I have to agree 100% with this sentiment.
I recently started rewatching and I had to come to terms with something: it's not very rewatchable.
I mean, I have loved every minute of the show in first viewing, no matter how ponderous. But on a second viewing, when you know what happens, this shit drags.
That's something I wouldn't say about the original series. I can rewatch any random episode any time and be totally into it.
I'm rewatching all the Parts for a 3rd time because of the break, and couldn't disagree more. Knowing where some of the plotlines are headed has only enhanced the Parts. I really love the DougieCoop scenes more, and really all of it. It's also interesting how much faster it seems to move. Knowing what the golden shovels are all about or where the sweeping scene is leading or even the abstract imagery inside the nuclear explosion. When you first watch these things you have no idea how long they will take so every second ticks by very slowly. But knowing the general length and rhythm of a scene makes it much easier to fall into their groove.
And a few stray observations and thoughts about the Parts 1-8. Carel Struycken does a great job backwards acting. I really enjoy his delivery in that opening scene. I think Al Strobel does a great job too (yes even the way he says "future"). I don't think Sheryl Lee does very well with it though. I'm not sure if she's rusty or just didn't get the time to work it but her delivery was just not very good. It almost seemed like they had to redub her lines. Her physicality and how she moved in the space was great though.
Kyle MacLachlan is such a good fucking actor. His work as all his characters is phenomenal. Mr C. feels like a different person. It looks like Kyle but it's hard to see him at all. As Cooper, his reactions in the Lodge(s) are just brilliant. He projects so well while maintaining a coolness. And of course infantile Cooper is something special. The way he takes in the world around him and responds to it is breathtaking. You can see the goodness of Cooper underneath it all and it's heartbreaking but also uplifting. He's a man that just wants to do good. Every time he smiles it makes me feel better. Also he has some truly hilarious moments.
The Jones household features a lamp on their table in the living room(?) that looks like half a golden orb. Don't think there's any significance but when you can't see the whole lamp it looks like it's floating in the periphery. It's very prominent in the scenes at night after the officers bring him home.
I noticed in the scene with Bushnell Mullins where they are going over the case files that Cooper is fascinated by the poster behind Mullins. I think it's more than just simple fascination. Cooper is actually making a connection between Mullins past in a different career and his own past, in a different career, as an FBI agent. He seems kind of blown away that Mullins used to be this young strong man.
As for the case files. I think it's very simple what's going on. The symbols he is drawing are just linking elements between cases that indicate fraud. His coworker Tony clearly worked all those claims and probably involved the same officers across the investigations, maybe setting up dupe accounts and addresses.
It may seem obvious, but I didn't really pay attention to the drug trade plotline during my first 2 watches. It's clearly going to tie together a lot of other threads this season. I would not be surprised if it becomes a major focal point. I assume Becky is doing the same drug that killed the kid at the high school, that Red is selling and Richard also tried out and will now sell.
I still have parts 7&8 to rewatch and I'm sure I'll be connecting more dots.
