25 years have passed since the Twin Peaks television series started on the screens. He collected fantastic reviews, and was soon extended for the 2nd season. However, after revealing the secrets of Miss Palmer's death, interest in the project began to decline, which is why it was soon closed.
Recently, the creators of "Twin Peaks" decided to remove its continuation. While the whole world is eagerly awaiting this film event, let's recall a little how this project so attracted viewers in the 90s.
Background of occurrence
Long before starting work on the TV series Twin Peaks, David Lynch and Michael Frost dreamed of making a film about the life and mysterious death of Marilyn Monroe. However, they could not find sources of financing and the project was closed. Later, when Lynch and Frost decided to shoot a detective story about the death of a schoolgirl in a provincial town, they used the script for an unreleased motion picture as the plot basis.
The ABC channel, which bought the rights to the project, did not make high stakes on the new television series, so it ordered only 8 episodes, which were shot in 1989.
To everyone’s surprise, the debut episode shown on television made a lasting impression on the audience and made Twin Peaks a real hit.
Season 1 gathered the most enthusiastic reviews, and shortly after its completion, ABC ordered Lynch and Frost a second season. Unfortunately, after the secret of the death of Laura Palmer was revealed, interest in the project began to decline, as did the ratings. Because of this, it became unprofitable to release the Twin Peaks project (reviews about the series with each new series became more and more negative), and it was closed.
Despite such a sad television career, the television series managed to acquire the status of a cult. For many years, his admirers fought for an extension of his favorite sight, but until 2015, David Lynch refused them. Fortunately, in 2016, the director began filming the 3rd season.
What was the first season of the Twin Peaks project about?
Reviews of the series and the professional critics, and the housewives bored near the TVs were the best. An unusual plot, a mystical atmosphere, a charming protagonist and beautiful landscapes and music simply captivated everyone. So, what was told about in season 1?
The series begins with the fact that in the small town of Twin Peaks, located between the two mountains, they find the body of high school student Laura Palmer. Agent Dale Cooper comes to town to investigate. It soon turns out that the angel-like universal darling was actually a drug addict and a libertine. Despite all these unsightly facts, friends and relatives of Laura are trying to find her killer, their investigations sometimes intersect, but instead of answers, more and more questions arise.
In the finale of the 1st season, it turns out that on the night of her death Laura took drugs and went with two local drug dealers to have fun in a forest hut. At the same time, a third was watching the merry company. It was he who stunned one of Laura's lovers and scared the second so that he was forced to flee. Then this unknown kidnapped the girl and killed her, and threw her body into the lake.
Mysteries and surprises 2 seasons
The first season ended at the most interesting place, without telling the audience who the killer is. This riddle has become the main feature of the television series "Twin Peaks". The reviews of critics and spectators after the end of the 1st season, thanks to the preserved intrigue, were mostly positive, since they vied with one another to put forward the most incredible theories about who the killer is. The directors themselves were in no hurry to reveal this secret.
However, with the start of season 2, the channel’s management demanded that Lynch and Frost discover who killed Miss Palmer. And already in the 6th series, the audience was shown in whose body Bob's evil spirit is hiding, and in the 8th Dale Cooper and his comrades found out about this.
Most likely, the directors of the project hoped that they would be able to finish this season in the 8th series. But the ABC channel demanded to shoot the full 22 episodes, so the remaining 14 episodes had to be filled with all sorts of nonsense and secondary characters.
In order not to lose the interest of the viewers of the television series “Twin Peaks” (reviews about the series became worse and worse), the creators of the project spun the love story of Cooper and the waitress Annie. And in order to create intrigue, a new character was introduced - the husband and killer of the former lover, trying to find some ominous place called Black Wigwam.
The main surprise of the season was the collapse of an almost-formed couple, Agent Cooper and Miss Horn. And although the head of the channel and the directors advocated the development of their relationship, Kyle McLachlan (the leading actor) completely abandoned this novel, arguing that his hero would not start a relationship with a high school student. Later it turned out that the reason for McLachlan’s protest was the jealousy of his girlfriend Lara Flynn Boyle, who played Laura’s friend Donna in the project. The actress was jealous of her lover for the performer of the role of Audrey - Sherilyn Fenn, so she insisted that there was no romance between the characters. Despite all the efforts of Lara, the relationship between her and Kyle soon ceased, and the hero McLachlan had a new lover - the waitress Annie.
What ended the second season of the television series "Twin Peaks": reviews from viewers and critics
Despite the fact that the interest of the audience fell with each new series, Lynch managed to surprise everyone with the final. After falling into the Black Wigwam, Agent Cooper himself became obsessed with Bob, and his good nature remained in this strange place, and her further fate is unknown.
Such a plot twist made us talk a lot about the Twin Peaks project. Reviews from critics were different. Most of them were delighted with the unexpected plot move, finding it the most striking event of the project, since the killer of Laura was found.
Spectators such an ending only enraged. Many of them began to demand continuation, because the transformation of the kindest and noblest hero into an evil monster left a lot of questions and opportunities for the further development of the plot.
Another highlight of the finale of the 2nd season was the statement of Laura Palmer that they will see each other 25 years later. Although back in 1991 this promise seemed fantastic, today, when work on season 3 is completed and the premiere is planned soon, these words sound like a prophecy.
The movie "Twin Peaks: Through the Fire"
Despite the low ratings and the closure of the project, many viewers dreamed of learning more about the fate of the heroes of the television series Twin Peaks. Reviews of the series and requests to shed light on at least some riddles constantly reached Lynch. Therefore, in 1992, he wrote the script for the feature film Twin Peaks: Through Fire.
This picture tells about the last days of Laura Palmer and her murder. Not all actors agreed to play in the tape. So, Kyle McLachlan was barely persuaded to play in several episodes, and his former lover Lara Flynn Boyle refused at all, so she was replaced by Moira Kelly.
Shortly after the premiere of the movie "Twin Peaks", the reviews deserved very mediocre. He received praise only from the most devoted fans of the television series, while critics reacted rather coolly to the picture. Mixed reviews were earned by Laura and Donna's bare-chested footage present in the film, because in the series, despite numerous intimate scenes, there was nothing like that.
Secrets of the project set and the reaction of the audience
The process of filming the series "Twin Peaks" was accompanied by a host of mystical events. For example, at the very beginning of filming, due to a malfunction, the bulb began to blink. Lynch really liked this move, and throughout the project he often used it.
Once during the filming of the first episodes, D. Lynch noticed how one of the illuminators named Frank Silva was reflected in the mirror. This prompted the director to take him on the role of Bob, and also come up with a chip with a reflection of Bob - creatures in the mirror.
The series "Twin Peaks" audience reviews praised and thanks to the tricks of Lynch with voices. Those who watched it in the original noticed how unusual and frightening the inhabitants of the Black Wigwam say. To achieve this effect, the director forced the artists to memorize the cues back to front, and then scrolled them in the opposite order, receiving "otherworldly" voices.
Favorite artists of the project
As for the actors who performed the main roles, for most of them, Twin Peaks became the pinnacle of a career. For example, Kyle McLachlan (Cooper) before the series managed to show off in the Lynch film “Dune”. And after Twin Peaks, his career began to decline. The most famous projects with his participation are “The Flintstones”, “Showgirls”, “Sex and the City” and “Librarian: In Search of a Spear of Fate”.
Audrey played a bold and eccentric Sherilyn Fenn, who became famous thanks to the "Merger of the two moons" and "Elena in the box."
But Cheryl Lee, who played both Laura and her cousin, in addition to Twin Peaks, was not special for anything, although she starred in dozens of projects. It is noteworthy that initially the character of Maddy was not in the script, but Cheryl liked Lynch, and in order not to be separated from her, he invented another heroine for the actress.
Lara Flynn Boyle, who played Donna, starred after Twin Peaks, but her career soon waned. The reason was the artist’s passion for plastic surgery. Because of them, Lara’s appearance has acquired many unpleasant features, and many directors did not risk working with her.
The performer of the role of Annie, Heather Graham, made the most successful career. So, she starred in the films “Scream 2”, “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Seduced Me”, “From Hell”, “Clinic”, “Bachelor Party in Vegas”, “Lascivious California”, etc.
A good career was made by Ray Wise, who played Leland. He starred in TV shows such as Savannah, Charmed, 24 Hours, Bones, 4isla, Castle, Beverly Hills, 90210, The Mentalist, etc.
Sadly, many other charming artists from this television series could not become famous.
Who will appear in the new season
In anticipation of the premiere of the 3rd season, many are interested in who of the old guard will appear in it. Fans are waiting for a meeting with agent Cooper, Laura Palmer, lovers Bobby and Shelley, Big Ed, Leland Palmer and his wife, Benjamin and Audrey Horn, effeminate agent Dennis, James, Giant and many new characters. In total, more than 200 artists are involved in the project.
By the way, among the “newcomers” there are stars such as Naomi Watts, Amanda Seyfried, Tim Roth, Matthew Lillard, Ashley Judd, Laura Dern, James Belushi and Monica Bellucci.
What to expect from season 3
Having dealt with the artists, it is worth trying to slightly open the veil of secrecy over the plot. Although David Lynch is silent about what will be told in 18 episodes of the 3rd season, information has leaked to the press that the plot will be connected with the new book by Frost, which was released recently. It is called The Secret History of Twin Peaks. The reviews this edition received are very controversial, in particular due to the numerous plot inconsistencies in the book and series.
Judging by the fact that the list of artists includes a lot of “dead”, probably in the new series there will be a lot of flashbacks. Also, spectators are surely waiting for a visit to the Black Wigwam, as predicted 25 years ago by Laura Palmer.
As for the reaction of the audience to the continuation, in most reviews are optimistic. Although there are skeptics who fear that such a dominance of stars in the project will kill him. Also, some viewers are not sure that they want to see the leading actors aged by a quarter of a century. Which of all these people is right will become known in May 2017.