Belanger Books Sherlock Holmes and Other Readings Blog

This article contains spoilers for both the Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle and the television show Twin Peaks, up through and including the end of both of these series.   Read on at your own peril… "Is it future or is it past?" --- The Man From Another Place, Twin Peaks “A few words may suffice to tell the little that remains.” --- John Watson, The Final Problem BRIAN:  There is nobody alive today who knows what it was like to read Doyle’s “The Final Problem” when it was first published.   According to all accounts, the shockwaves that this story sent throughout that era’s pop culture were devastating.   Holmes was dead!   Sherlock Holmes --- the Great Detective, champion of the oppressed, the one person who could always be counted on to solve the crime and bring justice to the wronged, be they privileged or poor.   His stories had regaled the readers of The Strand magazine for years; had become a very part of those ...

Do The Errors of Sherlock Holmes Explain The Errors of Twin Peaks? Spoiler Alert:  This article contains several spoilers for both the original canon of Sherlock Holmes stories and all three seasons of Twin Peaks.  Do not read this article if you're not caught up! "As a rule, the more bizarre a thing is the less mysterious it proves to be." --Sherlock Holmes, The Red Headed League DERRICK:  One of the joys of being a Sherlockian is "playing the game".  This is when Sherlock Holmes fans pretend that Holmes and Watson were real people and that the original Sherlock Holmes stories are based on real cases.  What makes this particularly enjoyable is trying to explain all the errors Doyle made in the original stories, and - oh boy - there are tons of them.  They go from the relatively minor to all-out whoppers. For example, Colonel Sebastian Moran makes a nearly impossible shot from his position when killing Roger Adair in "The Adventure of the E...

WARNING:  this article contains spoilers for both the Sherlock Holmes canon and the Twin Peaks series.  DO NOT READ THIS if you're not caught up with Twin Peaks or haven't read Arthur Conan Doyle's "A Scandal in Bohemia". "...she is always the  woman. I have seldom heard him mention her under any other name." --Dr. Watson, A Scandal in Bohemia "I carry a log -- yes.  Is it funny to you?  It is not to me." -- Margaret Lanterman, aka The Log Lady,   Twin Peaks season 1 DERRICK:   The Woman!  To Sherlock Holmes, Irene Adler will always be  the woman.  To Twin Peaks fans, Margaret Lanterman, the Log Lady, will always be the woman.  She was the heart and soul of the series.  Both characters were a step above the men around them.  They knew much more than they were given credit for; even the detectives were always a few clues behind them. Sadly, now both characters have passed away.  Irene Adler died...

Episodes 12 & 13:    The Distinction Is Clear WARNING:  Do not read this article if you haven't been watching up through episode 13 of Twin Peaks: The Return.  We don't want to spoil your fun! “You see, but you do not observe.   The distinction is clear.”             --- A Scandal In Bohemia Brian: Things are speeding up as we enter the final third of Twin Peaks: The Return.   While some earlier episodes… have… seemed… mmm… padded (and that’s putting it kindly)… the last few episodes have roared to life, tantalizing us as plot threads intertwine and hint at possible resolutions.    Of all the recent surprises, none have been more welcome for me than the return of fan-favorite character Audrey Horne.   Her scene is split between the last two episodes, and reveals such a wealth of information that it demands special attention. First, to see; then to ...

Episode 10:   “Hey, Grandma” WARNING:   this post has a LOT of spoilers for both Twin Peaks and Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes canon.   If you haven’t read the original stories – what are you waiting for?   They’re wonderful!   Grab a copy and dive right in!!! This week’s episode of Twin Peaks confirmed that Richard Horne is in fact the grandson of Benjamin and Sylvia Horne.   Their evil, twisted, depraved monster of a grandson.   This opens up all kinds of questions --- is Audrey his mother, or is Johnny his father?   If it IS Audrey, is Evil Coop the father?   Is Audrey still alive?   Did Richard kill his mother?   Did Evil Coop kill Audrey, and/or rape her while comatose after the explosion at the end of season 2?   What’s up with all the red shoes popping up lately?    It also gave us a disturbing scene of family brutality that I found shocking --- and that’s saying something for a series as cr...