David Farnor | On 10, Jan 2017

Last night, Showtime confirmed the news that Twin Peaks fans had been waiting for: the show will return this May with a new season of strange goings-on in the quaint, eerie titular mountain town. Revealing the news at the channel’s panel during the Television Critics Association press tour, Showtime then produced a guest for attending press: David Lynch himself.

The idiosyncratic filmmaker, who directed all 18 hours of the new season himself, was typically tight-lipped about the episodes, but did have several cryptic, intriguing things to reveal and confirm about Twin Peak’s return.

Here are seven things that we now know:

1. The new season is Mark Frost’s idea

It was David Lynch’s co-creator who suggested the idea of reviving the iconic programme. They wrote the project over Skype together, Lynch based in Hollywood and Frost in Ojai, California.

“I love this world of Twin Peaks,” Lynch said at the panel. “I often thought about what might be happening. It was Mark who contacted me, many years ago now, and asked if I wanted to go back into that world. We met at [Hollywood bar and grill] Musso & Frank and talked. And that’s what got us going again for this one.”

2. It was filmed as a movie

The new season will filmed as a movie, covering 18 hours, with Showtime’s David Nevins revealing that the decision on how to split up the show into episodes was worked out later.

“I see it as a film,” said Lynch. “And a film in parts is what people will experience. It was a joyful experience. This word ‘expect’ is a magical word. People expect things, and their expectations are hopefully met when they see the thing.”

3. The first ended because they had to answer the Laura Palmer question

“Who killed Laura Palmer was a question we did not really want to answer,” Lynch commented. “That Laura Palmer mystery was the goose that laid these little golden eggs. At a certain point, we were told we had to wrap that up and it never got going after that.”

4. There is no plan for more Twin Peaks

Despite this revival, there are no current plans for more Twin Peaks, with Nevins emphasising that this is a one-off event.

“Before I said I wasn’t going to revisit it, and I did. You never say no,” added Lynch, as enigmatic as ever. “But right now there’s no plan for anything more.”

5. It will be pure heroin David Lynch

Nevins describes the new show, which he has seen, as “the pure heroin version of David Lynch”.

6. Old friends will return

Loads of familiar friends will appear again in Twin Peaks, including Dana Ashbrook as Bobby Briggs, Catherine E. Coulson as the Log Lady, Sheryl Lee as Laura Palmer, Peggy Lipton as Norma Jennings, and Kyle MacLachlan as FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper. David Lynch will reprise his role as Gordon Cole. Other returning names include: David Duchovny, Warren Frost, Harry Dean Stanton, Ray Wise, Phoebe Augustine, Richard Beymer, Scott Coffey, Julee Cruse, Jan D’Arcy, Sherilyn Fenn, Miguel Ferrer, Harry Goaz, Andrea Hays, Gary Hershberger, Michael Horse, David Patrick Kelly, James Marshall, Everett McGill, Walter Olkewicz, Kimmy Robertson, Wendy Robie, Marv Rosand, Carlton Lee Russell, Charlotte Stewart, Al Strobel, Carel Struycken, Russ Tamblyn, Alicia Witt and Grace Zabriskie.

7. New faces are also on the way

The series’ official cast list includes an incredible array of names, from Michael Cera and Tim Roth to Caleb Landry Jones, David Koechner, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jane Levy and Matthew Lillard.

8. Not much else

Asked whether there are stories in the new Twin Peaks that he didn’t get a chance to feature in the original, Lynch caught himself from saying more and reverted to his usual trick of not revealing much else. “Well, in the beginning,” he replied, before continuing. “I’m not really at liberty to talk about that.”

9. Twin Peaks returns in May

Twin Peaks will return to Showtime in the US on 21st May with a two-hour premiere. Immediately after that broadcast, the third and fourth hours will then be released on Showtime’s streaming service for American viewers to watch on-demand.

In the UK, the show will premiere on Sky Atlantic on the same day – and, indeed, at the same time. There will be a simulcast at 2am UK time on Monday 22nd May, with a later repeat at 9pm on Tuesday 23rd May. The episode will be available on-demand following the simulcast, so that UK fans can watch it when they want, without having to wait for Tuesday or risk seeing spoilers.

Don’t have Sky? You will be able to watch Twin Peaks online live and on-demand through NOW, as part of a £6.99 monthly contract. Season 1 and Season 2 are currently available on Sky Box Sets and on NOW for binge-watching. Click here for more information.

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