by Helen Langdon
On the morning of February 24 1989, Agent Dale Cooper entered the town of Twin Peaks for the first time to investigate the murder of homecoming queen Laura Palmer. And so began a relatively short-lived show that would become a cult classic.
On the morning of February 24 1989, Agent Dale Cooper entered the town of Twin Peaks for the first time to investigate the murder of homecoming queen Laura Palmer. And so began a relatively short-lived show that would become a cult classic.
Twin Peaks was created by David Lynch and Mark Frost, and aired 30 episodes from 1990 to 1991. It was, at its heart, the story of a small town where everyone had secrets to keep. There were affairs, criminal activities, and demonic possessions galore. Rather than sticking to one particular genre, it was more of a soap mixed with a murder mystery with a healthy dose of the supernatural sprinkled on top. It was a TV drama that didn’t feel confined by the medium, possibly due to David Lynch’s cinematic pedigree. Because Lynch was so heavily involved, it was easy to attract film actors to the small screen, who might previously have been put off. The cinematography in Twin Peaks started the trend for TV dramas to approach film quality, a trend that still exists today.
Part of the appeal of Twin Peaks was its occasionally improvised moments. Most famous amongst these is the identity of BOB, the demon responsible for Laura’s death. Although different origin stories exist, the one Lynch himself tells has him hearing the set dresser, Frank Silva, moving furniture around. When he found out that Silva was an actor, he wanted to use him in some way. Later, Silva’s reflection accidentally appeared in a shot, and Lynch’s problem was solved. There were also unscripted reactions, which added to the genuine feeling that occasionally ridiculous moments needed.
Part of the appeal of Twin Peaks was its occasionally improvised moments. Most famous amongst these is the identity of BOB, the demon responsible for Laura’s death. Although different origin stories exist, the one Lynch himself tells has him hearing the set dresser, Frank Silva, moving furniture around. When he found out that Silva was an actor, he wanted to use him in some way. Later, Silva’s reflection accidentally appeared in a shot, and Lynch’s problem was solved. There were also unscripted reactions, which added to the genuine feeling that occasionally ridiculous moments needed.
Sadly, Twin Peaks became a victim of executive meddling. The network, who had originally wanted Laura Palmer’s murderer to be revealed at the end of season one, insisted that the storyline be resolved halfway through season two. Without this central mystery, viewers began switching off. Faced with declining ratings, the show was put on indefinite hiatus, and it was only due to a fan letter-writing campaign that the last six episodes were ever aired. The finale was filled with cliffhangers, but even the reveal of *SPOILERS* Cooper’s possession by the evil BOB wasn’t enough to boost the ratings, and a third series never became reality. In 1992, a prequel film, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, was released to negative reviews in the US.
But Twin Peaks has been treated well by history, consistently making lists of the top TV shows of all time, and lists of shows that were cancelled too soon. It still gets referenced in pop culture today, most notably the 2010 episode of Psych, which contained several guest stars from Twin Peaks, and was a homage to the pilot. An ultimate edition Blu-ray has also recently been announced, showing that the public appetite for this TV series shows no sign of abating just yet.
But Twin Peaks has been treated well by history, consistently making lists of the top TV shows of all time, and lists of shows that were cancelled too soon. It still gets referenced in pop culture today, most notably the 2010 episode of Psych, which contained several guest stars from Twin Peaks, and was a homage to the pilot. An ultimate edition Blu-ray has also recently been announced, showing that the public appetite for this TV series shows no sign of abating just yet.
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