Obviously, Twin Peaks was ahead of it's time.  As I have just been getting into Lost and seeing how strange it can be...and what a success the show has been, it made think...

Let's pretend that Twin Peaks had never been created...until 2008.  What if Twin Peaks made it's debut tommorw?  Do you think it would be as big a hit with todays audience?  And do you think it would have gone on for several more seasons than 2?  I think yes yes yes it would have. 

I mean think about it, TV and movies have embraced the 'weird' that TP basically invented.  The whole sci-fi element is much more accepted now.  Plus, I can't remember seeing quirky characters in anything besides TP...it sells.  What do you think?  Was Twin Peaks just too far ahead of it's time?

I don't know if TP would even be on network TV in 2008. I'm willing to bet it would air on premium cable, Showtime maybe. It certainly wouldn't be on ABC, Lost or no Lost.

If Twin Peaks had been made today it would have been terrible.

I don't mean re-made, but like the same as it is....only showing today.  I don't know, I feel that the younger generation (me) is hungry for off beat entertainment.  Frankly, we're bored.

I don't mean re-made, but like the same as it is....only showing today.

I reckon so too, although the worst elements of Lost are probably the supernatural elements, such as Smokey, the strange black smoke. Although I liked the Jacob scene, not that I knew what was really going on.

I like Lost a lot, not because of the supernatural elements but because of the mood and the feeling it gives me. Same with Twin Peaks. But the supernatural elements are done greatly, in both shows.

If Twin Peaks was made today it would not be the same it is. It's gotta be that late 80's/ early 90's thing, bad special effects (in today's standards) and all.

But Twin Peaks also has that 50s noirish feel combined with a slight kind of gaudiness of the late 80s/early 90s which gives it an amazingly distinctive feel. I wonder if it would have worked if they'd actually tried to set it in the 50s.

Now that you mention it, Twin Peaks set in the 50's could have been quite interesting!

for the most part it is. Or in a time warp to itself. Which makes it work so well.

In the early part of the series (which I think is perfect) I only cringe when I hear them mention a year (Leo busted in 1988, etc)

they should have just kept it to months and days to keep it timeless.

the first half of the series looks perfect and doesn't age at all -only until some of the bad special effects in the second season does it dip into bad visual quality (I'm looking at you, flying owl! and you stupid monk)

Now that you mention it, Twin Peaks set in the 50's could have been quite interesting!

Yeah, there is that 50's feel for sure, and I like that too. For me, Twin Peaks reality doesn't seem to take place in the late 80's that we are familiar with but it exists in some strange time continuum of it's own, where the fifties and the eighties and the nineties merge with each other.

I don't have a problem with the owl or the monk, actually I like them and their clumsiness. I don't mean it's camp or anything. It transcends camp.

I definitely agree that if Twin Peaks were to materialize for the first time in today's day and age, it would undoubtedly be picked up by Showtime or HBO or some other cable network known for innovative programming... but definitely not network TV.  Then again, Carnivale was excellent, and it was axed after the 2nd season.  Maybe the true joy exists in what could have been had series like these gone on......

Yeah, there is that 50's feel for sure, and I like that too. For me, Twin Peaks reality doesn't seem to take place in the late 80's that we are familiar with but it exists in some strange time continuum of it's own, where the fifties and the eighties and the nineties merge with each other.

I don't have a problem with the owl or the monk, actually I like them and their clumsiness. I don't mean it's camp or anything. It transcends camp.

 I agree!  Audrey's saddle oxford shoes, the car that Laura drives over to Harold's house (Leland's car too) and the RR Diner all have a 50's feel to them - then you have the Sheriff's department, Leo's corvette and semi truck and Agent Cooper's hand held recorder from 80's and 90's....I love the mix!

If Twin Peaks first aired on TV this year, it would cause the same tremendous audience reaction it did in 1990, since shows influenced by it like "lost" would never have existed.Television audiences would be treated to whole new approach to a TV series, like they were in 1990 and other shows on TV in the last 16 years would have no Twin Peaks influence at all.And it would still be on a major network like ABC. Cable TV was BIG in 1990 - it's not something new.People commenting that it would be on Cable, not network TV don't realize that Twin Peaks tremendous influence on television these past 16 years WOULD NOT EXIST if it was first aired today.

Yeah, but then again, a lot of effects wouldn't happen if you went back in time and removed their causes.  Let's not wallow in negative argument, eh?

Something else to consider is that Peaks didn't happen in a vacuum... even though it was groundbreaking television, it is a little naive to think that something else wouldn't have eventually come along that did much of the same work toward "innovative television."  Maybe not right away, true, but eventually.

I'm sure there would have been innovations in television without Twin Peaks but much different innovations than the ones that Twin Peaks caused. Television shows would be much different today if not for Twin  Peaks - not the same as in 1990, but different from what we have today.

Yes, absolutely.  If things had been different, things would be different.  What a cogent point to make. Twice.

geoffr111,

I'm of the opinion that history can only write itself one way.  If it all repeats in the future, it will happen the exact same way.  That's what W.B. Yeats thought, right?  "Wine comes in at the mouth, love comes in at the eye..."