"Do your palms ever itch?" All things Audrey

[greg4881]

BTW- I don't get the detergent reference.

[NoiselessFan]

Supposedly Kyle actually threatened to walk if the relationship happened. Then what would the writers do?

This is exactly what I thought must've happened. There had to be a reason they went from flirting to the suggestion of something more to no flirting at all. And there had to be more to it than the age thing or else Frost would've just mentioned that since it's a reasonable issue - for Frost to not go into it meant it had to be something petty and interpersonal.

As for what the writers could've done, they should've called his bluff. No way would he have quit the show - his name would've been mud in the industry for breaking a contract, not to mention Lynch was his friend. My respect for Kyle M is in freefall.

[Audrey Horne]

Oh boy -I better write up the next installment STAT, so we all don't mass suicide on the depression.

Anyone ever read Television Without Pity's writeups? -the ones on Twin Peaks are pretty good, and the discussion reminded me of a good laugh I when I read this years ago-

Great Northern. Cooper folds his boxers (well, that answers that question) in a quick, fastidious, man-they-teach-you-everything-at-the-Bureau kind of way when he is interrupted by a knock on the door. He thinks it's the bellman, but in fact the door opens to reveal Audrey, who salutes adorably and announces herself as "customer relations." She asks when he's leaving, and after Cooper tries to make his time away just sound like a fishing trip and failing valiantly, she smiles, "So that's it? You save my life then break my heart?" He reiterates his policy about not becoming involved with people who are part of cases he is investigating (whatever. Case is closed. Now get with the lovin' before this season completely implodes). And because Cooper's character has until now been so unengaging and non-dynamic to watch without massive quantities of conveniently-appearing and creamy nougaty back story, Audrey takes a measured step toward him and volleys, "Someone must have hurt you once really badly." Cooper corrects her that someone was hurt because of him, and Audrey suddenly goes all Pesci in Lethal Weapon III when she tries to keep it conversational: "What'd, she die or sometin'?" Yes, she died. Or sometin'. Goodbye flowing dialogue, hello never-removed-from-its-hermetically-sealed-plastic Emmy clip: "She was a material witness to a federal crime. We were supposed to protect her twenty-four hours a day, my partner and I. Windom Earl was his name. He taught me everything I know about being a special agent. And when the attempt on her life was finally made, I wasn't ready. Because I loved her. She died in my arms. I was badly injured. And my partner lost his mind. You need to hear any more?" Oh, it's way too late for that question, punk. Audrey tells him that one day she'll be an adult and on her own, and when that day comes, "You'd better watch out." Yeah, watch out that she doesn't find herself in some shadowy, cobwebby corner of the Twin Peaks soundstage and come across her special agent bonin' himself some Lara Thin Boyle during the strangely increasing number of scenes that don't include either of them. I'm sorry, just knowing there was ever anything between them makes me so ill. So very, very ill and sad. Coop, I love. Kyle? Not so much. Not right now.

[Agent Horne]

BTW- I don't get the detergent reference.

Sorry. The actor's point was that the cancellation was due to advertising economics. The network's bottom line was TP needed to move enough units of detergent or shampoo or whatever from the advertisers to justify renewal. He thought the cancellation ultimately had less to do with the storytelling (and its increasing weakness) than with flagging ad revenue. That was the real nail in the coffin.

[NoiselessFan]

Sorry. The actor's point was that the cancellation was due to advertising economics. The network's bottom line was TP needed to move enough units of detergent or shampoo or whatever from the advertisers to justify renewal. He thought the cancellation ultimately had less to do with the storytelling (and its increasing weakness) than with flagging ad revenue. That was the real nail in the coffin.

Careful, you're up to 2 posts now, Ms. Horne - glad to see it

[yvanehtnioj1214]

Supposedly Kyle actually threatened to walk if the relationship happened. Then what would the writers do?

This is exactly what I thought must've happened. There had to be a reason they went from flirting to the suggestion of something more to no flirting at all. And there had to be more to it than the age thing or else Frost would've just mentioned that since it's a reasonable issue - for Frost to not go into it meant it had to be something petty and interpersonal.

As for what the writers could've done, they should've called his bluff. No way would he have quit the show - his name would've been mud in the industry for breaking a contract, not to mention Lynch was his friend. My respect for Kyle M is in freefall.

I understand, but let's not jump to conclusions. I think it's known that he was against the Coop/Audrey relationship and made his opinion known, but I think if he had a temperamental streak I don't think he would still have steady work now. There have been actors more successful than him who have had their careers ruined by having a reputation for being temperamental. I think if Lynch, Frost and the other people responsible for the show had really been adamant about keeping the Coop/Audrey relationship, they would've made him do it. Lynch pretty much made Kyle's career after all. Also, I may be in the minority here, but whether or not Cooper and Audrey got together never got me on the edge of my seat. Sure it would've been nice, but I think to say that was something the show hinged on or that not going through with the relationship is what did it in is an overstatement. Would it have been a nice backdrop to the main Laura Palmer case? Sure. But I think the show would've retained it's popularity and quality had they either not revealed the murderer or introduced the Black Lodge stuff right after Leland died.

[yvanehtnioj1214]

Sorry if that sounded too harsh, by the way. Despite my opinions, I still think Audrey was an integral character.

[NoiselessFan]

Sorry if that sounded too harsh, by the way. Despite my opinions, I still think Audrey was an integral character.

You're entitled to your opinion - what I hate is people who don't voice what they think - I agree the Coop/Aud was only one of many problems the show had and not the only reason it was cancelled. I don't have any polling numbers showing the mass audience was pissed the relationship was abandoned, but there was good evidence they liked the flirting.

I'm kind of glad there are those who didn't like the couple, because if everyone did, it'd make it that much more frustrating it wasn't done. That said, I'd still like to smack MacLachlan across the chops for being a fool about this! LOL.

[Audrey Horne]

The aborting of the Coop/Audrey relationship arc hardly tanked the series -it was already sinking as soon as the second season premiere began -and the new president at ABC's decision to swtich it to Saturday was certainly the stamp of death.

However, in terms of production throwing out the baby with the bathwater, it certainly wasn't a smart move on MacLachlan's part. Twin Peaks main popularity laid on two hooks that were promoted by the network -the whodunit and the whenwillthey (Laura Palmer and Cooper/Audrey). And it makes sense, almost every show tries to capitalize on the romantic tension to draw viewers.

Most of the magazines and trade ads were of Cooper and Audrey with something along the lines of "What's hot on TV." Most of the commercials for the second season were usually a compilation of Cooper and Audrey scenes -("Audrey Horne is missing..." "Will you take me to Audrey Horne, please!" ""Audrey, I'm going to take you out of here..." "Next Saturday where the murderer of Laura Palmer will be revealed..." Audrey comes through the sheriff's door and approaches Cooper with the voice over, "Did kill her.")

The network and marketing always pushed these two. Peyton even tells Wrapped in Plastic, "...that's what all our mail was about, and that's where it was all headed."

Even if I couldn't stand these two characters (and we all know I don't), it seems a pretty suicidal decision with all involved when the show was on such shakey ground.

[NoiselessFan]

I agree. Artistically you can argue for or against the couple, but from a business point of vew, it's not debatable at all.

[Audrey Horne]

Noiseless,

a few of us (out of frustration) put our heads together all last year and reworked/reimagined how Peaks could have been cleaned up before it went wrong (in our opinions). We kept things along the way we thought production would work (not necessarily how we'd want them to go). You might like it. We did change it to shorter seasons and Leland not getting caught right away. I lumped all the semi-finished episodes in tamden in the middle of the massive thread. It was a lot of fun. They start on page 59, I believe. They started small like quick treatments and then got way out of hand. But they involved a lot of the things you were interested in -Audrey and Catherine together are a particular favorite of mine.

http://www.dugpa.com/forum/viewtopic.ph ... &start=825

[NoiselessFan]

Do you have any experience writing screenplays - are you acquainted with the format, I mean? If not, you should learn, it be fun to convert these ideas into script form, scene by scene, on down the line.

[Audrey Horne]

evenreven started doing it -it's somewhere in the thread.

I started rereading the treatments and got all sentimental about it again.

[NoiselessFan]

You're investment in the show is very sweet. If I were Sherilyn Fenn, I think I'd want to meet you. Have you met her?

[NoiselessFan]

Love this thread! I love AudreyHorne's analysis and look forward to more. Thank you!!!

I've been lurking for ages and am compelled to post to add my hearty "ditto" to everything that Noiseless and AudreyHorne wrote about the Audrey/Coop chemistry. I tuned into the show during the initial run. Like everyone else, I wanted to know who killed Laura Palmer. But even in those days, the "why" was more interesting than the "who" really. I was invested in almost all the season 1 characters (even Nadine and Hank, etc.). But the thing that kept me watching and obsessing endlessly was the delicious chemistry between Coop and Audrey. The abandonment of that relationship was the death of the show for me. I know there are some folks who didn't care if Cooper was with Audrey or Annie or the Log Lady. But for me, they were the super couple on whom the show hinged. And I've never been able to outgrow the original disappointment I felt about the loss/betrayal of that dynamic. Even years later, I dislike watching the second half of season 2 because it feels so disconnected from the show's own roots. Plus the "wild and wacky" plot twists of that half just felt stupid and insipid. (The age thing never bothered me at the time. Audrey at 18 was older than me and acted like it! Plus she could go toe-to-toe with Cooper. Of course in real life, the age difference is kind of hair-raising. But TP was fantasy/nightmare storytelling, not reality.)

Just to chime in about the politics that went on behind the show... I work in the film industry and I love actors, but you can never underestimate an actor's willingness to kill the golden goose. Many actors can't see past their own egos and insecurities to put the show first before their perceived self-interest. I've met several actors and crew who worked on TP, although I haven't met KM, LFB or SF. I'd love to hear what they say about it today. It's too bad that both Lynch and Frost left TP in the hands of writers (mostly good writers) who couldn't rein in the talent. And it's too bad that ABC cared more about selling detergent than backing a ground-breaking show. (That's something one of the actors once told me.)

Back to lurking...

The comeback of Tiger Woods has made me realize something. When Tiger's playing, I love watching him play, yes, but I also love watching others play against him. When Tiger's gone, I don't like watching anyone play at all. So when he's there, he somehow makes me like watching everyone, people I normally wouldn't watch, just by his being there.

In re-watching the whole series, I've discovered I'm about as extreme as you. I can bear thru the nonsense in the Season 2 so long as the Coop/Aud thing is moving forward toward its next step. After it's gone, my interest lags. Clearly the mystery of Laura was the purpose of the show, but it was the mystery of Coop and Audr that kept me coming back.

If they had never been put together, I probably would've have missed the pairing so much and would probably have loved the show without it. But once they were together, once the chemistry sizzled, taking it away was a ruinous blow; i.e. if I had never known what I was missing, I'd have loved what I saw without it, but once I knew, the knowledge of it made me obsess over the show while it lasted and flame out once it was gone. I'm not sure how feel about my reaction to this. It's a bit out of character for me.

Anyway, your post above is very perceptive (and self-reflective) and it now applies to me too, so I thought I'd tell you.