TWIN PEAKS: THE SECOND SEASON - DVD review

In the spring of 1990, a mid-season replacement named "Twin Peaks" aired on ABC that would forever change the face of television. Created by the acclaimed director "David Lynch" and "Hill Street Blues" writer Mark Frost, "Twin Peaks" was like nothing that had ever aired on network television. The concept for "Twin Peaks" originally sprung from a screen adaptation of the Marilyn Monroe biography "Goddess," which Lynch and Frost had been working on. While Lynch's brilliant "The Elephant Man" won several Academy Awards, his take on Frank Herbert's science fiction classic "Dune" was a homoerotic flop that barley recouped half of its monstrous budget. Due to Lynch's uneven history of adapting books for the screen, the creative duo were unable to secure the rights to "Goddess." But several of the themes moved onto Frost and Lynch's next project together, "Northwest Passage," which would eventually come to be titled after the town it took place in, "Twin Peaks."

The first season of "Twin Peaks" captivated the minds of television viewers across the country. It became the show to discuss around the water cooler, the unknown stars became magazine-cover worthy, and "Twin Peaks" parties filled homes with viewers hungry with the question, "Who Killed Laura Palmer?" At the end of the eight episode première season, that question had not been answered; instead, more questions arose: "Who shot Agent Cooper?" "Who's Bob?" "What's the Black Lodge?" And, most important, "What the **** is going on?" While many viewers tuned in for the hoped-for answers that season two would herald, many fans grew weary of the pointless side characters, underdeveloped plot lines, and Lynch's own destructive self-indulgence. By the time Laura Palmer's killer was unceremoniously revealed in the eighth episode of season two, ratings had dropped significantly, and most viewers had all but disappeared as the rest of the second season dragged on.

To attempt a renewed interest in the series, several new plot lines were created, which ranged from forgettable (Who's the father of Lucy's baby) to downright awful (anything featuring James and his motorcycle). The final twelve episodes dip into a pool of mediocrity originally parodied by the fake soap opera "Invitation to Love" that preoccupied the simpleminded folks of "Twin Peaks" in season one. The bizarre themes instigated by Lynch disappeared as he turned his back on the show during the second and final season, ushering in new and writers and directors, the majority of them getting their first break on "Twin Peaks." The combination of losing Lynch's artistic vision and the miserable sitcom-worthy scripts developed by an unseasoned handful of newcomers killed the show as if they too were possessed by the spirit of "Killer Bob."

Video:
As a die-hard "Peaks" fan, it's great to finally see the episodes on DVD, fully remastered from the original negatives. Showcased in their original fullscreen format, every episode looks absolutely amazing. For those like myself who have long coveted their VHS set, it's refreshing finally to see the clarity provided by these excellent transfers. While the "Log Lady intros" don't benefit from the remastering done to the individual episodes, they're a great representative of the picture quality we fans put up with on our well-worn VHS tapes. While American fans still have to hold onto Warner Brothers' VHS-only release of the Emmy Award-winning pilot episode, we can finally take our chunky box set of tapes and replace them with these well-done DVDs.

Audio:
Just as they did with the visuals, Paramount has done a magnificent job with the all-new 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound. As a fan who has hosted more than a couple of "Twin Peaks" marathons and has closely examined a generous portion of the dialogue on the old tape set, I can say that the sound clarity on these discs is magnificent.

Extras:
Unfortunately for hardcore fans, the skimpy special features is where Paramount clearly missed the boat. While the four-minute interviews with second season directors Todd Holland, Caleb Deschanel, Duwayne Dunham, Stephen Gyllenhaal, and Tim Hunter are a polite addition to the set, they're ultimately boring and redundant for any fan with an issue of "Wrapped in Plastic" on their coffee table. With the exception of Holland, who went on to create the brilliant but quickly cancelled "Wonderfalls," none of these directors went on to do much more than below-average prime-time network fodder. The fact that their resumes are cramped with shows like "Jag" and "Law and Order" prove their inability to properly helm an original product such as "Twin Peaks." In fact, the best thing the majority of these directors ever produced were their actor children (Zooey Deschanel, Maggie and Jake Gyllenhaal) that have gone on to eclipse their parents' lackluster careers.

Also included is forty minutes of interviews with a surprising amount of "Twin Peaks" stars covering how they originally got involved with the series, the production of the show, and the ongoing legacy "Twin Peaks" provided. While it is great to finally hear from "Peaks" stars Kyle MacLachlan, Madchen Amick, Sherilyn Fenn, and David Duchovny; it's the conversations with the forgotten actors that bring any life to these interviews. The moments spent with Kimmy Robertson and Don Davis, who portrayed Lucy Moran and Major Garland Briggs respectively, are the best, providing lighthearted insight to counter the ridiculously serious tone presented by the out-of-touch MacLachlan and bigger-name stars.

The thing that stands out about these interviews isn't a particular topic but the lack of inclusion of the man most of the stars discuss, Lynch himself. Lynch has gone to great lengths to distance himself from what has become arguably the high point of his uneven career. But the lack of any input from the man who created this cult classic is inexcusable and negates the impact of these interviews as a whole. The interviews are presented in an odd format, too; while one can view the forty minutes of clips straight through, you can also access them via the "Interactive Interview Grid." Why this "grid" was included is puzzling; the effort would have been better spent securing at least one person to provide commentary on any of the episodes. Easily the best addition is the complete set of Log Lady introductions that Lynch shot himself after he sold the series for rebroadcast on the Bravo network.

Film Value:
While the first season of "Twin Peaks" is a highlight of the artistic capabilities of the television medium, season two is an example of the depths of mediocrity most shows exist in. The rampant uneven feel from episode to episode damaged the overall narrative of the program. For every wonderful moment the audience spends with characters like FBI Regional Bureau Chief Gordon Cole (portrayed by the maestro himself), we are forced to swallow endless moments of James tooling about on his motorcycle trying to find himself, while the audience prayed he would remain lost. These scenes provide season two with its own variation on the "drinking game" that has become attached to many other cult programs. Anytime you see James, you reach not for the bottle but the remote, and instead of taking a swig, you hit the fast-forward button. Other highlights showcased in season two are the introduction of Annie Blackburn (Heather Graham) as Agent Cooper's love interest, Duchovny in drag, and the return of Lynch to direct the final and best episode of the season. But to reach those heights one must wade through the depths of the poorly conceived Cooper nemesis, Windom Earl, the love triangle involving the annoying yet aptly named Dick, and the five episodes that force Billy Zane on you; the latter actually requires a shower to completely cleanse yourself.

While the legacy of "Twin Peaks" was carried on by excellent shows like "American Gothic," "Northern Exposure," and "The X-Files," it also inspired such pedestrian hits as the meandering "Lost" and the deplorable "Desperate Housewives." While season two of "Twin Peaks" failed to continue the fire that burned so brightly throughout the first season, hard-core fans will be happy to know that they can finally put those well-worn video tapes to rest and proudly display this new set beside their copy of "Laura Palmer's Diary" and their homemade "Twin Peaks" action figures.