Recently myself and a group of 14 other Twin Peaks scholars, authors & podcasters came together with one simple goal: To rank every single Twin Peaks episode. Now you might be asking yourself why? Art is subjective & Twin Peaks is an ongoing narrative. The answer is simple: Most major outlets that do these kinds of rankings don’t have passionate fans & subject matter experts working on them. So, I set out to make one. Our Twin Peaks episodes ranked list comes from people who love the show as much as you and have been studying it for years too.
A few notes: We will be using the classic numbering of Twin Peaks episodes, with the Pilot as Episode 0. The Return’s episodes will be listed as “Part” instead of “Episode”. We will also include the names of the episodes, to eliminate any confusion. Without further ado, here’s our Twin Peaks episode ranked list.
48: Episode 19 “The Black Widow”
Written by Harley Peyton & Robert Engels. Directed by Caleb Deschanel.
Episode notes: Dougie Milford dies from a heart attack. Nadine joins the wrestling team. Cooper looks at property at Dead Dog Farm. Malcolm reveals to James that Evelyn’s husband is beating her. Denise blackmails Ernie and Josie becomes Catherine’s maid. Major Briggs returns home.
47: Episode 22 “Slaves and Masters”
Written by Harley Peyton & Robert Engels. Directed by Diane Keaton.
Episode Notes: Evelyn frames James for murder, but later shoots Malcolm to save James’ life. Ben Horne returns to reality via a Civil War re-enactment where the South defeats the North. Leo is taken prisoner by Windam Earle, who later leaves Cooper a mask and cassette tape belonging to Caroline on Cooper’s bed.
46: Episode 21 “Double Play”
Written by Scott Frost. Directed by Uli Edel.
Episode Notes: Cooper and Truman become suspicious of Josie. Thomas arrives in town. Major Briggs reveals that he believes he went to the White Lodge. Bobby saves Shelly from Leo, who had her cornered with an axe. The Little Nicky storyline ends, and Cooper makes admissions about his relationship with Caroline.
45: Episode 24 “Wounds & Scars”
Written by Barry Pullman. Directed by James Foley.
Episode Notes: A pine weasel ruins Audrey and Dick’s fundraiser. Truman mourns Josie. Annie Blackburn arrives in town. The Log Lady makes admissions to Cooper about her childhood and Windham Earle continues his bizarre visits around town.
44: Episode 18 “Masked Ball”
Written by Barry Pullman. Directed by Dwayne Dunham.
Episode Notes: James meets Evelyn Marsh. Denise Bryson arrives in Twin Peaks. Andrew Packard is revealed to be alive. Hawk explains the White Lodge and Dick and Andy introduce Little Nicky to the story.
43: Episode 17 “Dispute Between Brothers”
Written by Tricia Brock. Directed by Tina Rathborne
Episode Notes: The story picks up at Leland’s wake, where Cooper tries to comfort Sarah. Nadine goes back to high school. The FBI suspends Cooper and a DEA investigation opens as well. Major Briggs vanishes in front of Cooper, moments after mentioning the White Lodge.
42: Episode 25 “On the Wings of Love”
Written by Harley Peyton & Robert Engels. Directed by Duwayne Dunham.
Episode Notes: Gordon Cole meets Shelly. Earle sends a listening device to Truman’s office. Truman survives the attempt on his life by Jones. Cooper is reinstated to the FBI. Annie sends Cooper to Owl Cave but Earle has better luck.
41: Episode 23 “The Condemned Woman”
Written by Tricia Brock. Directed by Leslie Linka Glatter.
Episode Notes: Cooper and Truman make their move on Josie, before she mysteriously dies. BOB appears to Cooper and Josie winds up in a knob. Andrew reveals that he is alive to Thomas. Ben brings his old friend John Justice Wheeler to town. Earle lures Donna, Shelly and Audrey to the Roadhouse.
40: Episode 26 “Variations on Relations”
Written by Mark Frost and Harley Peyton. Directed by Jonathan Sanger.
Episode Notes: Earle traps and kills a young man named Rusty, leaving his body inside a large chess piece for Cooper. Gordon kisses Shelly and Cooper and Annie bond. Pete gets closer to opening the puzzle box and Cooper discovers that it was Leo’s handwriting in the poem sent to Donna, Audrey and Shelly.
39: Episode 20 “Checkmate”
Written by Harley Peyton. Directed by Todd Holland.
Episode Notes: Earle plants a dead body at the Sheriff’s station. Leo wakes up from his coma. Cooper becomes a deputy and kills Jean Renault at the sting at Dead Dog Farm. Briggs reveals to Cooper that the Air Force has been trying to find the White Lodge.
38: Episode 10 “The Man Behind the Glass”
Written by Robert Engels. Directed by Leslie Linka Glatter.
Episode Notes: Truman arrests Leland for Jacques murder, after Jacoby identifies him as the killer. Donna meets Harold Smith for the first time. Cooper discovers the letter “B” on a small piece of paper under Ronette’s finger. Blackie drugs Audrey and Jean Renault set a plan that will ultimately lead to Cooper’s death. Donna visits Laura’s grave and vents her frustrations.
37: Episode 11 “Laura’s Secret Diary”
Written by Jerry Stahl, Mark Frost, Harley Peyton and Robert Engels. Directed by Todd Holland.
Episode Notes: Lucy reveals to Andy that she had an affair with a man named Dick. Harold reads from Laura’s diary to Donna but refuses to let her have it. Leland confesses to killing Jacques. Jean shows Ben a tape of Audrey being held captive and gives his ransom demands. Josie returns and Jonathan beats up Hank at the Double R.
36: Part 10 “Laura is the One”
Written by Mark Frost and David Lynch. Directed by David Lynch.
Episode Notes: Richard attacks Miriam at her home and later, attacks and robs his grandmother Sylvia. Dougie and Janey-E have sex. Chad steals the letter Miriam sent to the Sheriff’s office. Gordon has a vision of Laura Palmer. The Log Lady calls Hawk again, this time telling him that “Laura is the one”.
35: Part 12 “Let’s Rock”
Written by Mark Frost and David Lynch. Directed by David Lynch.
Episode Notes: Gordon and Albert tell Tammy about the Blue Rose cases. Hawk visits Sarah at home. Hutch and Chantal kill the warden. Diane discovers that the coordinates she has led to Twin Peaks. Audrey makes her first appearance, arguing with her husband Charlie.
34: Part 7 “There’s a Body Alright”
Written by Mark Frost and David Lynch. Directed by David Lynch.
Episode Notes: Hawk and Frank read the discovered pages from Laura’s diary. Hawk wonders if Cooper really left the Lodge. Questions about Major Briggs are discussed after his fingerprints are identified. Tammy tells Gordon that Cooper said the word “very” backwards when he was being questioned and that his fingerprints also appeared backwards. Diane tells Gordon that the Cooper they saw in jail was not the Cooper she knew.
33: Episode 12 “The Orchid’s Curse”
Written by Barry Pullman. Directed by Graeme Clifford.
Episode Notes: Cooper and Truman rescue Audrey from One Eyed Jacks. Leland is released on bail. Nadine believes she’s a teenager. Hawk digs into Leland’s childhood. Andy discovers that he can father a child. Ben gets an offer for the mill.
32: Part 5 “Case Files”
Written by Mark Frost and David Lynch. Directed by David Lynch.
Episode Notes: Mr. C realizes that BOB is still with him. Dougie goes back to work. Bobby and Shelly’s daughter is revealed to be troubled. Chad takes a bribe from Richard Horne. A match for Major Briggs fingerprints is reported to the FBI.
31: Episode 28 “Miss Twin Peaks”
Written by Barry Pullman. Directed by Tim Hunter.
Episode Notes: Annie wins the contest and is abducted by Earle. Ben admits to possibly being Donna’s father. Earle leaves Leo imprisoned in a cabin to die. Cooper speculates that fear is the key to opening the Black Lodge and that the upcoming alignment between Jupiter and Saturn is the next time the Black Lodge can be entered.
30: Episode 13 “Demons”
Written by Harley Peyton and Robert Engels. Directed by Leslie Linka Glatter.
Episode Notes: Gordon Cole arrives in Twin Peaks with news for Cooper. James saves Maddy and Donna from Harold Smith. Phillip Gerard is taken over by MIKE while at the Sheriff’s station and provides insights into BOB. Shelly and Bobby discover that they can’t live off Leo’s disability money.
29: Episode 15 “Drive with a Dead Girl”
Written by Scott Frost. Directed by Caleb Deschanel.
Episode Notes: Leland disposes of Maddy’s body, which was later discovered by Cooper and Truman. Ben remains in jail, not being helped by either Jerry who is acting as his lawyer. Bobby discovers that Ben is implicated on Leo’s tapes.
28: Part 13 “What Story is that, Charlie?”
Written by Mark Frost and David Lynch. Directed by David Lynch.
Episode Notes: Mr. C takes over as the leader at the farm. He gets Ray alone, kills him and puts the ring on his finger so that Ray goes to the red room, where MIKE takes the ring back. James performs “Just You” at the Roadhouse. Bobby visits Ed and Norma at the Double R. Audrey comes to Charlie in a panicked state.
27: Part 11 “There’s Fire Where You Are Going”
Written by Mark Frost and David Lynch. Directed by David Lynch.
Episode Notes: Becky takes Shelly’s car and drives off with Shelly on the hood of the car, flinging her off. She goes to Gersten Hayward’s apartment where Steven is and fires a gun in the hallway. Gordon sees a vortex in the sky, with woodsmen appearing inside the vortex. Bill Hastings is killed while this is happening. Someone fires a gun outside the Double R. Frank studies Hawk’s map.
26: Part 6 “Don’t Die”
Written by Mark Frost and David Lynch. Directed by David Lynch.
Episode Notes: Albert finds Diane. Richard Horne runs a child over while erratically driving through town. Ike “The Spike” is given instructions to kill Dougie and Lorraine and does kill Lorraine. Janey-E pays off Dougie’s debts. Hawk finds pages from Laura Palmer’s diary in the door of a bathroom stall at the Sheriff’s office.
25: Episode 6 “Realization Time”
Written by Harley Peyton. Directed by Caleb Deschanel.
Episode Notes: Leo shoots and kills the bird. Audrey interviews at One Eyed Jack’s. Maddy, James and Donna listen to tapes Laura made for Jacoby and then setup a trap for him by dressing Maddy to look like Laura. Bobby plants drugs in James’ bike. Catherine discovers that Josie has taken out life insurance in her name.
24: Episode 27 “The Path to the Black Lodge”
Written by Harley Peyton and Robert Engels. Directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal.
Episode Notes: The Giant appears to Cooper while he’s dancing with Annie, waving his arms “No!”. John Justice Wheeler leaves town, but Audrey catches him before he does and they make love. Donna discovers that her birth certificate doesn’t list a father. Earle realizes that the petroglyph is a map to the Black Lodge. Red curtains and BOB can be seen in the woods.
23: Part 9 “This is the Chair”
Written by Mark Frost and David Lynch. Directed by David Lynch.
Episode Notes: Bobby, Frank and Hawk visit Mrs. Briggs, who delivers a message from Major Briggs. Gordon Cole requests to speak with Bill Hastings after determining that his case is connected to Cooper. Tammy questions Hastings, who claims to have seen Major Briggs before. He says Briggs was floating up saying “Cooper. Cooper”.
22: Part 4 “Brings Back Some Memories”
Written by Mark Frost and David Lynch. Directed by David Lynch.
Episode Notes: Dougie wins big at the casino. Wally Brando visits his parents. Gordon updates FBI Chief of Staff Denise Bryson about Cooper. Bobby becomes unexpectedly upset upon seeing Laura Palmer’s photo, then tells Frank and Hawk that Cooper was the last person to see his father alive. Gordon, Albert and Tammy question Mr. C.
21: Episode 9 “Coma”
Written by Harley Peyton. Directed by David Lynch.
Episode Notes: Major Briggs relays a message to Cooper, that “the owls are not what they seem”. Maddy has a vision of BOB. Donna takes on Laura’s Meals on Wheels route. Ronette awakens from her coma and identifies BOB as who attacked her and Laura. Cooper learns that his former partner has escaped the mental hospital.
20: Episode 4 “The One-Armed Man”
Written by Robert Engels. Directed by Tim Hunter.
Episode Notes: Josie gets a message from Hank. Hawk tracks down the one-armed man. Jacoby tells Cooper and Truman that Laura’s problems were “of a sexual nature” and mentions a red sports car. Cooper discovers that the man from Sarah’s vision was BOB from his dream. Laura’s autopsy reveals bird bites and a piece of a poker chip with the letter “J” on it in her stomach. Ben hires Leo to burn down the mill.
19: Episode 1 “Traces to Nowhere”
Written by Mark Frost and David Lynch. Directed by Duwayne Dunham.
Episode Notes: James is questioned by the police. Catherine and Ben agree to burn the mill down. James, Bobby and Mike are released from jail and James asks his uncle, Big Ed, for protection from the Bookhouse Boys. Sarah has a vision of a man with long grey hair. Cooper meets Audrey. Jacoby listens to tapes Laura made for him.
18: Episode 3 “Rest in Pain”
Written by Harley Peyton. Directed by Tina Rathborne.
Episode Notes: Albert tries to delay Laura’s funeral so he can further examine the body, but Cooper steps in. Cooper can’t remember his dream. Maddy arrives in town for Laura’s funeral. Truman introduces Cooper to the Bookhouse Boys. Bobby blames the entire town for Laura’s murder at her funeral. Cooper questions Leo.
17: Part 2 “The Stars Turn and a Time Presents Itself”
Written by Mark Frost and David Lynch. Directed by David Lynch.
Episode Notes: Mr. C kills Phyllis Hastings after she visited her husband Bill in jail. The Log Lady calls Hawk, who goes to Glastonbury Grove, where red curtains are briefly visible. In the Red Room, Laura tells Cooper that he can go now before an unseen force pulls her out. The Arm tells Cooper that his doppelgänger must be returned so he can leave. Mr. C kills Darya and receives a strange phone call, which he believes is from Phillip Jefferies. Cooper violently leaves the Red Room.
16: Episode 5 “Cooper’s Dreams”
Written by Mark Frost. Directed by Leslie Linka Glatter.
Episode Notes: Hank gets paroled. Leo’s bloody shirt is found in Jacques’s apartment. Bobby tells Jacoby that Laura wanted to die. Cooper meets the Log Lady. Audrey gets hired at Horne’s Department Store’s perfume counter. Ben and Josie meet, revealing that they are double crossing Catherine. The police find Jacque’s cabin. Cooper finds Audrey naked in his bed.
15: Part 1 “My Log has a Message for You”
Written by Mark Frost and David Lynch. Directed by David Lynch.
Episode Notes: The Fireman gives Cooper cryptic clues. Sam and Tracey are killed by a ghostly figure that came through the glass box Sam was monitoring. The Log Lady gives Hawk instructions. Bill Hastings is arrested for the murder of Ruth Davenport.
14: Part 16 “No Knock, No Doorbell”
Written by Mark Frost and David Lynch. Directed by David Lynch.
Episode Notes: Agent Cooper wakes up. Mr. C takes Richard to where the coordinates lead them. Richard dies, not realizing that it was a trap. Chantel and Hutch get into a shootout and die. Diane tells Gordon, Albert and Tammy what she knows, pulls a gun and is shot dead by Albert and Tammy. Diane goes to the Red Room, where it’s revealed that she was a tulpa. Cooper says his goodbye and the Mitchum brothers take him to Twin Peaks. Audrey panics in a white, padded room.
13: Part 3 “Call for Help”
Written by Mark Frost and David Lynch. Directed by David Lynch.
Episode Notes: Cooper descends through a void and enters a purple, nondescript area. He appears to be floating through space and sees Major Briggs face floating. He also encounters another woman, which sets off a series of events leading him back to “the real world” as Dougie Jones. Gordon, Albert and Tammy become aware of the Ruth Davenport murder.
12: Part 14 “We Are Like the Dreamer”
Written by Mark Frost and David Lynch. Directed by David Lynch.
Episode Notes: Albert tells Tammy about the first Blue Rose case. Gordon calls Frank Truman. Chad gets arrested. Bobby leads Hawk, Frank and Andy to Jack Rabbit’s palace, where they discover a nude woman with no eyes. The Fireman pulls Andy through a portal and gives him a warning. Freddie tells James about his experiences that lead him to Twin Peaks. Sarah kills a creepy trucker.
11: Part 15 “There’s Some Fear in Letting Go”
Written by Mark Frost and David Lynch. Directed by David Lynch.
Episode Notes: Nadine leaves Ed, who then proposes to Norma. Mr. C requests a meeting with Phillip Jefferies, who speaks through a steam emitting machine. Jefferies tells Mr. C that he’s already met Judy and gives him coordinates. The Log Lady has one last conversation with Hawk before passing away. Audrey attacks Charlie.
10: Episode 16 “Arbitrary Law”
Written by Mark Frost, Harley Peyton and Robert Engels. Directed by Tim Hunter.
Episode Notes: Donna visits Mrs. Tremond with Cooper and Andy, only to discover that another woman lives there. She gives them a page from Laura’s diary. Leland is prevented from attacking Donna by a visit from Truman. Donna tells James about Maddy’s murder. Cooper solves the case and Leland dies in jail, in Cooper’s arms after BOB leaves him.
9: Part 18 “What Is Your Name?”
Written by Mark Frost and David Lynch. Directed by David Lynch.
Episode Notes: MIKE creates a new Dougie tulpa. Cooper leaves the Red Room and finds Diane. They drive for 430 miles, before entering a portal. Diane sees herself outside a motel. After having sex with Cooper, Diane vanishes in the morning. Cooper finds Carrie Page and takes her to the Palmer home, where they meet Mrs. Tremond. Carrie hears Sarah Palmer’s voice say “Laura” and she screams.
8: Episode 7 “The Last Evening”
Written and Directed by Mark Frost.
Episode Notes: Jacoby is attacked and then has a heart attack. Leo leaves Shelly to die in the burning mill, only for Catherine to discover her. Audrey’s first client at One Eyed Jack’s is her father. Lucy reveals that she is pregnant. Leland kills Jacques. Leo is shot at his home. Cooper is shot in his hotel room.
7: Part 17 “The Past Dictates the Future”
Written by Mark Frost and David Lynch. Directed by David Lynch.
Episode Notes: Mr. C goes through a portal where he is directed to the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s office by The Fireman. Lucy shoots and kills Mr. C, as Cooper arrives. An orb containing BOB attacks and Freddie destroys the orb. Cooper puts the ring on the finger of his doppelgänger, sending him to the Red Room. Naido is revealed to be Diane. Cooper, Diane and Gordon vanish and Cooper meets Jefferies, who sends him to the day Laura Palmer was murdered. Laura goes with Cooper instead of going to meet Leo and Jacques on the night of her death but vanishes.
6: Twin Peaks Pilot
Written by Mark Frost and David Lynch. Directed by David Lynch.
Episode Notes: Laura Palmer’s body is discovered. FBI Agent Cooper is sent to investigate since the crime crossed state lines. A small piece of paper is discovered under Laura’s fingernail, linking the case to a murder from a year prior. Donna convinces James to bury the other half of Laura’s necklace. A fight breaks out at the Roadhouse.
5: Episode 14 “Lonely Souls”
Written by Mark Frost. Directed by David Lynch.
Episode Notes: Harold Smith’s body is discovered after he committed suicide. Maddy tells Leland and Sarah she’s going home. Bobby finds a tape. Audrey confronts Ben and then tells Cooper what she knows, leading to Ben’s arrest. Maddy is murdered by Leland, who was taken over by BOB. The Log Lady leads Cooper to the Roadhouse, where an elderly waiter tells him that he’s sorry.
4: Episode 2 “Zen, or the Skill to Catch a Killer”
Written by Mark Frost and David Lynch. Directed by David Lynch.
Episode Notes: FBI forensics expert Albert Rosenfield arrives to perform Laura’s autopsy. Josie realizes that Catherine keeps two ledgers. Jerry Horne comes back to town. Cooper has a cryptic dream where Laura Palmer herself tells Cooper who murdered her. Cooper calls Truman in the middle of the night to tell him he knows who killed Laura Palmer.
3: Episode 8 “May the Giant Be with You”
Story by Mark Frost and David Lynch. Teleplay by Mark Frost. Directed by David Lynch.
Episode Notes: Cooper has a vision of a giant, who gives him cryptic clues. Josie has fled town, Catherine is missing and Shelly and Pete are in the hospital. Albert returns to investigate Cooper’s shooting. Cooper realizes that there had to have been a third person involved with Laura’s murder. Ronette has a vision of BOB.
2: Part 8 “Gotta Light?”
Written by Mark Frost and David Lynch. Directed by David Lynch.
Episode Notes: Ray shoots Mr. C. Woodsmen appear, ripping at his body and an orb with BOB in it leaves Mr. C’s body. Mr. C wakes up after Ray leaves. A flashback of July 16th, 1945 is shown. After the first atomic bomb is detonated, Woodsmen and BOB arrive. A golden orb with Laura Palmer’s face is sent to Earth by The Fireman. On August 5th, 1956, a strange creature is shown hatching, and the Woodsmen attack a radio station.
Carel Struycken and Joy Nash in a still from Twin Peaks. Photo: Suzanne Tenner/SHOWTIME
1: Episode 29 “Beyond Life & Death”
Written by Mark Frost, Harley Peyton and Robert Engels. Directed by David Lynch.
Episode Notes: Earle enters the Red Room with Annie. Cooper follows them in, leaving Harry in the woods. A distorted voice speaks through Sarah Palmer, giving Major Briggs a cryptic clue. Nadine wakes up. A bomb goes off at the bank, while Audrey is chained to the vault and Pete and Andrew are there. Cooper sees various apparitions in the Red Room. Laura Palmer tells him she’ll see him in 25 years. BOB kills Earle. Cooper’s doppelgänger leaves the Red Room in Cooper’s place.
What did you think of our every Twin Peaks episode ranked list? Be sure to sound off in the comments or tell us on social media!