The return of David Lynch's one of kind serial, Twin Peaks has been met with confusion, delight, terror, and absolute joy by legions of devoted fans. The first several episodes set the tone, showcasing the undeniable truth that this was not only Lynch's magnum opus, but also something entirely different from what was expected. Steeped in vivid imagery and Lynch's trademark surreal sequences of dream logic, the world breathed a collective sigh, knowing that the master had come home to roost. Boasting an impressively large cast and an undercurrent of menace that was reminiscent of Inland Empire and Lost Highway, Twin Peaks: The Return has gone on to mystify and entice old and new viewers with its profane mythology and the odyssey of Special Agent Dale Cooper.
Episode 7, There's a Body All Right serves as a bridge between the original series, the prequel film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, and The Return, boasting the faux-campy overtones of the series infused with neo-Lynchian macabre. Things begin with an important scene between Robert Forester's sheriff and Hawk, pouring over the contents of a hidden letter discovered in the bowels of the department. While the revelations initially appear innocuous, their relevance to the bizarre timeline of the show ominously hint at what is to come. Lynch has always been a fan of detective stories, and Cooper has always been an avatar of this ideal. It is during Episode 7 that the true game begins. Old allies desperately search for their missing comrade, both on the streets of Twin Peaks and in the dangerous cells of a federal prison, with both forces seemingly dancing around the ultimate evil enshrined at the center.
There are some remarkable cameos from old characters, slowly tying together the many, many threads that are in play. These appearances are sprinkled throughout the narrative, juxtaposed with new characters that are intricately tied to a town they've never visited. Naomi Watts continues to impress as Dougie's firebrand wife, harnessing the fury of complacency that was the foundation of her legendary turn in Mulholland Drive. The incomparable Laura Dern steals every scene of this week's outing, bringing to life a much loved persona that may or may not be the key to Cooper's salvation. Kyle Maclachlan continues his march towards inevitable awards nominations, playing Cooper as a soul disjointed, a pure force of wonder and violence spread across time, realities, and geography.
The episode tones down some of the preceding episodes' violence, focusing on the investigation being conducted by multiple harriers, each of which holds a clue, the most important of which involves an impossibly aged corpse. Ultimately this is one of the strongest episodes of the season thus far, not for what it reveals, but in how it is meticulously constructed and patiently presented.
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-Kyle Jonathan