Twin Peaks: what you need to know about the series and what to expect from the new season

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

On May 22, the third season of the David Lynch series "Twin Peaks" starts in Russia. Lifehacker understands why the story of the search for the killer of Laura Palmer became cult and why the creators decided to shoot a sequel.

What's the buzz with this Twin Peaks? Where did this name come from?

Twin Peaks is a fictional American town located near the Canadian border in the northwest of the country. It was in it that the tragedy occurred, which served as the starting point for the series of the same name, which was created by director David Lynch and screenwriter Mark Frost. Someone killed Twin Peaks resident Laura Palmer, a high school student. FBI agent Dale Cooper is looking for the killer.

Twin Peaks premiered on April 8, 1990. The series includes two seasons and consists of 30 episodes. David Lynch himself shot only six of them, the rest are specially invited directors.

Why did the show become so popular?

Twin Peaks was conceived as an experimental project of Lynch. The director had previously shot unusual films ("Eraser Head", "Elephant Man", "Blue Velvet"), and now he has transferred his style to the TV screen.

"Twin Peaks" is not a detective story or a soap opera familiar to the viewer, but a mixture of genres. Lynch does not accept cliches, but loves unpredictability. This hooked the audience.

Owls that are not what they seem, an FBI agent who loves damn good coffee and records his thoughts on a dictaphone for a certain Diana, otherworldly multi-colored wigwams with a dancing dwarf, a lady talking with a log - there are a lot of unusual characters in the series, as well as mysteries. that can break your brain. All this makes fans take apart the series to pieces even 27 years after its premiere. No wonder Time magazine included in 2007 "Twin Peaks" in the list of "Best TV Shows of All Time".

What else is Twin Peaks famous for?

The show has a great cast. Kyle McLachlan played the model charming FBI agent, David Lynch - his deaf and constantly screaming boss. For Lara Flynn Boyle, the role of Laura Palmer's friend became iconic, and Heather Graham after Twin Peaks played in a huge number of films.

Other celebrities are also involved in the series: David Duchovny, stars of the famous musical "West Side Story" Richard Beymer and Russ Tamblyn. And in the prequel movie "Twin Peaks: Fire Through", Chris Isaac and David Bowie appeared as FBI agents.

In addition, the series has excellent music written by Angelo Badalamenti. The composer, Emmy Award winner and Golden Globe nominee has a long history of collaboration with Lynch.

So did you find out who killed Laura Palmer?

Yes. And this knowledge cost many heroes dearly. Let's not spoil: if you haven't watched the series, there is still time to do it before the release of the third season. Its premiere in Russia will take place on May 22.

Why did Lynch decide to shoot the third season?

In the last episode of the second season, Laura Palmer promises Agent Cooper: "See you in 25 years."

Five years ago, Mark Frost asked David Lynch to make this promise a reality. A 400-page script involving more than 200 characters, they wrote together, communicating via Skype.

The third season was filmed as a single film. After the completion of filming, it was divided into 18 episodes. The first one lasts two hours, the rest goes on for 60 minutes. The sequel, unlike the first two seasons, has a decent budget, rivaling Showtime's high-quality dramas.

Initially, the continuation of the series was planned to be released in 2016, but then the premiere was postponed to 2017.

Will there be any old cast in season 3?

There will be. The third season will be a direct continuation of the story told over 25 years ago. Therefore, the creators of the series tried to collect the entire old team. Kyle McLachlan will return to the role of Dale Cooper, Cheryl Lee will become Laura Palmer. Fans will see Sherilyn Fenn (Audrey Horn), Richard Beymer (Ben Horn), Ray Wise (Leland Palmer), David Duchovny (FBI Agent Denise Brighton), Madchen Amick (Shelley Johnson), Everett McGill (Ed), Russ Tamblyn (Dr. Jacoby), Danu Ashbrook (Bobby Briggs), David Lynch himself and many others.

But new heroes will also appear. The cast that Lynch managed to lure into Twin Peaks included Monica Bellucci, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tim Roth, Amanda Seyfried, Naomi Watts, Ashley Judd, Jim Belushi, as well as Laura Dern, one of Lynch's favorite actresses.

Unfortunately, David Bowie did not have time to star in the new season. Fans hoped that the creators would finally reveal the mystery of the disappearance of his hero. Also, we will not see Bob: the actor who played him, Frank Silva, died in 1995. In the sequel, Michael Ontkin (Sheriff Harry S. Truman), Lara Flynn Boyle (Donna Hayward), Michael J. Anderson (the midget from the wigwam) refused to star.

Catherine Coulson (Lady with a Log), Miguel Ferrer (Agent Albert Rosenfeld) and Warren Frost (William Hayward) had time to star in the third season before their death.

What else is known about the continuation of the cult series?

The number of residents in the town remained unchanged - 51,201 people. This is indicated on a sign at the entrance to Twin Peaks, which was shown in the trailer.

The details of the plot are so far kept in strict confidence. It is only known that it is based on the return of Agent Cooper to Twin Peaks. The action will take place both in the town itself and outside it: the film crew worked in Southern California for quite some time.

In addition, David Lynch let slip that the movie Twin Peaks: Fire Through the last days of Laura Palmer's life is very important for understanding the third season of the series.