Plan B's Television Reviews

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Twin Peaks: Season 1 (1990)

Twin Peaks: Season 2 (1990)

The X-Files: Season 1 (1993)

Twin Peaks. It is perhaps the strangest television series ever to grace the small screen. As a result, it's somewhat difficult for me to write a review about it's first season, for so much takes place in its short run of eight episodes. It can be argued that more happens in this season than in its 22-episode second season. Plus, it's just difficult in general. What can be said about Twin Peaks that hasn't already been said? Not a whole lot.

The character of the Log Lady, though cryptically, perfectly sums up the story not just for the first season, but the entire series, in an introductory video added in when Bravo aired the entirety of Twin Peaks after ABC ended its run. She says, "There are many stories in Twin Peaks - some of them are sad, some funny. Some of them are stories of madness, of violence. Some are ordinary. Yet they all have about them a sense of mystery - the mystery of life. Sometimes, the mystery of death. The mystery of the woods. The woods surrounding Twin Peaks. To introduce this story, let me just say it encompasses the all - it is beyond the 'fire,' though few would know that meaning. It is a story of many, but begins with one - and I knew her. The one leading to the many is Laura Palmer. Laura is the one."

I couldn't have said it any better myself. There's so much more to Twin Peaks than the murder of the homecoming queen, Laura Palmer, yet everything seems to focus on her death even when presenting storylines that really have nothing to do with her at all. The first season of Twin Peaks, though brief, will suck viewers in. For those who are unfamiliar with the work of David Lynch, good luck trying to adapt.

Twin Peaks is, without a doubt, totally self-aware. It parodies soap operas with its over-the-top theatrics, yet at the same time, presents serious stories through its use of melodrama and deliberate tone. But the true brilliance of it, at least in this first season, is its ability to perfectly blend what is parody, and what is serious drama. We learn to care for the characters through their absurdity, yet their absurdity is sincere.

The make-it or break-it moment, at least in my opinion, is the third episode, titled "Zen, or the Skill to Catch a Killer." Towards the end of the episode, Special Agent Dale Cooper, the main character and the man called in to investigate Laura's death, has a unique dream. Laura Palmer is there, and so is a midget called the Man from Another Place. They speak in coded dialogue, and then the Man from Another Place rises from his chair, and begins dancing to jazz music that suddenly starts to play.

This scene, right here, is the moment where you will either be drawn into the bizarre world that Mark Frost and David Lynch have crafted, or you will squint your eyes, shake your head, and loudly shout, "What is this crap?" If you do both, then stick around until season two. Twin Peaks can be rather frustrating for the uninitiated in regards to Lynch's style, but there's enough murder mystery here to keep the eye-rollers occupied.

Kyle MacLachlan as Dale Cooper is possibly one of the best casting choices in television history. I simply love his performance. Madchen Amick, Peggy Lipton, and Don S. Davis are the other highlights here in my opinion. Dana Ashbrook tends to overact in my opinion, and James Marshall is just atrocious as James Hurley. Lara Flynn Boyle, honestly, seems to sum up melodrama, so her performance is both a hit and miss. Michael Ontkean, while I love Sheriff Truman, does put off - at least to me - a sense of being unable to fully play his character. But he makes up for it with some clever dialogue that only Ontkean could really deliver without things being a bit too tongue-in-cheek.

While season one doesn't dive too much into the larger mythology that encompasses the entire series, it's still better than its successor on so many levels. The plot does not stray, everyone is a suspect, and the characters' motivations are about as clear as Cooper's black coffee. That's not to say the second season is bad, but this first season is just Twin Peaks at its most intriguing, even if the mystery doesn't reach the engrossing levels that it does in season two.

All things considered, Twin Peaks was a milestone in television history. David Lynch's attempt to reach mainstream audiences through another medium was one full of heart and determination. He brought to life some of the most quotable and quirky characters, explored truly nightmarish themes, and provided an undertone of comic relief unmatched to this day.

Twin Peaks is fantastic, I really owe it a rewatch myself. Great review

I watched Twin Peaks a few months ago... in December I think. I've always heard it's a great show but didn't expect too much of it because I'm not a exactly a fan of David Lynch. I was surprised how much I liked it, despite some of its little annoying quirks. I really enjoyed Lara Flynn Boyle's character and of course Kyle MacLachlan was awesome.

I never watched Twin Peaks, but I've heard so much about it that I've always wondered if it was a bad decision to skip the show. I used to like Michael Ontkean in the old TV show The Rookies, but I didn't even know that he was still acting. Maybe that will give me the push I need to give Twin Peaks a try?

Wouldn't be a bad idea. You can catch up before the third season airs next year.

Is this one of the shows that they're bringing back? Do you know what network will be airing the third season?

Showtime.

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Thanks.

And David Lynch and Mark Frost wrote the entire season, and David Lynch was supposed to direct, but unfortunately he has backed away from the project.

The second season of Twin Peaks has divided fans and critics alike. Twenty-two episodes long, a large chunk of devoted followers find the second half to be pure garbage, while some see it from beginning to end as, simply, Twin Peaks doing what it does best. Me personally, I view season two as a warning. While Twin Peaks represents television done right, its second season - for the most part - is a symbolic gesture, shaking the executives of major networks by the shoulders, crying out, "This is what happens when you let ratings run television."

I have no complaints with the fact that season two of Twin Peaks is nearly three times as long as its predecessor, but I do certainly have a problem with the direction it takes halfway through. With the first seven episodes, viewers are already halfway done with the series. Afterwards, things begin to take an interesting, and rather intriguing, turn. But by the end of the ninth episode, it all gradually goes downhill until it just hits the bottom of the barrel. And it sure does hit hard.

Season two is Twin Peaks at both its best and worst. The best episode of the entire series, and its competition, occurs here. Kyle MacLachlan is as devoted as ever, and the rest of the cast rarely disappoint, minus James Marshall. Marshall's performance is awful. While a lot of the time - especially in the middle of the season - it's just the actors not really knowing what to do with the material that they're given, with Marshall it is just bad all the way through.

The show really only picks up again with the last three episodes. Additionally, this is the only time the insane character of Windom Earle becomes truly fascinating to watch. Before we hit this mark, Cooper just goes around telling everyone how much of a "genius" Earle is, and to be perfectly honest, this approach is just flat-out ridiculous. Rather than show the audience the incredible things that Earle is capable of, we just have to take Cooper's word on it.

This second season of Twin Peaks isn't nearly as satisfying as its predecessor. The first nine episodes returns audiences to that familiar backdrop of season one. However, the show soon squanders its potential halfway through. The last episode of the season is an unforgettable conclusion to something poetic and grand. The final moments of Beyond Life and Death will frustrate viewers, but they'll also experience a raw-nerve sensation of satisfaction.

Just finished season 1 tonight plan b. I thought it was fantastic for many of the reasons you stated. The characters are just fun to spend time with. Worried about season 2 because of you and others mentioning how much it falters. Tge first half should be fun for me though as I haven't spoiled myself about Laura's killer. Looking forward to the movie as well.

Don't be worried. Season two CERTAINLY has its moments. Some of the best episodes in the history of television can be found within season two. Whatever you do, I highly recommend sticking through the show until its final episodes. I promise that you will not regret it. As for the film, I suggest watching the extended version. It runs at three-and-a-half hours long, it feels so much like the series, and it literally fulfills the show, while the theatrical version makes it all fall somewhat short. Q2 put together and released the extended version. It was released exclusively online. I just hooked my HDMI cable to my TV and watched it that way. There's rumors of it being released on Blu-ray at some point, because the same distributor released a five-hour long version of the entire series and it was shown at a festival with CBS's approval; it was released on DVD through a small-time distributor and it's out of print now. If you need some help finding this version of Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, let me know and I'll point you in the right direction.

I will probably hit you up for that once I finish. Thanks Plan B.

By the way, today marks the 25th anniversary of the first episode airing on ABC.

The X-Files is one of the most influential television series of all time. That being said, the first season is perhaps the best of its nine installments, even judged on its own merits. While most shows gradually develop and become stronger and stronger - like in the case of Breaking Bad or Game of Thrones - The X-Files starts off with the highest quality that the series will ever see. Though many would say otherwise.

Everyone knows the story - well, at least they should by this point. Dana Scully, an FBI agent, is assigned watchdog duty over a fellow agent, Fox Mulder. He's a brilliant investigator, but rather odd and is largely kept out of the public eye, being assigned to a room in the basement at headquarters. Dana's superiors order her to keep an eye on Mulder by working with him, in what is possibly an attempt to try and debunk Mulder's work. However, she is slowly pulled into his strong fascination with extraterrestrial beings. Together, the two investigate cases related to possible alien life, as Mulder confides in Scully a government conspiracy to sabotage his work.

Most fans of The X-Files suggest that its second and third seasons are the highest point of the show. I understand. The character development isn't as strong in season one - of course - and the mythology isn't as deep. But when it comes down to it, the first season of The X-Files consists of the greatest - yet simplest - antagonists and episodes, whether it be a man who can literally press his way into any room or space in Squeeze, Scully's emotional struggle in Beyond the Sea, the compelling E.B.E., the incredibly intense Darkness Falls, the mind-bending Eve, or the season finale that defies all expectations, The Erlenmeyer Flask. And I cannot forget Ice, which is just a flat-out nail-biter.

David Duchovny is pretty solid as Fox Mulder, though at times I just find his acting lacking. There are times in the show when he should be freaking out, and he just shows almost zero emotion - this bothers me less and less as the show progresses, though this problem does pop up from time to time - and Gillian Anderson's role as Dana Scully is incredible. Her acting is brilliant, and this is perhaps some of the greatest acting on a television series that I've ever seen. It ranks up there with Bryan Cranston from Breaking Bad.

What makes the first season The X-Files so intriguing? This show's many imitators - not just paranormal investigative dramas but alien-related actioners - leave out the character development equivalent to the opinionated battles of Mulder and Scully, focus less on story and more on explosions. The closest "copycat" - and I use that world lightly - this show ever saw was Fringe. So, again, what makes The X-Files, and particularly its fist season, so intriguing? Simple. The X-Files approaches the paranormal from an entirely different perspective. The character development is sharp and the season finale is so damn satisfying.