10 Things We Learned From Twin Peaks: The Return Part 7
9. Exposition Is A Form Of Reassurance
Exposition is usually unnecessary - a means of casually or insidiously insulting the intelligence of the audience, ironically stupefying the content itself - but in Part 7, it feels needed.
It was apparent immediately that Frost and Lynch intended to depict the town of Twin Peaks as a far-off place. Scenes set within the town have almost steadfastly refused to return us there. Scenes of Lawrence Jacoby and Shelly have been filmed from a distance, alienating the viewer. The lack of music is galling. There's always music in the air. At least, there used to be. Even the scenes in the Sheriff's department, with the familiar faces of Hawk, Andy and Lucy, have been acted and directed with a curious pace. The rhythms are off - the speech patterns too slow. Something is indeed missing. At least, there used to be.
The Return isn't a network-mandated suffix used to differentiate this from the original; it is the mission statement of the series, one Lynch and Frost have come closest to achieving in Part 7.
The info dumps supplied by Deputy Hawk and Ben Horne, in relation to the Laura Palmer case, use Frank Truman and Beverly Paige as surrogates with which to march the narrative onward and reassure the viewer that this isn't Mulholland Drive: The Series. Annie Blackburn does (or did )exist; she has not been forgotten, as tie-in novel The Secret History Of Twin Peaks curiously indicated.
We are returning to Twin Peaks. This wonderful hour, closer to any in restoring the essence of the original series, both confirmed and suggested that.