Twin Peaks Returns: If you're worried this revival will disappoint, worry no more
We knew next to nothing about what to expect from Twin Peaks Season Three – conspiracies were at peak suspicion – was the secrecy meant to create excitement to mire the fact it simply wasn’t very good?
Well it's the early hours of Monday morning May 22 2017 and within the first opening bars of the haunting Julee Cruise theme tune to the cult TV series my heart misses a beat, I’m hurling back to 1990s – and so far everything is good.
The underlying threat in the deliberate drowsy pace and the omnipotent humming sound are back with full force – slow, slow, quick – like a dance, choreography by David Lynch as near perfection as ever.
We are thrown headfirst into the insanity of the Twin Peaks universe within minutes as we pick up the plot (hmm, plot in the vaguest sense) and reunite with familiar faces and new ones, too. Most of the new ones are actually familiar as well – it seems there’s a lot of famous Lynch fans out there – and there’s promise of many more.
Fans of the original series are in for a treat – questions we’ve had for 26 years are going to be answered. Anyone who was worried this revival was going to disappoint worry no more – this is no Dallas 2015. This is really, really good.
Lynch virgins – welcome! Hold on to your hats and keep your head clear - read this guide to Twin Peaks the original series first). This is seriously scary shit – and dark, dark, dark and probably getting darker (but dark in a bonkers way rather than an ITV crime drama way). But, with dark comes light and the play-off between murder and then pure Twin Peaks comedy is pure TV perfection.
Feast on the opening double episodes and then live like it’s the 1990s and know what it is to wait a week between episodes. To be fair – it’s probably not a bad idea to eek it out – not only will you have 18 episodes to enjoy but any more than 120mins of Twin Peaks at a time may cause dizziness.
Watch Twin Peaks on Sky Atlantic and NOW TV
Rex FeaturesAgent Dale Cooper
The suave and handsome, but downright quirky, FBI Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan), who sweeps into town to solve the case of Laura Palmer’s murder. He constantly records his observations on a Dictaphone, addressing them to a mysterious woman named ‘Diane’.
USP: His bromance with Twin Peaks sheriff Harry, his love of cherry pie from the Double R Diner, and his eternal appreciation for a ‘damn fine cup of coffee’.
Rex FeaturesKyle MacLachlan
If you don’t recognise him as Charlotte’s, ahem, underperforming husband Trey from Sex And The City, you may remember him as Bree’s husband in Desperate Housewives, as The Captain in How I met Your Mother or as an oddball attorney in The Good Wife. Bottom line: the guy gives good TV.
Getty ImagesLaura Palmer
Laura Palmer – the beautiful teenager who’s murder tears open the true dark and twisted nature of Twin Peaks. Laura is very much a dual personality – on the outside she’s the Homecoming Queen, A-grade student, perfect friend and girlfriend. But this is Twin Peaks and almost nothing is what it seems. As we dig deeper into Laura’s past we see it's anything but the above. The actress who plays her Sheryl Lee also plays Laura’s cousin Maddie.
USP: Incredibly creative diarist
PA PhotosSheryl Lee
Look it's no secret that Laura Palmer is dead, but in what is seemingly a trend – Sheryl Lee is returning in Twin Peaks season 3.
Rex FeaturesDonna Hayward
Donna Hayward (Lara Flynn Boyle), Laura Palmer’s best friend, who is determined to solve the riddle of her murder. Although about a week after Laura’s death, Donna starts dating her secret boyfriend James. Which is pretty weird.
USP: Her sweater collection, and her 50s-by-way-of-your-frumpy-auntie wardrobe, which is pretty much a USP for all the teenage girls in Twin Peaks.
Rex FeaturesLara Flynn Boyle
Lara was in Men in Black 2 and US law drama The Practice, but you probably know her best as Stacy in Wayne’s World. She’s also pretty well known for dating Jack Nicholson, and wearing a ballerina outfit to the Golden Globes in 2003, which along with Bjork’s swan getup is always held up by fashion critics as an example of terrible red carpet dressing, presumably because it’s not a strapless gown. She is surely the standalone former Twin Peaks cast members who refused a return role.
Getty ImagesBobby Briggs
Bobby Briggs. Swoon. Played by Dana Ashbrook, he’s the obvious handsome/perfect boyfriend for beautiful/perfect Laura Palmer. He’s a real looker, with the right amount of bad attitude and perfect nineties curtain hair. (NB We still ache a little when we look at his beautiful, angst-y face.) Poor old Bobby is one of the first Twin Peaks residents to find himself suspect number #1 in Laura’s death.
USP: Greatest 90s Hair Ever™.
Getty ImagesHe's regular on film and TV but most importantly HE’S IN. Not sure about the hair so much though.
Getty ImagesJames Hurley
Biker James Hurley (James Marshall) was Laura’s secret boyfriend (her official one is high school jock Bobby) and met up with her the night she was murdered.
USP: He’s got that whole motorbike riding, leather-jacket-wearing, Rebel without a Cause thing going on. He also has incredibly fluffy hair.
Rex FeaturesJames Marshall
Marshall reinvented himself as a singer-songwriter and starred in A Few Good Men in 1992 but after that really only appeared in low-key bit parts. He spent much of the noughties in ill health and was embroiled in a legal battle with a pharmaceutical manufacturer. He returns in season 3.
Getty ImagesAudrey Horne
Sherilyn Fenn plays budding femme fatale and wholly bewitching Audrey Horne, the bored and beautiful 18-year-old daughter of the town’s richest family. Audrey falls for Agent Cooper (and how that chemistry sizzles) and finds helping him in his investigation an entertaining alternative to her usual pastime of annoying her father.
USP: Audrey Horne can tie a knot in a cherry stalk. And oh how we spent the 90s trying and trying to recreate it (without any luck).
PA PhotosSherylin Fenn
She's still acting, mainly in TV. Her acting career saw some up's and down's over the years but she’ll always be our poster girl for Twin Peaks. Oh - and she's back for season 3.
Getty ImagesLeland Palmer
Leland Palmer. Patriarch of the perfect Palmer family until his daughter Laura is murdered and consequently begins a rapid decline into complete madness. Played by Ray Wise, there’s nothing nice about sinister Leland Palmer, IF THAT’S EVEN HIS REAL NAME.
USP: His hair turns white overnight.
PA PhotosRay Wise
Wise is one of the more familiar faces from the Twin Peaksalumni, starring most recently as Ken Cosgrove’s father-in-law in Mad Men and How I Met Your Mother. Wise is onboard for season 3. (Yes, yes Leland Palmer died but this is David Lynch ok?)
RexEileen Hayward/Mary Jo Deschanel
Donna’s endlessly understanding mother Eileen Hayward.
USP: Well she didn’t flip out when Donna told her she was dating Laura’s boyfriend James, who was still very much a murder suspect, so shall we say tolerance/naiveté?
She’s had a smattering of screen roles since Twin Peaks, but these days she’s best known for being Zooey Deschanel’s (and Emily Deschanel, Bones fans) mum. That is until season 3.
ABC via Getty ImagesThe Log Lady
The Log Lady (Catherine E Coulson), who is either clairvoyant or mentally unstable depending on which townsfolk you speak to. Claims to receive messages from the omni-present log she carries around with her.
USP: Dense and rarely comprehensible speeches about human nature. Oh and the log, obviously.
PA PhotosCatherine E Coulson
Catherine E Coulson died in 2015 before she had the chance to reprise her role.
Getty ImagesShelly Johnson
Double R Diner waitress Shelly Johnson (Madchen Amick), who has a habit of getting involved with bad men.
USP: Being crazy hot, but somehow married to pretty much the worst guy in town, trucker Leo, who is both creepy and abusive. She’s also having an affair with Laura’s boyfriend Bobby, who to be honest, isn’t great either.
PA PhotosMadchen Amick
Amick has Gossip Girl, Damages, Californication, Mad Men, ER and Joeyon her CV to name but a few. Most recently however she's played the matriarch in Riverdale.
Rex FeaturesHarry S. Trueman/Michael Ontkean
Harry S. Trueman (Michael Ontkean) is Twin Peaks’ town Sheriff who is thrown together with Agent Cooper in an unlikely coupling, as they investigate Laura Palmer’s death. In series one Harry develops a major crush on Josie Packard, a crush that will one day come back to haunt him.
USP: He’s what you might call a ‘nice guy’ in a town of crazy people. That’s an actual USP in Twin Peaks. He's done a bit of TV over the years and starred in 2011*’s The Descendants* but he's back for season 3.
Rex FeaturesNorma Jennings
Norma Jennings (Peggy Lipton) owns the Double R Diner alongside Shelly Johnson. She’s working a serious love triangle and things only get more complicated for the former Miss Twin Peaks after Laura dies.
USP: Serves a damn fine cup of coffee.
PA PhotosPeggy Lipton
The former model and actress Peggy Lipton was married to the highly regarded music producer Qunicy Jones, and they ‘produced’ the lovely Glamour Award Winner Rashida Jones. Season 3 sees Lipton returns
