2017 is looking up, now that Showtime president and CEO David Nevins has officially set a date for the premium channel’s Twin Peaks revival. The double-length premiere event is currently set for May 21st at 9 PM, followed by episodes three and four going live on Showtime On Demand. That should give younger fans of the show plenty of time to figure out if their parents have Showtime, and if they know what their cable password is.
(My stepdad unironically likes Ray Donovan and my mom used to watch Homeland before that show got even weirder, so you know I’m all set for when May 21st rolls around)
Series creator David Lynch is back for the 18-episode revival (despite some initial uncertainty), directing from scripts written by Lynch and co-creator Mark Frost, featuring many of the original cast members. Although early reports suggested Twin Peaks might have a shelf life beyond the current 18-episode order, Nevins shot the concept down during Showtime’s TCA tour. “[Twin Peaks] is designed to be a one-time, closed-ended event,” Nevins said. According to Variety, Nevins didn’t rule out the concept of a renewal entirely, but of course he wouldn’t — if the show does gangbusters, Showtime is absolutely going to make more. If it doesn’t bring in the numbers they were hoping for, then “18 episodes was always the plan.”
The first two seasons of Twin Peaks are currently streaming on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, and the show’s new home, Showtime. Unfortunately, Fire Walk With Me is currently unavailable to stream — your best option is to rent it digitally on iTunes or Amazon. For returning fans who have already re-watched the show in anticipation of the revival there’s always Dual Spires, the Twin Peaks homage episode of Psych (also currently unavailable for streaming). If you like your weird Pacific Northwest towns a little more interactive, there’s also cult classic video game Deadly Premonition (available on Xbox 360, PS3, and PC, although the quality of the PC version is up for debate)
