My ranking of the cast of Twin Peaks (1990) - Part 2

Here's the second part of my ranking of the cast of Twin Peaks (1990-1991). Again, I should specify that the ranking only includes the performances of the first two seasons and not the revival.

29. Michael Parks as Jean Renault

Though it doesn't rank among the characters of the show I find most interesting, I would Parks is a rather effective villain as the manipulative, sleezy Jean Renault. He brings the right sort of elegance and eloquence to the character while always being such a subtly menacing presence. It's not a particularly nuanced role which is the reason why this performance is not higher, but there's no denying that Parks does very well within those limitations and makes for a fairly strong villain that is both entertaining and genuinely scary.

28. Michael Horse as Deputy Sheriff Tommy "Hawk" Hill

Michael Horse' performance is a very quiet and unshowy one yet he manages to leave a strong impression as the stoic Deputy Hawk. Though he's almost never at the center of any given scene, Horse makes for a enjoyable, subtly warm and even comforting presence on-screen and gives a winning portrayal of his character's loyalty. He brings the needed power to his key moments and also nails the lighter moments in which he's actually very entertaining showing off some pretty terrific comedic timing. It's a very nice performance, though his best work is in the third season in which he's given more to do and he absolutely thrives.

27. David Patrick Kelly as Jerry Horne

It's a one-note role but also a rather scene-stealing one and Kelly delivers a flashy, funny performance. He plays the character with just the right amount of flamboyance and never falls into the trap of overacting which could have easily been the case with such a part. He technically is nothing more than a comic relief but he leaves a lasting impression thanks to the energy and life he brings to his performance, his strong comedic chops and his pitch-perfect chemistry with his on-screen brother Richard Beymer. 

26. Warren Frost as Doc Hayward

Warren Frost doesn't really have that much to do throughout the two seasons but he still gives a nicely remarkable and moving performance. He's a consistently welcome presence throughout the show and brings the needed warmth to his character: his character is not a particularly active member of the story for most of the time but he certainly makes Doc an endearing character. When he's asked to do a bit more, especially towards the end of Season 2, Frost proves himself to be perfectly up to the task and brings some emotional honesty and gravitas to the potentially ridiculous storyline involving *Spoiler* Donna's true father (who may or may not be Benjamin Horne) *Spoiler Off*. even though I wish he had someone better to act with than Lara Flynn Boyle.

25. Carel Struycken as The Fireman

The Fireman is one of the most mysterious characters of the whole show and Struycken's performance is one of the reasons why. Though part of the character's uniqueness is due to David Lynch's brilliant direction, Struycken is terrific at being this extremely peculiar, puzzling and off-putting presence, conveying a sense of overwhelming and universal wisdom whenever he appears. His performance is great because he manages to be incredibly disturbing and haunting yet not evil unlike other supernatural characters in the series (such as BOB). I'd say he brought the character to an even higher level in the third season (and if I were to consider that season too, he'd be much higher), but it's a pretty great, unique performance.

24. Michael J. Anderson as The Man from Another Place

For being such an iconic character in the show, his screen-time his surprisingly brief. Still, this is quite a terrific performance and Anderson makes The Man from Another Place one of the most fascinating characters of the whole series. From his unforgettable dancing to his puzzling, undecipherable behavior, Anderson is absolutely fantastic in his portrayal making his character such a strange and sinister presence that fits so well with the unique atmosphere of the scenes in the Black Lodge. He makes The Man from Another Place a properly devious presence in a very subtle way and then being particularly brilliant in the second season finale by switching so effortlessly from bizzarre to downright terrifying.

23. Kenneth Welsh as Windom Earle

I could actually see some people hating this performance, and understandably so, but I thought it worked rather well. In a certain way I'd say Welsh oversimplified the character going for a manic, unhinged approach that is indeed effective but kind of deprives Windom Earle of potential nuances that could have been found. Still, it's a rather impressive and scary performance and Welsh is certainly an unpredictably creepy and menacing presence whenever he appears. I particularly like his scenes with Eric Da Re as the two of them create such an interesting and odd dynamic in their scenes together, with Welsh being especially effective in his depiction of his character's sleazy manipulation.

22. Harry Goaz as Deputy Andy Brennan

I know that Andy is a rather beloved character and that his position in my ranking might be a little too low for some, but I have to admit I found Goaz's performance occasionally a bit too much for me to completely love it. He's never bad but there a re a few scenes that are just a little over-the-top and seems like a little phony in their obvious attempt to be funny. I still don't want to sound too critical regarding this performance because there's obviously plenty to like and for most of the time Goaz delivers a wonderfully entertaining portrayal. His character could have easily been a caricature but Goaz manages to stop just before turning him into that: he makes Andy a very endearing and likeable character and is very entertaining in his portrayal of his character's clumsiness, but at the same time he gives a rather touching and compelling portrait of his character's loyalty and good-nature and shares a properly sweet chemistry with Kimmy Robertson.

21. Kimmy Robertson as Lucy Moran

I wasn't quite sure of her performance at the very beginning but she quickly managed to win me over. Robertson is a hoot as the squeaky-voiced, ditzy secretary and makes the most out of every single moment thanks to her pitch-perfect comedic timing and brilliant delivery (her voice could have easily been dreadfully annoying but she manages to make it both funny and endearing). She's always a welcome presence on-screen and she is wonderful in the subplot regarding her baby, working so wonderfully with both Goaz and Ian Buchanan (hilariously and deliciously obnoxious). She also hits every emotional beat throughout the series and as I mentioned above her chemistry with Goaz is nothing short of wonderful.

20. Peggy Lipton as Norma Jennings

Norma could have been such a thankless role being such a quiet, "ordinary" character among all of the peculiar ones in the show, but Peggy Lipton delivers a wonderfully down-to-earth that never ends up being overshadowed. She is a warm, welcome presence throughout the series and never makes you doubt of Norma's good-hearted nature. She shares an especially poignant chemistry with Madchen Amick and the two actresses makes their friendship feel emotionally resonant and true. And of course she shines best in the scenes opposite Chris Mulkey and Everett McGill: in her scenes with the former, she empathetically portrays the reasons why Norma doesn't leave Hank and then delivers absolutely in their final scene together; in her scenes with the latter, she's heartbreaking in her depiction of her character's love for Ed and the two actors realize so well the pure, everlasting feeling between the two.

Next: ranking from 19 to 11.