How to Watch All of Twin Peaks in Order

A New Fan’s Guide to Watching Twin Peaks

Twin Peaks, a collaboration from David Lynch and Mark Frost, has not only a profound impact on television, but changed the television landscape when it premiered back in 1990. As one of the greatest shows ever made, it’s celebrated all around the world, and surrounding David Lynch’s recent passing there’s never been a better time for people to finally discover this one-of-a-kind show.

Now, if you are coming into Twin Peaks fresh, maybe it is a little confusing at first—not in the way the show is, since there is a lot more than the original series. Technically there are two seasons, a prequel movie, a deleted scenes anthology, and a limited series continuation. That may sound like a lot but don’t panic — it’s way easier than it seems as soon as you know the proper order.

How to Start with Twin Peaks

The Original Series (1990–1991)

At least first watch the two seasons of the original Twin Peaks. A mystery of the assassination of Laura Palmer which turns the small town of Twin peaks upside down consists of 29 episodes.

Quick Tip: Unless you’re dead set on the “International Pilot” edition, avoid. The pilot, but longer, and revealing arguably the biggest secret of the show almost immediately. Thank god it barely exists on streaming so unless you’re watching a DVD or pirated version of an older version, you should be safe.

Make sure to check out Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992)

After working your way through seasons one and two, it goes: the prequel movie, Fire Walk With Me. This movie takes us just a few days before the events of the series, tracing the last events of Laura Palmer’s life. If you watch this in between seasons, it really helps explain a lot and makes everything hit a lot harder when you get to season 2.

Bonus: Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces (2014)

If you are really into them, read The Missing Pieces. This is basically the second film comprised of the outtakes of Fire Walk With Me. You don’t have to like the main story, but it’s a delight for fans that want to go deeper into the world of Twin Peaks.

Use the end of Twin Peaks: The Return (2017)

Then finish it all off with Twin Peaks: The Return, the 18-episode limited series. Consider this a third season, set 25 years after the initial run. Full of surprises around every turn, return appearances of characters from past seasons, and of course Lynch-esque absurdness to keep you guessing from here to the end.

Where to Watch Everything

Here is where to stream each part of the Twin Peaks saga:

Seasons 1 and 2 (Original Series): Paramount+ and Pluto TV (free with ads)#

Criterion: Max: Fire Walk With Me (1992)

The Missing Pieces (2014) (on The Criterion Channel)

The Return (2017): Available at Paramount+.

Love Physical Media? Get Twin Peaks: From Z to A

For those who still value physical media, the From Z to A box set is the way to go, making it available on DVD or Blu-ray. It includes:

The three seasons (the original and The Return).

The Missing Pieces (in both Fire Walk With Me movies produced)

Additionally, many special features and extras.

And some episodes even bumped up to 4K for nice quality.

Reasons To Watch Twin Peaks

Twin Peaks is much more than a television show. Some of it is a bit of a horror, some of it a drama, all of it a weird-but-genius narrative – and that mashup of features has birthed to innumerable offspring. It has something for everyone, crime stories, neat little small-town characters, or something completely different that may or may not involve a dead teenage girl in a plastic bag. And as such, now is as good a time as any to hop on that bandwagon and catch a glimpse of what all the smoke is about!