Best Plot Twist in The Return

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What was the most satisfying plot twist in The Return that you did NOT see coming

Judy is Jowdei, Mother, Experiment model and inhabits Sarah
1
7%
Cooper and Diane are Richard and Linda
2
13%
Janey-E is Diane's estranged sister
2
13%
Audrey is trapped....somewhere
4
27%
Ray has a loaded gun, Mr. C has blanks
0
No votes
Ray was an FBI informant
0
No votes
Mr. C is Richard's father
0
No votes
Richard shows up at the Farm
1
7%
Richard's unceremonious ending
0
No votes
Other (specify)
5
33%
 
Total votes: 15
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mtwentz
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Best Plot Twist in The Return

Post by mtwentz »

The Return was not 'plot heavy' like your usual drama/mystery/suspense. Nevertheless, there were a number of unexpected twists and turns, some of which were revealed suddenly (Janey E being Diane's sister), some slowly over several parts (Richard's parentage).

Which was your favorite? Am I missing anything?
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Mr. Strawberry
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Re: Best Plot Twist in The Return

Post by Mr. Strawberry »

It's been a few years since I've seen it, and I only watched it twice, but I can't think of any conventional plot twists. There are gotcha moments like "tricked ya" and so forth, but I can't recall any revelations that suddenly and radically transformed my perspective of the story.

Instead, there was that major shift at the end which I'd describe as more of a plot warp. Cooper emerges from the red curtains to meet Diane and it's like, what the hell is going on? Things just keep slipping away from that point all the way to the end. Very disorienting and mysterious, which I prefer over the kind of plot twist that catches you by surprise while also tying everything together and essentially making sense of it all.

Due to the above I chose "Other".
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mtwentz
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Re: Best Plot Twist in The Return

Post by mtwentz »

Mr. Strawberry wrote: Tue Jul 13, 2021 10:04 am It's been a few years since I've seen it, and I only watched it twice, but I can't think of any conventional plot twists. There are gotcha moments like "tricked ya" and so forth, but I can't recall any revelations that suddenly and radically transformed my perspective of the story.

Instead, there was that major shift at the end which I'd describe as more of a plot warp. Cooper emerges from the red curtains to meet Diane and it's like, what the hell is going on? Things just keep slipping away from that point all the way to the end. Very disorienting and mysterious, which I prefer over the kind of plot twist that catches you by surprise while also tying everything together and essentially making sense of it all.

Due to the above I chose "Other".
There definitely weren't a lot of '24' style plot twists but there were a few. A couple I forgot to mention are 'Mr C being the anonymous billionaire' and Albert having been in contact with Mr C/Cooper while he was missing.

The one that really caught me off guard was Ray having a loaded gun and getting the jump on Cooper. I did not see that coming. Unfortunately for Ray, the Woodsemen intervened...
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Isis Unveiled
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Re: Best Plot Twist in The Return

Post by Isis Unveiled »

Although it was incorporated as a flashback in Part 17, there was a scene in the episode that made sense of what seemed like a minor and insignificant mystery that had originated in FWWM.

The flashback footage from FWWM where James & Laura are pulled over on the side of the road near the woods, in FWWM we see Laura look toward the woods and let out a scream but we are never shown what it was that she had seen, nor is it even confirmed that she had seen anything at all. In Part 17, bits of that scene are interconnected with Cooper's dream intervention into the past and we see that Cooper lurking nearby in the woods is in fact what Laura saw that made her scream in FWWM.

That was a pretty solid plot twist IMHO. And I suppose part 17 is full of them, though, I enjoyed that one in particular because it was illuminating while simultaneously functioning as a plot twist.
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Jonah
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Re: Best Plot Twist in The Return

Post by Jonah »

I voted Other, but could have easily voted Audrey of the options given.

I didn't really find any of the plot twists satisfying as such. I did find some of the choices involving Cooper going back in time/into FWWM - and Laura's body being removed from the beach - interesting in a meta way, like a writer deconstructing and going back and changing their own plot. A lot of interesting choices in 17 and 18, plus Audey's situation was quite intriguing too. But can't honestly say I found the plot twists satisfying, perhaps because none of them were conventional enough to have a more traditional pay off, or maybe they just didn't work for me in that sense. I also like the pie delivery scene in the desert with the Mitchum brothers and how it resolved.
I have no idea where this will lead us, but I have a definite feeling it will be a place both wonderful and strange.
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mtwentz
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Re: Best Plot Twist in The Return

Post by mtwentz »

Jonah wrote: Thu Aug 12, 2021 1:54 am I voted Other, but could have easily voted Audrey of the options given.

I didn't really find any of the plot twists satisfying as such. I did find some of the choices involving Cooper going back in time/into FWWM - and Laura's body being removed from the beach - interesting in a meta way, like a writer deconstructing and going back and changing their own plot. A lot of interesting choices in 17 and 18, plus Audey's situation was quite intriguing too. But can't honestly say I found the plot twists satisfying, perhaps because none of them were conventional enough to have a more traditional pay off, or maybe they just didn't work for me in that sense. I also like the pie delivery scene in the desert with the Mitchum brothers and how it resolved.
Overall, I am not a huge fan of 'twists' because it is so clear that much in the suspense/mystery genre is written 'to the twist'. In other words, the whole story is built around twists, which means the characters and actual story suffers.

Especially the movie ending twists can be a dime a dozen.

What made The Sixth Sense twist so satisfying was that it was already a really good movie, very emotional and even deep on some levels, and the twist was like the cherry on the sundae- it topped everything off and made it that much better.

So I like twists when they are done well, but unless that twist is in the context of a good story, characters I care about, and with larger themes (in the case of the 6th Sense, I would say the larger theme would be loneliness and isolation) it's just a cheap plot gimmick, usually, and the movie or show is ultimately forgettable.

That being said, the show '24' had the art of the twist down to a science.
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Jonah
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Re: Best Plot Twist in The Return

Post by Jonah »

Yeah, I get what you mean. I suppose I was also referring to just plot beats in general, not just "twists" per se or at least that's how I understood the question originally.
I have no idea where this will lead us, but I have a definite feeling it will be a place both wonderful and strange.
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boske
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Re: Best Plot Twist in The Return

Post by boske »

Isis Unveiled wrote: Wed Aug 11, 2021 11:41 pm Although it was incorporated as a flashback in Part 17, there was a scene in the episode that made sense of what seemed like a minor and insignificant mystery that had originated in FWWM.

The flashback footage from FWWM where James & Laura are pulled over on the side of the road near the woods, in FWWM we see Laura look toward the woods and let out a scream but we are never shown what it was that she had seen, nor is it even confirmed that she had seen anything at all. In Part 17, bits of that scene are interconnected with Cooper's dream intervention into the past and we see that Cooper lurking nearby in the woods is in fact what Laura saw that made her scream in FWWM.

That was a pretty solid plot twist IMHO. And I suppose part 17 is full of them, though, I enjoyed that one in particular because it was illuminating while simultaneously functioning as a plot twist.
Agreed, I pick this one too. By the way, one of the options in the poll should probably be "Naido is Diane" (in some way).
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mtwentz
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Re: Best Plot Twist in The Return

Post by mtwentz »

Wow, after reflection, I think I missed the biggest one of all (for me).

The biggest plot twist for me was in Part 18. Cooper is yet again leading Laura to safety through the woods, she disappears and..

Cooper is back in the Lodge, 'Is it future, or is it Past?'

That really floored me at the time. I did not see that coming.
F*&^ you Gene Kelly
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Jonah
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Re: Best Plot Twist in The Return

Post by Jonah »

You can add more options to the poll but be advised it can sometimes wipe the current votes, so if you're planning to do that might want to make a note of current votes and post them in the thread or something. But you have an Other option already, which probably covers everything else.
I have no idea where this will lead us, but I have a definite feeling it will be a place both wonderful and strange.
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mtwentz
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Re: Best Plot Twist in The Return

Post by mtwentz »

Jonah wrote: Fri Aug 20, 2021 5:15 am You can add more options to the poll but be advised it can sometimes wipe the current votes, so if you're planning to do that might want to make a note of current votes and post them in the thread or something. But you have an Other option already, which probably covers everything else.
No I won't do that. Just kicking myself for not thinking about it in the first place.
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Jonah
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Re: Best Plot Twist in The Return

Post by Jonah »

Don't sweat it - I'd offer to add the options on my end, but I think it might still wipe the votes. You can always create a Part 2 of the poll in another thread with more options any time you want.
I have no idea where this will lead us, but I have a definite feeling it will be a place both wonderful and strange.
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