David Lynch is a legend. Famous for movies like Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive, he’s always been an inspiration to me.
I was bummed when he stopped making movies after one of his less fruitful efforts, Inland Empire (2005). Ten years passed, no new movies surfaced. Lynch entered his 70’s, and I began to wonder… will he ever make another movie?
It’s not like older people can’t make great art. Thomas Pynchon’s latest book, “Bleeding Edge”, was incredible, and he’s 80. But this is different - the 10 years without any news about a new movie, it felt like one of Lynch’s film scenes, slowly meandering on, with no end in sight.
Twin Peaks: The Return
Then the rumors began. Twin Peaks was coming back, then it wasn’t. Then, it was again.
Lynch held out and demanded twice as many episodes, and twice the budget, as Showtime's original offer. They caved. And that decision led us to sit down 25 years after the end of the original Twin Peaks, revisiting the quaint yet fucked up world in the middle of nowhere, northwestern USA.
I don’t want to discuss the contents of the show in this post - if you liked the old Twin Peaks, you will love this one - but rather to explain just how inspiring this is to me.
Growing up, I quickly realized that I wouldn’t make the sort of art that other people made. By high school I was already deep into weird, progressive musical ideas, fucking with odd rhythms and dissonant harmonies, non-repetitive song structures.
I didn’t think I was better than anybody else - just, my passion wasn’t in line with anything popular that I heard.
David Lynch represents the idea of an artist who can create such vivid artwork, such beautiful and expressive art, that he’s able to smash through the barriers of what people previously deemed “mainstream” or acceptable.
Twin Peaks feels like a show from an alternate universe, where our culture is obsessed with something different. It isn’t about sex, violence, or cheap thrills, even if there are a few of those scattered throughout. It’s a pure vision of artistic intent, one that leaps so far beyond the “overton window” of art as to disregard it entirely.
And it worked! It’s a critical success and enough of a commercial one that Showtime is open to another season if Lynch and crew decide to do it.
Avoid the Consensus Reality
The term “consensus reality” refers to ideas that we simply do not challenge. For example, we all agree that you should look both ways before you cross the street. The idea of “it’s crazy to cross the street without looking” is part of our consensus reality.
But the consensus can be debilitating, even rotten. When the consensus is that “The only way to survive is the safe way, getting a full time job and doing what they say.” - that’s a shit one. When the consensus is “You can’t make the art you love - be realistic, and make stuff people want to hear/see” - that’s a shit one too.
With Twin Peaks, Lynch and his team prove that the consensus reality of “Nobody wants to watch experimental film” is flat out wrong. From the flip side, he challenges artists to make art so good that it breaks the consensus too.
Twin Peaks demonstrates that your weirdness isn’t what stops you. If you can create amazing artwork and put it in front of the right people, you can have a great life and contribute to society while being true to yourself.
This is really important for unestablished artists - people like you and me, who are still getting our footing, learning how to earn a living and find an audience. Don’t give up.
It’s the most inspiring shit I’ve seen in a long time. I hope it inspires you too. Let’s get weird.
loved the original series and i've been waiting to watch the new season so i can binge the fuck out of it once it's all aired. something like this, i don't like to wait in between episodes; some kind of continuity gets lost for me...
I didn't watch it until my friends told me that it was so good - then I had to binge the whole thing in a week to catch up for the finale! David Lynch calls it a "movie", and that's basically what it is - an 18 hour film. It's a lot to take, you may need a few breaks haha
it's lynch...i love me some lynch and weird is totally my wheel house, so i imagine i'll be fine.
he DOES go off into some bizarre tangents though! :P
I watched one single episode of Twin Peaks back in the day, 20 odd years ago. I didn't like it, didn't appreciate it, called it "weird" and wrote it off (I'm sorry, I was young and impressionable and only interested in following the Crowd)
When I met my husband four years ago, he told me he was a huge Twin Peaks fan. I grimaced and pulled a face.
He asked me "but have you actually watched it and given it a try, or did you just give up because it wasn't what you were expecting?" (Yep, even right at the start or our relationship he had my card marked!)
20 years later, I tried it again. Well actually, no. Not "again". I hadn't given it a chance first time round.
Anyways, I ended up watching and enjoying the lot once I decided to actually give it a go, and I can't wait for the new stuff.
That's awesome! Sometimes it takes a few tries, I've had that happen to me plenty of times. You're gonna love the new stuff.
I may as well book a day off work because I'm inevitably going to want to watch a whole lot in one go!!
Amen! Even though it was far from perfect and will confuse generations of viewers forever, I would not have missed an episode. And actually, it's probably wrong to speak of a series... IT was like a 18 hours long art show... Hats off to Lynch for his ability to keep pushing the limits of cinema and tv!
I believe Lynch actually refers to it as a movie :-). It's the first and best 18 hour movie I ever saw!
Well, you've convinced me. Ill have to check it out. I'm always looking for new shows and movies that make me think. Unfortunately, they are usually hard to come by since most of what is put out is nothing more than fast colors and anger. I didn't actually know that Lynch was a writer/director. I only knew him for his talks on consciousness and transcendental meditation.
You are in for a treat. It might be easier to start with one of his feature length movies - "Mulholland Drive" is my personal favorite, and Blue Velvet is another great one.
Alright! I'm excited lol
Watched this. Got to agree, it's one of the most inspiring TV show I've ever watched.
From a long-time Lynch fan, I hope he never ever dies......although in ours and his reality, he will just pop up again and again in the multiverse.....DL forever!!!!!
I feel the same as you!
WOW, the other day I was chatting with Steemians who did not like the ending of the new 'season'. I didn't see it at all, but for SURE I will watch the new season! Twin Peaks is my most favourite series ever and I've seen the initial 2 seasons many times, from beginning to end! Your positivity just make watching the new season a higher priority on my list of things to do.
You won't regret it, it's amazing! Let me know what you think if you do end up checking it out.
I for sure will watch it! Not sure when though :)
If I may add something: seeing the 1992 movie is very important to the whole plot too! I mean... Not to get TOO MUCH lost.
Yup, true... the scene with David Bowie's character is crucial to understanding the new season.
Ok cool, seen that one also 2 or 3 times, but was of a lower quality then the series to be honest.
Great Post man i'll watch it...
cool man, enjoy
Yeah It was nice Bro. Thanks for posting it.
Nice Post @heymattsokol...
upvoted & followed you!
I've been wanting to write a Twin Peaks post for awhile but I don't want to rush it. I've been loving season 3. Twin Peaks is quite simply the best TV project ever made. I mean who builds in a 25 year gap in their narrative and actually pulls it off???