NON SPOILERS: Twin Peaks: Season 3 on Showtime Thread

[Major Briggs]

Well, as much as I love the show, allow me to disagree on this one. Yes, it is a cultural milestone and does have a pretty solid fanbase, otherwise we wouldn't be talking about it still after all this years. But It's naive to think that the Twin Peaks Brand had the same strength as it did in 1990. The highest probability is that the majority of today's TV audience don't particularly watched it, or even know what it's about. And believe me that neither Showtime or Lynch or Frost are willing to play just for the granted audience. This is still business after all

AFAIC Twin Peaks' brand is a hell of a lot stronger now than it was 25 years ago. People forget just how reviled it was when it left the air and after FWWM. You were laughed out of the room if you defended the show back then. It became a legend in the years since, which is what it is now where every TV professional, critic and nerd swears by it. People watched it on Bravo, they watched it on Netflix. Generations upon generations discovered it in syndication and on streaming. That's how it became a TV legend. And it has nothing to do with people on this board, it has to do with the general audience. They don't have to be diehard fans like us to know and love Agent Cooper or the dancing dwarf or the coffee and pie, or BOB, etc. That's how the show is remembered, and very much so.

Why do you think everyone on social media and in media in general went apeshit when the show's return was announced, or obsessed over every single piece of tiny news since? They don't do that for a show that has no real traction with the modern audience. This isn't some tiny obscure show no one knows about that is struggling to fight its way back from the brink. It hasn't been that for a long time. Twin Peaks became immortal. It is a pop culture icon, at least as big and renowned as something like The X-Files which has a spottier long-term history (in part due to it running many more years of varying quality). It is difficult to overstate its impact, its level of renown and its critical and popular cachet today. But don't take my word for it, all anyone has to do is go back and look at the endless clickbait or listicle articles about it at every anniversary over at least the last 16 years, all the interviews, retrospectives, etc etc. The list goes on and on.

They don't and wouldn't play to just us. But they also don't have to do much beyond be Twin Peaks and promote that. It is still a huge phenomenon - it only grew stronger after it was cancelled, and that turnaround took a number of years. This is not some apology tour, it's a victory lap.

Cultural relevance and actual people watching it don't go hand in hand, keep that in mind.

[Major Briggs]

In other news, Reddit user claims his wife had access to Showtime'a 2017 calendar listing TP in May. Seems pretty fake but just thought I'd share it

[N. Needleman]

Cultural relevance and actual people watching it don't go hand in hand, keep that in mind.

Again, I'm speaking to how this show plays in the US, and how its reputation and legacy has evolved and lasted. If you think it still has to prove itself, I would look to how it has been received here over the years, how those generations of audiences developed, how the press and average people here have reacted to its return and how Showtime basically lay down for Lynch over it.

When it comes to America it doesn't have to do anything but be itself at this point to get attention. And Lynch almost certainly doesn't care.

[Mordeen]

I feel debuting Twin Peaks at Sundance would be tragically foolish.

Leaked to the internet within minutes.

Fail.

-Mordeen

[Major Briggs]

I feel debuting Twin Peaks at Sundance would be tragically foolish.

Leaked to the internet within minutes.

Fail.

-Mordeen

Could be a press and guests only screening. Reviews embargoed till the premiere

[N. Needleman]

I'm sure Major Briggs PMing me his response to my post was just a misclicked mouse button, so pardon me for quoting it here to continue the discussion:

Little fun for you this week, try and ask the most people from age 15-30 you can find how they feel about the return of Twin Peaks, then tell me if you still think it's "Just put its name on bright lights that everyone goes apeshit". Cheers!

Dude, first, I really don't know how old you think I am but you're a bit off if you think I am far removed from that range. And secondly, to answer your question about that age range? - you would be seriously, seriously surprised.

Twin Peaks has fans of all ages due to its availability in the US and I believe UK and other countries on streaming and in syndication. That's how it has survived and thrived, and rebuilt its reputation since the early '90s. That's what made it much more popular and how it became an ongoing legend.

If you take issue with how people here talk about the show or regard its lasting popularity with those age groups, please consider that this show may have held on differently in different parts of the world. If you just don't like that we seem open to whatever Lynch or Frost choose to do and find us too uncritical about the book, that's your prerogative. But nobody has to convince you anymore than you need to convince us of how you feel. Let it go, Indiana.

[N. Needleman]

I feel debuting Twin Peaks at Sundance would be tragically foolish.

Leaked to the internet within minutes.

Fail.

I'm sure everyone involved knows that. So either he's willing to let that happen and present the show's opening hook early and the show premieres even earlier than we thought, or he will be assembling something else to show. Or it won't show at all.

[vicksvapor77]

In other news, Reddit user claims his wife had access to Showtime'a 2017 calendar listing TP in May. Seems pretty fake but just thought I'd share it

Can you share the link to that post for us?

[dugpa]

In other news, Reddit user claims his wife had access to Showtime'a 2017 calendar listing TP in May. Seems pretty fake but just thought I'd share it

Can you share the link to that post for us?

Showtime PR just called bullshit on the Deadline Sundance Article. I'm back to predicting Feb 24th.

[Panapaok]

A Sundance premiere of the pilot or even a sneak peek would be very interesting and could build a lot of buzz around the project. I don't know if this piece of news is accurrate but Deadline is usually very reliable. We'll find out soon, I guess.

[N. Needleman]

It's possible they're issuing a straight denial until and unless something can be worked out.

[Panapaok]

I mean, if it was supposed to be a secret screening, of course they'd deny it.

[adl345]

The more immediate thing I'm keeping my eye on is whether or not critics are sent some extended footage (possibly even a full episode) prior to the TCA panel. It's pretty rare for a show to have full-blown panel and not give the critics any footage to work with, mostly because doing so usually results in the panel just turning into a bunch of critics complaining about how they haven't seen anything.

[Si78]

I hope it gets booed at Sundance. That way we'll know it's great.

[sneakydave]

Amy Shiels just tweeted "who's all going to Sundance?"

Strange timing.....