Twin Peaks (TV series)
"Twin Peaks" is a groundbreaking television series created by David Lynch and Mark Frost, which first aired in 1990. The show begins with the haunting line, "She's dead...wrapped in plastic," setting the stage for the investigation into the murder of high school prom queen Laura Palmer. The narrative unfolds in the fictional small town of Twin Peaks, Washington, where FBI agent Dale Cooper, played by Kyle MacLachlan, delves into the intricacies of Laura’s life and the peculiarities of the townspeople, revealing a web of dark secrets beneath the town's idyllic surface.
Known for its cinematic quality, "Twin Peaks" combines beautiful location filming, atmospheric music by Angelo Badalamenti, and an ensemble cast, all while challenging conventional television storytelling through its unresolved plot lines and complex characters. The series is notable for its juxtaposition of tranquil small-town life against themes of violence, supernatural elements, and psychological depth, which were unprecedented for network television at the time.
After its initial successful run, "Twin Peaks" was continued in 2017, bringing back familiar characters and expanding on the original story 25 years later, receiving acclaim from both critics and fans. The show has left a lasting impact on television, influencing countless series and redefining audience expectations for narrative complexity and character development. Its blend of mystery, drama, and surrealism has solidified "Twin Peaks" as a cultural phenomenon and a significant part of television history.
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Twin Peaks (TV series)
Creators David Lynch (1946– ) and Mark Frost (1953– )
Date Aired from April 8, 1990, to June 10, 1991, and May 21, 2017, to September 3, 2017
Combining elements of soap opera, mystery/detective drama, quirky humor, and supernatural horror, this series drew fans of David Lynch’s idiosyncratic films to the television format and developed an intense cult following while appealing strongly to a broad general audience.
“She’s dead . . . wrapped in plastic”—this dialogue from Twin Peaks’ premiere episode became one of the most famous and oft-cited quotes in television history. Its two-hour opening episode filmed in Washington State, the remainder filmed on duplicate soundstages, Twin Peaks created a genuine sense of place, if not time, much like Lynch’s Blue Velvet (1986). When it was announced that Lynch would create a television soap opera, enthusiasts of Eraserhead (1977), The Elephant Man (1980), and Dune (1984) wondered how Lynch could possibly work his bizarre creativity within the confines of network television. The series defied expectations to become a highly rated cult phenomenon. “Who killed Laura Palmer?” replaced “Who shot J.R.?” (Dallas) as the biggest question on television viewers’ minds.
The magic of the series was Lynch’s ability to bring a cinematic sensibility to the small screen. Thus, the location filming of the pilot episode, panoramic shots, Angelo Badalamenti’s haunting music, an unprecedentedly large cast of characters, and numerous unresolved story lines defied television’s conventions, contributing to the show’s fascination.
The main plot centers on the investigation into the murder of prom queen Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) by Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan). Quickly the focus shifts to the quirky inhabitants of the town itself, who all seem connected in some way to Laura and have a dark, or at least a strange, side. As the investigation deepens, viewers learn that saintly Laura, who worked for Meals on Wheels, tutored a boy (Robert Bauer) with developmental delays, and dated football star Bobby Briggs (Dana Ashbrook), also dabbled in cocaine and prostitution and was having a secret affair with biker James Hurley (James Marshall)—among other secrets. The overall effect is that of a quaint, quiet small town whose economy is based on the local lumber mill and whose diner serves comforting coffee and cherry pie, but which hides murder plots, incest, spouse abuse, brothels, insanity, and supernatural entities able to possess innocent souls—quite a change from Dynasty or Dallas.
Surprisingly, Lynch encountered few censorship problems. “Don’t take any oink-oink off that pretty pig” was a felicitous substitute Lynch devised for a more profane line of dialogue the censors at the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) would not allow. More surprising was the extremely violent murder of Laura’s cousin Madeleine Ferguson (also Sheryl Lee), unprecedented at the time on network TV for its graphic viciousness. A more explicit film, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, followed in 1992.
In the 2010s, Lynch and Frost collaborated to create a continuation of the series that picks up the plot of the original story twenty-five years later. The series was written by Lynch and Frost, directed by Lynch, and features a number of cast members from the original series, including Kyle MacLachlan. The new series premiered on Showtime on May 21, 2017, and garnered positive reviews from critics and audiences alike.
Impact
Twin Peaks surpassed its cult following and high ratings to become a genuine cultural phenomenon, forever changing the rules and expectations for television series.
Bibliography
Cohen, Finn. "How 'Twin Peaks' Got Lost, and Found Its Way Back." The New York Times, 17 May 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/05/17/arts/television/twin-peaks-showtime-david-lynch-interview.html. Accessed 22 June 2017.
Kaleta, Kenneth C. David Lynch. New York: Twayne, 1993.
Rodley, Chris, ed. Lynch on Lynch. New York: Faber & Faber, 1997.
Stephens, Emily L. "In Its Nightmarish Two-Part Return, Twin Peaks Is Pure Lynchian Horror." Review of Twin Peaks, directed by David Lynch. A.V. Club, 22 May 2017, www.avclub.com/tvclub/its-nightmarish-two-part-return-twin-peaks-pure-ly-255515. Accessed 22 June 2017.