DAMN GOOD CUP OF COFFEE AND A FINE SLICE OF CHERRY PIE!

David Lynch is weird. Bizarre. And pure genius.

I have tremendous fond memories of his quirky television show creation Twin Peaks, which took the country by mini-storm back in 1990 when I was still a teenager. Along with co-creator Mark Frost, their groundbreaking and still incredibly watchable show was nothing short of amazing. I have never seen such a fine ensemble cast put together, a storyline more engrossing, or visuals so odd to leave me guessing week after week. Although sadly Twin Peaks only lasted two short seasons and some 30 episodes, it was incredible television to say the least. Recently, I watched some old videotapes I have of season two (still not on DVD) which aired on Bravo a few years back after its original run on ABC, and was amazed at how well the show still holds up some sixteen years later.

Taking place in a small fictional town near the Canadian border, Twin Peaks originally focused on the devastating murder of a popular high school girl which rocked the town and made everyone a possible suspect. Who killed Laura Palmer? became the nagging question as the show took off and became a huge cult hit at the time. Everyone in the town was bizarre, had something to hide, was having an affair, using drugs, or was just plain weird as to be possible suspects. In comes eccentric and lovable FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper played by the incomparable Kyle MacLachlan to help investigate just what happened here, and he slowly but surely begins to discover the strange supernatural underbelly of this very evil small town.

The show was truly strange, full of an array of odd people: The Log Lady--a woman who dispenses coded advice by consulting her portable piece of wood and always chews on tree sap, The Curtain Lady--who wore an eye patch and was always looking for the perfect quiet curtains and was married to a rather sane and nice gas station owner, Ben Horne--owner of lots of real estate in the town and a real mafioso, Leland Palmer--father of Laura the murder victim who goes freakishly insane after the tragedy, and a whole slew of other marvelous well-developed characters. That Lynch and Frost were able to focus so well on the personalities of the many characters as the show went along is extraordinary, especially as evidenced in the first seven episodes which are considered the finest in the series itself, plus the original premiere movie (which should be watched first but is for some reason hard to find on DVD) that started it all.

The cinematography for the show was excellent using lots of natural settings in Washington State to capture the essence of this small town, plus the use of lots of wood and red backdrops made for a truly weird surreal & dark visual experience. Lynch and crew used all kinds of supernatural phenomena to permeate the place giving the show a very creepy and freakish feel. Sometimes the show would end with a simple shot of trees blowing in the night wind, and it was quite unnerving. Or perhaps they'd show a lone swinging streetlight in the night or maybe just an owl perched on a tree branch. Add the incredible jazzy and often creepy score by Angelo Badalamenti (who frequently works with Lynch on his films), and the show was nothing short of perfect: a fine mix of drama, comedy, quirkiness, neverending puns, and real fright.

The show was also the springboard of sorts for many well-known actors today such as David Duchovny, Heather Graham, Lara Flynn Boyle, and Billy Zane. Veteran actors such as Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn, Piper Laurie, and Peggy Lipton also appeared. Truly wonderful actors all-around.

Who killed Laura Palmer? She was found wrapped in plastic by the lakeside and the show takes off from there. It was trying to figure out week in and week out who did it that kept the show so fascinating. Once we discovered who killed her in the middle of the second season, the show went into another plotline and died a certain death as its ratings began to crumble, till it was no more. It inspired a prequel film about a year later, but it was no match for the fine television that was the original series.

I've watched many shows throughout the years, even the amazing ones put on Showtime and HBO to this day, but I can most certainly say that no other show even comes close to what Twin Peaks achieved on regular network television. It has influenced many programs and continues to till this very day. Many really young people will probably not remember the show, and I would hope they'd check it out or perhaps even if you do remember, and missed it the first time around.

It was nominated for many Emmys that year, but sadly did not win any and was #45 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time list, which is much lower than my ranking.

For it is in this writer's most humble opinion that Twin Peaks is the greatest TV show ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsNgxzIs0KM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yR26M0kMZzg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMXjjHFz__A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PWEqbwh2ow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmS29HNc5fI

*Note: Twin Peaks' first season is available on DVD, but pilot episode film is only on import DVD or videotape. The second season is not on DVD yet, but is available on VHS. One can hope these people can get their act together (word is perhaps release in 2007) and honor this most deserving show with complete DVD editions already!

Complete pilot episode plus other following ones are, I believe, available here: http://www.maniatv.com/tv/Devious, below video screen on page under Playlist (100) scroll.