IMDB
The other day I was surfing at CBS.com when something caught my eye on the side of the screen. My heart skipped a beat when I saw it – it was Kyle MacLachlan as Agent Dale Cooper from Twin Peaks. There he was looking up at me. I was so excited that it took a minute for me to realize what the heck Agent Cooper was doing on CBS.com. Then I realized that CBS is streaming a whole bunch of “classic” shows on their website. I remembered hearing about this a while ago and quickly dismissing it, figuring there would be nothing that I really wanted to watch. Boy howdy, was I wrong: Twin Peaks!
If you hadn’t guessed by now, I’m a huge Twin Peaks fan. There was a period when I was in college a few years back when I discovered the show, that I became obsessed with it. I’m talking Lost-level of obsession. I was watching and re-watching episodes, joining online message boards, reading theories and waiting patiently for season two to come out on DVD. Well, after waiting about three years, season two did finally come out on DVD, along with a really snazzy complete series box set (I own all three sets myself). Suffice it to say, I’m a huge fan and I recommend you check out this classic series if you haven’t before.
This series was truly ahead of its time. It was a night-time soap, and will look like it on the surface to any viewers unfamiliar with it. It is full of a huge cast of characters: couples that are cheating on each other, teenagers in angst, crooked businessmen and women. It is huge and sprawling and could easily fit in with those silly soaps of old. Twin Peaks, however, took it to another level. There was, of course, the over-arching mystery of Laura Palmer’s death that set up the whole series. Unfortunately, it was solved half way through season two and the series started to go downhill from there.
Then there was the David Lynch factor. There are the typical David Lynch elements — by which I mean a bunch of wacky shit that makes absolutely no sense, is completely open to varied interpretations, and is endlessly fascinating. Some call it weird for the sake of being weird. I call it inspired. I’ve embedded a video of Agent Cooper’s dream from the beginning of season one. Great stuff. The first time I saw it, I was left with such an uneasy feeling of dread and wonderment. Oh, how I love David Lynch.
It is the perfect example of how Twin Peaks set the stage for so many shows to come: from Lost to Desperate Housewives, they all owe something to Twin Peaks. End of gushing.
One unfortunate caveat on the CBS.com episodes: the two hour pilot is missing, due to some crazy legal rights nonsense. My first time through watching the series I missed the pilot as well, as it wasn’t included in the first season DVD set, so you can manage.
Clacked by Bob Degon
on Sep 27, 2008 @ 20:34 EST5EDT
