This "Summer" Is Worth Savoring

The summer may be winding down, but on Netflix, it's just getting started. That's right, fellow campers: "Wet Hot American Summer" has returned. The beloved 2001 indie film, which featured a sprawling comedic cast playing some of the most irresponsible and self-absorbed counselors in history, was set on the last day of camp in 1981. Rather than producing a traditional sequel, creators Michael Showalter and David Wain have opted to bring us an eight-episode prequel series. Given that so much time has passed since the original, "First Day Of Camp" is a bold experiment, but it more than pays off for fans of the movie and for newcomers to the story and its wacky assortment of characters.

Despite never finding critical or commercial success upon its initial release, "Summer" as a movie managed to succeed in other vital ways, attracting a loyal cult following over the years. The obvious, surface-level enjoyment comes from its thoroughly detailed parody of the '80s all-star sex comedy, right down to the wardrobe, hairstyles, and music cues. Much of the humor, both verbal and situational, is derived from the fact that most of these actors are entirely too old to play teenage counselors. By adding the awkward, almost cringe-worthy moments that would make attending (or working at) a summer camp so uncomfortably real, you have a recipe for something that's brutally honest and painfully funny.

Those ingredients were flavored by a well-formed cast that was assembled at the perfect time, making exemplary use of established stars as well as actors that were on the rise and poised for future success. Janeane Garofalo, mainly known for her acerbic supporting roles, led the cast as the camp director. Christopher Meloni, who starred in the gritty TV dramas "Oz" and "Law & Order: SVU," showed his silly side as the unstable cook. David Hyde Pierce, most recognizable as uptight Niles on the sitcom "Frasier," brought his fussy charm to the role of a depressed neighbor. Last but certainly not least, "Saturday Night Live" scene-stealer Molly Shannon offered an unusually reserved performance as the seriously unlucky-in-love arts and crafts counselor. Among the other counselors were soon-to-be-famous names like Elizabeth Banks, Bradley Cooper, Amy Poehler, and Paul Rudd, all of whom had amassed smaller credits but would go on to higher-profile projects in the years that followed.

As a series, "Summer" has more time to spend with these characters as well as more ways to fill that time. Every single main character from the movie is back (some for only an episode or two, but it still counts). There's also a whole slew of new characters played by current comedy go-to's -- yes, Kristen Wiig should just be in everything -- plus celebrity cameos that are too funny to spoil how they factor into the plot. These additions practically double the size of the cast without ever feeling overcrowded. That in itself is a special achievement, considering that many current series with large ensembles (I'm looking at you, "Grey's Anatomy") feel bloated and scattered with disproportionate focus. The succinct episode count (eight half-hour installments) also keeps the story sharper and moving forward, especially when compared to a standard network comedy season of anywhere from 12 to 24 episodes.

This time around (roughly two months prior to when we last saw them in the story's chronology), the counselors at Camp Firewood have their hands pretty full. Even on the first day with every resource at their disposal, they're certainly no better equipped to handle things. On top of new hires, blossoming and fading relationships, a staff musical, an inter-camp rivalry, at least one wedding ceremony, and something suspicious happening in the woods, the fact that campers are settling in means they're just getting in the way. "Summer" amusingly inverts the camp/coming-of-age trope to say that it's the (alleged) authority figures who need to think and/or grow up. Though the inclusion of the kids is minimal, they are ultimately the surprisingly well-adjusted voices of reason for their temporary guardians.

This sentiment was carried over perfectly intact from the movie, and thankfully, so were its strengths and its sense of humor. Though "Summer" is patently a spoof, the actors deadpan the material with a straight face -- rather than go wildly over-the-top -- to keep the dry, quirky spirit afloat. Overall, the show's attention to detail is what impressed me; they are eager to revisit (rather than ignore) even the smallest of things to explain how they ended up the way they did by the end of that summer. Two words: vegetable can... fans of the movie will get it! There's also a spectacularly clever introduction (I won't say who, but you'll definitely know when it happens) to a character with very little to do in the original that ends up becoming one of the series' most spot-on and hilarious scenes. Further merit, without giving anything away, can be found in the development of Banks' character, Lindsay. Right from the start, we see her as a motivated, three-dimensional person instead of the bimbo that the movie tried to make her. The show not only completes her individual arc but also proves that it's never too late to fix something (in this case, stereotypical character traits) that would have weakened the finished product.

Meanwhile, the film's setting was relatively confined to the camp, save for a brief, mid-day jaunt into town for "supplies," but the series thinks bigger. The idea of broadening the scope so that some of the main action takes place away from the camp threatened to pull focus, but the actors and their impeccable timing knowingly poke fun at the absurdity of the single-day concept while managing to keep even the most ludicrous plot developments grounded. Well, mostly. President Reagan, is that you? Even an actor as talented as Showalter couldn't quite pull off that imitation. But don't let that stop you from embracing the show, especially if you're already a fan! I would humbly advise you to watch (or re-watch) the movie first... just to respect the order and to keep certain moments fresh for later (technically, earlier) exploration.

If the movie and the series just aren't wet or hot enough, Showalter and Wain have given us even more reason to spend time with the Camp Firewood gang. To coincide with the release of the show, a behind-the-scenes documentary about the original film is also available on Netflix. "Hurricane Of Fun" is about an hour long (whittled down from the 25 hours that were shot), and it unveils never-before-seen footage of the cast and crew as they made the movie. Sure, we get the standard on-camera interviews and candid, off-camera antics, but we also get sweet moments like the cast reflecting on the experience with no idea what fame has in store for them. To think that there was a time when Poehler was still on the verge of her big "SNL" break and Cooper was fresh out of acting school! Not to mention that we see the entire cast and crew eat, sleep, and breathe nothing but camp (a real-life retreat was used as the filming location).

At the time of this posting, there are no immediate plans to continue the "Wet Hot" franchise. True, future seasons could fill in the gaps between the end of the first day and the beginning of the last, but is that really necessary? (One delightful throwaway line jokes that by the end of the summer, everyone will look 15 years younger). Sometimes, even with all the dots seemingly connected, not knowing how every little detail transpired makes the wild scenarios that we imagine even funnier than what could ever be committed to film. At the same time, another movie (likely direct-to-Netflix) could show us these dysfunctional counselors' lives and careers in the future, which is suggested in the original by a memorable chunk of dialogue and a brief post-credits scene.

Either option runs the risk of taking away what makes this property so special: a spontaneous, under-the-radar sense of discovery and joy. Besides -- much like the revival of "Arrested Development" that took seven years between seasons -- when will a cast that's this busy and in-demand be able to assemble again in its entirety? When it comes to this kind of "Summer," it has to be all or nothing. Thankfully, the creators and the cast know how (and when) to give that all.

Give Us This Day Our "Daily" Stewart

Well, folks: it's the end of an era. Jon Stewart has left the building after 16 years as the host of Comedy Central's "The Daily Show." On paper, the basic concept and execution of the program is pretty straightforward, but who knew how influential and groundbreaking it would be over the years? Stewart and "Daily" have become practically synonymous; the success of the show and (I dare say) the legitimization of Comedy Central as a prestigious network owe an incredible debt to Stewart and his incisive blend of smarts and snarks.

When "The Daily Show" first premiered in 1996 with Craig Kilborn at the helm, it offered a more pop culture-based skewering of entertainment-related news. Kilborn's departure in 1998 opened the door not only for a new host but also for a new format centered around the circus of politics. By the time Stewart took over the desk in 1999, he was hardly a household name. Sure, he had an easy-going, charming delivery style and he was quite easy on the eyes (he still succeeds at both), yet his potential for greater things was increasingly apparent. The comedian only had a few Comedy Central and MTV hosting gigs as well as smaller film and television roles to his credit, so "Daily" was arguably the first platform where Stewart and his knack for artfully exasperated observations were truly front-and-center.

At this point, Comedy Central was busy grabbing headlines and critical acclaim thanks to "South Park," the irreverent cultural satire disguised as a cartoon, so it was only a matter of time before something else would come along to help distinguish the network among its peers and competitors. To many fans and critics, the turning point that began to define the impact and eventual legacy of "The Daily Show" was "Indecision 2000," a recurring segment that pointedly satirized the myriad of problems surrounding that year's presidential election. This coverage earned "Daily" its first Peabody Award (its second was for the next round of "Indecision" in 2004), and the show was on its way to 18 Emmy wins over the next decade. Not too shabby for a show that, on several occasions, featured a segment (however hilarious) with the word "clusterf*ck" in its name!

In addition to Stewart's no-holds-barred critiques of current events and public figures, "The Daily Show" made exemplary use of its correspondents when stories called for travel and/or interviews. Many of these relative newcomers were able to parlay their early promise into future stardom. "Daily" was a launching pad for the current career booms of Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, and John Oliver, while other key players such as Rob Corddry and Rob Riggle have found steady work in other comedic avenues. When all is said and done, though, it's Stewart's name that appears below the title. The passion and energy with which he dove into every topic -- no matter how big or small -- kept the show timely and relevant, even when the news cycle ran low on political material.

Even more impressive is the growing reputation that "Daily," still in its prime with no signs of stopping, carries within the TV news industry. Viewers may tune in for laughs, but they're also being challenged to really think about the issues at stake. Traditional news outlets tend to go for either a just-the-facts approach or an extreme, party-line slant. "Daily" is one of the few news sources that, despite its liberal leanings, manages to juggle the spectrum and paints a complete picture of the political landscape, even when the results are less than flattering on either side. Furthermore, the show encourages people to make informed, thoughtful decisions about how they absorb information from elected officials and the media. It also helps that many of the show's easier targets essentially set themselves up for lampooning; the "Daily" writers barely have to stretch the truth to drive home the majority of their jokes.

Considering its network, "The Daily Show" always was and always will be considered first and foremost a comedy series. However, its honest and intelligent commentary on not only the political arena but also the agendas of various media outlets makes "Daily" a rare breed: the human side of the news with full use of its brain, heart, and smile. True, the show will live on under the guidance of new host Trevor Noah, but it wouldn't have gotten nearly this far without Stewart and his team of writers and correspondents being willing to "go there" and absolutely nail what no one else was saying.

One of Stewart's many hallmarks was ending each broadcast with a "moment of Zen," a clip, quote, or otherwise memorable moment that was meant to be a parting thought as well as a reminder of life's little quirks, for better or for worse. While I wasn't a daily viewer of every single episode of "The Daily Show," the countless times when I did watch were always reliably entertaining and thought-provoking experiences. And of course, I'll continue to watch. But as strong as it is on its own merits, hopefully Noah and the producers won't try to artificially force the wholly irreplaceable dynamic that Stewart brought to the screen and to the stories. My personal moment of Zen will be unabashedly supporting whatever he decides to tackle next.

To Diva Or Not To Diva?

A lot has happened to Idina Menzel since the last time I saw her in concert. In 2011, she was still mostly known only among Broadway fans for a big ol' voice that augmented her starring roles in "Rent" with a Tony nomination and in "Wicked" with a Tony win. Word was getting around, however, that she could do more than just sing her head off. Menzel was previously featured in the Disney comedy "Enchanted," and when I saw her last show, she had just completed several guest appearances on the hit Fox series "Glee."

Now, four years later -- at the same venue, no less -- Menzel takes the stage as a bona fide, mainstream superstar. So what changed? It's thanks in large part to the monumental, global success of 2013's "Frozen" (an animated movie that you've undoubtedly heard about if you've spent any time around children recently). By voicing Queen Elsa and performing the film's award-winning anthem "Let It Go," Menzel is officially on the map and has become a hero to even more millions of fans worldwide. If that didn't make her a household name, the whole John Travolta thing probably did; thankfully, she had a sense of humor about it.

This humor serves Menzel well and makes her very accessible. She's the people's diva, if you will, unlike the standoffish behaviors of the old-guard grande dames like Streisand and LuPone. From the start of Tuesday night's concert at Red Rocks -- the latest stop on her world (yes, world) tour -- she possessed a genuinely appealing stage presence. After opening with the show-stopping "Defying Gravity" from "Wicked" (hard to sing at any point, let alone right at the beginning), she joked about her inability to sing as well at a higher altitude. Menzel described herself as too competitive to let something like altitude keep her down, so she would hold the notes for even longer if she had to. Though she did sound a bit winded during her first few numbers, she powered through and achieved her usual resonance as the night went on.

Her banter with the crowd kicked into high gear after admitting she likes saying she's from Denver, despite never living here, because she has a lot of family in the area ("more specifically Boulder... most specifically, Louisville"). Quirky moments like being surprised to see herself on the video monitor and having to move her own chair up and down the stage would seem awkward or even desperate from other entertainers, but Menzel pulled them off with self-deprecating flair.

Part of me was worried that this show would be a replica of the aforementioned 2011 Red Rocks concert, where she was backed by the Colorado Symphony Orchestra and guest-conducted by legendary composer Marvin Hamlisch. As great as that show was, this one would need to be different enough to indicate her ongoing growth as an artist. While there was some carryover in the selections (mainly the Broadway standards and her "Wicked" repertoire), this performance felt almost entirely new in light of her rapport with the audience and her endearingly unfiltered personality. She even let her hair down and swore very briefly -- advising small children in sparkly blue dresses (a.k.a. "Frozen"/Disney fans) to cover their ears occasionally -- but the mild profanity made her seem more down-to-earth and more legitimate as a live performer.

In addition to her Broadway pedigree, Menzel's set list offered up several surprises. A few of her original songs found their way into the show (from her solo albums "Still I Can't Be Still" and "I Stand"), and it was good to see another side of the multi-faceted singer. During her famous "Rent" duet, "Take Me Or Leave Me," she borrowed various members of the audience to fill the second voice, making the evening both interactive and unpredictable.

Perhaps most impressive were her unique choices for popular songs to cover. Although Menzel is known for a voice that could quite literally bring down the house, she demonstrated lovely restraint and lush vocal runs during her version of Joni Mitchell's "River." After telling a witty story about an upcoming medley's inception during her vocal interpretation class in college, she breathed new life into the classic Cole Porter tune "Love For Sale" by mixing it with The Police's "Roxanne." While this particular mash-up was in fact part of her 2011 set list, the added origin story and the motivation behind it made this rendition more engaging.

The true highlight of the show was an unplanned moment that allowed Menzel to shine both musically and personally. During her grand, stunning cover of Radiohead's "Creep" (complete with the original F-bombs), she was kneeling dramatically on the stage and hitting the big notes of the song's bridge when the wind blew right up her dress. While nothing delicate was actually seen beyond her upper thighs, a visibly flustered Menzel made several jokes at her own expense, assuring the crowd that she was indeed wearing underwear and laughing about her forthcoming infamy on YouTube. Undeterred, she and her band took the song back a few measures and finished it perfectly like nothing had happened. Her ability to laugh at herself is one of many winning attributes that sets her apart from the perfectionist demands of the industry, and she is a better entertainer because of it.

Near the end of the show (before closing with the earworm of "Let It Go," of course), Menzel took a few minutes to give a touching tribute to the late Jonathan Larson, the creator of "Rent." She thanked him for giving her a chance and ultimately giving her a career, and it was nice to see someone who has accomplished so much still be in touch with their roots and give credit where it's due. Menzel may be the people's diva, but she's still just a person as human as the rest of us.

In case you were worried that I hadn't gotten my fill of Menzel (which I probably never will), Denver theatergoers will be able to see her perform the lead role in "If/Then," a musical that was written with her in mind, when it launches its national tour here this fall. As a Denver Center subscriber, I was already thrilled that such a new production was part of the regular season package, but that thrill quickly turned ecstatic when it was later announced that she had been booked for those performances. You can expect to hear a lot more about Menzel and "If/Then" when she rolls through town again in October. And for the record: yes, Operation Meet Idina is already in motion!

Meryl Gives "Ricki" The Rock It Needs

Meryl Streep could do something as boring as putting up wallpaper and she'd still find a way to make it riveting and meaningful on-screen. That's not being flippant; that's just being honest about the depth and range of her talents. Her latest film, "Ricki And The Flash," is a vehicle for Streep to give us yet another memorable performance. Unfortunately, the rest of the film is crushed under the weight of its own ambitions. Any success that the film finds is due in large part to Streep and her co-stars finding ways to elevate the material above its squandered potential.

In "Ricki," Streep plays a fading rock star who makes an awkward return to the family she left years ago in pursuit of her showbiz dreams. Ricki has charisma to spare, but it doesn't count for much when it comes to reconnecting with her children and her ex-husband (played by the reliably affable Kevin Kline), who summons her when their daughter gets divorced and has a breakdown. In an inspired and effective bit of casting, Ricki's daughter Julie is played by Streep's real-life daughter Mamie Gummer. Until recently, Gummer has only been seen in small roles in film and TV (notably as a shrewd lawyer on the CBS drama series "The Good Wife").

Thankfully, Gummer has made her own choices and proven herself to be talented in her own right, rather than distracting the audience by taking after a famous parent's style and mannerisms (I'm looking at you, Colin Hanks and Jaden Smith). Since this is Gummer's highest-profile role to date, you would expect a certain amount of presence regardless of whose daughter she's playing. An early sign of danger in the movie's structure is that as soon as Ricki and Julie have their requisite bonding session, we hardly see Julie again, despite the fact that her issues were the reason for Ricki's return. As cynical as it sounds, one nice day with Mom couldn't possibly have fixed all of her problems. Apparently, Julie's screen time was borrowed so that Ricki could confront the rest of her own demons.

Those demons come in the form of her ex-husband (Kline), his new wife (Broadway and TV star Audra McDonald), and Ricki's on-again/off-again romance with her bandmate (played by '80s heartthrob Rick Springfield). Kline and McDonald have each done substantial work on both stage and screen, so they know how to play big moments as small and vice-versa, but the movie gives them practically no opportunities to do so. The only prior acting I've seen from Springfield was a handful of episodes as a d-bag version of himself on Showtime's dark comedy series "Californication," but he lends genuine charm and sympathy to his scenes with Streep. The worst thing that can happen to a good actor is an incomplete character, and it seems like all of the supporting roles were sacrificed to bring Ricki to life. Every other part is so stereotypical that they're treated as placeholders instead of as people. Ultimately, the film will be remembered for Streep; otherwise, it feels severely imbalanced.

The difficulty of this balancing act falls squarely on Streep herself, and in true Meryl fashion, she is more than capable of rising to the challenge. Her gift of truly inhabiting her characters is on full display here; the vocal and physical energy she brings to Ricki makes her journey (however flawed) feel more authentic. In this role, Streep speaks in a lower, huskier register than usual, and she clears her throat a lot. Whether this is intended to be Ricki's nervous tic, evidence of vocal fry from her years of singing, or some of each, she sounds like a has-been celebrity who is on fire behind a microphone but fumbles without one. Streep also drops the elegance of her standard poise and posture to keep Ricki slouching and fidgeting, making her even more convincing as a career musician who can never quite stand still, literally or figuratively.

Streep's believability is further bolstered by her many contributions to the film's diverse and crowd-pleasing soundtrack. To be honest, I was surprised by the amount of music used in the movie, having expected only an opening number to show Ricki at work and a closing number to reflect what she's learned. Instead, we're given snippets throughout of Streep and the band performing at least 10 different cover songs that range from classic rock to modern pop. After solid work in the movie musicals "Mamma Mia" and "Into The Woods," her voice may not be perfectly suited to all of the songs featured here, but the deliberate cracks and flat notes continue her thoughtful efforts to develop the character.

The standout tune, unsurprisingly, was penned specifically for the film. "Cold One," co-written by indie darling Jenny Lewis, is vibrantly folky without losing its intimacy. I expect the track to receive original-song nominations from all of the major awards (Golden Globe, Oscar, and Grammy). Streep herself will almost certainly earn a Golden Globe nod in the musical/comedy category and will probably win, but I doubt the Academy Awards will look so favorably on her performance when considering the problem areas that sadly define the rest of this promising movie.

One of the first things to examine when weighing a film's pros and cons is an unflinching look at its script. Diablo Cody -- an Academy Award-winner for writing "Juno" and the creator of the Emmy-winning Showtime series "United States Of Tara" -- should have flinched less when working on this particular screenplay. "Juno" and "Tara" took common themes of family dysfunction and found angles to tackle them that were sharp, insightful, and most importantly, fresh. "Ricki" feels entirely too safe and predictable to take the mild peppering of winning one-liners or clever slang seriously. For a woman who's unapologetically gone toe-to-toe with the music business, Ricki -- and the film bearing her name -- has no bite or edge. Frankly, I'm shocked that Cody would put her own name on this, except to brag that she wrote a Meryl Streep movie.

Equally frustrating is the lack of guidance provided by director (and another Oscar winner) Jonathan Demme. His resume includes a potent mix of '80s comedies and '90s dramas -- notably the modern classics "The Silence Of The Lambs" and "Philadelphia" -- but even Demme doesn't seem to know how to classify or even approach the material. Moments that could have been genuinely funny (like the corporate satire of Whole Foods rip-off Total Foods, where radical Ricki works as a cashier) are missed in favor of more obvious punchlines elsewhere. Likewise, moments that could have been genuinely touching (like Ricki making good with her other children, especially the acceptance of her gay son) are glossed over and feel unfinished. This negligence is presumably to keep things moving, but moving toward what? In life, we don't always get closure, but in a movie that already has very few surprises, at least we should get a fully developed story arc.

"Ricki And The Flash," much like Ricki herself, suffers from a major identity crisis. Ricki as a character tries to be a star and a mother, and she struggles to achieve both; "Ricki" as a movie tries to be a comedy and a drama, but it fails to succeed as either. I would be very interested to know if there's a harder-hitting cut of the film out there somewhere, a version that really strives for one genre or the other, and the studio is just hiding it for whatever reason. As it stands, Streep and everyone else involved in this project deserve a better representation of their many collective strengths.

Fans And Friends Reunite For Twin Peaks Festival

Many people have an annual trip or tradition that they look forward to every year. For me and the nerdiest of my cohorts, that event is the Twin Peaks Festival, a weekend-long celebration of the seminal cult TV series that ran on ABC from 1990-91. After my first introduction to the show's existence via a memorable line from "Clueless" in 1995, I formally discovered and watched it years later while I was in college. I was immediately struck by the show's quirky characters, surreal tone, and stunning cinematography. I'm proud to be a member of its devoted legion of fans, especially in light of the series' forthcoming return on Showtime in 2016.

The festival is held in and around North Bend, Washington, about 30 minutes east of Seattle (depending on traffic, but more on that later!) The picturesque beauty and small-town charm of the area made it an ideal region for filming the show -- as seen in the pilot episode and exterior/establishing shots used in the duration of the series -- and much of its follow-up film, "Fire Walk With Me." As I prepared for my fourth journey to this one-of-a-kind destination, I knew that I was due for another great experience along with the other 200-plus attendees, many of whom are repeat guests like myself.

My trip, on the other hand, didn't get off to the greatest start. Frontier Airlines has become increasingly awful in the last year, thanks to the nickel-and-diming of their fees for just about everything. The icing on the cake (well, flight) was that my departure to Seattle on Tuesday the 21st was delayed by over an hour with zero explanation. I've been on the fence about Frontier for a while, but I'm seriously considering never flying with them again.

After picking up my rental car on Wednesday afternoon, I ventured from my airport hotel into the city. I had made plans to meet up with Aaron, a friend from Denver who moved to Seattle last year. In the delightful and happening Ballard neighborhood, we hit three different but equally awesome places (Root Table, Matador, and King's Hardware) for beverages and various small-plate cuisine. We talked for hours about life, love, work... and, of course, why Twin Peaks is such a big deal after all this time.

On Thursday, I spent the afternoon at the EMP (Experience Music Project) Museum, an incredible mecca for music and pop-culture fanatics. In addition to their permanent and touring exhibits, the museum has an outstanding interactive music lab, where you can experiment with vocals, instruments, and mixing on studio-quality equipment. Upon leaving the museum at 3:30, I thought I had plenty of time to get out of the city before rush hour hit. WOW, was I wrong! Instead, I had my worst encounter to date with the dreaded beast known as Seattle traffic.

I've run into minor snags here and there during previous visits, but this was something else. I should have reached North Bend in 45 minutes tops, but I arrived two hours later. Nearly an hour of that was just getting from the museum to the highway, which are only about a mile apart. People think it's the rain that makes Seattle unbearable, but it's always been beautiful during my visits, so maybe the city should be more honest about its other shortcomings. I finally checked in at the North Bend Motel that evening and met up with fellow fans before going to a pre-festival mixer at the Fall City Roadhouse (one of the filming sites). All of us were able to get a head-start on catching up with old friends and making new ones.

Friday morning officially kicked off the festival with check-in, merchandise tables, and a trivia contest that gets more difficult with each round. Making it to the top three finalists is no easy feat, which I've learned the hard way. Year one, I was too intimidated to even try. Year two, I made it through the first round and was eliminated in the second. Last year, I made it through the second round and went out in the third, and that held true this year too. At least I did the same and not any worse!

When trivia was over, we ventured back to the motel and had lunch at Rocko's, a local legend of a diner right across the street that we've been meaning to try. After a few hours of relaxing downtime, we got ourselves all dressed up and headed to the clubhouse at the Snoqualmie Ridge Golf Course for the festival's signature event: the celebrity banquet. Over the years, various combinations of the cast and crew have made appearances to meet the fans and autograph show memorabilia. This year, Phoebe Augustine, Catherine Coulson, Kimmy Robertson, and Charlotte Stewart -- who have each attended during at least one of my previous visits -- were joined by Gary Hershberger, Jonny Leppell, and Ian Buchanan. To avoid long waits in line, I skipped the ladies (to whom I was able to say hello at other points during the weekend) in order to meet those gentlemen for the first time.

During the Q&A session, the big questions on everyone's minds were about the upcoming season: who's returning, what's happening, etc. Creator David Lynch made the actors sign non-disclosure agreements, but an audience member used his question to joke that as an attorney, he could find a way around the NDAs. Lynch himself was unable to attend, but he wrote a statement that was read on his behalf, asking for fans to be patient with the process and to respect the mystery. Since we live in a digital age that is far removed from the show's original run 25 years ago, his chief concern is preserving the sense of wonder and surprise that can be ruined by tidbits and spoilers when watching a show doesn't happen simultaneously.

The great thing about being so close to a major city is that there's always something to do, especially when there's a longer break in the schedule. For a group of us with several festivals under our belts, we skipped the Saturday bus tours of the filming locations and ventured back into Seattle for a Mariners baseball game. (Go figure that this time, traffic wasn't an issue in either direction!) Safeco Field offers a beautiful view of the skyline, and the weather was perfect for a day at the ballpark. The Mariners were playing the Toronto Blue Jays, and I was shocked not only by how many Canadians made the trek to see the game in person, but also by how surly they were as fans. I thought Canadians were supposed to be nice, but these people were pretty vocal and they booed at everything. We had a running joke during the game about taking over Canada because the country was probably empty.

On the way back to North Bend, thoughts of world domination turned to thoughts about dinner, and we stopped in Issaquah (two towns over) to dine at Aji, our favorite sushi restaurant in the area. That night, the festival rented out the local movie theater to show the winning entries from the short-film contest as well as rare clips and archival footage related to "Peaks" phenomena and its actors. The main feature was "Fire Walk With Me," but since it was already shown at three of the last four years' movie nights, several of us decided to stimulate the local economy with a trip around the corner to The Pour House.

Sunday started off cloudy and rainy, but it cleared up enough for the festival to hold its annual picnic in Olallie State Park. In addition to lunch, there's a short walking tour of other nearby filming locations as well as a Tibetan rock-throwing contest and a cherry stem-tying contest -- both of which are inspired by famous scenes from the show. We also found out the winners of the caption contest, where four random stills from the series are displayed over the weekend for comments to be entered. While I have yet to win despite submitting an entry for each photo every year, this was the first time that I received an honorable mention. Trivia be damned; I'm moving up in the world!

A few hours later -- after the first wave of goodbyes with people who had to leave early -- we reconvened in downtown North Bend for dinner and drinks at Boxley's, a classy little jazz club with a great menu. Our favorite server from previous years was even there to happily wait on us once again! When the rain and cooler temperatures cancelled our planned outdoor karaoke night, we decided to throw our own party at the motel. Room 17 became the local hotspot, full of music, dancing, and a whole slew of inside references and running jokes that went until the wee small hours of the morning.

Even though I've attended four consecutive festivals, there are still opportunities to do or see things for the first time. In my case, it was Monday's group outing to the Kiana Lodge. The lodge was a pivotal filming site for an iconic scene (the discovery of Laura Palmer's body that opens the series), but it's much farther away from our event "headquarters" and it hasn't always been part of the formal itinerary. This year, the organizers opted to rent out the space for a few hours so we could walk around and take thousands of pictures (quite literally if you added them up across all of the attendees). As morbid as it sounds, we also had a unique chance to be wrapped in plastic on the beach and posed like Laura. It's true: only nerds could be this insensitive and get away with it!

When the Kiana excursion was over, the official functions had concluded. The last day of the festival is always a bittersweet occasion; even the addition of this extra day couldn't delay the inevitable. Thankfully, many of us were still in the area for another day or so, and we kept the spirit alive by stopping for a group dinner in Bremerton on the way back to North Bend. More farewells were exchanged, but the brave, final few that were still in town went back to the motel for one last hurrah. It was a decidedly smaller-scale event than the previous night, but we were all too full of energy and emotion to do anything productive like pack or sleep. Instead, we laughed and hugged the night away, doing our best to prepare for the morning's parting of the ways.

As inadvertently long as this post ended up becoming, it's actually only the tip of the festival iceberg. There are so many unforgettable moments from this year and my previous years that could easily fill countless pages out in cyberspace. One day, I may just have to write a book about all of this. 2016 will make it a nice, round five years that I've attended, so that may be a more auspicious occasion. Until then, these very general reminders of such a fantastic weekend will have to tide me over. At the very least, it'll help keep these memories -- and the show -- alive for fans both present and future.