Twin Peaks is an American television serial drama created by Mark Frost and David Lynch that premiered on April 8, 1990, on ABC. The series was renewed for a second season that aired until June 10, 1991. It follows an investigation headed by FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) into the murder of homecoming queen Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) in the fictional town of Twin Peaks, Washington. The show's unsettling tone and supernatural elements are consistent with horror films, but its campy, melodramatic portrayal of quirky characters engaged in dubious activities draws on American soap operas. Like much of Lynch's work, it is distinguished by offbeat humor and surrealism.
Twin Peaks is often ranked as one of the greatest television dramas ever made. It captured a cult following and has been referenced in television shows, commercials, comic books, video games, films and songs. It was one of the top-rated shows of 1990, but declining ratings led to ABC's insistence that the identity of the killer be revealed in the second season. Ratings did not improve and the show was canceled. The series was followed by a 1992 feature film, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, that serves as both a prequel and epilogue to the television series. In October 2014, Showtime announced that the series would return as a limited event series, scheduled to premiere on May 21, 2017. The limited series is written by Lynch and Frost and directed by Lynch. Many original cast members, including MacLachlan, returned.