We're still waiting for some potential new news tonight from the same source who broke the details of the Showtime deal in October, but for now there's this new interview with legendary composer Angelo Badalamenti, who's composed all the great music of TP along with many of David Lynch's other films, working closely with Lynch (and singer Julee Cruise) on many of the classic themes. Tomorrow night in L.A. there will a musical tribute concert to Lynch, featuring much of Lynch and Badalamenti's works re-interpreted by everyone from Moby to Karen O., Donovan and Duran Duran - I wish I could be there, but I hope it leaks online. (And yes, Julee Cruise will apparently be there too.)

Anyway, here's some of the pertinent material from this piece with Badalamenti:

What's your favorite musical theme from "Twin Peaks"?

AB: “Twin Peaks Theme” – Laura Palmer’s theme – and it’s amazing how that was written. David came to my little office across from Carnegie Hall and said, “I have this idea for a show, ‘Northwest Passage.’” I remember saying, “That sounds like something I read in junior high school.” [chuckles] He sat next to me at the keyboard and said, “I haven’t shot anything, but it’s like you are in a dark woods with an owl in the background and a cloud over the moon and sycamore trees are blowing very gently…” I started to press the keys for the opening chord to “Twin Peaks Love Theme,” because it was the sound of that darkness. He said, “A beautiful troubled girl is coming out of the woods, walking towards the camera…” I played the sounds he inspired. “And she comes closer and it reaches a climax and…” I continued with the music as he continued the story. “And from this, we let her go back into the dark woods.” The notes just came out. David was stunned, as was I. The hair on his arms was up and he had tears in his eyes: “I see Twin Peaks. I got it.” I said, “I’ll go home and work on it.” “Work on it?! Don’t change a note.” And of course I never did.

You winged it.

AB: Ooh, hey! Improvisation. But the words inspired me. He is such a visual person and I was able to translate that into the sound and identity for “Twin Peaks.” And it’s a series, these themes get repeated with these characters and even twenty-five years later. The characters change – physically. They are not quite the same, but the music transcends age. It’s got beauty, but with darkness and sadness. Just as Laura Palmer is beautiful, there’s something menacing under the surface.

Also:

Between you and me, I knew about this two and a half years ago. David told me and said, “Please don’t tell anybody.”

Edited April 1, 201510 yr by Vee

So here is the latest dish over at the Dugpa forums, with a grain of salt, but from the same source on the initial deal:

"Just heard this from friend at... [omitted]"

"Spoke to a colleague who works in... [omitted] and he said there's much difficulty with twin peaks and DL deals."

"He said it's possible the series won't air in '16. Ugh."

"But he said they're closer. Says DL wants to basically do the deal like he's shooting a 9 hour film, but structurally the way the TV deals work he's not getting it I guess."

"This refers to the deal. He wants it to be treated as a 9 hour film in the contracts. Doesn't want to do a TV deal for whatever reason."

I think it will all go ahead and I highly doubt it won't go ahead in time for airing in 2016 - Showtime is too deep in planning for this. But it's just a nuance issue.

Edited April 1, 201510 yr by Vee

On an unrelated note, since I know Carl liked the last interview of this ilk, here is a new interview with Andy Burns, who's written Wrapped in Plastic - no relation to the legendary fanzine - for the Pop Classics imprint, which sounds like a fascinating exploration of TP's cultural context at the time, the Lynch/Frost partnership and its roots in soap opera. Burns also has a lot to say about Jennifer Lynch and her work on Laura's secret diary, and how much of an influence that had on FWWM and Sheryl Lee. He also reminds me of something I'd forgotten, which is that when ABC moved the show to Saturdays for Season 2 it was literally up against the Golden Girls and Empty Nest audience.

This interview was conducted by Joel Bocko, who did the fantastic and exhaustive Journey Through Twin Peaks video essay I have pimped here many a time. Watch it, it's on YouTube!

Kyle MacLachlan's contribution to April Fool's, but he seems confident enough about things going forward (as does the source for the above information):

Just found out that in the new #twinpeaks Cooper drinks tea instead of coffee!!

Twin Peaks fans should watch the 1962 movie Experiment in Terror which influence David Lynch making TP and Ross Martin is so scary.

Sigh

Kimmy Robertson's Facebook statuses (https://www.facebook.com/kimmyr1)

Dear Showtime....I hope you're happy.
P.S. you really really suck.

When you get a degree in entertainment business....when they hand you the diploma...do you hand them your balls?

Twin Peaks Book ‏@TwinPeaksBook

Just heard some very bad news yall. Let's hope @Netflix would like to bring #TwinPeaks back. Pray that this can still happen, somewhere.

brad dukes ‏@brad_d_

Just heard #TwinPeaks is now not happening on @SHO_Network - cmon @netflix. PICK THIS UP. #SavePeaks @SHO_PR

brad dukes ‏@brad_d_

Not fooling guys. The deal is kaput I am told, if there ever was one. #TwinPeaks

Edited April 5, 201510 yr by alexisfan07

Twin Peaks Festival ‏@TwinPeaksFest

Attention all Twin Peaks Fans!! Send your love, hugs and good karma to David Lynch. Showtime has broken his heart.

Twin Peaks Festival ‏@TwinPeaksFest

David contacted cast members today to inform them Showtime pulled the plug.

Edited April 5, 201510 yr by alexisfan07

That's pretty insane. And very, very unprecedented for Showtime or most cable networks, which publicly committed themselves to this in extremely visible ways. You don't do what they did if you're not going to do something, ever.

Still, I'm not convinced this is the end of the line. Showtime knows that if they don't want the show Netflix will take it in a heartbeat as will others. Many would. I'm going to wait and see how everything shakes out. This is definitely going to go somewhere strange, maybe not wonderful and strange... but I'm not ruling it out.

Edited April 5, 201510 yr by Vee

Well !@#$%^&*].

That's one way to negotiate.

http://tvline.com/2015/04/05/twin-peaks-revival-showtime-cancellation-rumors/

I've had a bad feeling about this for weeks now. I think it may just be time to let the past stay the past.

Yeah, but you've got a bad feeling about everything, Carl.

I'm just going to sit on my hands and see what occurs. You don't do what he just did without knowing how people will react.

Lynch is tweeting about it now:

David Lynch @DAVID_LYNCH · 4m 4 minutes ago

Dear Twitter Friends, Showtime did not pull the plug on Twin Peaks.

David Lynch @DAVID_LYNCH · 4m 4 minutes ago

After 1 year and 4 months of negotiations, I left because not enough money was offered to do the script the way I felt it needed to be done.

David Lynch @DAVID_LYNCH · 4m 4 minutes ago

This weekend I started to call actors to let them know I would not be directing. Twin Peaks may still be very much alive at Showtime.

David Lynch @DAVID_LYNCH · 4m 4 minutes ago

I love the world of Twin Peaks and wish things could have worked out differently.

Edited April 5, 201510 yr by alexisfan07

I know this isn't what anyone wants but assuming Lynch is indeed completely out, keep in mind Lynch only directed six episodes of the original series. But obviously these are also known as some of the best (if not, the best) episodes of the series.

Assuming Lynch did indeed co-write the scripts with Frost, is it possible we could get a director (or multiple) that could handle the directing piece of it with Frost there to guide them?