Twin Peaks

Superbus

In early 1990, a TV show was first broadcast that would influence inumerable others in the years since. Twin Peaks was conceived by director David Lynch, who had already directed cult hits like 'Eraserhead', 'The Elephant Man', 'Dune' and 'Blue Velvet'. Starring Kyle MacLachlan, who had already starred in several feature films, was brought in as protagonist Special Agent Dale Cooper, who arrives in the isolated town of Twin Peaks to investigate the murder of teenager Laura Palmer. Over the next two seasons, the show went from groundbreakingly successful, to struggling for viewers, from ingenious twists to mindnumbing soap opera-esque subplots, but through it all it remained a classic TV show. It culminated in one of the greatest TV endings of all time, and set the bar for intellectual TV high enough that few shows have equalled it since.

I watched the whole thing last month, all 30 episodes, and thoroughly enjoyed most of it but for the infamous slump in the middle of Season 2 when Lynch left. I became invested in several of the characters, so their plots genuinely meant something. There is gratuitous Lynchian weirdness, but not so much that it overwhelms the story, and it is done very well.

So what are people's opinions of this show? It's up there with my favorite "Finished/Cancelled TV Shows" so hopefully shoulod provoke some discussion in this new forum!

johnny_ultimate

It's a revolutionary, extremely important show. I only watched it for the first time around two years ago, but it's as weird and intelligent as it was back then. The whole 'strange small town' thing has been done to death by now, but Twin Peaks is the definitive one, defined by the Lynchian tone, black humour and atmosphere.

However, the season two slump definitely is a significant flaw of the show. It loses focus, becomes more cartoonish (the new villain particularly) and just meanders around for ages. The episode directly after

they solve Laura's murder

is dreadful, and it takes a while to pick up again. The last episode is great though - Lynch returns (to the anger of the crew, apparently!) and it goes bat**** insane. The cliffhanger is a bit forced, but also suggests further madness that, alas, never came to be. Instead there was the weak film prequel, which barring a mental David Bowie cameo is pretty redundant.

Twin Peaks is great viewing: far from perfect, but even today, there's nothing quite like it.

AdmiralRazor

Twin Peaks is among the greatest works of that mad scientist of film making, David Lynch.

There were so many perfect moments in that show. As my least favourite character, Donna Hayward, said, "I feel like I'm having the most beautiful dream and the most terrible nightmare, all at the same time." Such was the experience of watching Twin Peaks. I can't think of any other piece of television that has touched me as deeply as Twin Peaks did.

And Fire Walk With Me was also one of Lynch's most visceral, troubling works, I found. Definitely unworthy of the lambasting it got from narrow-minded critics.

JP Liz V1

One of the best tv shows ever

McDave

Just finished it on DVD over the weekend - plus the prequel. Really stands up after all those years. I haven't watched the bonus disc that goes with the Gold boxset, but without waiting to be prompted I was left with the very strong impression that Lynch could have developed the story over at least another season if he'd got the backing.

The story goes that he also intended Mulholland Drive to be a TV series, couldn't get the backing and chopped to down to a film. What's the story? Is he not popular on planet Hollywood?

AdmiralRazor

I think Mulholland Drive was originally pitched as a spin-off in which Audrey Horne leaves the Peaks for LA, to be a star?

As far as I know, Lynch is widely respected (even a little worshipped) on the arthouse cinema scene, but because his works aren't seen as "bankable" by mainstream Hollywood, he's not taken seriously outside the niche he tends to work in.

Did you know that he was the original director for Return of the Jedi?

McDave

AdmiralRazor wrote: »

I think Mulholland Drive was originally pitched as a spin-off in which Audrey Horne leaves the Peaks for LA, to be a star?

As far as I know, Lynch is widely respected (even a little worshipped) on the arthouse cinema scene, but because his works aren't seen as "bankable" by mainstream Hollywood, he's not taken seriously outside the niche he tends to work in.

Did you know that he was the original director for Return of the Jedi?

No I didn't!

Shame about him not being taken seriously by the moneymen. I just watched the bonus disc in the TP Gold boxset last night and it's clear that Lynch and Frost were ready for a third series! Back in season one, Cooper was an old man in the Black Lodge scene. And I also remember a Black Lodge reference to "see you in 25 years". Which leaves open a clear hook for a later return to the screen. Probably wishful thinking though.

johndoe99

never watched it when it was originally aired, think i saw an episode half way through and because i hadn't watched it from beginning it puzzled the hell out of me so always avoided it. I then saw the "Fire Walk With Me" film and loved it. So when the "Twin Peaks - Definitive Gold Box Edition" came out i bought it and thought it was fantastic, i'm always hoping David Lynch will revive it, but thats just wishful thinking.

McDave

johndoe99 wrote: »

never watched it when it was originally aired, think i saw an episode half way through and because i hadn't watched it from beginning it puzzled the hell out of me so always avoided it. I then saw the "Fire Walk With Me" film and loved it. So when the "Twin Peaks - Definitive Gold Box Edition" came out i bought it and thought it was fantastic, i'm always hoping David Lynch will revive it, but thats just wishful thinking.

The bonus disc interview shows many of the protagonists in good telegenic shape.

I think there's plenty of scope for a revival. But it would require Lynch and Frost to get it together. If a telly series was too much to pull off, perhaps they might consider a feature film resolution. But a third telly season of acceptable standard would be the true icing on the cake, and make for the ultimate in satisfying boxsets!

Travel is good

I must watch the bonus material on the box set, I'd love to see how all the actors fared.

What a great series! I loved it when it originally came out, so just had to watch the box set late last year. It's exactly my kind of programme - quirky. I watched a lot of David Lynch films afterwards, and "Mulholland Drive" was one of my favourites. Though my favourite all time film is "Blue Velvet". I thought Kyle McLachlan was brilliant in it and again of course in Twin Peaks. There is that theme again running through both Blue Velvet & Twin Peaks - blonde beauty - strange murders - loss of innocence etc.

McDave

Travel is good wrote: »

I must watch the bonus material on the box set, I'd love to see how all the actors fared.

What a great series! I loved it when it originally came out, so just had to watch the box set late last year. It's exactly my kind of programme - quirky. I watched a lot of David Lynch films afterwards, and "Mulholland Drive" was one of my favourites. Though my favourite all time film is "Blue Velvet". I thought Kyle McLachlan was brilliant in it and again of course in Twin Peaks. There is that theme again running through both Blue Velvet & Twin Peaks - blonde beauty - strange murders - loss of innocence etc.

Loved MD. Have forgotten what BV was like.

Enjoyed Wild at Heart when it came out, which is the feature Lynch left season 2 of TP to make. However, I saw it a few years later and it actually annoyed me. Which made me apprehensive about buying the TP boxset! However, seeing MD again convinced me to dive in and commit to TP.

Travel is good

McDave wrote: »

Which made me apprehensive about buying the TP boxset! However, seeing MD again convinced me to dive in and commit to TP.

Oh buy the box set, the best purchase you'll ever make!

I love Blue Velvet also. I've seen it many times on TV, but I still want to buy the DVD.

McDave

Travel is good wrote: »

Oh buy the box set, the best purchase you'll ever make!

I did!

Just finished it over Christmas!! Loved it, and it left me hankering after a third season, and a proper resolution!!

Jimdagym

Just a heads up that CBS Drama is starting to run twin peaks again from Monday 4th. Of July.

Pablo Sanchez

''Diane its 1.17pm, i have just concluded my second meditation of the day in lieu of sleep, and i feel completetly refreshed and struck again by the realisation that all of us on this great big planet Earth live with only a fraction of our potential''

Great show, definitley could have gone into series three.

Dman001

Should the prequel be watched before or after the Series? Does it contain any spoilers, or will I fully understand it without watching the series first?

Pablo Sanchez

In my opinion if your brand new to it i would say Fire walk with me should be watched first. There are spoilers of course but i think it would actually add to things seeing as David Lynch knew where he was taking the series and you can appreciate the story telling from that point of view.

Others will disagree.

McDave

Dman001 wrote: »

Should the prequel be watched before or after the Series? Does it contain any spoilers, or will I fully understand it without watching the series first?

The wonderful thing about TP is the sense of mystery. You're not sure if it will ever unfold in the first series. Of course the mystery was solved by force in the second series after which point you might as well follow through to the end.

So, I'd definitely recommend doing yourself a favour with the following sequence:
- Season 1
- Season 2
- FWWM

You can always go FWWW, S1 and S2 second time round!!

Dman001

I'm three episodes into the first Season, I decided not to watch the film until after I watch the series. It's a fairly wacky Series alright, and am starting to get hooked. But (without giving away any spoilers) does everything get explained by the end of the two Seasons, like the dreams and visions?

Pablo Sanchez

There are explenations to a certain extent but your going to have to interpret things yourself. David Lynch notoriously shys away from spoon feeding explenations to his viewers.

Check out some of his movies, they are deep/wacky/infuriating depending on where you stand. Especially Eraserhead, Blue Velvet and Inland Empire.

mike65

yes and no, the ending is whacked out and possibly rather frustrating but typical Lynch

Dman001

Cool, I'm not too tied up anyway on getting explanations. But, after watching the first few episodes, I'm not really sure what direction is it going in. By the looks of things, they could go the Supernatural route. But everyone in Twin Peaks seem to be a bit....errrr mad.

McDave

Dman001 wrote: »

I'm three episodes into the first Season, I decided not to watch the film until after I watch the series. It's a fairly wacky Series alright, and am starting to get hooked. But (without giving away any spoilers) does everything get explained by the end of the two Seasons, like the dreams and visions?

The owls are not what they seem. Until a certain point in Season 2. You'll get an angle on the background at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twin_peaks

But in all honesty, you're better off just enjoying it as a drama as it unfolds in fits and starts before your eyes.

Patience, Grasshopper. Patience!

galwaybetty

I approached Twin Peaks with a certain amount of hesitation, particularly the dream sequences. After a few episodes I became hooked! Kyle McLoughlin suprised me by managing to be a quirkly yet likeable main character.

Second season took a nose dive after a certain storyline concluded....I heard that the network put pressure on David Lynch to solve the mystery and after that the season lost steam. I havent gotten around to finishing it, but hopefully it'll pick up again.

I thought Kyle Mc Loughlins character and Audreys character had plenty of chemistry, not sure how that pans out.......

johndoe99

Season 2 ends with a few unanswered questions

Agent Cooper disappears in one of those dream like sequences, but that part is taken up at the end of "Fire Walk With Me", but is not full explained, I think David Lynch was hoping the film would launch a 3rd series that would continue that storyline.

A damn shame a 3rd series never materialised. His carreer to date has been sporadic to say the least.

the purple tin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vftf8TTve4s

AdmiralRazor

Does anybody think that Moira Kelly was a better Donna than Lara Flynn Boyle?

I find LFB so cold and almost reptilian in her reactions to the events and characters of the story.

tipptom

ave not seen it since it was first televised but always think of the quirky music through out and a mad Leland Palmer doing a song and dance routine and the the jazzy music that would start when a sexy character was being reintroduced be it male or female.

The Black Oil

I'm going to give this a shot - its cult status goes without saying, so I'm keen to see what all the fuss is about.

McDave

The Black Oil wrote: »

I'm going to give this a shot - its cult status goes without saying, so I'm keen to see what all the fuss is about.

You won't regret it. I got the box set of both seasons a year ago and was anxious that it wouldn't hold up to the original viewing on the telly 20-odd years ago. No fear! An absolutely enthralling series.

The Black Oil

Tonally, I found it a little odd, but good. A few familiar faces, oddball characters, black humour, and yet, it seemed to remain a filmic quality, and was rather refreshing.