** TWIN PEAKS: EPISODE BY EPISODE **

diebitter · #1 03-26-2007, 08:38 AM

"She’s dead… Wrapped in plastic…"

Twin Peaks started as a series in 1990, produced by the director David Lynch and Mark Frost. It ran for 2 seasons, and concerned itself with the characters and community of a lumber town, Twin Peaks, and centred on the investigation of the murder of a popular and well-liked member of this community, Laura Palmer.

It was a genuine TV phenomena back then across the world, with the mystery being a big talking point. I remember pages and pages of magazines and newspapers going through all the evidence and the theories of how was involved, who killed her, and why. It's was hellish good fun. Equally talked about was the weirdness of the series, and the quirky characters and dialogue. Finally, everyone realised there was a genuie quality in the making of the series that was so absent in many TV dramas of the time.

This thread is intended to be a running episode-by-episode analysis and discussion of the entire run. I'll try and do a brief synposis each episode avoiding spoilers in these where possible, to give everyone a chance to catch up (especially since season 1 is hard to get)

The program of discussion, which I'll update in this starting post as it goes on, is currently as follows:

SEASON ONE
PILOT - 26th March
Episode 1 - 30th March
Episode 2 - 2nd April
Episode 3 - 13th April
Episode 4 - 16th April
Episode 5 - 20th April

diebitter · #2 03-26-2007, 08:39 AM

TWIN PEAKS - THE PILOT

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Synopsis:

The pilot concerns itself with the discovery of the murder of a well-known, liked girl, Laura Palmer, naked and wrapped in plastic, in the lumber town of Twin Peaks.

It goes through the impact of this discovery within the community, and uses this as a way to introduce us to the characters of the town, show their relatiionships between each other, and show the first stages of the investigation into the murder by Agent Cooper (Kyle Maclaughlin).

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The pilot does a great job in presenting all this, with a quality and style that you wish you'd see in most feature films. Lynch creates a strange, eerie feel in presenting these small town details, and has enough Lynchian elements (a screaming girl in school for example) to both disconcert and keep you paying close attention. It's a great intro to many of the characters, and having seen it, I enjoy the references to characters unseen but to come (Miguel Ferrer's 'Albert' for example).

I enjoyed the pilot greatly (4th time I've seen it), and have more to say, but was hoping some others might want to comment first...

JuntMonkey · #3 03-26-2007, 06:07 PM

I wasn't thrilled with the pilot. I don't really know why; it just didn't do it for me.

One specific thing I disliked was the kid out of the 50's...James is it? His acting was annoyingly over the top. However, I assume this was done on purpose, and I can see myself possibly warming up to him later (like a hot bath).

I have nothing else to say about the episode, except that obviously Agent Cooper is the coolest.

Oh and I think Lynch didn't care at all about the murder "mystery" and wanted it to remain unsolved forever. He was more interested in the weird characters and surreality, but the general public liked it for the mystery.

rothko · #4 03-26-2007, 06:27 PM

agree w/juntmonkey. wasn't thrilled by the pilot. way too much overacting by many of the characters--not in the good way either.

wish i had been in on the fun when this show aired originally. i remember the buzz about it, but my family didn't have a tv. suppose it'll have to do to watch all of the episodes with you folk.

how does a professional editor do this: toward the end of the pilot when the sheriff flips on his lights to pull over james and donna the shot in between shows the truck without the lights on.

Dominic · #5 03-26-2007, 06:58 PM

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how does a professional editor do this: toward the end of the pilot when the sheriff flips on his lights to pull over james and donna the shot in between shows the truck without the lights on.

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Probably because he didn't have a shot that would match what you're talking about. 99% of continuity problems are not an editors fault - he can only use footage that was shot - not that should've been shot! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

4thstreetpete · #6 03-26-2007, 07:38 PM

I never watched Twin Peaks when it first aired. I finally got all the episodes after I heard some podcasters compared Twin Peaks to Lost. I was immediately intrigued and started watching. Great, great series. Had Twin Peaks been around during the age of the internet, this would've been a worldwide phenomenon.

Dominic · #7 03-26-2007, 07:58 PM

I remember watching the pilot the night it first aired - this is the first time I've seen it since then. It brought back all the glee and amazement and pure awe at what I was seeing. What a fantastic pilot and a wonderful jumping off point for the series.

The characters are indelible and completely unreal - but they work in the context of the Twin Peaks - both the town and the show.

I have a thing now and forever for Peggy Lipton. First in The Mod Squad and then this. And I think the actress who played Shelly is absolutely gorgeous.

Great show...I hope I can find the first season somewhere.

rothko · #8 03-26-2007, 08:24 PM

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how does a professional editor do this: toward the end of the pilot when the sheriff flips on his lights to pull over james and donna the shot in between shows the truck without the lights on.

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Probably because he didn't have a shot that would match what you're talking about. 99% of continuity problems are not an editors fault - he can only use footage that was shot - not that should've been shot! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

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no, it could have been edited correctly: simply by shortening the first shot, for one option.

you seem to have accidentally mentioned shelly and peggy when you meant to tell us that audrey horne is your crush.

Dominic · #9 03-26-2007, 08:29 PM

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how does a professional editor do this: toward the end of the pilot when the sheriff flips on his lights to pull over james and donna the shot in between shows the truck without the lights on.

[/ QUOTE ]

Probably because he didn't have a shot that would match what you're talking about. 99% of continuity problems are not an editors fault - he can only use footage that was shot - not that should've been shot! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

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no, it could have been edited correctly: simply by shortening the first shot, for one option.

you seem to have accidentally mentioned shelly and peggy when you meant to tell us that audrey horne is your crush.

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well that goes without saying
[img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

rothko · #10 03-26-2007, 08:42 PM

dom, have you ever seen boxing helena? that's the film that started my infatuation with sherilyn fenn. (that may say some things about me that shouldn't be said, but i'm no psychologist.)