Also known as "The Northwest Passage," the two-hour pilot episode of Twin Peaks originally aired April 8, 1990. The central plot of the series is set when Pete Martell (Jack Nance) finds the body of high school student Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) wrapped in plastic by the water at the Packard Sawmill dock. As the town slowly gets word of her murder, Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) from the FBI arrives in the Washington town of Twin Peaks to investigate. Assisted by Sheriff Harry S. Truman (Michael Ontkean), Cooper retrieves Laura's secret diary and a videotape. At the morgue, Cooper discovers the letter "R" from under Laura's fingernail, evidence similar to the murder case of Theresa Banks a year ago. Meanwhile, at the Great Northern Hotel, Audrey Horne (Sherilyn Fenn) disrupts her father's business deal, causing the would-be investors to back out. Deputy Hawk (Michael Horse) and Deputy Andy Brennan (Harry Goaz) locate the scene of the murder and find half of a gold heart necklace. Also, Laura's safe deposit box is opened, revealing a copy of Fleshworld magazine and about ten thousand dollars. Laura's boyfriend, Bobby Briggs (Dana Ashbrook), who is having a secret affair with waitress Shelly Johnson (Madchen Amick), is brought in for questioning. Later on at the Roadhouse, Laura's other boyfriend, James Hurley (James Marshall), kisses Donna Hayward (Lara Flynn Boyle), Laura's best friend. This episode features Julee Cruise singing "Falling" and "The Nightingale" during the scenes at the Roadhouse. The American broadcast version ends with Sarah Palmer (Grace Zabriskie) having a vision about the other half of the heart necklace. The European release contains extra scenes and an alternate ending. The Twin Peaks pilot episode was not included on the 2001 Artisan Entertainment DVD release of Twin Peaks: The First Season due to rights restrictions.

In David Lynch's cult mystery drama, the murder of local high school girl Laura Palmer brings quirky FBI agent Dale Cooper to the town of Twin Peaks.

In David Lynch's cult mystery drama. the murder of local high school girl Laura Palmer brings quirky FBI agent Dale Cooper to the town of Twin Peaks.

Originally broadcast on April 26, 1990, episode three of Twin Peaks, "Rest in Pain," takes place the day of Laura Palmer's funeral. After having breakfast with Audrey (Sherilyn Fenn), Agent Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) explains his dream to Sheriff Harry Truman (Michael Ontkean), claiming it is a code that reveals the identity of Laura's killer. At the morgue, Albert Rosenfield (Miguel Ferrer) wants to continue the autopsy while Doctor Hayward (Warren Frost) wants to release the body for the funeral. Albert doles out insults and Harry punches him out. The autopsy report reveals that Laura had been tied up and cut on the night of her death, and that she was addicted to cocaine. Laura's cousin, Madeline (also played by Sheryl Lee), arrives for the funeral, where Bobby (Dana Ashbrook) and James (James Marshall) get into a fight and Leland Palmer (Ray Wise) loses control. That evening is a full moon, and Cooper gets introduced to the Bookhouse Boys, a secret society formed to get rid of the evil presence in the woods. They find out somebody is running drugs across the Canadian border into Twin Peaks and they capture Bernard Renault (Clay Wilcox).

The investigation into Laura Palmer's murder continues in Twin Peaks, Vol. 4, the fourth regular-season episode of David Lynch and Mark Frost's ground-breaking television series, combining elements of soap opera, murder mystery, horror film, and postmodern comedy. In this installment, directed by Tim Hunter (River's Edge), Agent Dale Cooper finds his dream visions paying off: Sarah Palmer, Laura's mother, has also had visions of the evil man named Bob, while Deputy Hawk has located the One-Armed Man of Cooper's dream. Yet these leads, which point towards local veterinarian Bob Lydecker, seem like a fruitless dead-end -- that is, until the call from the FBI forensic lab reveals that mysterious bites on Laura Palmer's body were made by a mynah bird, a fact that points them towards several other clues. Also searching for clues are Laura's classmates Audrey Horne and Donna Hayward; Audrey begins to suspect that her father may be involved with Laura's death, while Donna finds herself falling in love with Laura's former boyfriend James Hurley. Meanwhile, the drug ring collapses in on itself, secret plans are made regarding the saw mill, and Hank Jennings is released from prison, all of which means the town may soon face a whole new series of problems.

Episode five of the first season of Twin Peaks, "Cooper's Dreams," originally aired on May 10, 1990, and was directed by Lesli Linka Glatter. Trying to start her own investigation, Audrey goes to a job interview at her father's department store. She manipulates the manager, Emory Battis (Don Amendolia), into a job at the perfume counter and learns some secret connections between Horne's and One-Eyed Jacks. Hank Jennings (Chris Mulkey) returns from prison to work at the Double R Diner, so Norma tells Ed Hurley (Everett McGill) that they can't continue their affair. Dr. Lawrence Jacoby (Russ Tamblyn) has a counseling session with the Briggs family, and Bobby reveals details about Laura's connection to drugs. Agent Cooper, Hawk, Sheriff Truman, and Doctor Hayward go hiking in the woods and have tea with Margaret Lanterman (Catherine Coulson), also known as the Log Lady, who tells them about her visions on the night of Laura's murder. While out in the woods, they find Jacques Renault's cabin full of clues, along with a possible witness -- a mynah bird named Waldo. That night, the Icelanders have a reception at the Great Northern, where Audrey spies on Catherine and Ben, and Leland dances out of control. James and Donna continue their own investigation with the help of Madeline, who shares clues that she found in Laura's bedroom. The main suspect, Leo Johnson, is assaulted by both Hank and Shelly.

Twin Peaks, Vol. 6 is the sixth regular-season episode of Twin Peaks, the famed, short-lived television serial from David Lynch and Mark Frost. This volume centers around the undercover infiltration of One-Eyed Jack's, another step in the investigation of Laura Palmer's murder. Agent Dale Cooper, Sheriff Harry Truman and Big Ed Hurley all explore the casino and brothel, posing as oral surgeons. Audrey Horne has also been working been her way into One-Eyed Jack's -- posing not as a customer, but as a potential employee, recruited in the same manner as Laura Palmer. Audrey winds up there on the same night as does central suspect Jacques Renault. Meanwhile, James Hurley and Donna Hayward, suspicious of Dr. Jacoby, lay a trap for him by disguising Laura's cousin Madeline as Laura, back from the dead. This installment, directed by famed cinematographer Caleb Deschanel, contains some of the most memorable moments of the series, which is characterized by bizarre comedy and surreal details within an atmosphere of brooding mystery. Especially notable scenes are Audrey's "audition" for Blackie, where she ties a cherry stem in a knot with her tongue, and the ultimate fate of Waldo the mynah bird.

The final cliffhanger episode of the first season of Twin Peaks, entitled "The Last Evening," originally aired on May 24, 1990, and was written and directed by series co-creator Mark Frost. James (James Marshall) and Donna (Lara Flynn Boyle) search for clues and find the missing tape, while Dr. Jacoby (Russ Tamblyn) gets assaulted and ends up in the hospital. Agent Cooper's (Kyle MacLachlan) undercover operation at One-Eyed Jacks is successful in setting up and arresting Jacques Renault (Walter Olkewicz), who confesses details about the night of Laura's murder. Also at One-Eyed Jacks, Audrey's secret investigation is almost discovered when her father, Ben Horne, unwittingly goes to visit "the new girl." The end is near for the Packard Sawmill, as Leo Johnson (Eric Da Re) prepares to burn it down with Shelley and Catherine inside. Hank Jennings (Chris Mulkey) reveals details of his criminal history, as well as his secret connection to Josie Packard. With several characters meeting their fate in this episode, including the two main suspects (Jacques and Leo), the mystery of Laura Palmer's murder is even more puzzling. The season finale ends with Agent Cooper receiving a gun shot in his room at the Great Northern Hotel.

Twin Peaks, Vol. 6 is the sixth regular-season episode of Twin Peaks, the famed, short-lived television serial from David Lynch and Mark Frost. This volume centers around the undercover infiltration of One-Eyed Jack's, another step in the investigation of Laura Palmer's murder. Agent Dale Cooper, Sheriff Harry Truman and Big Ed Hurley all explore the casino and brothel, posing as oral surgeons. Audrey Horne has also been working been her way into One-Eyed Jack's -- posing not as a customer, but as a potential employee, recruited in the same manner as Laura Palmer. Audrey winds up there on the same night as does central suspect Jacques Renault. Meanwhile, James Hurley and Donna Hayward, suspicious of Dr. Jacoby, lay a trap for him by disguising Laura's cousin Madeline as Laura, back from the dead. This installment, directed by famed cinematographer Caleb Deschanel, contains some of the most memorable moments of the series, which is characterized by bizarre comedy and surreal details within an atmosphere of brooding mystery. Especially notable scenes are Audrey's "audition" for Blackie, where she ties a cherry stem in a knot with her tongue, and the ultimate fate of Waldo the mynah bird.

The final episode of the first season of David Lynch and Mark Frost's acclaimed, genre-bending television serial, Twin Peaks, Vol. 7 sees the climax of several important plotlines. Donna Hayward and James Hurley's trap for Dr. Jacoby backfires when he is beaten by a masked man and has a heart attack. Meanwhile, Cooper's undercover infiltration of the local brothel, One-Eyed Jack's, leads to a telling encounter with Jacques Renault, who ultimately confesses to his activities on the night of Laura Palmer's murder. Audrey Horne's evening as a fledging worker in One-Eyed Jack's has taken a much darker turn, however, as she hides from her first potential client: her father. Meanwhile, Leo Johnson sets the mill on fire, with his wife inside; little does he know that plans are being made to dispose of him as well. The episode, directed by Mark Frost, concludes ambiguously, with the appearance of a mystery figure who shoots Agent Cooper in the stomach. Many observers believe the cliffhanger nature of this season-ending episode alienated many viewers who expected a clear-cut solution to the "Who Killed Laura Palmer?" mystery, and that this disappointment contributed heavily to the show's rapid decline in popularity.