Classic Moment: Gordon woos Shelley ('Twin Peaks')

Twin Peaks is famed for its devilishly dark and surreal look at the bizarre inhabitants of a remote town left reeling by the brutal murder of the local beauty Laura Palmer. Yet among all the blood-drenched log cabins and bodies wrapped in plastic, there was a rather tender emotional core to the show - as expressed through the various romantic subplots.

In one hilarious scene towards the end of the underrated second season, notoriously hard of hearing FBI boss Gordon Cole (played by the show's co-creator David Lynch) woos a waitress in front of her boyfriend when he finds that he can hear her words - but no-one else's.

The Context

As the mystery surrounding the Black Lodge and Windom Earle continues, Gordon Cole nips into the RR diner for a bite to eat.

He discovers that waitress Shelley, who is going through relationship difficulties with high school sweetheart Bobby Briggs, is the only person whom he can hear normally and doesn’t need to shout at. After a touching soliloquy about the merits of the diner’s cherry pie and coffee, Gordon sweet talks Shelley into sitting down with him in a booth.

The Moment

Dale Cooper and his beau Annie arrive at the diner and Gordon invites them to sit down and eat some cherry pie with them.

"This world of Twin Peaks seems to be filled with beautiful women," he shouts at Cooper. He then turns to Shelley and whispers: "Although only one I can hear."

"Coop, they say that love makes the world go round," continues Gordon, shouting again, "although they never said a doggone thing about a cure for hearing loss."

"Shelley - you are a miracle worker and a goddess sent from heaven," he whispers.

Gordon explains to Shelley that he is leaving Twin Peaks very shortly and wants to take the opportunity to ask her for a kiss. She agrees and the pair lock lips - just as her volatile other half Bobby walks into the diner. Shocked, Bobby questions their actions. Gordon calmly explains:

"You are witnessing a front three-quarter view of two adults sharing a tender moment… take another look, Sonny - it’s going to happen again!"

Gordon and Shelley then share another smooch.

The Aftermath

Gordon does indeed leave Twin Peaks shortly after and Bobby is stung into apologising to Shelley for the way he has treated her and declares his love. The pair then try and mastermind an attempt to win the Miss Twin Peaks contest.