Dick Tremayne Designer Menswear’s younger even more rakish brother?
Voicemail from Windom Earle (Kenneth Welsh) accusing Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) of being distracted, not putting his all into the game, give him until tomorrow to post his move “or I’ll do it for you.” Harry (Michael Ontkean) asks Lucy (Kimmy Robertson) to get hold of Pete (Jack Nance) for his chess advice, and find out the latest time they can contact the paper to post tomorrow, “Paper, Pete, I’ll do it alphabetically.” Lucy is a delight.
Super close up shots of chess pieces in the credits, someone’s getting arty. Evelyn and Malcolm (Annette McCarthy & Nicholas Love) are reporting James’ fixing the car and disappearing to the police, they can’t spell Jaguar “J_A_G_W… car”. Evelyn is having second thoughts.
“Kenneth Welsh as Windom Earle” So that’s how you spell Windom. Not a name I’ve come across before. Also, David Warner as Thomas Eckhardt! All the mystery people are coming out, plus one’s played by David Warner? Spicer Lovejoy himself!
Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) finds a chess pawn taped in the mouth of the dead man. Cooper correctly predicts the cause of death, stab wound into the aorta. “Windom Earle has been in this room, I can still feel his presence. Window Earle is a genius, and he’s taken his first pawn in a very sick game.” Feels like Cooper’s Joker.
Audrey and Bobby (Sherilyn Fenn & Dana Ashbrook) are planning to get rich “Immediately”, plan to bring Ben (Richard Beymer) back from the brink and bleed him dry. I believe in Audrey, but I can’t help thinking Bobby is going to screw this all up somehow.
Major Briggs (Don S. Davis) recounts his memories to Cooper, Harry and Doc (Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Ontkean & Warren Frost), they seem to mainly consist of a giant owl. “My memories are immune from remission.” Briggs is really bigging up how important and confidential his work is. UFO project, examining “the earth below” Twin Peaks, in search of The White Lodge, but of course just as he’s about to reveal things we don’t know, he gets interrupted by other military on Col. Riley’s orders. There’s a polaroid photo of an unusual mark on Brigg’s neck though.
Business-Mode Bobby (Dana Ashbrook) is back at Ben’s. Ben (Richard Beymer) sent for him, so Ben is clearly not in a good headspace. He’s also made a knick-knack tower, crowned with the stuffed animal from which Leland took the fur. Ben claims he’s “in the penthouse” (metaphorically), but seems like he’s heading down a Howard Hughes path, tissue boxes on his feet and jars of urine may be approaching Twin Peaks soon. Oh god, Ben is hiring Bobby to tail Hank, feels like hiring Jar Jar Binks to tail Boba Fett, but sure.
Now wait just a minute, DAVID DUCHONY is entering the cast!
This episode starts with just a super long shot of James (James Marshall) just riding his motorcycle, is this a particular light episode that required some padding?
Cooper and Harry (Kyle MacLachlan & Michael Ontkean) talk to Betty Briggs (Charlotte Stewart) about the Major (whose name we learn is Garland) disappearing. Confidentially, the Major talks about the woods constantly. It’s classified if he’s tried to communicate with aliens. We knew this, I think (space messages that said COOPERCOOPERCOOPER?) but still. Was the major abducted by aliens?
“Three days later” – it’s the first between-episodes time jump! The day of Leland’s funeral. “That man is gone… forever.” “So is everything I love” Cooper and Sarah (Kyle MacLachlan & Grace Zabriskie). Sarah is missing an earring, “Leland always found the other earring”. Brutal small moment of lost intimacy.
The wake, a lot of food. Nadine (Wendy Robie) is still in child mode, marvelling at her own shiny shoes. Very childlike performance, good job Robie. Hank (Chris Mulkey) is being a good guy (performative?) fixes Sarah a plate, but she doesn’t want it. Donna (Lara Flynn Boyle) talks to Big Ed (Everett McGill), James rode away blaming himself and hasn’t been seen since, fine by me.
So Maddy (Sheryl Lee) is dead and wrapped in plastic. This is bad, but it means Albert (Miguel Ferrer) is back, hurrah!
There’s strands of white fox fur in Maddy’s grasp, the fur Leland claimed from Ben’s stuffed fox, so he’s definitely trying to frame him.
Donna and James (Lara Flynn Boyle & James Marshall) possibly slept together, then he went for a long ride on his motorbike. He presents her with a ring, “be together all the time” but doesn’t definitively propose.
Norma’s mother Vivian (Jane Greer) is not a fan of the eggs. “If you want to serve a truly memorable omelette, try white veal sausage and morel mushrooms” – omelette recipes in media of course makes me think of Deep Blue Sea, man I’d love to see LL Cool J crop up in this show. Andy (Harry Goaz) eating pie, repeating Howard’s suicide note in French over again. Donna is currently oblivious to the deaths of both Howard and Maddy, and I’m assuming will soon be in a severe state of despair. Suicide note words come from Howard’s neighbour, Mrs. Tremont. Donna goes to see her, but he’s now a different lady and doesn’t have a magical grandson, but she does have a note for Donna from Howard. It’s a page from Laura’s diary, Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) instructs her to read it. It’s a description of Cooper’s red room dream, but from Laura’s perspective, Cooper described as “an old man”, gives warning of Bob, and declares that night will be the night she dies.
Mike possessing Gerard (Al Strobel) is going through withdrawals, “the giant is known to us here.” Cooper wants to talk to the giant, ask how to contact Bob, Mike tells him he has all he needs, the answer is in his heart not his head. Passes out. Useless.
Old man waiter (Hank Worden) with the glass of milk is back again! “That milk’ll cool down on you, but it’s getting warmer now.” Thumbs up. Still love this guy. Cooper sees stuffed white fox whilst searching Ben’s office.
Lucy (Kimmy Robertson) gets excited at Andy taking charge and calling Dick Tremayne Designer Menswear, only to add “that’s if you’re not too busy” and getting less interested again.
Catherine (Piper Laurie) visits Ben (Richard Beymer) in prison, in her Mr. Tojamura disguise. She wants him to sign the contract or return the $5m, he’s unwilling to do either until he “breathes the air that free men breathe” – Jerry getting a better lawyer. Catherine reveals herself by wiggling her bare, painted toenails, Ben recognises her just from that, these two are freaks. “Benjamin Horne, the slimy rat bastard.” He kisses her feet, begs Catherine to tell Cooper and Harry that they were together the night Laura was killed, she agrees if he signs the mill and Ghostwood over, he does, but she still might not tell them the truth.
Donna visits the Palmers, gives Leland (Ray Wise) the tape of their singing session (someone please burn it), he says it won’t be any problem at all to mail it to Maddy, then recognises Laura’s sunglasses. Donna tells Leland about Laura’s secret diary at Howard’s, now with the police. Receives phone call, says he hasn’t heard from Maddy since yesterday, took her to the bus station herself, “She never made it home”. Leland chews on some gum. Straightens his tie, again, Wildman Bob (Frank Silva) reflection. Later, plays with Donna’s hair, scares her, is Donna his next target? “I know the cure for what ails you, it’s simple really, always makes me feel good.” Puts some music on, turns into Wildman Bob who scream-yells at thunder, Leland starts dancing with Donna. Pulls her in a little too tightly/roughly, scares her a little. Harry (Michael Ontkean) shows up asking for Leland’s help, there’s been another murder, they both ignore Donna there at all. I cannot get over that all of this is happening whilst Leland was recently arrested for murdering Jacques Renault.
Donna tells James that Maddy is dead, James immediately says they could’ve helped her, nothing matters, world just goes to hell whatever they do, rides off not consoling her. What a guy.
In the motel bar, lightning strikes, Ben sat in a booth eating peanuts, Cooper and Albert at the bar, Harry enters with Leland, Big Ed (Everett McGill) arrives too. They all (except Ben) clear the room, then Hawk (Michael Horse) arrives with Bobby (Dana Ashbrook) and comatose Leo (Eric DaRe), what a collection. Cooper has reason to believe the killer is in this room. “Need to try something new which, for lack of a better word, we shall call MAGIC.” Lightning flash, Albert looks sceptical of the timing. Harry and Albert sat together, on the same page. “Someone is missing” Major Briggs (Don S. Davis) arrives with the Old Man Waiter, toddles over and offers Cooper a stick of gum, Leland recognises it, says he chewed it as a kid, old waiter smiles “That gum you like is going to come back in style.” Series of still lightning-lit images of all reactions. Cooper remembers what Laura whispered to him in the dream, “My father killed me.” So it’s confirmed, Leland did kill Laura, I’ll try not to gloat too much. The giant (Carel Struycken) appears before Cooper, gives his ring back (places it on own palm then disappears so it falls to the floor). Cooper tricks Leland, saying they need Ben to accompany them to the station, bring Leland as his attorney. Cooper gives a thumbs up to the confused-looking Bobby, Major, Ed and Leo, and ecstatic old man waiter.
Open the cell for Ben, push Leland in instead, he goes ballistic, launching himself at walls and stand-screaming in the middle of the room.
“Laura told me… in her dream” “We’re going to need a lot stronger evidence than this” THANK YOU. That face is why I knew it was Ray Wise the whole time. That face. Leland/Bob makes animal noises. He confesses to killing Laura and Maddy. Says it’s almost time to move on, pull the ripcord.
The return of Dick Tremayne, Designer Menswear (Ian Buchanan)! Lucy explains to him and Andy that she’s going to keep her baby, not up for discussion. Dick asks Andy for a light, checks pockets, “Nooooooo”, Dick has one anyway for his cigarette holder. Smokes up to the smoke detector.
In Cooper’s dream the man danced, other clues laid out as well, kind of. “This Bob cant really exist, Leland is just crazy, right?” Crazed Leland recites poem including the line “Fire Walk with Me”, fire alarm and sprinklers go off, Wildman Bob Leland going full Shawshank, arms outstretched in the internal rain, Bob left him and he remembers “I killed my daughter! Forgive me!” Leland let the man in as a boy. Bob now wanted Laura, but she was too strong. Made Leland kill that girl Theresa (Cooper’s previous case?). So Bob was checking out Donna to be his next host body?
Where has Bob gone? Only Leland, Cooper, Harry and Albert in the room, but that might not be a necessity for this being, could’ve gone down the drain for all I know. Or just need a small vicinity, which then includes Ben, Hawk, Andy, Lucy and, of course, Dick Tremayne, Designer Menswear. Cooper strokes Leland’s hair and encourages him to go “into the light”. LELAND DIES? Fuck, did not see that one coming. Dies just as the sprinklers stop.
Cooper, Albert and Harry walk away, Major Briggs stood waiting for them in the middle of the path at attention. Harry in disbelief, thinks Leland out of his mind, but Albert more open, others saw Bob in dreams, Major Briggs also open to more than heaven and earth. Albert: “Maybe that’s all Bob is, the evil that men do”, Harry asking the important question, “Where’s Bob now?”
Bob-vision! Purple, negative, flying owl! Is Bob an owl? Makes sense, with the face morphing/overlay from earlier episode.
New mysteries: Where did Bob go? IS Bob an owl? Why were Bobby, Leo and Big Ed brought to the Poirot reveal scene?
Old Mysteries: What happened to Laura? – Killed by Leland possessed by Bob. Done. Who assaulted Ronette? – Leland (plus Leo and Jacques) whilst possessed by Bob. Done. Who is the “J” Laura was anxious about meeting? Who was the shadowy figure behind Leo in the woods? – Presumably it really was Leland, but possessed by Bob. I’m gonna say this is done too. What did any of Cooper’s dream mean? – Apparently it all revealed who Bob was. I’m not convinced it’s all been explained, but I think it’s probably done as well. Who is the third man seen on the night of Laura’s murder? – Bob possessing Leland. Done. Who is the father of Lucy’s child? – Either Andy or Dick Tremayne Designer Menswear, time may tell. Who attacked Jacoby? Who shot Cooper? Is the Waiter real? What did any of Cooper’s new dream mean? – Hints at Bob. What’s up with this Wyndham Earle character? What’s with the magic Tremond kid? Who was trying to call Harry at the police station? If the owls are not what they seem, what are they? – I’m going with the owls (some or all, unsure) are physical representations of spirits not possessing people. Why does Nadine think she’s 18? Why is she super-strong now? Who is M. T. Wentz? – If it’s Vivian, that’s pretty mean to Norma. Who is Cousin Jonathan / Mr. Lee, really? Why did Wyndham Earle send Cooper a chess move? What is Leland-Bob going to do next? Just keep killing? – Nope, he’s going to abandon Leland to die, then presumably go possess someone else. Is Hank going to blackmail Ernie? Is Ernie really going straight, or is it an act?