After 25 years, the show that was more than a decade ahead of its time; that cleared the path for all of the darkly ambitious series to follow (e.g. X-Files, Lost, The Sopranos, Breaking Bad, et al.); that proved that TV could be as engaging and immersive as film ... that show is rising from the ashes!
Showtime announced yesterday that Twin Peaks will be returning to TV in 2016 with a nine episode season. What has me so excited is that this isn’t your typical attempt at a tired Hollywood rehash. Instead, the show’s original creators, David Lynch and Mark Frost, are driving this revival, with the duo writing all nine episodes and Lynch directing the full slate. Here’s a brief—and fittingly cryptic—video that accompanied the announcement...
Freed from the constraints of broadcast television, this new Twin Peaks has the potential to be dark, surreal and challenging to a degree that the original, which aired on ABC, simply couldn’t approach. Hinting at the delicious weirdness to come, Lynch and Frost were quoted as follows in Showtime’s statement:
“The mysterious and special world of Twin Peaks is pulling us back. We’re very excited. May the forest be with you.”
And it looks like original series star Kyle MacLachlan is on board to reprise his role as FBI agent, Dale Cooper:
If you’ve never seen Twin Peaks, both seasons of the original series are available on Netflix streaming. And, if it seems a bit stilted compared to contemporary TV, try to remember that the show debuted in 1990: the same year that The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Beverly Hills, 90210 started their network runs (talk about throwbacks!).
Within the span of a few weeks, both Kicksology.net and Twin Peaks announce their returns from the void. Coincidence, or is it the owls?