Entertainment

Kyle MacLachlan back as Agent Cooper as Twin Peaks returns to TV after 26 years

Original characters James Hurley, Bobby Briggs and Shelly Johnson also made a comeback.
Original characters James Hurley, Bobby Briggs and Shelly Johnson also made a comeback. Original characters James Hurley, Bobby Briggs and Shelly Johnson also made a comeback.

Twin Peaks made its much-anticipated return to television screens after a 26-year hiatus when its surreal brand of death and mystery was revived.

The two-hour premiere, which aired in the UK in the early hours of Monday, saw Kyle MacLachlan reprise the role of Special Agent Dale Cooper.

Twin Peaks premiere
Twin Peaks premiere
Michael Horse, who plays Deputy Hawk, also featured in the instalment (Chris Pizzello/AP)

The FBI agent has been trapped in the mysterious “black lodge” for 25 years and his doppelganger has gone on a rampage.

Other characters to return were Laura Palmer, whose murder was the basis of the original show, and her father, Leland.

James Hurley, Bobby Briggs and Shelly Johnson also made appearances, as did the Log Lady, played by Catherine Coulson who died in 2015, who returned with a warning for Deputy Hawk about Cooper.

Sherilyn Fenn, who played Audrey Horne, is yet to feature, as are newcomers Michael Cera, Laura Dern and Naomi Watts.

Critics reacted warmly and, unsurprisingly, with bafflement after the first two parts of the 18-episode season aired.

The original was cancelled a quarter of a century ago because of a ratings collapse following pressure from its then broadcaster ABC to prematurely reveal Laura’s killer.

But the show, which aired from 1990-91, revolutionised television and found continued cult success.

Creators David Lynch and Mark Frost are back at the helm after teaming up with US network Showtime.

The original was almost solely set in the small town of Twin Peaks (population 51,201) five miles south of the Canadian border but the revival took trips to New York, Las Vegas and South Dakota.It aired at 2am in the UK on Sky Atlantic and will be repeated on Tuesday at the more convenient time of 9pm.