"Dual Spires" is the twelfth episode of season five. Shawn and Gus receive a mysterious email inviting them to the Cinnamon Festival in Dual Spires, a quirky small town nearly invisible on a map. They arrive to find themselves embroiled in the mystery of the drowning death of a teenage girl - who was declared dead under similar circumstances seven years ago in Santa Barbara.
Plot Summary
Shawn and Gus receive a mysterious email asking them to come to a Cinnamon Festival in Dual Spires, a town so small it's written in parenthesis on the map. After meeting many of the colorful residents, including Robert and Michelle Barker who run the local diner and Sheriff Johnson, who questions how they heard about the Festival since they deliberately keep it simple in their town, they make their way to the square where the Festival is being held. But just after eighteen-year-old Randy is crowned Cinnamon King, Jack, a weeping teenager on a bike crashes the festivities and whispers upsetting news to the Sheriff. Robert and Michelle fear the worst has come true - their missing niece Paula has been found dead. Jack leads them all to the body, where Doc Gooden suspects she took her usual night swim and hit her head on a rock. Just then, Shawn receives another mysterious email suggesting it was murder.
After Paula's body is removed, Shawn learns Paula was originally from Santa Barbara and calls Juliet to fill her in. He then gets another email containing a long number with letters at the end, which sends them to the Doc's office for more answers. Doc Gooden, who was also Paula's therapist, hints that Paula was unhappy and might have killed herself. Shawn notices half an earing) among Paula's personal effects and remembers seeing Randy wearing the other half at the Festival. They track Randy down to discover that he is the son of Sheriff Jackson, who Shawn notices is taking medication for something. Randy confesses that he was seeing Paula but they kept it secret because she was different than everyone else and it was complicated. He tells them he was at the library when Paula died and they leave to confirm his alibi. The librarian, Maudette, confirms this story, telling them Randy is there a lot and they have a special bond. Shawn realizes the numbers and letters from the email correspond to a book location, using the Dewey Decimal system, and they track it to find a book on reincarnation and rebirth. Shawn then calls Juliet who tells them Paula Merral drowned seven years ago in Santa Barbara.
Lassiter and Juliet come to Dual Spires and tell Shawn and Gus that Paula's body was never found the first time. Shawn realizes that Robert staged her earlier death. Robert confesses Paula's mother was abusive and it was the only way they could save her. He also admits that he's Paula's real father. Shawn finds Paula's diary which is partly written in Latin. He calls Father Westley who translates the passage and tells them she was seeing someone with the first initial "J." There's more but Shawn hangs up before he can hear the rest. Shawn realizes that the "J" stands for Jack, the weeping teenager. Jack tells them he dated Paula before Randy. He was with her that night just talking but he was hit over the head and when he woke, she was gone. Shawn knows Jack is a photographer, so he checks the roll Jack took that day and sees an angry Randy in the background. They track Randy down who confesses he hit Jack, but then Paula was mad at him so he went to the library like he said. He also confesses he used to date Maudette, which leads Shawn and Gus to now suspect her, but when they get to the library, they find Maudette has hung herself. They also discover a small room and evidence that it was her who had been sending the emails. The real killer would not have invited a detective to town. They notice smoke coming into the room and find themselves trapped until Father Westley saves them. Robert then picks them up and brings them to a lodge where he hopes they'll be safe. Shawn then puts it all together. Randy was the last hope for the survival of the town's idyllic way of life. The Sheriff is dying and Doc Gooden doesn't have any children. Paula was a threat since she had convinced Randy to leave town with her and see the world, so she had to be eliminated. The Sheriff and the doctor arrive and hold them at gunpoint, but Lassiter, Juliet and Jack show up in the nick of time and save them - Westley having translated the rest of the passage and realizing they were in danger. In the end, Shawn and Juliet try to grab a quiet moment at the diner but look around at the weirdness of the town and decide to get out while they can.
Trivia
- The series' homage to Twin Peaks and thus essentially synonymously named.
- In another parallel to Twin Peaks, the question "Who killed Paula Merral" is emailed to Shawn. 'Paula Merral' is an anagram of 'Laura Palmer.'
- According to USA Network's "Psych All Night" event, this is James Roday's favorite episode.
Twin Peaks References
- The chocolate Bunny Sitting on the desk – Agent Cooper states “Diane I have in my hand a box of chocolate bunnies.”
- “Dude do you know they make silent window shades?” – Nadine’s obsession becomes a reality in this episode; a woman in Washington is credited with the invention.
- The Great Northern Newspaper – The hotel in Twin Peaks owned by Ben Horne
- Underthenail.net – The killer Bob left his initials under the fingernails of his victims.
- The town sign is a very close replication of the Welcome to Twin Peaks Sign seen in the intro of every episode of Twin Peaks
- The Sawmill Dinner – A Stand in for the double R diner, the actual Sawmill is the main source of income for the town of Twin Peaks until it is burnt down in an attempted land grab by Ben Horne.
- Robert “Call me Bob” Barker is played by the same actor as Bobby Briggs, Dana Ashbrook. Robert’s wife is also a Twin Peaks alum, she played the wife of the mayor’s brother accidentally killing him and then becoming the mayor’s girlfriend. Her name is a reference to Shelly, the waitress at the Double R who is having an affair with Bobby Briggs.
- Sheriff Andrew Jackson is a reference to the Twin Peaks Sheriff Harry S Truman this time played by the same actor as the shut in Harold Smith from Twin Peaks.
- Leo The cinnamon owl trophy – Named after Leo the abusive husband of Shelly. Owls are not what they seem in the town of Twin Peaks.
- Mayor Douglas Fir – Agent Cooper can’t stop raving about the sheer amount of trees in twin peaks and makes it a point to ask the Sheriff what kind of trees they are.
- Gus is introduced as “Lodge Blackman” this is a reference to The Black Lodge, a mystical place of evil whose entrance is found within the woods of Twin Peaks.
- Jack Smith has completely lost sight in his left eye and only has 30 percent left in the right. This is a reference to the brothel/casino owned by Ben Horne, One Eyed Jacks.
- Paula Merral was found along the shore wrapped in plastic. Paula’s name is an anagram of Laura Palmer who was famously found along a lake near a massive log wrapped in plastic. A question sent to the psych phone “Who Killed Paula Merral?” is a direct reference to the catchphrase surrounding the Twin Peaks show “Who Killed Laura Palmer?”
- Donna Goodwin, whose first name is a reference to the best friend of Laura Palmer is played by the actress who played Laura Palmer and Maddy Fergison.
- The intro is sung by the same woman who sang the Twin Peaks theme song and the end of the intro of psych is modified to resemble the into for Twin Peaks. There is also a white horse seen in one shot that could be a reference to the pale horse seen by Laura’s mother in visions.
- Randy takes the roll of Bobby Briggs in this episode. He hasn’t been communicating with his father just as Bobby hasn’t been talking to his own father.
- Deputy Frost – Mark Frost was Lynch’s partner and co-creator of the series. He is also a reference to Native American Deputy Hawk.
- Doughnuts at the Santa Barbara Police Station are stacked exactly how they were in the Twin Peaks police department, by type and on pieces of paper towel.
- Doctor Goodwin compliments a man named Patrick on saving his receipts. Bobby and Shelly find receipts of Leo’s that lead them to a pair of boots, the boots contain a cassette containing blackmail of Ben Horne hiring him to burn down the sawmill.
- Coconuts can be seen on the counter of Doctor Goodwin’s office, Twin Peaks’ psychiatrist Doctor Jacoby also had an affinity for coconuts, one hid the other half of a heart necklace that had been given to James.
- Doctor Goodwin’s “next patient” is the same type of bird that scratched and pecked at Laura Palmer before she was murdered.
- Within the evidence bin on Doctor Goodwin’s desk there is an earring, this being a reference to the Best Friends Locket that Laura split in half and gave to James.
- The woman who plays the log lady on Twin Peaks is seen exiting the market, appearing to talk to the log she is carrying until her grandson steps out of the store.
- The bike chase sequence takes place on a bridge similar to the one that is seen in the pilot of twin peaks.
- Sheriff Jackson’s house is similar to that of the Palmers, a ceiling fan can even be seen over the staircase leading to the upper level, this shot is a direct copy of one seen repeatedly in Twin Peaks.
- Randy is playing a game of darts. He keeps missing when he lies until he tells the truth. This is a reference to an exercise performed by Agent Cooper in which he throws rocks at a milk bottle mentioning names that start with J until the glass breaks.
- The Librarian Maudette Hornsby is played by Sherilyn Fenn who played Audrey Horne in Twin peaks. Audrey has a massive schoolgirl crush on Agent cooper. She joins the brothel at One Eyed Jacks after tying a cherry stem with her tongue. She is seen in the episode drinking cherry Coke and making the comment that cherry is just the best.
- Maudette can be seen wearing a flower in her hair. This could be a reference to the blue rose seen on Agent Gordon Cole‘s “Mother’s Sister’s Girl” in Fire Walk With Me.
- And Gus say they want to “poke around” they then correct themselves and say “peak” twice each.
- A book found in the library is written by Earl Wyndam, Earl is Agent Cooper’s former partner who has gone completely insane and is the main protagonist of season 2 of Twin peaks.
- A prom queen photo can be seen of Paula that is a very close copy of the one seen of Laura Palmer in Twin Peaks.
- Lucy is the name of Paula’s Mother. Lucy of Twin Peaks is the air headed receptionist at the police station.
- Paula kept a diary that was hidden away just as Laura had kept two of her own. Later in the diary Paula begins to use Latin as a code because she believes someone has started to read it. The translation mentions the letter J just as Laura was set to meet someone with the initial J on the night that she died.
- Father Wesley is played by Ray Wise, who played Leland Palmer, Laura’s father and unwitting host to Killer Bob. Father Wesley ‘s hair changes color just as Leland’s hair changes color after he kills Jacques Renault.
- Lascitor takes on the role of FBI agent who critizes everything about twin peaks and it’s rustic nature.
- Shawn mentions Betty Boob night at the roadhouse the roadhouse is a popular bar in twin peaks.
- Maudette hung herself in the same manner as the shut in.
- The portrat hung in the cabin closely resembles Bobby Briggs father Major Briggs.
- In the final scene Jack is seen dancing in the same outfit as the man from another place with one addition. He is wearing an eyepatch similar to the one Nadine wears in Twin Peaks. The song is very similar to the one in the Black Lodge’s “waiting room.”
- Someone at the dinner is wearing a helmet and banging their head against the dinner table in the same way that Johnny banged his head against the wall after Laura didn’t come to see him.
- Carton mimics one of the most famous lines of twin peaks “That’s a damn fine cup of cider” with his arm raised in a similar fashion to agent Cooper.
- A tall man similar to the giant who is seen after Agent Cooper is shot orders three cinnamon pies.
- Carlton’s cider has solidified just as Agent Coopers did in the Black Lodge.
- Another member of the football team can be seen barking at a dog which is a reference to Bobby barking at James while they were in jail.
- A woman is seen in the background dancing in a similar fashion to one of the high school students in the pilot episode.
- Shelly Barker is dancing similarly to the way Audrey Danced to the “dreamy” music playing on the jukebox.
- Bob Barker is dancing holding a picture in reference to the way that Leland danced with a picture of Laura.