This article was originally printed on 10-9-14.
There is a fantastic video on YouTube entitled “Badalamenti Twin Peaks Love Theme” in which the composer, Angelo Badalamenti, explains how he composed the main theme to the surreal television drama “Twin Peaks.”
Badalamenti explains how David Lynch was telling him about Laura Palmer and how he envisioned her as a lonely girl in the woods. As he plays through the theme, the notes spiral higher and higher, with Badalamenti getting more and more excited. As he reaches the climax of the track, Badalamenti exclaims, “And [Lynch] said, ‘That’s it! That’s so beautiful. Angelo, oh that’s tearing my heart out. I love that.’” It is a heartbreaking moment of many that are felt throughout the “Twin Peaks” series.
“Twin Peaks” is coming back to television for a third season. The series will be directed by David Lynch, and Mark Frost and Lynch will co-write (both co-created the show). It will no doubt be one of the most anticipated media events of 2016 and hopefully will live up to 25 years of hype.
The series’ first two seasons chronicle the search (by F.B.I. Agent Dale Cooper and members of the Twin Peaks Sheriff ’s Department) for Laura Palmer’s murderer and, more broadly, the citizens of Twin Peaks.
The first two seasons of the show remain as enigmatic as when they first came out. They contain suspense, metahumor, and warped (classical) television tropes. The show is a study of mystery, character development, and horror, and is still embossed in our cultural consciousness even though it ended nearly 25 years ago.
The series notoriously peaked before ratings fell in the beginning of the second season. As the story goes, the showrunners, Frost and Lynch were forced to concede much of their creative control in an effort to boost the show’s ratings (they famously revealed Laura Palmer’s murderer, although they noted that that was not the point of the show. Rather, it was to examine the relationships of the citizens of Twin Peaks). Then, the show further declined until a solid series finale directed by Lynch (who notably did not direct much of the second season). The finale had all of the characteristics of the quintessential “Twin Peaks” episode: it was mysterious, cryptic, and weird.
That being said, the whole of “Twin Peaks” is essential viewing. It is hilarious, horrifying, and heartbreaking. Most of all, although it brings back a wave of ’80s nostalgia, it is timeless. Hopefully the third season will be too.
Schaffer is a member of the class of 2016.
