Lynch/Frost had planned for and expected the pilot to be picked up and turned into a series, and thus had not written such a resolution for the pilot. When, during the filming of the pilot, they were reminded of their contractual obligation, they filmed the ending described below and gave Warner Home Video their "standalone" European movie, even though the ending did not make much sense and does not jive with events in the TV series.
Parts of the European movie ending were used later in edited form for the dream sequence at the end of episode 2. (In fact, you will notice that the summary of his dream that Cooper gives Lucy and Harry at the beginning of episode 3 includes events that are portrayed in the European pilot ending, but not in Cooper's dream as shown in episode 2!)
Lynch thinks the famous scene in the Red Room is one of his best pieces of work, and that is probably one reason why he chose to include it as the final scene of episode 2. The original script for episode 2 is almost a verbatim copy of the European movie ending, including even more of it than is in the broadcast version. The copied parts were edited to make it clear that Cooper is having a dream/vision, rather than actually experiencing the events. So the reaction cuts of Truman, etc. in the European movie ending, are replaced in episode 2 by shots of Coop tossing and turning in his sleep.
When ABC bought the series, the video rights to the broadcast episodes went to Worldvision (a division of Spelling Entertainment, which had been closely affiliated with ABC), but the video rights to the pilot remained with Warner Home Video. This is why only the European movie version of the pilot is available commercially. Making 'lemonade out of a lemon', Warner Home Video marketed their version of the pilot as providing an "alternate resolution" to Laura's murder than that provided in the TV series.
Although a great deal of the footage from the European movie ending was incorporated into the TV series, most in the TP fan community feel the ending, while interesting as an historical artifact, is not germane to the "real" TP story as developed in the TV series.
The European movie ending should probably be avoided if you are watching the TV series for the first time. There is a "catch 22", though: you should see the pilot before watching the first TV episode for important background information and context, but the broadcast version of the pilot is not available commercially. If you cannot borrow a copy of the broadcast pilot version from someone, you can easily "edit" the video version, while watching it, as follows:
- About 90 minutes into the movie, after Sheriff Truman introduces Cooper to Lucy's nightly donut spread, and the jail scene with James, Bobby, and Mike, there is a scene where the Sheriff visits Josie.Now, for those who have seen the series, but not the "European" version of the pilot, here is a short description of the added scenes:"It must have happened right around this time yesterday," Truman says to Josie.
"I'm afraid," Josie says.
Next there is a shot of the traffic light, blowing in the breeze.
- Stop the movie at the next scene where we see Laura's mother sitting by herself on the sofa, smoking. Up until this point, the movie and broadcast pilot are identical.
- There is only one additional scene in the broadcast pilot not shown in the movie: Laura's mother has a vision of a gloved hand digging the heart necklace from the ground where Donna and James buried it (you'll know the necklace I mean when you've seen the rest).
- Sarah remembers seeing BOB crouching at the foot of Laura's bed that morning. She screams and tells Leland what she remembered.As mentioned above, this ending does NOT relate to the action in the other episodes of the series (as far as we can tell), except for the parts that appear in Cooper's dream in episode 2.- There is a scene of Lucy and Andy getting ready for bed (!). Leland calls Lucy, tells her about Sarah's sudden memory, and asks her where the Sheriff is. Lucy calls the Sheriff in his cruiser. He tells her to have Hawk meet him at the Palmer's house to make a sketch of the man Sarah remembered.
- Agent Cooper, asleep in his hotel room, is awakened by the phone. Mike, the one-armed man, is on the other end, and tells Cooper that the man who killed Laura is at the hospital. Then Lucy calls Cooper and tells him what is happening at the Palmer house. Cooper asks Lucy to tell the Sheriff to bring the sketch and meet him at the hospital.
- Cooper and the Sheriff find Mike at the hospital. Mike recites the poem and his confession (from Cooper's dream in episode #2). Cooper asks Mike to identify the killer from the sketch. He does and tells them BOB is in the basement of the hospital.
- They find BOB kneeling next to a circle of 12 burning candles. He invites them in, asks if Mike is with them, repeats some of the dialogue from Cooper's dream in episode 2, including "Catch you with my death bag".
- The Sheriff asks BOB what the letters were going to spell, and BOB replies: BOB: Robert. That's my proper name. Theresa's was with a T. Cooper: That's right. BOB: You may think I've gone insane, but I promise you: I will kill again! Mike runs into room and yells: Like hell!
- Mike shoots BOB twice. BOB crumples to the floor. Mike falls to the floor in agony.
- Cooper says "Make a wish" and blows out the candles.
- Cut to the Red Room. Caption says: Twenty-five year later
- Rest of scene is identical to Red Room scene of Cooper's dream in episode 2. As the Little Man dances, the end credits run.