The best kind of divisive hyperbole is popping up because of this episode and I love it. It's either being labeled a groundbreaking work of art or absolute garbage, which is the range of reactions I would hope an auteur like Lynch would be aiming for at this point in his career. What does he have to lose?
I fucking loved the episode because, for me, it was fun to watch. I found the set design enthralling, the choice of music potent (The Platters an Krzysztof Penderecki in the same episode!), the cinematography rich and alive, the suspense gripping and some of the images absolutely terrifying. This was among of the most upsetting hours of film that Lynch has ever strung together and it was shown on TV, during primetime. What a time to be alive.
But I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people watched it and thought it was trash. That's OK. Who cares, honestly?