What's with all these people whining and moaning because we didn't find out who killed Laura Palmer in last week's season finale of "Twin Peaks?"
Oh, Jacques Renault was arrested. And Agent Cooper and the cops seem to think Leo Johnson actually murdered the prom queen/tramp/cocaine addict.But even if Leo did the actual deed (which I doubt), there's more to it than this.
So we still don't know. Some viewers and critics feel "betrayed." ABC's own insipid news magazine "PrimeTime Live" ran a particularly vapid segment last week about disgruntled "Peaks" fans who were expecting everything to be resolved.
Let me try to explain this.
"Twin Peaks," underneath all the weirdness, is a soap opera.
"Twin Peaks" will return in the fall.
In the tradition of all prime time soap operas, "Twin Peaks" ended the season with a cliffhanger. (Actually, several cliffhangers.)
By doing this, the producers are hoping to keep interest alive during the long summer months.
I hope this has adequately explained a "cliffhanger" to those of you who hadn't quite grasped the concept.
And to fans who feel betrayed, just think of all the fun you can have this summer talking about who killed Laura Palmer. What did that "R" under her fingernail mean? What did that cryptic message scrawled in blood mean? And is Laura really dead, or did Maddie die and Laura take her place?
Wouldn't the next few months be boring if everything had been tied up in a neat package last week?
***
CLIFFHANGERS: Here's what "Peaks" left us wondering about:
-Laura's father, Leland, smothered Jacques. But was it for revenge or to keep him quiet?
-Will Nadine's suicide attempt succeed?
-Leo Johnson, while attempting to kill Bobby Briggs with an ax, is shot by Hank Jennings. Is Leo dead, and why did Hank shoot him?
-Will Dr. Jacoby, the wacky psychiatrist, survive his heart attack? And who beat him up?
-Will Catherine Martell and Shelly Johnson survive the mill fire (which Leo set)? Will Pete Martell be able to save them without getting killed himself?
-Why did Jocelyn Packard hire Hank to kill her late husband? What is she plotting with Benjamin Horne?
-What will Benjamin do when he finds out the new "girl" at One-Eyed Jack's is his daughter, Audrey?
-Who shot Agent Cooper three times? Was it the same person who killed Laura Palmer? And was Cooper wearing a bullet-proof vest?
***
YOU TELL ME: I'll admit it. I don't know who killed Laura Palmer. Do you?
If you've got a theory, write in and tell me about it. I'll print the best ones in the paper, and buy my favorite theorist a dozen glazed donuts.
(You have to have watched the show to understand why.)
Send your theories to:
Scott D. Pierce
Deseret News television editor
P.O. Box 1257
Salt Lake City, UT 84110