Episode 1 (Twin Peaks)
"Episode 1" | |
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Twin Peaks episode | |
Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 2 |
Directed by | Duwayne Dunham |
Written by | David Lynch Mark Frost |
Original air date | April 12, 1990 |
Running time | 46 minutes[1] |
Guest appearances | |
| |
"Episode 1", also known as "Traces to Nowhere",[nb 1] is the second episode of the first season of the American mystery television series Twin Peaks. The episode was written by series creators David Lynch and Mark Frost, and directed by Duwayne Dunham. "Episode 1" features series regulars Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Ontkean, and Richard Beymer.
Dunham was offered the role of directing the episode by Lynch, who wanted Dunham to
"Episode 1" continued the investigation of the series' main plotline, the murder of schoolgirl Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee), with Federal Bureau of Investigation agent Dale Cooper (MacLachlan) interviewing several suspects connected to the victim. The episode was viewed by approximately 14.9 million households upon its initial airing, which represented over a quarter of the available audience. Since its broadcast, the episode has earned positive reviews from critics.
Plot
Background
The small town of Twin Peaks, Washington, has been shocked by the murder of schoolgirl
Events
Cooper takes breakfast at the Great Northern Hotel, enjoying a "damn fine cup of coffee" as Audrey Horne (Sherilyn Fenn) introduces herself and begins flirting with him. He makes his way to the sheriff's department, where he and Sheriff Truman (Michael Ontkean) discuss the day's plans. They interview Dr Hayward (Warren Frost) who has had an autopsy conducted on Palmer's body. They learn that Laura had sex with at least three men the night she died.
Waitress Shelley Johnson (Mädchen Amick) is about to leave for work when her abusive husband Leo (Eric Da Re) demands she do more laundry. She finds a bloodstained shirt among Leo's clothes and hides it before he notices. However, he later realizes that it has gone missing. When she returns home that night, he questions her about its whereabouts, and savagely beats her with a bar of soap in a sock.
Cooper interviews Hurley about a video of Laura and Donna Hayward (Lara Flynn Boyle); Hurley had denied him being present the day it was taken but Cooper notices a reflection of his motorcycle in the video. Cooper confronts Hurley about the affair he was having with Palmer, and about her cocaine habit. Hurley admits seeing Palmer the night she died but denies killing her. James' uncle Ed Hurley (Everett McGill) comes to the sheriff's department to pick his nephew up. Ed tells Truman that he was drugged the previous night at The Roadhouse, the town's bar; he suspects bartender Jacques Renault (Walter Olkewicz) was responsible. Cooper takes a telephone call from his colleague Albert Rosenfield, who is on his way to aid the investigation. Meanwhile, Briggs and his friend Mike Nelson (Gary Hershberger) are in a jail cell, discussing money they owe to Leo. The $10,000 they were meant to pay him is in a safe deposit box owned by Palmer, which they can now no longer access. They are later released by Cooper, who warns them not to approach James Hurley. The scene fade cuts into a short clip from the VHS tape of Palmer dancing outdoors, and pauses on a close up of her face. The words "Help Me" can be heard.
Josie Packard (
Production
"Episode 1" was written by the series creators
Dunham had first met Lynch when he worked as the
The introduction of a sexual rapport between the characters of Audrey Horne and Dale Cooper was a suggestion of Dunham's, who felt it would benefit both characters. Dunham felt that the central mystery in the series—the murder of schoolgirl Laura Palmer—was simply a "MacGuffin" to compel what he saw as the real focus, the interaction of the large ensemble cast. As such, he took care to introduce meaningful interactions between characters wherever possible.[12] Dunham also spent time with each of the cast to help them develop their characters, having studied the scripts involved and basing his take on the characters on his experience with "Pilot".[13]
Dunham retained the frequent use of static cameras seen in "Pilot", something he saw as a hallmark of Lynch's directing style;[14] describing the result as "like framed pictures".[15] He also continued the use of a "warm" reddish tint to the footage, using soft coral filters and carefully selected props and costumes to obtain this coloring.[16] This tint was considered important enough that Lynch sent a representative to the network to ensure they understood it was deliberate and not a mistake, for fear that they might correct the saturation to be more "realistic" before broadcasting it.[17]
Broadcast and reception
Leo attempts to method-act his way into a "taller and less bald than I really am" frenzy in an attempt to inspire fear in pretty much anyone, but [...] I remain unconvinced by his ostensibly sinister characterization.
—Television Without Pity's Daniel Blau on Eric Da Re's performance[18]
"Episode 1" was first broadcast on American Broadcasting Company (ABC) on April 12, 1990. Upon its initial airing, it was seen by 14.9 million households, or 27 percent of the available audience.[19] It placed second in its timeslot after Cheers.[20] This marked a decline from "Pilot", which attracted 33 percent of the available audience.[21] The following episode would be viewed by 21 percent of the available audience, representing a further drop in numbers.[22]
Writing for
Notes
Footnotes
- ^ "Twin Peaks, Season 1". iTunes Store. Apple. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
- ^ Riches 2011, p. 40.
- ^ David Lynch (writer and director); Mark Frost (writer) (April 8, 1990). "Pilot". Twin Peaks. Season 1. Episode 1. ABC.
{{cite episode}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - AllRovi. Retrieved August 10, 2012.
- AllRovi. Retrieved August 10, 2012.
- AllRovi. Archived from the originalon January 16, 2013. Retrieved August 10, 2012.
- ^ Dunham, 32:02–32:38.
- ^ Dunham, 01:55–02:26.
- ^ Dunham, 02:45–03:36.
- ^ Dunham, 03:37–04:23.
- ^ Dunham, 08:59–09:08.
- ^ Dunham, 05:02–06:47.
- ^ Dunham, 12:29–13:13.
- ^ Dunham, 10:01–10:28.
- ^ Dunham, 10:38–10:40.
- ^ Dunham, 19:40–20:18.
- ^ Dunham, 22:01–22:36.
- ^ a b Blau, Daniel J. (June 7, 2000). "Episode One – Twin Peaks TV Show – Recaps, Reviews, Episodes". Television Without Pity. Archived from the original on August 29, 2012. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
- ^ Bickelhaupt, Susan (April 14, 1990). "'Peaks' Doesn't Overshadow 'Cheers'". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on October 13, 2013. Retrieved August 10, 2012. (subscription required)
- ^ Feder, Robert (April 16, 1990). "Radio's new WCFL will return to oldies". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved August 10, 2012. (subscription required)
- ^ Bickelhaupt, Susan (April 12, 1990). "'Twin Peaks' vs. 'Cheers'". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on November 3, 2013. Retrieved August 10, 2012. (subscription required)
- ^ Feder, Robert (April 23, 1990). "Winners or losers? // Spring series shoot for fall slots". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on October 13, 2013. Retrieved August 10, 2012. (subscription required)
- ^ Phipps, Keith (December 5, 2007). "'Episode 1' / 'Episode 2' |Twin Peaks | TV Club". The A.V. Club. Retrieved August 10, 2012.
- AllRovi. Retrieved August 10, 2012.
Bibliography
- Dunham, Duwayne (2001), Episode 1: Commentary (DVD), Twin Peaks: The Complete First Season: Artisan Entertainment
- Riches, Simon (2011). "Intuition and Investigation into Another Place: The Epistemological Role of Dreaming in Twin Peaks and Beyond". In Devlin, William J.; Biderman, Shai (eds.). The Philosophy of David Lynch. Lexington: ISBN 978-0-8131-3396-6.
External links
- "Episode 1" at IMDb