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The Essential Wrapped In Plastic: Pathways to Twin Peaks
For thirteen years, Wrapped In Plastic magazine studied the celebrated television series, Twin Peaks, and the follow-up feature film, Fire Walk With Me. Many of the important essays and interviews from those pages have been revised and reorganized for The Essential Wrapped In Plastic: Pathways to Twin Peaks.
The Essential Wrapped In Plastic is a work of critical analysis and historical reporting. The core of the book is a detailed episode guide that reviews each chapter of David Lynch and Mark Frost’s landmark series (which originally aired on ABC television in 1990 and 1991). These reviews are supplemented by comments from actors, writers, producers and other creative personnel who provide intimate and first-hand remarks about Twin Peaks. Each critique also includes analysis of scripted scenes that were deleted from the final televised episodes, allowing for a deeper understanding of how Twin Peaks was being crafted as it went along.
The last episode of Twin Peaks is examined in detail, with a chapter that focuses on the installment’s final, mesmerizing act—an essay that sheds light on what really happened to the series’ enigmatic protagonist, Dale Cooper. The feature film, Fire Walk With Me, is the subject of two in-depth essays. The first delves into the character of Laura Palmer and shows how David Lynch transformed the idea of Laura (from the series) into a fully realized character (in the film). The second essay radically challenges the design of the Fire Walk With Me prologue, arguing that Dale Cooper is a more prominent and vital presence in the story than might first appear.
Vibrant and provocative, Twin Peaks is an enduring masterpiece. The Essential Wrapped In Plastic is a crucial guide to this remarkable work.
The Essential Wrapped In Plastic is a work of critical analysis and historical reporting. The core of the book is a detailed episode guide that reviews each chapter of David Lynch and Mark Frost’s landmark series (which originally aired on ABC television in 1990 and 1991). These reviews are supplemented by comments from actors, writers, producers and other creative personnel who provide intimate and first-hand remarks about Twin Peaks. Each critique also includes analysis of scripted scenes that were deleted from the final televised episodes, allowing for a deeper understanding of how Twin Peaks was being crafted as it went along.
The last episode of Twin Peaks is examined in detail, with a chapter that focuses on the installment’s final, mesmerizing act—an essay that sheds light on what really happened to the series’ enigmatic protagonist, Dale Cooper. The feature film, Fire Walk With Me, is the subject of two in-depth essays. The first delves into the character of Laura Palmer and shows how David Lynch transformed the idea of Laura (from the series) into a fully realized character (in the film). The second essay radically challenges the design of the Fire Walk With Me prologue, arguing that Dale Cooper is a more prominent and vital presence in the story than might first appear.
Vibrant and provocative, Twin Peaks is an enduring masterpiece. The Essential Wrapped In Plastic is a crucial guide to this remarkable work.
- GenresNonfictionFilmTvEssays
364 pages, Paperback
First published April 15, 2016
82 people are currently reading
511 people want to read
About the author
John Thorne
3 books10 followersJohn Thorne has a Master of Arts in TV/Radio/Film from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. For thirteen years, John was co-editor and co-producer of 'Wrapped In Plastic' magazine, where he wrote extensively about 'Twin Peaks' and associated film and television. He was also a contributor to the magazines, 'Spectrum' and 'Following Cerebus'. He is co-editor and contributor to the Kindle book, 'Twin Peaks in the Rearview Mirror.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
August 9, 2016
While I owned most every issue of the original "Wrapped in Plastic" 'zines, as a Twin Peaks completist, I still wasted no time plunking down money for a copy of this book.
This compilation keeps most, if not all, of the insightful pieces from the magazines, and orders them in a cohesive manner. And the writing on these pieces retains their original crispness and originality that I remember oh-so-well, and, now that I'm older, more well-read, and maybe a little wiser, the pieces are even more spot-on and savvy in their detailed analysis of the show and it's subtext.
I also enjoyed the fact that they kept the pieces that delved into "Fire Walk With Me", which is an underrated, underappreciated part of the mythos, and how it retroactively changed the whole tenor of the series upon a rewatch.
This compilation keeps most, if not all, of the insightful pieces from the magazines, and orders them in a cohesive manner. And the writing on these pieces retains their original crispness and originality that I remember oh-so-well, and, now that I'm older, more well-read, and maybe a little wiser, the pieces are even more spot-on and savvy in their detailed analysis of the show and it's subtext.
I also enjoyed the fact that they kept the pieces that delved into "Fire Walk With Me", which is an underrated, underappreciated part of the mythos, and how it retroactively changed the whole tenor of the series upon a rewatch.
May 24, 2017
I was expecting a lot more from this book. The interviews with various cast and creators are interesting and add some extra flavor to the first two seasons of Twin Peaks and Fire Walk With Me, but mostly this book is just recaps of episodes and descriptions of deleted scenes. I was hoping to see more of the actual essays from the contributors of Wrapped In Plastic Magazine, which I was unable to read back when it first came out. So hard to get a hold of those copies now, and expensive.
If you've seen the series multiple times, you probably won't get much out of this book. If you're looking for more analysis, check out David Lavery's Full of Secrets instead.
If you've seen the series multiple times, you probably won't get much out of this book. If you're looking for more analysis, check out David Lavery's Full of Secrets instead.
September 25, 2016
As an avid fan of both the television series, TWIN PEAKS, and the film works of David Lynch in general, I was extremely pleased to discover the existence of the magazine, "Wrapped In Plastic." In it, the reader could find analysis, opinions, theories, and speculation aplenty on the meaning behind the various plot lines (and for related material that also had popular followings). I still have every issue from my subscription.
This book is a collection of articles about both the television series and the prequel movie, FIRE WALK WITH ME. I suppose a case could be made that this is scholarly research, but unlike the practically impenetrable FULL OF SECRETS, this is written in a conversive form ... not unlike those late night coffee house sessions that were part of my college years where we solved all of the problems of the world.
Part of the charm of both this book and the magazine was that there wasn't only one answer given. If I was nodding my head in pleased agreement, sure that the Lynchean code had been deciphered, I would find an equally plausible article two months later that disputed the findings of the earlier one. It was wonderful. There are also contrarian points of view selected for this book.
The cinematic works of David Lynch defy a single viewing. For the casual viewer, this inability to sit back and allow the story to unfold without active mental participation can be amazingly frustrating. Add to this that David Lynch would often vacillate between saying the the stories were open to many different interpretations and affirming that there were clues provided to arrive at the "correct" understanding.
So, as the reader progresses through these articles, the will be amazement that the writers were able to uncover their interpretations from such obscurity ... especially the film, FIRE WALK WITH ME. Later, of course, it comes out that these writers studied the works very closely, over and over again, trying out different theories and measuring them against the original narratives.
Since TWIN PEAKS was designed as a television series, it allowed the viewer to watch without contribution. For the viewer who was willing to question what had been seen, though, it offered a delicious variety of possibilities that hadn't been seen on television since Patrick McGoohan's THE PRISONER.
Oh, there are occasional factual errors in an article, such as referencing an homage to the film, FRANKENSTEIN, when the actual reference should have been BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN. Yet, that is mere quibbling. For the student of David Lynch in general and TWIN PEAKS in particular, this is a refreshing book. (Be advised that EVERY plot point is reviewed, so the person who is unfamiliar with the series will find everything revealed ... except the definitive meaning.
I highly recommend this enjoyable collection of articles from the late and lamented "Wrapped In Plastic."
This book is a collection of articles about both the television series and the prequel movie, FIRE WALK WITH ME. I suppose a case could be made that this is scholarly research, but unlike the practically impenetrable FULL OF SECRETS, this is written in a conversive form ... not unlike those late night coffee house sessions that were part of my college years where we solved all of the problems of the world.
Part of the charm of both this book and the magazine was that there wasn't only one answer given. If I was nodding my head in pleased agreement, sure that the Lynchean code had been deciphered, I would find an equally plausible article two months later that disputed the findings of the earlier one. It was wonderful. There are also contrarian points of view selected for this book.
The cinematic works of David Lynch defy a single viewing. For the casual viewer, this inability to sit back and allow the story to unfold without active mental participation can be amazingly frustrating. Add to this that David Lynch would often vacillate between saying the the stories were open to many different interpretations and affirming that there were clues provided to arrive at the "correct" understanding.
So, as the reader progresses through these articles, the will be amazement that the writers were able to uncover their interpretations from such obscurity ... especially the film, FIRE WALK WITH ME. Later, of course, it comes out that these writers studied the works very closely, over and over again, trying out different theories and measuring them against the original narratives.
Since TWIN PEAKS was designed as a television series, it allowed the viewer to watch without contribution. For the viewer who was willing to question what had been seen, though, it offered a delicious variety of possibilities that hadn't been seen on television since Patrick McGoohan's THE PRISONER.
Oh, there are occasional factual errors in an article, such as referencing an homage to the film, FRANKENSTEIN, when the actual reference should have been BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN. Yet, that is mere quibbling. For the student of David Lynch in general and TWIN PEAKS in particular, this is a refreshing book. (Be advised that EVERY plot point is reviewed, so the person who is unfamiliar with the series will find everything revealed ... except the definitive meaning.
I highly recommend this enjoyable collection of articles from the late and lamented "Wrapped In Plastic."
February 2, 2021
An essential journalistic work about Twin Peaks, pieced together from issues of the Wrapped in Plastic magazine that did run for a dozen of years.
Three quarters of the book function as an episode guide for the original series, complete with comparisons between script and filmed material, cut scenes, and insights from the cast & crew. There are also a few extra texts about the Fire Walk With Me movie's script and critical reception.
A few more litterary essays follow, and they mostly felt a little bit disappointing to me.
I felt especially let down by "The Realization of Laura Palmer". Reducing the most interesting and complex TP character - Laura Palmer -, a victim of incest, a loving daughter, an angsty teenager, a sad poet, a giggling schoolgirl, a visionary dreamer, an inevitable cynic, and an intelligent and tragic figure whose suffering makes her mature too fast and lets her see through the crap other TP denizens and general humans tell themselves as truth ... reducing her struggle and life to a "bad side" and a "good side" which are supposedly in conflict, and equating the sex work, promiscuity and drug use with her "bad" side "taking over" is an incredibly simplistic analysis. Let's not even get into the author describing Donna almost getting raped in Fire Walk with Me as her potentially being "damage[d] (...) beyond repair". It would seem that the author, while certainly well-meaning, is somewhat ill-equipped to write about the complex emotional realities of the victims of abuse, incest and violence.
The book is nonetheless an essential read for any TP fan, mostly for the varied and interesting pieces of interviews, cut scenes and remembrances from the writing and filming of the original TP series and FWwM .
Three quarters of the book function as an episode guide for the original series, complete with comparisons between script and filmed material, cut scenes, and insights from the cast & crew. There are also a few extra texts about the Fire Walk With Me movie's script and critical reception.
A few more litterary essays follow, and they mostly felt a little bit disappointing to me.
I felt especially let down by "The Realization of Laura Palmer". Reducing the most interesting and complex TP character - Laura Palmer -, a victim of incest, a loving daughter, an angsty teenager, a sad poet, a giggling schoolgirl, a visionary dreamer, an inevitable cynic, and an intelligent and tragic figure whose suffering makes her mature too fast and lets her see through the crap other TP denizens and general humans tell themselves as truth ... reducing her struggle and life to a "bad side" and a "good side" which are supposedly in conflict, and equating the sex work, promiscuity and drug use with her "bad" side "taking over" is an incredibly simplistic analysis. Let's not even get into the author describing Donna almost getting raped in Fire Walk with Me as her potentially being "damage[d] (...) beyond repair". It would seem that the author, while certainly well-meaning, is somewhat ill-equipped to write about the complex emotional realities of the victims of abuse, incest and violence.
The book is nonetheless an essential read for any TP fan, mostly for the varied and interesting pieces of interviews, cut scenes and remembrances from the writing and filming of the original TP series and FWwM .
April 24, 2016
While I have liked other TP books, they often leave David Lynch and his own thoughts out of the mix. Here, the reader is treated to that and more notes from the cast and crew. Additionally, the theoretical/ analytical pieces are really rather exceptional. Overall, a must for any fan of the show, the original WRAPPED IN PLASTIC magazine, or the upcoming return on SHOWTIME.
June 21, 2018
THE ESSENTIAL WRAPPED IN PLASTIC: PATHWAYS TO TWIN PEAKS is a collection of the best articles written for the fanzine WRAPPED IN PLASTIC. Wrapped in Plastic Magazine didn't last long enough to analyze the events of TWIN PEAKS: THE RETURN but it nicely kept the fire burning for fans until David Lynch improbably rescued the series from oblivion 25 years later (just as he obliquely promised to in the final episode).
It contains a detailed episode guide and a number of excellent essays on the movie FIRE WALK WITH ME. It also contains an extremely detailed analysis of the final controversial episode of the original series. None of this is going to make a damn bit of sense unless you've watched the show recently but that's entirely possible thanks to the miracles of DVD, Showtime, and Netflix where it's available.
Personally, I was very enamored of the work done here and think this is definitely something superfans like myself will enjoy having picked up. The magazine includes some unfortunate digs at James Hurley, my favorite character, but I'm aware that I am all but alone in my fandom of the man. Even the show makes fun of him a lot.
Pick this up as a companion to a binge watch of the original show and movies before watching the Return.
9/10
It contains a detailed episode guide and a number of excellent essays on the movie FIRE WALK WITH ME. It also contains an extremely detailed analysis of the final controversial episode of the original series. None of this is going to make a damn bit of sense unless you've watched the show recently but that's entirely possible thanks to the miracles of DVD, Showtime, and Netflix where it's available.
Personally, I was very enamored of the work done here and think this is definitely something superfans like myself will enjoy having picked up. The magazine includes some unfortunate digs at James Hurley, my favorite character, but I'm aware that I am all but alone in my fandom of the man. Even the show makes fun of him a lot.
Pick this up as a companion to a binge watch of the original show and movies before watching the Return.
9/10
December 11, 2016
Fueron muchos, muchos años coleccionando los ejemplares de la revista Wrapped In Plastic que me llegaban puntualmente a la librería Gigamesh. Aquella revista mantuvo viva la llama para los devotos de "Twin Peaks" y de la obra de David Lynch, durante una época donde las cosas pintaban crudas (todo el lapso de tiempo entre el batacazo comercial de "Fuego, camina conmigo" y "Carretera perdida" no fue un camino de rosas para los lynchófilos). Y, maldita sea, hizo más para ayudarme a aprender inglés que cualquier tipo de educación formal y enseñanza reglada. Fueron muchas horas sentado diccionario en mano para ir entendiendo sus contenidos. Cuando la revista entró "en hiato" tras su número 75, aunque parecía comprensible (empezaban a proliferar las webs sobre el tema, y sus dos autores querían centrarse en otros temas, como el "Cerebus Companion" o la estupenda revista sobre TV "Spectrum Magazine", de la cual todavía atesoro bastantes ejemplares) en cierto modo fue como volver a ver cancelada mi serie preferida por segunda vez. Doloroso, por así decirlo. Al menos prometían volver en formato libro, seleccionado los mejores artículos y entrevistas durante el largo recorrido del magazine. Por desgracia, la enormemente triste muerte de Craig Miller en el 2012 (co-editor del WIP junto a John Thorne) parecieron congelar los planes de su publicación...
Hasta ahora. "Pathways to Twin Peaks" es, en dura pugna con el magnífico "Reflections" de Brad Dukes, el libro imprescindible para el twinpeaker. Mientras que el de Dukes (compendio de entrevistas para entender como fue la historia de la serie desde su auge hasta su caída) cartografía su mapa cronológico introduciendo detalles que eran desconocidos hasta la fecha -la verdad es que es un auténtico tesoro-, "Pathways" va un poco más allá e incluye la mejor guía de episodios de la serie -con constantes comparaciones con los guiones originales-, comentarios de todos los miembros del reparto a los que lograron entrevistar, capítulos dedicados expresamente a la película -la única carencia que tiene el libro de Dukes- y algunos de los mejores ensayos publicados en la revista (incluido el legendario "Dreams of Deer Meadow", que planteaba que el prólogo de la película no era sino un sueño del Agente Cooper "reinterpretándose" como Chet Desmond). No incluye mucho material nuevo, pero lo cierto es que tenerlo recogido y seleccionado lo convierte en una especie de joya "dura y brillante" como la mente de Windom Earle.
Ha sido fantástico reencontrarme con el estilo único e inolvidable de WIP que tantas y tantas nuevas perspectivas me introdujeron en la cabeza en mi adolescencia, tanto a la hora de interpretar "Twin Peaks" por dentro y por fuera (tanto por sus ensayos y teorías como en aspectos centrados en el fenómeno y sus consecuencias; fueron ellos por ejemplos los que empezaron a reivindicar la figura de Mark Frost cuando en los 90 en el imaginario popular la serie era "una creación de David Lynch"), como a la hora de descubrir muchas, muchas otras obras que han formado parte de mi vida desde entonces: "Picnic en Hanging Rock", "Riget", "Buffy cazavampiros", la increíble "Homicidio" o mi reciente adicción al cómic "Strangehaven" es probable que no hubieran entrado en mi vida por su culpa.
Hasta ahora. "Pathways to Twin Peaks" es, en dura pugna con el magnífico "Reflections" de Brad Dukes, el libro imprescindible para el twinpeaker. Mientras que el de Dukes (compendio de entrevistas para entender como fue la historia de la serie desde su auge hasta su caída) cartografía su mapa cronológico introduciendo detalles que eran desconocidos hasta la fecha -la verdad es que es un auténtico tesoro-, "Pathways" va un poco más allá e incluye la mejor guía de episodios de la serie -con constantes comparaciones con los guiones originales-, comentarios de todos los miembros del reparto a los que lograron entrevistar, capítulos dedicados expresamente a la película -la única carencia que tiene el libro de Dukes- y algunos de los mejores ensayos publicados en la revista (incluido el legendario "Dreams of Deer Meadow", que planteaba que el prólogo de la película no era sino un sueño del Agente Cooper "reinterpretándose" como Chet Desmond). No incluye mucho material nuevo, pero lo cierto es que tenerlo recogido y seleccionado lo convierte en una especie de joya "dura y brillante" como la mente de Windom Earle.
Ha sido fantástico reencontrarme con el estilo único e inolvidable de WIP que tantas y tantas nuevas perspectivas me introdujeron en la cabeza en mi adolescencia, tanto a la hora de interpretar "Twin Peaks" por dentro y por fuera (tanto por sus ensayos y teorías como en aspectos centrados en el fenómeno y sus consecuencias; fueron ellos por ejemplos los que empezaron a reivindicar la figura de Mark Frost cuando en los 90 en el imaginario popular la serie era "una creación de David Lynch"), como a la hora de descubrir muchas, muchas otras obras que han formado parte de mi vida desde entonces: "Picnic en Hanging Rock", "Riget", "Buffy cazavampiros", la increíble "Homicidio" o mi reciente adicción al cómic "Strangehaven" es probable que no hubieran entrado en mi vida por su culpa.
October 14, 2024
Watched this book along with the first two seasons + movie of Twin Peaks -- a great experience if you get the chance! Last rewatch, I followed along with the good folks of the DIANE podcast, which is where I learned about John Thorne and this book specifically. Each episode features a nice recap, an interesting analysis, technical details (like how many script drafts were written and *when*), and interview snippets with the cast + crew. Thorne is a scholar of Twin Peaks, and I love how he describes his fascination with the series, likening his work to the same way we interact with songs we like (we sing along with them, we play them over and over, we look up the lyrics and want to know about them). Anyways, this is a great reference that doesn't get too in-the-weeds with symbolism or meaning; he might touch on "intent", but only where it's been documented in interviews and script drafts. He points out inconsistencies and continuity mistakes, but mostly as a way to flesh out the complicated nature of "meaning/interpretation" in this show.
Within the first 100 pages, I went ahead and bought Thorne's books about Twin Peaks Season 3 and Mulholland Drive. I suspect the book might be quite a different animal if you read it without watching along with the show (and unreadable if you've never seen the show).
I'm not 100% convinced of the Deer Meadow Dream theory, but I appreciate Thorne's careful analysis anyways. He has a few subjective moments of declaring which moments are the best / worst of the show, and while I don't always agree, I loved having another perspective.
Within the first 100 pages, I went ahead and bought Thorne's books about Twin Peaks Season 3 and Mulholland Drive. I suspect the book might be quite a different animal if you read it without watching along with the show (and unreadable if you've never seen the show).
I'm not 100% convinced of the Deer Meadow Dream theory, but I appreciate Thorne's careful analysis anyways. He has a few subjective moments of declaring which moments are the best / worst of the show, and while I don't always agree, I loved having another perspective.
May 31, 2017
As someone who has just gotten into Twin Peaks for the first time with the new season on Showtime happening, I'm voraciously consuming any sort of media I can about it. After some research, I discovered Wrapped in Plastic, the fan-made magazine that began in the early 1990s. When I saw this compilation, I was ecstatic to dive in and, for the most part, I'm satisfied.
The main portion of this book is dedicated to recaps for every single episode as well as the movie, Fire Walk With Me. It will take you through each act of the episode, break it all down, discuss deleted or changed scenes from the original script and have interviews with cast and crew for each episode.
These are all great with the interviews from the cast members being a major highlight. However, one thing I was hoping for in this compilation was more analytical essays or theorizing about specific aspects and ideas of the series. Outside of a couple of chapters, this is mostly all recap and behind the scenes. Luckily that is all interesting enough to warrant a recommendation from me, but know that you won't be getting many in-depth or thought-provoking discussions about the show.
The main portion of this book is dedicated to recaps for every single episode as well as the movie, Fire Walk With Me. It will take you through each act of the episode, break it all down, discuss deleted or changed scenes from the original script and have interviews with cast and crew for each episode.
These are all great with the interviews from the cast members being a major highlight. However, one thing I was hoping for in this compilation was more analytical essays or theorizing about specific aspects and ideas of the series. Outside of a couple of chapters, this is mostly all recap and behind the scenes. Luckily that is all interesting enough to warrant a recommendation from me, but know that you won't be getting many in-depth or thought-provoking discussions about the show.
May 13, 2017
Some plodding parts, quite a few silly errors that proper proofreading would have fixed, but a very interesting episode guide plus extended analysis of Fire Walk With Me (grossly underrated film, and one of the most unsettling experiences you could ever have) and some fabulous interviews from cast and other crew. The final interview, with Frank Silva, is a particular highlight. While it might at times veer towards fanboydom, and is curiously muted re the damaging influence of Lara Flynn Boyle, this is a clear and entertaining account of a landmark TV series which I know I'll never forget and have watched and rewatched numerous times. A worthy companion piece.
April 10, 2019
Wrapped in Plastic was a fan magazine dedicated to Twin Peaks during its original run. This book is ostensibly a curated collection of highlights from the magazine. However, the vast bulk of the book is taken up by the exhaustive episode guide that has short plot outlines for each episode of the original series, followed up by random anecdotes culled from the cast and crew of the show.
I know the show very well, as I've watched it in its entirety at least a dozen times by now, so the episode guide wasn't particularly valuable to me. The anecdotes were moderately interesting, but nothing particularly special was included.
The back 1/3 of the book has a few essays, most notably about theories about Fire Walk With Me, and though they were moderately enjoyable to read, I think they have aged poorly, due in no small part to the large expansion of the mythology that the recent Showtime series created.
So overall, I am the target audience for this book, and I don't think it is worth taking the time with.
I know the show very well, as I've watched it in its entirety at least a dozen times by now, so the episode guide wasn't particularly valuable to me. The anecdotes were moderately interesting, but nothing particularly special was included.
The back 1/3 of the book has a few essays, most notably about theories about Fire Walk With Me, and though they were moderately enjoyable to read, I think they have aged poorly, due in no small part to the large expansion of the mythology that the recent Showtime series created.
So overall, I am the target audience for this book, and I don't think it is worth taking the time with.
August 9, 2023
I will preface this by saying that I have read a great many books on Twin Peaks, so I am perhaps not the best audience for this title.
This is collected writing from the Wrapped in Plastic magazine, and much of the book is detailed synopses and notes about the first two seasons of the show. If you are a casual fan, this is a really wonderful way to find out a little bit more about the show. If, like me, you are obnoxiously enthusiastic about it, much of this info will not be new to you. There are some interesting insights here, though, and some more complex writing about Fire Walk With Me and Laura Palmer.
This is collected writing from the Wrapped in Plastic magazine, and much of the book is detailed synopses and notes about the first two seasons of the show. If you are a casual fan, this is a really wonderful way to find out a little bit more about the show. If, like me, you are obnoxiously enthusiastic about it, much of this info will not be new to you. There are some interesting insights here, though, and some more complex writing about Fire Walk With Me and Laura Palmer.
July 17, 2017
Really loved the walk throughs of all the episodes and the interviews with actors and directors really helped add to the backstory. I never knew the log lady had worked with Lynch on Eraserhead. That is soooo cool.
Struggled a bit with the end essays. It felt a little too A level media studies. Although some of the theories are great and I've took to banging on about them at other Lynch fans like myself
Struggled a bit with the end essays. It felt a little too A level media studies. Although some of the theories are great and I've took to banging on about them at other Lynch fans like myself
October 11, 2019
The interviews and behind-the-scenes stuff are interesting, but there's also a lot of critical essay bullshit going on here, and the least interesting thing in the world is academics trying to codify Lynch's work. Art is about feeling, not meaning, and that's the difference between Lynch and some pud like, say, Refn or Aronofsky.
September 13, 2025
This is an excellent compendium of articles from the seminal "Wrapped In Plastic" magazine, the fanzine that accompanied the original run of "Twin Peaks." It's not only a hand resource for TP fans, but also a wonderful archive for past essays and complex thinking about one of the most thought-provoking shows in TV history. Highly recommended.
June 23, 2017
Some intriguing essays and criticism in here on every episode of the show and Fire Walk With Me. It can be repetitive and hard to take in one sitting but there's a ton of great info here for fans of the show.
August 16, 2017
Intriguing synopses of all episodes in S1 and S2 plus some nice essays. So long as you're not expecting academic background in the writing/thinking, it's a nice way to sort of relive the initial seasons and to see some connections and analyses that are insightful and unique.
March 23, 2018
I read this on my Kindle and Loved it. Approx. the first half was an episode breakdown by acts. This was just what I was hoping for and received. The remainder was more analysis, reviews and interviews. Great stuff!
October 17, 2019
It’s pretty clear that this one provides some solid and captivating info about Twin Peaks, bur some analysis are repetitive to the point of causing dizziness. Once I got to the notes about “Fire walk with me”, the prequel to the series, I was kind of tired of the book.
July 19, 2017
This is a good companion to the Twin Peaks television series and prequel film. The essay hypothesizing that the prologue to Fire Walk With Me is a dream of Cooper's blew my mind.
July 28, 2017
Great book. I especially enjoyed the essays about Fire Walk With Me.
February 24, 2019
Didn't fully finish this but read all the episode-centric stuff a while ago when I rewatched the original series for the billionth time. Not much stuff I already didn't know.
February 28, 2020
This book is a fantastic, scholarly look at seasons one and two, as well as Fire Walk With Me. The essay on FWWM totally changed my interpretation of the film.
June 7, 2024
3.5
Contains a really interesting interpretation of the first part of the movie Fire walk with me (the part with chest Desmond)
Contains a really interesting interpretation of the first part of the movie Fire walk with me (the part with chest Desmond)
November 18, 2024
I think the show synopsis could have been a bit better, but otherwise very happy with this book and the essays in the back are engrossing.
December 22, 2025
I your a Twin Peaks obsessive, this really is a must read, insightful, clearly written with love and passion, I cannot recommend this book enough!
February 26, 2017
Continuing on my Twin Peaks kick, it was fascinating to dive into this book - a treasure trove of analyses, essays and interviews from the time the show's original airing and all the way to ones at least edited to reflect knowledge of the upcoming third season. I've always been a fan of meta/textual analysis, and the extra insights of behind-the-scenes goings on, script changes etc really adds a whole new dimension to the entire series of Twin Peaks and the movie Fire Walk With Me.
There are some solid, thought-provoking essays along with the smaller tidbits of information from each episode. Occasionally the writing veers into completely biased territory (such as proclaiming a particular scene the very worst of the series, and criticizing or praising individual performances), but it generally keeps a fairly even tone - albeit one that is fully supportive of everything but the weakest run of episodes in the show. This positivity is a great thing for a fan - there are few less appealing things than reading about how something you love sucks - but might be a turnoff for anyone looking for a more critical examination of the series.
There are some solid, thought-provoking essays along with the smaller tidbits of information from each episode. Occasionally the writing veers into completely biased territory (such as proclaiming a particular scene the very worst of the series, and criticizing or praising individual performances), but it generally keeps a fairly even tone - albeit one that is fully supportive of everything but the weakest run of episodes in the show. This positivity is a great thing for a fan - there are few less appealing things than reading about how something you love sucks - but might be a turnoff for anyone looking for a more critical examination of the series.
January 16, 2023
If you ever fancy revisiting the Twin peaks universe then may I suggest you watch the episodes weekly alongside this book. This is the absolute definitive guide to the series and includes lots of information on all facets of the show. It is laid out more or less in an episode-by-episode manner, meaning that it is custom designed for someone navigating the show, while referencing the book as you progress. There is synopsis for each episode up to and including the Fire Walk With Me movie but more importantly, there is plenty of opinion too. So, the book is not shy to criticise the show where necessary and anyone who has sat through the whole of season two will know that that is certainly required! Aside from all this, there is many snippets from various cast and crew about matters pertaining to specific episodes etc. All-in-all, I would rate this as an absolute must-have for fans of the show, as it will richly improve your viewing experience.
December 6, 2016
A little less comprehensive than i had hoped it would be, especially in terms of discussion and analysis, but the Fire Walk With Me section is excellent and the interview excerpts are fun and often illuminating.
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