Minor Spoilers ahead…

Just over 2 days ago I sat down and watched the first 4 episodes of the new season of Twin Peaks. The Revival. Something I’ve been hoping and waiting for, ever since I finished watched the original series nearly 10 years ago. I mentioned that in my weekly update, but since then I’ve let it all settle in. I want to just go into more detail with my actual thoughts with it. This isn’t a review, it’s just my reflection of the opening episodes now that I’ve had some time to think about them.

It’s actually happening, I’m not making it up. We have new Twin Peaks and it’s actually really good. It’s taken a while for that to feel real.

There was a moment, just as I pressed play, when a sharp stab of worry hit me. What if this isn’t good, what if it doesn’t do the original show justice, if it’s just rubbish that couldn’t live up to the hype. And then the first 30 minutes flew by. It felt like barely any of it was set in Twin Peaks, that I spent a good amount of time watching someone watching a glass box. There was almost a moment when I was going to give up. My hopes were shattered. And then all of a sudden the wait was worth it. Things were happening. Things I don’t understand, and probably won’t until September. That thing coming out of the glass box, one of the creepiest things I can imagine. The way it moved, the way it attacked.

Over the course of the 4 episodes there were moments, such as with Michael Cera, that felt close in tone to the original series. Most of it though felt darker, closer to the film, Fire Walk With Me. Twisted and almost horrific. The quirky off-beat tone is pretty much no where to be seen. At points this feels like a bad thing, such as at the start of episode 3 where Cooper is in the purple room with the woman with no eyes. I had no idea what was going on, but somehow 20 minutes went past without me noticing. I can pass that off as the dream-like world of the black lodge. I think it’s a good thing that it feels nothing like the original though, it’s not pandering to audience expectation and I’ll just have to get used to it. It’s good to have something so different.

David Lynch is truly being himself here though. You can see his style shining through. The arm evolving into a electric tree thing (Probably a brain neuron, but I prefer electric tree) feels like something straight out of eraserhead. The weirdness is strong here and I can’t wait for more and to spend the next however many years re-watching and trying to figure out what it actually means.

I hope the original tone starts to shape up when Cooper regains his mind, if he does. Watching him walk around the casino shouting “Hellllllllllooooo” and “Call for help” is funny, but also twisted. I don’t like seeing Cooper like that, especially when his doppelganger is out there causing chaos. I hope he’s back to his old self soon. If coffee doesn’t do it, then maybe cherry pie.

Speaking of the bad Cooper, or Mr C. Kyle MacLachlan does a good job with the completely different characters. Mr C. is pure evil, and remember that face being so happy about cherry pie only makes his murder spree that more evil.

I read that the whole series was shot as one piece and then split into episodes, and that’s really evident throughout the opening episodes. Things happen, and then aren’t mentioned again until the next episode, with little reminding. The whole show seems to lend itself to binge-watching which fits modern TV. I can’t wait for it all to come out and be able to do that.

I really like the show so far, I can’t stop thinking about it. Once again Twin Peaks has taken over my life. I’m glad the new show feels fresh and not in any way a nostalgia trip, which most revivals seem to be. Twin Peaks is as strange and out there as always. I’m glad we’re not only seeing old faces, but more than plenty of new ones. I want to see more of the actual town, and hopefully good cooper will take us there.

Thanks for reading,

Ashley

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