Twin Peaks: Season 2, Episode 2 "Coma" Review

 "I like to think of myself as one of the happy generations."

-Albert Rosenfield

"Coma" picks up with Dale Copper (Kyle MacLachlan) and Albert Rosenfield (Miguel Ferrer) going over the murder of Jacques Renault (Walter Olkewicz) and the mill fire.  Albert also informs Cooper that his old partner, Windom Earle (Kenneth Welsh), has escaped the mental institution where he had been committed.

Cooper and Sheriff Truman (Michael Ontkean) visit Ronette Pulaski (Phoebe Augustine) in the hospital.  She is unable to speak, but communicates to them that Leo Johnson (Eric Da Re) was not the man who hurt her.  However, she reacts violently when Cooper shows her a sketch of BOB (Frank Silva).  They end up putting out flyers of BOB across town, asking if people have seen him.

Later, Cooper and Truman meet with Hank Jennings (Chris Mulkey) for his weekly parole check-in and Truman reveals he and Hank used to be friends and Bookhouse Boys together.  They get a call from Ben Horne (Richard Beymer) revealing that Audrey (Sherilyn Fenn) is missing.

Donna Hayward (Lara Flynn Boyle) begins delivering food for the Meals on Wheels program.  She delivers food to Mrs. Tremond (Frances Bay) and her grandson (Austin Jack Lynch).  She suggests talking to her neighbor, Mr. Smith (Lenny Von Dohlen), about Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee).  Donna knocks on his door, but there is no answer, so Donna leaves a note.  That night, while recording a song with James (James Marshall) and Maddy (Sheryl Lee), Mr. Smith gives her a call back to schedule a meeting.  Then Maddy has a vision of BOB coming at her and she screams, but the others don't see anything.

At the Double R Diner, Major Briggs (Don Davis) is approached by the Log Lady (Catherine E. Coulson).  She says her log is telling the Major to "deliver the message," which Briggs understands.  He later visits Cooper and reveals that part of his job is monitoring deep space monitors, which regularly pick up signals of gibberish.  They received a clear message the night Cooper was shot, which said "The owls are not what they seem."  A later message repeated Cooper's name three times.

Deputy Andy (Harry Goaz) revels that he is sterile and asks Lucy (Kimmy Robertson) how she can be pregnant.  She doesn't answer him.

Leland Palmer (Ray Wise) sees one of the posters of BOB and recognizes him as the man who lived next door to his grandfather's summer house.  He rushes off to tell the Sheriff.

Bobby Briggs (Dana Ashbrook) convinces Shelly (Mädchen Amick) not to give a statement about Leo to the Sheriff, so Leo won't go to jail.  Since Leo is  in a coma, they plan to bring him home so Shelley can get rich off his disability checks.

Audrey catches Emory Battis (Don Amendolia) in a compromising position at One Eyes Jacks.  She gets him to reveal that Ben owns One Eyed Jacks and that they recruit girls through the perfume counter at the department store, including Laura and Ronette.  She later manages to call Cooper, but is unable to tell him her location before she is caught by Emory and Blackie (Victoria Catlin).

What Works:

I love the opening of the episode with the conversation between Cooper and Albert.  Anytime Albert gets to deliver sarcastic lines, I'm a happy man, but we also get to see behind the wall for once, when Albert checks in with Cooper's physical health.  It's a nice moment in a very funny scene.

Donna meeting Mrs. Tremond and her grandson is more of the show descending into madness and I'm here for it.  The disappearing creamed corn is fantastic and surreal.

Major Briggs has a fantastic episode in only two scenes.  I love his interactions with the Log Lady and the compassion and understanding he shows her in their conversation.  I also love his conversation with Cooper near the end of the episode and the reveal of the deep space messages.

Leland seeing the poster of BOB is a chilling moment that works even better when you know all of Leland's character arc.  It's a small moment, but it's very effective on the rewatch.

Finally, Maddy's vision of BOB is one of the most frightening moments in television history.  Frank Silva is always incredible, but more importantly is how it's shot.  It looks like BOB is breaking through various barriers on his way to Maddy and the viewer.  By the end of it, it feels like BOB is going to break out of the TV and get you.  It's absolute nightmare fuel and one of the scariest moments of the series.

What Sucks:

We really have to earn seeing the vision of BOB because just before that is one of the most infamous scenes in Twin Peaks.  The song James, Donna, and Maddy sing almost defies description.  It's so bad that all I could do was laugh.  It comes out of nowhere with literally no setup and it's just a terrible song.  It's one of the most painful moments of the series.

Crystal Coffee:

The Crystal Coffee Award goes to the most competent character of the episode.  For "Coma," I'm giving this award to Major Briggs for the compassion he shows the Log Lady and for understanding and delivering the message to Agent Cooper.  This is his first time winning this Award.

Verdict:

This is an iconic episode for good and bad reasons.  The song is painful, but it's worth it for Maddy's vision of BOB.  We also get some really awesome and sometimes creepy and chilling moments from Albert, Major Briggs, Mrs. Tremond, and Leland.  This episode has absolutely got it going on.

 9/10: Great