It’s exhausting to overstate how a lot of an impression the unique Twin Peaks had on the world of tv when it initially debuted within the Nineteen Nineties. A serialized thriller present that had viewers on the sting of their seats, Twin Peaks turned the “water cooler” cultural occasion of its time. The present was developed by the good filmmaker David Lynch, an acclaimed artist behind such beloved classics as Blue Velvet, Eraserhead, Muholland Drive, and The Elpehant Man. The sequence introduced a charming thriller; the residents of a small city uncover that the highschool homecoming queen Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) has been murdered. The idiosyncratic FBI Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) known as in to research, however his search solely results in additional questions in regards to the lurking evil beneath the floor of the city.
Despite the present’s reputation, it was canceled on the finish of its second season, and left viewers with one of many greatest cliffhangers in tv historical past. Cooper’s soul had been possessed by the evil spirit “Bob,” and there was no indication as as to whether he might escape. Some thought that Lynch would possibly reply these questions in the spinoff movie Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, however because it was a prequel, it didn’t present any perception on Cooper’s future. However, Lynch lastly returned to the mythology of the present with the 2017 miniseries Twin Peaks: The Return. While it was much more baffling and clever than its predecessor, Twin Peaks: The Return delivered an ideal ending to the saga that stands among the many nice tv finales of all time.
A Great Tie-In to Season 2
While the primary season of Twin Peaks is without doubt one of the most good seasons of tv ever, the second season confronted some main artistic hurdles that Lynch had many points with. Lynch is a filmmaker who works greatest when he’s given free rein to pursue his weirdest impulses, however working underneath a community like ABC confined him to strict parameters. ABC demanded that Lynch solved the thriller of “who killed Laura Palmer?” early on within the second season, though he had supposed to maintain it a secret. Lynch grew irritated because the second season started introducing varied uninteresting subplots, emulating the kind of generic romantic and crime exhibits that he had initially been lampooning.
However, Lynch returned to the sequence to direct the season 2 finale “Beyond Life and Death,” which was radically completely different from practically the rest within the season. A weird, surrealist journey into the enigmatic Black Lodge forces Cooper to face off towards his evil doppelganger, who finally possesses his soul and physique. The shot of the “evil Cooper” laughing was the conclusive ending to the sequence earlier than Twin Peaks: The Return, so it was solely becoming that the sequel sequence would supply one other ending that baffled, disturbed, and confused the viewers.
While the season 2 ending needed to take care of fixing errors within the lead up, the Twin Peaks: The Return finale “What Is Your Name?” allowed Lynch to finish the sequence on his personal phrases, as he personally directed each single episode. Cooper and Laura have returned to Twin Peaks on the outdated Palmer dwelling, however uncover that it’s not occupied by anybody that they acknowledge. Cooper doesn’t even know what 12 months it’s, and Laura shrieks earlier than the credit run. The lingering questions that emerged would solely proceed to spark discourse and fan theories amongst Twin Peaks followers.
Solidifying the Theme of Good Versus Evil
In some ways, Twin Peaks: The Return emulates the identical type of “legacy sequel” that has been well-liked within the trade because of the success of the rebooted Star Wars, Halloween, Ghostbusters, Top Gun, Rocky, Blade Runner, and The Karate Kid franchises; these legacy sequels enable authentic solid members to return in additional reflective roles. With Twin Peaks: The Return, Lynch used and weaponized the viewers’s nostalgia by turning the saga into one thing higher. The incontrovertible fact that the present turned so completely different signifies that the “magic” of Twin Peaks’ quirkiness has been stolen by evil.
In the unique sequence, the “MacGuffin” is Laura’s loss of life; by slowly investigating the thriller surrounding the harmless lady’s homicide, Cooper reveals secrets and techniques about the entire city’s inhabitants, places, and organizations. In Twin Peaks: The Return, the “MacGuffin” is the unique present. Viewers had been perplexed as to why the charming music, jokes about cherry pie and low, and prolonged melodrama had been absent, and why the charming small city had been overtaken by violence and hatred. This thriller allowed Lynch to each full his story and analyze the trendy state of tv.
The theme of an existential battle for good and evil is seen by means of the struggle for the “soul” of Twin Peaks itself. While the unique sequence had launched the villainous presence of “Bob,” it’s defined in Twin Peaks: The Return that Bob was an underling of an evil extra highly effective entity referred to as Judy. Judy represents all of the evil within the Twin Peaks universe, and Lynch was lastly in a position to repay an Easter Egg that he had arrange in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. Former FBI Agent Phillip Jeffries (David Bowie) mentions to Cooper that “we’re not going to talk about Judy,” however Jeffries’ spirit returns to lastly clarify the true enemy that they’re coping with on the finish of Twin Peaks: The Return.
Proving Laura’s Importance
While it was nice to see returning solid members like Dana Ashbrook, Madchen Amick, Miguel Ferrer, Russ Tamblyn, David Duchovny, Peggy Lipton, and Ray Wise amongst others, it was completely important that Lee return to play Laura. Lee’s efficiency was magnetic and embodied all of the goodness that existed on this world, and she or he was unfairly snubbed for an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for her work in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. Lee advised Fangoria “it’s almost like I could feel her spirit or life force having more to say,” and agreed to reprise her function.
The last chapter exhibits how important Laura is for Cooper to finish his mission, even when he leaves her as soon as once more struggling and confused. Perhaps the message of Twin Peaks is that Laura can by no means actually be saved, however the search to take action exhibits that forces of sunshine can nonetheless exist.