Or was it Wynhdham? Weirddamn?

A character as hated than loved by many, I really like Earle. I don't love him the way I love Ben or Coop, but I think he and Kenneth Welsh's acting provided a lot to the show in that final part where, let's face it, there was stupidity everywhere (Lanas, Little Nickys, etc.).

What I love is that we hear about Earle far before that we first meet him... Even in that first look in Coop's face when he learns 'his former partner flew the coop, Coop' we see how Earle is and even more that it means something dreadful for Coop. What happened in Pittsburgh is slowly revealed and we have a picture in our mind about that psychopath even before we see him... The moment that happens, with Leo, the chessboard, the wind, is classic...

Does Welsh's Earle live up to the expectations we have? Well, I think he does... He's genuinely evil, creepy and yeah, the guy is nuts, mad as hell... It is very disturbing when we find out his main reason for being in the town (the search for the BL) as is the way he taunts Coop about Caroline's death, killing a guy named Powell, with the mask, the wedding dress, etc. And of course I really think he and Leo had wonderful chemistry, like a comic duo, yet also a nightmarish relationship...

Finally, I believe it was wonderful to see in that final ep. that no matter how evil Earle was, how perfect his mind, there were greater power of evil and that he was no match for them... As BOB said "He is wrong"...

That is all for now...

That god damn trailer's more popular than Uncle's Day in a whorehouse!

Gordon!Thank you for this great thread!I was waiting for it so long,and here it is,at last!

Windom Earle is one of my favourite characters in the show!You said pretty much about him,so I don't have too much to add.I love Earle!Maybe most of this love is due to Kenneth's performance in TP.Earle is a genius!Evil genius!His image is creepy,I like the scene when Cooper says to Harry that Windom Earle never makes mistakes,and he murders by rules and has a perverse sense of honour!The subplot of Earle is one of the best in the show.The fact that even a brave and clever man like Cooper is afraid of Earle,says a lot about Windom and the great power he has.I also like his sense of humour,in the scenes with Leo and Major Briggs.

Beware of BOB

When I call out no one can hear me,when I whisper he thinks the message is for him only..my little voice inside my throat,I always think there must be something that I've done or something I can do...But no one no one comes to help,he says,a little girl like you...

Windom Earle. One of the best villains. Ever.

I don't think anyone could have done a better job playing the man than Kenneth. And Gordon---I too love how Earle is introduced. That was some dark brilliance, there. And right again--he and Leo had some wicked chemistry together. The look on Coop's face at hearing Earle was loose from the loony bin is frightening---as you said, you get goosebumps even before you meet the character. A nice buildup indeed.

I think the Windom Earle/chess arc is one of the best---it added such a raw layer of mystery---I was actually afraid for Coop--especially after how he reacts, as mentioned above. Taunting him with the remembrances of Caroline---leaving that tape---he was IN Coop's room!! Yikes!!!! I was intrigued by how we learn of the partership between Dale and Earle...right up until he went 'boy-yoy-yoing'.

The scenes with Earle in the Black Lodge are gorgeous. As Coop mentions when finding out that the Black Lodge is what Earle is after, "That's a frightening thought." Frightening indeed.

Some favorite scenes...of course the one where he is introduced...with the wind, the chessboard awaiting play. Awesome. There's something about the scene when Coop and Annie are in the boat, then walking by the gazebo...the pure evil/hate in Earle's eyes as he watches on...wow. And also, when Briggs is taking a walk in the woods, and Earle and Leo come out dressed as the horse...and he shoots the dart at Briggs, then watches with calm glee as he falls to the ground, humming a song. It's that sarcastic evil that makes Earle such a great character.

And though the scene where Coop describes Earle after finding the Powell boy in Harry's office is more about Coop, it adds a new layer of fear. How he knew about the stab wound---since he suffered one himself---as Ivalinda mentioned---no mistakes. And when Coop tells Harry about Earle---"Windom Earle's mind is like a diamond...it's cold...and hard...and brilliant. You don't know what he's capable of Harry...you don't know."

It's a frightening image to see Earle stabbing Cooper...dragging Caroline's body to lay in his arms...it still makes me wonder about his possible early connection to BOB---when Leland isn't Leland anymore---"I have this thing for knives...just like what happened to you in Pittsburgh that time, huh, Cooper?!"

Do you wanna play with fire little boy?

As I said, the idea of Coop's nemesis is great. We're all like "who is this creep who be fuckin' wit Coop, yo?" And then we get...Kenneth Walsh? Ugh..I seriously loathe his performance. I mean...this little giggle box is supposed to firghten Coop? I mean, yeah..he supposed to be cold and calculated and evil...hes just not played that way. His whole execution of the plot to destroy Cooper is just lame and contrived.

That said, he is one of the bright spots in season 2. But is that saying much?

Rocky pretty much summed up my feelings on Windom and Kenneth's performace although I don't think I would have used the word "ever".

I think his introduction when Leo is wandering around the woods and stumbles upon his cabin is classic Peaks. I love it when he is struggling with how "tonic" country life is. His costume changes reminds me of Boris Badenov, but in a good way.

"What is the capital of North Carolina?"

"Every day holds a new beginning and every hour holds the promise of an Invitation to Love." 

Ok, Smokey...maybe not EVER. LOL  :)

Another fave scene is when Earle is listening as Gordon Cole shouts into the tree..."Bonzai. Remeber those old World War II movies. BONZAAAAIIII!!!" and Earle shouts in pain, flinging the earphones off. It could be the brilliance of David Lynch--he was a jewel as Gordon---but it's just so funny! Leo's burp as Earle is trying to get his hearing back just seals the deal.

Fire walk with me...

lelandloveslaura,it seems "Laura was a patient of mine" doesn't like Windom,too :)So you are not alone

Beware of BOB

When I call out no one can hear me,when I whisper he thinks the message is for him only..my little voice inside my throat,I always think there must be something that I've done or something I can do...But no one no one comes to help,he says,a little girl like you...

You're not. I hate the character as well. So cartoonish and over-the-top, he didn't feel like a menace at all to me, just an annoyance. The only scene in which Kenneth Welsh was effective was in the Black Lodge with Cooper.

How do you dethrone a scary, Black Lodge badass like BOB?  You can't.  But Windom is there to show us that Cooper is not, as Hawk says, "fearless in this world," and the plot made me genuinely afraid for the lovestruck, half-oblivious late season 2 Dale.

Windom wanted the power of the Black Lodge. He's evil, but as mentioned above, he's no BOB. I think Earle was tricked by BOB---BOB promised eternal power to Earle, in exchange for Dale. And then once Earle delivered, BOB said, "Ha ha...tricked you." and took his soul.

That's my spin on it, anyway. :)

That god damn trailer's more popular than Uncle's Day in a whorehouse!

Beware of BOB

When I call out no one can hear me,when I whisper he thinks the message is for him only..my little voice inside my throat,I always think there must be something that I've done or something I can do...But no one no one comes to help,he says,a little girl like you...

I recently watched Thunder Point, a movie with both Kyle MacLachlan AND Kenneth Welsh...and of course, Kenneth plays the bad guy. I can't help but think of them as Coop and Earle in the scenes where they are together.

If you're a fan of Jack Higgins, give it a shot--Kyle plays Sean Dillon.