Special Agent Dale Cooper has been dispatched to the sleepy west coast town of Twin Peaks, Washington. A local girl named Laura Palmer has been killed and another girl is missing. As the town is left reeling from the brutal murder, Agent Cooper discovers that Laura is the most recent victim of the sadistic killer he’s been tracking for months. In order to find this killer, Cooper must work with Sheriff Harry S. Truman to solve the case and bring justice to Twin Peaks.
David Lynch has an eclectic career with his filmography and Twin Peaks is a great place to get started if you’re new to his work. It can easily be written off as a cheesy murder mystery soap opera with lousy acting. However, the classic Lynch surrealism infused into the story and the ludicrous drama are woven together so well that even a harsh tv critic like myself couldn’t stop watching. Frequent Lynch collaborator Kyle MacLachlan takes the lead as Dale Cooper in stunning fashion. There are times when it’s so bad, it’s good and other times when it’s just downright amazing. If you are a fan of the surreal, you’re going to love this. Or if you’re tired of modern tv and want to take a risk, go back and have some fun with Twin Peaks.
If you’re confused about where to start, watch the US version of episode 0, all of season 1, season 2, Fire Walk With Me, and then Twin Peaks: The Return.
Twin Peaks is available to stream on a variety of services.
Poster art by Greg Ruth.
