David Lynch’s Twin Peaks is considered one of the most iconic shows to ever be made. Twin Peaks has gained a cult following, with its popularity enduring even 35 years after the show was originally released, largely because on the surface, it looks like a classic whodunit and you’d expect the resolution to be straightforward; but when the layers are peeled back, you’re taken into a dreamlike world of a town haunted with secrets, where boundaries are blurred between reality and illusion.
If you’ve only recently heard of the show or found yourself intrigued by the premise but haven’t yet taken the plunge, you’re in for a strange, yet unforgettable ride. The Twin Peaks catalogue features a mix of the original seasons, a movie, and a revival series, and figuring out where to start—especially as a first-timer— can be daunting.
The Twin Peaks franchise can be watched in either the release order or chronological order. By watching in chronological order, you’re beginning with Fire Walk with Me (the prequel), which basically follows the timeline within the Twin Peaks world, starting with Laura Palmer’s final days, then transitioning into season 1 which opens with her death. However, starting with Fire Walk with Me can be challenging for first time watchers, as it assumes the viewer has a degree of knowledge about the themes and are acquainted with the characters. The chronological order would be as follows:
- Fire Walk with Me (1992)
- The Missing Pieces (2014)
- Season 1 (1990)
- Season 2 (1990-1991)
- The Return (2017)
Though this order may work for hardcore Twin Peaks fans or fans who want to experiment with the narrative, people who have never watched the show before may find the chronological order slightly off-putting without context. For them, I would strongly recommend watching the show in release order where the story unfolds in a more logical and linear fashion.
Let’s break down exactly how to watch Twin Peaks in release order and where to stream it with the help of JustWatch’s streaming guide.
Twin Peaks Season 1 (1990)
Season 1 of Twin Peaks aired in 1990, and this is where it all starts. The show begins with the dreadful discovery of popular high school student Laura Palmer’s body, washed up on the shore of the small town of Twin Peaks, with a small “R” under her nail. The FBI sends Agent Dale Cooper to investigate, and from there, the mystery kicks off.
Watching the first season is integral as it introduces the main characters, sets the tone, and lays the foundation for all that is to come. Twin Peaks isn’t just any ordinary mystery drama; it weaves in layers of supernatural elements and twists that draws you into a more bizarre world than what you might have previously anticipated. Fans of mystery with a supernatural edge like The X-Files or Dark will like this season.
With only eight episodes, Season 1 is a quick watch with a plot that’s easy to follow. It lures you in with a classic whodunit, but you stay for the deeply nuanced world Lynch has created.
Twin Peaks Season 2 (1990-1991)
Twin Peaks Season 2 had a much longer run of 22 episodes and picks up right where Season 1 left off. After giving answers to the mystery that consumed the previous season—the murder of Laura Palmer—it moves onto a darker storyline that fans can only describe as “strange.”
With locations like the Red Room and the Black Lodge, the second season takes the audience into a more surreal world. Lynch stepped away from day-to-day production during this season, and fans noticed that without his usual Lynchian weirdness, the show seems to drag a little in the middle, similar to Daniel Knauf’s Carnivàle on HBO, where both shows suffered slow pacing and an unresolved storyline.
Regardless, key characters are developed, and all of the show’s side plots and storylines culminate in a shocking cliffhanger that leaves the audience hungry for more. Though Season 2 is darker than Season 1, for anyone invested in the world of Twin Peaks, this season is a must-watch for everything that follows in the upcoming movies and series.
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992)
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me is a 1992 prequel film that follows the final week of Laura Palmer’s life, leading up to her death. Though it’s now regarded as one of Lynch’s best works, it was declared extremely controversial when it released due to its mature themes and vivid depictions of Laura’s abuse by her father, and the scenes of her last moments on the train car.
The film gives the audience a detailed look into Laura’s double life, struggles, and disturbing encounters with the franchise’s main antagonist, BOB. Much like Breaking the Waves, Fire Walk with Me is a tough watch where both movies focus on the raw trauma of the female leads in an emotionally intense way. Fire Walk with Me was greenlit after the series cancellation, but doesn’t answer the pressing questions that were raised in the second season—especially its ending. Tonally, it’s very different from the seasons that came before as it’s hard to watch, but presents the viewers with a full experience of the Twin Peaks world.
Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces (2014)
Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces, though the length of a feature film, isn’t a standalone movie but a companion piece to Fire Walk with Me, composed of deleted and extended scenes from the film. To truly understand the material in The Missing Pieces, it’s imperative to watch Fire Walk with Me first, as many of the same characters return to the screen.The Missing Pieces was released more than two decades after Fire Walk with Me, and while it’s not required viewing, it offers more insight into the strange mythos of Twin Peaks and is worth watching for serious fans of the Twin Peaks universe.
Twin Peaks: The Return (2017)
The Twin Peaks franchise continues with Twin Peaks: The Return, after a 25-year absence. Lynch once again took the reins and majorly contributed to the third season by directing every episode and bringing many of the original characters back.
Spanning 18 episodes, The Return aired in 2017 and picks up after the cliffhanger ending of Season 2, continuing the story from the original seasons while exploring new storylines and locations. Another Lynch marvel, Mulholland Drive flows in the same cryptic vein as The Return when it comes to the nonlinear and illusionary storytelling,
The series answers some lingering questions and ties up multiple loose ends, but at the same time, creates something entirely new with its dreamlike and abstract narration. Don’t miss this stunning finale, an ode to everything that came before, with Lynch’s genius vision bringing Twin Peaks full circle the way only he can.
