The Most Dividending Character in Twin Peaks Is Also the Most Underappreciated
One contentious Twin Peaks character is Bobby Briggs. His character is one of the most entertaining to watch for a variety of reasons, which speaks highly of the program.
Fans of Twin Peaks either love or hate Bobby Briggs as a character.
One of the most contentious characters in the Twin Peaks original series is Bobby Briggs. Bobby's character growth is a credit to the program and a component of the series' skillfully constructed cast of characters. Rather than the overall mystery, this is what Dana Ashbrook claims to have liked most about Welcome to Twin Peaks. Bobby is one of the most entertaining characters to watch, whether he's getting into mischief with Mike Nelson, sobbing on Dr. Jacoby's therapy couch, putting cocaine in James' motorcycle engine, or telling Shelly he will take care of everything.
Bobby Briggs's Development During Twin Peaks
Teenage rebel Bobby Briggs is entangled in Twin Peaks' criminal underworld and has a sharp tongue. His relationship with Laura Palmer made him a major suspect in the earliest stages of Laura Palmer's murder inquiry. Briggs dealt drugs and used violence in close association with local gangsters. Bobby had a lot of moments in the first Twin Peaks season that weren't his best. At first, he's portrayed as a conventional jock who misbehaves and gets away with it. He also shown predatory tendencies at several points in the original series, whether it was pressuring Shelly to enter the Miss Twin Peaks pageant or orchestrating an insurance fraud with a wounded Leo.
Bobby's initial confidence makes him a very polarizing figure right from the start. Nevertheless, Dana Ashbrook takes advantage of this because to his innate charm and superb acting skills. His abhorrence of James Hurley, whose arc is one of the most despised in Twin Peaks, is one of his most defining characteristics in season 1. His relationship with Shelly, which has a lot of chemistry but unclear beginnings, is another. But Laura was off having her own affairs. Furthermore, Laura approves of Bobby and Shelly's relationship in Jennifer Lynch's canonical novel The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer:
"Hopefully, Shelly and Bobby are dating... Even though I detest the thought of being alone, I believe Bobby and Shelly are a good match, and worse things may happen.
Why Bobby Briggs of Dana Ashbrook deserved more respect
Bobby presents himself at first as a normal bad kid, but this is really a veneer that he soon pulls off. He is comparable to Audrey Horne from Twin Peaks in this regard, as her MBTI type belies her loneliness and insecurity. The idea that nothing is as it seems is a defining characteristic of Twin Peaks. Nothing illustrates this more than Bobby and Audrey's interactions in season 2's Great Northern, where they're both trying to make business moves while sporting an absurd amount of hair pomade.
Bobby's anguish is evident early in the series when he grows enraged during Laura's funeral. There are two main pain coping strategies identified: James is avoidant and initially states he won't be going. Bobby gets combative and declares that he will cause disruptions, saying, "I'm going to turn it upside down!" Major Garland Briggs, his sympathetic father, who thereafter delivers a sermon on teenage disobedience as a rite of passage, aids in his development. It turns out to be pretty much right, even though it makes Bobby wince.
In a Lynch-directed episode, a rarity in Twin Peaks' second season—the lowest-rated of all—his fatherly bond with him reaches a crescendo. It might have gone either way. Dana Ashbrook from Twin Peaks claims that Mark Frost told him to portray Bobby as unresponsive to Garland's chat in the diner, but David Lynch suggested the exact opposite, with poignant effects. Though many viewers were startled, The Major's vision of Bobby predicts his redemptive character journey, which transpired in season three decades before it happened:
"A knock at the door was heard. There stood my son. He was obviously leading a life of profound peace and delight; he was cheerful and carefree.
Bobby's Change in "The Return"
Throughout the course of the series, Bobby Briggs' redemption arc is developed. He doesn't always act appropriately, but there are instances in which his combative nature allows him to see things more clearly than other characters. At Laura's funeral, he was the only character to speak. Although it is impolite of him to interrupt the meeting, his criticism of the town's hypocrisy foreshadows the corruption that the series will expose. He plays a crucial role in solving the mystery by pointing out the slumbering town's involvement, if not outright collusion. Like Dale Cooper, he disrupts other characters' patterns with his unorthodox and disruptive manner.
Bobby from Twin Peaks also merits more recognition for his work on Laura. In spite of their complex relationship, Bobby obviously had a great deal of affection for Laura Palmer, notwithstanding Dale Cooper's assertion during their interrogation that "you never loved her anyway." He also demonstrates compassion in his therapy sessions with Jacoby, even prior to his heartfelt outburst over Laura's image in season 3. Although his character arc indicates he was just misguided, he didn't help her in the way that she needed to be helped. In Twin Peaks season 3, Bobby finds forgiveness because he has a strong support system, something Laura lacked.
Considering that other Twin Peaks stars were unable to make a comeback, his change in The Return is astounding and much-needed. His current position as a well-liked officer at the Twin Peaks Sheriff's Department is a flickering light in a dismal third season, especially considering his turbulent adolescent years. Now that he is working with Hawk, Andy, and the recently appointed Sheriff Truman, Bobby is respected by his coworkers and is composed and capable. Bobby's father, Major Garland Briggs, played a significant role in his attitude shift in the first film; nonetheless, despite his outward rudeness, Bobby was actually rather endearing.
The fact that Laura Palmer from Twin Peaks was modeled after real-life crimes that the show's writer was inspired by lends the narrative another level of depth.
