A Possible Connection Between Sarah and Carrie

During a recent viewing of Twin Peaks season three, an insignificant detail came to my attention. It may be an unintentional connection, but if there is even the slightest chance it is deliberate, I feel compelled to mention it.

In part 12 (Let's Rock), Sarah Palmer visits Keri's Handi-Mart. Along with bottles of vodka and Bloody Mary mix, Sarah has in her cart two boxes of Lean Cuisine; chicken fettuccine and butternut squash ravioli. They are visible in the episode but most clearly in the Behind The Curtain special feature on the Z to A box set. Interestingly, in the Behind the Curtain feature, Sarah has four meals, an additional butternut squash, and another unknown Lean Cuisine meal. At another later point in the feature, she has two meals.

Sarah's cart in the televised episode. (Below.)

One shot of the cashier's register in the Behind the Curtain feature shows the price of one butternut squash meal is $3.79, though later in the feature, the price of the same meal changes to $4.99. All prices for Sarah's purchases shown in the later shot end with 99 cents, though in reality, the likelihood of such an occurrence is almost impossible when selecting items at random.

One shot displays a $3.79 price (above). Note that the time on the register states it is 10:24 AM. In the feature, signs affixed to the registers say the store will be closed from 12 PM to 4 PM for filming, indicating the footage we see may be from an early rehearsal.

The changed $4.99 price.

David Lynch famously has an obsession with numbers. Perhaps he wanted the total to arrive at a particular amount to make a certain equation. He would have reason to do this as the register screen can be seen in the finished episode, though we don't see it in full until after the carton of Salem cigarettes is scanned.

In part two (The Stars Turn And a Time Presents Itself), as Sarah watches a scene of carnage on her television, containers belonging to the meals she purchased can be seen on a footstool and the trunk she uses as a table in her living room.

A closer view from the Blu-Ray.

Another shot of the items on the trunk.

Sarah may have Lean Cuisine meals stored in her freezer or this may be an indication that the scene is shown out of sequence. The box on the footstool matches the fourth frozen dinner box in the Behind the Curtain feature.

Later, in part 13 (What Story is That, Charlie?), Sarah does not have the empty boxes or containers on the trunk. There is a bowl of pasta to the side, but it may not be a frozen dinner. The amount of food seems greater than that sold in a frozen dinner. It also appears to be in a bowl, not a plastic container, like the others.

However, in part 17 (The Past Dictates the Future), a Lean Cuisine container is on the trunk containing Sarah's half-eaten meal. The food almost gives the appearance of having been left out at length.

Though the packaging is changed, a chicken fettuccine meal was purchased, (butternut squash is not available in my area). The position of the fettuccine looks slightly similar to the last meal we see in Sarah's home. 





When "Agent Cooper" is left alone in "Carrie Page's" house, he glances over her living room. By the fireplace, near the window, and on a side table, Carrie has left several empty frozen food containers.

A container by the window (below). To the side, in a bag, appear to be take-out containers.

The wrappers and cartons in Ms. Page's home are kept together as they were at Sarah's house. Three of the meals appear to be Michelina's brand, but I can't identify the largest of the four containers.

Close shots (below).

The side table.

 

Close matches are Michelina's Salisbury steak and meatloaf. Like Lean Cuisine, their packaging has changed slightly since the episodes were filmed. I think, judging by the image on its side, Carrie may have bought the Salisbury steak.

Michelina's meals are on average less than $2.00. In my area, some stores occasionally sell them for less than $1.00. Lean Cuisine meals, however, if not on sale, are usually priced at $2.25 to well over $3.00 apiece, depending on the meal. This is mentioned because it shows the possible difference in Sarah's income compared to that of Carrie. Carrie probably had to make every cent count.

Both Sarah Palmer and Carrie Page leave strewn about their houses empty frozen meal containers. They leave out not only the tray component but the boxes, plastic wrappers, and some of the former content. Normally, when one opens a container to warm the food within, they discard the box and its plastic cover.

David Lynch made certain there was evidence that Sarah had eaten the Lean Cuisine meals she bought, though the scenes of the Palmer house were filmed in Washington and the scene at Keri's Handi-Mart was filmed in California, according to Twinpeaksblog.com which covered the filming location here.

Though the meals Sarah and Carrie buy are not the same, the manner in which they leave their remains seems very similar. In the original series, Sarah and Laura were insinuated to share a psychic link. Perhaps this is another example of that connection.