Twin Peaks: grudge match looms in David Lynch’s epic return

Pick of the day: Twin Peaks, streaming on Stan.

Kyle MacLachlan and Sheryl Lee in Twin Peaks, streaming on Stan.

Pick of the day: Twin Peaks, streaming on Stan.

With the nearly constant references to “it’s happening again” and “damn fine cups of coffee”, it could hardly have escaped anyone’s attention that David Lynch’s long-awaited continuation of cult series Twin Peaks has arrived.

For fans of the show familiar with who’s who and what’s what, we have published detailed recaps of episodes one through four online; admittedly they make inaccessible reading for those not au fait with the original series and its film prequel.

Which raises the question: is the new series worth the investment for new audiences? The answer from this writer is a resounding yes.

Lynch, 71, wrote and directed all 18 episodes of this new series and stars as FBI deputy director Gordon Cole. There were questions asked about his ability to pull off a return to the rigours of television-making, and comparisons made to the sometimes hit-and-miss nature of his previous films.

But not only has Lynch proven equal to the task, his artistic vision is more spectacular than ever, and his confidence in presenting the often esoteric, surreal and supernatural dimensions of the story ahead of the procedural and comic ones is simply stunning.

Kyle MacLachlan plays the heroic protagonist of this tale, FBI special agent Dale Cooper. In the original series he was a paragon of manly virtues, intelligence and chivalry, until the finale’s unexpected twist when he became possessed by the malevolent spirit Bob.

In this new series, we witness Dale Cooper’s attempt to return from the otherworldly purgatory known as the Black Lodge in which he has been trapped for 25 years (while Bob, in possession of Cooper’s earthly body, has wreaked criminal havoc).

Through a sleight of hand, as it were, Bob has avoided his return to the Black Lodge.

Accordingly, I anticipate an epic showdown looming in this earthly dimension between Dale Cooper and Bob, a grudge match for the ages. Don’t miss it.