Michael G. Munz

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

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…]

Michael Re-Watches Twin Peaks: Pilot

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The Pilot!
Written by Mark Frost & David Lynch
Directed by David Lynch

I’ve decided to break these re-watches down into a few sections. I’ll start with my specific memories of my first experience with each of these episodes from way back when I first caught the show in college. Then I’ll slip into my thoughts and observations while I view it anew, and then follow that up with my picks for favorite lines, moments, etc…

Autumn 1992: The University of Washington Haggett Hall lounge. I think we started the episode with just me, Nick, and Ted the R.A., but as the pilot went on, more and more people joined us as they came in and saw what we were watching. I was amazed at how many people recognized it and wanted to see it again. [Read more…]

My Twin Peaks Re-watch

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I graduated from Twin Peaks High School.

No, I don’t mean that as a metaphor for having watched the whole series, the show’s formative influence on me, or having learned to make a damn fine cherry pie. I mean I graduated from the high school used to portray Twin Peaks High School in Fire Walk With Me. Michael G. Munz, Snohomish High School Class of ’92. How’re ya doin’ down there?

Curiously, Bobby is walking into the library here, which seems a little out of character for him… 😀

They filmed it when I was still a student there, but at the time, I wasn’t familiar with the show. Sure, I’d heard of it. Who hadn’t? Even in those pre-Internet days, it was somehow a part of our cultural consciousness. Yet for whatever reason, I never watched it while it was still on the air. (Exception: The season 1 finale aired on a night that I and a bunch of other friends were sleeping over at my friend Scott’s house. For just a moment as we were flipping channels, it came on. Though my recollection is vague, I think it went something like this: Audrey was at One Eyed Jack’s, getting dressed up to meet “the owner.” Being teenage guys, of course scenes in a brothel made us pause. “What’s this show?” “I don’t know.” “Wait, is it that Twin Peaks thing? I hear this show’s weird as hell.” Cue the scene switching to Nadine, sitting on the floor in a peach dress and ubiquitous eye patch, pouring out a bowl full of pills to attempt suicide, and then Cooper playing blackjack. “Yeah, this is weird.” “Hey, Scott, doesn’t your dad have a pool table?”) [Read more…]