This article includes spoilers from Episodes 1 and 2.
If you’re a fan of Twin Peaks and have always sensed the underlying darkness amidst the tall pines and sweet cherry pie, your affection for the series remains intact. And for those who appreciate David Lynch’s cinematic works like Mulholland Drive, Eraserhead, and Inland Empire, the recent premiere delivered everything you could hope for. However, if your experience with Twin Peaks has been limited to the more whimsical aspects—like the Log Lady and Agent Cooper’s philosophical musings on Tibet—you may find yourself lost. And for newcomers, the initial scenes might have been a challenge to digest.
Lynch opens with Agent Cooper (played by Kyle MacLachlan), who finds himself in the enigmatic Black Lodge. As Laura Palmer (portrayed by Sheryl Lee) approaches him, we are treated to a nostalgic moment reminiscent of the original season: “I’ll see you again in twenty-five years,” she cryptically states in the Lodge’s signature backward-speak (a technique requiring a lot of preparation and reverse speech). The scene shifts, revealing Lucy (portrayed by Kimmy Robertson) now married to Deputy Andy (Harry Goaz). A call from the Log, voiced by the late Margaret (Catherine E. Coulson), informs Deputy Hawk (Michael Horse) that “something is missing”—that something being Agent Cooper himself.
Meanwhile, in the Black Lodge, MIKE, the one-armed man (Al Strobel), informs Cooper that he cannot leave until his doppelgänger returns. This poses a significant dilemma, as the sinister Doppelgänger Coop, resembling a roguish Bruce Campbell, is wreaking havoc across multiple states. He informs his underage companion that he has no intention of returning to the Lodge, exhibiting all of Cooper’s traits without the moral compass. His path is marked by ruthless violence, hinting that his victims are mere pawns to illustrate his monstrous nature—one of whom may be the librarian in South Dakota.
Interspersed within this chaos are two peculiar scenes: a man (Ben Rosenfield) in New York City, assigned to monitor a secretive, 19th-century glass box, allows his girlfriend (Madeline Zima) to sneak in. Amid a brief moment of intimacy, he spots something terrifying within the box. Later, Cooper finds himself within the same mysterious space, but it’s empty.
In South Dakota, the librarian’s corpse is discovered three days after her death, shot through the eye, but with a different body attached to her head. The principal (Matthew Lillard) has his fingerprints all over the scene. As he’s arrested, his wife expresses her frustration over the disruption of their dinner plans. The unfolding drama reveals his affair with the librarian, while his wife is entangled with his lawyer—classic Twin Peaks, blending a police procedural with soap opera elements.
What lies ahead? Likely a deeper dive into Lynch’s unsettling vision, with familiar faces reappearing. The episode wraps up with Shelly (Mädchen Amick) and James (James Marshall) exchanging glances on the dance floor at the Bang Bang Bar, while Hawk prepares to confront the forces of the Black Lodge to rescue Cooper. And of course, owls will remain as mysterious as ever, or whatever that means.
Notable Quotes:
- “Is it future or is it past?” —One-Armed MIKE
- “Stop by. I have coffee and pie for you.” —The Log Lady
- “I am the evolution of the arm. This is what I sound like.” —Breathing tree with a talking flesh nub
- And of course, the classic: “I feel like I know her but sometimes my arms bend back.” —Laura Palmer
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Summary:
The return of Twin Peaks offers a blend of nostalgia and new mysteries, intertwining the past and present with familiar characters while introducing new, darker elements. Lynch’s signature style continues to captivate, leaving audiences eager for what comes next.