Recap of Episode 21

"My name is Windom, Windom Earle!"

Season 2 Episode 21


Written by: Scott Frost

Directed by: Uli Edel

Original Air Date: February 02, 1991


"Windom is a genius!"

In Harry's office, Doc Hayward, Cooper, Andy and Harry investigate the dead body left by Windom Earle. In the victim's mouth is a chess piece. Cooper tells Doc Hayward to look under the victim's shirt to check for a puncture wound, which will have likely severed the aorta. Doc does so and sees Dale is right. Harry realizes that Dale has seen this before. Then Hawk enters and tells them that he found boot prints outside, which were heavier on the way in versus going out. Cooper recounts what he thinks happened. He says Windom probably recently befriended the dead man. Then he thinks Windom created a diversion by knocking out the power so he could get the body in Harry's office. Dale goes on to say that Windom is a genius, and he's just taken the first pawn in a very sick game.

"What about Shelly?

Audrey tells Bobby at The Great Northern that she learned from Ben that a business relationship is like a sacred pact. Then she asks if he wants to get rich. Bobby smiles and replies, "immediately." Audrey grabs his chin and says from now on she's the one he sucks up to. Bobby asks, "What about Shelly?" Audrey responds flatly, "What about Shelly?"

Meanwhile Shelly fearfully calls out for Leo in the darkness of her kitchen. Leo tosses a jar of sauce at her and it smashes next to Shelly's head against the refrigerator. She makes a run for the front door, but finds it locked. Outside, an owl hoots. Then Shelly tries to run out of the kitchen door, but trips. Leo comes out of the shadows and whispers, "bad girl." Then he tosses some soap in a sock at her. Shelly grabs a knife, says she'll kill him and then tries to slash her way through the plastic in the kitchen. Leo grabs her and tosses her to the floor. He then comes at her with an ax. Bobby shows up right then, hears Shelly screaming and runs to rescue her. He and Leo end up struggling with the ax. Leo gets the better of Bobby and chokes him with the handle. Shelly searches the floor for her knife. She finally finds it and proceeds to stab Leo in the leg. Leo then runs from the house while yelling out in pain. Bobby and Shelly are traumatized from the frightening encounter and cling to each other.

"Harry, I want it!"

Back at the station, Harry brings Dale coffee as the police run forensics in Harry office. Harry says Dale was right and they didn't find anything to connect Windom Earle to the incident. Harry offers Dale the case as his deputy. Dale says he wants it. Then Hawk comes to tell them that he booked Hank for parole violations, and that Shelly called to say Leo woke up and attacked her. Meanwhile Andy tells Lucy by her desk, that he and Dick think Little Nicky murdered his parents. Lucy gets upset. She doesn't believe him and is determined to get to the bottom of it.

"Love isn't wrong, James!"

Jeffrey Marsh approaches James in his garage. He says he heard James does fine work from Evelyn. Then Evelyn comes over and stares at James while Jeffrey gushes about his love of cars. Evelyn says she wants James to stay, because she can find plenty for him to do. James replies sure, but seems uncomfortable. Jeffrey then decides to take the Rolls Royce for a spin. When he drives off, Evelyn hears the sound of a crash in her head. Later Evelyn finds James packing his bag. He tells her he's leaving so she tries to seduce him. However James pushes her away and spouts, "what's wrong?" Evelyn answers, "love isn't wrong, James!" She asks James not to leave her alone with Jeffrey. James doesn't know what to do so he walks out saying he's going to check on his bike.

"People will find out."

At the Double R, Big Ed tells Doc Hayward he's worried about Nadine because she wants to start dating. Doc asks if she's sexually active. Ed makes a funny face and replies that he wakes up every morning feeling like he's been hit with a timber truck. Doc says it's the extra adrenaline. He advises Ed to tell Nadine to be home by 9 o'clock. Then Norma comes over and Doc notes a smile between her and Ed. Doc Hayward asks if he should be worried about Donna going to look for James. Ed doesn't think he should be so Doc leaves. After Norma sits with Ed. He tells her about Hank jumping him and Nadine beating Hank up for it. Norma thinks it's time for her to make some changes with her martial status. Ed suggests they get some wine and venison steaks to celebrate. Norma smiles, "people will find out." Ed smiles back, "let em!"

"Windom's mind is like a diamond."

Harry asks Dale at the station how chess figures into his strife with Windom Earle. Dale says they played a game every day for three years, but he never beat Earle. Dale also says he published his response to their current game in the Twin Peaks Gazette. He ends up telling Harry that Windom was his partner and taught him everything he knows about being an agent. Dale says four years ago he met a woman named Carolyn, who he was supposed to protect as a material witness. Dale confides in Harry that he fell in love with her, but one night he failed and she was killed. He explains that she was stabbed in the same way the dead body in his office was. Dale says it's because Carolyn was Windom's wife. Dale thinks Windom killed Carolyn, and that he committed the crime she originally witnessed. He compares Windom's mind to a diamond and says he's capable of anything.

"Just You and I"

Donna heads to Wallie's Bar looking for information about James. She asks the bartender if he's seen James. The bartender answers no. Evelyn happens to be there and decides to approach Donna. She tells her that James fixed her husband's car, but he left yesterday saying something about going to the beach in Mexico. Evelyn then advises, in a condescending tone, for Donna to go home, because she thinks James will be back. Donna appears upset by the conversation. Then the song, Just You and I, starts to play. A montage scene begins of James struggling with his inner turmoil back at Evelyn's place.

"Dixie Land"

In Ben's office, an elaborate Civil War set has been arranged with precision. Ben looks over everything carefully. Then Audrey and Jerry walk in. Jerry is shocked by what he sees. Dr. Jacoby sits nearby observing Ben. He tells Jerry that Ben is marching on Washington. Ben thinks Jerry is General Jeb Stuart. Dr. Jacoby tells Audrey and Jerry that Ben needs to have a Confederate victory in order to resolve his inner issues. Ben then turns on the fan, grabs his confederate flag and begins singing, I wish I was in Dixie. Jacoby chimes in with him enthusiastically.

"I'll be in the shadows."

Major Briggs stumbles into the station and tells Lucy he needs to see the Sheriff. Then he collapses. Awhile later in Harry's office. Lucy gives the Major some water. He re-hydrates himself and ends up confessing to Harry and Dale that he believes he was taken to the White Lodge during his disappearance. The Major says he fears his superiors aren't altruistic in their motives for locating the White Lodge. He also fears that there is much trouble ahead. The Major tells Harry and Dale he will be in the shadows until the time comes.

Later Andy asks Dale and Harry to come with him. They go into the conference room and meet up with Hawk, Dr. Jacoby and Lana. Dr. Jacoby explains that Lana has a heightened sexual drive that few man have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Dale and Harry seem excited by the information. Jacoby feels that Lana is innocent of any wrong doing in Dougie's death. Dale congratulates her. Lana then leaves with Dr. Jacoby for a night of bowling.

"We've decided to adopt a child."

On their way out, the Mayor shows up with a shotgun. He accuses Lana of killing his brother. Dale suggests that the Mayor and Lana talk alone for a moment, which the Mayor grudgingly agrees to. Dale puts the two of them in the conference room, and then tells the men outside they need to wait. One commercial break later, they finish waiting and check on Lana and the Mayor. They find Lana sitting on his lap planting red kisses all over him. The Mayor says they've decided to adopt a child. Lana claims he's just like Dougie, and she feels like her husband has been brought back to her. 

"Like a rate to a piece of cheese."

At the Packard's, Pete looks over his shopping list and realizes he forgot the hot dogs. More to the point, he says he forgot the weenies with the skin on them. Catherine makes a bold entrance and tells Pete she has something to show him. She takes him into the other room and asks if Pete ever wondered how she survived after the fire. Pete replies yes. Then Andrew Packard walks out very much alive. He explains to Pete that a man named Thomas Eckhardt tried to kill him with Josie's help. Andrew says it was because he got the better of Thomas in a business deal. Andrew also thinks that Thomas will come for Josie like a rat to a piece of cheese. Meanwhile over at The Great Northern, we see that Thomas Eckhardt and his associate, Jones, are checking into the hotel.

Harry shows Dale a picture of Mr. Lee/Cousin Jonathan that came through the wire at the station. It says, 'Asian Man Killed.' Harry notes that Josie told him she got away from him. He asks Dale to look into it for him. Meanwhile Doc Hayward comes to the station and calls Dick and Andy into Harry's office. Doc tells both of them a sad story about Little Nicky's background. He says his mother was a chamber maid who conceived Little Nicky from being raped. Unfortunately, she died in child birth thus causing Little Nicky to be shuffled from family to family until he finally found a forever home. However there was a fatal crash that killed his parents, despite six year old Little Nicky pulling their bodies from the wreckage. Doc observes that then Little Nicky was alone again, as he is today. Lucy snipes that she told them so and smashes a fly dead with her swatter. Dick and Andy get choked up from the information and both start crying. 

"You set me up!"

Evelyn finds James once again packing in his room. He yells at her that, "it's wrong!" She asks if it's because she's married. James says yes. Evelyn tells him she loves him, and claims she never said that to anyone before. Then the police pull up in the driveway. Evelyn says there was an accident. James realizes that she killed Jeffrey. He seethes, "You set me up!" Evelyn tells him it was Malcolm's idea and he's not her brother. She yells for James to go and find that pretty girl who loves him. James sneaks outside and sees Donna waiting for him. Donna tells him to come with her and they run away from the police together.

"Come in, I'm a friend."

Leo finds himself alone in the woods. He's wounded, weakened and appears confused. Then a giant owl flies overhead startling him. Leo continues to walk forward and stumbles upon a cabin in the woods. He makes his way inside and finds a man in suit standing in the shadows. He has a flute in his hand, which he puts down and replaces with a handgun. The man then tells Leo to come in, saying he's a friend who will help him. He asks his name so Leo tells him. The man then steps into the light and sits in front of a chess board. He smiles and replies, "You can call me Windom, Windom Earle."


End of show!

What I think is the most interesting element in this episode is the introduction of Windom Earle. In addition to the backstory of his relationship with Dale and Dale's relationship with Carolyn. Learning more about our dashing, yet flawed, leading man is always interesting. I also liked the battle between Shelly, Leo and Bobby. I thought it was pretty intense and well done. Nobody wants to see Leo coming at them with an ax, but I always love a little sprinkle of horror in Twin Peaks.

I was also happy to see a nice moment between Norma and Ed. It's impossible not to root for them as a couple. Plus Major Briggs offered some intrigue with his thoughts on being taken to the White Lodge. I hope that in new Twin Peaks we learn a bit more about the White and Black Lodges. I should also note that I liked Andrew Packard's return from the dead. Although Catherine does seem to be a bit too enthralled with him for my taste. Just as Andrew predicts, Thomas shows up in Twin Peaks and gives us a fire reflection in his sunglasses. Is this fire equal to his burning passion for Josie? His desire for revenge? Either way, this picture looks like it should be on the cover of a romance novel.


As for the weaker moments, I don't really enjoy the scenes between James and Evelyn, but I did get some laughs from them. I really think James's montage to Just You and I, is hilarious, even though I know I'm supposed to feel something else. The dialogue in their scenes together is very campy and not well executed, but that's just my opinion. Ben and Jacoby singing, I wish I was In Dixie, was funny, but not Ben's finest hour. Episode 21 also marks the end of the Little Nicky storyline, which I think is for the best. It was amusing to see Andy and Dick's reactions when Doc Hayward told them about what really happened to Little Nicky though.

Overall I think this episode should be viewed as a transitional one. It kind of went by quick. It had some interesting moments, a few over the top moments, and concluded with a creepy introduction for Windom Earle, which I enjoyed. The owls are always watching, aren't they? Both outside of Shelly's house when she was attacked and while Leo was wandering in the woods. 

The log lady intro probably sums it up the best, as this episode does seem to center around dilemmas of the heart.

Watch below!



Recap of Episode 20 <------



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