Michael G. Munz

The official website of Seattle sci-fi/fantasy author and geek Michael G. Munz

Archives for April 2017

Michael Re-Watches Twin Peaks: Season 2, Ep 1

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Season 2, Episode 1
Teleplay by Mark Frost
Story by Mark Frost & David Lynch
Directed by David Lynch

And this is where it gets weird. I always love showing this episode to people, because it’s always enjoyable to watch how they handle the increasing supernatural intensity with the Giant showing up, and BOB becoming a more active part of the narrative. I’m sure Nick, in showing it to the rest of us in Haggett Hall 1/2 North, felt the same way. He absolutely loved the “world’s most decrepit room service waiter.” I didn’t know what I was going to get with Senior Droolcup (Albert’s other name for him that many other TP fans too to using). It just kept going, more funny and more maddening as it went on.

I can also recall us watching this one late at night, starting around midnight on a Sunday (I think?). This of course meant that after the nightmarish ending, I got to walk down a silent, empty dorm hallway to a silent, empty dorm room, and do my best not to get creeped out. I failed. [Read more…]

Michael Re-Watches Twin Peaks: Season 1 Finale!

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Season 1, Episode 8
Written by Mark Frost
Directed by Mark Frost

Ahh, the Twin Peaks first season finale! The last gasp for breath before we plunge into the accelerated weirdness that shall be season two! The most cliffhanger-strewn episode in the entire series save for the season two finale that made us all scream! How I remember thee…

As I mentioned at the start of this whole re-watch thing, I caught a glimpse of this ep before I was actually following the show. I originally said that I’d seen Audrey at One-Eyed Jack’s followed by Nadine’s suicide attempt, but as I watched this time, I think the bit about Audrey was a false memory. I know for sure that I saw Nadine, and some scene right before that (which I’d misremembered as Audrey’s). But the previous scene to Nadine is Leo leaving Shelley in the mill, so I don’t really know. Such are the mysteries of a Twin Peaks life, huh? [Read more…]

Michael Re-Watches Twin Peaks: Season 1, Ep 7

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Season 1, Episode 7
Written by Harley Peyton
Directed by Caleb Deschanel

This episode is a slow burn that sets things up to be knocked out of the park for the upcoming first season finale. Memories of my original viewing are few, but I can recall being impressed at how Cooper handled Audrey being in his room. I also recall Nick pretending to be devastated at the ruined donuts, something I guess I absorbed myself for future watchings.  [Read more…]

Michael Re-Watches Twin Peaks: Season 1, Ep 6

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Season 1, Episode 6
Written by Mark Frost
Directed by Lesli Linka Glatter

I only remember a few things about this episode from my first viewing: Nick, who had a major thing for Sherlyn Fenn (he had a Boxing Helena movie poster in his dorm room, as I recall), going “Zing!” when Audrey told Cooper she was 18 at the start. One of the girls in the dorm lounge who was watching with us demanded we watch another episode immediately after the little cliff-hanger ending with Audrey as well. Oh, and over the course of repeated watchings, the songs that the Icelanders sing are now permanently accessible in my head, which is kinda cool.

Really, Mark Frost delivered one of my favorite episodes with this one because of various scenes: all the investigating, including a trip to the Log Lady’s and Jacques’s cabin. Major Briggs at family therapy. Audrey beginning her investigation. The whole Icelander visit. Oh, plus Leo gets beaten up and shot. Anything bad happening to Leo makes for a good episode in my book blog! [Read more…]

Michael Re-Watches Twin Peaks: Season 1, Ep 5

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Season 1, Episode 5
Written by Robert Engels
Directed by Tim Hunter

My memories of my original viewing of this episode are spotty, but a few things do stand out in my mind: My friend Nick remarking on how he loved Cooper’s reaction when Andy drops his gun. My own amazement (No, that’s too strong a word. Mild surprise?) in finding out that Andy and Lucy were a couple. (I’d somehow missed the earlier, more subtle indications.) Everyone in the dorm lounge bursting out in laughter due to the llama moment. Oh, and, this being the first episode with the now iconic sketch of BOB, I’m fairly sure that Nick wore his “Have you seen this man?” t-shirt–the same type of which I would get for myself on a trip to Snoqualmie a year or so later. [Read more…]

Scenes From a Norwescon

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It’s been almost a week since I got a Twin Peaks re-watch post up here. They’ll resume shortly. It’s just that since last Thursday I was busy selling books and communing with other geeks at the 40th annual Seattle sci-fi & fantasy con known as Norwescon! I had a great time, sold some books, hung out with fellow authors Tiffany Pitts, Camela Thompson, and Janine Southard, went to a few panels, and almost made it to the final round in a gigantic Cards Against Humanity tournament.

I also took a lot of pictures! While you wait for the next Twin Peaks post, please enjoy a slice of my experience, captured through my less-than-perfect phone camera!

Tiffany Pitts and Camela Thompson after we’d just gotten our Thursday table set up in Writer’s Row

Me on my end of the table. Not visible, my “Porkins wasn’t ‘alright'” t-shirt.

Cosplayers everywhere!

Also everywhere, dogs in carts! (Seriously, I hadn’t realized how many dogs would be there.)

Some were even in costume. It’s R2-D-dog!

Fantastic attention to detail. “How can you have a yellow alert in spacedock?”

Starting on Friday, we were lucky enough to be moved into the Dealer Room, since there was a booth opening and we had three people at our smaller, isolated, un-powered hallway table.

One of the biggest attractions at our table was this little guy that Tiffany brought. He held free Starburst for passersby. Those X-Wings are crayons (also made by Tiffany).

This vendor (Firefox Fashions) was directly across from us. Everything there looked amazing.

Friday I also came as Walter White/Heisenberg. (The milkshake isn’t part of the cosplay. I just wanted a milkshake.)

Steampunk Han & Leia!

Ran into this guy at the Jack-in-the-Box across the street (where I was still dressed as Walter White). Sorry for the blurry pic.

Lana from Archer

King Triton and Ursula from The Little Mermaid. These two had a different costume for each day.

Poor Daleks. Can’t go upstairs to the Evergreen Rooms. (Note the “peacebonding” on the red one.)

Day 3 (Saturday): Dressed in my Imperial Naval Officer cosplay. Much more comfortable boots this time.

He’d apparently had a late night of bad decisions.

Fairy godmothers, with coffee. So many people wanted a picture of these three that they didn’t know where to look.

Still more great attention to detail.

He checked out. Not a ghost. (Damn, I look tired, huh? All that extroversion is exhausting!)

An excellent Klingon.

Dude! You need to put a leash on that thing!

Pyramid Head!
She accidentally bumped into someone a few moments later. Not great visibility in that thing, but it looked great!

Zeus Is Dead did amazing sales. People kept telling me the title and the cover pulled them in. (That’s a chocolate Serenity in front there. Also made by Tiffany, we were giving them away with a book purchase.)

I had a great time, but after 4 straight days of stepping out of my comfort zone and interacting with so many people, I came home Sunday evening and pretty much collapsed! 😀

Note that I’ve still got a few paperback copies of Zeus Is Dead and The New Aeneid Cycle. Want to buy an autographed copy? Let me know via the contact page!

Michael Re-Watches Twin Peaks: Season 1, Ep 4

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Season 1, Episode 4
Written by Harley Peyton
Directed by Tina Rathbone

By this time on my original viewing experience (being shown the series by my friend Nick in my college dorm, as you may recall), our Twin Peaks viewings had collected other viewings, and had snowballed to at least half a dozen other regulars. I think this was about when we started knocking on doors of some people before we watched an episode, just to make sure they wouldn’t get mad at us if they missed anything.

As for this specific episode, I remember Nick cracking a joke during the funeral when the priest talked about loving Laura that implied that he was sleeping with her, too. Given what goes on in this town, I admit I wouldn’t be entirely surprised if that were actually canon. (And now I wish I could remember anything from my single read of The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer years ago.) [Read more…]