Uncomfortable TV

[Mr Craig Clark]

Paul Mackin writes: 
> I loved "Twin Peaks" (four times over now I think) but might want to 
> question any wide-range potential for subversion. Wouldn't the "average
> TV viewer" attribute Agent Cooper's evil to diabolic (as opposed to 
> capitalistic) forces? Perhaps more to the point, did the show even have much
> of a viewership? Even in reruns? Does Bravo (where we see it now) have 
> that big an audience?

Let's answer these in reverse order. I don't know how widespread Bravo
is in the States or worldwide, but "Twin Peaks" aired initially, as I recall,
on a major US national network in a timeslot where people were used to
sitting in front of the Toob and watching whatever came their way. Also
as I recall, it enjoyed initially extremely high ratings though these declined
dramatically towards the end; and also that it was most popular on 
its first stateside run on the (densely-populated) coasts, and least popular in the 
Midwest. So I'd say that, yes, "Twin Peaks" probably did find as 
large an audience as could be expected for something so off-centre.

As far as its subversive element is concerned: I posted a long essay 
on this to the alt.tv.twin-peaks newsgroup some weeks back, and now 
have the editors of "Wrapped In Plastic", a Twin Peaks fanzine, 
sniffing at it to print it (otherwise I'd repost it here in full). 
DejaNews should help anyone interested to check it out. But the 
essence of my argument vis-a-vis Cooper's corruption is that Toob 
Morality usually sez the cop is the good guy and never goes wrong. It 
was bad enough when Thomas Magnum blew away a sadistic killer in the 
final seconds of _Magnum PI_ ('cos Magnum never did that kind of thing)
but even so we could still rationalise it and say that the guy he 
blew away was a Bad Man and Deserved What He Got. In _Twin Peaks_ the 
good FBI agent did not deserve what he got, while the Bad Evil Presence In 
The Forest was not defeated... 

Moreover, Law Enforcement in "Twin Peaks" was just too wierd to be
trusted. Cooper was wildly eccentric, with his Tibet fixation, his 
habit of speaking in non sequiturs, and his constant monologues into 
"Dianne" on the subject of food and Douglas Firs. Gordon Cole, his boss
(played with relish by Lynch himself, of course) was even more so. 
Albert Rosenfeld was unspeakably agressive and rude, but a dedicated 
pacifist. Denis/Denise was a Drug Enforcement Agent - and a 
transvestite to boot. Heck, the local Sherrif  rejoiced hilariously in the
name of Harry Truman, and he had two deputies - one a deeply philosophical
Native American and one a drop-of-a-hat crybaby...

Usually Law Enforcement types in Toobland are undeniably fine and upright 
human beings, proud upholders of all that makes America great. Not so 
in _Twin Peaks_. That in itself was delightfully subversive.

    
Craig Clark

"Living inside the system is like driving across
the countryside in a bus driven by a maniac bent
on suicide."
   - Thomas Pynchon, "Gravity's Rainbow"