Despite being more than 30 years old, Twin Peaks has maintained its cultural status as one of the greatest television series of all time. During its original airing, it was beloved across the world, winning the hearts of fans from the United States, Japan, and elsewhere — including the late Queen Elizabeth II. With the release of Twin Peaks: The Return in 2017, the show was revived after a 25-year-hiatus. This new season (which added 18 episodes to the original 30) presented viewers with an expanded vision of Twin Peaks which, though already a monumentally influential cult classic, bolstered its reputation even further. Today, with outlets like Den of Geek calling The Return “more relevant than ever,” it’s worth looking back at the series as a whole in order to see what its strongest moments were across all three seasons. Without further ado, here are the six best episodes in the Twin Peaks franchise, ranked.
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6 Gotta Light?
Showtime
This episode (part eight of the third season of Twin Peaks) was a radical departure from anything the show had ever been — and from television in general. It stunned audiences with its wild surrealism, chaotic visuals, and darkly allegorical storytelling. Like much of season three, it’s David Lynch at his feverish best. For this episode, it seems he had carte blanche in that he privileged his own artistic vision above all else. What can seem like a confusing mess on a first viewing actually has widespread implications for the Twin Peaks universe, tracing the history of good and evil back to a nuclear test site in New Mexico. You won’t see the world of Twin Peaks the same after experiencing this audiovisual tour de force.
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5 Arbitrary Law
CBS Television Distribution
Though this episode comes after Laura Palmer’s killer has been revealed, it is only here that the show’s mystery arc gets its conclusion. Featuring one of the most emotionally charged scenes in the series, “Arbitrary Law” is an acting showcase for the whole cast, and for leading men Kyle MacLachlan (Special Agent Dale Cooper) and Ray Wise (Leland Palmer) in particular. Though the primary mystery arc of Twin Peaks ends here, several new and related mysteries are opened up by the events of the episode. A new primary antagonist comes to light, and the nature of the story becomes far more supernatural than it was before.
4 The Past Dictates the Future
This lovely episode represents the payoff to a full season’s worth of buildup, culminating in the return of series protagonist Dale Cooper to the town of Twin Peaks, Washington. It contains some powerful reveals about the nature of dreams and reality, and even takes viewers back to the events leading up to season one. Blending a healthy dose of nostalgia with a revised history of the life of Laura Palmer, this second-to-last episode of Twin Peaks: The Return is a richly layered fan favorite and the best part of the revival season.
3 Pilot
This is what started it all. This introduction to the town of Twin Peaks and its beloved cast of characters premiered on April 8, 1990. It changed television forever, propelling the series to smash-hit status and investing the whole world in the mystery of “who killed Laura Palmer?” Part of what makes the pilot so special is its feature-length status, as it provides viewers with an in-depth look at the people and places they’ll be spending the next two seasons with. Before the release of the prequel film, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, this was the closest thing to a Twin Peaks movie. For decades now, it’s been drawing new fans into a world of Douglas firs, cherry pie, and dark mysteries. Check it out to see why The Atlantic makes the claim that Twin Peaks “invented modern television.”
2 Lonely Souls
In this classic episode from season two, the answer to the question “who killed Laura Palmer?” was finally revealed. In a horrifying sequence, a major character is brutally murdered by the same killer responsible for the death of Laura Palmer. Not only does it offer a satisfying answer to the show’s mystery; it also stands out for having several of the most memorable scenes in Twin Peaks history. In addition to the reveal of the killer, the episode includes a very touching moment between couple James Hurley and Donna Hayward, as well as the iconic line — “It is happening again” — delivered by the famous Giant character.
1 Beyond Life and Death
This episode, the finale of Twin Peaks season two, was also the ending of the series for more than 25 years. Until the release of Twin Peaks: The Return in 2017, its cliffhanger ending terrified and frustrated viewers hoping to see what happened next with protagonist special agent Dale Cooper. Before this ending, we are treated to a shocking romp through the infamous Black Lodge “waiting room.” Here, characters alive and dead reappear as violent spirits, challenging Cooper’s bravery and threatening to imprison him forever. The scenes in the waiting room are some of the most frightening across all three seasons and the movie, and they will leave you with a newfound respect for David Lynch’s chops as a director of horror. Cliffhanger notwithstanding, it’s a remarkable conclusion to the first two seasons of Twin Peaks and a strong choice for best episode in the series.
