35 Years Ago Today, Twin Peaks Introduced Both Its Most Problematic Character And an Insane Plot That Wouldn’t Go Away

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Over thirty years ago, David Lynch and Mark Frost’s Twin Peaks revolutionized television. The show was an instant success when it debuted in 1990, captivating audiences with its unusual characters, distinctive atmosphere, and intriguing central mystery. However, the show’s popularity led to interference from those wanting to control its direction, pushing it into storylines that threatened its unique creative vision. This resulted in a second season that often felt disjointed and led to confusing, even unbelievable, plot choices that continue to puzzle viewers today.

Episode five of Twin Peaks‘ often-criticized second season doesn’t stand out as particularly bad at first, but it marks the beginning of two confusing plotlines. One involves a character whose story seems to have lost direction, while the other presents a racially insensitive development that, even when it originally aired, was problematic – and now feels especially shocking given the show’s reputation.

Twin Peaks Episode 12 Is a Wild Turning Point for the Series

I’ve always been fascinated by the quirky side stories in Twin Peaks, and Nadine Hurley is one of my favorites. Remember Big Ed’s wife, with just one eye? She spent so much of the first season completely absorbed in creating this elaborate, silent system for drape runners – it was so odd! Then, in the second season, she tried to get a patent for it, and when that failed, she became incredibly depressed and even attempted suicide. That’s when her storyline really took off, starting with Episode 12.

Something strange happened to Nadine after her suicide attempt. She woke up from a coma believing she was back in high school – a belief that stuck with her. But that wasn’t all. She also unexpectedly developed incredible strength, first demonstrated when she ripped a refrigerator door off. This episode marked the beginning of a storyline where Nadine acted like a teenager while possessing superhuman strength, and it continued for the next sixteen episodes. We saw her re-enrolled in school and even joining the wrestling team, but it all started here.

Episode 12 of Twin Peaks introduces a puzzling subplot that became one of the show’s most talked-about mysteries. A Japanese businessman named Mr. Tojamura arrives, hoping to buy the Ghostwood Project from Ben Horne. While the story initially seemed simple, later episodes revealed a surprising twist: Mr. Tojamura wasn’t who he appeared to be. It was actually Catherine Martell (played by Piper Laurie), the owner of Packard Sawmill, cleverly disguised.

Back in 1990, a popular TV show featured a well-known actress, nominated for an Academy Award, performing in yellowface. Not only did she use makeup and a wig to try and convincingly portray a different ethnicity, but she also adopted a voice and mannerisms rooted in harmful stereotypes. The show went to great lengths to keep the actress’s true identity hidden, even crediting her under a Japanese name, “Fumio Yamaguchi,” and telling everyone on set she was a Japanese actor. While the storyline was short-lived, lasting only a few episodes—much less than another problematic plotline—it remains one of the most offensive moments in the entire series, and both these storylines began in the same episode.

Twin Peaks is streaming on Paramount+.

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2025-10-28 00:43