Premiering in the USA in 1990, TWIN PEAKS was a television show which ran for 2 seasons. It is impossible to specify the genre which the show fits into, as part of its purpose was to defy genre descriptions. At different points it can be classified as a soap opera, a mystery show, a comedy, a horror, and there are also some science fiction elements in some of the storyline.
The show was created by David Lynch and Mark Frost. Lynch is primarily known as a film director, although he has also had a hand in other television shows, beyond TWIN PEAKS, such as the short lived ON THE AMERICAN CHRONICLES and HOTEL ROOM. He has also directed a number of commercials and music videos, including material for Chris Isaak and Michael Jackson. He has also written music, been a lyricist, and created paintings, in addition to other artistic endeavours. Mark Frost on the other hand is known more for his television work, particularly his work as writer/director on HILL STREET BLUES. He has however also written 3 books, 1 under the name Eric Bowman.
Despite having both of
these people as creators, the show is often thought of more as Lynch's 'baby' - this is natural, particularly as he was the more famous 'name'. The series bears many of his hallmarks, particularly in the first season. There is a lot of 'weirdness' about the show, including giants who appear only to the main character at important moments in the storyline, and dwarves talking backwards.
The initial driving force of the storyline was the death of a popular local teenage schoolgirl, Laura Palmer. Her death was investigated by local law enforcement, accompanied by FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper, played by Kyle MacLachlan, who at this time was quite a regular in Lynch's work. This investigation played out over almost 20 episodes, and the phrase 'Who Killed Laura Palmer?' became famous across the USA and the UK, as the show became one of the most talked-about shows of the early 1990s. The storyline was gripping, and there were any number of 'red herrings' concerning who might have actually done the deed. What also helped the show become popular, it has to be said, is a trio of quite photogenic young ladies, who all appeared on many magazine covers at the time - Sherilyn Fenn, Lara Flynn Boyle, and Sheryl Lee (who played Laura in flashbacks and dream sequences, and also her cousin, Madeleine Ferguson).
Midway through the 2nd season the mystery was solved, in a manner which I won't recount here as it would serious spoil the enjoyment of watching the show if you've never seen it before. Suffice it to say that the closing instalments of this part of the show are gripping, and some of the shots have stayed with me ever since I first saw the show on its first airing.
The problem comes after the 'Who Killed Laura Palmer' is resolved. By this point Lynch had drifted away, primarily to make his excellent movie WILD AT HEART (which I also highly recommend), leaving other writers and producers as the driving force of the show. Once the main storyline was resolved however, there didn't really seem to be anywhere else for the show to go, and for a few episodes we got some quite mind-numbingly rubbish stories, such as one main character going a little 'loopy' for a while and believing that he is a general in the American Civil War, and also another character falling in with a femme fatale, getting involved in her plot to murder her husband.
Towards of the end of the second season however the storyline picks up again, with the introduction of FBI Agent Cooper's former partner, Windom Earle. Earle has a vendetta against Cooper and goes on a killing spree in the local Twin Peaks area. At the same time Cooper has fallen in love with a waitress at the local diner, played by Heather Graham, in her pre-BOOGIE NIGHTS days. These two storylines come together in the final episode and are worth the pain of the earlier season 2 episodes.
The final episode itself is a wonder to behold, and it is amazing that it was shown on prime-time US television. Lynch returned to direct it, and it is an incredibly surreal piece of work, too difficult to describe here, but where Cooper is really put through the wringer. The episode is one of the weirdest programmes I've ever seen, and it still stands up today as an exciting piece of work, which some of the other 2nd season episodes certainly do not. I would not recommend watching this final episode if you haven't seen all of the previous episodes as you will have no idea what is going on - and to be honest even if you have watch all of the previous episodes you may still have trouble. There are cliffhangers galore, sadly none of which would be resolved as a 3rd season did not appear. There was a movie prequel, again directed by David Lynch, which told the story of the last seven days of Laura Palmer.
So, what are my overall thoughts on TWIN PEAKS? It was one of the most original television shows ever made, and it has influenced a great many shows since. It is well worth watching, and please do stick with it through the mid-2nd season slump, as it will pick up again towards the end.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Production Year: 2000 - Drama - Director: Giuseppe Tornatore - Original Language: Italian - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Monica Bellucci, Giuseppe Sulfaro, Luciano Federico, Matilde Piana
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Re-rated based on Ciao's insistence that such reviews are no longer considered "Off Topic"
No_name 20.12.2007 18:33
Noticeably without Lynch/Frost the series degenerated into weirdness for weirdness' sake. Always bad, especially when Lynch is there to make weird palatable and sensible (if that makes sense). Still, the first season is tight and you wish the second had not been so long. That way maybe it may have lived to see a third...
Soho_Black 16.11.2007 22:46
I see you've posted this as a DVD review, but you've not mentioned the DVD features. Are there any extras? If so, what are they and are they any good? If you add to this, or if you change it to be posted as a "Film Only" review, which can be done by accessing "edit review" above the review and changing the drop down menu under the "Which format are you reviewing?" question at the bottom, please let me know and I'll re-rate.
Newly Remastered High - Definition transfers of the original television programme. After ... more
the brutal killing of Twin Peaks' HOMECOMING QUEEN Laura Palmer, Agent Cooper (Kyle Maclachlan) discovers the small town is seething with deadly secrets and killer...
One of the most influential TV shows of the 1990s, the first series ofTwin Peakshas lost ... more
none of its quirky and queasy power to get under your skin and haunt your dreams. Without its groundbreaking mix of convoluted plotting, complex character interact...
Postage & Packaging: free Super Saver Delivery Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
First broadcast in the UK in 1990 Twin Peaks became the most talked about TV show of all ... more
time. Created by David Lynch (Mulholland Drive Lost Highway Eraserhead) and Mark Frost (Hill Street Blues) the series managed to confuse bemuse and amuse Bas...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
One of the most influential TV shows of the 1990s, the first series ofTwin Peakshas lost ... more
none of its quirky and queasy power to get under your skin and haunt your dreams. Without its groundbreaking mix of convoluted plotting, complex character interact...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: The best television show, in my opinion ever made. Disadvantages: Its unfortunate that this box set does not contain both series one and two.
Advantages: Weird, funny, interesting, addictive, watching back-to-back is better to follow story! Disadvantages: the second series isn't out (yet!), so you are left in suspense - which cannot be relieved!
Advantages: Having the episodes to watch back to back makes the story alot more understandable Disadvantages: Not a good idea to start watching unless you have the next box set.
Advantages: The best television show, in my opinion ever made. Disadvantages: Its unfortunate that this box set does not contain both series one and two.
Advantages: Having the episodes to watch back to back makes the story alot more understandable Disadvantages: Not a good idea to start watching unless you have the next box set.
Advantages: Weird, funny, interesting, addictive, watching back-to-back is better to follow story! Disadvantages: the second series isn't out (yet!), so you are left in suspense - which cannot be relieved!
![Twin Peaks: Complete Season 1 [DVD] [1990]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78524020.jpg "Twin Peaks: Complete Season 1 [DVD] [1990]")
Nov 15th, 2007
very helpful by (100%):
