Retro Crush: Twin Peaks

Lynch/Frost Compay
Created by David Lynch, Mark Frost
Directed by David Lynch, Various
Starring Kyle MacLachlan, Ray Wise, Michael Ontkean, Dana Ashbrook, Lara Flynn Boyle, Sherilyn Fenn

(There was a report a few months ago where Kyle MacLachlan said he would like to revive the Agent Cooper plot line of “Twin Peaks” in web episodes. Read Pop Bunker’s article and opinion on that here.)

“Twin Peaks” is not the most obscure retro pop love I could have chosen for this entry, but I’ve been out of town for two straight Fridays so I decided to leave a few of the more niche in the hopper and pull out a real heavyweight for this entry.

Those that have seen “Twin Peaks” and are a fan already know just about everything I’m about to say and could probably say it better. Those that are uninitiated despite the glorious DVD box set, streaming options, and re-runs, do yourself a favor and read this through or, more importantly, just visit “Twin Peaks” for 3-4 episodes to start. I promise you’ll be hooked and that you’ll thank me.

One could write about “Twin Peaks” in several different ways. One way would be to address the show in context to when it was broadcast from April 1990 to June 1991. I was a pretty avid tv watcher back then and could spend some time talking about how devastatingly incongruous “Twin Peaks” was to other television programming on at the time. That incongruity would be akin to broadcasting “Lost” and sharing the airwaves with Night Court, Growing Pains, Married With Children, and MacGyver. Or at the same time that ALF and Mr. Belvedere were finally canceled. Or before Mad About You, ER, and seven years before Buffy the Vampire Slayer. You’ll soon see just how much “Twin Peaks” did not fit. Another way to address “Twin Peaks” is from the perspective of what it led to (eventually) in broadcast television.

I’m going to write about “Twin Peaks” in a vacuum and let the reader decide its cultural impact on television then and now.

Plot/Genre

“Twin Peaks” cannot be summed up as a single genre. Lynch stated at different times that “Twin Peaks” was in part inspired by the television show The Fugitive and his desire to peak into the lives of everyday Americana.  The show is unique in many of ways, one of the most obvious being its clear portrayal of good as Good and evil as Evil.  “Twin Peaks” is then littered with characters compromising all levels of gray area ethics.  It is captivating seeing the forces of Good, the forces of Evil, and the human norm all be portrayed so clearly and eloquently.

The show is driven by the murder of a popular local teenager named Laura Palmer in the small rural Pacific Northwestern community of Twin Peaks. Special Agent Dale Cooper is called to the quirky little town to work the case and once there quickly establishes a working relationship with the local Sheriff Harry S. Truman (Michael Ontkean).

Genres found in “Twin Peaks”

• Fantasy
• Sci-Fi
• Murder Mystery
• Drama
• Comedy
• Musical
• Romance
• Erotica

Elements and situations of “Twin Peaks”

• Space giants
• Native American mythology
• Esoteric New Age psychology
• Prophetic dreams & visons
• Alternate dimensions
• Demons and defenders
• Far Eastern philosophy
• Alien communications
• Possession by Evil
• Coffee obsession

Themes unusual for TV found in “Twin Peaks”

• Prostitution
• Brutal rape
• Teenage sexuality
• Teens equal with adults
• Loving and seemingly benign infidelity
• Father-daughter co-dependence

Production Quality

One of the first things one will notice about “Twin Peaks” when watching even now is that the show looks beautiful. Much like the reality craze now, the early 90s were a time in tv where cheap to make sitcoms were the norm and the vested dramas of the time were mostly the nighttime soaps with varied production values but uniform styles. “Twin Peaks” established several real life locations for exterior shots and created high quality interior sets. The cinematography and editing were top notch and the show feels more like a cinematic event than a television show. Current television shows like “Lost” have that same production value. 15 years later.

Directing/Acting

One of the most interesting aspects of “Twin Peaks” is the unusual way in which David Lynch established the characters. There are a handful of Lynch regulars like Jack Nance (Pete Martell); actors from the past with little modern screen time like Piper Laurie (Catherine Martell) and Peggy Lipton (Norma Jennings); and established actors Kyle MacLachlan (Special Agent Dale Cooper) and Ray Wise (Leland Palmer). There are also several non-actors (at the time) scattered throughout the show in such important parts as plot force Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee)and BOB of whom you have to meet to understand. Lynch in his movies and in “Twin Peaks” often films to fit the actor and will use unusual takes, ad-libs, bloopers, or even the product of awkward shoots and install those in the narrative. Also the willingness to have actors play characters against type cast help play into the quirkiness, darkness, and realism of the characters, situations, and town. For example, the aged 59 Piper Laurie plays a sex crazed femme fatale, slight-of-build Wendy Robie (Nadine) is a housewife with superhero-like strength, and Ray Wise (Leland Palmer, above left) breaks out in random musical & dance routines. What that divergence from typical television often delivers in “Twin Peaks” is that it allows the characters, the tempo, and the delivery a more organic feel despite the surreal cumulative effect. I can’t explain exactly how it works; neither can Lynch himself. It is a strange formula of gut feeling and subconscious connection. It works wonders as the characters seep into ones life as seemingly real acquaintances.

Clues, Cues, & The Meaning

What everyone talks about with “Twin Peaks” is, What does it all mean? I don’t know for sure. David Lynch and Mark Frost claim that a lot of the show and what happened was made up at the moment and they were not sure what it meant or where it would have gone.

What is evident is that there is a large amount of mysticism and subconscious interplay as well as strong insinuations to obscure reference material that can lend the story some definition if it is something one wishes to seek out. One can also view the entire series as a snap shot and give in to it is what it is. There is no wrong way to approach “Twin Peaks.” One can try to divine the meaning of the entire scope, or work at unraveling mysteries of single plot lines, characters, or events. One can also watch it quite literally (as many did on its first run) as a mystery set in a quaint rural town. However one decides to tackle “Twin Peaks,” be prepared to join our obsession; the ones that have been on the journey for two decades now. And be prepared to answer one question at least: “How’s Annie?”

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