5 Things We Learned From the Return of ‘Twin Peaks’

Chris Tilly
TV
TV

Twin Peaks made a triumphant return to TV last night. The new series kicked off with a two-parter that was wholly original and unique, while at the same time being strangely familiar. We learnt a lot about what to expect from the episodes to come, though as ever, the show asked more questions than it answered.

Just BEWARE OF SPOILERS AHEAD

Something Strange is Going on With Dale Cooper

Kyle MacLachlan as Dale Cooper.

We’re told Agent Dale Cooper hasn’t been seen or heard from in 24 years. And when we meet him he’s altogether different, with long hair, a leather jacket, a tan, an aggressive demeanour, and a penchant for sudden, brutal violence. A bit like an old foe, who possessed our hero at the end of Season 2 (see ‘Bob is Back’ below). We also see him in the Black Lodge, speaking to Laura Palmer, and he’s very much the Dale Cooper of old, suggesting we might get two Coopers for the price of one in this season.

Weird Stuff is Happening in New York

This seems to be the biggest departure to previous Peaks. Somewhere in New York, there’s a glass box in the middle of a room apparently owned by a mysterious billionaire. That billionaire is paying a young man to watch and film the box in case something shows up. Early in proceedings the youngster lets a woman into the room, they kiss, and a ghostly figure appears and makes a bloody mess. No idea what it means, but it looks to hold the key to good Dale Cooper’s return, so we doubt this is the last audiences will see of that box.

New Twin Peaks is Filled With Famous Faces

The original Twin Peaks featured a cast of actors that were largely unknown. And many of them return for the new series. But there are also a bunch of bigger stars playing parts both large and small.

In these first two episodes we’ve got Ashley Judd asking about skunks, Jennifer Jason Leigh agreeing to clear up up evil Dale Cooper’s mess, and Matthew Lillard being arrested for a double murder. No sign of Eddie Vedder, Michael Cera, Monica Bellucci, Tim Roth, Trent Reznor, Naomi Watts, or Harry Dean Stanton yet. But they’ll all apparently appear at some point.

Horrible Things Are Happening in South Dakota

A severed head and a headless corpse are found in an apartment in Buckhorn, South Dakota. Plus a bunch of fingerprints belonging to local principal William Hastings (played by the aforementioned Lillard). He claims to have never been there, yet had a dream he was. No idea how it’s connected to events in Twin Peaks however. And what’s with the painted dude disappearing from his cell? The mystery deepens.

Bob is Back!

Frank Sila as Bob.

In spite of the fact that the actor who played him – Frank Silva – died in 1995, we reckon Bob will show up in Season 3. He’s already taken possession of Dale Cooper. And late in the second episode, bad Cooper receives a call from a mystery man, who says “I just called to say goodbye. You are going back in tomorrow, and I will be with Bob again.” A tree in the Red Room also says his name over-and-over again. So Bob is very much back, it just remains to be seen if he will be re-cast, remain within Dale Cooper, or appear in some other shape or form.

So as we said, more questions than answers. But this is Twin Peaks people, a show that’s designed to confuse and confound. And we’ve got 16 more episodes to (hopefully) clear all of this up…

Chris Tilly
Freelance writer. At this point my life is a combination of 1980s horror movies, Crystal Palace football matches, and episodes of I'm Alan Partridge. The first series. When he was in the travel tavern. Not the one after.