The show itself is a mixed bag. The fact that it is shot digitally, instead of on film, really changes the whole feel of the show. It looks cheaper. The plot line is even less understandable than the original series. I've watched all 11 available episodes. There are a few truly standout episodes, but others just meander at great lengths. In the back of your mind you say "Yeah, but I bet it will all tie together at the end of episode 18." Well, with David Lynch, you just never know.
Musically, the new series is rather disappointing, with much less music spotting than in the original series, and very few new music cues from Badalamenti (or at least it seems that way to me). Many episodes end with a seemingly superfluous scene at "The Roadhouse" bar, with one band or another playing some kind of slow, hypnotic piece. Most don't quite fit the mold, but in episode 10, the final number in the bar is INCREDIBLE. It is called "No Stars," and has heartbreaking lyrics by David Lynch, equally melancholic music from Badalamenti, and a soul-touching vocal by Rebekah Del Rio. For me, this was THE musical highlight of the new series thus far.This song hearkens back to the finest days of the Lynch/Badalamenti collaborations.
On another note, Kyle MacLachlan turns in a fantastic performance in multiple roles. Well... sort of multiple roles. Within the context of the show, they are all very different variants of one character. You'll have to see the series to see what I mean. But, truly, this might be MacLachlan's finest work.
For obvious reasons (since the original series played such a HUGE role in my life), I'm following "The Return" with avid enthusiasm. I almost get withdrawal syndrom just waiting for another episode.
I'm loving pretty much everything about it so far, even if I had to adjust my expectations early on, when I realized it was very little like the first two seasons. But as a huge Lynch fan, it's insanely rewarding. The divisive Episode 8, in particular, was just a gorgeous BLAST from start to finish, even if there was no story in it.
I do have some minor qualms, though. I do think the more comic moments (like the Lucy/Andy stuff) could have benefitted from some Badalamenti music. I don't know why Lynch has chosen to favour his own sound design over Badalamenti in so many scenes; it would be interesting to know at some point.
I love the new show, but am disappointed in the lack of music. Most of the episodes end with an indie band doing one of their originals. I generally like Lynch's sound design.
The first clear highlight of Badalamenti's new music was the cue that covers Dougie staring at the statue a few episodes ago (later reprised in an episode that followed). Maybe that's one of the hundreds of Twin Peaks cues in the archive, but I didn't recognize it. Sounded new! The music following the sex scene from the last episode was also interesting, but I think that was "Slow Dreams" by Johnny Jewel.
I love Lynch, love the original "Twin Peaks," and I think "Twin Peaks: The Return" is mesmerizing and enthralling & shaping up to be the best season of the show. Somehow with Lynch, I don't expect it to make sense and I don't care - the story and style are so surreal that I'm just enjoying what's in front of me. Lynch is one of the few living filmmakers who I will go along with on a ride no matter what he does. And an hour of Lynch every week has been a blast.
A lot of people are not happy with the look of the new series, but I'm happy with it. I generally prefer film to digital, both for cinema and for still photography, but I think the aesthetic here really works, and is often incredibly beautiful.
The lack of original Angelo Badalamenti music for the first several episodes was surprising and conspicuous. The original series was almost wall-to-wall scored, and almost everything including the music from the radios on the original series were original Badalamenti compositions. Although I love "Take 5," "Sleepwalk," and "Green Onions," when they played on the new show I couldn't help but wonder why those weren't Badalamenti pieces instead. They worked so I can't complain, but I do wonder.
As others have noted, traditional film scoring is only slowly but surely becoming implemented into the style of "The Return," and we are getting more original (and library) Badalamenti cues the closer the characters and the story are drawn back to the town of "Twin Peaks." I suspect that this is leading up to something much bigger from Badalamenti than we've heard on "The Return" so far, but we will see.
Wherever this new series goes, in terms of style or narrative or music, I'm simply happy to be along for the ride and am loving every minute of it.
Shaun, do you mean the cue for Dougie staring at the statue during the end credits of episode 5? That's also a Johnny Jewel song. It's Windswept.
It is??? WHAT THE HELL DID ANGELO EVEN DO THEN?????????????
Well, there was that really great cue in episode 8 for the sequence in the old movie theater and that glowing ball... that was a really nice cue by Badelamenti.
Shaun, do you mean the cue for Dougie staring at the statue during the end credits of episode 5? That's also a Johnny Jewel song. It's Windswept.
It is??? WHAT THE HELL DID ANGELO EVEN DO THEN?????????????
Well, there was that really great cue in episode 8 for the sequence in the old movie theater and that glowing ball... that was a really nice cue by Badelamenti.
ARE WE EVEN SURE OF THIS??? I did like that track.
From what I've gathered, there have been exactly three original Angelo Badalamenti cues on "Twin Peaks: The Return" so far:
“Accident / Farewell Theme” from Episode 6 "The Fireman" from Episode 8 (this is the "golden orb" scene described above) "The Chair" from Episode 9
That is impressive, 10 episodes deep.
Thanks to PedWolf for pointing me toward the Johnny Jewel track. I have tried to stay away from any of the music outside the show because I knew the soundtrack albums were months off, so I just blindly assumed that the sax piece had to be Badalamenti. Like LeHah said, I too am enjoying this more as just another Lynch mindfuck than an actual Twin Peaks season, but what's so fascinating about the show is that it lives with you for days afterward. Even episodes I was positive I hated, the next day, while I was complaining to people about them, I found myself going, "You know what, that was pretty great."
Regardless of minimal Badalamenti music, Johnny Jewel is excellent. Been a fan of Chromatics for a long time, and Jewel's score for Ryan Gosling's gorgeous LOST RIVER (which in itself was quite the Lynch tribute) was one of my favourite scores that year.
I've been enjoying most of the Roadhouse songs featured in the show so far, and hope there will be a separate soundtrack album for these. Or -- if there's very little Badalamenti in total -- there might be room for both on the same disc.
I also am enjoying this more as a David Lynch series than as a season of Twin Peaks. It's both fascinating and frustrating, and I respect the hell out of it not just being some by-the-numbers nostalgia trip. Something about it really sticks with me afterward, even though I'm not sure I even like the story. I was disappointed after the first episode, but now that I've adjusted to what it actually is I'm at the point where I'm genuinely excited to see the next episode. I have no idea what I'm going to get, especially after episode 8, and that feeling that it could be absolutely anything is a rare treat. I also dig the Roadhouse music, so that doesn't hurt.
Last night's episode of "Twin Peaks: The Return" (episode 11) concluded with a new Badalamenti cue, entitled "Heartbreaking." It's quite nice. Reminded me a tad bit of Barry.
Haven´t watched it yet - but definitely want to, probably when all episodes are available for binge watching.
Sure, it won´t be the TWIN PEAKS from the 90´s, but I am curious about the score and the song you mentioned.
I read before that a score release would happen in the fall. Any news on that?
Binge watching would indeed be the way to go. Things are brought up in early episodes that relate to things in later episodes. The problem is that so many weeks have gone by that you've already forgotten the early references. Watching the entire series in a day or two would solve that issue.
