10 Things We Learned From Twin Peaks: The Return Part 12

1. A Strange Note On Recycling

12 Audrey II4
Showtime

It's impossible to determine, without the full context, the point (or lack thereof) in recycling the Dr. Amp sequence of Part 5.

So much - virtually all - has been seen before. The same scene-setting insert of Jacoby's trailer, shrouded in darkness. The same gong of the golden shovel. The same music. The exact same dialogue. The same outfit. The same glowing reaction shot of Nadine Hurley. The same sh*t-shovelling advert. The same (purposefully) cheap graphic. The only new dialogue is ostensibly the same - Dr. Amp rants about "f*cking politicians". Nadine says "It's working for me," and it's ironic; this, along with Lucy's slapstick stylings in Part 4, is one of few scenes that certainly don't work. Theories abound about warped timelines, and the on-the-nose deja vu could be read as a take on the wider themes of memory permeating the series - but it's impossible to escape the feeling that the recycling is just that: filler.

There's no suggestion that the lack of quality control, designed to safeguard the secrets of the series, has given rise to a mistaken beat-for-beat retread - a gaffe.

But still, what this serves is enough to trigger suspicion, at least.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!