Twin Peaks (1990)

David Lynch’s brilliantly bizarre TV series about murder, incest, and demonic possession lasted only two seasons.  The first was a masterpiece; the second a hodgepodge of aimless subplots and unmotivated, out-of-character actions. 

James Booth has a small role in the second season as Ernie Niles, the new father-in-law of Norma at the RR Café.  What Norma’s snooty mother doesn’t know is that her seemingly-respectable CPA husband did some prison time for embezzling.  But Norma’s ex-con husband Hank knows because he met Niles in prison.  This gives Hank the leverage he needs to manipulate the weak and cowardly Niles into applying his accounting skills to some shady dealings with bad guy Jean Renault.  The cops find out about this and force Niles to act as a double agent.  The plan backfires when Renault takes Niles  hostage.  To buy his freedom, FBI agent Dale Cooper offers himself in his place.

Text copyright Diana Blackwell, 2002.

Appendix

Hello Magazine:  Mike Nicholls interviews James  Booth about Twin Peaks