Today marks the 20th birthday of the perplexing, multi-layered and all around perfectly dark TV program “Twin Peaks“. Unless you haven’t been paying close attention, you will know the effect both David Lynch and his projects have had on me, but “Twin Peaks” could be the most important to me, and television as a whole. When the show premiered on this date in 1990, it was in a class all by itself. It couldn’t be considered a night-time soap, even though the plot was surrounding the sudden death of the town sweetheart Laura Palmer, as it was riddled with comedic moments and mythical intrigue. And while it delved within the sci-fi and horror realm, the Main Street USA feel of the show held it back from being an obvious horror program. It was, in essence, undefinable. And yet nowadays, its common place, especially on ABC, to delve into both multi-layered topics, without losing the sense of where the program is coming from. Without “Twin Peaks”, I wouldn’t, or couldn’t be obsessed with “Lost”, “The Sopranos” or “United States of Tara”, as it might not have existed. The effect David Lynch’s simple ode to the darkness that can be found in any small town in the US, that only ran for a mere two seasons, can be seen all over the landscape of Television. It showed us that life is not always what it seems, that answers can come from anywhere and that there is NOTHING SCARIER than a man called BOB. I have watched the show from beginning to end about eight times now, and I continuously find more interesting stories and simple effects. If Lynch is skilled at one thing (well he’s skilled at thousands, but this is for effect), it is playing homage to the American dream and the dirtiness that lives inside of it. From the moment I hear Jack Nance exclaiming, “wrapped in plastic”, I was hooked. Beyond the obvious murder mystery of who killed Laura Palmer, I was mesmerized by the characters, their development and honestly, my attachment to them. “Twin Peaks” opened up my eyes at a young age to darker plots, mystical ideas and created an earnest interest in discovering the country I live in. Lynch’s ability to create dark, troubled characters who were so fun to watch is inspiring and his strength to discuss subjects otherwise taboo, especially at the time, is commendable. It also proved that Television doesn’t have to be under produced, stale and in front of a studio audience. “Twin Peaks” was essentially a long film, broken up into 46 minute segments and played once a week at the same time. It was lush, both in story and location, and proved to both networks and producers that quality programming can be respected and watched by both the critics and viewers at home. So thank you David Lynch for allowing us to expect more from whats delivered to us through the boob tube. And while the show had its ups and downs, specifically when Lynch left for a period of time after Laura’s murderer identity was revealed, it will remain one of the most influential programs of all time. And while I can go on and on about my love for the show all day, I would prefer to show a few great moments from the show. More on Happy Birthday: Celebrating 20 Years of ‘Twin Peaks’ after the JUMP