Nadine Hurley

“I’ve been up ALL NIGHT!”

Screenshot of Wendy Robie as Nadine Hurley, from David Lynch’s Twin Peaks.
© Lynch/Frost & Twin Peaks Productions.

Nadine Hurley, Twin Peaks town figure that wears an eye patch

Nadine Hurley’s eye patch and eccentricity make her well known in Twin Peaks. She lost the eye in a hunting accident during her honeymoon.

Nadine’s husband’s guilt over the shooting accident might be all that holds together their unhappy marriage. Ed Hurley hates to admit but he would rather have married Norma Jennings, his high school girlfriend.

Nadine Hurley’s story

How Ed and Nadine Hurley got married

In high school Nadine used to watch Norma and Ed at the football games. Norma was so pretty but Nadine always knew inside that, even though she felt like just a little nobody, she and Ed would be together forever.

One bad weekend, Ed Hurley’s high school sweetheart Norma ran off with Hank Jennings. Being young and stupid, Ed consumed large amounts of alcohol. That same day he asked Nadine who he barely knew to say hello to, to marry him.

Ed Hurley still tried to talk Nadine into a divorce but after he accidentally shot out Nadine’s left eye during a pheasant hunt, it felt wrong to leave her.

Noiseless drape runners keep her up all night!

During her husband’s incarceration, Norma Jennings grew close to Ed again. While Ed and Norma start seeing each other in secret, Nadine Hurley obsesses about 100% noiseless, completely silent drape runners. An invention that she believes will make her and Ed rich.

Nadine’s weird behaviour worries Ed Hurley, who’s walking on eggshells all the time. The house floor is stuffed with drape runners and Nadine fulminates when Ed accidentally trips on one.

”Rejected! That’s what they said” – Nadine Hurley

Eventually Nadine Hurley fully realizes her invention when Big Ed accidentally spills a few drops of engine oil on one of Nadine Hurley’s drape runners, making it completely 100% silent.

In her head Nadine Hurley is already spending the millions,. When she hears from the patent attorney her proposal got rejected, she slips into a depression.

Nadine Hurley’s suicide attempt

Nadine Hurley cries about all the things she was going to buy and the life they were going to lead. Although Big Ed tells his wife to never give up, soon after he finds Nadine on the floor unconscious after she has taken loads of sleeping pills.

Ed Hurley calls an ambulance, sits by her bed at the hospital and even sings to her, as the doctor suggested, to get her out of the coma.

Nadine Hurley’s identity crisis

You’re only eighteen once!

Nadine awakes from her coma believing herself to be eighteen. According to Doctor Hayward, who ran a blood test, Nadine Hurley is pumping out adrenaline like a wildcat well, giving her almost superhuman strength.

Twin Peaks’ psychiatrist Dr Jacoby talks Ed Hurley into following his wife in her delusions, taking her out for chocolate shakes at the Double R Dinner.

The new Nadine believes she’s only dating Ed Hurley and asks the fully embarrassed Norma Jennings, Ed’s mistress, if she doesn’t mind.

Nadine Hurley, from Twin Peaks High School cheerleader to wrestling champ

On Dr Jacoby’s advice, Ed gets his regressing wife enlisted at Twin Peaks High School, where Nadine’s participation at the cheerleader try outs doesn’t go unnoticed.

Trying to impress boys at the gym, Nadine Hurley catches the attention of Twin Peaks High School’s wrestling team coach.

Is Nadine Hurley’s crush on Mike Nelson Ed’s big chance out?

In her first try out match Nadine floors Twin Peaks High School’s wrestling champ, Mike Nelson, who she has a crush on.

While Mike Nelson is initially repelled by Nadine’s promptness, he opens up to Nadine’s love when he learns what a combination of sexual maturity and superhuman strength can result in. Mike and Nadine Hurley are seen booking a room at the Great Northern Hotel under false names.

Ed sees his chance to finally confront Nadine with his desire to marry Norma. After the Miss Twin Peaks pageant Norma, Ed, Nadine and Mike will have a sit down with Dr Jacoby.

Unfortunately Nadine gets hit on the head during a chaos at the Miss Twin Peaks elections. She loses all memory of the weeks she returned to the age of eighteen and can’t remember she started a relationship with Mike.

Will Ed and Norma’s newly-announced marriage plans be put off once again because of Nadine Hurley’s instability?

Nadine Hurley – Quotes

“Ed, are you waiting for those drapes to hang themselves?”

“I’ve gotten all new drapes for my house. Ed bought’em for me yesterday at Gentleman Jim’s and we installed them together.”

“Cotton balls. By God, those things will be quiet now.”

“I was up all night working on that invention.”

“Ed, you make me sick!”

“It wasn’t just things I was gonna buy. It was the new life we were gonna lead.”

“Doc Hayward says tonsillitis or no tonsillitis I can go to cheerleader try outs.”

“I’m going to have the world’s first one hundred percent quiet runner.”

“It is neat having the place all to ourselves. Pretend it’s ours, like we’re married or something!”