“One day”, the Log Lady said, “the sadness will end”. But the sadness is only beginning with the news that Catherine Coulson, the actor who played one of Twin Peaks’ most-loved characters has died, aged 71, from cancer.
The character was officially called Margaret Lanterman, but her introduction on the show (“Who is the lady with the log?”, “We call her the Log Lady”) cemented her popular identity.
The outpouring of grief at Coulson’s death – the news has even been trending on Twitter today – confirms her standing at the heart of David Lynch’s surreal 1990s cult drama. The websites, social media groups, tattoos and quote round-ups, are testament to her popularity. In a programme known for its absurdity and dark, supernatural intrigue – typically Lynchian in other words – even the other inhabitants of the fictional north-western US town deemed the Log Lady “crazy”.
And yet the Log Lady was a lovable eccentric, fighting the good fight for those on the margins of society. She also often proffered wisdom and solid advice among her more gnostic observations, providing crucial clues in the first season’s murder hunt. Coulson once described her character as “the most normal person on the show”.
At university, in a loft dorm, watching Twin Peaks as a 20-year-old, all mixed up and confused, the Log Lady was there to offer steadfast guidance. Fallen out with a best mate and enduring that lingering, uncomfortable pre-make-up interim? The Log Lady knows that “if you’ve hurt someone, don’t wait another day”. Concerned everyone else’s life is fine and dandy while you slip into ennui and feelings of inadequacy? “Even the ones who laugh are sometimes caught without an answer”. About to send a drunken text you really shouldn’t? “When this kind of fire starts, it is very hard to put out.”
The Log Lady even had the perfect tonic speech for grief, whether it be the result of a break-up or a death or a looming essay deadline. She could be kind and matriarchal, warning Laura Palmer of the imminent danger she faced and helping Agent Cooper in his investigations.
She carried her section of ponderosa pine with her as a child would a comfort blanket, and was an inspiration for the outliers; the nerds, the geeks; she had a self-assured attitude and confidence in her oddities. In one of the short stand-alone films Lynch made about the character, the Log Lady is unapologetic:
“I carry a log - yes. Is it funny to you? It is not to me. Behind all things are reasons.”
Log Lady is all of us. Asking the questions we all want to ask and type into Google (“what even is creamed corn?”), being straight up about the undeniable truths of life (“cherry pie is a miracle”). All this, and she had incredible fashion sense. The Log Lady knew how to rock a tartan skirt, wore impeccable knitwear and button-up shirts. She had the best glasses since Coronation Street’s Deirdre Rachid.
There were many great characters in Twin Peaks, but the Log Lady was the best, because she had no failings. Bobby treated Shelly awfully. James, though smouldering in leathers, could never recover from that song, which was as horrific as any song that results when a guitar is produced, unsolicited. Audrey was so beautiful it made me want to weep, but she’d make a nightmare best friend.
Coulson was due to join the rest of the case in the much anticipated new series of Twin Peaks – 25 years after it first hit screens – and her absence will be a huge blow to fans. It seems Coulson was a similarly amiable character in real life. David Lynch went as far as to say Coulson “was the Log Lady”.
“Today, I lost one of my dearest friends”, the director and writer said in a statement. “Catherine was solid gold. She was always there for her friends — she was filled with love for all people.”
Coulson once said she had “bonded” with her prop log; it was thought to be worth around $275,000, but she refused to sell it. (The pine oracle was inspired by Lynch’s father, who worked at the Department of Agriculture). Before the events of September 11, Coulson admitted she would carry the log around, placing it in the overhead lockers on planes when she travelled by air. As well as acting, she had also worked as a camera assistant on Lynch’s debut feature film, Eraserhead.
We need television characters as distinctive as the Log Lady. Complex, multifaceted characters who offer the viewer more than meets the eye. Lynch’s creation was precisely that, and Coulson played it perfectly.
Log Lady, your log has something to tell you: you’re awesome.
