Is Twin Peaks watchable these days?

[ninja666]

So, how does Twin Peaks hold up? I've heard so much about it, I'm thinking of starting to watch it. I don't know if it's watchable these days, or is it one of those shows that aged so poorly that only its cult status and nostalgia keeps it alive, though. Any opinions on that matter?

 

[ninja666]

I watched it for the first time in 2013 and found it tremendously enjoyable throughout. I would say that it aged very well, even the latter half or so of the episodes that maybe are not quite as strong as the first season.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

It's very watchable. It's a great show.

It's not exactly grounded on realism. It did its own thing in 1990 and that is a saving grace for anything, I think, when you're not going by anybody's standards but your own. You become your own aesthetic and provide a constant point of reference. X-Files. Deadly Premonition. Silent Hill 4. True Detective. Carnivale. And so on.

The gross of the second season's episodes suffer because Lynch's hand was forced into ending the one plot thread that had been carrying the whole show so far. So for a while the show is like a headless chicken, bumping against everything and going nowhere. It starts picking up near the end, when a new central plot is established.

And then the series got cancelled.

 

[leberkaese]

Unpopular opinion on its way:

I tried to watch it last year. But it's not bearable. The story and atmosphere are good, but the writing is odd. You instantely hear from dialogs or see in the characters' reactions that this is a show from the late 80s/early 90s. For example: some bad cases of dramatic woman's stereotyped screaming when she sees something disturbing.

Back at the time, people had lower standards when it comes to the quality in a TV show. Around the time of HBO's Sopranos those standards have greatly increased. And for me, Twin Peaks doesn't hold up to today's shows/standards.
I respect Twin Peaks for what it is and I'm sure that I would've loved the sh*t out of this show if I would've seen it a few years earlier. But I can't enjoy the show as much as it deserves / as much as I expected.

 

[ninja666]

The gross of the second season's episodes suffer because Lynch's hand was forced into ending the one plot thread that had been carrying the whole show so far. So for a while the show is like a headless chicken, bumping against everything and going nowhere. It starts picking up near the end, when a new central plot is established.

And then the series got cancelled.

So, basically, I should watch the first season and call it a day because season 2 is utter crap?

 

[Artina89]

I really enjoy Twin Peaks, but I have to agree that it lags around the mid way point of series 2, and the last episodes, while well written and a return to form, I find myself rather frustrated with the ending, but that comes from the series being cancelled. I suppose it all boils down to how much you enjoy David Lynch I guess.

 

[ninja666]

I suppose it all boils down to how much you enjoy David Lynch I guess.

I've never seen anything directed by him. Is liking psychedelic themes and atmosphere enough to like his work?

 

[Casual Shinji]

Unpopular opinion on its way:

I tried to watch it last year. But it's not bearable. The story and atmosphere are good, but the writing is odd. You instantely hear from dialogs or see in the characters' reactions that this is a show from the late 80s/early 90s. For example: some bad cases of dramatic woman's stereotyped screaming when she sees something disturbing.

If you're refering to Laura Palmer's mother -- who is really the only woman in the show that screams -- she's kind of a weird, traumatized individual at that point. It's mentioned that she was always a bit strange, and Laura's death just pushed her over the edge. Plus, she's haunted by paranormal visions.

So, basically, I should watch the first season and call it a day because season 2 is utter crap?

No, watch all the way through till the killer gets truly revealed. After that it starts to go down the shitter. You can try to stick with it, but it gets really fucking stupid near the end.

I'd say the only thing that has aged is its aspect ratio. Also, it has peculiar moments that you either like or you don't, like Cooper's deductive rock throwing technique.

 

[SquidVicious]

It holds up pretty well, just mute the TV anytime there's a scene with Donna and James together

 

[Artina89]

I suppose it all boils down to how much you enjoy David Lynch I guess.

I've never seen anything directed by him. Is liking psychedelic themes and atmosphere enough to like his work?

I would say so. His work is on the surreal side so if you like that sort of thing, you should enjoy his work.

 

[zelda2fanboy]

My wife and I adored the first season, but the second season really felt like it lost the magic the first one had. We flew through the first 7 or 8 episodes of the first season when we were dating and then crawled through the next ten or so of the second. It's not that it's outright bad, but the first part had a really careful balance of funny/dark/sad/weird that the second couldn't maintain. It just seemed a little too weird, too dark, and too goofy (not even funny) after awhile. They also seem to add a LOT of go nowhere filler in there as well. I've got to agree with the sentiment on the board that it really does pick up again once they decide wrap up some dumb plots and create some new interesting ones towards the end of the second season. We're on like episode 17 now and really moving through them.

 

[chikusho]

I think Twin Peaks is timeless. It's interesting, unique and utterly captivating.
It's also pretty weird, and might not be for everyone. But there's only one way to find out, right?

 

[Dalisclock]

The gross of the second season's episodes suffer because Lynch's hand was forced into ending the one plot thread that had been carrying the whole show so far. So for a while the show is like a headless chicken, bumping against everything and going nowhere. It starts picking up near the end, when a new central plot is established.

And then the series got cancelled.

So, basically, I should watch the first season and call it a day because season 2 is utter crap?

Season 2 isn't utter crap, but it feels like a valley. Starts out high coming off of season 2, begins to drop after Laura Palmers Killer is revealed, gets to a low point where almost nothing interesting is happening for about 2 or 3 episodes and then picks back up for a great series Finale. At which point it doesn't matter much because the series is over.

There's Fire Walk With Me, which is the movie, but it's a prequel so good luck getting any real answers coming off the ending of the series.

 

[Radoh]

Funny you should mention it, because I'm in the process of watching it for the first time right now, and I say it holds up great.
Except for the part where I need a flowchart for who's cheating on whom with who, that gets a bit ridiculous. I can accept all the magic stuff that's happening, but when everyone's getting their bits in everyone else's bits is where my suspension of disbelief breaks.

 

[ninja666]

Okay, I think I've got all the info I needed and know what to expect, more or less. Thanks for your time, folks.

 

[jhoroz]

Season 2 isn't utter crap, but it feels like a valley. Starts out high coming off of season 2, begins to drop after Laura Palmers Killer is revealed, gets to a low point where almost nothing interesting is happening for about 2 or 3 episodes and then picks back up for a great series Finale. At which point it doesn't matter much because the series is over.

I'm on episode 10 of season 2 and I'm really struggling to keep watching now that I know who Laura's murderer is. When does it pick up again? The first seven episodes of Season 2 were great, but you can tell from episode 7 and onwards how Lynch's control and vision of the series started to lose it's grip and was handled by less talented storytellers.

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

I've been trying to watch Twin Peaks ever since it was put up on netflix a few years back. So far I'm about 40 minutes into the first episode. I go back and try to watch it ever few months but every time I do I'm just so disinterested in everything that's happening. The only reason I keep trying to watch it is because everyone keeps telling me how great it was.

I know that it's not fair of me to judge the show without even having finished the pilot episode, but something about it just doesn't engage me in any way and I'm not sure what the problem is. Maybe I just hate the acting and directing.

 

[ninja666]

I know that it's not fair of me to judge the show without even having finished the pilot episode, but something about it just doesn't engage me in any way and I'm not sure what the problem is. Maybe I just hate the acting and directing.

It just didn't click with you. It happens. I, often, also find myself not liking some things I'm clearly "supposed" to like.

 

[Dalisclock]

Season 2 isn't utter crap, but it feels like a valley. Starts out high coming off of season 2, begins to drop after Laura Palmers Killer is revealed, gets to a low point where almost nothing interesting is happening for about 2 or 3 episodes and then picks back up for a great series Finale. At which point it doesn't matter much because the series is over.

I'm on episode 10 of season 2 and I'm really struggling to keep watching now that I know who Laura's murderer is. When does it pick up again? The first seven episodes of Season 2 were great, but you can tell from episode 7 and onwards how Lynch's control and vision of the series started to lose it's grip and was handled by less talented storytellers.

It's been a long time, but I believe around episode 18 of season 2 or so it starts getting interesting again. You just have to suffer through a dead zone to get to it.

 

[rorychief]

Like most said, watch til the reveal of the killer then weening yourself off will become natural as everything becomes terrible all at once.