10 Things We Learned From Twin Peaks: The Return Part 9

9. Andy And Lucy Lighten Their Load

Cooper Part 9
Showtime

One criticism levelled here, at this otherwise impossibly brilliant series, is the broad strokes with which Andy and Lucy Brennan have been painted thus far.

Elements of their scenes have been very funny - their nonchalant use of "Indians" rather than the accepted "Native Americans" is such oblivious minor racism that it somehow borders on the sweet - but Andy's repeated "poonkie" pet name can get cloying, as can the persistent feeling that the couple have underwent a process of Flanderisation over the intervening quarter century. They were always dumb, but they were never this dumb.

Happily, Part 9 does much to portray them as actual human beings, more so than nostalgic light relief. The physical comedy is present, but it's less hur-hur than, say, the very concept of mobile phone technology (nascent even in 1989) being enough to propel Lucy out of her receptionist chair. In a sequence best described as "nice," Lucy demands that they purchase a beige chair, and not the same version in red. She is unable to communicate this without getting up and walking over to his own desk. Andy is similarly incapable of projecting his voice, and again, it's nice as well as humorous in a stilted, formal bit of direction.

Lucy settles on the red chair after Andy acquiesces. While it's a nothing sequence, it adds shade to the stark beige and red of their palette. Lucy isn't a shrill idiot, their love not metered out with pet names and wallflower delivery.

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 surefire Undisputed WWE Universal 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!