NON SPOILERS: Twin Peaks: Season 3 on Showtime Thread

[Rudagger]

I would think Showtime's advertising of it as a limited series is probably indicates that'll be the category they submit it for.

I think it's a category that is really flexible. Fargo gets nominated for it, and for the most part it is an anthology series, *but*, it does connect between seasons (at least, the first two share a couple major characters). So, I think it's just a matter of arguing it to whatever nomination board you have to. Like, the X-Files revival was terrible, but, I could see an argument that it is a limited series (even though it was reviving a long running series, and looks like it might get another season in another year or two).

I personally have been pretty vocal about just wanting this limited series to be the end note on Peaks (minus maybe a movie one day, or obviously Mark Frost writing a book that properly fills in that gap). Mostly because I don't want to risk another cliffhanger ending (.. X-Files ..) when they don't know for sure the show will be renewed. Or, god forbid, any of the main actors die between now and another season. I think it's just safer to get that ending statement in while they have all their ducks in a row= (and 18 hours is a lot of time to work with, wasn't it originally supposed to be like 9, this could frankly be two seasons worth anyway).

[Gabriel]

I'm not sure how I would feel about another season after S3.

I guess none of us will know how we feel until we've seen season three. Inevitably, among the fans, some will love it, some will hate it and some will be indifferent. It's a rule of any show/franchise that each entry will gain it some new fans, maintain others and drive some away. Put it this way: I used to love Doctor Who. I watched all of the 'classic' series, I devoured the novels and any other spin-offs. Then the new show turned up in 2005 and I hated it. Not only did I hate the new show, but it tainted the old show for me. I now almost never watch it, I gave up buying the DVDs and give it no thought anymore. Fire Walk With Me already did all the above to fans of the show. I loved FWWM, so I'm hoping to love the new series, but I'm also prepared to hate the new show and be put off all of Twin Peaks forever. Such is life

HOWEVER - what I would be delighted with would be something else in the vein of FWWM, as a standalone 1.5 hour film with a smaller cast and someone in the protagonist role who was previously a smaller character with a big presence (and no Mark Frost - I love his work with David but unbridled Lynch is fun too.)

It's interesting because there was no real lasting 'breakout' character – a character who wasn't intended to be a major character but became one, such as Avon in Blake's Seven, Frasier in Cheers, Barnabas Collins in Dark Shadows or Spike in Buffy – in the original show (maybe Audrey broke out a bit, but they crushed the character.) Will we see any of the original characters or new characters make such an impact in the next 18 hours of TV that more Twin Peaks without them would seem unimaginable? At the time of the original announcement, Cooper and Truman seemed to me to be the two who had to be in the new show, but we'd already had a movie with relatively few of the original cast and a lot of newcomers.

That's the rollercoaster ride awaiting us: no matter what happens, 80 days from now Twin Peaks will never again be the same series we'll have known for 27 years.

[Fashion Suicide]

Just noticed that too. Geez Louise, they are almost promoting the old series more than the new.... Anyway, anything pumps up the excitement for me these days

Make sense, IMO. The reality is you sorta have to know the original series to watch the new one, or at least know the main beats. Showtime's goal right now should be to get as many people as possible to become Twin Peaks fans before the new series airs. And when it does start they'll promote the hell out of it.

I sure agree. That being said, i can't wait to see how they're gonna promote it, in what way it will reach people's attention and so one. I don't know how it is in the rest of the world, but where i am from NO one talks about Twin Peaks. It's gonna be interesting, hopefully in a positive way, to see it "fall from grace" (if you know what i mean) into pop culture (i was only an abstract idea in the minds of my parents when that first happened). I don't expect any actual trailers, but more promos of returning characters would be neat.

[Rudagger]

It's interesting because there was no real lasting 'breakout' character – a character who wasn't intended to be a major character but became one, such as Avon in Blake's Seven, Frasier in Cheers, Barnabas Collins in Dark Shadows or Spike in Buffy – in the original show (maybe Audrey broke out a bit, but they crushed the character.) Will we see any of the original characters or new characters make such an impact in the next 18 hours of TV that more Twin Peaks without them would seem unimaginable? At the time of the original announcement, Cooper and Truman seemed to me to be the two who had to be in the new show, but we'd already had a movie with relatively few of the original cast and a lot of newcomers.

That's the rollercoaster ride awaiting us: no matter what happens, 80 days from now Twin Peaks will never again be the same series we'll have known for 27 years.

I think a large part of that is how short the series ran. And since the ratings trouble began very quickly in the second season, I'm not sure it was even possible for a breakout character to happen (it usually happens on a show during its upswing, and they get a chance to retool/refocus it). I mean, hell, maybe they were planning on James being the breakout and spinning out into his own 'adventures of James' tales after the bizarre Evelyn Marsh stuff, haha.

I do think that Audrey was probably the closest thing, as you said, but, they bungled her so-bad in the latter half of season 2 that it kind of destroyed any possibility (I just finished re-watching up until the end of the Palmer story, and they're still playing her/Coop's special relationship up at that point, which just makes my heart ache, not because of the romantic potential, but simply because by diverting her away from her interest in Coop and his detective work, her story becomes completely disinteresting). I mean, I understand the problem of having like, 3-4 amateur detective teens, but, Audrey feels like a character who could've kept doing that stuff for the thrill of it (whereas James/Donna's interest in sleuthing naturally ends once the Palmer story ends). It also feels a bit like a perfect opportunity for her to have tried to find a real way to repay Coop for saving her from One-Eyed Jacks (unless I'm forgetting something she does later on in the season), even if he doesn't want her help regarding Windom Earle (and then, boom, she's in the Lodge, because she actually put herself on Earles radar .. as opposed to him just .. somehow guessing?) Even if they kept her moving into her father's business, but had her become similarly selfish, then it would give some tension to her relationship with Coop as he sees her really becoming Ben Hornes daughter, but, alas. Hindsight is 20/20 and all that.

On the note of getting people to watch Twin Peaks, they'd be smart to have some kind of special air before the show that revisits the original story, but in a heavily truncated fashion, with interviews, and old behind the scenes and stuff. Just to quickly give context to people who *really* don't want to sit through 30 hours or so of content before the new season.

[Agent Earle]

At the time of the original announcement, Cooper and Truman seemed to me to be the two who had to be in the new show, but we'd already had a movie with relatively few of the original cast and a lot of newcomers.

Well, Truman's already turned out to be dispensable for the new series. It's a bummer, but there ya have it.

[Agent Earle]

I mean, I understand the problem of having like, 3-4 amateur detective teens, but, Audrey feels like a character who could've kept doing that stuff for the thrill of it (whereas James/Donna's interest in sleuthing naturally ends once the Palmer story ends). It also feels a bit like a perfect opportunity for her to have tried to find a real way to repay Coop for saving her from One-Eyed Jacks (unless I'm forgetting something she does later on in the season), even if he doesn't want her help regarding Windom Earle (and then, boom, she's in the Lodge, because she actually put herself on Earles radar .. as opposed to him just .. somehow guessing?)

But Audrey did repay Cooper, remember? She brought the happenings related to the Dead Dog farm to his attention and in so doing helped him to get a head start on Jean Renault. Coop even acknowledged it by telling her she probably saved his life.

[Rudagger]

I mean, I understand the problem of having like, 3-4 amateur detective teens, but, Audrey feels like a character who could've kept doing that stuff for the thrill of it (whereas James/Donna's interest in sleuthing naturally ends once the Palmer story ends). It also feels a bit like a perfect opportunity for her to have tried to find a real way to repay Coop for saving her from One-Eyed Jacks (unless I'm forgetting something she does later on in the season), even if he doesn't want her help regarding Windom Earle (and then, boom, she's in the Lodge, because she actually put herself on Earles radar .. as opposed to him just .. somehow guessing?)

But Audrey did repay Cooper, remember? She brought the happenings related to the Dead Dog farm to his attention and in so doing helped him to get a head start on Jean Renault. Coop even acknowledged it by telling her she probably saved his life.

Nope, didn't remember! (As I said, I've only made it up until the Palmer story ends in my re-watch, haven't gotten farther yet). I suppose that is something.

[Rainwater]

What's with the disparity between the countdown here and the one at http://welcometotwinpeaks.com/countdown? And neither of them seem to be pointing at the actual airtime, am I missing something here?

For me the countdown here is pointing at 20:00 local time and that is nonsense since I am in Europe. Shouldn't it be fixed to the original broadcast timezone?

Yeah, same. It should. Going by local timezones doesn't make any sense.

Showtime's goal right now should be to get as many people as possible to become Twin Peaks fans before the new series airs.

..meanwhile, one of the latest teasers they aired completely spoils the ending of the old series.
I really like the teaser, though.

[mine]

Maybe I'm missing something but what does it being longer than 5 episodes have to do with anything? It can be 100 episodes as long as its one season and it would still be a limited series just as long as it has a self-contained story with no planned further seasons.

If it's between 2 and 5 episodes it falls under limited series by default regardless of whether it adheres to the other rules or not.

The one single criterion that might make it ineligible for limited series status is the fact that two seasons came before it. (It says that THIS season can't have subsequent seasons, not specifically that there can't have been any previous seasons before this one, so that's a gray area, I suppose.) But I think the first two seasons were so long ago that this isn't going to be considered season 3, so much as a one-time return to the world of Twin Peaks with its own self-contained story. I think it will fit in the limited series since no further seasons are planned and this is a self-contained story.

I think it only says that there can't be subsequent seasons with continuity because the premise is that the current season is either the first or it's an anthology series. It makes sense to me because there are very few scenarios when this isn't the case by default and Twin Peaks happens to be one of those. The rules paraphrased are essentially a series is considered to be limited if it's either anthology or has season runs between 2 and 5 episodes. Twin Peaks isn't either technically.

[Dead Dog]

To me, this promo campaign is a little on the "failing" side. Not horrible, but pretty unimaginative and boring. And giving away the Cooper/Bob possession seems like a really stupid blunder. Not sure why Showtime did that. Granted, most people watching the re-runs have already seen the series, but the few that are first time viewers must have been upset.

[Dalai Cooper]

Yeah, I said as much a few pages back - seems stupid & unnecessary if the point of the reruns is to catch new people up. Also I haven't been following too closely so I may have this wrong but aren't they showing fire walk with me... halfway through their re-airing of the series? Makes no difference to any of us obviously, just a bit baffling.

[N. Needleman]

The cliffhanger is not some big secret. It's notorious. That doesn't bother me.

I do think they can and will step up the promotion, but they're also doing what Lynch wants.

[Dead Dog]

Not really notorious amongst those who've never seen it. I had no idea when I first watched it, and that was as recently as 2008 I believe. My wife and I were in shock.

[Ross]

I understand using the Bob/Coop ending in the trailer if S3 really is about resolving that cliffhanger. Maybe that's the most important jumping point for watching S3?

[LateReg]

I think the Cooper mirror teaser is a double edged sword. On the one hand, it does spoil the end of the series for those who have no idea what's coming, even if they don't realize it's the ending. On the other hand, it might barely even attain any meaning for those who haven't seen the show, they might think it's just some random dream or promotional material. And furthermore, quote frankly I think the teaser itself is totally amazing. A fantastic teaser and a great form of marketing.