Leland/Maddy scene in episode 9

[LostInTheMovies]

As evident from some of the other threads, I've just begun reading the original teleplays on LynchNet. So far, just the Lynch-directed ones (to see what he added/took away). Episode 9 (2nd episode of season 2), written by Harley Peyton, has an interesting scene between Leland and Maddy which puts their relationship in a sharper light and sets up episode 14 really well. Frankly, I wish it hadn't been cut. Does anyone know if this was actually shot? (I'm guessing not since Leland/Maddy don't appear in the background of the following bit with Maj. Briggs & the Log Lady.)

16. INT. THE DOUBLE R DINER - DAY

OPEN ON a police flyer. The official sketch of the long-haired man named Bob. And a headline. HAVE YOU SEEN THIS MAN?

ANOTHER ANGLE reveals DEPUTY ANDY BRENNAN as he carefully attaches the flyer to the inside of the Double R Diner doors. Andy's using scotch tape to affix the paper flyer. He's managed to get a piece caught in his tufted hair. LELAND PALMER and MADDY FERGUSON enter past Andy and move to a booth. Leland is resplendent in sharp suit, bright white hair, and a whole new attitude. He nearly beams.

LELAND
Best chocolate malteds this side of the Mississippi.

MADDY
I haven't tried a malt here yet.

LELAND
Then I insist, dear. Simple pleasures. Life is too short.

NORMA JENNINGS approaches.

LELAND (CONTINUED)
Norma, two chocolate malteds, with a dollop of
whipped cream on the top.

NORMA
You're looking well, Mr. Palmer.

LELAND
I'm feeling well, thank you.

Norma moves back to the counter. Leland recounts a happy memory.

LELAND (CONTINUED)
Laura's favorite was a drink we used to call a Brown Cow.
It's like a root beer float only made with a cola drink
and vanilla ice cream. She had her first, with me, in that
booth right there.

MADDY
I'm glad you're feeling better, Uncle Leland.

LELAND
A man must take care of his family. And I still have a
family to take care of.

He reaches over, takes her hands. With pride.

LELAND (CONTINUED)
I'm coming through the pain, Maddy. I'm coming
through alive.
CUT TO:

[cut to scene w/ Norma & Hank, then back to Leland/Maddy]

18. INT. THE DOUBLE R DINER - DAY

Norma sets down the malteds.

LELAND
Thank you, Norma. Now, Maddy, a little piece of
heaven.

They try their malteds.

MADDY
Incredible.

LELAND
What did I tell you? Just another routine miracle of
everyday life here in Twin Peaks.

MADDY
Uncle Leland, you're doing all the right things.

LELAND
What do you mean, dear?

MADDY
When Dad died two years ago, I thought I'd never get
over it. Mom never has. It was focusing on the little
things that got me through it. The "everyday miracles."

LELAND
Life is a miracle. Maddy, I want to say something to
you, you don't have to answer, in fact you shouldn't. You
should think about it first. Promise first.

MADDY
Okay.

LELAND
You've said you don't really have that much to go back to
in Missoula. You've also said how much you like it here.

MADDY
It's true.

LELAND
What I want to say is: you don't have to go back. You can
stay with Sarah and me if you like, get your own place, of
course, but stay in town. We're family, too. We can
make a family here.

MADDY
(touched)
I don't know what to say.

LELAND
You shouldn't say anything until you eat that malted.

She smiles. They dig in.

[chalfont]

I agree. Would have been a great scene!!

[BOB1]

Very interesting indeed!

By the way, we've never seen Leland in Double R, have we?

[MysteryMan]

Interestingly, the scene where he and Laura is meeting up with Sarah outside the Double R in FWWM was also cut...

[LostInTheMovies]

Very interesting indeed!

By the way, we've never seen Leland in Double R, have we?

I wonder if it had anything to do with Andy hanging the Bob sign on the door in that scene? After all, why would he notice it at the GN but not the RR?

[MoondogJR]

I wonder if it had anything to do with Andy hanging the Bob sign on the door in that scene? After all, why would he notice it at the GN but not the RR?

I think this + the fact that in this scene Madeleine is asked to stay in Twin Peaks which she seems willing to do. However in a latter episode Maddy says she wants to go back home and annonces her leaving. In my opinion this triggered Leland/Bob in killing her. "Leland says you're going back to Missoula".

[LostInTheMovies]

I wonder if it had anything to do with Andy hanging the Bob sign on the door in that scene? After all, why would he notice it at the GN but not the RR?

I think this + the fact that in this scene Madeleine is asked to stay in Twin Peaks which she seems willing to do. However in a latter episode Maddy says she wants to go back home and annonces her leaving. In my opinion this triggered Leland/Bob in killing her. "Leland says you're going back to Missoula".

I agree but I think that connection could have been even more effective if we'd seen her willing to stay earlier. I don't think there's any contradiction here; for one thing, she is interested but still has to think about it, for another much happens in the following days to make her change her mind - seeing Bob at the Haywards, getting caught w/ James by Donna, the bungled Harold raid, and the realization that James & Donna are really in love and she's in the way.

I wonder if the scene was shot and it just didn't play right or needed to be cut for some other reason, or if Lynch nixed it before even shooting?

[hopesfall]

I remember finding this a while ago and getting real excited about how it could've looked, what music would've played behind it, etc. I too think this scene would have been great, had it been left in. Sure it makes it more sad, as does the scene with Leland, Sarah and Maddy on the settee, especially with all that's about to happen, but it makes it all the more spooky, gripping and emotional.

for another much happens in the following days to make her change her mind - seeing Bob at the Haywards, getting caught w/ James by Donna, the bungled Harold raid, and the realization that James & Donna are really in love and she's in the way.

I couldn't agree more. I think the juxtaposition of all these scenes would build fantastically to the rather terrible ordeal yet to come.

[LostInTheMovies]

I remember finding this a while ago and getting real excited about how it could've looked, what music would've played behind it, etc. I too think this scene would have been great, had it been left in. Sure it makes it more sad, as does the scene with Leland, Sarah and Maddy on the settee, especially with all that's about to happen, but it makes it all the more spooky, gripping and emotional.

Especially with Lynch directing. Wonder why he chose not to go there.

[Ross]

Would have been a great scene. I especially like hearing a little more about Maddy. Her dad, etc.

I mean we don't even know for sure how exactly Maddy is related right? Is her mom Leland's sister? Sarah's sister? Did it say in the diary?

[LostInTheMovies]

Would have been a great scene. I especially like hearing a little more about Maddy. Her dad, etc.

Yeah, I really like that this scene fleshes her out as a character, since so often she's just seen as an extension of Laura. And between her bond with Leland, and her discussion of her own father's death, it makes the murder scene even sadder, if that's possible.

I mean we don't even know for sure how exactly Maddy is related right? Is her mom Leland's sister? Sarah's sister? Did it say in the diary?

I believe her mother Beth is Sarah's sister. But I can't remember if that's from the show or the diary, or both...

[MysteryMan]

Would have been a great scene. I especially like hearing a little more about Maddy. Her dad, etc.

Yeah, I really like that this scene fleshes her out as a character, since so often she's just seen as an extension of Laura. And between her bond with Leland, and her discussion of her own father's death, it makes the murder scene even sadder, if that's possible.

I mean we don't even know for sure how exactly Maddy is related right? Is her mom Leland's sister? Sarah's sister? Did it say in the diary?

I believe her mother Beth is Sarah's sister. But I can't remember if that's from the show or the diary, or both...

In the script for episode 2 Leland tells Sarah that Maddy is coming to town tomorrow. Sarah responds by saying "Donald's girl?", indicating that she is the daughter of Leland's brother as it seems bizarre to say that if she was Sarah's sister's daughter.

[Ross]

In the script for episode 2 Leland tells Sarah that Maddy is coming to town tomorrow. Sarah responds by saying "Donald's girl?", indicating that she is the daughter of Leland's brother as it seems bizarre to say that if she was Sarah's sister's daughter.

Although if it were Leland's brother, wouldn't Maddy's last name be Palmer?

[Leebob]

Re:

In the script for episode 2 Leland tells Sarah that Maddy is coming to town tomorrow. Sarah responds by saying "Donald's girl?", indicating that she is the daughter of Leland's brother as it seems bizarre to say that if she was Sarah's sister's daughter.

Leland had first been visited by BOB in his youth. It is conceivable that prior to his incestuous relationship with his daughter, Leland had been involved in an incestuous relationship with his (unnamed) sister. This resulted in the birth of Maddy – Leland’s biological daughter and Laura’s half-sister/cousin. This would go a long way to explaining why Maddy looks so much like Laura. This theory also lends another layer of depth to the Leland/Maddy relationship and the tragedy of his killing both his daughters.

It would follow that Leland’s sister married a gentleman named Donald, who brought up Maddy as his own child.

If the above theory is true, then why would Sarah respond by saying “Donald’s girl?” when Leland tells her that Maddy is coming to town?
I believe that at some level (subconsciously or psychically), Sarah surely knew what was going on under her roof. And she would likely also have a similar subconscious understanding re: Leland’s illicit relationship his sister and that Leland is the true father of Maddy.

Her reference to “Donald’s girl” rather than “ [Leland’s sister’s name’s] girl” is either a subconscious denial of the truth or a message of sorts to Leland – i.e. “She is not your daughter!”

Of course, this is just a theory…

[LostInTheMovies]

Leland had first been visited by BOB in his youth. It is conceivable that prior to his incestuous relationship with his daughter, Leland had been involved in an incestuous relationship with his (unnamed) sister. This resulted in the birth of Maddy – Leland’s biological daughter and Laura’s half-sister/cousin. This would go a long way to explaining why Maddy looks so much like Laura. This theory also lends another layer of depth to the Leland/Maddy relationship and the tragedy of his killing both his daughters.

It would follow that Leland’s sister married a gentleman named Donald, who brought up Maddy as his own child.

If the above theory is true, then why would Sarah respond by saying “Donald’s girl?” when Leland tells her that Maddy is coming to town?
I believe that at some level (subconsciously or psychically), Sarah surely knew what was going on under her roof. And she would likely also have a similar subconscious understanding re: Leland’s illicit relationship his sister and that Leland is the true father of Maddy.

Her reference to “Donald’s girl” rather than “ [Leland’s sister’s name’s] girl” is either a subconscious denial of the truth or a message of sorts to Leland – i.e. “She is not your daughter!”

Of course, this is just a theory…

Wow, that's certainly a compelling angle (not that Lynch/Frost would have planned in that much detail, but when things are open it's up to us to fill in the gaps I suppose).

I'm not one to say that the reveal should have been further delayed, if only because #14, 29, and FWWM are the best parts of the saga to me and I'm not for anything that would have risked them not being made. That said, one benefit of delaying the reveal at least for the remainder of season 2 would have been the opportunity to explore Maddy more in-depth. It felt like we were only just getting to know her when she was killed.