lunedì 23 ottobre 2017

My ranking of the Twin Peaks cast - Part 3

Here's the third part of my ranking of the cast of Twin Peaks (1990-1991). Again, I should specify that the ranking only includes the performances of the first two seasons and not the revival.


19. Wendy Robie as Nadine Hurley

I was skeptical about her performance initially as I thought she was a little too much in the role. Never terrible or anything, but perhaps a little bit too shrill. Ultimately though her approach ends up being perfectly fitting to the over-the-top character that Nadine is: it's a tricky role as it is supposed to be annoying and overbearing and Robie excels at portraying those character's traits in an entertaining fashion without ever becoming annoying and overbearing herself. What makes the whole performance work though is the depth Robie brings to the character and as the series progresses she manages to be quite heartbreaking in her portrayal of her character's neediness and loneliness. In those moments Robie effectively tones it down revealing the desperation behind Nadine. Her storyline in the second season is rather ridiculous and the only reason why it isn't awful is due to Robie's commitment and dedication to the role. I really like her work here, though like a great deal of the cast, I think she hits even higher peaks in the third season (her last scene with Ed is beyond wonderful).

18. Al Strobel as MIKE/Philip Gerard

Al Strobel's performance is pretty much terrific from the very first minute he's on-screen. In his moments as Philip Gerard, Strobel is amazing at being so off-putting and unnerving showing clearly that there is something wrong with the guy. He makes for a truly fascinating character that brings a great deal of unpredictability to the series. When the truth about his character is revealed, Strobel is absolutely amazing at bringing the right sort of gravitas to the role of MIKE, making a great counterpoint to Frank Silva's Bob: he's equally forceful in his performance and rather disturbing in a way but without the malice that is present in Silva's performance, making their performances beautifully complementary. Also, his voice work is absolutely astonishing.

17. Joan Chen as Josie Packard

This is such an odd performance as there are many moments in Chen's work that in any other television series or film would come across as iffy or even downright awful: but in Twin Peaks, Chen's performance is actually quite brilliant as it is so perfectly in sync with the tone of her storyline. At the beginning Josie might seem a limited character but in my opinion Chen does a rather terrific job at making her a rather endearing and likeable presence whenever she appears. She manages not to spoil the twist regarding her character beforehand while making it totally convincing: rewatching the early episodes you can see her dropping some hints regarding her character's true nature but in an effectively subtle way so that a first-time viewer wouldn't have noticed. She's great as the series progresses in her portrayal of Josie's shady, manipulative, cold-blooded side (I particularly love her confrontation with Benjamin Horne as the two mutually blackmail each other), but what I liked the most is that she manages to create so sympathy towards her by showing effectively her character's underlying desperation and her genuine affection towards Sheriff Truman. Her final scene in particular is quite outstanding as she conveys so well both the ruthless femme-fatale and the desperate, damaged woman in Josie.


16. Catherine E. Coulson as The Log Lady/Margaret Lanterman

An iconic performance of an iconic character. Coulson's performance can easily be taken for granted but it's actually quite astonishing what she manages to achieve with the role: she excels in the comedic moments of her performance by making The Log Lady such an enjoyably off-putting and quirky presence but at the same time she never turns her into an absurd or ridiculous character which could have easily been the case. She brings the right sort of gravitas to the character in the more serious moments and is quite chilling in her portrayal of her character's peculiar wisdom. It's a great performance that lay the foundations for her devastating, unforgettable and incredible performance in the show's third season.

15. Miguel Ferrer as Agent Albert Rosenfield

Such a great performance from him and he makes Albert one of the most remarkable characters of the whole show in spite of his limited screen-time. In his first appearances in the series, Ferrer is downright hilarious in his deadpan delivery and he's so delightfully entertaining in his portrayal of his character's acidic, sarcastic attitude. He manages to make endearing a character that at first glance is anything but. Then there is his confrontation with Sheriff Truman which is a truly unexpected, surprisingly heartwarming moment in which Ferrer does such a wonderful job at revealing a different side of Albert and conveying his outview on life. His following appearences in the series are always welcome and only leaves you wanting for more of him. It's a wonderfully fun, engaging performance and he takes it to the next level in the show's third season in which he's downright brilliant.

14. Don Davis as Major Garland Briggs

In the beginning of the series, I found Davis to be rather good in his limited screen-time at bringing the right sort of gravitas and respectability to the character of Major Briggs and though he's a somewhat stoic father figure he never comes off as stern or unloving as Davis manages to convey so well the genuine concern of the Major for his son. Then he's absolutely incredible in his heart-to-heart conversation with Bobby as he portrays so well the love that Briggs feels for his son as well as a certain hopefulness regarding his son's future. It's one of the series' most moving moments and it's impeccably acted on both ends. In the second half of the second season the character of Briggs becomes one of the main links to the supernatural elements of the series and this is where things could have become somewhat ridiculous yet Davis manages to make it all work by conveying this sort of newfound, otherwordly wisdom in the character while being rather touching in his portrayal of Briggs' trauma due to the things he saw. 

13. Russ Tamblyn as Dr. Lawrence Jacoby

I actually quite like Russ Tamblyn in general as I think he has a genuinely energetic and endearing screen-presence (the only exception is, curiously enough, his Oscar-nominated turn). This quality of his has never been used better than in Twin Peaks: as the extremely odd psychiatrist of Laura Palmer, Tamblyn is an absolute hoot, stealing every single scene he's in with infectious energy and life. He completely embraces the weirdness of the character without ever coming across as hammy. Most importantly, he never turns Jacoby into a mere caricature and never lets him be defined by his quirks: in some key emotional moments, Tamblyn manages to find the bruised heart of the character, making his love/obsession towards Laura both disturbing and moving. It's a terrific performance that, just lithe show itself, is a pretty much a crazy, perfect mix of comedy, drama and dread.

12. Everett McGill as Ed Hurley

Ed Hurley is, among the characters of Twin Peaks, the most profoundly and genuinely good-hearted one. Goodness isn't always the most rewarding character trait as it can occasionally result in a boring, one-dimensional creation but McGill makes Ed one of the most powerful and touching elements of the show. He shares such a terrific chemistry with Wendy Robie and he's great in their scenes together at conveying the guilt and compassion that make Ed stay with her; and he also works wonderfully with Peggy Lipton - the two of them are so endearing together and they make their love so pure and sincere that you just can't help but root for them. Ed is mostly defined by his relatioship with those two ladies but he is also a great character on his own and McGill is often quite hilarious in his portrayal of his character's reaction to the crazy situations around him. And he's also a hoot in the scenes with the Bookhouse Boys. Overall, it's a great, wonderful performance that adds a lot of heart to the show.

11. Grace Zabriskie as Sarah Palmer

Though she doesn't get a whole lot of screen-time, Grace Zabriskie delivers an absolutely incredible performance as Sarah Palmer. She's heartbreaking in the first episodes at portraying her character's reaction to her daughter's death - it's a very intense performance though it never becomes too over-the-top. What makes her turn so disturbing is that she suggests that there is something off with the character, alluding to the fact that she's coping with more than just grief, and she makes for such an electrifying, unnerving, puzzling presence. When more about her character's domestic life is revealed, Zabriskie makes the horror of the story come alive even more through her performance and she's especially heartbreaking in the surprisingly quiet scenes of the aftermath, as she reflects on what she has lost and what she has left. It's a brilliant performance that lay the foundation for her terrifying work in the third season.

Next: the top 10.