Twin Peaks and The X-Files

Troyaferd

Two of the most influential TV Series, both started out in the early 90s, what TV Series do you prefer, which one is better?

Vote on https://www.misterpoll.com/polls/633811

Personally I like Twin Peaks better as it`s the more unique and groundbreaking TV Series I think, it has great atmosphere and a really special feel to it. It has superb directing (especially the Lynch directed ones) and really nice and artistic looking pictures and cinematography. The X-Files on the other Hand has also some good standout Episodes and interesting story, but overall it`s too inconsistent for me and too much hit and miss.

What are your opinions about the two Series?

chops018

I watched them both properly in my early 20's, so the early 2010's, meaning they were a bit dated at that stage but visually held up well in my opinion.

However, I do remember them when they were out and being shown over here and I saw an odd episode while my parents were watching. The X-Files seemed to have a more cultural impact per se over here than Twin Peaks, if I remember correctly. Sky One would show the new episode a few days after it aired in the US (I think?), and marketed it well.

I agree with your opinion. While I liked the X-Files and there were some great stand alone episodes ("Monday" S06E14, springs to mind), it didn't really hold well for the arc in my opinion, and the mix of the arc and "monster of the week" style took away from the show's "running" plot for me.

Twin Peaks was just visually fantastic, with great acting, but it did wain a bit towards the end for me (I know a lot will disagree on that). I actually did only watch it through once, so maybe a re-watch and a watch of the new series would be a good idea for me. But yeah, Twin Peaks just edges it.

Troyaferd

chops018 wrote: »

I watched them both properly in my early 20's, so the early 2010's, meaning they were a bit dated at that stage but visually held up well in my opinion.

However, I do remember them when they were out and being shown over here and I saw an odd episode while my parents were watching. The X-Files seemed to have a more cultural impact per se over here than Twin Peaks, if I remember correctly. Sky One would show the new episode a few days after it aired in the US (I think?), and marketed it well.

I agree with your opinion. While I liked the X-Files and there were some great stand alone episodes ("Monday" S06E14, springs to mind), it didn't really hold well for the arc in my opinion, and the mix of the arc and "monster of the week" style took away from the show's "running" plot for me.

Twin Peaks was just visually fantastic, with great acting, but it did wain a bit towards the end for me (I know a lot will disagree on that). I actually did only watch it through once, so maybe a re-watch and a watch of the new series would be a good idea for me. But yeah, Twin Peaks just edges it.

I agree what you wrote about both Series, The X-Files really draged and never came to a conclution and the new seasons were really not good. For Twin Peaks I agree that the 2nd half of Season Two was a bit messy but the finale is one of the best and most iconic episodes of the Series.

And yes you should check out The Return, it's amazing too.

the purple tin

Twin Peaks. Excellent show unlike anything that had come before. No TP means no X-Files. David Duchovny appeared in both shows btw.

X-Files was great too but I always prefered the 'monster episodes' as opposed to storyline running through it.
The one with Toombs was awesome, Home: the one with the hillbilly siege also (I think it was banned). Bryan Cranston was great in an episode where he had to keep moving West to stay alive.

Troyaferd

the purple tin wrote: »

Twin Peaks. Excellent show unlike anything that had come before.

and after

Troyaferd

do you think Lynch will come back with a 4th Season of Twin Peaks?

ixoy

Troyaferd wrote: »

do you think Lynch will come back with a 4th Season of Twin Peaks?

Nope. He's currently no interest in doing so and, much as I like the show, that probably makes sense given where the story is at.

Troyaferd

ixoy wrote: »

Nope. He's currently no interest in doing so and, much as I like the show, that probably makes sense given where the story is at.

I agree that the story has been told, but there are some rumors that there eventually will be a 4th Season.

Personally I would prefer if Lynch will come back to Television with a new Series.

mloc123

Troyaferd wrote: »

do you think Lynch will come back with a 4th Season of Twin Peaks?

Season three was amazing... IMO, need to rewatch it now I have signed up to boxsets on sky

Jimbob1977

They were both great series.

The X-Files was beautifully produced and compelling to watch. Chris Carter was a massive fan of "Kolchak: The Night Stalker" in his 1970s childhood. All Kolchak episodes are available on YouTube btw.

The X-Files was a superb comic book mix of conspiracy, aliens, vampires, otherworldly creatures. It was Boy's Own Adventure stuff.

Twin Peaks created a genre by itself. A concoction of small town life, murder, secrets, curtain twitching, the occult, madcap nonsense and dark comedy. With the added bonus of eerie great soundtrack.

I look back on that era very fondly

AMKC

I found the X-files dry and boring at the time but do watch it now and never even heard of the other show you mentioned. So it would be the X-files for me out of them two shows.

RandomViewer

the purple tin wrote: »

Twin Peaks. Excellent show unlike anything that had come before. No TP means no X-Files. David Duchovny appeared in both shows btw.

X-Files was great too but I always prefered the 'monster episodes' as opposed to storyline running through it.
The one with Toombs was awesome, Home: the one with the hillbilly siege also (I think it was banned). Bryan Cranston was great in an episode where he had to keep moving West to stay alive.

Monster of the week episodes topped the alien invasion muck hands down, the Lance Hendrikson spin-off Millennium was also good.

RandomViewer

Disliked Twin Peaks, X files could be awful boring with the aliens, which was more or less a copy of old Invaders episodes from the 60s ,they even had that shows star as one of the aliens

mloc123

AMKC wrote: »

I found the X-files dry and boring at the time but do watch it now and never even heard of the other show you mentioned So it would be the X-files for me out of them two shows.

:eek:

the purple tin

RandomViewer wrote: »

Monster of the week episodes topped the alien invasion muck hands down, the Lance Hendrikson spin-off Millennium was also good.

Was The Lone Horsemen spin-off any good? Just got one series afaik.

brian_t

the purple tin wrote: »

Was The Lone Horsemen The Lone Gunmen spin-off any good? Just got one series afaik.

:pac:

the purple tin

brian_t wrote: »

:pac:

ixoy

the purple tin wrote: »

Was The Lone Horsemen spin-off any good? Just got one series afaik.

Never watched it but was only aware of it for the fact it had to cut an episode where remotely controlled planes were going to fly into the World Trade Center...

RandomViewer

RandomViewer wrote: »

Monster of the week episodes topped the alien invasion muck hands down, the Lance Hendrikson spin-off Millennium was also good.

Millennium had some fantastic episodes. Pity that the cross over episode with the X Files was so bad though.

ixoy

Deleted User wrote: »

Millennium had some fantastic episodes. Pity that the cross over episode with the X Files was so bad though.

I think 'Millennium' was years ahead of its time (the time was not now..). It featured ideas that would become more popular later.
The closest modern equivalent in ways was 'Hannibal'.

the purple tin

ixoy wrote: »

I think 'Millennium' was years ahead of its time (the time was not now..). It featured ideas that would become more popular later.
The closest modern equivalent in ways was 'Hannibal'.

The one with the group of demons meeting up in the cafe to chew the fat was excellent.

MontyChips

Never watched twin peaks but sounds up my alley. Big X Files fan back in the day. Some great monster of the week episodes as stated by others. The main storyline was great but lost its way around season 5/6 for me.

Rothko

Troyaferd wrote: »

do you think Lynch will come back with a 4th Season of Twin Peaks?

I hope so. The third season ended on a bit of a cliffhanger.

Troyaferd

mloc123 wrote: »

Season three was amazing... IMO, need to rewatch it now I have signed up to boxsets on sky

I agree, Season 3 was a new kind of surrealism, though somehow it felt like all of his previous works were put together into one.

My favorite episodes are Gotta Light? and What Is Your Name?

RandomViewer

the purple tin wrote: »

Was The Lone Horsemen spin-off any good? Just got one series afaik.

Lone gunmen was weak comedy , worth watching for Zuleikha Robinson .
Harsh Realm was the other spin-off

mloc123

Troyaferd wrote: »

I agree, Season 3 was a new kind of surrealism, though somehow it felt like all of his previous works were put together into one.

My favorite episodes are Gotta Light? and What Is Your Name?

Gotta Light? is the strangest, most engaging hour of television I have ever seen.

ixoy

So there's some good timing - there's a new X-Files spin off coming! And it's an animated comedy... URL="https://deadline.com/2020/08/fox-the-x-files-animated-comedy-spin-off-1203026132/"]source[/URL:

Fox is developing The X-Files: Albuquerque from Rocky Russo and Jeremy Sosenko, writers on Netflix’s animated comedy Paradise PD and Comedy Central’s Brickleberry.

The new iteration is an animated series about an office full of misfit agents who investigate the X-Files cases too wacky, ridiculous or downright dopey for Mulder and Scully to bother with. They’re basically the X-Files’ B-team.

They may yet pass on it but since animation is popular right now, there's a good chance we'll see it in some shape or form.

the purple tin

ixoy wrote: »

So there's some good timing - there's a new X-Files spin off coming! And it's an animated comedy... URL="https://deadline.com/2020/08/fox-the-x-files-animated-comedy-spin-off-1203026132/"]source[/URL:

They may yet pass on it but since animation is popular right now, there's a good chance we'll see it in some shape or form.

I don't see this working out.
They are doing something basically identical with Star Trek too btw.

Troyaferd

AMKC wrote: »

I found the X-files dry and boring at the time but do watch it now and never even heard of the other show you mentioned. So it would be the X-files for me out of them two shows.

You should check out Twin Peaks, it's amazing. Also surprised you never heard of it. :eek::)

Troyaferd

RandomViewer wrote: »

Monster of the week episodes topped the alien invasion muck hands down.

Yeah probably because they never led to anything.

Troyaferd

ixoy wrote: »

I think 'Millennium' was years ahead of its time (the time was not now..). It featured ideas that would become more popular later.
The closest modern equivalent in ways was 'Hannibal'.

I have never watched Millennium, is it worth to give it a try like does it hold up?

RandomViewer

Troyaferd wrote: »

I have never watched Millennium, is it worth to give it a try like does it hold up?

Premise was the millennium so don't know, I watched it at the time and liked it, Final Destination vibe to it,

Troyaferd

RandomViewer wrote: »

Premise was the millennium so don't know, I watched it at the time and liked it, Final Destination vibe to it,

is it anything like the X-Files?

RandomViewer

Troyaferd wrote: »

is it anything like the X-Files?

Same crew and some actors, orverarcing plot about doomsday but most episodes it's serial killers or demons, Halloween episode is quite funny as is the dig at scientology in another episode, uses the same bad lighting as X files, Terry O'Quinn and Megan Gallagher (Hill street blues) co star

Troyaferd

RandomViewer wrote: »

Same crew and some actors, orverarcing plot about doomsday but most episodes it's serial killers or demons, Halloween episode is quite funny as is the dig at scientology in another episode, uses the same bad lighting as X files, Terry O'Quinn and Megan Gallagher (Hill street blues) co star

I think I will pass, as I got bored with The X-Files after some point.

Troyaferd

mloc123 wrote: »

Gotta Light? is the strangest, most engaging hour of television I have ever seen.

I agree, beside Beyond Life and Death

Troyaferd

Rothko wrote: »

I hope so. The third season ended on a bit of a cliffhanger.

Yeah you can see it as a cliffhanger, but also to an ending to it all I guess

i think the first season of twin peaks broke ground for tv

second season a bit of a mess once creative control got tense

x files always struck me as essentially freak-of-the-week with an interesting cast and good production values, but wouldn't consider them the same thing at all

third season of twin peaks is like no project ever put on tv, mindblowing stuff.

Troyaferd

Deleted User wrote: »

i think the first season of twin peaks broke ground for tv

second season a bit of a mess once creative control got tense

x files always struck me as essentially freak-of-the-week with an interesting cast and good production values, but wouldn't consider them the same thing at all

third season of twin peaks is like no project ever put on tv, mindblowing stuff.

Though the 2nd Season of Twin Peaks has arguably the highest amount of outstanding/great Episodes.

what series do you prefer?

The Black Oil

This X Files fan site has some nods to the influence of Twin Peaks.

http://www.eatthecorn.com/influences-1/

Troyaferd

The Black Oil wrote: »

This X Files fan site has some nods to the influence of Twin Peaks.

http://www.eatthecorn.com/influences-1/

I knew The X-Files is influenced by Twin Peaks, but interesting article.

AndrewJRenko

Troyaferd wrote: »

Though the 2nd Season of Twin Peaks has arguably the highest amount of outstanding/great Episodes.

what series do you prefer?

It's like asking which of your children do you love most.

Troyaferd

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

It's like asking which of your children do you love most.

:eek: definitely the same :pac:

Nexytus

I think lynch is working on a recut of either season 3 or the film. I can't remember which.

Troyaferd

Nexytus wrote: »

I think lynch is working on a recut of either season 3 or the film. I can't remember which.

What do you mean by recut?

the purple tin

Troyaferd wrote: »

What do you mean by recut?

Is that like a directors cut?
On the blu ray of FWWM there are loads of extra scenes that didn't get into the film.

rtron

Anyone here find TP Season 3 hilariously Funny in places?
There were some moments that cracked me up. I definitely need to rewatch it.

mloc123

Troyaferd wrote: »

Though the 2nd Season of Twin Peaks has arguably the highest amount of outstanding/great Episodes.

what series do you prefer?

The issue with season 2 was the lull in the middle... the Sarah story was wrapped up and they didn't really have anything else to tell, it was only towards the end that it got going again.

the purple tin

mloc123 wrote: »

The issue with season 2 was the lull in the middle... the Sarah story was wrapped up and they didn't really have anything else to tell, it was only towards the end that it got going again.

Lynch and Frost didn't want Cooper to solve the murder so soon but the studio made them reveal the killer for the sake of ratings.

Troyaferd

mloc123 wrote: »

The issue with season 2 was the lull in the middle... the Sarah story was wrapped up and they didn't really have anything else to tell, it was only towards the end that it got going again.

Yeah I agree, but Season 2 has some of the strongest Episodes of the Series with May the Giant be with you, Coma, Lonely Souls and Beyond Life and Death.

Troyaferd

rtron wrote: »

Anyone here find TP Season 3 hilariously Funny in places?
There were some moments that cracked me up. I definitely need to rewatch it.

Absolutely, mostly the scenes involving Dougie, Janey-e, Bushnell Mullins and Gordon.