Twin Peaks 2017 episode 7 review: Old faces start to take centre stage

*WARNING: SPOILERS FOR TWIN PEAKS SEASON 3 EPISODE 7*

Set aside a two-minute scene of a man sweeping to ‘Green Onions’ (mesmerising in its own way), and the latest Twin Peaks proved surprisingly coherent. If last week’s installment was a pause for contemplation – a moment for us to truly readjust ourselves within David Lynch’s vision of his show as now lensed through 2017 – than this week was the engine starting up to plough forward into the narrative with a renewed determination.

For once, it was the citizens of Twin Peaks themselves who started to drift towards the centre stage. Hawk’s investigation into Dale Cooper’s whereabouts found its breakthrough in the missing pages he uncovered in episode 6, now confirmed to ripped from Laura Palmer’s diary.

Specifically, these documents detail an incident we saw play out in Fire Walk With Me, in which Laura saw a vision of Annie telling her that “the good Dale is in the Lodge, and he can’t leave”.

Hawk’s approach is as measured and careful as ever, and what Lynch has made so striking in his return to the town is how these citizens have seemingly remained untouched by the passing of time. Life simply goes on. Doc Hayward (the late Warren Frost) is interviewed about his examination of Cooper after he returned from the Black Lodge through Skype, but there’s no sense of modern awe about it. Sheriff Truman speaks to him through a computer screen that emerges from a hiding spot within his desk, as if it would otherwise be in risk of spoiling such rustic utopia.

Elsewhere, Benjamin Horne seems as insatiable in his appetites as ever, as he shares some onscreen tension with his assistant Beverly (Ashley Judd); whatever may be occurring between them is certainly taking its toll on Beverley’s ailing husband Tom. One Eyed Jack’s still seems in full operation, too, albeit now under the operation of Jean-Michel Renault (Walter Olkewicz), who looks exactly like the deceased Jacques Renault.

That said, this episode finally saw Laura Dern’s Diane in action, though she’s certainly not the Diane fans may have expected. A woman fuelled by bitterness and anger, she spent much of the episode cussing out the likes of Gordon Cole and Albert Rosenfield.

Coming face-to-face with bad Cooper, she asks him intently about the last time Diane and Cooper ever saw each other. Whatever happened that night, it rocks Diane with emotion. The bad Cooper’s lack of reaction seemingly tells her everything she needs to know.

Colonel Davis (Ernie Hudson)’s investigations into Major Briggs’ disappearance continue, with another in a continuing string of DNA hits for Briggs leading to the murdered body found in Buckhorn, South Dakota. The body is not his, but the identity of the shadowy figure that stalks the hallways only adds to the mystery.

Whether either of these individuals may be able to help in the long run is yet to be seen, since good Cooper is in pretty severe danger by now. His doppelganger has walked out of prison after blackmailing the warden with talk of a Mr. Strawberry, while this episode saw hitman Spike (Christophe Zajac-Denek) attack Cooper as he walked out of Dougie’s office.

During the ensuing fight between the pair, The Man From Another Place emerged to assist Cooper by asking him to “squeeze his hand off”. A non-sequitur maybe, but it’s curious as to why cops are later seen examining the gun Spike was holding only to find a strange chunk of flesh left behind. Is Spike not as straightforward as he may initially appear? The answer, as always, seems likely to be yes.

Twin Peaks airs 2am on Mondays on Sky Atlantic and NOW TV with the Entertainment Pass, in a simulcast with the US. Twin Peaks airs 2am on Mondays on Sky Atlantic and NOW TV with the Entertainment Pass, in a simulcast with the US airing on Showtime. The episode will then be shown again at 9pm on the following day. You can catch up now on season one and two via Sky Box Sets and NOW TV.