It’s time to return to the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Department for the final article in a three part series. In the first two Setting the Stage articles, I examined the Department’s exteriors as seen in Season 1 and Season 2 of Twin Peaks. Today, I’m focusing on the exterior shots seen in Season 3 on Showtime.
For the limited event series, the crew returned to Snoqualmie, Washington. The exterior shots of the Sheriff’s Department were captured at Dirtfish Rally School located at 7001 396th Dr SE. Unlike Seasons 1 and 2, several of the exterior shots this season were more than just establishing shots. Several episodes had action taking place in front of the location which offered new views never before seen.
We get a first look at the updated Sheriff’s Department in Part 1. Used as an establishing shot, we see the building’s marquee just below trees backlit by the sun. This shot was shown before an insurance salesman speaks with Lucy Brennan.
The marquee and building exterior has a different paint scheme compared to Seasons 1 and 2.
The exterior appears again as an establishing shot from Part 3. This time there is a pan down from backlit trees to a wider shot of the Department’s exterior. This is just before Deputy Hawk places a “Donut Disturb” sign on his office door. One assumes the shot used in Part 1 was the later half of the pan down seen in this episode.
The first nighttime view of the Sheriff’s Department is seen in Part 4. This is an establishing shot which cuts to Lucy speaking with Sheriff Frank Truman on the telephone. I hope you like this shot as you will see it often throughout Season 3.
Part 4 also contains the first time the exterior of the Sheriff’s Department becomes more than just an establishing shot. Sheriff Frank Truman is seen leaving the building to meet Wally Brando, son of Lucy and Andy Brennan.
The scene cuts between Sheriff Frank Truman’s reactions and Wally’s monologue. You can see a police car in the parking lot. Beyond Wally, we only see blackness.
As Sheriff Truman departs the scene, you can see a wider shot of Wally with his proud parents.
A familiar looking establishing shot is used in Part 5 (the scene cuts to Sheriff Frank Truman on the telephone).
A similar establishing shot was used several times in Seasons 1 and 2.
Noticeably missing outside the Sheriff’s Department in Season 3 is the sundial memorial stone with a bronze likeness of William Willard Warren (W.W. Warren). He played a key role in the evolution of Snoqualmie Falls and the Lumber Company once located at this spot. The white flagpole is also gone, windows have been replaced, and trees have grown much taller.
The nighttime establishing shot first seen in Part 4 was reused in Part 5, just before Andy and Hawk are shown in the conference room reviewing files.
Part 7 contains an establishing shot with a Sheriff’s Deputy’s car passing by. The scene cuts to Sheriff Frank Truman and Deputy Hawk reviewing the missing pages. We’ll see this shot again a little later on.
Lots of action takes place outside the Sheriff’s Department in Part 9. Bobby, Truman and Hawk move outside to open Major Briggs’ last note. In the background, you’ll notice what’s left of the Weyerhaeuser sawmill that once served as the establishing shot location of the Packard Sawmill in Twin Peaks.
Above are a series of images showing the exterior location from Part 9.
Another establishing shot is found in Part 10 just before Deputy Chad speaks with Lucy Brennan at her reception desk.
A United State Postal Service mail jeep arrives, and Deputy Chad exits the building to greet the letter carrier. The license plate on the Jeep is – Washington – L5398X.
Deputy Chad is shown looking through the mail while standing in front of Sheriff’s Department in Part 10.
Part 11 contains another nighttime establishing shot first seen in Part 4 and reused in Part 5.
Part 14 contains a recycled establishing shot first seen in Part 7. The scene cuts to the conference room where Andy is organizing lunch boxes (Who orders “just cheese?”).
I heard you like nighttime shots of the Sheriff’s Department. Good thing as the same establishing shot is used in Parts 14, 15, and 17. This shot appears a total of six times in Season 3.
Lots of action takes place outside the Sheriff’s Department in Part 17. For starters, the Fireman deposits Mr. C just outside the location.
Mr. C heads toward the Department and spots Deputy Andy holding a picnic basket.
I love the unique views of the Sheriff’s Department from this episode as they don’t appear anywhere else in the series.
Mr. C approaches Deputy Andy who was closing the backdoor to his car. To the left of Mr. C is the Sheriff’s Department’s main entrance.
A great reverse shot of Mr. C speaking with Deputy Andy just before they head inside the station.
Later in Part 17, Special Agent Dale Cooper arrives at the location. He jumps out of the vehicle and runs into the station.
The final glimpse of the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Department takes place in Part 17 when FBI Deputy Director Gordon Cole and his team arrives in town.
