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Twin Peaks
S1.E3
All episodesAll
  • Cast & crew
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IMDbPro

Zen, or the Skill to Catch a Killer

  • Episode aired Apr 19, 1990
  • TV-14
  • 47m
IMDb RATING
8.9/10
8.5K
YOUR RATING
Kyle MacLachlan, Michael J. Anderson, and Sheryl Lee in Twin Peaks (1990)
CrimeDramaMysteryThriller

Ben Horne's brother, Jerry, arrives in Twin Peaks; together they travel to One Eyed Jack's and meet with the madam, Blackie O'Reilly. Audrey leaves a clue for Cooper. Deputy Hawk finds a blo... Read allBen Horne's brother, Jerry, arrives in Twin Peaks; together they travel to One Eyed Jack's and meet with the madam, Blackie O'Reilly. Audrey leaves a clue for Cooper. Deputy Hawk finds a bloody towel near the crime scene.Ben Horne's brother, Jerry, arrives in Twin Peaks; together they travel to One Eyed Jack's and meet with the madam, Blackie O'Reilly. Audrey leaves a clue for Cooper. Deputy Hawk finds a bloody towel near the crime scene.

  • Director
    • David Lynch
  • Writers
    • Mark Frost
    • David Lynch
    • Harley Peyton
  • Stars
    • Kyle MacLachlan
    • Michael Ontkean
    • Mädchen Amick
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.9/10
    8.5K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • David Lynch
    • Writers
      • Mark Frost
      • David Lynch
      • Harley Peyton
    • Stars
      • Kyle MacLachlan
      • Michael Ontkean
      • Mädchen Amick
    • 19User reviews
    • 23Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos63

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    Top cast38

    Edit
    Kyle MacLachlan
    Kyle MacLachlan
    • Special Agent Dale Cooper
    Michael Ontkean
    Michael Ontkean
    • Sheriff Harry S. Truman
    Mädchen Amick
    Mädchen Amick
    • Shelly Johnson
    • (as Madchen Amick)
    Dana Ashbrook
    Dana Ashbrook
    • Bobby Briggs
    Richard Beymer
    Richard Beymer
    • Benjamin Horne
    Lara Flynn Boyle
    Lara Flynn Boyle
    • Donna Hayward
    Sherilyn Fenn
    Sherilyn Fenn
    • Audrey Horne
    Warren Frost
    Warren Frost
    • Dr. Will Hayward
    Peggy Lipton
    Peggy Lipton
    • Norma Jennings
    James Marshall
    James Marshall
    • James Hurley
    Everett McGill
    Everett McGill
    • Big Ed Hurley
    Jack Nance
    Jack Nance
    • Pete Martell
    Ray Wise
    Ray Wise
    • Leland Palmer
    Joan Chen
    Joan Chen
    • Jocelyn Packard
    Piper Laurie
    Piper Laurie
    • Catherine Martell
    Eric DaRe
    Eric DaRe
    • Leo Johnson
    • (as Eric Da Re)
    Harry Goaz
    Harry Goaz
    • Deputy Andy Brennan
    Michael Horse
    Michael Horse
    • Deputy Tommy 'Hawk' Hill
    • Director
      • David Lynch
    • Writers
      • Mark Frost
      • David Lynch
      • Harley Peyton
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews19

    8.98.4K
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    10

    Featured reviews

    Red_Identity

    David Lynch has started...

    So far, the series has been really great. It is captivating with very interesting characters with mysterious reasons. Episode 3 shows a dream sequence which I have to say, is one of the best scenes I have ever seen on television. The dream sequence is wonderfully written and directed. It has the atmosphere and the tone of a motion picture, and it certainly has the famous Lynchian feeling to it. 3 episodes in, and this series is addicting and very, very well written and directed. It makes most shows out there seem like filler compared to this. I will happily continue to watch and enjoy Twin Peaks, because it serves interesting story lines every episode so far.
    10lareval

    As great and filled with iconic moments as the pilot

    Wonderful and mesmerizing third installment of 'Twin Peaks'. It's bizarre, funny, terrifying, trippy and outstanding. A unique atmosphere that only someone unique like Lynch could pull it off.
    10joshi_3592

    It's getting weirder & better.

    I started watching this show because I had heard it was a form of paranormal or supernatural based, or something, but at least I knew it had to be good since it is a David Lynch show. The pilot missed any oddities, but it was good so I continued watching. This episode is where it get's weird. If any of you have seen the Simpsons episode "who shot Mr. Burns, part 2" you're gonna have fun with this one. This episode has the infamous dream sequence, it is weird, it is confusing, but I loved it. This is Lynch at his weirdest and best. I can't help it, I love dream logic, and it is very hard to make on film/TV, but this time they really got it right.

    And not to forget the rest of the show, it's getting more intricate, butt hat just makes you wan't to watch the next episode even more.

    It's finally getting there, I give this episode a 10/10.
    10slomas6

    Twin Peaks finest hour (47 mins)!

    Stop me if you've heard this one before but surely this is the point where TV truly became cinematic (even in 4:3 ratio).

    The humour intentional or otherwise is as good as any comedy & I watch early Arrested Development on loop.

    The emotional & occasional erotic mystery foundations for still recent payoffs including the first of the often emulated none-bettered Lynch dreamscapes.

    But thats the point, for a network Neo Soap to be that ahead of the game - Lynch/Frost's finest hour, Televisions finest hour.
    Coffee_in_the_Clink

    Captivating, beautiful and unnerving. That is the infamous dream sequence

    It's easy to tell when you're watching a "Twin Peaks" episode if it's one directed by David Lynch or not. "Zen, or the Skill to Catch a Killer", is pure Lynch. Agent Cooper's infamous dream sequence is one of the greatest dream or nightmare scenes ever filmed. It's weird, it's creepy, it's beautiful, it's absolutely unnerving. You feel like you are having this dream yourself, and just want to wake up. Furthermore, this is the first instance in the series where things have truly gotten weird, for lack of a better expression. I feel like this dream sequence is a scene that I will have to return to throughout the show; it's full of imagery and clues that I have yet to realise.

    Apart from the concluding dream sequence, this episode also features Agent Cooper's hilarious stone-throwing deduction method!

    Related interests

    James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)
    Crime
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway in Chinatown (1974)
    Mystery
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Cooper's dream is mostly made up of deleted scenes from Northwest Passage (1989) in its alternate international edit.
    • Goofs
      When the Horne brothers go to the One Eyed jacks by boat, the scene appears to be running too fast, visible in the movements of Ben. However, this is an intentional editing choice by David Lynch, who liked to protect the natural environment by shooting scenes like this slower as needed just to speed them up in post-production.
    • Quotes

      The Man From another Place: [talking backwards; subtitled] I've got good news. That gum you like is going to come back in style.

    • Crazy credits
      Instead of the show's usual closing credits still shot of a photograph of Laura Palmer, the closing credits of this episode features footage of the Man from Another Place dancing.
    • Connections
      Edited from Twin Peaks (1989)
    • Soundtracks
      Pennsylvania 6-5000
      Written by Jerry Gray and Carl Sigman

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 19, 1990 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • Agoura Hills, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Propaganda Films
      • Spelling Entertainment
      • Lynch/Frost Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 47m
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
      • Dolby Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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