Twin Peaks - A Retrospective Ramble
It feels a bit weird to actually go into and talk about 'Twin Peaks' because it is such a cultural milestone that so many voices have has their say about David Lynch and Mark Frost's career-spanning project. However, wanted to really delve into the what of Twin Peaks, this isn't a theory post because god knows we dont need another one of them instead it is more of a look into the themes and ideas that I get out of 'Twin Peaks'. That is what I think makes this show so beloved, it is about the persona; connection, what any individual gets out of 'Twin Peaks' is always unique and personal, I think that is more relevant with 'The Return' than the original but there is still so much to get out of the show as a whole. I adored recently rewatching the show over the lockdown period and I think there is absolutely so much to get out of it, I think it so confidently unique yet accessible for anyone with how consistently versatile the show manages to be. Of course, the original show faced a lot of troubles with its production, Lynch had several famous disagreements over what the show should be but I think that when looked at as a whole this show manages to have a cohesive character to it, even when we get into the second half of the second season it still manages to be uniquely 'Twin Peaks' and Lynch manages to make something beautiful out of every element. So to celebrate the 30th anniversary and the legacy of this show I'm going to ramble my way through this show and how important and special I think it is. Spoilers Ahead
The Beginning
The pilot of the show is still one of my favourite episodes in Television history. It is a bit surreal revisiting it after how much has changed in the show because these characters are so well developed from here that their introductions feel novel and weird. In a swift hour and a half, the mystery is established and each and every character feels realised and lived in. I adore how Lynch doesn't hold back on any of the character's quirks, it is one of my favourite things about the show as a whole is how each character is so bizarrely unique and unpredictable, here we get a glimpse of all of them in a wonderful display of character confidence. One of the first people we meet is the late great Jack Nance as Pete, who's delivery of every line is so instantly iconic, I can't read the words 'wrapped in plastic' without that American drawl echoing in the back of my mind. We spend time with the consequences, most of the runtime is dedicated to how the people in Twin Peaks respond to the death of Laura Palmer, something the show is dedicated to. Famously the mystery as to who killed Laura Palmer was never meant to be revealed and it was just a jumping-off point for these characters and their lives which is so evident in this pilot. It is heartbreaking in places, this tragedy feels real and lived in which is probably why the world became obsessed with finding out the killer. The show has this brilliant relationship with justice, Lynch does a brilliant job of developing the true impact of Laura's death that the audience really wants closure and justice on her killer, from there the show consistently reminds you that it isn't that simple and that justice doesn't heal everyone. We then get that iconic introduction to one of T.V's greatest character's Dale Cooper as he breathes in the beautiful air of Twin Peaks and instantly mesmerised a generation. Cooper is quirky, idiosyncratic and sometimes alien but Kyle MacLachlan manages to make him feel honest and genuine, he isn't a macho character at all and treats people with respect and attention wherever he can. Although Cooper is our protagonist and the man who is here to solve the mystery, we still spend an impressive amount of time building up the world around him in all its complexity and bizarreness.
The Mystery
From here the rest of the series unfolds, we spend time as a guest in Twin Peaks as these characters lives build around us and this mystery keeps pulling back layers. What I really enjoy about this is how Lynch consistently changes and develops suspects, Leo Johnson is an obvious threat but so is Bobby, James and there's all these characters that pop up and around that you consistently try and work out who did it to no success. But really that isn't the point, every suspect is also a character suffering from Laura's death, Cooper investigates people but we focus on them as human beings rather than just suspects. Then we get small little glimpses of that iconic Lynchian surrealism, Cooper's dream from Part 3 is still one of the most incredible left-turns I have ever seen, the confidence of pulling this off and the amount of seeds that are planted is wonderful. We get this bizarre room where time runs both forwards and backwards, we see Laura Palmer who isn't quite Laura Palmer, we are introduced to Mike, Bob and The Arm simultaneously in a brief scene that is so vital to the whole show's mythos. I think it is a fantastic curveball, it adds this layer of uncertainty and fights convention by suggesting that this mystery is perhaps something unfathomable for its audience, we see Cooper narrow down suspects through these holistic methods that seem nonsensical but perhaps it is a matter of perspective. Lynch is often portrayed as an inaccessible director due to his surrealist style however I think the thing that makes me disagree with that is that there is a clear thought process behind every decision and thematically the ideas are still there and realised.
I also really appreciate how essentially most of the supporting cast is searching for the same thing in different ways, Audrey investigates One-Eyed Jack's, Donna and James investigate Dr Jacoby and Cooper investigates the Renault brothers. It is this search for closure that each character is desperately trying to find, but the only answers they find are more disturbing truths about the horrors of Laura Palmer's life and her struggles. It is a fantastic commentary on the audience's perspective, we want to learn more but every detail that unfolds is horrifying and usually puts these characters in danger so is it really worth it? It becomes this fascinatingly distressing story for our core characters but the death of Laura Palmer puts shockwaves in the lives of the surrounding characters. I will admit Josie's story was never my favourite, this tale of corporate espionage felt exhausting in places but when you tie everything back to Laura Palmer it develops Ben Horne a fantastic amount. This greedy selfish man is essentially suspect number one up until the real reveal, but in fact, he is just another person who falls under Laura's spell and contributes to her death in a way he probably didn't realise. There is this constant running narrative of the power of Laura as she seems to have made every man in Twin Peaks fall in love with her, she is elusive as we hear about people falling in love with her yet she seems to be consistently hurting herself and this duality is the core of her character. The finale of Series 1 opens as many doors as it closes and we are left in this pit of uncertainty as we go into Series 2, I love how the mystery stays constant but so many plot lines are concluded and set up simultaneously keeping the show fresh as we move into the next Series. Part 9 has a lot of work to do to tie up the many cliffhangers of the finale and it does it wonderfully, I adore the surreal scenes with Cooper lying bleeding out on the floor with the introduction of the Giant/Fireman. From there Series 2 starts to unveil itself in order to answer the biggest mystery in Television History with Part 15.
The Reveal
I can only imagine what it was like witnessing Part 15 for the first time as it aired, seeing the mystery unveil itself in one of the most disturbing and gut-wrenching scenes in history. I was lucky enough to watch it for the first time without knowing the answer and I remember shaking sat on my sofa with my jaw down to the floor. It isn't a perfect mystery, the reveal can be quite clearly worked out but the execution is wonderful and it still remains as a piece of cinematic history. It has such a climactic tone to it, Cooper assembling our suspects at the Roadhouse feeds us this idea that we are going to get a Poirot-esque monologue to reveal who really killed Laura Palmer but instead everything changes and we return to the surrealist delights then show is known for. I adore how Lynch never intended the mystery to be revealed but when he does reveal it he makes it this beautiful gut-wrenching sequence of events that are dramatically powerful and incredibly upsetting, The sequence in which Leland murders Maddy still remains to be genuinely disturbing the core and a masterpiece of a sequence. The record sticking echoes throughout the scene, as we see the truth behind who Leland Palmer is and we can't escape this moment. Those tiny glimpses of BOB, a character that props up in so many sequences ripped from our nightmares is suddenly there in front of us in plain view as we watch the true extent of Laura's trauma playout for Maddy. The worse possible outcome happens before our own eyes, Leland being the killer is such an upsetting thought and Lynch personifies this with this inclusion of BOB portraying the monstrous act of abuse right before us. The scene makes me physically ill and I struggle to sit through it, there is nothing left unshown and it is crafted to perfection. Leland is captured and arrested two episodes later but the consequences of his actions still echoes throughout Twin Peaks, the closure isn't there and Lynch leaves us with this depressing idea that although Laura's killer is dead it doesn't save Laura which is a beautiful message for what should have been the end of 'Twin Peaks'
The Downfall
The second half of Series 2 will forever live in infamy as a colossal drop off in quality. Lynch likes subplots, the show has this massive ensemble cast that we constantly move between, making the pacing of actual plotlines really slow but a good range of things to enjoy with each one, often linking together by that core idea of Laura's death. However Series 2 feels like a weird imitation of this, there are about 10 different D-Plots happening at once that have no real thematic connection and fumble about at an embarrassing pace. The worst ones are definitely the Nadine and James plots which, are these weird trope-filled mini-stories that dont have any impact, the show has always dabbled in parody of soap operas with its romantic subplots but there it feels so exhausting and pointless. They seem to be making it up on the spot and each element fails like an imitation, granted I dont think it is terrible because these characters are so well established and performed that honestly, it makes it all worth it. The Windom Earle story is actually a lot of fun, he is a fantastic character and brings much-needed energy to the show as it chugs along to the finale. It just isn't really valuable, most of what is happening doesn't fit into what Lynch is trying to do and it really echoes throughout, there are moments that try and replicate his surrealism but without any real direction or purpose (I'm looking at you Josie) but you just have to bear with it. I find it actually really quite interesting, it is proof that Lynch and Frost are a perfect creative team, that the ideas they present have a purpose and when it may not make sense to you it is vital that you saw it. We lose the important presence of Laura Palmer, the show has so many other plots that crop up just to keep the audience interested without any attention to that pivotal idea the show is built around. Don't get me wrong there are some brilliant scenes here and there, Cooper still remains brilliant and his relationship with Annie is really touching, any scene with Gordon Cole is fantastic and I even quite like 'two men and a baby' Andy story for its ridiculousness. It's a shame but worth sticking through up until that beautiful finale.
The End?
A genuine surrealist masterpiece that redeems a show falling down a slippery slope and is a fantastic ending to the original run. It is possibly the most unsatisfying way Lynch and Frost could have ended the series but the way it is done is unlike anything you will ever watch in your life. It is hard not enjoy this on a meta-level, Lynch returns to the show and redeems it wonderfully, shutting down pointless subplots and demonstrating how to really do surrealist storytelling. The sequences outside the Black Lodge are playful and sort of mocks the show's lead up, several characters aren't even seen or mentioned and some mysteriously die in an explosion. But that doesn't matter, Lynch hates cosy endings and here he reminds you that the consequences still exist and sometimes evil prevails with no reward. The Black Lodge sequences are genuinely beautiful, utterly terrifying and brilliantly well made, they are surreal but cohesive with so many brilliant ideas crammed into them that tie an impressive bow on the narrative so far. It just blows me away for viscerally horrifying some elements in this finale are and how Lynch leaves you in this place of uncomfortable uncertainty with no real safety blanket to be seen. The sequences in the Black Lodge are undeniably surreal but what we are saying makes sense if you get over the hurdle that this world works on different rules, what we are seeing doesn't translate in our perception and the way Lynch crafts that effect is glorious. The horrible doppelgangers of Laura, Cooper and The Arm still give me nightmares with The Arm's cackling, Laura's inhuman movement and that terrifying smile from the Evil Cooper. It is this explosion of surrealism that I adore seeing and such a depressing piece of television that designs an iconic cliffhanger that the world thought may never be resolved. Seeing Cooper risk everything and venture into the unknown is such an admirable trait of his character, he manages to keep his wits with him and stay confident without severe breaking in the Black Lodge which makes his defeat heartbreaking.
The Past (Or is it Future?)
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me is a fascinating piece of cinema, it is kind of a mess and hated by critics but when you accept it for what it is there is a beauty to this story. I'm going to touch on some of the 'Missing Pieces' that were released a few years ago because some of them really fill out this story. There's an unfortunate dual narrative here that is a product of the production and it leaves two halves of a story that are really interesting but slightly disconnected and underdeveloped when placed next to each other. The first part is the story of FBI agents Chester Desmond (Chris Isaak) and Sam Stanley (Kiefer Sutherland) investigating the death of Teresa Banks in this bizarro world Twin Peaks where everyone is awful and nothing is quite right. It is drenched with metaphors and symbolism that honestly I dont have the time to get into, some are more obvious than others (that TV destruction isn't subtle) and some scenes I still dont really understand. It feels a bit disjointed in areas, this story at the start feels like it should have been its own thing and it was originally planned to set up a series of films based on these FBI agents that we unfortunately never got. There are some amazing moments here and there, Harry Dean Stanton is fantastic and the David Bowie scene (the full version not the weirdly disjointed one from the original film) is one of the most iconic things in the show's history. But from here is where the film gets really brilliant and Lynch focuses on the story of Laura Palmer's last few days. Seeing the world pre-Twin Peaks is always a treat but this story, although basically already told, is beautiful and one of the most upsetting things I have ever seen. I love this story and seeing how tormented Laura Palmer is makes it a tough but valuable watch, Lynch clearly loved this character and I'm so glad we get so spend this time with her. Seeing Leland hurt her and seeing her repeated mistakes come from trauma is something I think is important to fleshing out who she was and the true impact on this world. It also adds some quite explicit lore to the Black Lodge and makes sense as to how important Laura Palmer's death truly was with the inclusion of the iconic ring, Garmonboza and other elements essential to this universe. Sheryl Lee is phenomenal in this role, her performance is by far my favourite element (especially in that final scene in the Black Lodge that breaks my heart every time) and I really think it is her film and something special. It can be a bit disjointed but when it focuses on Laura it is well worth it and vital viewing for any fan of the show.
The Return
This 18 Part series is unlike anything I have ever seen and I am still convinced it may just be the most incredible feat in Television History. Is that hyperbolic? Yes a bit, but there is something so beautiful in the craft of this series that when I recently rewatched it I found myself swept away in how impactful Lynch's return is. Honestly, I think it is a series that I feel comes from personal connection, every single person who I have talked about it with takes a part of it with them and connects to that, it manages to be so brave with its thematic choices without feeling self-indulgent or nostalgia-baiting. For me, I think The Return is about the chaotic patterns in your life and the fact Good rises against Evil and is often met without success and reward. It has been 25 years since that iconic cliffhanger, so many characters were returning and Lynch had so much pressure on following up on his career-defining production, but here he makes something that is personal, from the heart and creatively dedicated. I see it as a very self-retrospective meta piece about both Lynch and Frost's careers but with this dedication to creating television that engages and responds to the audience. There is this fascinating relationship with the past in The Return, we don't get Agent Cooper in Twin Peaks for the majority of the show and most of the characters that return arent living the lives we presumed they would be living. It feels like 25 years have progressed in this world and we very rarely get time to work out what has happened in these years, often events are inferred and are usually the darkest alternative. We spend so much time with side characters and narratives completely new that our familiar faces feel like strangers and this world never quite feels right. There is something so off about The Return, it is a world drenched in chaos and inconsistencies but those moments and glimmers of hope feel so much more powerful. I honestly think it is so deeply emotional in places, I find it incredibly hard to watch because Lynch somehow manages to consistently break my heart and build me up, hope remains even in the darkness.
It isn't an easy watch at all, often scenes are so confidently made that they might alienate an audience. Yes there are scenes where there is uncut footage of someone sweeping for 3 minutes but you just have to sit back and take it for what it is. Notice parallels and overthink them, analyse the surrealist sequences to exhaustion or maybe just sit back and listen to these characters and learn to sympathise with them and understand their stories. It is equal parts bizarre as it is fundamentally human and that is something I will never forget. You could write essay after essay after essay over what each and every scene means and there some elements that I run around in circles trying to work out but that is part of the experience and on top of that it doesn't just rely on being surreal and engages the audience emotionally. When actually experiencing the show, I find myself not analysing what Sarah Palmer taking her face off or Audrey seemingly waking up in a hellish void actually means but accepting it as part of the experience. There is a very cohesive narrative here but the elements surrounding them are absolutely fascinating and have so much intrinsic value as a piece of art. Whether it be Part 8 which is the closest thing we get to Lynchian exposition or the lead up to the finale with all the beautiful scenes we have always wanted to see (the Ed and Norma scene is probably my favourite moment of the whole show) there is so much to love in this. I adore Lynch's tribute to troubled youth, with its consistent menagerie of characters struggling a world they dont understand. I adore the tribute to what is good in the world whether it be a nice cup of coffee, a genuine conversation with a friend you didn't think was capable of lowering his voice or a simple gesture from a stranger when you are faced with tragedy there is always hope hidden somewhere. I adore the ode to feeling at odds with the world you live in, sometimes life feels like a dream both positively and negatively, there isn't law and reason behind what we see and sometimes something you have wanted, like the reunion between an Agent and a Police Department feels off and intangible. It is a beautiful series, uncompromisingly a piece of art and something that I think shouldn't be treated with frustration but delight as you revel in the unknown and the atmosphere.
Production-wise it is one of the most impressive things I have ever seen, seeing Lynch be able to really delve into his creative potential is something I will never get bored off. The editing is so uniquely Lynchian, some sequences are only as effective as their production and Lynch gets the most out of every scene, creating horror and discomfort whilst also creating beauty and escapism sometimes simultaneously. Angelo Badalamenti is, of course, a genius and his work on the show is so important, the original show basically functioned around his score and here he gets to rally create some incredible moments through the fleeting moments of score we see. It also has an incredible soundtrack that I listen to often, the live performances in the Roadhouse are often the highlights of some episodes and manage to give this performative beauty to each scene set in the Roadhouse. It is an incredibly well made and crafted series, if you dont love his surrealist habits than at least you can appreciate hope beautifully done and constructed everything is. He creates distant unfathomable worlds through brilliant use of colour and editing, the Pink Place from Part 3 is such a fascinatingly crafted world and the simple beauty in the editing is mesmerising. The iconic style of the original series feels like it would mature to this, a lot of the technical elements feel like perfect modernisations of the original effects, the way some sequences feel so clearly fake like the scenes where a Tulpa is revealed or Major Briggs shows up as a floating png feel so otherworldly and bizarre due to how they dont make work on any set of rules in this world or our own.
The End.
I was really surprised to find out how many people are rallying for a Season 4 after Part 18, which I see as the most definite last chapter to this whole story, It's not a cliffhanger in the sense of the original show, it is just a dower and depressing idea to end a show on, just because it isn't the ending we want doesn't mean it isn't the ending we've got. It is an exhausting, cruel and visceral hour of television that is so bleak in so many ways and feels like the hangover to Part 17's moments of triumph. It would be so simple to watch Cooper save Laura and change the timeline to something comfortable and happy, surely the solution to all this chaos is going to be fine after Cooper saves Laura? I feel like it is about entering reality and coming to terms with it, a slow and meditative look at how difficult it is to find the easy solution, The raw atmosphere of Part 18 is disturbingly painful, often these long uncut scenes of silence feel painful and distant to what we know, nothing quite sits right and as we progress through the episode it feels a desperate story of disturbing truth. Cooper created this world he isn't a part of, he doesn't feel like himself and the people around him grow cold and distant, he finally has an opportunity to be with Diane but she is still traumatised and leaves him to confront the truth. This isn't our saviour Agent Cooper, but a shockingly mortal character facing these dark consequences of the world around him, he feels lost and trying desperately to find a reward and reason behind his pain. Those closing moments where he takes Laura who isn't Laura to the Palmer's house that isn't the Palmer's house feels to me like the realisation that sometimes everything isn't fixed in a simple way. The whole of The Return feels chaotic and beautiful, often dreamlike and ineffable but here it is brutally realistic and never elevated, it's set with both feet in reality and that is disorientating and disturbing. I could never fully understand Part 18, or the entirety of The Return for that matter but I dont think that is important, I think the amount I get out of it is more important than anything and I appreciate it so much more for that fact.
Thanks for reading! This was just a little bit of a ramble about a show I love and I think something like Twin Peaks feeds off discussion so this has been an absolute treat to write.