The weird, wacky and wonderful world of Twin Peaks

The mystery of "Twin Peaks" starts with the grisly discovery of the body of prom queen Laura Palmer (played by Sheryl Lee). The entire town appears to be traumatized by the loss of the popular high-school girl. But things aren't necessarily what they seem, and underneath Laura Palmer's polished veneer lurks the story of a severely troubled girl, as investigators learn.

The 16-year-old Laura was numbing her pain and problems with drugs, and financing her habit with prostitution and pornography. The sleepy town of Twin Peaks apparently harbors all these secrets and much more, as the series reveals. The dark underbelly of the fictive small town is later explored in even greater depth in the cinematic prequel movie, "Fire Walk With Me" (pictured here).

Things weren't always difficult in Laura Palmer's life, viewers learn. What drove the blonde girl from this sleepy little place in the Pacific Northwest of the US into leading a scandalous double life? As the audience tries to piece her story together, the role of her parents moves into greater focus. Laura's father Leland (Ray Wise) is apparently keeping a dark secret.

And then there is Bob - one of the creepiest characters to ever be featured on television. With a spine-chilling stare and a sinister lust for blood, we learn that Bob (Frank Silva) is a demon who uses humans as vessels to feed on their fear. As the series progresses, it is revealed that there is a portal to a shadowy world - the Black Lodge - in Twin Peaks, where such evil spirits dwell.

As if the occult world of Twin Peaks weren't strange enough, FBI Special Agent Dale B. Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan, right) is another surreal character with lovable idiosyncrasies, including some less-than-orthodox investigation methods and his childlike enthusiasm. Detective Cooper bonds with local Sheriff Harry S. Truman (Michael Ontkean) over donuts and "damn good coffee" while solving the case.

Audrey Horne (Sherilyn Fenn), whose father owns the hotel where Agent Cooper stays, also develops feelings for the dapper FBI man in town to solve the crime. However, as a classmate of Laura Palmer's, Audrey is too young to really be considered a serious love interest for Cooper. The tender exchanges between the two characters nevertheless make for some of the best lines of the show.

The truth about the murder reveals itself to Agent Cooper incrementally, mainly in dreams and visions that offer but glimpses into other worlds like the Black Lodge. By the end of the series, Cooper ventures out into the place where the evil demons of Twin Peaks hide, only to return with a surprise that has kept fans hanging on a cliffhanger for 25 years. Will the new series resolve this?

Twin Peaks wasn't only visionary in the way it told its narrative, it was ahead of its time through the important social issues it addressed. The series introduced the first transgender character on television, played by David Duchovny. Fans of the show were quite excited to find out that Duchovny would indeed be returning in the role of Special DEA Agent Denise Bryson in the new season.

The show's award-winning director David Lynch has kept all details surrounding the plot of the new "Twin Peaks" series a well-hidden secret, adding massively to the hype that has been building up on social media in anticipation of the relaunch. While some fear that after a quarter century the revival may flop, fans around the world await the start of the new series with great excitement.