Against my better judgement, I got up at 2am to catch the new Twin Peaks.
I don’t think I was prepared for how… different it is. Too early to tell yet whether I’m going to like it or not. The tone of the original is COMPLETELY gone. And it’s ugly as anything: Not ugly in a scuzzy, dirty way, but just flat and HD in a way that doesn’t suit the lushness we were always used to.
And it’s as slow as death.
But there’s that unmistakable sense of creeping dread that is pure Lynch. I’ve got the feeling I’ll be hooked within a couple of episodes. I can’t wait to see where it goes.
So what does everyone think?
This seems calculated to turn off casual viewers. It’s pure Inland Empire.
Sorry to say I didn’t get into it when it was first out but now am looking at the box set and hope it’s gonna grab me this time!!
WARNING – MINOR SPOILERS.
I got up at 2.00 a.m. as well, and then watched episodes 3 & 4 on demand, which Sky Atlantic made available as soon as 1 & 2 had finished. It was, as you say, completely different, certainly devoid of humour in the first two episodes, although there is a rather heavy-handed attempt at it in 3 & 4, some of the scenes being laboured to the point of tedium.
What was most different for me was the fact that David Lynch seems to want to turn Twin Peaks into something it never was – a kind of literal minded horror gore-fest. Part of the power of the original was as much in what it didn’t show and left to the imagination, as much as what it did – that’s always been David Lynch’s strength. Here we are shown everything in rather gruesome detail. The subtle quirkiness of the relationships between the characters also seems to have been lost in a swirl of faces, many of whom aren’t on screen long enough for us to get to grips with their relationship to the story. And what is the story? Most of it in the first four episodes hasn’t taken place in Twin Peaks at all, and the scenes with members of the original cast feel a bit like bolted-on cameos in the way that didn’t seem to work in Fire Walk With Me either.
But…. it’s early days. The original series was of its time; this is clearly another beast altogether. Where it leads is anyone’s guess, but David Lynch has promised to give the fans what they want.
Wise words. I think we had similar reactions to it.
What I used to like was the subverted-soap-opera feel of it. I just can’t be bothered with weird-for-its-own-sake. I found American Gods a real chore for the same reason.
That ‘weird for its own sake’ is a strong trend at the moment. It was my impression of ‘The Preacher’ and it spoiled the second series of ‘Mr Robot’ on Amazon Prime.
Yes, Preacher was an offender. The whole thing was like one big opening scene.
Aah, loved Preacher. Sort of enjoyed the opener of Twin Peaks but it has that sorta deliberately phony feel that David Lynch often has, and stagy dialogue (“You’re going down for this”) – does feel like a scary dream… More excited about Fargo 3 though
Legion too. And, thus far, American Gods – it’s a curious kind of feeling being hours into something and still not being sure whether you like it or not…
Watched episodes 1 and 2, an impenetrable, weird, violent, disturbing mess. Will try 3 and 4 later this week.
Hmf, thought more people might chip in here. Seems there are fewer rabid Lynch fans than I suspected on these boards. No matter, I’ll keep this thread alive to chart my own reactions as the series continues, even if I end up talking to myself.
I’ve browsed back through that opening double episode before moving on to episode 3, mainly because I’ve forgotten, or can only half remember, certain things that happened. I’m sure I saw Jennifer Jason Leigh somewhere, but can’t remember where now. And what was that bit in Las Vegas? And who was that girl in the hotel room?
I don’t suppose it matters. The “narrative” will be confusing no matter what.
It does irk me a bit how cheap it looks in places. I think Lynch might be out of his depth a little with hi def cameras: they show up all the frayed edges. Like Cooper in that glass box, for example – it looked like bad CGI from twenty years ago. (Mind you, when he fell into that field of stars thing, THAT was good – proper Eraserhead old-school effects). But I think it is lacking something visually – proper colour correction or something.
Wasn’t Jennifer Jason Leigh the woman in the motel room that Cooper visits after he has just shot someone else in the head? (“M’mm, you’re nice and wet”). Not sure where she fits in though.
I’ve just watched the first two episodes again (true fan, or glutton for punishment – you decide) and have warmed to the whole shenanigans a little. As probably the only person on the planet who enjoyed Inland Empire, I’m expecting to be in this one for the long haul.
I liked Inland Empire as well!
I’ve now watched the next two episodes and I’m really warming to it now.
Gizza chance, watching the whole of Deadwood, American Gods as it unwinds, and I Love Dick. Twin Peaks is on the skybox for when a moment arrives. Too much telly at once.
I’m a huge Lynch fan, but I have Virgin Media so no Sky Atlantic. Plus I hate putting any money in the Dirty Digger’s hands, so it’s wait for the blu-ray for me.
@KDH I watched it via 123movies.net on my iPad and computer – dunno if that helps.
Thanks @badartdog – I’ll give that a go.
This was Twin Peaks, the Eraserhead remix. The ‘evolved arm’/tree even looked like the baby in Eraserhead.
I liked it but I can imagine a huge WTF from fans of the series, even of the weirder end of series 2.
Lynch practically disowns season 2
http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/05/david-lynch-twin-peaks-season-two
I struggled a lot with the first two episodes, to the point of nearly giving up, but began slowly to warm to it in the latter part of the third. After Wally Brando appeared in the fourth I was completely on board. The scene between David Lynch and David Duchovny was wonderful as well.
I’m vaguely troubled that I’ve never come across the term ‘garmonbozia’ before, despite having watched both seasons of TP and the film. I have a horrible feeling I’m going to have to watch at least the original season 1 again to have even an outside chance of understanding what’s going on in Twin Peaks The Return.
I struggled to get through the first two episodes, tbh. I think I need to watch it again, but I’m not really minded to do so.
I, too, was hoping for more scenes set in Twin Peaks.
There’s no warmth in what I’ve seen so far. I don’t like anyone.
I’m also a little disturbed by the seeming disposability of female characters so far. A severed head; an attractive woman murdered wearing sexy underwear; ‘Laura Palmer’ kisses Cooper then is dragged screaming into oblivion by unseen forces; Alternate Cooper grabs JJL by her ‘nice and wet’ pussy; the girl with coffees gets naked then shredded (with her boyfriend, who isn’t naked), the unfaithful wife gets shot by ‘Cooper’ – all in two episodes.
I’ll stick with it but …
Hey, bad! You could have spoiled it a bit more! 😉
Agree with everything you say. I obviously wasn’t watching closely enough because I thought the ‘boyfriend’ was naked too.
Sorry – I waited until I watched the episodes before reading this thread so presumed others were waiting too. Hope I haven’t ruined anything.
The guy takes his shirt off, but we see enough of the actress to know she is completely naked.
Now seen all 4 episodes available so far via NowTV. It really isn’t very Twin Peaks. Twin Peaks has the same sort of walk-on role as the rabbits in Inland Empire. I do like it though – it’s classic Lynch.