Twin Peaks episode review — 2.7 — Episode 14/Lonely Souls

Original air date: November 10, 1990
Director: David Lynch
Writer: Mark Frost

Rating: 10/10

Cooper, Truman, and Mike (Phillip Gerrard) head to the Great Northern Hotel to look for Bob. Hawk has a warrant for Harold Smith’s home, and Gordon Cole is headed to Bend, Oregon.

At the hotel, Mike freaks out when he is having a look at everybody, unable to positively ID anyone that Bob would have been possessing.

Hawk finds Harold Smith dead, having hanged himself. When Sheriff Truman gets there, they find a note, translating to: “I’m a lonely soul.” Hawk finds Laura Palmer’s secret diary.

Maddy tells her aunt and uncle that it’s time for her to go back to Missoula, Montana.

Leland is understanding, but Sarah seems to take this news a bit harder. Maddy promises to visit soon.

Shelly is facing money trouble, and Bobby already thinks he needs to back out. Leo starts making random noises, but is still clearly catatonic. Bobby thinks Leo is hiding some money, from his drug operations, which apparently Shelly knows nothing about. Shelly eventually asks Norma for some time off from her job, and Norma meets Nadine, who thinks she’s one of her classmates.

Audrey tells Ben that she knows about One-Eyed Jack’s, and that Laura and Ronette worked there. She admits that she was the new girl, Prudence.

Ben admits that he knew Laura worked there, but did not encourage her to work there. Audrey continues asking him questions, and it becomes clear that Ben had slept with her, but he insists he did not kill her. She eventually goes to Cooper and Truman with this information, and Cooper demands an arrest warrant for Ben Horne.

Ben Horne’s meeting with Mr. Tojamura is interrupted as he’s taken to the police station for questioning of the murder of Laura Palmer. He sort of threatens Cooper, and is eventually taken by force.

At the Palmer house, Sarah is on the ground, apparently drugged. As she crawls around, she sees a white horse in her living room. She then passes out.

The Log Lady arrives at the police station and tells Cooper, “We don’t know what will happen and when, but there are owls in the Roadhouse.”

Mr. Tojamura revels himself to be Catherine to her husband, Pete.

At the Palmer house, Leland dresses up in a suit and tie while looking at the mirror, revealing the reflection of BOB.

At the Roadhouse, James and Donna discuss the fate of Harold Smith. Sheriff Truman, Cooper, and the Log Lady arrive. The Giant appears on stage (only Cooper can see him), and tells him, “It is happening again.”

Back at the Palmer house, Leland/BOB brutally attacks Maddy when she arrives home, killing her.

This is a great episode. It has the crucial revelation that makes it memorable, but it’s difficult to overstate how much David Lynch’s direction kicks ass. He has a strong visual style here, and each shot is compelling.