Angelo Badalamenti's sweet theme begins as smokestacks billow, and a robin assures the viewer of the presence of love in a little town located through the pines, just this side of sanity...or reality. Either way you choose to look at it (and the choice is yours), every episode of this groundbreaking television show grabbed the viewer in its seductive and destructive web... and wouldn't let go. "Twin Peaks" began a string of weird television shows in the early 90's, but, unlike those later shows, "Twin Peaks" would be beloved and remembered long after it was off the air. "Twin Peaks" has earned a spot next to "The Twilight Zone", "Night Gallery", and "Star Trek" in terms of pioneering television and in terms of a cult following deserving of conventions and fanzines. I believe that F.B.I. Special Agent Dale Cooper is one of the most enjoyable and inspiring characters in television history. His simple passions and quirky behavior was a welcomed sight in our living rooms every week during the shows very short run in the late 80's and early 90's. "Twin Peaks" started out on fire, gaining exposure during the pilot's multiple airings. The mystery of Laura Palmer's murderer practically invented conversations at the water cooler. However, the shows second season was scheduled to air on Saturday nights at 10:00, an advertiser's no-man's land. And, with the shows fan base out on the late weekend nights, the shows network decided to cancel it. David Lynch, the shows co-creator, directed a theatrically released film prequel to "Twin Peaks", showing all who missed the shows airings what really happened to Laura the week of her death, and, finally, her killer. As a huge fan of "Twin Peaks", I will tell you that the circle of events that occur within the story enable the viewer to relive the events over and over, each time around with more intensity than before. When you view the movie prequel, diving right back into the series becomes the natural path, allowing one to see things again for what they really are... or aren't. I highly recommend owning the entire series. Without a network messing up your viewing time, you can see the mystery unfold at your own pace. Viewing "Twin Peaks-Fire Walk With Me", along with the television pilot and the entire 29 episode series (about 33 hours all together), is the most fascinating and satisfying viewing experience that the entertainment industry has offered me so far. The music, costumes, editing, acting, and direction all received Emmy nominations, leading one to conclude that "Twin Peaks" not only satisfied the public, but the critics as well. An incredible achievement, "Twin Peaks" is my all-time favorite television show.
289 Reviews
Fantastic
lostintwinpeaks21 June 2002
Possibly one of the best TV dramas ever, "Twin Peaks" managed to be a challenging and unique (not to mention intelligent) piece of television.
Daring and provocative, it shattered the boundaries of most standard soap operas/TV dramas.
Terrified of it by a child (and in particular by BOB) I have since returned to it on DVD, only to find myself just as terrified and intrigued by it as I was when I was twelve years old and crouching behind my late grandmother's couch.
A piece of groundbreaking television history... WATCH IT
Daring and provocative, it shattered the boundaries of most standard soap operas/TV dramas.
Terrified of it by a child (and in particular by BOB) I have since returned to it on DVD, only to find myself just as terrified and intrigued by it as I was when I was twelve years old and crouching behind my late grandmother's couch.
A piece of groundbreaking television history... WATCH IT
I still remember the night it premiered... and being mesmerized by the opening
paulklenk3 April 2007
The opening credits and music grabbed me right away. That sad, cool, reflective music. The log being cut in the mill. The bird.
This is a show that you know, as you are watching it, that it is special and destined to become a classic. What a wonderful memory. One of my favorite moments in the first episode is Andy crying, and later telling the girl not to tell the sheriff. It really brought humanity to Laura's death.
Can't wait to one day own the whole series on DVD, and one summer night, start watching the episodes one by one.
Another amazing aspect of the opening episode is the many types of characters and settings involved, just within the town of Twin Peaks. The school, the lodge, the sheriff office, the lake, the railroad tracks. It was almost as if several shows and genres were evident in one episode. Something for everyone. But it still tied together so amazingly.
This is a show that you know, as you are watching it, that it is special and destined to become a classic. What a wonderful memory. One of my favorite moments in the first episode is Andy crying, and later telling the girl not to tell the sheriff. It really brought humanity to Laura's death.
Can't wait to one day own the whole series on DVD, and one summer night, start watching the episodes one by one.
Another amazing aspect of the opening episode is the many types of characters and settings involved, just within the town of Twin Peaks. The school, the lodge, the sheriff office, the lake, the railroad tracks. It was almost as if several shows and genres were evident in one episode. Something for everyone. But it still tied together so amazingly.
Damnfine series
HenryHextonEsq11 December 2000
One of the truly great, original TV dramas, Twin Peaks was far from perfect; however, quite a few of its run of 29 episodes undoubtedly were. Speaking just after watching the finale, I'm torn between satisfaction at a superb final episode, and tenterhooks over what is a stark cliffhanger ending. The initial Laura Palmer murder case is unravelled expertly, by episode 16, with many great surreal and shocking moments, notably the scenes involving Bob. The show's brand of off-the-wall deadpan humour was perhaps at its best in the initial episodes, for example, Cooper's rock-throwing in the woods and Leland's bizarre, impromptu dance with Ben and Jerry Horne. The main characters were all well introduced; Kyle MacLachlan is on career-best acting form here as Agent Dale Cooper. Jack Nance is lovably gruff and likeable as Pete Martel, while Ben and Jerry Horne are wonderfully brought to life by fine writing, and acting from Richard Beymer and David Patrick Kelly. The strange spirit-like characters are introduced aptly; the Giant, the backwards-dancing Dwarf, One-armed Man, the bizarre Tremonds and killer Bob. Ray Wise deserves much credit for a sensitive portrayal of Leland. Once the initial mystery is more than adequately resolved, the focus was lost for a while. For around 7 episodes, the series comparatively treaded water: the comedy became more laboured and conventional, some tedious storylines dragged on and on - eg. Evelyn Marsh, Andy/Dick; the guiding hand of David Lynch was missing. These episodes are still very watchable; as other aspects of the mystery are mused over, but things move slowly. There is welcome characterisation of Major Briggs, but the acting and writing is at times more ordinary. While still a comfortably above-par TV show, the sublime atmosphere had been squandered to an extent. The arrival in the town of Windom Earle and, later, Annie Blackburn saw the stakes rise once more. Windom Earle is a truly sadistic, convincingly evil character, with a dry wit, wild expression and an effective penchant for disguise. His contribution to the series is immense, as a new focus is provided; climaxing with the stunning end to the penultimate episode at the Miss Twin Peaks Contest. Annie Blackburn also helps to enliven the programme, proving a subtle and effective character. Gordon Cole, played by David Lynch himself is a wonderful creation, up with Pete Martel, Albert Rosenfeld and Jerry Horne in the comic mould. I love that whole episode (c.25) where he enjoys life in the cafe, contemplating writing an "epic poem" about the wonderful apple pie and kissing Shelly in front of her boyfriend Bobby; "what you are witnessing is an intimate moment between two consenting adult human beings!" or somesuch quote.
Ben Horne is well developed; the Civil War stuff fails to amuse quite as it should, yet once he is rehabilitated, the change in his character is refreshing and nicely handled. Twin Peaks is a beautiful series aesthetically, from the wonderful titles sequence, Angelo Badalamenti's stunningly evocative music scores to some wonderfully innovative photography and direction - usually in those episodes helmed by Lynch. Got to say the female quota of Twin Peaks is ample, with the beauty of Madchen Amick, Sheryl Lee, Lara Flynn Boyle and especially Sherilyn Fenn, adding poignancy. General negative comments seem irrelevant considering the overall quality of the series, but it's true tricks were missed. With the characters they had, some more imaginative situations and wit wouldn't have gone amiss. The comic possibilities of having Jerry Horne and, say, Gordon Cole interacting were unfulfilled. Some of the characters were bland - the spotless Norma Jennings, James Hurley, Audrey's boyfriend in the later episodes - and some failed to really work - Nadine I feel added little to the series.
The very final episode is, I would say, as good a series ending as they could have come up with; tantalisingly placed, as the battle between the good and evil forces in Twin Peaks is hotting up. I declare that there are some brilliant images and directorial touches in that final one. There were however loose ends untied; what happened to Leo, Audrey and especially Ben Horne and Doc Hayward? A moot point is the absurdity of its ill-availabilty on video; I wouldn't have caught it if it weren't for the Sci-Fi Channel UK. Got to say though, that while harbouring some fantastical elements, Twin Peaks is assuredly far from the realm of Sci-Fi. It is, to be pointless categorical, like a surreal soap opera with a strong flavour of its own. There are so many great scenes, moments, lines and nuances, coupled with a magnificently dreamy, tenderly moving atmosphere when at its best, that I must say Twin Peaks ranks pretty much up there with the finest TV dramas of all - Edge of Darkness & The Singing Detective. Majestic it is. Rating:- ***** (out of *****)
Ben Horne is well developed; the Civil War stuff fails to amuse quite as it should, yet once he is rehabilitated, the change in his character is refreshing and nicely handled. Twin Peaks is a beautiful series aesthetically, from the wonderful titles sequence, Angelo Badalamenti's stunningly evocative music scores to some wonderfully innovative photography and direction - usually in those episodes helmed by Lynch. Got to say the female quota of Twin Peaks is ample, with the beauty of Madchen Amick, Sheryl Lee, Lara Flynn Boyle and especially Sherilyn Fenn, adding poignancy. General negative comments seem irrelevant considering the overall quality of the series, but it's true tricks were missed. With the characters they had, some more imaginative situations and wit wouldn't have gone amiss. The comic possibilities of having Jerry Horne and, say, Gordon Cole interacting were unfulfilled. Some of the characters were bland - the spotless Norma Jennings, James Hurley, Audrey's boyfriend in the later episodes - and some failed to really work - Nadine I feel added little to the series.
The very final episode is, I would say, as good a series ending as they could have come up with; tantalisingly placed, as the battle between the good and evil forces in Twin Peaks is hotting up. I declare that there are some brilliant images and directorial touches in that final one. There were however loose ends untied; what happened to Leo, Audrey and especially Ben Horne and Doc Hayward? A moot point is the absurdity of its ill-availabilty on video; I wouldn't have caught it if it weren't for the Sci-Fi Channel UK. Got to say though, that while harbouring some fantastical elements, Twin Peaks is assuredly far from the realm of Sci-Fi. It is, to be pointless categorical, like a surreal soap opera with a strong flavour of its own. There are so many great scenes, moments, lines and nuances, coupled with a magnificently dreamy, tenderly moving atmosphere when at its best, that I must say Twin Peaks ranks pretty much up there with the finest TV dramas of all - Edge of Darkness & The Singing Detective. Majestic it is. Rating:- ***** (out of *****)
Network television at its absolute best
MaxBorg8913 June 2007
Nowadays it is commonly accepted that American television is becoming better than movies, with edgier stories and more complex characters, both in mainstream (CSI, 24, Lost) and cable shows (The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, Deadwood). Twenty years ago, on the other hand, such a thing was unthinkable, at least until Twin Peaks aired.
Created by David Lynch and Mark Frost, the series takes its name from a small American town where a grisly murder has been committed. The victim is local beauty Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee), a girl who seemed to have a perfectly normal life, only it turns out that's not the case: she had a lot of secrets, and in one of them lies the key to finding her killer. That assignment is given to Special FBI Agent Dale Cooper (Lynch regular Kyle MacLachlan), who quickly earns the trust and friendship of Sheriff Truman (Michael Ontkean) and the rest of Twin Peaks'inhabitants thanks to his extraordinary deductive methods and fascination for the calm and peace around him. And he is going to need all the help he can get, as Laura's murder is just one of the many odd things causing trouble in the heavenly surroundings: there's Benjamin Horne (Richard Beymer) and his dangerous connection with a casino/brothel known as One-Eyed Jack's; there's his daughter Audrey (Sherilyn Fenn), whose interest in Agent Cooper might put her in a worse situation than she thinks; there's the dispute over the Packard sawmill between Catherine Martell (Piper Laurie) and Josie Packard (Joan Chen); and there are the bizarre creatures who populate Cooper's dreams, people like The Man From Another Place (a backwards-talking dwarf, played by Michael J. Anderson) or the terrifying Bob (Frank Silva), suggesting that most of the events in Twin Peaks may not have a rational explanation.
Back in 1990, a series like this had never been done before, so its success was a little unexpected (sadly, ratings dropped during the second season, leading to the show's premature cancellation). Now it can be seen as an anticipation of that great TV creation that is HBO: the dead interacting with the living (Six Feet Under), ambiguous characters and even more ambiguous relationships between them (Deadwood), a consistent balance between moving and funny, beautiful and shocking (The Sopranos), the seeds of all those elements can be found in Twin Peaks, a show that didn't hesitate when it came to playing with the format or crossing the line in terms of mature content (death, drug abuse, rape) or on-screen violence (the ending of Episode 8, where one of the villains is shown at the peak of his abilities, is still one of the most audacious scenes ever shown on mainstream television). More than any other series, it represents the seamless merger of big and small screen, a fact that is underlined by Lynch's decision to further explore the story in a feature film after the last episode had aired. Fans of the visionary filmmaker will find plenty of his recurring themes, some a direct reference to his previous works (the ugliness lying underneath the apparent perfection, as seen in Blue Velvet), others a hint of things to come (the duality of Lost Highway and Mulholland Drive, here embodied by Lee, who plays both the deceased Laura and her cousin).
As always with the Eraserhead director, the acting is exceptional: MacLachlan and Lee are the standouts, the former playing his best role to date, a cunning combination of palpable vulnerability and impeccable wit, the latter shining with a double performance that should have been the beginning of a great career (alas, apart from a minor role in John Carpenter's Vampires, she hasn't done much since). The supporting cast (Ontkean, Laurie, Lara Flynn Boyle and Ray Wise in particular) adds depth and emotion, making some episodes the most affecting ever seen on a TV screen. As for the guest stars, not all of them are well known, but every single one brings something special to the series: the most notable cameos include a then unknown Heather Graham, a pre-X-Files David Duchovny (a quite funny and ironic contrast to Fox Mulder) and Lynch himself as a half-deaf FBI Regional Chief (one of the show's best characters).
Those interested in American TV simply have to give Twin Peaks a look: it might be too weird or unsettling for some (but then again, that's always the case with Lynch's work), but it remains a landmark in contemporary television, and played a vital role in making the US small screen what it is today.
Created by David Lynch and Mark Frost, the series takes its name from a small American town where a grisly murder has been committed. The victim is local beauty Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee), a girl who seemed to have a perfectly normal life, only it turns out that's not the case: she had a lot of secrets, and in one of them lies the key to finding her killer. That assignment is given to Special FBI Agent Dale Cooper (Lynch regular Kyle MacLachlan), who quickly earns the trust and friendship of Sheriff Truman (Michael Ontkean) and the rest of Twin Peaks'inhabitants thanks to his extraordinary deductive methods and fascination for the calm and peace around him. And he is going to need all the help he can get, as Laura's murder is just one of the many odd things causing trouble in the heavenly surroundings: there's Benjamin Horne (Richard Beymer) and his dangerous connection with a casino/brothel known as One-Eyed Jack's; there's his daughter Audrey (Sherilyn Fenn), whose interest in Agent Cooper might put her in a worse situation than she thinks; there's the dispute over the Packard sawmill between Catherine Martell (Piper Laurie) and Josie Packard (Joan Chen); and there are the bizarre creatures who populate Cooper's dreams, people like The Man From Another Place (a backwards-talking dwarf, played by Michael J. Anderson) or the terrifying Bob (Frank Silva), suggesting that most of the events in Twin Peaks may not have a rational explanation.
Back in 1990, a series like this had never been done before, so its success was a little unexpected (sadly, ratings dropped during the second season, leading to the show's premature cancellation). Now it can be seen as an anticipation of that great TV creation that is HBO: the dead interacting with the living (Six Feet Under), ambiguous characters and even more ambiguous relationships between them (Deadwood), a consistent balance between moving and funny, beautiful and shocking (The Sopranos), the seeds of all those elements can be found in Twin Peaks, a show that didn't hesitate when it came to playing with the format or crossing the line in terms of mature content (death, drug abuse, rape) or on-screen violence (the ending of Episode 8, where one of the villains is shown at the peak of his abilities, is still one of the most audacious scenes ever shown on mainstream television). More than any other series, it represents the seamless merger of big and small screen, a fact that is underlined by Lynch's decision to further explore the story in a feature film after the last episode had aired. Fans of the visionary filmmaker will find plenty of his recurring themes, some a direct reference to his previous works (the ugliness lying underneath the apparent perfection, as seen in Blue Velvet), others a hint of things to come (the duality of Lost Highway and Mulholland Drive, here embodied by Lee, who plays both the deceased Laura and her cousin).
As always with the Eraserhead director, the acting is exceptional: MacLachlan and Lee are the standouts, the former playing his best role to date, a cunning combination of palpable vulnerability and impeccable wit, the latter shining with a double performance that should have been the beginning of a great career (alas, apart from a minor role in John Carpenter's Vampires, she hasn't done much since). The supporting cast (Ontkean, Laurie, Lara Flynn Boyle and Ray Wise in particular) adds depth and emotion, making some episodes the most affecting ever seen on a TV screen. As for the guest stars, not all of them are well known, but every single one brings something special to the series: the most notable cameos include a then unknown Heather Graham, a pre-X-Files David Duchovny (a quite funny and ironic contrast to Fox Mulder) and Lynch himself as a half-deaf FBI Regional Chief (one of the show's best characters).
Those interested in American TV simply have to give Twin Peaks a look: it might be too weird or unsettling for some (but then again, that's always the case with Lynch's work), but it remains a landmark in contemporary television, and played a vital role in making the US small screen what it is today.
Wow, Bob, Wow...
Quinoa198414 April 2007
Twin Peaks, much like David Lynch's own Mulholland Drive and Blue Velvet, among other great works of his, examines the main notion, idea and scope behind what it is meant to conventionally be. Twin Peaks is a murder-mystery show, yes, but this is not even scratching the surface as an identifying measure to say what the show is. Another explanation, as if it were possible, is that it is ABOUT mystery, and in the case of murder of life. That might seem a little too preachy or didactic, but as one goes deeper into the series, and deeper into the Black Lodge, and deeper into every single backwards-ass character on the show, a pattern emerges. Abstractions are Lynch's life blood, and even in the weirdest moments of the show he and Mark Frost, along with their writers and directors, make Twin Peaks a collection of abstractions, but at the same time making them as much as possibly within reach of human emotion. It's one of the rare times that the kind of artful penetration into what is essentially good, essentially evil, and even essentially gray-in-area in human beings that usually presides in cinema is let out, practically in each episode, like some kind of feverish worm that crawls in your mind and won't stop...Maybe it's the owls.
But aside from the many, many, many layers to the show, to the dynamics between FBI Agent Cooper (Kyle MacLaughlin in his most recognizable role) and those he relates to everyday as well as in his dreams and Tibetan-inspired visions (the classic being the quintessential dream with the garbled-talking little-person), the teenagers with their own plots of neuroses and dramas and higher ambitions and darker demons, as well as those you'd least expect- the quiet ones- not to mention the ones residing on top in the little crevices we dare not usually seek out in small towns (i.e. the prostitution ring fronted by Mr. Horne), it's just a damn-well entertaining program. It's a superlative crossbreeding of the kind of inimitable melodrama that has the immediate feel of a soap-opera, but far more intelligent in the scope of acting and writing, and the classic absurdities that come up in the best of Lynch's work. Meaning that it will work, more or less, for two different audiences.
Fans of Lynch's will drink it up like damn-good coffee the endless quirks that become commonplace, where characters in any other show would get little no-note roles like the secretary Lucy, or the psychologist Jacobi, or even a classic nut-bar like the Log-Lady, who has the claim that the log is really her dead husband. This, plus enough dream sequences, elaborate lighting and set-design schemes, and the outrageous characterizations make it vintage Lynch/Frost work. For the other crowd, those who don't usually watch Lynch's movies and are more of just the regular TV potatoes, the series has an appeal for its more genuine side, the one that stays true to the ideas and dramatic tensions behind the characters. Even when it gets too weird, and especially in season 2 the feeling starts to get stronger and more nagging, one can't really totally pull away from it, like as if some old man with an old storybook was reading out something almost certifiable, but intriguing all the same. Laura Palmer's death brings out what her life was all about, and really what anyone connected to her is all about; there's an appeal to find out what's behind the lives of others, especially when it balances out between light and dark tendencies.
On top of this, the acting is par for the course top-notch. MacLaughlin, it seems could play this guy in his sleep after a while, and it doesn't take too long in the first season to get past his own odd-sense of awareness (and his regular reliance on dreams and visions) to get closer to solving the dreaded case of Laura Palmer. It's hard for me to think of any one performance that would be a bad one to knock-off, as even the more ludicrous ones- based on their characters- are played as believable as possible. Memorable guest appearances, however, are attributed to the likes of Michael Parks (known from the Tarantino/Rodriguez movies), David Duchovny (an excellent, far cry from Mulder) Frank Silva (as the one who, well, I won't say too much about him), and Lynch himself as the FBI regional chief who's a little hard of hearing. So much can be seen as the blackest of comedy, by turns very sudden and otherworldly and just plain strange (a signing and dancing Mr. Palmer and rows and rows of donuts just bits of what's in store), and it is often very funny. But there's also much in the way of what makes for the best TV: you want to keep watching each week, or now as is the case back to back on DVD, to see how this will turn out, however f***ed up it might get. Simply, it has something, if only in parts, for everybody/
So get yourself some pie and coffee, make sure to speak backwards and forwards again, and don't underestimate the power of a giant with some clues on hand. Twin Peaks is a world of secrets unveiled, and secrets that maybe shouldn't be unveiled yet sought after, and there's enough to keep fans talking for years to come as one of the great 'cult' show in modern TV.
But aside from the many, many, many layers to the show, to the dynamics between FBI Agent Cooper (Kyle MacLaughlin in his most recognizable role) and those he relates to everyday as well as in his dreams and Tibetan-inspired visions (the classic being the quintessential dream with the garbled-talking little-person), the teenagers with their own plots of neuroses and dramas and higher ambitions and darker demons, as well as those you'd least expect- the quiet ones- not to mention the ones residing on top in the little crevices we dare not usually seek out in small towns (i.e. the prostitution ring fronted by Mr. Horne), it's just a damn-well entertaining program. It's a superlative crossbreeding of the kind of inimitable melodrama that has the immediate feel of a soap-opera, but far more intelligent in the scope of acting and writing, and the classic absurdities that come up in the best of Lynch's work. Meaning that it will work, more or less, for two different audiences.
Fans of Lynch's will drink it up like damn-good coffee the endless quirks that become commonplace, where characters in any other show would get little no-note roles like the secretary Lucy, or the psychologist Jacobi, or even a classic nut-bar like the Log-Lady, who has the claim that the log is really her dead husband. This, plus enough dream sequences, elaborate lighting and set-design schemes, and the outrageous characterizations make it vintage Lynch/Frost work. For the other crowd, those who don't usually watch Lynch's movies and are more of just the regular TV potatoes, the series has an appeal for its more genuine side, the one that stays true to the ideas and dramatic tensions behind the characters. Even when it gets too weird, and especially in season 2 the feeling starts to get stronger and more nagging, one can't really totally pull away from it, like as if some old man with an old storybook was reading out something almost certifiable, but intriguing all the same. Laura Palmer's death brings out what her life was all about, and really what anyone connected to her is all about; there's an appeal to find out what's behind the lives of others, especially when it balances out between light and dark tendencies.
On top of this, the acting is par for the course top-notch. MacLaughlin, it seems could play this guy in his sleep after a while, and it doesn't take too long in the first season to get past his own odd-sense of awareness (and his regular reliance on dreams and visions) to get closer to solving the dreaded case of Laura Palmer. It's hard for me to think of any one performance that would be a bad one to knock-off, as even the more ludicrous ones- based on their characters- are played as believable as possible. Memorable guest appearances, however, are attributed to the likes of Michael Parks (known from the Tarantino/Rodriguez movies), David Duchovny (an excellent, far cry from Mulder) Frank Silva (as the one who, well, I won't say too much about him), and Lynch himself as the FBI regional chief who's a little hard of hearing. So much can be seen as the blackest of comedy, by turns very sudden and otherworldly and just plain strange (a signing and dancing Mr. Palmer and rows and rows of donuts just bits of what's in store), and it is often very funny. But there's also much in the way of what makes for the best TV: you want to keep watching each week, or now as is the case back to back on DVD, to see how this will turn out, however f***ed up it might get. Simply, it has something, if only in parts, for everybody/
So get yourself some pie and coffee, make sure to speak backwards and forwards again, and don't underestimate the power of a giant with some clues on hand. Twin Peaks is a world of secrets unveiled, and secrets that maybe shouldn't be unveiled yet sought after, and there's enough to keep fans talking for years to come as one of the great 'cult' show in modern TV.
One of the greatest television series ever
TheLittleSongbird15 November 2014
After hearing nothing but great things about Twin Peaks(although there were criticisms of the second season not being as good and some being underwhelmed by the ending) I finally checked out the show and the film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me as somebody who appreciates David Lynch hugely and love almost all his films, and it was time well worth spent. It's true that the first season is better than the second, but that is not to knock the second season because it is still great, if not as well paced and maybe the main plot line was wrapped up a little too quickly(the only negative personally against the series), but the first season is a masterpiece and some of the best television has ever seen. There have been criticisms about the reveal of the final episode being underwhelming, initially it is a head-scratcher but I am with those who considers the episode on the whole one of the scariest episodes seen on television.
Twin Peaks looks incredible, quite easily one of the best-looking TV series personally watched; the photography is so good that you have to check that it's for a television show and not a film and the costumes and sets are colourfully surreal and positively eye catching. Twin Peaks is also one of the best scored television series, the music enhances the atmosphere so well and better than a lot of other shows and it really haunts the mind, again like the visuals it can easily be mistaken for a score written for a film. The dialogue is very thought-provoking with moments of tension and a lot of hilarious humour that has David Lynch's style of humour all over it. The episodes are all compelling and multi-faceted in atmosphere, even the weakest episodes are much better than a lot of TV shows today at their best and worst, while the show tackles a very dark subject with subtle horror, genuinely disturbing scenes like the entire ending, quirky humour that at its best is side-splittingly hilarious and a real emotional wallop.
The characters are not only interesting with more than one dimension to them but more than memorable as well, Agent Cooper and Ben Horne being especially so, sure a few appear, disappear and re-appear but you never forget them. Twin Peaks is superbly directed and acted throughout, with the performances Kyle MacLachlan in his most famous role(perhaps) is at his best and the same can be said for Richard Beymer. Sheryl Lee and Sherilyn Fenn are poignant, Ray Wise is much more sensitive than he is in the film and one mustn't forget the scene-stealer that is Piper Laurie nor Frank Silva as one of the most frightening characters television has ever seen. Strictly speaking the acting is outstanding all round, you'd be hard pressed to find a television series with no actor is bad and with this level of consistency. To conclude, at its best Twin Peaks really is one of the greatest television series ever. The film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me is not as good but is still very good and undeservedly under-appreciated. 10/10 Bethany Cox
Twin Peaks looks incredible, quite easily one of the best-looking TV series personally watched; the photography is so good that you have to check that it's for a television show and not a film and the costumes and sets are colourfully surreal and positively eye catching. Twin Peaks is also one of the best scored television series, the music enhances the atmosphere so well and better than a lot of other shows and it really haunts the mind, again like the visuals it can easily be mistaken for a score written for a film. The dialogue is very thought-provoking with moments of tension and a lot of hilarious humour that has David Lynch's style of humour all over it. The episodes are all compelling and multi-faceted in atmosphere, even the weakest episodes are much better than a lot of TV shows today at their best and worst, while the show tackles a very dark subject with subtle horror, genuinely disturbing scenes like the entire ending, quirky humour that at its best is side-splittingly hilarious and a real emotional wallop.
The characters are not only interesting with more than one dimension to them but more than memorable as well, Agent Cooper and Ben Horne being especially so, sure a few appear, disappear and re-appear but you never forget them. Twin Peaks is superbly directed and acted throughout, with the performances Kyle MacLachlan in his most famous role(perhaps) is at his best and the same can be said for Richard Beymer. Sheryl Lee and Sherilyn Fenn are poignant, Ray Wise is much more sensitive than he is in the film and one mustn't forget the scene-stealer that is Piper Laurie nor Frank Silva as one of the most frightening characters television has ever seen. Strictly speaking the acting is outstanding all round, you'd be hard pressed to find a television series with no actor is bad and with this level of consistency. To conclude, at its best Twin Peaks really is one of the greatest television series ever. The film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me is not as good but is still very good and undeservedly under-appreciated. 10/10 Bethany Cox
The Evil in these Woods
Coventry3 July 2017
How does one begin to describe the series that is his absolute favorite and of which he firmly believes that it remains the most genius and unique piece of television heritage of all times? Perhaps with the obvious statement that every single episode is a mini- masterpiece; - a true feast for all senses that puts you in a kind of magical trance throughout its running time and even long after it's finished. I recently finished watching the series integrally for the third time. The first time was when it first aired on Belgian television in the early nineties. Since I was only 11-12 years old around then, many of the surreal aspects and expressionist trademarks were incomprehensible for me, and I also vividly remember that my parents strongly disapproved of me watching a show that dealt with prom queens being murdered and midgets talking backwards! And yet, even though I didn't capture perhaps half of what was going on, I principally remember that I was lured to the screen as soon as I heard the ominous tunes of Angelo Badalamenti's fantastic theme music and gazed at the show in sort of hypnotized state. The second time I watched the whole series was around 10 years ago when I insisted to introduce "Twin Peaks" to my then-girlfriend who never heard of it. She wasn't very enthusiast and gave up after only six or seven episodes of the first season. The relationship didn't last, not coincidentally I reckon, but I did complete the series on my own and became even more obsessed with the events and the many versatile and intriguing characters that live in the titular northwest lumber town. My third viewing naturally got inspired by the news of the new season – "Twin Peaks" is back after 25 years – and the hope that it'll quickly become available here in Europe as well. I'm not in the habit of writing user comments for TV- series, but I felt it was appropriate to make an exception for the greatest one ever made.
"Twin Peaks" is the brain child of master filmmaker David Lynch, and anyone even remotely familiar with his repertoire ("Eraserhead", "Blue Velvet", "Lost Highway") knows that his imagination is unlimited as well as unpredictable, and that his style is inimitable as well as astounding. Even though "Twin Peaks" is far more accessible than the vast majority of Lynch's movies, overall weirdness and unworldly atmosphere remain primary factors in the pilot feature film and all 30 episodes. "Twin Peaks" is at its most brilliant when it's surreal, but the series is equally brilliant when the events are more rational. The basic premise is the search for the murderer of the 17-year-old local beauty Laura Palmer. When her body is discovered, wrapped in plastic nearby a lakeside shore, the sleepy and seemingly idyllic little lumber town is turned upside down and the darkest secrets of several eminent and less eminent town inhabitants gradually come to the surface. The local Sheriff's department, led by Harry S. Truman (that choice of name alone is awesome), receives the help of the slightly eccentric but mainly amiable and coffee-worshiping FBI agent Dale Cooper. How can the solving of only one simple murder case keep you glued to the TV- screen for one and a half seasons, whereas other detective/thriller series solve similar crimes in less than one hour almost every week? The short and simple answer would be that "Twin Peaks" is unlike every other show and every episode brings forward new surprises, unexpected revelations, enigmatic sub plots and dark new edges of familiar characters. The murdered Laura Palmer is a perfect of this herself. When her body is found, we – as well as most of the townsfolk – assume that she was regular teenage girl with normal interests and worries, but a few episodes later it becomes painfully clear that Laura was everything but a prototype teenager. This goes for practically every character and event in "Twin Peaks"; - nothing or nobody is what they seem, making this the most unconventional soap opera ever made. Even when the murder of Laura Palmer is resolved (allegedly the main reason why the viewing rates dropped significantly and the show got canceled), and the story primarily revolves on the cat-and-mouse game between Dale Cooper and his old nemesis Windom Earle, "Twin Peaks" continues to spawn creative and compelling inside stories.
I could easily write a full-length review for each episode or an extended essay on every single supportive character of this show, but nobody like to read that much, right? I'll narrow it down to stating that every tiniest detail is worth discovering and every resident of Twin Peaks is worth getting acquainted with. There's a fantastic balance between nightmarish imagery and comical reliefs, there's the ideal mixture between surrealism and straightforward action/suspense and there's the underlying yet omnipresent ambiance of good versus evil. The episodes directed by David Lynch himself, six in total including the pilot film, are undoubtedly superior to the rest, but every director or cast member that worked on "Twin Peaks" truly surpassed him or herself. Same goes for the downright stellar ensemble cast. Most of these actors and actresses will be forever linked to their characters here, and they can be proud of it too! I'm in love with every woman that lives in Twin Peaks! Since age 11, I had a crush on Donna, Shelly, Audrey, Nora, Laura, Maddy, Josie, Annie, as well as a peculiar fondness for Nadine and the Log Lady. As for the men, well, I'd sure love to have a cup of coffee and a chat with the entire Sheriff's department, the Bookstore Boys, the Northern Hotel management and even the unreliable crooks. The show is more than 25 years old and still doesn't look the least bit dated. Can't wait to see the 2017 season!
"Twin Peaks" is the brain child of master filmmaker David Lynch, and anyone even remotely familiar with his repertoire ("Eraserhead", "Blue Velvet", "Lost Highway") knows that his imagination is unlimited as well as unpredictable, and that his style is inimitable as well as astounding. Even though "Twin Peaks" is far more accessible than the vast majority of Lynch's movies, overall weirdness and unworldly atmosphere remain primary factors in the pilot feature film and all 30 episodes. "Twin Peaks" is at its most brilliant when it's surreal, but the series is equally brilliant when the events are more rational. The basic premise is the search for the murderer of the 17-year-old local beauty Laura Palmer. When her body is discovered, wrapped in plastic nearby a lakeside shore, the sleepy and seemingly idyllic little lumber town is turned upside down and the darkest secrets of several eminent and less eminent town inhabitants gradually come to the surface. The local Sheriff's department, led by Harry S. Truman (that choice of name alone is awesome), receives the help of the slightly eccentric but mainly amiable and coffee-worshiping FBI agent Dale Cooper. How can the solving of only one simple murder case keep you glued to the TV- screen for one and a half seasons, whereas other detective/thriller series solve similar crimes in less than one hour almost every week? The short and simple answer would be that "Twin Peaks" is unlike every other show and every episode brings forward new surprises, unexpected revelations, enigmatic sub plots and dark new edges of familiar characters. The murdered Laura Palmer is a perfect of this herself. When her body is found, we – as well as most of the townsfolk – assume that she was regular teenage girl with normal interests and worries, but a few episodes later it becomes painfully clear that Laura was everything but a prototype teenager. This goes for practically every character and event in "Twin Peaks"; - nothing or nobody is what they seem, making this the most unconventional soap opera ever made. Even when the murder of Laura Palmer is resolved (allegedly the main reason why the viewing rates dropped significantly and the show got canceled), and the story primarily revolves on the cat-and-mouse game between Dale Cooper and his old nemesis Windom Earle, "Twin Peaks" continues to spawn creative and compelling inside stories.
I could easily write a full-length review for each episode or an extended essay on every single supportive character of this show, but nobody like to read that much, right? I'll narrow it down to stating that every tiniest detail is worth discovering and every resident of Twin Peaks is worth getting acquainted with. There's a fantastic balance between nightmarish imagery and comical reliefs, there's the ideal mixture between surrealism and straightforward action/suspense and there's the underlying yet omnipresent ambiance of good versus evil. The episodes directed by David Lynch himself, six in total including the pilot film, are undoubtedly superior to the rest, but every director or cast member that worked on "Twin Peaks" truly surpassed him or herself. Same goes for the downright stellar ensemble cast. Most of these actors and actresses will be forever linked to their characters here, and they can be proud of it too! I'm in love with every woman that lives in Twin Peaks! Since age 11, I had a crush on Donna, Shelly, Audrey, Nora, Laura, Maddy, Josie, Annie, as well as a peculiar fondness for Nadine and the Log Lady. As for the men, well, I'd sure love to have a cup of coffee and a chat with the entire Sheriff's department, the Bookstore Boys, the Northern Hotel management and even the unreliable crooks. The show is more than 25 years old and still doesn't look the least bit dated. Can't wait to see the 2017 season!
That's My Leland!
lincolnhawk-873772 September 2020
I remember Twin Peaks being on TV when I was growing up but didn't watch it; I decided recently to give it a shot, mainly because of the many references made to it in other shows, or in reviews of other shows. I assumed that for a thirty-year-old show to still be referenced so heavily it must have been of considerable quality. I have watched so many recent lazy, unoriginal, formulaic TV shows that I figured going back in time might provide more entertaining viewing. I was right, but it was not all GOOD entertainment. The first few episodes had me intrigued; the feel of the show and some of the characters was just so refreshingly "off" that it was oddly fascinating. It was really the bizarre grieving of the Palmer parents that did the trick for me; the mother and her stop-start wailing and the father sob-dancing, it was just so off-the-wall I loved it. You also had Agent Cooper coming to town and being awestruck by the natural beauty, staring in childlike wonder at the trees, overly appreciative of every little thing in every interaction he had with the local folk, not the standard big-shot FBI character that has been done to death. The first dream scene with the dancing dwarf was entrancing, watching the little guy move in such mysterious ways, I was sold. I thought that the show would be saturated with off-beat touches like this throughout the two seasons and kept watching each episode, hoping to not be disappointed. It was like Lynch had taken the standard soap opera, pushed it down a flight of stairs and when it stumbled back to its feet it was never quite the same, permanently touched in the head.
However, I found that the spell cast upon me in the first few episodes quickly wore off. I start like this to establish that I initially LIKED the show; I didn't come into it wanting to slam it and tear it down, which is what the 10-star reviewers tend to dismiss any negative reviewers as being guilty of. Unfortunately, those genuinely fascinating moments are very few and far between. If the creators had had an off-the-wall, fully formed, single season show in mind and executed it efficiently, it would've really worked for me. The plot would have been tighter, the characters would've remained fresh and the story would've been more cohesive and engaging. Instead, they had this half-formed, quirky spin on a soap opera-slash-murder mystery and dragged it out over two seasons and thirty episodes. By doing so, the refreshingly quirky characters become tired and varying degrees of annoying; it would be like taking some of the bit-part Seinfeld characters like The Wiz or Kenny Bania and giving them hours of dedicated screen time over a two year period, essentially draining them of any comic value through over-saturation. And THAT applies to the few GOOD characters; ones like James, Donna, Josie (to name but a few) become sickeningly irritating. James Marshall plays James Hurley and brings a whole new level to the term "wooden"; he makes Keanu Reeves look animated and layered. Lara-Flynn Boyle plays his girlfriend Donna and was also relatively lifeless, yet these two had massive chunks of screen time over the two seasons, despite bringing virtually nothing to the plot. This was filler of the worst kind. Marshall was inexplicably given a dedicated "road trip" story line which made for truly nauseating viewing. It shows the inadequacies of the creators of the show, incapable of recognizing that they had cast someone with zero charisma or screen presence and then giving him MORE screen time the deeper they went into the show. He should've been killed off as quickly as possible. Much of the casting was truly dire. Eric Da Re as Leo Johnson was terrible, one of the least menacing bad guys of all time. The only satisfying thing about his involvement was when he became a spoon-fed, Frankenstein-like idiot after a shooting. I'm still confused by Harry Goaz's acting as Deputy Andy; I have no idea if this was entirely intentional bad-acting or not. If it was, it became incredibly annoying and distracting extremely quickly. Joan Chen as Josie Packard was comparable to James Marshall in her lack of screen presence and charisma and to Goaz in her total lack of acting ability, to the point where you wonder if it was an intentional gimmick in both cases. Michael Ontkean as Sheriff Harry was another dead-eyed fish of an actor; so many of the main characters were horribly miscast. On the flip side, there WERE some standouts. Piper Laurie as Catherine Martell, Laurie being a legitimate movie actor, most memorable to me in The Hustler opposite Newman. MacLachlan played his role to a T, like Paul Gross in Due South, examples of perfect casting, whether you like the shows or the characters or not. Madchen Amick lit up the screen every time she graced it. Sherilyn Fenn was fantastic; she was the femme fatale that all the men fall for and was entirely believable, whereas Marshall was supposed to be the male equivalent, the ladies' man and was utterly implausible in such a role. The casting was all over the place and added to the overall mess of the show as it inexorably wore on.
The longer it went on, the more it became apparent that Lynch was simply "winging it". He clearly had only a loose semblance of an underlying plot and this became painfully evident once it dragged its way into Season 2. TWENTY-TWO episodes, at least 90% of which was filler. When you have so much filler, you bury any of the good. The theme music that was initially catchy and something you looked forward to hearing becomes maddening when it is filtered heavily throughout every episode for THIRTY episodes. I'm not sure if the 10-star reviewers are writing reviews on a recent revisiting of the show or their memory of when they viewed it decades ago. I know from personal experience that such memories can be exceptionally deceiving. The mind filters out the best moments - for me it would be Leland grief-dancing - and puts a golden haze on the show. I strongly suspect that this is the case; many such reviewers simply refer to their favourite characters like Log Lady, the gimmickiest of characters. I urge 10-star reviewers who are reviewing based on old memories to go back and watch the series again, particularly the second season. Sit through the "plot" lines of thirty-five year old Nadine developing superhuman strength and believing she is a high school student after a head injury again and tell me that is great television. Relive James' road trip if you can. Watch episode after episode after episode of Harry Goaz's' bizarre and deeply confusing performance. For me, it all became sadly tragic that Lynch managed to turn the initial refreshing parody of a soap opera into the banal reality of one.
However, I found that the spell cast upon me in the first few episodes quickly wore off. I start like this to establish that I initially LIKED the show; I didn't come into it wanting to slam it and tear it down, which is what the 10-star reviewers tend to dismiss any negative reviewers as being guilty of. Unfortunately, those genuinely fascinating moments are very few and far between. If the creators had had an off-the-wall, fully formed, single season show in mind and executed it efficiently, it would've really worked for me. The plot would have been tighter, the characters would've remained fresh and the story would've been more cohesive and engaging. Instead, they had this half-formed, quirky spin on a soap opera-slash-murder mystery and dragged it out over two seasons and thirty episodes. By doing so, the refreshingly quirky characters become tired and varying degrees of annoying; it would be like taking some of the bit-part Seinfeld characters like The Wiz or Kenny Bania and giving them hours of dedicated screen time over a two year period, essentially draining them of any comic value through over-saturation. And THAT applies to the few GOOD characters; ones like James, Donna, Josie (to name but a few) become sickeningly irritating. James Marshall plays James Hurley and brings a whole new level to the term "wooden"; he makes Keanu Reeves look animated and layered. Lara-Flynn Boyle plays his girlfriend Donna and was also relatively lifeless, yet these two had massive chunks of screen time over the two seasons, despite bringing virtually nothing to the plot. This was filler of the worst kind. Marshall was inexplicably given a dedicated "road trip" story line which made for truly nauseating viewing. It shows the inadequacies of the creators of the show, incapable of recognizing that they had cast someone with zero charisma or screen presence and then giving him MORE screen time the deeper they went into the show. He should've been killed off as quickly as possible. Much of the casting was truly dire. Eric Da Re as Leo Johnson was terrible, one of the least menacing bad guys of all time. The only satisfying thing about his involvement was when he became a spoon-fed, Frankenstein-like idiot after a shooting. I'm still confused by Harry Goaz's acting as Deputy Andy; I have no idea if this was entirely intentional bad-acting or not. If it was, it became incredibly annoying and distracting extremely quickly. Joan Chen as Josie Packard was comparable to James Marshall in her lack of screen presence and charisma and to Goaz in her total lack of acting ability, to the point where you wonder if it was an intentional gimmick in both cases. Michael Ontkean as Sheriff Harry was another dead-eyed fish of an actor; so many of the main characters were horribly miscast. On the flip side, there WERE some standouts. Piper Laurie as Catherine Martell, Laurie being a legitimate movie actor, most memorable to me in The Hustler opposite Newman. MacLachlan played his role to a T, like Paul Gross in Due South, examples of perfect casting, whether you like the shows or the characters or not. Madchen Amick lit up the screen every time she graced it. Sherilyn Fenn was fantastic; she was the femme fatale that all the men fall for and was entirely believable, whereas Marshall was supposed to be the male equivalent, the ladies' man and was utterly implausible in such a role. The casting was all over the place and added to the overall mess of the show as it inexorably wore on.
The longer it went on, the more it became apparent that Lynch was simply "winging it". He clearly had only a loose semblance of an underlying plot and this became painfully evident once it dragged its way into Season 2. TWENTY-TWO episodes, at least 90% of which was filler. When you have so much filler, you bury any of the good. The theme music that was initially catchy and something you looked forward to hearing becomes maddening when it is filtered heavily throughout every episode for THIRTY episodes. I'm not sure if the 10-star reviewers are writing reviews on a recent revisiting of the show or their memory of when they viewed it decades ago. I know from personal experience that such memories can be exceptionally deceiving. The mind filters out the best moments - for me it would be Leland grief-dancing - and puts a golden haze on the show. I strongly suspect that this is the case; many such reviewers simply refer to their favourite characters like Log Lady, the gimmickiest of characters. I urge 10-star reviewers who are reviewing based on old memories to go back and watch the series again, particularly the second season. Sit through the "plot" lines of thirty-five year old Nadine developing superhuman strength and believing she is a high school student after a head injury again and tell me that is great television. Relive James' road trip if you can. Watch episode after episode after episode of Harry Goaz's' bizarre and deeply confusing performance. For me, it all became sadly tragic that Lynch managed to turn the initial refreshing parody of a soap opera into the banal reality of one.
brilliant and hilarious
mullerjoseph555 September 2004
This is one of the shows that I started watching because many people, whose opinions I valued, stated, repeatedly, that I "absolutely must see this." Let me say that I was pretty much hooked from the first scene when they discover the body. The one deputy crying at the body was both touching and kind of funny. It perfectly introduced the entire series which is serious and ridiculous all at once. There is so much to talk about this incredible series which burned too bright to burn for very long.
For starters, Agent Cooper is the single greatest character ever captured on film (go ahead, try and think of a better one). He's brilliant, genuinely caring, incredibly funny, exuberant to the nth degree, unbelievably likable, but also with a sordid past which haunts him. Nobody, but nobody, could have delivered the pie and coffee compliments with so much gusto.
However, he is just the brightest star in the sky. There are so many crazy, yet somehow believable characters that grace Lynch's universe. The swift descent of Ben Horn into madness is sad, pathetic, surreal and hilarious. No other series would have dared contain a man believing that he was General Lee commanding the south at Gettysburg (it also provides the funniest line from the show, when Audrey Horn is talking to his psychiatrist and he remarks that "What he (Ben Horn) needs now is our sympathy, understanding and a confederate victory."). All of the characters create a amazing tapestry where one is genuinely anticipating which character is going to lose it somehow (but one never anticipates correctly). In this reviewers opinion, the plot takes a backseat to the characters which are too strange, or too ordinary but never dull, to exist in any other show anywhere (minus James, who gets irritating right when he starts singing and never stops). Fantastic actors all around with more career launching cameos than any show or movie ever.
Sadly, the second season is not as good as the first, plot-wise, but still is as quirky and entertaining with an unbelievable ending to the series. Many have criticized the show for being excessively intellectual, but I never found the show pedantic or hopelessly cryptic. Rather, it seemed as though David Lynch just decided to employ every weird idea that popped into his febrile mind for the sheer joy of it.
To finish, one needs to watch this show. It's not uniformly brilliant and sometimes just plain weird, but always rewarding and truly one of the landmarks of American television. Go get a nice piece of cherry pie, a cup of coffee, take four days off work and start watching it.
For starters, Agent Cooper is the single greatest character ever captured on film (go ahead, try and think of a better one). He's brilliant, genuinely caring, incredibly funny, exuberant to the nth degree, unbelievably likable, but also with a sordid past which haunts him. Nobody, but nobody, could have delivered the pie and coffee compliments with so much gusto.
However, he is just the brightest star in the sky. There are so many crazy, yet somehow believable characters that grace Lynch's universe. The swift descent of Ben Horn into madness is sad, pathetic, surreal and hilarious. No other series would have dared contain a man believing that he was General Lee commanding the south at Gettysburg (it also provides the funniest line from the show, when Audrey Horn is talking to his psychiatrist and he remarks that "What he (Ben Horn) needs now is our sympathy, understanding and a confederate victory."). All of the characters create a amazing tapestry where one is genuinely anticipating which character is going to lose it somehow (but one never anticipates correctly). In this reviewers opinion, the plot takes a backseat to the characters which are too strange, or too ordinary but never dull, to exist in any other show anywhere (minus James, who gets irritating right when he starts singing and never stops). Fantastic actors all around with more career launching cameos than any show or movie ever.
Sadly, the second season is not as good as the first, plot-wise, but still is as quirky and entertaining with an unbelievable ending to the series. Many have criticized the show for being excessively intellectual, but I never found the show pedantic or hopelessly cryptic. Rather, it seemed as though David Lynch just decided to employ every weird idea that popped into his febrile mind for the sheer joy of it.
To finish, one needs to watch this show. It's not uniformly brilliant and sometimes just plain weird, but always rewarding and truly one of the landmarks of American television. Go get a nice piece of cherry pie, a cup of coffee, take four days off work and start watching it.
There is something strange about the town of Twin Peaks
Tweekums15 June 2012
The series opens with the body of local beauty Laura Palma being discovered and one could be forgiven that this was going to be another routine murder mystery. There are the expected strange clues such as a letter hidden under the girls nails linking it to a previous crime... which might lead one to think it is a serial killer drama. The local sheriff's department call in the FBI and Agent Dale Cooper is dispatched to town; he is to become the series' protagonist. He starts out investigating the death as he would any other but it isn't long before things turn strange; he has a strange dream that is some how more than a dream and people see a strange man know as Bob. As the investigation continues we learn more about Laura's life and discover that she wasn't as innocent as people thought and was mixed up with some dangerous people; that doesn't mean it was one of them who killed her though. The series is about much more than a murder investigation; it also follows the lives of those affected by it and those around them. There are many subplots involving the personal relationships of the people and their general lives.
This series deserves to be considered a cult classic; creator David Lynch does a great job bringing his strange world to the screen; nothing here is quite normal... even the things that appear to be are just slightly off; for example even though the film is set in the present (at the time it was made) it has a '50s feel to it; as though the town was somehow in the wrong time! The acting from the main cast was spot on; especially Kyle MacLachlan who plays Agent Cooper, Michael Ontkean who plays Sheriff Harry Truman and Sherilyn Fenn who played the sultry Audrey Horne, one of Laura's friends. It isn't the question of who killed Laura Palmer that makes the series so fascinating, that gets solved early in the second season; it is discovering little details about the characters as the series progresses and when it ends you will either be tearing your hair out in frustration or thinking you've just seen something great... or possibly both!
This series deserves to be considered a cult classic; creator David Lynch does a great job bringing his strange world to the screen; nothing here is quite normal... even the things that appear to be are just slightly off; for example even though the film is set in the present (at the time it was made) it has a '50s feel to it; as though the town was somehow in the wrong time! The acting from the main cast was spot on; especially Kyle MacLachlan who plays Agent Cooper, Michael Ontkean who plays Sheriff Harry Truman and Sherilyn Fenn who played the sultry Audrey Horne, one of Laura's friends. It isn't the question of who killed Laura Palmer that makes the series so fascinating, that gets solved early in the second season; it is discovering little details about the characters as the series progresses and when it ends you will either be tearing your hair out in frustration or thinking you've just seen something great... or possibly both!
The best tv series I have ever watched
LewisPritchard2 July 2018
Twin peaks at first is like a lot of David lynch's work. Let's say you need to watch most of his films 2 times round to get an understanding of them. When I watched the pilot for the first time I felt like I was a part of the twin peaks community. The show does such a great job in combining genres. From the pilot to the last episode of season 2 I was intrigued by everything. I think the reason for me being so intrigued by twin peaks is not quite understanding everything at first and then later on having it all make sense. A big part of twin peaks is the beautiful soundtrack by Angelo badalamente. Without the soundtrack twin peaks I think would be very different as each scene has a stylish song playing to set the scene. For example the black lodge has the arm dancing to badalamete's dance of the dream man. Twin peaks is by far my favourite tv series and really do hope lynch makes a fourth series.
An experiment that became ground-breaking television
AlsExGal1 May 2010
"Twin Peaks" was a fantastic show that was quite experimental for its time (1990-1991) that at it's worst was better than most everything else on TV. I wish the show could have survived longer, but with an awful second season time slot - Saturday at 10pm - it had no chance. The revelation of Laura Palmer's killer took the wind out of the sails somewhat just nine shows into the second season, but the true theme of Twin Peaks was about the evil in the woods that took the form of the killer and the seamy underbelly of what appeared to be everyday small-town life. The murder of Laura Palmer was just the surface of that. Three somewhat pointless episodes followed the one that revealed Laura's killer, but then the show bounced back with the Windham Earle storyline. Unfortunately many viewers had stopped watching the show by then. Perhaps the lasting legacy of "Twin Peaks" is that it made series with weird subplots, long story arcs, and oddball characters more acceptable to the networks. For example, I don't think that "The X-Files" could have made it to the air in 1993 had it not been for "Twin Peaks" preceding it and succeeding. After all, after a show where there is a dwarf that materializes on a bed, dances, and talks backwards, an alternate reality where clones are created and sent out to the world, and creamed corn as a symbol of suffering, the adventures of Scully and Mulder look as thematically tame as Dragnet. Highly recommended.
Tragically beautiful
CinefanR16 January 2012
"Twin Peaks" must be the best TV series of all time, since even today, 20 years after its first run, there is still nothing like it. This is the strange little town where black coffee, cherry pie, red curtains, the smell of Douglas firs and an ancient evil presence make heaven an interesting place. And of course, "there's always music in the air"
This truly unique blend of mystery, comedy and horror with surreal undertones and deeper layers of symbolism manages to be hilarious, touching and disturbing all together. The music, characters, dialogues and story lines, the visually arresting sequences, the unmistakable directorial approach - everything about the series is so "out of this world". Peculiar and timeless, the mysteries of "Twin Peaks" are irresistible and open to interpretation.
This truly unique blend of mystery, comedy and horror with surreal undertones and deeper layers of symbolism manages to be hilarious, touching and disturbing all together. The music, characters, dialogues and story lines, the visually arresting sequences, the unmistakable directorial approach - everything about the series is so "out of this world". Peculiar and timeless, the mysteries of "Twin Peaks" are irresistible and open to interpretation.
No for everyone...
planktonrules3 July 2017
"Twin Peaks" is not a show for everybody. This isn't really a criticism...more an indication that the style of the program and the plot is something that the average viewer won't like or appreciate...but many others will. This is because the show is ultra-bizarre and often surreal--with strange dreams, visions, plots that go off the deep end with oddness and more. Believe me...it's among the strangest TV shows ever made...like the later episodes of "The Prisoner"...but weirder.
What did I like about it? Well, the show's music was amazingly evocative and cool...really cool. The direction was often exquisite...well crafted and distinctive. I really appreciated it from the onset. Acting was generally good, though the show had a million and one subplots apart from the murder of Laura Palmer...and a few of the characters and their stories were both unnecessary and boring (such as Bobby Briggs). All in all, a highly uneven show (later ones got a bit too weird at times) but one of the most creative ever made. Worth seeing if you have a high threshold for the ultra-odd.
What did I like about it? Well, the show's music was amazingly evocative and cool...really cool. The direction was often exquisite...well crafted and distinctive. I really appreciated it from the onset. Acting was generally good, though the show had a million and one subplots apart from the murder of Laura Palmer...and a few of the characters and their stories were both unnecessary and boring (such as Bobby Briggs). All in all, a highly uneven show (later ones got a bit too weird at times) but one of the most creative ever made. Worth seeing if you have a high threshold for the ultra-odd.
I'm sure it seemed like a good idea at the time - but in 2017 the 1990 version is, well, just bad
ramair3507 June 2017
First of all, let me state that I am viewing the show from the lens of 2017, which is a fantastic era for television. For the last 20 years we have seen dozens of "top shelf" dramas, many which probably were inspired (to some degree) by the original Twin Peaks. I have no doubt Twin Peaks was an important show and helped build the foundation of TV greatness today. At the time, I have no doubt that it was light-years ahead of the garbage that was airing on the major networks (and honestly still is ahead of most of the major network programming, although that isn't saying much).
Now on the my review, which reflects season 1 and season 2 of the original Twin Peaks show. If you are tuning in for the first time to these shows like me (I was in college when the shows originally aired and I did not watch them), then I would advise you to skip them. If you want to watch the "new" version of the show, I would recommend just going to Youtube and finding a nice summary of the original series. Because I promise that watching 30 hours of the original series is NOT time well spent, at least for my wife and I.
My expectations were not real high as I knew that the show would be dated. I knew it would be quirky. I knew that the director has some real oddball stuff, and that of course is part of the appeal. But the show is just bad. The acting in some cases is so bad that I was not sure if it was supposed to look like bad acting, or if it was just bad acting. The story line started off good, and honestly season 1 is tolerable and had some fun moments. And then season 2 kicks it up to a ridiculous notch and never gets grounded for the run of the series. What started off as a murder mystery turns into a complete mess that reminds me of something Stephen King would have written during his drug-altered years (Dreamcatcher anyway? Yeah, that kind of bad). I love David Lynch, I love Kyle MacLachlan, and I love Stephen King for that matter. But this show is just a steaming pile of crazy bad television. Incredibly unsatisfying to say the least.
So I know I will get lots of non-helpful votes, and I'm fine with that. If you love the show, good for you, but ask yourself if you love the originality that the show brought in 1990, or if you really think this is great television in 2017. I'm sure a 1990 Corvette scored high marks by the auto magazines in 1990, but a 1990 Corvette evaluated by 2017 car magazines would slam it for being a slow piece of junk that is unreliable, gets terrible gas mileage, is very uncomfortable, and is much slower than a 2017 Toyota Camry. Since we live in 2017, my review is written from a current perspective.
Bottom line, if you have never seen the show, I advise you to skip it and instead jump into something like Fargo (a quirky screwball show but it is very well done and ultimately is satisfying to watch). Thanks for reading my review.
Now on the my review, which reflects season 1 and season 2 of the original Twin Peaks show. If you are tuning in for the first time to these shows like me (I was in college when the shows originally aired and I did not watch them), then I would advise you to skip them. If you want to watch the "new" version of the show, I would recommend just going to Youtube and finding a nice summary of the original series. Because I promise that watching 30 hours of the original series is NOT time well spent, at least for my wife and I.
My expectations were not real high as I knew that the show would be dated. I knew it would be quirky. I knew that the director has some real oddball stuff, and that of course is part of the appeal. But the show is just bad. The acting in some cases is so bad that I was not sure if it was supposed to look like bad acting, or if it was just bad acting. The story line started off good, and honestly season 1 is tolerable and had some fun moments. And then season 2 kicks it up to a ridiculous notch and never gets grounded for the run of the series. What started off as a murder mystery turns into a complete mess that reminds me of something Stephen King would have written during his drug-altered years (Dreamcatcher anyway? Yeah, that kind of bad). I love David Lynch, I love Kyle MacLachlan, and I love Stephen King for that matter. But this show is just a steaming pile of crazy bad television. Incredibly unsatisfying to say the least.
So I know I will get lots of non-helpful votes, and I'm fine with that. If you love the show, good for you, but ask yourself if you love the originality that the show brought in 1990, or if you really think this is great television in 2017. I'm sure a 1990 Corvette scored high marks by the auto magazines in 1990, but a 1990 Corvette evaluated by 2017 car magazines would slam it for being a slow piece of junk that is unreliable, gets terrible gas mileage, is very uncomfortable, and is much slower than a 2017 Toyota Camry. Since we live in 2017, my review is written from a current perspective.
Bottom line, if you have never seen the show, I advise you to skip it and instead jump into something like Fargo (a quirky screwball show but it is very well done and ultimately is satisfying to watch). Thanks for reading my review.
Everyone's Talking About It. The Talk Is Good and Bad. It Definitely Strikes a Nerve.
tfrizzell31 October 2003
Stunning and explosive, completely misunderstood by many when it ran from 1990-1991 and definitely trail-blazing for the art of television production, "Twin Peaks" is one of those could-have-been, should-have-been television series that ended up being remarkable anyway. A teenage girl (Sheryl Lee) is murdered. A strange police detective (Kyle MacLachlan) is brought in to solve the mystery as the local police just cannot cope with the crime. Strange situations continue to pop up all over the landscape of the titled Pacific Northwestern town though and it becomes sadly apparent that the crime will likely never be solved. Side-stories galore confuse and intrigue and the viewer is left wondering, "Does this have anything to do with the initial crime?". Then just when you think the puzzle is about solved, total chaos strikes with whacked dream sequences that make you question your own sanity. What is really happening in the town and do we really want to know or are we happier letting the mystery suck us in? "Twin Peaks" was created by David Lynch (arguably the finest American film-maker, along with Martin Scorsese, living today) and over two very abbreviated seasons (only 29 total episodes) television reached an age that may never be experienced again. At the time many (perhaps myself included) did not know what to make of the show and even more panned it completely. The fact that the series did not really end the way it should have is sad, but in another way it just adds to the legends and myths involved here. There were eight writers on this series and a mind-blowing 15 different directors (Lynch did some of the work and even Diane Keaton got an opportunity to add to the program). Performers like Ray Wise, Piper Laurie, Joan Chen, Lara Flynn Boyle, Sherilyn Fenn, Russ Tamblyn and Madchen Amick appear, disappear and re-appear so frequently that you become confused as to what their roles in the show truly are. Monumental, gigantic, legendary, interesting, dominant and definitely thought-provoking, "Twin Peaks" is one of those television shows that amazes and dazzles with its highly unique brand of commentary. Followed by a theatrical movie ("Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me") in 1992 that was made to answer the questions presented throughout the program, it was also sadly misunderstood by most in the viewing public (even being rubbished by some who loved the series). A real gem in the history of television art. 5 stars out of 5.
An absolutely masterful quirky television series that ended much too soon.
ozthegreatat4233027 April 2007
I have not seen the DVD so my comments are based primarily on the VHS version of the show. First off: due to way the series was released on VHS the series pilot was expanded and altered for the theatrical release, so in order to see the entire series you have to watch the two hour movie, but not be taken in by the ending. The series itself was a refreshing blast of cold air in the midst of the insipid dreck that TV programing usually presents. I am always delighted by the truly warped mind of this twisted auteur, and this show is very much why. The cast is excellent. Twin Peaks itself, the town and it's people appear at first as very ordinary, but as is the case in many small towns there is a lot hidden behind the facade.
I was especially taken with Special Agent Dale Cooper (Maclachlan) who is anything but your typical Hooveristic FBI agent. Michael Ontkean is his perfect foil as Shreiff Harry S. Truman. I could go on and on, but I think it were time better sent if you were watching the series, 29 wonderful hours all told. A super cast, a story that twists and turns more than a hair pin road, and the haunting theme music make this a TV and film classic. Warning: not for small children, say under twenty. Or over sixty. (OK sixty five tops).
I was especially taken with Special Agent Dale Cooper (Maclachlan) who is anything but your typical Hooveristic FBI agent. Michael Ontkean is his perfect foil as Shreiff Harry S. Truman. I could go on and on, but I think it were time better sent if you were watching the series, 29 wonderful hours all told. A super cast, a story that twists and turns more than a hair pin road, and the haunting theme music make this a TV and film classic. Warning: not for small children, say under twenty. Or over sixty. (OK sixty five tops).
Quirky diversion from mainstream
mikcat-322972 January 2023
I watched when it first came out and it puzzled me.
So, I bought the VHS series and started over again. Then again in the late 90s and AGAIN in 2017, before the final series was released on Showtime. I'm tickled by it more every time and I never rewatch shows. I loved the the movie prequel and the final season. I'm still wanting more. I've read several of the books and am not ready for Twin Peaks to end. I am addicted to the characters and to Laura Palmer. I love stories that keep me guessing. No set formula or obvious answers. David Lynch is a true genius. I don't love everything he does, but he ALWAYS makes me think.
So, I bought the VHS series and started over again. Then again in the late 90s and AGAIN in 2017, before the final series was released on Showtime. I'm tickled by it more every time and I never rewatch shows. I loved the the movie prequel and the final season. I'm still wanting more. I've read several of the books and am not ready for Twin Peaks to end. I am addicted to the characters and to Laura Palmer. I love stories that keep me guessing. No set formula or obvious answers. David Lynch is a true genius. I don't love everything he does, but he ALWAYS makes me think.
Brilliant, creative, and very fun; a show with precious few comparisons
I_Ailurophile8 February 2024
One can't go very far in television without coming across this at least in name; similarly, David Lynch's is a name one generally hears well before watching any of his works. I've been long overdue to watch 'Twin Peaks,' and between its lofty reputation and having recently finished watching all of Lynch's movies, I had fairly high expectations and thought I was prepared for just about anything. The truth is that the original series, airing for two seasons from 1990 to 1991, is even more extraordinary than I could have guessed based on my other encounters with Lynch as a filmmaker, and it handily bests the expectations that had been fostered for me. There's no doubt in my mind that at its best this is one of the smartest, most creative, and otherwise best TV shows I've ever seen, and surely one of the best ever made.
Even within the pilot the tenor of the program is firmly established: a murder mystery and crime drama swirled together with the melodrama of daytime soap operas, with healthy helpings on top of wry and/or dark offbeat comedy, and quirky, fanciful surrealism. There are thriller airs and tinges of horror as the plot develops over subsequent episodes, and all the flavors ebb and flow. Based on Lynch's work in cinema, and what secondhand knowledge I'd gleaned, I think I assumed the saga would tend to be more outwardly strange than it is - yet even at that rest assured that Lynch, and co-creator Mark Frost stretched the limits of whimsy such that it often feels like from one episode to the next there's no predicting just what is going to be thrown our way. 'Twin Peaks' generally exists somewhere on the spectrum between the more relatively straightforward fare the man put out earlier in his career (e.g., 'The elephant man,' 'Blue velvet') and the flummoxing puzzlers for which he would hereafter become best known ('Lost highway,' 'Mulholland Drive'), with swell balance between the conventional but engrossing and the weird and enticing such that the result is all but perfect. Case in point, the very first two episodes are relatively low-key and ordinary, yet from third episode onward the ideas tossed into the pot only grow more curious, eccentric, and downright bizarre. At the same time, it's all so shrewdly put together that the whole never feels incohesive, let alone random or incoherent.
It's not 100% perfect. In the second season one major story line is concluded in the ninth episode, and thereafter the show struggles some with a lack of focus, or at least with less fully convincing narrative threads. Some ideas are too far-flung or simply outlandish for their own good, out of character even with the cornucopia that the creation already represents; the pacing feels a bit rushed. The latter portion of the second season becomes more scattered, then increasingly outright absurd - a tonal shift exceeding the bounds of what came before - with still further additions of huge stars to the cast that feel like transparent ploys for better ratings. All this is not so severe as to seriously dampen the entertainment, but it must be mentioned, and I do think this is the most significant weakness of the series. Ultimately less vital but still unfortunate, one will also observe some indelicacies in the writing that haven't aged well. I don't think there's anything in 'Twin Peaks' that's altogether problematic; the worst that can be said is either that some notions woven into the scripts reflect attitudes of the characters providing the dialogue, and/or that cultural sensibilities have shifted in a more inclusive, mindful direction such that were the show written today, the pages in the script would just look slightly different. Thus are some little improprieties - occasional instances of fatphobia, ableism, sexism, or homophobia - important to acknowledge and discuss, but not so egregious as to earn abject condemnation. Even what is probably the most prominent of such elements, David Duchovny's character, is handled in a manner that's both imperfect, a teachable moment, but also genuinely and meaningfully better and more thoughtful than what countless other books, films, or TV shows could claim. All told I believe its flaws to be rather minor, but no, this product of the early 90s isn't flawless, and some examples are more glaring than others.
Still, for the level on which 'Twin Peaks' operates, the distinction here between perfection and imperfection mostly means quite little. The writing is exceptional, mixing genres in a way that consistently keeps viewers guessing and on our proverbial toes, while also striking earnest, hard-hitting emotional beats, supplying big laughs, teasing our brains, sending the occasional shiver down our spine or keeping us on the edge of our seats, and heavily investing us in these characters and their lives. Characters are marvelously multifaceted and reliably well-written; even the sleaziest ones are given at least a moment in which some fragment of their humanity shines through, and many of those mostly written as more positive or virtuous figures also have their faults. The most central characters, meanwhile, like Harry Truman, Lucy Moran, Andy Brennan, and above all Dale Cooper, are written with such big personality that it's all but impossible not to fall in love with them. From the smaller, more peculiar supporting characters and left-field plot points, to the rich and impressive dialogue, to the robust, vivid scene writing, to the wide-reaching, overarching, long-running story threads that unfold, it seems like there's just about nothing the writers didn't try to do, or could not do. This does become a problem in the back end of the second season as the show desperately tries to more or less wrap up some threads; then again, the series finale also brings us back to the fabulously perplexing, fantastical feel of the initial primary arc. On the one hand there is some unevenness; on the other hand, it's a fine finish, and maybe that gawky unevenness is kind of appropriate in its own way.
But that's not all. While the scribes may have provided the core, every last aspect of the series is superb. The cast is enormous, with many very familiar names and faces past, contemporary, and future, and from one to the next there's not one performance that isn't plainly excellent. One could easily speak at length about each role in turn in terms of casting and acting, but that would be a hugely loquacious endeavor in and of itself; suffice to say that for no few participating, this is very probably some of the best work they've ever done, and in the very least, 'Twin Peaks' is no doubt an upstanding highlight of many careers. One would be remiss, though, not to put a spotlight on Kyle MacLachlan if no one else, for his primary role as FBI Agent Dale Cooper is one penned with tireless (and let's be honest, unrealistic) warmth, optimism, kindness, good humor, and inner strength - and MacLachlan embodies Cooper so terrifically that it's impossible to picture anyone else ever taking on the part. He kind of disappears into the role, and it's hard to separate part from player. All this is to say nothing of the tremendous work contributed from all behind the scenes: sharp editing and keen cinematography, beautiful filming locations and detailed sets, lovely costume design, hair, and makeup, invigorating stunts and effects, and so on. Furthermore, the direction is nothing less than visionary, operating in tandem with the deft writing such that a single scene can turn from humorous to heartbreaking and never miss a beat.
Special honor must also be given to regular Lynch collaborator and composer extraordinaire Angelo Badalamenti. Incredibly, the original music in the series is truly one of the top highlights and in no time entirely ensorcells us as the mood in every scene is captured so exquisitely. The themes tend to be fairly simple in their composition and instrumentation yet are so evocative that even the primary theme alone is indescribable in its versatility and subsequent impact. As Lynch himself accordingly told Badalamenti, the main theme is "the mood of the entire piece. It is 'Twin Peaks'"; one can't help but marvel at the underhanded genius. For a series that ranges wildly from one genre and mood to another, and which at its most far-fetched is either very funny and or Way Out There, the music is a critical component that does so much work to ground the proceedings, and which helps to make the storytelling startlingly, sometimes deeply poignant.
In terms of content 'Twin Peaks' is decisively all over the place, and to some degree also with regards to tone and quality. Even in those least cogent moments, however, it's never not well done, and far more than not the entirety is such a blast that the strengths readily outshine the faults. There are fair criticisms and rueful observations to make, yet stood next to the stunning vision, stellar craftsmanship, fun, humor, and compelling narrative storytelling that the sum total mostly represents, the detractions mean little. After all these years I expected that I'd like the show, and still I'm blown away by just how good it is. It's truly a pity that we didn't get more back during the original run, for one become so heavily engaged with every aspect, and with the characters not least, that the ending is terribly dissatisfying just for the fact that it's over. Still, with a prequel movie and the 2017 revival on hand there's more to enjoy after all, and these two seasons in and of themselves are so super that it behooves one to watch again and again if we have the opportunity. For as far out as this commonly is I can't much blame those who don't find it to be to their liking. Nevertheless, there's a brilliance to 'Twin Peaks' that has few comparisons in television, and if one is open to all the wide, wacky possibilities of the medium, this is a classic that demands to be seen. My very high, hearty, and enthusiastic recommendation!
Even within the pilot the tenor of the program is firmly established: a murder mystery and crime drama swirled together with the melodrama of daytime soap operas, with healthy helpings on top of wry and/or dark offbeat comedy, and quirky, fanciful surrealism. There are thriller airs and tinges of horror as the plot develops over subsequent episodes, and all the flavors ebb and flow. Based on Lynch's work in cinema, and what secondhand knowledge I'd gleaned, I think I assumed the saga would tend to be more outwardly strange than it is - yet even at that rest assured that Lynch, and co-creator Mark Frost stretched the limits of whimsy such that it often feels like from one episode to the next there's no predicting just what is going to be thrown our way. 'Twin Peaks' generally exists somewhere on the spectrum between the more relatively straightforward fare the man put out earlier in his career (e.g., 'The elephant man,' 'Blue velvet') and the flummoxing puzzlers for which he would hereafter become best known ('Lost highway,' 'Mulholland Drive'), with swell balance between the conventional but engrossing and the weird and enticing such that the result is all but perfect. Case in point, the very first two episodes are relatively low-key and ordinary, yet from third episode onward the ideas tossed into the pot only grow more curious, eccentric, and downright bizarre. At the same time, it's all so shrewdly put together that the whole never feels incohesive, let alone random or incoherent.
It's not 100% perfect. In the second season one major story line is concluded in the ninth episode, and thereafter the show struggles some with a lack of focus, or at least with less fully convincing narrative threads. Some ideas are too far-flung or simply outlandish for their own good, out of character even with the cornucopia that the creation already represents; the pacing feels a bit rushed. The latter portion of the second season becomes more scattered, then increasingly outright absurd - a tonal shift exceeding the bounds of what came before - with still further additions of huge stars to the cast that feel like transparent ploys for better ratings. All this is not so severe as to seriously dampen the entertainment, but it must be mentioned, and I do think this is the most significant weakness of the series. Ultimately less vital but still unfortunate, one will also observe some indelicacies in the writing that haven't aged well. I don't think there's anything in 'Twin Peaks' that's altogether problematic; the worst that can be said is either that some notions woven into the scripts reflect attitudes of the characters providing the dialogue, and/or that cultural sensibilities have shifted in a more inclusive, mindful direction such that were the show written today, the pages in the script would just look slightly different. Thus are some little improprieties - occasional instances of fatphobia, ableism, sexism, or homophobia - important to acknowledge and discuss, but not so egregious as to earn abject condemnation. Even what is probably the most prominent of such elements, David Duchovny's character, is handled in a manner that's both imperfect, a teachable moment, but also genuinely and meaningfully better and more thoughtful than what countless other books, films, or TV shows could claim. All told I believe its flaws to be rather minor, but no, this product of the early 90s isn't flawless, and some examples are more glaring than others.
Still, for the level on which 'Twin Peaks' operates, the distinction here between perfection and imperfection mostly means quite little. The writing is exceptional, mixing genres in a way that consistently keeps viewers guessing and on our proverbial toes, while also striking earnest, hard-hitting emotional beats, supplying big laughs, teasing our brains, sending the occasional shiver down our spine or keeping us on the edge of our seats, and heavily investing us in these characters and their lives. Characters are marvelously multifaceted and reliably well-written; even the sleaziest ones are given at least a moment in which some fragment of their humanity shines through, and many of those mostly written as more positive or virtuous figures also have their faults. The most central characters, meanwhile, like Harry Truman, Lucy Moran, Andy Brennan, and above all Dale Cooper, are written with such big personality that it's all but impossible not to fall in love with them. From the smaller, more peculiar supporting characters and left-field plot points, to the rich and impressive dialogue, to the robust, vivid scene writing, to the wide-reaching, overarching, long-running story threads that unfold, it seems like there's just about nothing the writers didn't try to do, or could not do. This does become a problem in the back end of the second season as the show desperately tries to more or less wrap up some threads; then again, the series finale also brings us back to the fabulously perplexing, fantastical feel of the initial primary arc. On the one hand there is some unevenness; on the other hand, it's a fine finish, and maybe that gawky unevenness is kind of appropriate in its own way.
But that's not all. While the scribes may have provided the core, every last aspect of the series is superb. The cast is enormous, with many very familiar names and faces past, contemporary, and future, and from one to the next there's not one performance that isn't plainly excellent. One could easily speak at length about each role in turn in terms of casting and acting, but that would be a hugely loquacious endeavor in and of itself; suffice to say that for no few participating, this is very probably some of the best work they've ever done, and in the very least, 'Twin Peaks' is no doubt an upstanding highlight of many careers. One would be remiss, though, not to put a spotlight on Kyle MacLachlan if no one else, for his primary role as FBI Agent Dale Cooper is one penned with tireless (and let's be honest, unrealistic) warmth, optimism, kindness, good humor, and inner strength - and MacLachlan embodies Cooper so terrifically that it's impossible to picture anyone else ever taking on the part. He kind of disappears into the role, and it's hard to separate part from player. All this is to say nothing of the tremendous work contributed from all behind the scenes: sharp editing and keen cinematography, beautiful filming locations and detailed sets, lovely costume design, hair, and makeup, invigorating stunts and effects, and so on. Furthermore, the direction is nothing less than visionary, operating in tandem with the deft writing such that a single scene can turn from humorous to heartbreaking and never miss a beat.
Special honor must also be given to regular Lynch collaborator and composer extraordinaire Angelo Badalamenti. Incredibly, the original music in the series is truly one of the top highlights and in no time entirely ensorcells us as the mood in every scene is captured so exquisitely. The themes tend to be fairly simple in their composition and instrumentation yet are so evocative that even the primary theme alone is indescribable in its versatility and subsequent impact. As Lynch himself accordingly told Badalamenti, the main theme is "the mood of the entire piece. It is 'Twin Peaks'"; one can't help but marvel at the underhanded genius. For a series that ranges wildly from one genre and mood to another, and which at its most far-fetched is either very funny and or Way Out There, the music is a critical component that does so much work to ground the proceedings, and which helps to make the storytelling startlingly, sometimes deeply poignant.
In terms of content 'Twin Peaks' is decisively all over the place, and to some degree also with regards to tone and quality. Even in those least cogent moments, however, it's never not well done, and far more than not the entirety is such a blast that the strengths readily outshine the faults. There are fair criticisms and rueful observations to make, yet stood next to the stunning vision, stellar craftsmanship, fun, humor, and compelling narrative storytelling that the sum total mostly represents, the detractions mean little. After all these years I expected that I'd like the show, and still I'm blown away by just how good it is. It's truly a pity that we didn't get more back during the original run, for one become so heavily engaged with every aspect, and with the characters not least, that the ending is terribly dissatisfying just for the fact that it's over. Still, with a prequel movie and the 2017 revival on hand there's more to enjoy after all, and these two seasons in and of themselves are so super that it behooves one to watch again and again if we have the opportunity. For as far out as this commonly is I can't much blame those who don't find it to be to their liking. Nevertheless, there's a brilliance to 'Twin Peaks' that has few comparisons in television, and if one is open to all the wide, wacky possibilities of the medium, this is a classic that demands to be seen. My very high, hearty, and enthusiastic recommendation!
The anatomy of a cult series
hasosch27 August 2009
It is not easy to write a critical commentary to a series that seems to have pleased hundreds of thousands of watchers in almost two decades. However, I will dare presenting a few major flaws in this TV series that should convince the one or other to re-think the obvious completely uncritical appraisal of Lynch/Frost's work.
First, the first season is very seductive and addictive. It is well organized, there is actually a dramaturgy recognizable, everybody can see that there is something like a scenario at the base of what has been filmed, the effects are perfectly placed, there is not superficial gore and silliness used in order to catch the attention - in short: it is very well done, and nothing else one would await from the director of such masterpieces like "Eraserhead", "Blue Velvet" or "Mulholland Drive".
However, second, towards the end already of the first season, one has the strong idea that the story gets thinner and thinner, the dramaturgy starts to break apart and the hitherto well placed suspense-effects make space for gimmickry and claptrap. Also, suddenly psychic events are happening, alien-like figures (who will be more dominant in the second season) are appearing, the coherence is getting lost, and in order to cover that partially up, the camera switches nervously between the different part-stories happening among the peoples involved.
The third season reaches its lowest points in episodes 2.5 and 2.6 (14 and 15, respectively) whose whole sense seem to consist in confusing and prolonging the series as much as possible. Specially, I mention people who are introduced as "Dei Ex Machina", perhaps one should rather say as "Diaboli Ex Machina", since they are needed for one or two episodes, but are completely unmotivated in the whole of the story. Suddenly, we see love-scenes between protagonists which belong to the lowest possible level, obviously solely injected for filling the default frame of 47 minutes per episode. During the second season, one has also the impression that each episode has been written after the former has been filmed, and not at as whole anymore like in the first season. In order not to spoil, I give only one example: In episode 14, Special Agent Cooper suddenly remembers that he was given an envelope by Audrey, he opens it and realizes now, where she is. However, when the story is going on, we realize that this is obviously not so important for Cooper, although he fell in love to Audrey and was trying to find her during several days of his stay in Twin Peaks. Instead of following the trace that he finally found, he meets several different people, and one has the strong suspect that the writer of this episode has just taken a so-called Homeric nap.
I could go on mentioning dozens of major violations of absolutely basic features that one learns either in film school or during classes of literature in the first semesters of trimesters. Thus, the question arises: If obviously the authors went out of ideas towards the end of the first season, why did they not stop the whole project as it was, concentrating their spirits to create a good ending after 8 episodes? Artificially prolonging a TV-series is as bad as producing low-level sequels of blockbuster-hits. Sometimes euthanasia is better than revival.
First, the first season is very seductive and addictive. It is well organized, there is actually a dramaturgy recognizable, everybody can see that there is something like a scenario at the base of what has been filmed, the effects are perfectly placed, there is not superficial gore and silliness used in order to catch the attention - in short: it is very well done, and nothing else one would await from the director of such masterpieces like "Eraserhead", "Blue Velvet" or "Mulholland Drive".
However, second, towards the end already of the first season, one has the strong idea that the story gets thinner and thinner, the dramaturgy starts to break apart and the hitherto well placed suspense-effects make space for gimmickry and claptrap. Also, suddenly psychic events are happening, alien-like figures (who will be more dominant in the second season) are appearing, the coherence is getting lost, and in order to cover that partially up, the camera switches nervously between the different part-stories happening among the peoples involved.
The third season reaches its lowest points in episodes 2.5 and 2.6 (14 and 15, respectively) whose whole sense seem to consist in confusing and prolonging the series as much as possible. Specially, I mention people who are introduced as "Dei Ex Machina", perhaps one should rather say as "Diaboli Ex Machina", since they are needed for one or two episodes, but are completely unmotivated in the whole of the story. Suddenly, we see love-scenes between protagonists which belong to the lowest possible level, obviously solely injected for filling the default frame of 47 minutes per episode. During the second season, one has also the impression that each episode has been written after the former has been filmed, and not at as whole anymore like in the first season. In order not to spoil, I give only one example: In episode 14, Special Agent Cooper suddenly remembers that he was given an envelope by Audrey, he opens it and realizes now, where she is. However, when the story is going on, we realize that this is obviously not so important for Cooper, although he fell in love to Audrey and was trying to find her during several days of his stay in Twin Peaks. Instead of following the trace that he finally found, he meets several different people, and one has the strong suspect that the writer of this episode has just taken a so-called Homeric nap.
I could go on mentioning dozens of major violations of absolutely basic features that one learns either in film school or during classes of literature in the first semesters of trimesters. Thus, the question arises: If obviously the authors went out of ideas towards the end of the first season, why did they not stop the whole project as it was, concentrating their spirits to create a good ending after 8 episodes? Artificially prolonging a TV-series is as bad as producing low-level sequels of blockbuster-hits. Sometimes euthanasia is better than revival.
Weirdest, But By Far One of the Best Shows I Have Seen!
henryshear24 August 2018
I was really curious to watch this because I am a huge fan of Noah Hawley, the creator behind Fargo, who said that he is inspired by David Lynch's works. I was immediately entranced by the show. The music is dreamy and feels almost as if you are watching or are part of a dream. The setting is also so remote and peaceful that it helps this image of a dream. Kyle MacLachlan plays a very quirky FBI agent named Dale Cooper who is very delightful. He comments on the Douglas Firs as he is entering the town and loves everything about the town. Everyone in Twin Peaks is lovely and each have their own quirks. I will let people who have not seen the show be surprised when they see certain characters for the first time.
While some characters are great, some are absolutely vile and evil. There are many characters that are played brilliantly and you could not find better actors to play them. Lynch was inspired when he saw makeup artist Frank Silva's face in a reflection and said he would be the show's main villain BOB. Lynch made an amazing choice, because while Silva did not have any acting experience, he terrified me and he gave me nightmares. BOB is truly terrifying and Silva's performance is incredible.
I have read that people did not like the second season, but I really liked it. I thought the writing was still great and there is still a creepy element to the show. The show also has a soap opera element, but it is not over the top. The show is truly unique in its tone and message that I think there will never be another show like it.
However, I hated the revival. I was not a fan at all. The original show has a light tone, but the revival is dark and I could not handle what happened to some of the characters. Lynch messed with a lot of things that ruined the magic of what Twin Peaks originally was. He ruined it so much for me that I cannot watch another season if another is even made.
i recommend the show, but I do not recommend the revival. Twin Peaks was a transformative viewing experience to watch, but the show does end on a cliffhanger that does force you to watch the revival. Just a fair warning going in, but the original show is absolutely amazing.
While some characters are great, some are absolutely vile and evil. There are many characters that are played brilliantly and you could not find better actors to play them. Lynch was inspired when he saw makeup artist Frank Silva's face in a reflection and said he would be the show's main villain BOB. Lynch made an amazing choice, because while Silva did not have any acting experience, he terrified me and he gave me nightmares. BOB is truly terrifying and Silva's performance is incredible.
I have read that people did not like the second season, but I really liked it. I thought the writing was still great and there is still a creepy element to the show. The show also has a soap opera element, but it is not over the top. The show is truly unique in its tone and message that I think there will never be another show like it.
However, I hated the revival. I was not a fan at all. The original show has a light tone, but the revival is dark and I could not handle what happened to some of the characters. Lynch messed with a lot of things that ruined the magic of what Twin Peaks originally was. He ruined it so much for me that I cannot watch another season if another is even made.
i recommend the show, but I do not recommend the revival. Twin Peaks was a transformative viewing experience to watch, but the show does end on a cliffhanger that does force you to watch the revival. Just a fair warning going in, but the original show is absolutely amazing.
Twin Peaks is one of the best TV shows that is out of time
eva3si0n29 June 2020
Twin Peaks is one of the best TV shows that is out of time. It was relevant both in the 90s and in the 10th and now after 30 years. David Lynch is one of the best directors of our time and certainly the best surrealist. Yes, here, in fact, the main storyline ends on the first episodes of season 2, but there is no such completion of season 2. In general, Twin Peaks is the best series of the 90s, not inferior to modern detective hits.
Stunning, jarring, haunting, breathtaking, beautiful.
lostonthehighway7 April 2021
This... this is the best thing I have ever seen on a screen. Of any movie or any TV show, this is it. This is the thing I have been searching for my entire life and I don't think that my life will be the same ever again now that I've seen it.
Please note that I am only going to speak about the first two seasons. My opinions on the third season are mixed and you can read about them in my separate review.
This show is pure gold. It's amazing in every single way imaginable. It's anything but expected: at first when I went into this, as a person who doesn't usually watch much television and prefers to stick to movies, I thought that it was going to be another one of those paint-by-numbers murder mysteries but what then happened was that I embarked on one of the most whirlwind, insane, and mind-blowing experiences of my life.
Let me just say it: this show is terrifying. I mean that in the best way possible. Not as in it's a horror show, but after you watch it you probably won't be able to sleep for about a week. I remember the time I watched the season 2 finale a few days ago, and just lay in my bed mumbling catatonically and staring at the wall. Hell, every time I see red curtains now I get a creeping feeling, that's how much of an imprint the show left on me. David Lynch is a genius - he somehow knew how to make a show that was so different, so original and so off-beat that it would shape the face of television and cinema for the next thirty years.
The style of the show is unmistakably Lynchian - it's sleek and seductive, but has an absolutely jarring and shocking element to it which often comes out in the most unexpected of places. It's this contrast which makes it just so impactful - finishing an episode with a terrifyingly climactic event only to start the next one with the soothing tone of Angelo Badalamenti's incredible soundtrack can feel like jumping out of a hot tub into the snow.
The thing with Twin Peaks is that you never completely know what's happening. You're introduced to all of these strange and mysterious events which promise an explanation which often doesn't come for an entire season. And when it does come, in its answer it also brings a whole host of other questions. You're constantly guessing - what is the red room? Who is Bob? Who killed Laura? And why? And that's the beauty of it all.
There's an almost hypnotic quality to the show - the more you see of it, the further down you get sucked into the spiral of darkness and the more invested you get in the story. The web of lies runs deeper and deeper with each episode, and the surreal settings - the atmospheric Roadhouse and the otherworldly, jazz-filled aura of the Black Lodge - only carry this further.
The characters and development in this show is phenomenal, and leads the story like I've never quite seen before. David Lynch's view of romance is finally one I can get behind, and the way that everyone is connected via affairs, dating and deception can be confusing at first but runs deep when you realise it. Kyle MacLachlan as Special Agent Dale Cooper is truly amazing, and will probably remain one of the most original and enjoyable characters ever created.
In conclusion, this is a masterpiece of television. It will be the most haunting, beautiful and chilling experiences of your life. It's truly the best thing I have ever seen, and I do not use that term lightly. You will not regret watching it.
-Sasha.
Please note that I am only going to speak about the first two seasons. My opinions on the third season are mixed and you can read about them in my separate review.
This show is pure gold. It's amazing in every single way imaginable. It's anything but expected: at first when I went into this, as a person who doesn't usually watch much television and prefers to stick to movies, I thought that it was going to be another one of those paint-by-numbers murder mysteries but what then happened was that I embarked on one of the most whirlwind, insane, and mind-blowing experiences of my life.
Let me just say it: this show is terrifying. I mean that in the best way possible. Not as in it's a horror show, but after you watch it you probably won't be able to sleep for about a week. I remember the time I watched the season 2 finale a few days ago, and just lay in my bed mumbling catatonically and staring at the wall. Hell, every time I see red curtains now I get a creeping feeling, that's how much of an imprint the show left on me. David Lynch is a genius - he somehow knew how to make a show that was so different, so original and so off-beat that it would shape the face of television and cinema for the next thirty years.
The style of the show is unmistakably Lynchian - it's sleek and seductive, but has an absolutely jarring and shocking element to it which often comes out in the most unexpected of places. It's this contrast which makes it just so impactful - finishing an episode with a terrifyingly climactic event only to start the next one with the soothing tone of Angelo Badalamenti's incredible soundtrack can feel like jumping out of a hot tub into the snow.
The thing with Twin Peaks is that you never completely know what's happening. You're introduced to all of these strange and mysterious events which promise an explanation which often doesn't come for an entire season. And when it does come, in its answer it also brings a whole host of other questions. You're constantly guessing - what is the red room? Who is Bob? Who killed Laura? And why? And that's the beauty of it all.
There's an almost hypnotic quality to the show - the more you see of it, the further down you get sucked into the spiral of darkness and the more invested you get in the story. The web of lies runs deeper and deeper with each episode, and the surreal settings - the atmospheric Roadhouse and the otherworldly, jazz-filled aura of the Black Lodge - only carry this further.
The characters and development in this show is phenomenal, and leads the story like I've never quite seen before. David Lynch's view of romance is finally one I can get behind, and the way that everyone is connected via affairs, dating and deception can be confusing at first but runs deep when you realise it. Kyle MacLachlan as Special Agent Dale Cooper is truly amazing, and will probably remain one of the most original and enjoyable characters ever created.
In conclusion, this is a masterpiece of television. It will be the most haunting, beautiful and chilling experiences of your life. It's truly the best thing I have ever seen, and I do not use that term lightly. You will not regret watching it.
-Sasha.
See also
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