It was probably too good to be true.
Amid rumors last month that the production had hit a few financial snags, and even more dire whispers that had begun to leak out of WonderCon this afternoon, David Lynch took to Twitter to confirm all your worst fears: he will not be returning to direct Showtime’s Twin Peaks relaunch in 2016:
Lynch was originally scheduled to direct all 9 episodes of the upcoming limited series, but with this sudden departure, the entire endeavor is now in question.
Is it possible Showtime could continue on without Lynch? Absolutely, especially if the Lynch/Mark Frost scripts are already in place, but would we want to see more Twin Peaks through the lens of another creative talent? Sadly, the only example of this we have to go on is the much maligned second season of the series, which saw the ongoing adventures of James Hurley and this…
…among many other questionable decisions. Twin Peaks is such a particular property, that is clearly the product of two unique minds, it’s hard to imagine your average Dexter helmer coming in and being able to do it any justice.
Showtime has yet to comment on Lynch’s announcement, but with actors already lined up to return, including star Kyle MacLachlan; the ball is very much in their court.
It is also very possible Lynch’s public declaration may move Showtime to give him what he wants. We’ll find out soon enough.
UPDATE: Showtime has released the following statement:
We were saddened to read David Lynch’s statement today since we believed we were working towards solutions with David and his reps on the few remaining deal points. Showtime also loves the world of Twin Peaks and we continue to hold out hope that we can bring it back in all its glory with both of its extraordinary creators, David Lynch and Mark Frost, at its helm.
That gum you like IS coming back in style. Following that above not very cryptic at all really tweet by Twin Peaks creator David Lynch, today he and series co-creator Mark Frost both tweeted at 11:30
11:30 is the time of day that Agent Dale Cooper entered Twin Peaks, and using a time stamp and two line that prophesied the return of the show nearly 25 years ago to announce it’s return…well, already I like this style.
As confirmed by Deadline Twin Peaks will return as a 9 episode mini-series on Showtime, with Lynch and Frost writing all 9 and Lynch directing them all. The show will run in 2016. Nelli Andreeva supplied some scuttlebutt:
I hear the new Twin Peaks will be set in the present day, more than two decades after the events in the first two seasons. It is expected to continue the lore and story of the original series, with Lynch and Frost committed to providing long-awaited answers and, hopefully, a satisfying conclusion to the series. It is unclear which actors from the original series will be featured in the followup. Rumor is that star Kyle MacLachlan would be back, likely reprising his role as FBI Agent Dale Cooper who was at the center of the show. The ABC series also featured some of Lynch’s favorite character actors, and it is likely that at least some of them will return.
Although in the past director Lynch disavowed any interest in finishing the show, I guess the current spate of 90 nostalgia changed his mind, fueled by the rapturous reception of the Bu-Ray release of the complete remastered show.
Twin Peaks first aired in 1990 and ran for 30 episodes—the central storyline involved the arrival of FBI agent Dale cooper into a small Northwestern town to investigate the murder of a high school prom queen named Laura Palmer who was anything but the “normal” girl she seemed to be. It was weird, amazing, baffling and sexy. It was the first truly auteur fueled show to become water cooler talk in America. It was also grossly misunderstood by the network, which insisted that Lynch and Frost solve the main mystery that fueled the show. The result was a terrifyingly swift decline in quality AND rating and cancellation after a handful of episodes.
You see, the message of Twin Peaks was that “normalcy” was a construct and the world was a weird and random place where we attempt to impose our own patterns. ABC, like other networks, was pledged to elevating the normal and typical in search of the LCD ratings smash.
Since then, mostly thanks to HBO, networks no longer call the shots, the internet gives us proof every day that every one is a nutter with secret fetishes, and the showrunner is the most important person in the equation. Vince Gilligan and Dan HArmon are the household names, not Fred Silverman and Brandon Tartikoff.
In the 25 years since Twin Peaks (and its obscure follow up On The Air) aired, Mark Frost has written a couple of Fantastic Four movies and some books. Lynch has pretty much continued to turn out material in peak form, and, to be fair, a lot of oddities. As impossible to return home again it may be, I’m not too fussed about the dangers of returning to the past this time out. Despite all protestations, Lynch and Frost seem to have been preparing for this for a while.
In Mark Frost's second book of the Paladin Prophecy series, Alliance, we pick up right where we left off with Will and his friends. The Paladins are still after him, and the group must outwit them to find the secret of the school, and Will's own family history.
Book: Alliance (The Paladin Prophecy, Book 2)
Author: Mark Frost
Pages: 352
Age Range: 12 and up
Alliance is the sequel to Mark Frost's The Paladin Prophecy. (This review may contain spoilers for the first book.) Alliance picks up a few months after the events of the first book, and again features Will, the genetically enhanced center of a group of five students at a special private school. Will is recovering from the physical and emotional traumas of the fall. As summer approaches, he again tries to understand how he fits in to a battle between good and evil. An encounter with someone who helped the teens in the first book sends them on a quest deep below ground, to find a special key. The plot involves physical confrontations, as well as historical investigations into the past, and personal quests to understand each student's special abilities.
It took me a long time to get through this book. To be fair, I was reading it during a busy time. But every time I would try to read it at night, I would fall asleep after just a couple of pages. I kept going because I was interested in the characters, but I eventually had to find time to finish it during the day. I felt that if the pacing had been a bit tighter, Alliance would have worked better for me. There was one section in particular, where the kids are planning a detailed campaign to gain access to a guarded location, that really dragged for me. I also felt like some of the characterization was a bit over-telegraphed, particularly Nick not being very bright and Ajay being absurdedly geeky.
But there are still things that I like about the book. As in The Paladin Prophecy, I love the way Will is guided by sayings that he learned from his absent father. Like:
"#24: YOU CAN'T CHANGE ANYTHING IF YOU CAN'T CHANGE YOUR MIND"
and
"IF YOU DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO NOTICE YOU, ACT LIKE YOU BELONG THERE AND LOOK BUSY."
An appendix lists all 100 pieces of apt advice.
There are also cool settings, including a castle-like building, and hidden tunnels and caves. There are neat gadgets. The kids have interesting abilities, and their interactions are reasonably realistic. They use their brains, and work to solve complex puzzles from sparse clues. Kids who enjoy adventures with a supernatural bent (like Rick Riordan's books, for instance) will most likely enjoy this one, too.
I could on principle do without Will being the love interest of both of the two girls in the group. But in truth, neither of the other two boys would work in that context. As far as content goes on the love interest side, there's a very small amount of kissing - nothing objectionable for younger kids.
Bottom line: Alliance didn't really work for me, but I'd definitely still purchase it if I were shopping for a middle school or high school library. And I won't be surprised if the series ends up in the movie theaters one day. There will certainly be at least one more book, as this one ends on a cliffhanger.
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (@RandomHouseKids)
Publication Date: January 7, 2014
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher
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© 2014 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook.
Twin Peaks without David Lynch is not Twin Peaks. No, thanks
It’s his baby. What’s the point of watching if we know it’s not his vision?
What’s really sad is that Lynch has not directed a feature in 9 years — not since INLAND EMPIRE in 2006. Hollywood is a tough town for over-60 directors who don’t want to make franchise movies aimed at 15-year-olds of all ages.
Meanwhile, hacks like Zack Snyder, Michael Bay and Brett Ratner have no trouble lining up new projects.
I’d have very much liked to see Mr. Lynch back at the helm, but his absence isn’t a deal-breaker. I enjoyed both seasons of Twin Peaks, and I’ve been reading/viewing/discussing non-Lynch takes on the series for over a decade. So I’m OK with seeing someone else wrap up the series’ loose ends.
David Lynch is the creator of the series. If he leaves the show should leave with him. The same goes for comics. When the creator leaves and sells it off to a big company like….. Disney or Warner Bros the comics should stop as well. F David Lynch. F Showtime. Love Evan Dorkin.
Follow me at #Hexo66
“So I’m OK with seeing someone else wrap up the series’ loose ends.”
With something from Lynch, I don’t want the loose ends wrapped up. The more that are left dangling, the more interesting it is.
Here’s some good advice from film historian Peter Labuza:
“You know how to save Twin Peaks? Let it die and be happy with what we already have.”