Twin Peaks

A cult television series directed by (amongst others), David Lynch and Mark Frost. Lynch invited a number of other directors to guest direct particular episodes. This was a genre-busting series which explored smalltown USA via the eponymous town of Twin Peaks. Twin Peaks was actually set and filmed in the town of Snoqualmie, not far from Seattle, in the Cascade Mountain Range. It ran initially for two seasons on the [ABC network]? in the United States in 1990 and 1991.

With a particularly haunting theme tune by the composer [Angelo Badalamenti]?, and songs by [Julie Cruise]?, the series set out to establish its credentials from the very outset as hip, urban, ironic and knowing. The series was loosely based around a murder investigation into the death of a young high-school girl, Laura Palmer, and the gradual unravelling of the tale exposed the darker secrets and unreal lives of its often way-out inhabitants. As with much of Lynch's other work (such as Blue Velvet), Twin Peaks is largely concerned with the difference between the veneer of respectability and the seamier side of life lying beneath the veneer.

The series is particularly memorable for the performance by the actor Kyle MacLachlan as Special Agent Dale Cooper, who had the most famous line from the series (which became a catchphrase): 'That's a damn fine cup of coffee'.

A prequel movie of the series, [Fire Walk With Me]?, was subsequently made by David Lynch.