Review Tonight! "Twin Peaks" S02E10 “Dispute Between Brothers”

[Mad-Pac]

Aired Thursday 9:00 PM Dec 08, 1990 on ABC

Leland is laid to rest and the Twin Peaks denizens attempt to reconcile themselves with the gruesome events that have shaken the town to its foundations.


CAST

Kyle MacLachlan ...Special Agent Dale Cooper
Michael Ontkean ...Sheriff Harry S. Truman
Mädchen Amick ...Shelly Johnson
Dana Ashbrook ...Bobby Briggs
Richard Beymer ...Benjamin Horne
Lara Flynn Boyle ...Donna Hayward
Sherilyn Fenn ...Audrey Horne
Warren Frost ...Dr. Will Hayward
Peggy Lipton ...Norma Jennings
Everett McGill ...Big Ed Hurley
Jack Nance ...Pete Martell
Kimmy Robertson ...Lucy Moran
Joan Chen ...Jocelyn Packard
Piper Laurie ...Catherine Martell
Eric DaRe ...Leo Johnson
Harry Goaz ...Deputy Andy Brennan
Michael Horse ...Deputy Tommy 'Hawk' Hill
Russ Tamblyn ...Dr. Lawrence Jacoby
Grace Zabriskie ...Sarah Palmer
Chris Mulkey ...Hank Jennings
Ian Buchanan ...Dick Tremayne
James Booth ...Ernie Niles
Jane Greer ...Vivian Smythe Niles
Clarence Williams III ...FBI Agent Roger Hardy
Gavan O'Herlihy ...RCMP Officer Preston King
Wendy Robie ...Nadine Hurley
Tony Jay ...Dougie Milford
Don S. Davis ...Maj. Garland Briggs
Mary Jo Deschanel ...Eileen Hayward
Don Calfa ...Vice Principal Greege
Michael Parks ...Jean Renault
John Boylan ...Mayor Dwayne Milford
Lisa Cloud ...P. E. Teacher
Tiffany Muxlow ...Cheerleader
Susan Sundholm ...Samantha


WRITING CREDITS

Mark Frost...(created by) &
David Lynch...(created by)
Tricia Brock...(written by)


DIRECTED BY

Tina Rathborne

 

[Mad-Pac]

Episode 9: “Arbitrary Law”
Episode 10: “Dispute Between Brothers”​

Because of my difficulties to watch an episode and write a review last week, I had to postpone it so much that I only got to work on that when it was time for the next episode. And these two were the wrong episodes to do that, since they had very little in common. But I did enjoy the experience, and in fact, I came to the realization that Twin Peaks is the kind of show to be binge-watched. There are too many little details to remember, but at the same time, the pace is excruciatingly slow at times, each episode doesn’t tell a complete story and there are many parallel plots going on. In fact, I think it makes more sense to make reviews of as group of episodes in which something significant happens and is properly developed instead of having to find something to say about story fragments that are more like “traces to nowhere”.

Episode 9 was the conclusion to the “Who killed Laura Palmer?” story arc. So, it was Leland controlled by Bob, which we already knew, kind of, so nothing came as a surprise. Honestly, I have to think about this a little longer, and if I had watched all the first 9 second-season episodes in a binge, I would’ve retained more details to refer to. I won’t pretend I understood everything and that I get the hidden meaning of David Lynch’s cinematographic language, but at least I learned that Laura was strong, fought Bob’s control, and had this strange mystical connection with Dale Cooper, even thought I don’t know what to think of the fact that she had the same dream Dale had (from a different perspective, which was interesting), but she had that dream weeks before Dale did, and that makes even less sense to me because if two people are psychically connected they should have the same dream at the same timer, not the second person having tonight the dream the first person had three weeks ago. Not that there’s any logic or reason for anything (after all, as Dale describes, we’re talking about “magic”), but I find simultaneous dreams to be a little easier for my suspension of disbelief.

Anyway… When the case was “solved” and Cooper apparently didn’t have anything else to do in Twin Peaks so much so that he would have no more reason to stay in town unless he used his vacation days, I realized that, in fact, most of what was going on still had to be solved. I mean, Ben and Jerry Horne are still involved in shady criminal deals, and that involves the Renaults, and there’s Leo and Hank, and drugs, and the Two-Eye Jacks, and the Bookhouse Boys, not to mention all the other parallel plots involving the minor characters.

Conveniently enough, now Agent Cooper has a very good reason to stay, since he is suspended and is being investigated. And the Mounted Police officer that confronted Cooper with Clarence Williams III is one of the bad guys (right?) and we learn this when he follows Jean Renault’s orders and brings the drug for Hank and the Professor. So, even though I think Agent Clarence, I mean, Hardy, was being honest and following procedure (come to think of it, Cooper acting undercover in Canada was a little out of his jurisdiction), the presence of the corrupt Mounty shows that the criminals are involved in the accusations against Cooper. And that’s their mistake: if they had let Cooper go, he would be on his way to his next case. Now, he’ll stay in town, probably solve the mystery and put an end to all these criminal shenanigans.

Dale and Audrey had a moment, but Dale has an emotionally-scarred romantic past, so he won’t “take advantage of her”, and that sucks because I hate these “will they won’t they” moments American sitcoms love so much. If something is going on between those two good-looking, healthy and completely perfect young people, let it happen sooner, not later.

At the end, Major “General Hammond” Briggs and Agent Dale Cooper go night fishing and Briggs vanishes in a bright light after seeing a ghastly figure. OK, to me it was clear that Briggs was swallowed by a Stargate, especially considering all the talk they had about communication with ETs in a previous episode. Let’s just find out which planet he ended on. Probably a planet inhabited by intelligent owls which are not what they seem.

They should’ve made episode 9 the season finale, and this should be season 3. I’m sure that would have made it easier for the viewers to follow the story and would have given episode 9 a ratings boost simply because season finales tend to be more popular.


“Arbitrary Law” was very good. It gets 9 gums that are coming back in style.

“Dispute Between Brothers” was also better than what we were having before, and was a good beginning for a new story arc. It gets 8 green butt skunks.


PS: I told you Lucy didn’t have an abortion! (I’m not cheating here.) I had the confidence, from the beginning, she would’ve done the right thing and deserved our trust.

 

[Brimfin]

With one storyline pretty much finished and another strong one not yet started, this episode nonetheless bridged the gap quite nicely.

First, we discover that Leland died a few days after his confession. Logically, his storyline had nowhere left to go but to prison or an asylum. So this is a peaceful way to say that he died rid of Bob and genuinely remorseful for the murders he committed. Sarah has a strong scene which she hadn’t had a chance to show much since earlier on in the show. Back in the early 90's, killing off one of the regular characters was still unusual. Nowadays, it is much more commonplace to kill off a regular - often for shock value – but it was a daring move back then.

Cooper has some nice scenes preparing to leave Twin Peaks and saying his goodbyes – a sweet exchange with Audrey, complete with a backstory about his lost love and why his partner went crazy. He also gives hearty thanks to all who helped him out. I think the best moment was when he saw a childish argument between two very grown men and then got the oddball Twin Peaks-style explanation about it. He shakes his head with a smile and says something like, “I’m really going to miss this place.”

A nice directorial touch as Shelly is talking on the phone with Leo’s wheelchair in the foreground, which then creeps forward slowly. Fortunately, she does notice it, but we weren’t at an angle to be able to tell just how much control Leo was using to move it. Is he just faking the whole thing now?

It’s at least very clear from the Andy, Lucy and Dick scene that Lucy likes Andy a lot more than Dick. Still, Andy’s trying to be the good guy and just wants them all to be friends until they find out who the baby’s father is. Lucy can only hope – along with us – that Andy is the father.

The new storyline that at least prevents Cooper from leaving is that he’s being accused not only of violating international borders, which he admits to, but stealing drugs during the bust. Little does he know that the Canadian Mountie who blew the whistle on him is in on the drug dealing and plans to plant drugs in Dale’s car to frame him, as part of Jean Renault’s revenge for Cooper's getting his brother killed. Nice touch of having the other investigator played by Clarence Williams III, former co-star in THE MOD SQUAD with Peggy Lipton who plays Norma. Too bad they didn’t work them into a scene together with a wink and a nod to their former show, but he may be around next week still. Speaking of Norma, it turns out that after all that work to please a mystery critic it turned out to be her own visiting mother and she wrote a crappy review anyway. Norma tells her mom to get lost – good riddance, in my opinion. She was totally unlikeable anyway.

Hints toward our next storyline – Major Briggs mentions a mysterious White Lodge to Cooper and then moments later he disappears while Dale is answering nature’s call. And Josie reappears at Harry’s house looking shaken. He is really glad to see her. And predictably, Catherine comes back minus her disguise and with a silly but plausible story about how she survived.

This episode kept my interest for the most part. I’ll give it 7 owls who are not what they seem.

Best dialogue:

Audrey (to Cooper): “You know there’s only one problem with you – you’re perfect.”

Harry: “Forgive my saying so, Catherine, but aren’t you dead?”

Audrey: “School numbs my buns.”

Harry: “Why would you come back?”
Catherine: “I ran out of tuna fish.”

 

[Brimfin]

PS: I told you Lucy didn’t have an abortion! (I’m not cheating here.) I had the confidence, from the beginning, she would’ve done the right thing and deserved our trust.

No argument there, but I when I first brought it up you implied that No, she went to see her sister. Where did this abortion thing come from? So I pointed out where it was mentioned in the plot. I didn't think she'd have it either, after she got so upset with Dick's offer to pay for it. I only mentioned the possibility later that she might have had it because since they had gone to the trouble to bring it up in the first place, it logically should have meant something, at least her saying "I couldn't bring myself to do it. And I'm glad."

But I do find it annoying that close to the end of one episode, Andy tries to call her and instead finds himself talking with an abortion clinic, and shouts "Oh my God." I was hoping there'd be a nice scene where he goes after her to try and stop her, only to find she'd already decided against it anyway. But instead, the whole thing was literally forgotten by the writers as if it never happened. Why did they even bother in the first place?

In fact, the whole baby storyline is perhaps the weakest plot in the show. First, Andy and Lucy seems to be having a lover's spat and he seems afraid to even ask her what's wrong. Finally, he goes over and kisses her almost like that's the first time he ever did it. But no, then we learn they must have slept together at least once. And what doctor tells someone they're "sterile" (specifically that term because he said he at first thought it meant he didn't have to take baths anymore) and then when he checks another sample suddenly he's bursting with sperm? And Lucy's reasons for seeing Dick instead of Andy were so shallow it made her look ridiculous. (He never wore a sportscoat?) I'm pretty sure it will turn out Andy's the father, but I wouldn't be surprised if Dick tries to somehow switch the test results first. That would be ridiculous since she'd find out the baby's true blood type sooner or later - but then on this show, you just never know.

 

[Mad-Pac]

Mad-Pac said:
PS: I told you Lucy didn’t have an abortion! (I’m not cheating here.) I had the confidence, from the beginning, she would’ve done the right thing and deserved our trust.

No argument there, but I when I first brought it up you implied that No, she went to see her sister. Where did this abortion thing come from? So I pointed out where it was mentioned in the plot.

Hee, hee. At first I was surprised because I really was. But later I was being facetious. The thing is, you heard that extra dialogue portion about the abortion clinic, but I didn't. It turns out that was a red herring that misled you,and since I obviously don't remember it at all, the plot was much simpler to me and I went from A to C directly, while you lingered at B. Serves you right for paying attention to the episode!

That being said, I think Lucy is one f the good guys. She made a mistake with Dick; she was impressed by his "sophisticated" manners and was put off by Andy's indecisiveness. And since in my culture abortion is not really an option, I never really took it as a serious alternative.

I just think Andy is missing a great opportunity to tell Dick to ƒµ¢₭ ؃ƒ and just tell Lucy he'll be with her regardless of paternity tests.

One last thing:
"Joyeux anniversaire, Mounsieur Lemieux! Combien d'années?"


How are you celebrating?

 

[Bob Peters 61]

Sorry I'm so late.

I liked the way Andy all but shut down Dick's chances with Lucy in the process of leaving him alone with her. Then Hawk questions his approach and he gives a little knowledge of her personality to back up his moves, he almost cracks wondering if he had been too big a man there. If Andy and Lucy don't end up together, it'll be the worst romantic atrocity on a TV show since Dave and Maddy didn't end up together on Moonlighting. But at least the latter had the decency to give us Bert and Agnes as a consolation ship.

Just when you think Coop's out of town, the story pulls him back in. Between the internal affairs investigation, the situation with Sean Renault and now the disappearance of Maj. Briggs we have a whole new set of reasons to keep tuned in after having learned who dunnit.

Norma going back to high school has so much potential for comic relief it's beyond funny.

One thing is up and this episode took us right into the next chapter of Cooper in Twin Peaks. I'll have to give it 9 book house patches since Mad-Pac beat me to the green-butt skunks. (But in all fairness, how could that have not been the first think taken from this ep.?)