the finale, “Part 18,” took us into dark, ambiguous, aggressively Lynchian territory.
“The Return” ends with the heroic Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) bringing an alternate version of Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) back to the Palmer family home. He’s hoping this will give her (and him) some sense of peace, but when they arrive, they find a complete stranger living in the house. Not only that, but this alternate Laura doesn’t recognize the place. Cooper is left confused and disappointed. On the street outside the Palmers’ house, he suddenly asks, “What year is this?” It’s a line that not only disorients the viewer (we realize we don’t know the answer to this either), but it also reminds us that Cooper’s someone who’s lost decades of his life thanks to the Laura Palmer mystery. Even if he gave up his quest to save Laura and returned to his former existence the minute after this scene, Cooper is still a man who’s been dislodged from time, and that loss will stick with him forever.
And if that wasn’t dark enough, the finale closes out with Laura seemingly recognizing the house before hearing the distant sound of her mother’s voice from inside. She screams, the house goes dark, and the credits roll. It’s a horrifying final note to end the show on — one that left its audience feeling unsettled and depressed. It’s a conclusion that left some fans desperately wanting more, but sadly, there will never be another season of “Twin Peaks.” Why not?
