Twin Peaks PLUS Train Wreck = C++ ?

All I remember from when this aired 20 years ago
was that Bebe Neuwirth was in it and it was a parody
of Scientology.

Hooooly crapoly. o_O
Either someone had some sort of hate-on against that
organization, or they reeeally overestimated its
strength and credibility, back then.

'Wild Palms' starts out as some kind of entertainment
industry smirk-fest, where the actors and directors
think that they're in on the gag . . . but they're
totally not, poor critters.

It's sort of like 'Pulp Fiction', only less offensive,
and unintentionally funny.

The pilot and next installment are laughably over-the-
top and oddly compelling. The tone and satire mimic
'Twin Peaks' deliberately, perhaps as a joke, or possibly
to win some of that show's audience. However, by the
fourth episode, 'Wild Palms' starts to wear thin, and
you can visibly see the actors becoming uncomfortable
as they realize their horrible, hOrrible mistake.

By episode five, they are visibly phoning in their
performances, with the exception of Ben Savage who
relishes his bizarrely-adult dialogue delightedly, as
he plays the sci-fi cult's version of the anti-christ.

He even gets to smack Angie Dickinson around -- joy.

The monologues get longer and longer, and include
such insights as: Major characters who have been
axed off-screen ( a lot ). The two hours of mirth
become over four hours of drudgery.

My advice is: Watch the first three hours; and, if
about halfway through episode four you realize you
are losing interest, skip episodes five and six and
make up your own ending. You will either have pinned
the tail on the rhino, or you will have greatly improved
on the writer's final script. Thank me later.

Anyway, Rondi Reed, Mike's mom on 'Mike and Molly',
has a small part in the beginning. She is the
highlight of the entire show; nice job, Rondi.

... and the costumes are nice.

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