All episodes & show notes for my podcast coverage of Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
May 7 - 20, 2022
(illustrations for storylines, character rankings, locations, TIME cover & all categories)
To jump right to the Apple Podcast links as they go up each day (they are also embedded/linked below along with details on each episode): A - The Path to Fire Walk With Me / B - Fire Walk With Me's Current Events / C - Fire Walk With Me Critical Archive / D - Fire Walk With Me & The Missing Pieces Personal & Fan Reception / E - The Missing Pieces Production Context & Current Events / F - Fire Walk With Me & The Missing Pieces in the Weeds / G - Fire Walk With Me & The Missing Pieces Mythology / H - The Missing Pieces / I - Fire Walk With Me Subplots / J - Laura's Outer Circle in Fire Walk With Me / K - Laura's Inner Circle in Fire Walk With Me / L - Fire Walk With Me Mysteries / M - My First Fire Walk With Me Archive / N - My Second Fire Walk With Me Archive / O - My Third Fire Walk With Me Archive / P - My Missing Pieces Archive
The Path to Fire Walk With Me - How was the film created?
Episode 31A: The feel of the episode, director/writer & production context
on Saturday, May 7
5:24 HOW I'LL PRESENT FIRE WALK WITH ME & THE MISSING PIECES
OVER 2 WEEKS
7:35 UPDATE: MY PODCASTS FROM THE PAST 4 1/2 MONTHS
(linked at the bottom of this line-up)
21:11 WRITER/DIRECTOR & CO-WRITER...
Robert Engels
26:38 EARLY IDEAS FOR TWIN PEAKS FILMS
28:59 WHY A PREQUEL?
34:28 PRE-PRODUCTION
35:35 READING THE PRODUCTION DIARY
Fire Walk With Me's Current Events - What was going on in 1992?
Episode 31B: Top 13 films this weekend, #1 TV show on release date, in the news this day & TIME cover/articles this week
on Sunday, May 8
0:00 INTRO clip from...
Freddie The Frog Trailer 1992 (video)
1:40 PREMIERE AT CANNES FILM FESTIVAL
on Saturday, May 16, 1992
2:55 U.S. PREMIERE AT TWIN PEAKS FEST IN WASHINGTON
on Sunday, August 16, 1992
3:58 FILM CONTEXT
wide release: Friday, August 28, 2017; box office: $1.8 million weekend, $4.2 million North American total; debuts & box office: #13 Buffy the Vampire Slayer, #12 Howards End, #11 Freddie as F.R.O.7, #10 Sister Act, #9 3 Ninjas, #8 Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, #7 A League of Their Own, #6 Rapid Fire, #5 Death Becomes Her, #4 Single White Female, #3 Pet Sematary II, #2 Unforgiven &...
#1 MOVIE: Honeymoon in Vegas
+ #1 TV SHOW: 20/20 & ratings compared to Twin Peaks (10:55)
(browse a visual copy of this issue)
21:46 OTHER TIME ARTICLES: "family values"/culture war, Israeli sayeret forces, letters about the Olympics, Soviet privatization & more
Fire Walk With Me Critical Archive - How did they react?
Episode 31C: Press clippings, literary excerpts & blog highlights
on Monday, May 9
All readings in this episode are from my media round-up.
0:00 INTRO clip from...
(featuring clips from here)
1:04 CRITICS & JOURNALISTS IN 1991 - 92
22:58 SCHOLARS & ESSAYISTS IN THE NINETIES
38:26 BLOGGERS & OTHER COMMENTATORS IN THE TEENS
53:20 OUTRO clip from...
Fire Walk With Me & The Missing Pieces Personal & Fan Reception - How did we react?
Episode 31D: Anticipating & responding to the film & deleted scenes (+ opening minute of deleted scenes)
scheduled for Tuesday, May 10 (but published the following morning)
0:00 INTRO clip from...
(w/ follow-up commentary from me)
2:52 INITIAL FAN RECEPTION
(memories from the alt.tv.twin-peaks Usenet board)
28:03 INITIAL FAN RECEPTION
(memories from dugpa's World of Blue fan forum)
39:29 OVERVIEW OF EVOLVING REPUTATION
44:11 PERSONAL RECEPTION (initial)
48:54 MORE PERSONAL RECEPTION (over the years)
58:38 MORE PERSONAL RECEPTION (today)
1:01:15 THE MISSING PIECES PERSONAL & GENERAL FAN RECEPTION
(w/ aside on critical/press reaction)
1:04:55 FAN REFLECTIONS ON THE "AFTERLIFE" OF TWIN PEAKS
& THE MISSING PIECES
1:13:10 OUTRO clip from...
The Missing Pieces Production Context & Current Events
Episode 31E: Assembling the deleted scenes, #1 TV show on release date, #1 film this weekend, in the news this day & TIME cover this week
on Wednesday, May 11
0:00 INTRO clip from...
1:09 PRODUCTION CONTEXT including an aside on the fanedit
11:38 HISTORICAL CONTEXT for July 29, 2014 including...
#1 MOVIE: Lucy
#1 TV SHOW: America's Got Talent, change in TV ratings
WORLD EVENTS (very brief)
Israel bombing Gaza, Russia sanctioned over Ukraine, Virginia same-sex marriage ban overturned
TIME COVER: Invasive species
(browse a visual copy of this issue)
OTHER TIME ARTICLES: Economic recovery, growing inequality, Elizabeth Warren, splitting California, criticism of Obama
Fire Walk With Me & The Missing Pieces in the Weeds - Which elements are highlighted?
Episode 31F: Character statistics, featured locations, coffee/pie/donuts & more
on Thursday, May 12
(+ no more top storyline)
4:07 COFFEE IN FIRE WALK WITH ME...
25:01 CHARACTERS...
Introductions in Fire Walk With Me:
Angels, Teresa Banks (in person); Carl Rodd, Phillip Jeffries; Chet Desmond; Sam Stanley (in person); the Jumping Man; the Woodsmen; the Electrician; the monkey; Deputy Cliff Howard; Sheriff Cable; Lil the dancer; Irene the waitress; wounded lady in trailer park; Tommy & Buck in Roadhouse; Jack at Hap's; school bus squad; the Deer Meadow secretary; old/young couple at counter; crime van driver; woman looking for hot water; FBI security guard; Toad the Double R cook; Power and the Glory rock group; Mo's Motor mechanic; secretaries walking away from Gordon Cole; random workmen at Hap's; old man crossing intersection (+ re-casting of Donna & aside on re-castings in the series)
Introductions in The Missing Pieces:
Buenos Aires concierge, bellboy & maid; trucker who picks up Laura; Dennis at Partyland
First interactions:
Albert & Gordon; Laura in person w/ most characters (aside from James, Donna, the Arm/Man From Another Place, Bob & Cooper) - Leland, Tremonds, Bobby, Sarah, Norma (sort of), Gerard, Singer, Shelly, Doc (in The Missing Pieces), Leo, Harold, Eileen (in The Missing Pieces), Major, Betty, Annie, the Log Lady, Jacoby & Mike (+ forgot to mention Jacques & Ronette); Jacques w/ Bobby, Donna & Ronette; Ronette w/ Leo & Leland; Gerard w/ the Arm/Man From Another Place & both w/ Leland (+ forgot to mention w/ Bob); Josie w/ Dell Mibbler (in The Missing Pieces); Cooper w/ Diane in person but unseen (in The Missing Pieces)
CHARACTER RANKINGS
about 9 minutes
second time in top 10 (last time was 23 entries ago - the season 1 finale)
about 10 minutes
thirteenth time in top 10 (last time was 8 entries ago - S2E15)
#8 Sarah Palmer
about 12 minutes
fourth time in top 10 (last time was 13 entries ago - S2E10)
#7 Bobby Briggs
about 17 minutes
about 20 minutes
fourth time in top 10
#5 Agent Cooper (& the doppelganger)
(update: doppelganger image added in 2025)
about 30 minutes
seventh time in top 10 (last time was 14 entries ago - S2E9)
#3 Donna Hayward
about 30 minutes
fifteenth time in top 10 (last time was 2 entries ago - S2E21)
#2 Chet Desmond & Sam Stanley
about 33 minutes (31 for Chet & 24 for Sam)
first time in top 10
about 115 minutes (longest screentime for anyone in any unit of Twin Peaks)
fifteenth time in top 10 (last time, including references, was 14 entries ago - S2E9)
TOP OF THE SUPPORTING CAST: Chet & Sam
(aside from the original core leads Cooper, Harry, and Laura)
Who has a streak of high screentime?
1) Cooper has over 5 minutes per TV hour* for the thirty-first entry in a row
2) The spirits for the second entry in a row (fourth overall)
(+ Laura's & Donna's twelfth non-consecutive time overall; Leland's fifth; Chet & Sam only in this entry)
(*in the case of the film/deleted scenes, 20 minutes overall)
...Harry drops off after 10 episodes; Annie drops off after 5 episodes; Audrey drops off after 3 episodes
(Pete, Dell & Windom drop off after 1)
Characters with the most screentime on the show so far...
Laura rises 2 spots from #5 & Leland rises 4 spots to return to the top 10 / Ben slips 2 spots from #3 & Andy slips 1 spot from #9 / Hawk falls from #10 out of the top 10
Milestones:
Donna reaches 3 hours / Bobby reaches 2 hours / Josie reaches 1 hour / Spirits & Sarah reach 50 minutes / Gordon, Gerard & "Diane" (Cooper's messages & now direct address just offscreen) reach 20 / Jacques, Ronette & Singer reach 15 / Betty reaches 10 / (specific spirits: Bob reaches 15 / Tremonds reach 5 / Mike reaches 1)
Character who has disappeared (4 entries of absence):
Cloaked spirit
Characters who have returned (after 4+ episodes of absence):
James & Josie (5 episodes since S2E18); Albert (7 episodes since S2E16); Gerard (14 episodes since S2E9); Singer & White horse (16 episodes since S2E7); Tremonds (21 episodes since S2E2); Jacques (22 episodes since Season 2 Premiere); Waldo (24 episodes since S1E7); Mike (28 episodes since S1E3); Ms. Honeycutt (30 episodes since Pilot)
*Above image was added in 2025. Originally, I featured this mosaic of the characters' previous appearances, an approach I didn't incorporate into any other companions but will keep on record here:
46:55 LOCATIONS in The Missing Pieces...
(update: all "back after" & "nothing" images added in 2025)
...introduced in the pilot
...back after a 20-entry absence, first time since S2E3:
...introduced in S1E2
...back after a 26-entry absence, first time since S1E5:
...back after a 23-entry absence, first time since Season 1 Finale:
...introduced in S1E3
...introduced in S1E6
...back after a 25-entry absence, first time since S1E6:
...introduced in S2E14
(second entry of nothing for Windom's cabin)
NEW locations in The Missing Pieces
(is the hallway near the convenience store room?)
52:05 LOCATIONS in Fire Walk With Me
(update: all "back after" & "nothing" images added in 2025)
...introduced in the pilot
Blue Pine Lodge
...back after a 12-episode absence, first time since S2E10:
...back after an 10-episode absence, first time since S2E12:
Twin Peaks High School (w/ aside on familiarity in the film)
...introduced in S1E3
...introduced in S1E6
Jacques' cabin
...back after 24-episode absence - first time since S1E6:
...introduced in S2E2
...back after 15-episode absence - first time since S2E7:
...introduced in S2E20
NEW locations in Fire Walk With Me
(is the hallway near convenience store room?)
Location that has disappeared (4 entries of absence):
Owl cave
Fire Walk With Me & The Missing Pieces Mythology - What are the spirits up to?
Episode 31G: Spirit world questions & reflections
on Friday, May 13
0:00 THEOSOPHY CLIPS FROM...
6:45 MYTHOLOGY IN FIRE WALK WITH ME including...
(after brief mention of Jeffries on video)
(after brief mentions of the Blue Rose, Bob in early Laura scenes, fire imagery)
(after brief mentions of being inside spirit mouths, Bob's presence)
(after brief mentions of the Arm as overt gesture)
(after brief mentions of closed door during dream, Annie joining forces with spirits)
(after brief mentions of black dog in traffic, how did Gerard get the ring, Gerard's message & stealing the corn)
(after brief mentions of Gerard's familiarity, multiple meanings of ring)
(after brief mention of Bob & the Arm in train car)
(including Mike vs Gerard, Laura & Cooper joined in Red Room, Saturn lamp)
1:02:34 MYTHOLOGY IN THE MISSING PIECES including...
(after brief mention of spirits & woods)
(after brief mention of formica & marble table tops)
(after brief mention of "No place to go but home"
The Missing Pieces - What happens in the deleted scenes?
Episode 31H: The feel of the collection, the structure, subplot scenes, Laura scenes & the 3 questions
scheduled for Saturday, May 14 (but published the following night)
0:00 INTRO
14:45 SCENES ORGANIZED BY NON-LAURA STORY...
(after list of returning stories)
...NEW in Fire Walk With Me
...elements introduced as far back as S1E5
(described in this episode as Cooper in the Black Lodge, How's Annie? & Cooper's doppelganger)
...introduced in S1E2 (combined in season 1 finale)
...introduced in the pilot
1:07:01 WHO KILLED LAURA PALMER?
Fire Walk With Me Structure & Subplots - What is the town up to?
Episode 31I: Film structure & subplot scenes
scheduled for Sunday, May 15 (but published the following evening)
22:52 SCENES ORGANIZED BY NON-LAURA STORY...
(update: all "back after" images added in 2025)
...NEW in Fire Walk With Me
...introduced in S1E5
discussion of how storylines from most of seasons 1 & 2 are absent (41:48)
...introduced in S1E2
including...
long passage from Greil Marcus (1:18:40)
1:31:28 OUTRO #1 another excerpt from Greil Marcus
1:32:49 OUTRO #2 clip from...
Fuck Twin Peaks (audio-only video)
Laura's Outer Circle in Fire Walk With Me - What is was her life like?
Episode 31J: Laura scenes, part 1
scheduled for Monday, May 16 (but published the following morning)
0:00 SCENES ORGANIZED BY LAURA STORY...
...introduced in S2E2
...introduced in S1E5
(included under already-existing categories of Flesh World & Murder since S1E6)
...this element back after 22-episode absence from those categories, first time since the season 1 finale:
...introduced in the pilot
...back after 14-episode absence, first time since S2E8:
Laura & Leo (50:45)
...back after 21-episode absence, first time since season 2 premiere:
Laura's charity (52:15)
(included under Laura & Harold & the Secret Diary since S2E2)
Laura's Outer Circle in Fire Walk With Me - What leads up to her death?
Episode 31K: Laura scenes, part 2
on Tuesday, May 17
0:00 SCENES ORGANIZED BY LAURA STORY...
...introduced in the pilot
Fire Walk With Me Mysteries - Why was Laura Palmer killed?
Episode 31L: Teresa Banks clues, Laura's self-discovery & the 3 questions
on Wednesday, May 18
including prior knowledge...
died a year before Laura, letter under her fingernail, lived on the opposite side of the state, no family or loved ones claimed the body, Leland confesses "they" made him kill Teresa
including premise from the film's first scene...
2 shots (neither showing her face or her killer): area of inquiry is crime scene & condition of discovery
including new clues about the murder/surrounding incidents & prior life...
from first FBI investigation: areas of inquiry are local corruption through prior police knowledge (Gordon's Blue Rose clues) & interaction w/ officials; circumstances at time of death through local files & autopsy, cause of death & letter under fingernail through autopsy; personal behavior, work history & possible drug habit through employer interview; physical condition (numb arm) through employer interview & FBI forensic knowledge; living conditions & personal affect (ring) through victim's residence (leading to no firm conclusions on their own although non-FBI inference implicates a deputy in criminal activity around her death)
+ information that never makes it back to the FBI due to Chet's disappearance: further discovery of ring and neighbors' possible involvement through investigation of area (inference from later material connects the neighbors' trailer/ring to the train car/necklace & the Owl Cave/Black Lodge)
from second FBI investigation (Cooper's follow-up): neighbors' identity through investigation of area around residence (leading to no firm conclusions on their own although inference from later knowledge identifies the neighbors as spirits from the series)
from Laura's realizations: ring connection to spirit figures & possible relief from Leland/Bob through dream/vision; Teresa's investigation of Leland through Ronette & Jacques' discussion; Leland's connection to ring through traffic confrontation (implicates Leland as suspect & connects the mystery to a larger spiritual struggle)
19:42 "Who killed Laura Palmer?" becomes...
WHY WAS LAURA PALMER KILLED?
PART 1: LIFE LEADING UP TO DEATH
AUDIENCE DISCOVERIES: what she already knows: history of abuse by Bob, Bob's desire for possession, prostitution (w/ Jacques & One Eyed Jack's) & what she doesn't find out: Leland drugging Sarah
areas of inquiry include...
(through damaged object & spiritual assistance - he's read her diary)
(through spiritual assistance, Leland's behavior, questioning Leland & direct perception - Bob is Leland)
(through his behavior & statements both direct & evasive - acknowledgement, repression, control, love, acceptance, submission, acquiescence in a shared public lie & silent secret)
(through ritual - implicitly, entangling Laura in the killing of Ronette)
(through dream/vision - ring as token & evidence, danger of spiritual fire, Leland/Bob identity)
PART 2: MURDER & SURROUNDING INCIDENTS
WHAT IS THE WAY OUT?
(Power to save...but she doesn't believe...needs a reason to see)
(Counterforce to Bob...but he dominates the moment...needs a psychological trigger for access)
(Connects to spirits & confronts Leland...but it's outside the train car...needs to open door)
(Breaks Bob's hold...but she hurts friends & sees Ronette as fallen...needs a path to recognition)
My First Fire Walk With Me Archive - How did I engage initially?
Episode 31M: Readings/clips from my previous work, 2008 - 15
on Thursday, May 19
READINGS/CLIPS FROM MY OTHER WORK on Fire Walk With Me...
...in 2008
(after Log Lady introduction clip)
(link includes spoilers for other Lynch films - but not in this podcast's excerpt)
...mostly in 2015
including...
44:36 chapter 20
45:16 chapter 21
54:38 chapter 22
58:27 chapter 23
1:01:43 chapter 24
1:05:40 chapter 25
45:16 chapter 21
54:38 chapter 22
58:27 chapter 23
1:01:43 chapter 24
1:05:40 chapter 25
My Second Fire Walk With Me Archive - How did I engage eventually?
Episode 31N: Readings/clips from my previous work, 2015 - 17
on Thursday, May 19 (these remaining episodes had to be divided up due to upload limits)
READINGS/CLIPS FROM MY OTHER WORK on Fire Walk With Me (continued)...
...in 2015
...in 2016
...in 2017
My Third Fire Walk With Me Archive - How do I engage now?
Episode 31O: Readings/clips from my previous work
on Friday, May 20 (these remaining episodes had to be divided up due to upload limits)
0:00 INTRO clip of...
From this point on, links may contain spoilers for season 3
(but excerpts featured on the podcast are spoiler-free)
1:15 Advocacy for its inclusion in the Criterion Collection
...in 2018
+ sections of this essay were discussed in Patreon podcast episodes...
+ this interview was discussed in...
a Patreon podcast episode (which is not sampled here)
...in 2019
...in 2021
...in 2022
...upcoming in 2022
(premiering on August 17 - available on Patreon until then)
+ other upcoming work
57:10 Mysterious Skin comparison podcast
(premiering on June 15 - available on Patreon until then)
58:58 OUTRO clip of...
The Sweet Hereafter Trailer 1997 (video)
Episode 31P: Readings/clips from my previous work & opening minute of season 3
on Friday, May 20 (these remaining episodes had to be divided up due to upload limits)
0:00 READINGS/CLIPS FROM MY OTHER WORK on The Missing Pieces
18:51 OPENING MINUTE OF THE NEXT EPISODE
(only spoiler in this podcast)
Lost in Twin Peaks will continue daily through the week after Labor Day,
covering season 3 (as long as I'm able to keep up)
•
OTHER LINKS
(more may be added as the episodes go up)
Twin Peaks - Fire Walk With Me at the 1992 Cannes Film Festival (Twin Peaks Blog)
•
from the Mythology episode (did not fit in show notes):
Judy, Judy, Judy by John Thorne (Above the Convenience Store)
Exclusive Lorna MacMillan Interview!! by Brad Dukes (Twin Peaks Archive) - this is the angel actress
PODCAST: Scott Ryan discusses Cooper's hair in the Red Room (Twin Peaks Unwrapped audio-only video cued up to his part)
Twin Peaks: The True Face of MIKE (video by selphiealmasy8)
•
Links & context for how the angels entered Fire Walk With Me (exchange on this site)
Montage of characters saying the title of the movie (video on Twitter)
PODCAST: Pamela Gidley on The Brad Dukes Show (included in Welcome to Twin Peaks tribute)
Ingrid Brucato - "The Curious Woman" (Glastonbury Grove)
Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Luigi Cherubini: Requiem in C minor by Martin Pearlman (Boston Baroque)
The relationship between "Twin Peaks" and "Fire Walk With Me" by Hussein Ibish (Ibishblog)
The Four Placements of FIRE WALK W ITH ME by Julius Kassendorf (The Solute)
samples from "The Canonization of Laura Palmer" (essay by Christy Desmet)
(including books about fairy tales I was reading at the same time I was getting back into Twin Peaks)
OTHER COMMENTARY ON THIS DIRECTOR & WRITER...
...from MY PREVIOUS LOST IN TWIN PEAKS EPISODES
(often discusses their background & other work as well)
(the following links may contain Twin Peaks spoilers)
...from MY OTHER PODCASTS
Matthew Blackheart: Monster Smasher & Wiseguy on Patreon (written by Engels)
...from MY VIDEO ESSAYS
clips of Wiseguy & Matthew Blackheart: Monster Smasher in Journey Through Twin Peaks chapter 34 - A Candle in Every Window
...written or directed by David Lynch:
(public podcasts)
Blue Velvet / Introducing Eraserhead & Inland Empire & 10 Connections between Eraserhead & Inland Empire / Lost Highway / Mulholland Drive / Mulholland Drive (TV pilot version) / The Straight Story / ranking his films w/ a group & comparing the top-ranked to his best Peaks episodes
(Patreon podcasts)
(clips from his other work in my Journey Through Twin Peaks video essays)
+
focused equally or entirely on DAVID LYNCH'S non-Twin Peaks work
My other podcasts include...
Recent podcast activity...
(some of these episode titles include upcoming Twin Peaks characters/locations/storylines)
The Sweet Hereafter & Twin Peaks (also linked above)
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