Twin Peaksis a show that’s virtually unique in the history of television, but the closest thing it has to a small-screen successor might just be Fox’s acclaimed noir comedy-dramaFargo. The TV series based on Joel and Ethan Coen’s seminal 1996 movie is perhaps more reminiscent of the ‘90s masterpiece than anything else.
As one of the archetypal works of dark surrealism by legendary writer-director David Lynch,Twin Peaksis out on its own tonally and stylistically as well as in narrative terms. Nevertheless,Fargo’s darkest and most dangerous charactersare distinctly Lynchian, and the framing of its narrative arcs in spooky, small-town Minnesota settings has plenty in common with Lynch’s show.
What’s more, it’s one of the few contemporary serial dramas that can hold a candle to Lynch at his best aesthetically. While it does neither series justice to compare them directly, it’s fair to say thatFargo’s series highlights rival even thebest episodes ofTwin Peaks.
Fargo Is One Of The Few TV Shows That Can Be Compared To Twin Peaks
There will probably never be ashow quite likeTwin Peaks, butFargois among just a handful of TV releases out there which is worthy of comparison with David Lynch’s landmark surrealist mystery series. The five-season crime drama is a triumph of stunning visuals, searing screen performances, and mindbending storylines which dare to challenge its audience.
If this description sounds familiar, that’s because it was precisely the visual style, daring storylines and powerful performances ofTwin Peakswhich set David Lynch’s show apart in the early 1990s. As unlikely as it might have seemed when the small-screen adaptation ofFargowas first announced,Noah Hawley’s groundbreaking series succeeds in rivalling Lynch at his best.
Fargo Succeeded In Adapting A Beloved Movie Into A TV Show
Fargohas accomplished what few other TV shows have ever managed before it, as the masterful adaptation of an all-time great movie, which hascreated its own legacy distinct from its celebrated source material. The Coen Brothers film will likely always be of greater significance in the history of screen drama, but the TV show runs it very close.
Just like the original movie version, theTV showFargoposes as a true story. Its various anthological plots are presented in such a compelling way that the wholly fictional world of the series seems not only plausible, but entirely real. This total suspension of our disbelief makes the show’s Lynchian supernatural elements even creepier.
If You Like Twin Peaks, You Need To Give Fargo A Chance
Twin Peaksfans should enjoyFargoeven more than viewers who haven’t seen David Lynch’s greatest work of television, sinceFargo’s series creator Noah Hawley has explicitly referenced the show as a source of inspiration. The debt Hawley owes to Lynch is especially obvious inFargo’s surreal season 5 ending.
As much as the 1996 Coen Brothers movie is a prime example of their darkly comic, offbeat style, it can’t really be described as a work of surrealism in any way. Hawley’s version ofFargo, on the other hand, is unmistakably Lynchian, taking just as much fromTwin Peaksas it does from the work of cinema it’s ostensibly based on.
Fargo
Cast
Fargo is a Black Comedy Crime Drama television series that is based on the film of the same name, which was originally created by the Coen Brothers. The TV adaptation was developed by Noah Hawley and follows an anthology format for each of its seasons, taking place in a different time period or location within the “Fargo” universe. So far, the series has seen big-name stars like Billy Bob Thornton, Ewan McGregor, Chris Rock, and Kirsten Dunst.
Twin Peaks
Conceived by Mark Frost and David Lynch in 1990, Twin Peaks is a supernatural mystery-drama series that brings FBI Agent Dale Cooper to the quiet town of Twin Peaks to investigate the murder of a young woman named Laura Palmer. As Dale continues his investigation of her death, he learns that Laura’s life wasn’t as she advertised it, and the town itself is hiding far more secrets than they let on. The show received a revival for a third and final season two decades later to resolve the cliffhanger left at the end of the second season.
