In another thread Gordon wrote:

I hate those "previously on..." things. I don't need a reminder of what I've seen, I remember perfectly

This totally surprised me (also Outlaw expressed such an opinion). If you mean generally, that's fine with me, I don't see much point in such reminders, either. Also, they tend (or at least tended at that time, I don't watch any TV series anymore) to be rather banal - showing scenes as they were just for people with short memory.

But in Twin Peaks, and especially in the first season, these turned into a fine piece of art!

Apart from the fact that they were really wonderfully edited (which would not make a big value should the whole thing be pointless) - they are composed in a very well thought out manner, which does simply not REMIND us of what happened but evokes feelings, brings associations... They don't really remind us of anything and certainly can in no way be treated as a help for those who missed an episode - I am certain that for such people they would confuse everything even more!

What they, however, do, is setting the viewer's mind on the right paths, in a way they prepare us for what is going to be a really important matter in the upcoming episode. Very often they would include scenes from much earlier episodes (not a simple last time on Dynasty ;-)), very often they would mix the image and the sound from different scenes (doesn't the owl superimposed on BOB's face behind the Palmer's bed come back in a "previously" piece around Ep.8??? I'm not sure but such things definitely did happen).

I always LOVED watching them and absolutely not for reminding but for the sole pleasure of watching a very intriguing piece of film.

I like that "previously on TP" thing ..I also think that it's not exactly a reminder,but as BOB1 said "setting the viewer's mind to the right path".Well said!

Yes. Well said Bobby!

I especially love one of the last ones where we see Bob´s arm out of the lodge, the puddle outside the roadhouse while we hear the mayors voice going "this isn´t right, there´s something wrong here".  I never connected the mayors voice with Bob return, Windom and all that before I bought my beloved vhs tapes...

Ditte 

A very good example of what I meant, Ditte!

Even though I had a feeling that with time the quality of the "previouslys" tended to suffer alongside with the episodes (becoming no more than dull reminders) - still your example is showing that it wasn't always like that.

You're probably right Bopper, since I don't like those things I've never actually seen the TP ones... So if they are well edited, etc. I've never noticed! Now I'm curious and I'll take a look at them...

The PRISON BREAK ones suck though...

Just realised that the previouslys are rather useless when you watch the series from VHSs, DVDs or so... They had their place when the show was on TV, one epiosode a week. I watched it this way and I thought they served their purpose ideally.