I agree, but the thing that I find very unusual in The Return is the level of goofiness (in case that wasn't clear :)), which is quite unprecedented in his work. There are lots of grotesque and absurd moments in Wild At Heart and The Missing Pieces for instance, but such a level of "retardedness" in a character I've only seen in Dumbland and in the second season of Twin Peaks (Leo). 

Yeah, reading your previous comments I kinda had a feeling that you were pointing out the goofiness : -) The thing is, though, I'm not entirely sure I see it - or rather, I see what you mean, but I don't necessarily see a "continuity in goofiness", so to speak.

S2-Leo and TR-Coopgie (<-- which may very well be the goofiest nickname that I ever goofed) are apples and oranges, to me. But that's one of the great things about interpretational stuff: where I see apples and oranges, you may very well see cabbages (and, sooner or later, someone will pop up and tell us we're both asshats, "because those are obviously pumpkins" or whatever) 😉

I'm speaking mostly in terms of impact on season 2. They may very well be different sorts of goofiness, I'm no expert in the several degrees of goofiness one can find, but watching Leo spitting and repeating "New shoes", or Dick imagining evil little Nicky (the same way Mr. Jackpot sees the red room on top of some slot machines (graphically, they're both quite cartoonesque), it definitely makes the second half (roughly 6 weak episodes) of season 2 look more credible, whether these scenes were fillers or not.

I wouldn't credit Lynch with the second half of season 2.

"New shoes" Leo and Dick Tremayne were when Lynch was away from the show.

I don't credit Lynch with the second half the season 2 and that's precisely my point.

Some moments of The Return feel like moments when Lynch was away from the show.

That being said, he did direct episode 14 (or "Lonely Souls") when Leo, Bobby and Shelly are sitting at the table and Leo starts repeating "new shoes", later on, Bobby and Mike find something in his boots. 

Ah gotcha...I see what you mean now.

No, it is not Dougie's body, Dougie went into the Black Lodge and he no longer exists, people that knew D. think Cooper is him. But Coop being de-materialized to go through the portal & then re-materialized back in our world has left his brain playing catch-up.

Dougies friends recognized weight loss...so yeah...definitely not Dougies body.