Slaves and Masters

There are four plot lines at work here. First of all, Ben Horne thinks he is Robert E. Lee, and is in full battle mode, waiting for Grant to surrender. For some reason, his daughter, brother, Bobby, and the psychologist guy are playing along, trying to get him back to reality. Second, Windom Earle has Leo in a shack in the woods and is brainwashing him, in a sort of Bride of Frankenstein mode. Third, James has been framed by the beautiful but dangerous woman he tried to help and with whom he fell in love. However, things take a turn. And finally, Josie realizes that her dominator, whom she thought was dead, has come back to enslave her again. Katherine is also involved and Josie may have to make a move at some point and get herself out of that subservient position. If she's afraid for her life, she may have nothing to lose. She should enlist Harry now that she knows a little of the score.

"Slaves and Masters," the fifteenth episode of Twin Peaks Season Two, directed by Diane Keaton and written by Harley Peyton and Robert Engels, stands as a fascinating and somewhat divisive installment that attempts to reconcile some of the season's most problematic storylines while injecting a renewed sense of energy and dark humor. Keaton's direction brings a distinctive touch of elegance and subtlety, evoking a Lynchian atmosphere that contrasts with the episode's occasionally soap-operatic narrative elements. This episode is notable for resolving key arcs involving Evelyn Marsh and Josie Packard, while deepening the series' exploration of power, manipulation, and identity.

The episode opens with Evelyn Marsh and Malcolm Sloan's duplicitous scheme to frame James Hurley for the death of Evelyn's husband, Jeffrey Marsh. Their calculated deception, marked by Evelyn's cold manipulation and Malcolm's violent threats, sets a tone of betrayal and moral ambiguity. James's desperate attempts to clear his name, including a tense confrontation at Evelyn's home, culminate in a shocking moment when Evelyn shoots Malcolm to save James, upending expectations and adding complexity to her character. This subplot, long criticized for its soap-opera excesses, is handled here with a sharper edge and a touch of dark irony, reflecting the episode's effort to bring closure and nuance.

Parallel to this, the episode advances the Josie Packard storyline, with Cooper and Sheriff Truman interrogating Josie about her connection to Jonathan Lee's murder. The arrival of Thomas Eckhardt, Josie's secret employer, introduces a new layer of menace and intrigue, as his presence threatens to destabilize the town's fragile balance of power. Josie's interactions with Ben Horne and Catherine Martell further complicate the narrative, revealing alliances and betrayals that underscore the series' themes of greed and deception.

The episode also features the continuation of Windom Earle's sadistic control over Leo Johnson, who is fitted with an electric shock collar and subjected to psychological torment. Earle's chilling dominance and Leo's helplessness add a layer of supernatural horror and suspense, highlighting the episode's darker tone. Meanwhile, Cooper and Truman's investigation into Josie's involvement in Jonathan's death intensifies, setting the stage for future confrontations.

Diane Keaton's direction is marked by a careful balance of mood and pacing. The episode employs a muted color palette and atmospheric lighting that enhance the sense of tension and unease. Keaton's background as an actress informs her sensitive handling of performances, eliciting nuanced portrayals from the cast. The editing maintains a steady rhythm, allowing dramatic moments to unfold organically while interspersing scenes of dark humor and character interaction.

Performances are a highlight of "Slaves and Masters." James Marshall's James Hurley conveys a mix of vulnerability and determination, while Annette McCarthy's Evelyn Marsh embodies a complex blend of seduction and ruthlessness. Michael Ontkean's Sheriff Truman and Kyle MacLachlan's Cooper provide steady moral centers, grounding the episode's more sensational elements. Joan Chen's Josie Packard navigates her character's shifting loyalties with subtlety, and Kenneth Welsh's Windom Earle exudes chilling menace.

Thematically, the episode explores motifs of control, betrayal, and the interplay between victimhood and agency. Evelyn's manipulation of James and Malcolm's violent enforcement reflect the toxic dynamics of power and survival. Josie's precarious position between her past and present allegiances underscores the series' interest in identity and deception. The episode's title, "Slaves and Masters," encapsulates these themes, highlighting the fluid and often dangerous relationships between dominance and submission.

Culturally, "Slaves and Masters" exemplifies Twin Peaks' innovative narrative style, blending soap opera melodrama with supernatural thriller and psychological drama. The episode's exploration of gender dynamics, power struggles, and moral ambiguity resonates with broader cultural conversations of the early 1990s. Diane Keaton's involvement as director adds an intriguing layer of artistic collaboration, bridging film and television sensibilities.

While the episode succeeds in resolving lingering plotlines and delivering compelling performances, some viewers may find its tonal shifts and narrative density challenging. The juxtaposition of dark themes with moments of levity and melodrama requires attentive viewing and interpretive openness. Nevertheless, these qualities contribute to the episode's rich texture and thematic ambition.

The story goes on easily with a gracefulness and ability like that of the "Arabian Nights".This is so much better than the other five Lynch movies I know ("Dune","Blue Velvet","Fire Walk ...","Mulholland" and "Straight")!This work is the most important,keen,accomplished,clever and successful of all the Lynch's movies I've seen.

There is also a wide amount of bad taste,and the invoked secrets make me laugh (but I admit they didn't when I was 12!).(The "Arabian Nights" do not lack bad taste and aren't faultless either.)

The humor is sometimes clumsy and alien,but the overall note is droll and thrilling.

Lynch's epics is unstrung and seemingly sewed together,but broad,interesting,homogeneous and hypnotizing.

The photography is fine.

The acting is average and in itself obviously very reduced and poor ( MacLachlan is an fourth-rate actor,and commonplace,vapid,and so is the rest of the crew, excepting Ian Buchanan (as "Dick") and,maybe,Beymer). For a check,see the opposite case of Von Trier's "Riget"/"The Kingdom", were the acting is elegant,consummate and sundry,diversified (Jaregard, HJ Hansen,Okking,etc.,etc.,the whole cast).

(I know Lynch is a ,in this matter,a minimalist,but sometimes he just keeps too ..."minimal".)