I have mixed feelings about Bobby Briggs, I mean, I love the character and how Dana Ashbrook plays him, it was a great nostalgic moment to watch him in FWWM walking through high school with that music that always goes with him ("The Bookhouse Boys" 0:59 - 1:59) and kissing Laura's photo... His walk and music theme are a landmark symbol of the series, as much as Coop's coffee or Audrey's dances...

What I mean is that I can't decide if I think Bobby is just an asshole, a future Leo or that he has some goodness and positive things in him... I love his scene with his father where the major explains the vision he had of his son and his future, I see love in his eyes in a couple of scenes with his parents and when Shelly is in the hospital... But on the other hand I already hear him saying things like "Bobby's in charge", threating Shelly not much differently that I guess Leo threated her when they met, even lying to her, and being a rebel for the sake of being rebel when it's clear that his father, though strict, is a wonderful person and truly loves him... Not to mention that he hates James for seeing Laura behind his back when he's doing the same thing...

But this is Twin Peaks, where everyone has two sides, and that's how Bobby is, not bad or good, but bad AND good... He hit the nail in the head in Laura's funeral ("We all did!"), showed great vulnerability when he explains to Jacoby things about Laura, and killed Deputy Howard and wanted to kill James... I guess that the point is that he's just a kid, give him more years and let's see if he turns into a Hank or as Briggs put it, lives a life of deep harmony and joy...

Bobby is a complex character which provides a lot to the show; besides, I don't believe he was ever involved in a truly bad subplot..... Opinions?

Bobby Briggs is a very sweet boy.I don't think he's a bad character.He's a little bit naive and rude,but he has a good soul,and truly loved Laura.For me the best scene with Bobby Briggs was when he shouted "You all killed Laura" on her funeral,it was very powerful scene.I like him:)

                                   
 

Mmmmm...Bobby. I can honestly say I love him. His character never jumped the shark. I hate some of his lines though...too cheesy.. But what really frustrates me about Bobby is his coldness and seeming apathy towards Laura after she died. But I think now I understand.

In Laura's Secret Diary, she paints him as a sweet boy that she corrupted. In the diary, he is a slave to her love and she just laughs at him. So, is it possible that over time, even though he loved her, he hated her as well? He wanted to help her but she was just too far gone, and before long he became that way himself?

Gordon, you hit it right on the head when you say that Bobby is good AND bad.., but I think by the end of the series he is slowly prgressing back towards goodness, even f he is kind of an ass to Shelly and starts flirting with Audrey....but once Shelly starts canoodling woth Cole...(one of my favorite scenes)...he is a lot better to her and even proposes to her. My theory about Bobby is that Laura humiliated and degraded him until he turned bad, and after her death he slowly came back to be good.

I think Bobby's fall into badness is a good example of Laura's power and what attracted BOB to her. I mean, look how many people she brought to their knees. Leland, Bobby, James, Ben (for some reason I see Ben as the begging type with a girl like Laura), Jacoby (in the FWWM script he begs her for a kiss), Josie (according to the Secret Diary)...and probably countless unnamed others. Bobby fell under the spell, but was released after Laura "checked out" on him.

Bobby Briggs happens to be one of my favorite characters.  I don't know why.  I think that he adds a lot to the show.  Could be his attitude, I don't know.

I have a soft spot for Bobby Briggs--and some of it is because of how Dana played him. But as Gordon mentioned, people have two sides in Twin Peaks, and Bobby is no different. I too love the scene when Garland tells him about his vision---and I think that's why most of us like him---we see that good in him, too.  He's a puppy trying to be one of the big dogs.

The dubious thing about Bobby is that he is both a total asshole (yes, TOTAL ASSHOLE! only his so called friend Mike is a bigger moron of all the characters), he is all the same a wonderfully performed character. By that I mean that he is just as he was intended to be (at least that's how I feel).

Now why he is an asshole: most of all, his most favourite words: Shelly, baby, Bobby Briggs is gonna take care of everything... we won't have to worry about Leo anymore... Leo Johnsson is history - obligatory followed by his shitting in his pants at the very sign of Leo approaching. Summing up, he's a boasting jerk who is no more than a coward but knows how to impress his dumb girlfriend. Plus, of course, what Gordon said: ... (leaves lots of saliva on Shelly's mouth and other body parts)... that James Hurley... (more saliva) ... was seing Laura behind my back... (smack) ... I'll fix him... I like that scene of course, it's good and very hotttt as well but hey, what's that supposed to be...?!

Perhaps even worse that being an asshole he is about to become a future Leo. I've just noticed for the first time what he says to Shelly in one of the early episodes: you don't need to know! And this is no coincidence because these are the very words that Leo barked to her when she asked him where he was going...

(btw, can anyone help me out with when Bobby said that exactly.. I can't remember te scene at the moment)

But... there are also scenes which show a good side of Bobby's. Or the hurt one at least. The funeral is very strong and it's perhaps the only moment when he says something really reasonable. They all knew she was in trouble.. That is Bobby's best moment in the series. His dad's vision, and the session with Jacoby are great but it is to some extent due to Major and Doctor. At the funeral Bobby is the chief character.

The biggest one?  You sure about that? ;)  Who's the runner up, then?

mo·ron     P   Pronunciation Key  (môrn, mr-)
n.

1. A stupid person; a dolt.
2. Psychology. A person of mild mental retardation having a mental age of from 7 to 12 years and generally having communication and social skills enabling some degree of academic or vocational education. The term belongs to a classification system no longer in use and is now considered offensive.
   

He and Shelly were made for eachother.  I mean, could you see Shelly dating sweet, respectable gentlemen like Cooper, or Jack or Andy?  She wants a little harmless deprecation from her men.  It's a perfect match.

biggest what? I couldn't find the word 'biggest' in my post so I'm not sure what you're referring to... :-)

And yes, they might have been made for each other but that doesn't make them much brighter, does it? ;-)

Sorry, you said only Mike was a bigger moron, so Bobby then fills the number 2 slot.  I stand corrected.   

And yes, Shelly and Bobby are both dumb as rocks. 

Mike has no competition really, does he? :-)

I can perfectly understand someone liking Bobby, he's got his charm even if it is all a lie. Also, he's really well-designed and performed as a character.

Mike...

But Mike *IS* the man... And he has the cutest buns....

But Mike's interst in fossils may lead to a career as an arcaheologist

... turnng into a weekly character thread no. 19 1/2 - Mike Nelson? ;-)

Don't worry, Mr. Nelson will have his own thread soon, dedicated to you, I know you can't hardly wait...

Don't be nervous, Donna...